Week 4 brings the Big Ten into a new phase, and the top of the league looks familiar for now. Indiana sits at No. 1 after rolling through nonconference play, USC has already banked four wins, and Ohio State, Michigan, Washington, and Penn State are all unbeaten or nearly there as conference games start to stack up.
Indiana’s grip on the top spot is built on pure control. The Hoosiers moved to 3-0 with a 38-0 win over Western Kentucky, and their three nonconference victories over North Texas, Howard, and Western Kentucky came by a combined score of 145-16. Curt Cignetti’s team heads into Friday’s game against Northwestern with momentum and a spotless start.
USC is the league’s only four-game team so far, and the Trojans have handled every one of them. They’re scoring 43 points per game and already own a 1-0 Big Ten mark after beating Rutgers. A showdown with Oregon is next, and that game should say plenty about where USC really stands.
Ohio State bounced back from its collapse against Texas with a 59-3 win over Kent State, keeping the Buckeyes at No. 3.
Michigan stayed put at No. 5 after a 52-17 win over UTEP following its win over Oklahoma, while Washington moved up to No. 4 after finally getting its offense moving in a 48-point outing and four touchdown passes from Demond Williams. Penn State rounds out the top six after opening 3-0 with wins over Marshall, Temple, and Buffalo.
The middle of the rankings has a cluster of teams trying to sort themselves out as league play begins. Oregon is No. 7 after blasting Portland State for 84 points, but the Ducks still have not looked especially sharp overall and now get USC.
Iowa is No. 8 after a 55-0 win over Northern Iowa, though the schedule tightens immediately with trips to Michigan and Washington and a home date with Ohio State mixed in. UCLA climbs to No. 9 after beating Purdue 52-38, and the Bruins are 3-0 under Bob Chesney with an offense that is rolling even if the defense still needs work.
Illinois sits at No. 10 after a 48-10 win over Southern Illinois, but the Fighting Illini have not looked especially strong and now face Ohio State. Nebraska comes in at No. 11 after a 3-0 start that includes wins over Ohio, Bowling Green, and North Dakota.
Northwestern is No. 12 after an emphatic 41-7 win over Colorado, and the Wildcats now travel to Bloomington for a Friday night game against Indiana. Minnesota is No. 13 after beating Akron 41-7, while Wisconsin is No. 14 and opens conference play at Penn State after a season that began with a blowout loss to Notre Dame and continued with routs of Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan.
Michigan State is up one spot to No. 15 despite a 27-10 loss to No. 3 Notre Dame, a result that showed more fight than expected.
Maryland falls to No. 16 after a 35-26 loss to Virginia Tech. Purdue is No. 17 after losing in overtime to Wake Forest and then giving up 52 points to UCLA, even though the offense has scored at least 36 points in all three games.
Rutgers remains last at No. 18 after a 42-35 loss to USC, a game that was closer than expected but still left the Scarlet Knights at 0-3 with losses to UMass and Boston College as well.
In Other News...
Curt Cignetti Sends A Clear Message As Indianas Winning Streak Grows
After Indianas 38-0 win over Western Kentucky, Curt Cignetti spent much of his media session pointing back to the details that keep a streak like this alive. He highlighted a goal-line stand, the defenses steady improvement over the course of the season, and an offense that kept the pressure on by throwing effectively on first down. He also made clear that player health remains part of the equation as the Hoosiers move deeper into the schedule.
Cignettis broader message was about continuity, not celebration. Indiana is now riding a 19-game winning streak, but the coach framed it as the product of weekly preparation and attention to the little things rather than anything symbolic. With more games ahead, the challenge becomes keeping that edge while carrying the confidence that has built around a team that continues to stack wins without looking satisfied. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Sent Nick Marsh A Message Indiana Fans Noticed
Nick Marshs return to the starting lineup came with a season-best showing, and Indiana had every reason to like what it saw in the 38-0 win over Western Kentucky. The Michigan State transfer finished with seven catches for 81 yards, a productive response after being benched for the first series the previous week. He has been working with Curt Cignetti on his practice standards and his on-field discipline, two areas the staff clearly wanted to clean up as the Hoosiers settle into the season.
Cignettis handling of Marsh was noticeable to Indiana fans because it suggested a message had been delivered and received, even if the full story around the receivers role is still unfolding. For a team looking to get more consistency from its passing game, Marshs performance offered a useful sign that the correction may be taking hold, but the bigger question is whether this turns into the kind of steady, week-to-week trust the Hoosiers need from him. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Fans Just Got Two Big Reasons To Eye Purdue
Indiana football kept rolling with a 38-0 win over Western Kentucky, finishing back-to-back shutouts and giving the Hoosiers another reminder that the program is carrying real momentum. Even as that result settled in, the attention around Bloomington kept drifting toward the sport that drives so much of the local conversation, especially with the Big Ten now laying out the 2026-27 mens and womens conference schedules and setting the stage for some of the league matchups fans will circle early.
The basketball side has had its own steady stream of news, too, with Indiana landing a commitment from 2027 recruit Felix Kiehlneker while two publications pegged the Hoosiers seventh in the Big Ten for the coming season. Put together, it is the kind of week that gives Indiana fans plenty to track, and plenty of reason to keep one eye on Purdue, whether it is about futures, projections or the next set of games that shape the rivalry picture. [Read more 🡒]