After six weeks, the Big Ten looks less like the nation’s strongest league and more like a conference trying to find its footing in a hurry. The usual safety net isn’t there.
Oregon is already sitting on two losses and out of the AP Top 25, and most of the teams that were supposed to crowd the race have slipped. At the moment, Indiana and Ohio State look like the only elite groups in the league, with Iowa trying to hang around as the next-best option even if this version of the Hawkeyes clearly isn’t special.
That leaves a wild amount of uncertainty behind the top two. UCLA, Nebraska and Northwestern are now carrying a lot of the weight if the Big Ten is going to push three or more teams into the College Football Playoff. Right now, that feels like a stretch, but the Bruins at least made their case in Week 6.
UCLA’s 17-15 win at Oregon was messy, but it mattered. It also came in the kind of game that can reshape how the rest of the league is viewed.
Nico Iamaleava left the game, and Oregon’s QB Dylan Raiola was benched after a horrid performance, but Bob Chesney’s Bruins won the battle in the trenches just enough to leave Eugene with the kind of result that turns heads. At 5-0 and 3-0 in conference play, UCLA suddenly looks like the Big Ten’s best shot at a third playoff team and carries the feel of 2024 Indiana.
The Bruins will probably be favored the rest of the way.
Nebraska was also in prove-it mode and came up just short in a 20-17 loss to Indiana at home. That result keeps the Cornhuskers in the conversation, even if they couldn’t finish the job in front of their own crowd. Indiana, meanwhile, survived one of the league’s most important games of the season and stayed perfect.
The Hoosiers had to work for every inch at a windy Memorial Stadium, and the offense never really settled in. Still, star wide receiver Nick Marsh made enough plays late, and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines put together an excellent plan to slow Nebraska QB Anthony Colandrea.
Indiana doesn’t look quite as talented as it did a year ago, or at least doesn’t have the same quarterback play, but the coaching has been elite across the board. Beyond Curt Cignetti, that staff keeps delivering, and the Hoosiers have now won 22 games in a row.
Ohio State remains right behind them. The Buckeyes handled Maryland 45-16 before heading to Bloomington for next week’s showdown with Indiana. There are still some concerns under the hood, especially with the run game and run defense, but Ohio State hasn’t been seriously tested since the Week 2 loss to Texas.
Elsewhere in the league, the middle remains a jumble. USC’s 31-23 win at Penn State gave the Trojans the kind of road result that belongs near the top of the tier because of how dangerous their offense can be.
Penn State and Washington are still hanging around, even if both teams fit awkwardly in the middle. Michigan has yet to win a Big Ten game, but the Wolverines played Iowa better than the result suggested and stay ahead of Minnesota despite the earlier loss to the Gophers.
Purdue’s 41-13 win over Minnesota may have said more about the Boilermakers than many expected, though it’s still hard to place them above Wisconsin, Michigan, USC or Northwestern on a neutral field.
Northwestern has become the most obvious candidate to climb out of that cluttered group, but the Wildcats still haven’t beaten a quality opponent. They’ve done what they’re supposed to do against weaker teams, which is a start. The bigger test is still ahead, though not right away, with Michigan State and Rutgers next on the schedule.
At the bottom, Rutgers sat out on a bye, which may have been the best possible result for Greg Schiano’s team. Michigan State dropped a one-point game to Illinois, 38-37, and Maryland got rolled by Ohio State.
Illinois picked up the win in East Lansing, but with quarterback Katin Houser’s injury, the Illini could slide quickly into the bottom tier as well. For now, Rutgers remains alone there, and Tier 4 doesn’t look much better.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Have Every Right To Debate Whos Letting This Team Down
Penn States 31-23 loss to No. 19 USC in a record-attended day at Beaver Stadium left plenty to sort through beyond the final score. The game did have some bright spots on both sides of the ball, but it also exposed the kind of uneven play that has followed this team through Big Ten play, where the Nittany Lions are still searching for their first win.
The bigger issue now is how much blame belongs where, because the problems have not been isolated to one phase or one player. Offensive inconsistency and defensive lapses both showed up again, and with Penn State sitting 0-3 in conference play, the path to bowl eligibility suddenly feels a lot less secure than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State White Out Loss Came Down To One Brutal Late Mistake
Penn State had enough offense to stay in striking distance against No. 18 USC, with Rocco Becht throwing for 289 yards and a touchdown and Tony Rojas pacing the defense with 10 tackles and a forced fumble. The White Out crowd at Beaver Stadium had plenty to hold onto deep into the night as the Nittany Lions battled, but the margin for error was razor thin against a ranked opponent.
Brett Eskildsens late fumble became the turning point in a 31-23 loss, giving USC the chance to bleed away the final moments and close out the game. For Penn State, it was the kind of finish that stings because the performance was competitive enough to matter, yet one costly mistake proved decisive when the Lions needed clean execution most. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State's Record Crowd Saw A Loss Fans Won't Shrug Off
The largest crowd in Beaver Stadium history got a game worthy of the setting, even if the result left Penn State fans with plenty to chew on afterward. USC and Penn State traded momentum in a matchup that swung back and forth before the Trojans found enough offense to leave Happy Valley with the win, turning a marquee atmosphere into a difficult one for the home side to absorb.
Jayden Maiava was central to USCs answer, completing 21 of 33 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The game had the feel of one that might tilt either way deep into the night, with lead changes and scoring drives keeping the pressure high, but USC handled the decisive moments well enough to make sure the record crowd went home remembering a loss Penn State will not shrug off quickly. [Read more 🡒]