Big Ten Week 2 didn’t just shake up the standings - it blew the whole pecking order apart.
Michigan’s win over Oklahoma, Ohio State’s collapse in Austin and Oregon’s loss turned the conference race on its head, and the latest power rankings reflect that chaos. At this point, the only rule that matters is simple: what happened on the field counts, and everything else gets pushed aside.
Indiana still sits at No. 1 after another explosive outing, while Michigan’s statement win rockets the Wolverines into the top two. From there, the list gets messy in a hurry.
- Indiana Hoosiers: 2-0, Def. Howard 55-0, LW: 2
Indiana stays in the top spot after a second straight blowout. The Hoosiers have yet to face real resistance, but they also haven’t scored fewer than 52 points in a game.
With Ohio State and Oregon slipping, there’s no question who gets the nod right now. The reigning national champions get to receive the benefit of the doubt
- Michigan Wolverines: 2-0, Def. Oklahoma 17-10, LW: 11
Michigan made the kind of move that changes how everyone looks at a season. A win over Oklahoma gives the Wolverines the best victory in the Big Ten so far, and that matters.
The offense is still being built, but the defense is elite. Add in the fact that the résumé now includes a win over the MAC favorite and a CFP contender from the SEC, and this rise makes sense.
- USC Trojans: 3-0, Def. Louisiana 49-30, LW: 5
USC’s offense is rolling exactly the way people expected through three games. The Trojans are unbeaten in non-conference play, and that alone keeps them near the top. The defense still has some question marks, but the points are coming in bunches.
- Penn State Nittany Lions: 2-0, Def. Temple 27-9, LW: 4
Penn State has handled Marshall and Temple without much drama. The competition hasn’t been strong, but the Nittany Lions also haven’t given anyone a reason to panic. Four may be a little generous this early, but the real tests are still ahead.
- Ohio State Buckeyes: 1-1, Lost at Texas 23-24, LW: 1
Ohio State is still alive in the CFP picture thanks to the expanded playoff, but the mood around the program has to be sour after letting a 20-point second-half lead disappear against Texas. The conservative offensive approach drew plenty of questions, and the kicking situation only adds to the frustration.
- Iowa Hawkeyes: 2-0, Def. Iowa State 16-13, LW: 6
Iowa grabbed a rivalry win in classic fashion, finishing off Iowa State with a late field goal. The offense remains limited, but the defense looks like the same old Iowa unit - tough, dependable and difficult to crack. For now, that’s enough to keep the Hawkeyes near the top half of the league.
- Nebraska Cornhuskers: 2-0, Def. Bowling Green 56-7, LW: 9
Nebraska took care of business against Bowling Green and kept the scoring machine humming. The Cornhuskers have piled up 105 points across two games, which says plenty about how they’ve handled weaker opponents. The schedule gets harder soon, but right now the offense is doing exactly what it should.
- Oregon Ducks: 1-1, Lost at Oklahoma State 31-39, LW:3
Oregon’s start has gone from promising to rough in a hurry. The Ducks opened with a decent win over Boise State, then followed it with a bad night at Oklahoma State, a team that had just lost to Tulsa. Oregon was beaten on both sides of the ball, and while the title hunt isn’t over, the early damage is severe.
- Washington Huskies: 2-0, Def. Utah State 16-14, LW: 8
Washington escaped Utah State, but that’s about all that can be said for Week 2. The Huskies are 2-0, yet neither victory has looked convincing. There’s still time to sort things out on both sides of the ball, but they’ve been fortunate to avoid a loss so far.
- UCLA Bruins: 2-0, Def. San Diego State 28-10, LW: 12
UCLA has quietly stacked two wins, opening with Cal and then beating San Diego State. Neither opponent has looked like a heavyweight, but Bob Chesney and the new Bruin coaching staff have at least gotten the program off to a fast start.
Everybody else:
- Maryland Terrapins
- Michigan State Spartans
- Northwestern Wildcats
- Illinois Fighting Illini
- Purdue Boilermakers
- Wisconsin Badgers
- Minnesota Golden Gophers
- Rutgers Scarlet Knights
In Other News...
Michigan Controlled Oklahoma With One Weapon Fans Rarely Celebrate
Special teams usually show up at Michigan as the phase everyone notices only when something goes wrong, but through the first two games Cam Brown has made the punt unit look like a real edge. The punter has consistently driven opponents back into tough field position, and that hidden yardage has helped Michigan control games in ways that do not always show up in the flashiest box-score numbers.
Zeke Berry and other defensive players have added to the effort by closing space and limiting return yards, giving the Wolverines a steadier field-position game than opponents would like. It is the kind of detail that can get buried under the bigger headlines, but it also fits the larger point Kyle Whittingham stressed in his preseason remarks: special teams matter, and Michigan is getting real value from that part of the field. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Just Made Another Push For A Five-Star Local Receiver
Michigan kept pressing on one of its top in-state targets over the weekend, with five-star wide receiver Dakota Guerrant in Ann Arbor for the game against Oklahoma. Guerrant committed to Oregon in June, but the Wolverines have not let up, continuing to recruit the Michigan native and leaning into the appeal of staying close to home as they try to keep the local ties from fading.
The challenge, of course, is that Oregon has built a strong pitch of its own, especially when it comes to developing NFL-caliber receivers. That gives Michigan a real fight here, even with the benefit of familiarity and proximity, and it leaves the Wolverines still working to persuade Guerrant to reconsider a commitment that looked solid just a few months ago. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Defense Is Making A Statement Fans Can't Ignore
Michigans win over Oklahoma at the Big House did more than add a quality result to the resume. It gave the Wolverines another showcase for a defense that kept the Sooners to 10 points and 289 yards, forced key turnovers and stayed tight in coverage whenever Oklahoma tried to find a rhythm. Bryce Underwood did enough on the other side of the ball with his passing and rushing to keep Michigan in control without giving the game away.
The bigger message was the one coming from across the sideline. Brent Venables left impressed by what he saw from Michigans defense, and his comments only added to the feeling that this group is already making a name for itself early in the season. With Underwood also handling the moment cleanly, Michigan has a balance that makes the team harder to play against, and the defense is starting to look like the part opponents will have to solve first. [Read more 🡒]