Power Rankings: Iowa Good? Penn State, Michigan Bad? Who knows?

A lot to go over in this week’s power rankings. Risers, fallers, Jim Harbaugh replacements.

Let’s do the damn thing:

1. Ohio State Buckeyes (3-0)

Last week: Covid Bye

Up next: Home vs. Indiana (OSU -20.5)

SP+ Ranking: 1

Previous CQ Ranking: 1

2. Indiana Hoosiers (4-0)

Last week: 24-0 win at Michigan State

Up next: Away vs. Ohio State

SP+ Ranking: 26

Previous CQ Ranking: 2

If you’re on this website, there are plenty of other posts with takes and analysis on the Hoosiers. Therefore, you should all use this time to read Tom Allen in-home recruiting stories instead:

3. Wisconsin Badgers (2-0)

Last week: 49-11 win at Michigan

Up next: Away vs. Northwestern (UW -7)

SP+ Ranking: 3

Previous CQ Ranking: 3

The Badgers actually played football! And they did it well! Wisconsin ran for 341 yards, held Michigan to just 219 yards and picked off Joe Milton twice. Maybe Michigan is really bad, maybe Wisconsin is really good, maybe it’s a bit of both.

4. Northwestern Wildcats (4-0)

Last week: 27-20 win at Purdue

Up next: Home vs. Wisconsin

SP+ Ranking: 32

Previous CQ Ranking: 4

Peyton Ramsey once again owns Purdue at Ross-Ade Stadium. True Hoosier icon.

5. Iowa Hawkeyes (2-2)

Last week: 35-7 win at Minnesota

Up next: Away vs. Penn State (IA -2.5)

SP+ Ranking: 13

Previous CQ Ranking: 7

Kirk Ferentz may sneakily have a pretty darn good football team. Granted, the Hawkeyes lost to Purdue and Northwestern by a combined five points to open the season before torpedoing the corpses of Michigan State and Minnesota, so it’s hard to say whether they’re good or bad. They’ve got Penn State this week...so...uh...yeah that’ll definitely help us sort things out.

6. Purdue Boilermakers (2-1)

Last week: 27-20 loss vs. Northwestern

Up next: Away vs. Minnesota (PU -2.5)

SP+ Ranking: 43

Previous CQ Ranking: 5

Purdue lost to a ranked team without a few of its best players. Meh. If the Boilers can avoid an upset on Friday night (yes we’re still doing the stupid Friday night Big Ten games for some reason) they’ll be in pretty decent shape.

7. Maryland Terrapins (2-1)

Last week: Covid Bye

Up next: Another Covid Bye

SP+ Ranking: 68

Previous CQ Ranking: 6

Maryland didn’t play this week so instead of writing something about them, I’ll just supply a few pictures of turtles. Enjoy:

Photo by Burak Milli/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Photo by Han Suyuan/China News Service via Getty Images

Photo by Anuwar Hazarika/NurPhoto via Getty Images

8. Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-2)

Last week: 30-23 win vs. Penn State

Up next: Home vs. Illinois (NEB -15.5)

SP+ Ranking: 35

Previous CQ Ranking: 13

Imagine needing until the fourth week of the season to win a football game. That sounds absolutely miserable.

9. Michigan State Spartans (1-3)

Last week: 24-0 loss vs. Indiana

Up next: Covid Bye

SP+ Ranking: 81

Previous CQ Ranking: 8

Locky Rombardi, Tel Mucker, Hoosiers have the spitter.

10. Michigan Wolverines (1-3)

Last week: 49-11 loss vs. Wisconsin

Up next: Away vs. rutger (UM -10.5)

SP+ Ranking: 27

Previous CQ Ranking: 9

Michigan Football Coach Will Muschamp

11. Penn State Nittany Lions (0-4)

Last week: 30-23 loss at Nebraska

Up next: Home vs. Iowa

SP+ Ranking: 16

Previous CQ Ranking: 10

Why, Penn State? What did this blog ever do to you that would make you go and lose to *Nebraska*? (puts finger to earpiece) Ah, well. Nevertheless.

12. Illinois Fighting Illini (1-3)

Last week: 23-20 win at rutger

Up next: Away vs. Nebraska

SP+ Ranking: 90

Previous CQ Ranking: 14

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

13. Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-3)

Last week: 35-7 loss vs. Iowa

Up next: Home vs. Purdue

SP+ Ranking: 48

Previous CQ Ranking: 12

14. Rutger Scarlet Knights (1-3)

Last week: 23-20 loss vs. Illinois

Up next: Home vs. Michigan

SP+ Ranking: 108

Previous CQ Ranking: 11

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images