Southern Cal’s 30-18 win over Ohio State didn’t just hand the Trojans a marquee result. It scrambled the Big Ten picture again, pushed Ohio State down the board, and added another layer to a conference that already feels jammed in the middle.
At the top, though, the familiar names keep separating themselves from the pack. Indiana and UCLA are still unbeaten, and both sit ahead of everyone else in this week’s Big Ten power rankings.
Indiana is No. 1 at 8-1 overall and 5-1 in conference play, while UCLA follows at 8-0 and 5-0. The Hoosiers are off this week, and the open date arrives at a good time as questions about Josh Hoover’s health linger over the next two weeks.
Curt Cignetti likely has more than just his quarterback needing rest and recovery.
UCLA’s 27-0 win over Nevada kept the Bruins in the mix near the top, and the gap between Indiana and UCLA was described as razor thin. Indiana gets the edge for now, though most projections would favor the Hoosiers on a neutral field. A matchup in Indianapolis in a month is the kind of game that would settle a lot.
Ohio State, meanwhile, falls to No. 3 after the loss in Los Angeles. The Buckeyes are 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the league, and the defensive showing was the bigger concern than what happened on offense in Luke Fahey’s first start. The timing is rough, too: Oregon is next, and the Ducks suddenly look alive again.
Oregon climbed from No. 9 to No. 5 after a 34-26 win over Northwestern, and a trip to Ohio State on Nov. 7 now carries real weight. It would take plenty of chaos for the Ducks to get back into the Big Ten title race, but beating Ohio State would at least reopen the conversation.
Iowa holds steady in the upper tier at No. 4 after a 30-0 rout of Wisconsin. The Hawkeyes are 6-2 and 3-2, and the note here is simple: there may be teams higher on the list with a better playoff path, but none inspire more confidence in a nine-win floor, even with Kamari Moulton’s injury.
The middle of the rankings is where things get crowded. Northwestern drops to No. 6 after its loss at Oregon, and Southern Cal jumps to No. 7 after the statement win over Ohio State.
The Trojans are 7-2 and 4-2, and while the rankings could be shuffled in any order from Nos. 4 through 7, the bigger takeaway is that USC finally got the signature win it has been chasing. The Trojans also have a bigger opportunity ahead, with Indiana coming after the bye.
Minnesota sits at No. 8 after a 23-16 overtime loss at Indiana, and the ranking drop is more about teams around the Gophers moving than anything else. The upcoming visit from UCLA gives Minnesota another shot at a major upset.
Wisconsin falls to No. 9 after the lopsided loss in Iowa City, while Illinois moves up to No. 10 after a 20-17 win at Maryland. The Badgers get Rutgers next, which should offer a cleaner chance to reset.
Illinois, meanwhile, has another chance to make noise with Nebraska coming Friday night. Katin Houser wasn’t perfect in his return from injury, but each week he gets healthier gives Illinois more room to spoil someone else’s season.
Washington is up to No. 11 after a 17-10 comeback win at Nebraska, and Michigan follows at No. 12 after beating Rutgers 28-21. Washington’s victory came with Demond Williams Jr. leading the rally, and what looked like a lost season in Seattle suddenly has some life. Michigan’s win was harder to pin down: the offense looked better, but the defense was concerningly worse.
Nebraska drops to No. 13 after another close loss, this time at home to Washington. The Huskers have led in the fourth quarter of every game this season, yet they’re 5-3, and that pattern is starting to say plenty. Now they head to Illinois on a short week, carrying a three-game skid into Champaign.
Penn State rises to No. 14 after a 31-17 win over Purdue. That result was mandatory, and the Nittany Lions get Washington next in a game that could leave one side feeling revived.
Purdue is No. 15 after the loss, and the run defense remains a problem. Across defeats to Washington and Penn State, the Boilermakers have allowed 455 rushing yards and five touchdowns.
At the bottom, Michigan State sits at No. 16 after a bye and heads to Michigan next. Rutgers is No. 17 after a competitive loss to Michigan, though the Scarlet Knights were missing Dylan Lonergan and, for the most part, KJ Duff.
Maryland rounds out the list at No. 18 after a 20-17 loss to Illinois, and the late Illinois surge kept the interim-coach bounce from ending in a win. If Maryland loses at Purdue this weekend, it will be staring down the barrel of its first winless season in Big Ten play since joining the conference.
In Other News...
Indiana Backcourt Depth Already Facing A Troubling Early Setback
Indianas backcourt depth took an early hit in practice when freshman guard Prince-Alexander Moody suffered a knee injury and is expected to miss an extended period while he undergoes further evaluation. Coach Darian DeVries said Moody will be out for quite some time, a tough development for a player who was expected to help stabilize the guard rotation this season.
For a Hoosiers team trying to build out its perimeter options, the timing makes the setback sting even more. Moody was one of the freshmen penciled in to supply depth and energy in the backcourt, and now Indiana has to wait for a clearer picture before it knows how much of that plan will need to be adjusted. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Playoff Push Suddenly Centers On One Troubling Josh Hoover Question
Curt Cignettis decision to replace Josh Hoover at halftime in an overtime win over Minnesota added a new layer to Indianas playoff push, because the Hoosiers have been leaning on a quarterback whose recent play has not looked quite as sharp as it did earlier in the season. Hoover has been dealing with an unspecified injury, and the dip in his passing accuracy over the last few games has become hard to ignore as Indiana tries to keep its momentum rolling.
The concern now is less about one rough stretch than what it might mean for the stretch run ahead. Former college quarterbacks Danny Kanell and Joel Klatt both weighed in on Hoovers physical condition and confidence, and their comments only sharpened the sense that something is off. For Indiana, the bigger question is whether Hoover can get back to full form in time to keep the Hoosiers on track. [Read more 🡒]
Philip Rivers Could Leave Alabama For A Job That Changes Two Programs
Philip Rivers has surfaced as a leading candidate to replace Dave Doeren at NC State, a development that would send the former NFL quarterback from a high school sideline in Alabama to one of the more intriguing openings in the ACC. Rivers, the former NC State standout, is currently coaching at St. Michael Catholic High School, where his son Gunner Rivers plays quarterback and has already committed to the Wolfpack.
The appeal is obvious even with the obvious leap of faith. Rivers has no college coaching experience, but some around the sport see the move as the kind of bold swing worth taking for a program looking to reset quickly. For NC State, it would be a homecoming with immediate recruiting implications, and for Rivers, it would mean leaving a familiar setup in Alabama for a job that could reshape both his coaching path and his sons next stop. [Read more 🡒]