2024 Big Ten power rankings: Oregon surges to top of league’s power trio

One of the most highly anticipated weekends on the Big Ten calendar delivered two absolute classics as No. 3 Oregon upended No. 2 Ohio State by a point at Autzen Stadium and No. 4 Penn State came from behind to beat USC in overtime at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. There’s little doubt about the three best teams in the league after the way things unfolded on Saturday afternoon and evening.

Elsewhere around the conference, Iowa hammered Washington and No. 23 Illinois survived a valiant comeback attempt from Purdue to preserve their standing in the Big Ten’s second tier. While things continue to go from bleak to bleaker for the likes of Maryland and UCLA at the other end of the spectrum. 

[Related: RJ Young’s College Football Top 25]

Here’s a fresh batch of Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 7:

1. Oregon (6-0 overall, 3-0 Big Ten)

Result: 32-31 home win over No. 2 Ohio State

Oregon ascends to the top spot in our Big Ten Power Rankings after securing a gutsy victory over the Buckeyes in which kicker Atticus Sappington connected on the game-winning 19-yard field goal with 1:47 remaining. In the biggest moment of his brief Oregon career, transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel turned in a near-flawless performance by completing 23 of 34 passes for 341 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while shredding an Ohio State defense that many had considered the best in the country. The aerial exploits were buttressed by a rushing attack that averaged 5 yards per carry as tailback Jordan James racked up 115 yards and a touchdown on 23 attempts to lead the way. Gabriel also added a 27-yard rushing score early in the fourth quarter that gave the Ducks a one-point lead. Oregon outgained the Buckeyes 496-467 in total yardage and also scored key wins in the turnover battle (plus-1), the penalty battle (plus-45 yards) and the third-down battle (plus-2 in conversions) to climb the expanded conference hierarchy. The Ducks will now face Purdue on Friday night.

2. Ohio State (5-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten)

Result: 32-31 road loss to No. 3 Oregon

The Buckeyes left Autzen Stadium with far more questions than answers on Saturday night after the defeat to Oregon sunk head coach Ryan Day’s record against top-five opponents to a desultory 1-7. Poor clock management from the coaching staff and quarterback Will Howard (28-of-35, 326 yards, 2 TDs) on Ohio State’s final possession led to a deflating ending in which the latter slid to a halt as time expired, preventing the Buckeyes from attempting a potential game-winning field goal. A likely season-ending injury to left tackle Josh Simmons and a lengthy recovery for starting tight end Will Kacmarek, both of whom dropped out against the Ducks, will pose additional challenges for Day and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly in the coming weeks. Perhaps most concerning, though, was the shoddy and passive performance from an Ohio State defense that finished with zero sacks, zero interceptions, zero forced fumbles and only two tackles for loss. Cornerback Denzel Burke was targeted eight times and allowed eight completions for 179 yards and two touchdowns in a particularly shocking display. Ohio State has a bye week before hosting Nebraska on Oct. 26.

3. Penn State (6-0 overall, 3-0 Big Ten)

Result: 33-30 OT road win over USC

Detractors will point toward USC’s disappointing 1-3 mark in conference play as a way to discredit what Penn State did at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Saturday afternoon, but the 33-30 overtime win against the Trojans is certainly one of the biggest results head coach James Franklin has had in recent years. The Nittany Lions trailed 20-6 at halftime before mounting back-to-back touchdown drives to open the third quarter and reclaim momentum. Quarterback Drew Allar completed 30 of 43 passes for a career-high 391 yards and two touchdowns to battle through a turnover-filled performance. He connected with tight end Tyler Warren time and time again as the versatile playmaker set a school record with 17 receptions for 224 yards and one touchdown while lining up all over the field. The Nittany Lions forced overtime with a clutch 12-play, 75-yard drive in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, a Penn State defense that was shredded at times by USC tailbacks Woody Marks and Quinten Joyner responded incredibly well to sudden-change situations, limiting the Trojans to only six points off Allar’s three interceptions. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s group forced USC backward in overtime before kicker Michael Lantz missed a 45-yard field goal.

4. Indiana (6-0 overall, 3-0 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

Technically, the Hoosiers sit atop the conference standings as they return from a bye week to host Nebraska on Big Noon Kickoff. This will be the stiffest test of the season for first-year head coach Curt Cignetti after rolling through overmatched opponents FIU (31-7), Western Illinois (77-3), UCLA (42-13), Charlotte (52-14), Maryland (42-28) and Northwestern (41-24).

5. Illinois (5-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten)

Result: 50-49 OT home win over Purdue

This was nearly one of the most embarrassing and disastrous results of head coach Bret Bielema’s tenure after Illinois held a 27-3 lead near the midway point of the third quarter. The Illini defense surrendered 536 yards of total offense, including 239 on the ground, and allowed three touchdowns in the final 10:31 of regulation before needing a last-second field goal from kicker David Olano to force overtime. But the defense finally responded when it mattered most as linebacker Dylan Rosiek sacked Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne on an attempted 2-point conversion in overtime. Rosiek’s play preserved an outstanding effort from Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer, who completed 20 of 34 passes for 379 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for 60 yards and an additional score. Now the Illini have back-to-back games against ranked opponents in No. 24 Michigan (home) and No. 2 Oregon (road) that will likely determine the ceiling for an already impressive campaign.

6. Nebraska (5-1 overall, 2-1 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

The Cornhuskers had an extra week to prepare for an unexpectedly difficult two-game stretch against No. 16 Indiana (away) and No. 4 Ohio State (away) that will serve as a measuring stick for just how far Nebraska has come under second-year head coach Matt Rhule. A difficult back half of the schedule also includes upcoming games against USC (away), Wisconsin (home) and Iowa (away).

7. Iowa (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten)

Result: 40-16 home win over Washington

The Hawkeyes bounced back from a 35-7 throttling against then-No. 3 Ohio State last week with a vintage Iowa victory that gave head coach Kirk Ferentz his 200th victory for the program. Tailback Kaleb Johnson, who ranks second nationally in rushing, carried 21 times for 166 yards and two scores to pace the offense on an afternoon when quarterback Cade McNamara only completed eight passes. Johnson also caught an 18-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter that proved to be the game-winning score. Iowa’s defense forced two turnovers (one fumble, one interception) and the special teams unit blocked a field goal to limit Washington to its lowest scoring output of the season. The Hawkeyes could be a sneaky team to watch in the College Football Playoff race with a remaining schedule that doesn’t include any ranked opponents: Michigan State (away), Northwestern (home), Wisconsin (home), UCLA (away), Maryland (away), Nebraska (home).

8. Michigan (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

The bye week came at a fortuitous time for Michigan, which turned to its third quarterback of the season in a humbling 27-17 road loss to Washington. Former Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle, a seventh-year senior, is slated to lead the Wolverines into a difficult game at No. 22 Illinois this week after recovering from an elbow injury that has plagued him since last season. Tuttle completed 10 of 18 passes for 98 yards and one touchdown after replacing Orji against the Huskies, but he also committed two costly turnovers that directly contributed to the loss.

9. Wisconsin (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten)

Result: 42-7 road win over Rutgers

It was easy to believe that Wisconsin’s 52-6 dismantling of Purdue on Oct. 5 was little more than a middling Big Ten team decimating one of the league’s cellar dwellers. But building on that performance with a 35-point road blowout over Rutgers, which hadn’t given up more than 23 points in a game all season, was legitimately impressive. Tailback Tawee Walker, an Oklahoma transfer, carried 24 times for a career-high 198 yards and three scores to lead an offense that outgained the Scarlet Knights 549-271 in total yardage and converted on 50% of its third-down attempts. An improving Wisconsin defense held star tailback Kyle Monangai to a season-low 72 yards on 19 carries and now ranks tied for 32nd nationally in scoring at 20 points per game. The Badgers travel to Northwestern this weekend before a huge home date against No. 3 Penn State on Oct. 26. 

10. Minnesota (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: 21-17 road win over UCLA

For the second time in as many weeks, the Gophers dispatched a Los Angeles-based newcomer to the Big Ten. Head coach P.J. Fleck’s team toppled then-No. 11 USC at home two weeks ago and then traveled to the Rose Bowl for a thrilling win over UCLA on Saturday night. Tailback Darius Taylor caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Max Brosmer with 0:21 remaining to push Minnesota ahead for good. It was a redeeming moment for Taylor, the team’s featured back, who was limited to just 30 rushing yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts by a surprisingly stout UCLA front. Instead, it was the Minnesota defense that shouldered most of the burden and responded by intercepting quarterback Ethan Garbers three times. The Gophers are now tied with UNLV and California for the most interceptions in the country this season with 13. They host a struggling Maryland team on Saturday. 

11. USC (3-3 overall, 1-3 Big Ten)

Result: 33-30 OT home loss to No. 4 Penn State

The midway point of the season has arrived, and it’s still extremely difficult to get a read on USC in Year 3 under head coach Lincoln Riley. On one hand, the Trojans have a neutral site win over an LSU team that has risen to No. 8 in the latest AP Poll. They also took the No. 4 team in the country, Penn State, to overtime after leading by 14 points at halftime, and lost to a ranked Michigan outfit by three thanks in large part to a series of missed tackles on one Herculean run by tailback Kalel Mullings. On the other hand, USC is now 1-3 in the Big Ten as Riley has dropped eight of his last 13 games dating to the 2023 campaign. The Trojans now embark on a series of five consecutive games against unranked opponents before hosting No. 12 Notre Dame in the finale. It’s anyone’s guess how this season will finish.

12. Rutgers (4-2 overall, 1-2 Big Ten) 

Result: 42-7 home loss to Wisconsin

It might be danger time for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights jumped out to an impressive 4-0 start to the season that included wins over Washington (21-18) and Virginia Tech (26-23), but the last two weeks have seemed to signal a significant regression — especially on offense. Head coach Greg Schiano’s team was limited to just seven points for the second consecutive game as quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis only completed 12 of 32 passes for 103 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. It was the third time in as many weeks that Kaliakmanis was limited to fewer than 200 passing yards, a stretch in which he’s thrown more interceptions (three) than touchdowns (two). Star tailback Kyle Monangai has also been held to fewer than 100 rushing yards three times in Rutgers’ last four games. The Scarlet Knights are now tied for 87th nationally in scoring (25.7 points per game) and rank 115th in passing offense (175 yards per game).

13. Washington (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten)

Result: 40-16 road loss to Iowa

Any momentum Washington hoped to carry over from its emotional 27-17 win against then-No. 10 Michigan in a rematch of last year’s national championship game promptly evaporated during a deflating and lopsided loss to Iowa. Put simply, it was a disastrous day for the Huskies’ offense. Beginning near the midway point of the second quarter, Washington endured a sequence of possessions that included a fumble deep in Iowa territory, a punt, a field goal, an interception and then three consecutive turnovers on downs. By the time the Huskies tacked on a late touchdown with 2:58 remaining, the result was long since decided. Head coach Jedd Fisch’s team has a bye week before traveling to No. 16 Indiana on Oct. 26.

14. Northwestern (3-3 overall, 1-2 Big Ten)

Result: 37-10 road win over Maryland

After dropping three of their last four games, the Wildcats rebounded nicely with an emphatic road win at Maryland on Friday night. Northwestern’s defense forced four turnovers (three fumbles, one interception) and limited the Terrapins to just 59 rushing yards on 33 attempts (1.8 yards per carry) in a game the visitors led 17-0 and never looked back. The Wildcats pulled away with 20 unanswered points in the final 13:17 of the fourth quarter to climb back to .500 on the season. They have three manageable games against Wisconsin (home), Iowa (away) and Purdue (away) between now and Nov. 2 before ending the season with three straight ranked opponents in No. 4 Ohio State (home), No. 24 Michigan (away) and No. 22 Illinois (home).

15. Michigan State (3-3 overall, 1-2 Big Ten)

Result: Idle

The Spartans had plenty to correct during their bye week following three straight losses to quality opponents in Boston College (23-19), No. 3 Ohio State (38-7) and No. 6 Oregon (31-10). Now they’ll host Iowa in what should be another slugfest on Saturday night. A trip to No. 24 Michigan looms at the end of October. 

16. Maryland (3-3 overall, 0-3 Big Ten)

Result: 37-10 home loss to Northwestern

Maryland was one of the teams that many people expected to benefit from the Big Ten’s decision to remove divisions after facing Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State every season. But the Terrapins have now slipped to 0-3 in the Big Ten after Friday’s ugly loss to Northwestern with the most difficult portion of their schedule still to come. Remaining opponents include USC, No. 2 Oregon, Iowa and No. 3 Penn State. It could be a long fall for head coach Mike Locksley.

17. UCLA (1-5 overall, 0-4 Big Ten)

Result: 21-17 home loss to Minnesota

A 42-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Ethan Garbers to wideout J.Michael Sturdivant gave UCLA the lead with 6:54 remaining in the fourth quarter before everything fell apart. The Bruins’ defense surrendered a seven-play, 61-yard scoring drive in the final two minutes as Minnesota notched the winning score on a short pass from quarterback Max Brosmer to tailback Darius Taylor. Head coach DeShaun Foster’s team has failed to score 20 points in any game this season and now ranks 133rd in scoring at just 14.5 points per game.

18. Purdue (1-5 overall, 0-3 Big Ten)

Result: 50-49 OT road loss to No. 23 Illinois

Head coach Ryan Walters, who is a defensive coach by trade and was the defensive coordinator at Missouri and Illinois before Purdue hired him two years ago, made the surprising decision to take over offensive play calling ahead of Saturday’s loss to Illinois. The move came two weeks after Walters fired offensive coordinator Graham Harrell and seemed to spark the Boilermakers during a second-half comeback. But Walters’ decision to attempt a 2-point conversion in overtime proved to be the difference when Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne was sacked. 

Michael Cohen covers college football and basketball for FOX Sports with an emphasis on the Big Ten. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.

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