Most of the Big Ten spent Week 1 exactly where it started. The league’s upper crust handled business, a few middle-tier teams did enough to stay put, and the real turbulence was reserved for Michigan and Rutgers.
Indiana still sits at No. 1, Ohio State is right behind it, and for now the biggest movement is near the bottom, where Rutgers has dropped all the way to No.
The Hoosiers opened the season at the top and kept that spot after a win in which they were tested more than expected at the line of scrimmage. Josh Hoover was the difference, throwing four touchdown passes and looking comfortable in command of his new offense.
Indiana gets Howard on Sept. 12.
Ohio State stayed at No. 2 after a 56-3 win over Ball State, and now comes the real measuring-stick game. Texas visits on Sept. 12, setting up one of the month’s most anticipated matchups. The Buckeyes and Longhorns shaped each other’s early-season outlook last year, and that same spotlight is back on them now.
Oregon rounds out the top three after surviving a shaky afternoon in Eugene. Boise State made the Ducks work, but Dante Moore still delivered encouraging signs, throwing for 378 yards and three touchdowns.
Southern Cal checked in at No. 4 after two wins to start the season. The defense gave up 23 points in the fourth quarter against San Jose State after allowing just three across the first seven, while Jayden Maiava and the offense kept rolling.
USC gets Louisiana on Sept. 12.
Penn State held at No. 5 after a 45-0 win over Marshall, and the performance included a big day from sophomore wide receiver Koby Howard, who finished with 161 receiving yards and a touchdown. Iowa follows at No. 6, with Kamari Moulton and Tony Diaz giving the offense real answers at multiple spots. The missing piece is still clarity behind center.
Washington stayed at No. 7 after outgaining its Apple Cup rival by 160 yards, though the Huskies left some points out there by struggling to finish drives. Nebraska moved up to No. 8 after beating Ohio 49-21, even if the game was tighter for longer than the final score says. Matt Rhule at least appears to have a useful complement to the passing game in Jamal Rule.
Illinois sits at No. 9 after a 42-23 win over UAB, a result that never felt fully comfortable in either direction. Minnesota lands at No. 10 after handling Week 1 the way it should have; the next test comes Sept. 12 against Mississippi State.
Michigan takes the biggest hit among the established names, falling to No. 11 despite a win that had to be rescued late. The Wolverines may have found the extra second and the miracle throw they needed on Saturday night, but this ranking won’t reward the escape. There is still plenty of work ahead.
UCLA is No. 12 after beating Cal 45-24, with the fourth-quarter finish giving the Bruins a path to start 4-0 before Oregon arrives on Oct. 10. Northwestern sits at No. 13 after the first look at the Chip Kelly-Aiden Chiles pairing showed promise, even with some rough edges.
Wisconsin comes in at No. 14 after hanging around defensively for most of three quarters against Notre Dame, though the issues in Madison go beyond the defense. Maryland is No. 15 after a Week 1 result that matched expectations, and its trip to UConn on Sept. 12 should reveal more.
Michigan State climbs to No. 16 after a 30-20 win over Toledo, with Pat Fitzgerald getting something he can build on from his quarterback in a game that also brought a MAC scare. Purdue is No. 17, and this weekend’s visit from Wake Forest could say a lot about where Barry Odom’s team is headed. The gap between a win and a loss there is significant.
Rutgers brings up the rear at No. 18 after the ugliest result of the week. The issue wasn’t simply that the Scarlet Knights lost to a team that went winless last year. It was the way it happened: Rutgers got bullied by UMass at home on opening night.
In Other News...
Ohio State Faces A More Dangerous Texas Test Than Last Year
The rematch on the schedule already carries enough weight, but this one comes with a different feel for Ohio State. The Buckeyes and Texas are meeting for the third straight year, only this time it is in Austin at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium, with ESPNs College GameDay on hand and the Longhorns carrying a 1.5-point edge. After the last two seasons gave both programs a fresh look at each other, the matchup now arrives with even more attention and a bigger stage.
For Ohio State, the challenge is not just the venue or the buildup, but the version of Texas waiting on the other side. Arch Manning gives the Longhorns a new layer at quarterback, while new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp adds a familiar edge to that side of the ball. For a Buckeye team used to measuring itself against the nations best, this one feels less like another early heavyweight game and more like a true test of how much has changed since the last time these teams lined up. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Kienholz Just Sparked An Ohio State QB Debate
Lincoln Kienholz spent enough time around Ohio State to know how unforgiving the quarterback conversation can be there, and his latest outing at Louisville gave the discussion a fresh jolt. In his debut against Ole Miss, the former Buckeye showed the kind of production that turns heads quickly, topping 300 yards and throwing three touchdowns while looking comfortable as both a passer and a runner.
For Ohio State fans, the appeal is obvious because it feeds into the never-ending question of what might have been and what the Buckeyes missed when Kienholz moved on. His path also says something about the fit in college football: sometimes a player needs a different setup, a cleaner runway and a coach like Jeff Brohm to let the full skill set show up on game day, even as the foundation built in Columbus still shapes how he leads and handles the position. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan's QB Uncertainty Just Added Intrigue To The Game
Ohio State opened its season with a comfortable win over Ball State, while Michigan had a far less reassuring afternoon in a narrow escape against Western Michigan. That alone would have been enough to keep Buckeyes fans watching closely, but the storyline got more interesting when Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham left the door open on Bryce Underwoods status at quarterback, a notable twist for a position that usually settles the tone for the rest of the rivalry week chatter.
Underwoods uneven play has only deepened the questions around Michigans offense, and it carries extra weight because of what this game means beyond one Saturday in September. For Ohio State, any uncertainty on the other sideline only adds to the intrigue heading into a meeting where the Buckeyes will be paying attention to whether Michigan can steady itself, or whether the Wolverines are heading toward a bigger change than anyone expected. [Read more 🡒]