Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State stumps Penn State, Illinois & Michigan roll

The second of three major Big Ten East showdowns is in the books and the race is, for all intents and purposes, now down to two teams. Unsurprisingly the two teams who have been at the top of our Big Ten Power Rankings for quite some time are on a collision course.

Ohio State‘s big win over Penn State was the marquee result of the week; there weren’t a whole lot of overly intriguing matchups outside of that.

So let’s take a closer examination of the Big Ten action to see how our rankings shifted this week.

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Today we update the Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 9 games.

2022 Big Ten Power Rankings – Week 9

1. Ohio State

Star players making game-changing plays. Superstar players make game-changing plays in big games. Repeatedly. Say hello to superstar J.T. Tuimoloau, who almost single-handedly helped wreck Penn State’s chances Saturday in a 44-31 Ohio State win. He was everywhere and helped force the takeaways that were ultimately the difference in the game. In its first real test, Ohio State answered the bell.

2. Michigan

The Wolverines took care of business against the rival Spartans on Saturday, but the win left a good deal to be desired. Michigan still isn’t finishing in the red zone particularly well, settling for five field goals in the contest. Still, the defense pitched a shutout after the first quarter to beat Michigan State 29-7. All remains on track for a massive showdown with Ohio State in the regular-season finale.

3. Illinois

Illinois continues to get things done in Bret Bielema fashion, riding a strong running game and defense to a 26-9 win over Nebraska. It helped that the Huskers were without starting quarterback Casey Thompson after the second quarter, and the Illini blanked Nebraska after halftime. Still, Chase Brown did what he does, piling up 149 yards and a touchdown on 31 carries as Illinois dominated time of possession and dictated the game flow throughout.

4. Maryland (+1)

Maryland’s bye week came at a pretty perfect time, allowing quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa to heal in time for a likely start against Wisconsin on the road. The Terrapins will get a chance to prove how legitimate they are over the next three weeks. After the road trip to Wisconsin, a road trip to Penn State and then a home date with Ohio State follow.

5. Penn State (-1)

The Nittany Lions put themselves behind the eight-ball in a hurry on Saturday, coming out and going interception, interception, punt on the first three drives. Penn State actually managed to bounce back and take the lead briefly, but the defense had few answers for Ohio State’s passing game. Turnovers showed up again late in the loss. At this point Penn State is likely playing to try to squeeze into a New Year’s Six bowl game.

6. Purdue

Purdue was off this weekend after a road loss to Wisconsin snapped a four-game winning streak. The Boilermakers are one of those teams that could be in a competitive game on any given weekend … against virtually anyone (not always a good thing). The next two weeks probably determine how the season as a whole is viewed: vs. Iowa, then at Illinois.

7. Minnesota (+2)

The Golden Gophers cruised from start to finish, even after a scoreless first quarter. A 10-plus minute scoring drive opened things up, and running back Mohamed Ibrahim set the tone by rushing for 159 yards and three touchdowns in a 31-0 win over Rutgers. The Scarlett Knights were completely kept in check with running back Samuel Brown V out, totaling just 134 yards in the game.

8. Wisconsin

The Badgers had a break for a bye week coming off the win over Purdue. Wisconsin has yet to have a three-game streak — winning or losing — this season, the epitome of an up-and-down team. There aren’t a whole lot of chances to notch impressive wins left, so it’s hard to see the Badgers moving up the Big Ten Power Rankings a whole lot. This week’s home game against Maryland is probably the only potential ‘statement’ game left. And even that might be a stretch.

9. Iowa (+1)

After a forgettable week for coach Kirk Ferentz, quarterback Spencer Petras provided some redemption. Both personally and for the program. Petras turned in arguably his best game of the year, going 21-of-30 passing for 220 yards and a touchdown (without an interception), as the Hawkeyes scored a season-high 33 in a win over Northwestern. Next up is a tough road trip to Purdue.

10. Michigan State (-3)

The Spartans were aggressive in some interesting spots in the first half and it didn’t pay off. To make matters worse, following the 29-7 loss to rival Michigan, Michigan State players were filmed in a hallway in the stadium after the game attacking a Michigan player. It’s been a pretty abysmal year for coach Mel Tucker and his program, with Saturday a definite low point.

11. Rutgers

The Scarlett Knights played without running back Samuel Brown V and managed just 134 yards of offense in a loss to the Golden Gophers. Nothing worked offensively and Rutgers simply didn’t have answers. Next up: No. 4 Michigan.

12. Nebraska

The Cornhuskers weren’t very competitive Saturday, though the loss of quarterback Casey Thompson obviously complicated matters. Nebraska showed some brief signs of life under interim coach Mickey Joseph, but two wins post-Scott Frost firing came against teams in the bottom tier of the Big Ten Power Rankings. Nebraska hasn’t fared as well against teams in the top half of the league.

13. Indiana

Indiana was off this weekend and was set to do some soul-searching after losing five straight, including a 24-17 loss to Rutgers just prior to the bye. The Hoosiers will be back in action with a home game against Penn State, followed by a road trip to Ohio State. Tough.

14. Northwestern

The tough slog through the Big Ten schedule with a team that isn’t very good continues for the Wildcats. Saturday’s loss to Iowa was pretty disheartening, if for no other reason than because of the offensive success the seriously challenged Hawkeyes had. Northwestern will host Ohio State this week.

Want to see how this week’s power rankings compare to our previous edition? Check out the 2022 Week 8 Big Ten Power Rankings here!