B1G / BigTen

Big Ten Power Rankings — Week 8

Penn State proved again why it’s the class of the Big Ten.

By Patrick Koerbler Oct 23, 2017, 8:41am EDT

1. Penn State Nittany Lions (7-0, 4-0)

Oh, what a night. The atmosphere inside Beaver Stadium was unmatched Saturday night, as the Nittany Lions made easy work of Michigan. Penn State will be right back at it though, with a trip to Columbus on the horizon.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1, 4-0)

The Buckeyes were off as they await for their biggest game of the season. The winner of the Penn State-Ohio State game will be in the driver’s seat for a College Football Playoff berth.

3. Wisconsin Badgers (7-0, 4-0)

Another Saturday, another easy victory for the Badgers. Illinois is up next before the schedule gets a little tougher — @Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan.

4. Michigan State Spartans (6-1, 4-0)

The Spartans might not be doing it pretty, but they still find themselves undefeated in Big Ten play. The next three games — @Northwestern, Penn State, and @Ohio State — will make or break Michigan State’s season.

5. Michigan Wolverines (5-2, 2-2)

Jim Harbaugh and Co. have Rutgers, Minnesota, and @Maryland before finishing the year with @Wisconsin and Ohio State. 8-4 looks extremely likely for the Wolverines.

6. Northwestern Wildcats (4-3, 2-2)

The Wildcats knocked off Iowa 17-10 in OT. I said this earlier this year, but Northwestern continues to be weird.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-3, 1-3)

I know Iowa’s M.O. is being consistently inconsistent, but I do wonder how the Hawkeyes’ year turns out if they were able to hold on and knock off Penn State.

8. Indiana Hoosiers (3-4, 0-4)

Having Indiana ranked this highly without a conference win might seem silly, but just look at the teams below the Hoosiers. It’s hard to make a justification that any other team deserves to be here more than Indiana.