Week 2 in the Big Ten turned the board upside down.
Two of the conference’s biggest names took hits that nobody saw coming: Oregon went down as a 23.5-point favorite against Oklahoma State, and Ohio State watched a 20-point second-half lead disappear against Texas. Those results sent both programs tumbling in the latest power rankings, while Indiana kept right on rolling and held onto the top spot.
The Hoosiers are 2-0 after a 55-0 demolition of Howard, and they remain the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the AP Poll as well. With so many of the conference’s heavyweights wobbling, Indiana sits alone at No. 1 in the Big Ten hierarchy for the third straight week.
At the bottom, Rutgers still owns the cellar after losses to UMass and Boston College. Purdue had a chance to climb after facing Wake Forest, but the Boilermakers came up short in a heartbreaker in double overtime at home. Michigan State, meanwhile, has started the Pat Fitzgerald era with two wins over MAC opponents, and Maryland moved to 2-0 with a 38-14 victory over UConn.
A little higher up, Wisconsin sits at 1-1 after handling Western Illinois following its loss to Notre Dame. Northwestern took an early bye this past weekend.
Minnesota had a chance to make noise at home against Mississippi State, but instead got blown out 38-13 and slipped from No. 9 to No. 12.
Nebraska has been one of the more efficient teams in the league so far, piling up 105 total points in wins over Ohio and Bowling Green.
Illinois dropped after a home loss to Duke, falling from No. 8 to No. 10.
UCLA is 2-0 under Bob Chesney after wins over Cal and San Diego State, and the Bruins look like a team worth watching as the season goes on. Iowa stayed unbeaten by escaping rival Iowa State 16-13 as a two-touchdown favorite.
Oregon’s slide is one of the biggest storylines of the week. The Ducks fell from No. 3 to No. 7 after what has been described as an extremely unimpressive start through two weeks. Penn State, by contrast, steadied itself after a slow opening against Temple and finished with a 27-9 win.
Michigan’s season has already been all over the map. The Wolverines needed a miracle against Western Michigan, then followed that up with a 17-10 win over No.
11 Oklahoma. Washington is 2-0, but its offense hasn’t matched preseason expectations; the defense, though, has stood out in wins over Washington State and Utah State.
Ohio State’s drop from No. 2 to No. 3 comes after that collapse against Texas. The Buckeyes controlled the game for three quarters before it slipped away late, and they’ve now lost three of their last four games, with the lone win in that stretch coming against Ball State.
USC checks in at No. 2 after a 3-0 start that has its offense humming. In a season that feels like it could define Lincoln Riley’s tenure, the Trojans are in strong position early.
And at the top, Indiana isn’t budging. Curt Cignetti’s team has opened with two convincing wins against lesser opponents, and with several conference powers stumbling around it, the Hoosiers are the clear No. 1 in the Big Ten right now.
In Other News...
Indiana Suddenly Has A Real Opening In The Big Ten Race
Week 2 in the Big Ten brought a little more clarity and a lot more chaos, and Indiana had to like what it saw from the rest of the league. Ohio States collapse after building a strong start against Texas, Oregons second straight stumble after its earlier loss, and Michigans defense holding up against Oklahoma all fed into a race that suddenly feels less tidy than it did a week ago. USC also kept building momentum behind quarterback Jayden Maiava, another reminder that the leagues top tier may be deeper and less predictable than expected.
For Indiana, the value in that disorder is obvious. The Hoosiers do not need the Big Ten to get easy, but they do need the field above them to keep taking turns giving ground, and that is exactly what the opening stretch delivered. With the conference already showing signs of volatility and some of its biggest names still sorting out who they are, Indiana can see a path to mattering in a race that looked more crowded than competitive just days ago. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana's Defensive Rotation Just Put A New Spotlight On Its Depth
Indiana leaned heavily on its defensive depth in the 55-0 win over Howard, and the snap counts told the story just as much as the scoreboard did. The Hoosiers spread the workload across a long list of contributors, with Mario Landino and Chiddi Obiazor standing out among the pressure players and Rolijah Hardy turning in the kind of splash play that can change the feel of a game in a hurry.
What makes the rotation worth watching now is how many different pieces were involved, including freshmen and players still chasing more eligibility. Early in the season, that kind of distribution can be a luxury if everyone stays productive, but it can also become a real evaluation tool as Indiana learns who can hold up once the competition tightens and the game plans get more demanding. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Waits On Court Fight That Could Cost Two Key Veterans
Indiana football is still waiting on the legal wrangling that could shape the rest of its season, with the eligibility case involving veterans Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt ending in court Wednesday without a ruling. The two players are challenging the NCAA over its five-for-five eligibility rule, and the absence of a decision leaves the Hoosiers in a holding pattern as the week moves toward Saturdays game.
The temporary restraining order that had allowed Daley and Wyatt to keep playing has now expired, which means they are ineligible unless the judge acts before the weekend. Attorneys have until Thursday to submit final documentation, but for now Indiana is left watching the calendar as much as the depth chart, hoping the legal process catches up in time to avoid losing two experienced pieces. [Read more 🡒]