Big Ten Power Rankings: "We Are!"... Not Great.

Welcome to the first Big Ten Power Rankings! I will do my best each Wednesday to order all of the teams in the way that I see is most fitting. I did not fly down to Grapevine, Texas to figure out each teams ranking because first off, we here at the WRBWL(NA) headquarters are perfectly capable of typing teams onto paper without spending tax payer dollars for a flight, and second, new playoff committee chair and Iowa AD Gary Barta can, "suck eggs."  Lets get to it!

1. Ohio State (4-0)

    CFP Rank: #3

    Last Week: IU (W 42-35)

    Next: @Illinois

   

You don't understand how much I wish I was writing about IU in this slot. A hard fought contest over the weekend ended with the Buckeyes hanging on for a one score win. After a look at the stat line though it's easy to slot the Buckeyes in at #1. Ohio State ran a balanced offense that would make Kirk Ferentz of Iowa hot and heavy. The Bucks racked up 300 yards through the air and 307 on the ground! Without a few un-Justin Fields like interceptions, this game would not have been close. They will need to fix a secondary though that gave up 491 passing yards if they have real championship aspirations. They go on the road to Illinois this week. Look for them to shore up the defense and claim the second coolest trophy in college football.

The "Illibuck" trophy is a freaking wooden turtle! Why? Who cares! This is awesome.

2. Northwestern (5-0)

    CFP Rank: #8

    Last Week: Wisconsin (W 17-7)

    Next: @Michigan State (1-3)

The only 5-0 team in the Big Ten deserves this spot. With a one point win over Iowa on the road early in the season that saw them fall behind 17-0 in the first half and a win this past week over Wisconsin, the Wildcats are almost assured a spot in Indy. It's been mentioned many times in this blog that the Cats offense is no world beater. They do however stick to an identity which consists of grinding away on the ground, limiting mistakes, and most impressively, playing great defense. Pat Fitzgerald has created another gem of a defense in 2020. The Cats rank 2nd in the Big Ten and 4th nationally in points allowed (12.6), and rank 2nd in the Big Ten in yards allowed (314.6). This defense is deserving of a trip to Indy after it stymied the Badgers in a game that could have been an even greater margin of victory for Northwestern had the offense not turned the ball over. The last bit about this team that cannot be overlooked is the addition of IU grad-transfer QB Peyton Ramsey. Without Ramsey, these defensive performances would have been for nothing as his poise and ability to make timely plays have been the difference in games against the Badgers and Hawkeyes. Patty Fitz's boys travel to East Lansing next week to take on a bad Spartan squad.

3. Indiana (4-1)

    CFP Rank: #12

    Last Week: @Ohio State (L 35-42)

    Next: Maryland (2-1)

They were soooooooo close! Indiana showed the country last week that this program is no longer simply a show put on by the school as pre-basketball season entertainment. This IU squad is for real. Yes they lost another game against a top ten team by a single score but this was different. They were down 35-7! They gave up 400 yards of offense in the first half! They were on the road in The Shoe! Most any team would have packed it in... but not this team. They came out in the second half firing led by the dynamic duo of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. and Ty Fryfogle. Had it not been for a fumble on the 3 yard line with 1 minute to go in the first half or a pick six in the second half, IU might very well be ranked #2 or #3 in the CFP polls. I was giving my shower a thorough scrub and listening to long time IU play-by-play Don Fischer's (he's the best in the business) pre-game show where he half jokingly mentioned that Penix is going to need to throw for 500 yards and 6 touchdowns if IU is going to win. Penix's final stat line... 497 yards, 5 touchdowns... So close. As the Hoosiers move forward though they must avoid a let down against a tricky Maryland squad that is starting to really click on offense. They also must fix a rushing attack that totaled (-1) rushing yards against the Buckeyes. That is not good enough. I expect them to be ready. Tom Allen has this program thinking differently. It's not good enough for IU to be close anymore, they expect to win. With a coach like this, I'd expect to win too...

They will be fine.

4. Wisconsin (2-1)

    CFB Rank: #16

    Last Week: @Northwestern (L 7-17)

    Next: Minnesota (Canceled)

I wanted to put the Hawkeyes here since the Badgers have only played three games but I gave Bucky the nod after dominating Iowa for the last decade. Its been a weird year for the Badgers. A blowout win over Illinois to start the season in which freshman quarterback Graham Mertz only threw one incompletion was followed by two weeks of no games due to covid. That was followed by a thumping of a bad Michigan team at the Big House that led into their battle with Northwestern which was essentially a Big Ten West championship game. They were outplayed by the Cats and now sit as an unknown. Northwestern has turned out to be the only good team they have played and they don't play another good team until Iowa in the season finale. I think they have a good defense. It ranks 1st in the Big Ten and 3rd nationally in points allowed (11.7), while ranking 1st in both the Big Ten and nationally in yards allowed (233.3). Again though, I don't know if three games is enough to know if these stats are real. They're good, but maybe not that good. Their next game was suppose to be their annual squashing of Minnesota but the Gilded Rodents have covid (along with any other viral or parasitic disease rodents carry) and the game is canceled. It would have been hilarious if the Badgers had won against Northwestern because with this being their third game missed this season, they do not qualify for the championship game. 

5. Iowa (3-2)

    CFP Rank: #24

    Last Week: @Penn. St (W 41-21)

    Next: Nebraska (1-3)

For years Hawkeye fans have clamored for bigger match-ups at the beginning of the season. This year is proof as to why that is a bad idea. Iowa dropped their first two games to Purdue and Northwestern due to uncharacteristic sloppy, undisciplined play, by a combined 4 points. The Hawkeyes are a developmental program that needs a few games to get the ball moving, and right now, they have the ball speeding down a mountain pummeling anybody in its way. After offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz decided to throw 50+ times against Northwestern with a first year starting quarterback (wtf), Captain Kirk voiced his displeasure in the post game presser stating, "That is not what we want to be doing." You're darn right! Iowa has since handed the ball of to their two headed monster at running back in Tyler Goodson and Mekhi Sargent who (behind a ferocious offensive line) are gashing opponents for 5.9 yards a pop and 6 touchdowns each. The Hawkeye defense is also healthy after being without starters the first two games and are absolutely mauling people behind what is maybe the best D line in the Big Ten. Junior defensive tackle Daviyon Nixon, who Nick Saban tried to poach late in his recruitment is seemingly the next Iowa first round draft pick. This man is a 305 pound freak of an athlete. It's been reported that he took scout team reps at quarterback last week after knocking out the backup and he also garnered basketball coach Fran McCaffery's attention after this absolutely humiliating euro step of Penn. St quarterback Sean Clifford...

This man weighs 305 pounds!

   

Up next is Nebraska which the Hawks will use as a warm up for the mighty Fighting Illini.

6. Purdue (3-1)

    CFP Rank: -

    Last Week: @Minnesota (W 38-34)

    Next: Rutgers (1-4)

Purdue is 3-1. Shut up Minnesota fans you lost that game. Purdue was absolutely hosed late last Friday night on an a phantom offensive pass interference penalty that made about as much sense as the selection of Betsy DeVos to be the US Secretary of Education. Not to mention that the spread for the game was Purdue -3.5 and the touchdown would have led to a half point Boilermaker cover! Here's the play.

What are Big Ten refs smoking this year!?

I don't think Jeff Brohm is passionately inviting that official over for Thanksgiving while he's talking to him on the sideline. Purdue did screw up with the interception after the fact but it should have been a mute point. Purdue also missed two field goals. Minnesota's jumbotron operator deserves credit for the last miss while also reminding us all of why college football is so great.

No way in hell was "dramatic gopher" letting Purdue make that kick

I'm not making that kick in a million years. Other than that, Rondale Moore was back for the Boilers and he's still kinda good so thats good for Purdue.

7. Maryland (2-1)

    CFP Rank: -

    Last Week: @Michigan State (Canceled)

    Next: @ #12 Indiana (4-1)

Maryland is a mystery. They were absolutely torched by Northwestern 45-3 in week 1, beat a bad Minnesota team in overtime week 2 because of a missed PAT, and clobbered an even worse Penn. St squad in their third game. Their offense statistically has been good with Tulia Tagovialoa at quarterback, but all of those stats were piled up against two garbage defenses. I guess we'll learn more about them when they head to Bloomington to face Indiana this week. Until Tulia is no longer described by google as "Tua's younger brother," this is Maryland's ceiling. 

9-12. Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Rutgers, Michigan State

         CFP Ranks: Are you kidding me?

I lumped all of this mediocrity together since neither one of them looks capable of lining up on a given Saturday and winning a football game. Michigan may finally have a quarterback in Cade McNamara but Michigan fans thought the same thing after John O'Korn's first game. Illinois is still Illinois but made me happy after they plastered Scott Frost and Nebraska all over the Memorial Stadium walls Saturday. Rutgers lost to both Michigan and Illinois meaning they are not good, while Sparty beat Michigan and lost to Rutgers. All of these teams will be somehow matched up with each other in Big Ten Champions week games and I will be plucking my nose hairs and doing anything else that will be less painful than watching these games. 

13. Nebraska (1-3)

      CFP Rank: .....💩

      Last Week: Illinois (L 41-23😂)

      Next: @#24 Iowa

I wanted to put them last so bad. Unfortunately the Huskers beat Penn. St this year so I had to place them at 13. Seriously though, is there a team in the Big Ten hated conference-wide more than Nebraska? All of the off-season nonsense about them suing the Big Ten over not playing and that they were going to leave the conference if Kevin Warren didn't let the league play was exhausting. Move ahead to their administration as a whole claiming the reason the conference is even playing at all is a direct result of Nebraska... Are you kidding me!?!? Nobody cares! Seriously, the Huskers have added nothing to the Big Ten since their arrival. They were brought in for football and have not produced. They are at the bottom of the conference for academics, their basketball program which they dub "Nebrasketball" is a hot steaming pile of s***, and as mentioned, their football team sucks. Its not even just that they suck in football. It's fine to suck. But the ARROGANCE is nauseating! From their AD firing Bo Pelini in 2014 after an OT loss to Iowa claiming the reason for the firing after a 9-3 season was,"We have to look at where Iowa is as a program", to their most recent shellacking by Illinois when Scott Frost said after the game "I did not expect this." In Frost's tenure he has openly made statements saying "these are not my players. I did not recruit them." and "My guys are soft, why are we wearing hoodies before a game." While also so standing at a podium in the summer of 2019 stating that "if a player we are recruiting has any evidence of abuse towards women in any way they will not be welcomed to this team" and then proceeding to start Mo Washington for 3 games in 2019 while he was under investigation for child porn distribution charges in the state of California. How about you own up to the fact that this is not the mid 90's, its 2020 and for the last 8 years you have been a part of the Big Ten and contributed nothing but annoyance to the league. Go back to the Big 12 if you don't freaking like it! You "might" win more games. This sentiment is shared by many. 

I love Desmond Howard now.

Watch 1:45-2:35 fro Northwestern Grad Mike Wilbon.

This is your warning Nebraska. Next week its the bottom of the standings for you.

14. Penn State (0-5)

      CFP Ranking: Started the season #8 Lol

      Last Week: Iowa (L 41-21)

      Next: @Michigan

Penn State is 0-5 for the first time in the history of the program. They have dealt with much adversity with players opting out for personal and medical reasons leaving them with a bad football team. The only thing guaranteed with Penn State is two Sean Clifford interceptions a game (even if he doesn't start). They play Michigan this weekend in a game pitting two teams trying to prove who can fall off the mountain of relevance faster.

And with that, the first power rankings are in the books. Everybody have a wonderful Thanksgiving and be sure to tune into FOX at 1pm on Friday to watch Scott Frost get smashed by Iowa.

Happy Thanksgiving.