Indiana didn’t get punished much for falling 19-15 to Ohio State, and that says plenty about where the Hoosiers stand right now. At 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the league, they keep their hold on the No. 2 spot in the Big Ten rankings, with a trip to Michigan coming Oct.
- The reasoning is simple: losing a coin-flip game to the team sitting at No. 1 is one thing, but the bigger question is how many remaining opponents will be able to top two touchdowns against a defense that looks, once again, like one of the nastiest units in the country.
Iowa stays right behind them at No. 3 after a bye. The Hawkeyes head to Minnesota on Oct. 24, and the biggest storyline hanging over that one is the quarterback situation.
Hank Brown or Jeremy Hecklinski? That’s the question in Minneapolis.
UCLA continues to climb at No. 4 after handling Wisconsin 17-7. The Bruins are 6-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play, and the schedule doesn’t look especially cruel from here.
The remaining tests include Minnesota, Michigan and USC, which is why the word playoff is no longer out of place when people talk about UCLA. Indianapolis is in that conversation too.
Oregon nudged back up after a much-needed 17-14 win over Nebraska. The Ducks are 4-2 and 2-1, and while the quarterback spot is still unsettled, the result gave Dan Lanning’s team a little breathing room. A trip to Illinois on Oct. 24 is the next chance to build something real.
USC comes in at No. 7 after a bye, and the next game could say a lot. Lincoln Riley’s team heads to Wisconsin on Oct. 24, and that setting offers a clean opportunity to make the kind of statement that announces USC as a true Big Ten contender.
Wisconsin drops a spot to No. 8 after its 17-7 loss at UCLA, but the Badgers get a chance to settle the argument quickly. They host USC on Oct. 24, and that matchup could make the ranking discussion easier one way or the other. The gap between Wisconsin and Nebraska is still being treated like a toss-up.
Minnesota checks in at No. 10 after its bye, and the next stretch will reveal a lot. The Golden Gophers get Iowa on Oct. 24, then face Indiana and UCLA. That run should answer the question of where Minnesota really fits in the Big Ten this fall.
Purdue is down at No. 12 after a 38-26 loss to Purdue. The result was wasteful, and Barry Odom’s group now heads into a bye with more questions than answers. If the Boilermakers want a realistic shot at a bowl game in 2026, the Oct. 31 game at Penn State starts to look like a must-win.
Illinois sits at No. 14 after a bye, and the timing mattered. Between injury and indecision, the quarterback carousel is still turning across the league, and with Katin Houser injured, the break came at a useful moment for the Illini. Freshman Michael Clayton II is the next name to watch.
Penn State remains at No. 15 after a 21-18 loss at Michigan. The Nittany Lions are 3-4 and still looking for their first conference win at 0-4, and the current mess is starting to look rough.
Matt Campbell was always going to be expected to turn things around fairly quickly, and what’s happening in Westwood is not helping. Even so, the schedule does soften after the bye.
Rutgers gets a jump to No. 16 after a 37-30 comeback win at Maryland. The Scarlet Knights are out of the basement and headed into a difficult road trip at Northwestern. KJ Duff is also starting to draw attention as maybe the best player not getting enough notice outside Big Ten country.
Michigan State slides to No. 17 after a 24-21 loss to Northwestern. The Spartans are 2-5 and still winless in the league at 0-4, and their Oct. 24 trip to UCLA brings another tough assignment.
Pat Fitzgerald can relate to difficult first seasons, and this one figures to test Michigan State again. The ranking here also comes with a strong take: the Spartans could give UCLA an unexpected test this weekend.
In Other News...
Indiana Fans Just Got A Bigger Reason To Watch Josh Hoover
Josh Hoovers rise to the top of the Big Ten quarterback rankings adds another layer to a conference race that has already been thinned by injuries and uneven play. With the rankings pared down from eight quarterbacks to five, Hoover now sits ahead of a group that still includes Purdues Ryan Browne, whose recent performance was enough to push him into the top five despite a loss, along with Northwesterns Hunter Maiava and Nebraskas Jeff Colandrea.
For Indiana fans, Hoovers new standing gives them an even clearer reason to keep an eye on him as Week 8 approaches. The competition around him has shifted quickly, especially after Ohio States Julian Sayin was injured, and the latest shuffle underscores how much the Big Tens quarterback picture has changed in a short span. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Now Faces A New Michigan Wrinkle At Quarterback
Freshman Tommy Carr is suddenly the quarterback Indiana has to prepare for, and the change gives Michigan a different look heading into the matchup. After Bryce Underwood was benched because of accuracy issues and turnovers during his starts, Carr stepped in and helped spark a comeback win over Penn State, giving the Wolverines a reason to believe the offense can settle down.
For Indiana, the wrinkle is less about a mystery and more about adjusting to a new version of the same opponent on short notice. Carrs passing output was modest, but he also delivered a key rushing touchdown, and Michigan is hoping the switch leads to a more consistent operation under center. The Hoosiers now have to plan for a quarterback making his first real run at the job, which can change both the rhythm and the run-pass balance of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans Respect For Indiana Just Raised The Stakes In Ann Arbor
Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham spent part of his pregame availability giving Indiana a level of respect that usually tells you plenty about the matchup before anyone takes the field. He pointed to Curt Cignettis team as a balanced, veteran group that takes care of the ball, the kind of profile that tends to travel well and force opponents to stay sharp from the opening snap.
The other wrinkle is on Michigans side, where Whittingham said the Wolverines will turn to freshman quarterback Tommy Carr against Indiana. His mobility and efficiency were part of the rationale, but it also adds another layer to a game already carrying more intrigue because of what Indiana has built. When a conference opponent talks this carefully about your strengths, it usually means the margin for error gets a lot thinner in Ann Arbor. [Read more 🡒]