The first two months of the 2025 college football season are finished, and the next month will determine how the winter’s biggest game set up.
It was a relatively predictable Week 9 slate in Big Ten football with all seven favorites winning. Some won big (Indiana by 50 and Iowa by 38) while others scraped by − Nebraska won by a touchdown at home over Northwestern in the final three minutes, and Michigan made two fourth-down stops against Michigna State to prevent the game from getting inside of four points in the final 10 minutes − but all went as expected.
How did it shake up the conference standings? Here are the Big Ten power rankings heading into Week 10 and November.
1. Ohio State (7-0)
Last week’s ranking: 1.
This week’s game: vs. Penn State.
What to know: The Buckeyes resume their undefeated season in what was expected to be one of the biggest conference games of the year against the Nittany Lions. Instead, it’s expected to be an annihilation.
2. Indiana (8-0)
Last week’s ranking: 2.
This week’s game: at Maryland.
What to know: The Hoosiers will be favored in their final four games of the season and seem to be on a collision course with Ohio State for the Big Ten title game. A bye (!) in the College Football Playoff looks likely.
3. Oregon (7-1)
Last week’s ranking: 3.
This week’s game: Bye week.
What to know: Oregon didn’t get any style points for its victory over much-maligned Wisconsin, however the Ducks remain on track to make it back to the postseason. Fortunately, Dante Moore’s injury was more a scare than anything serious.
4. Iowa (6-2)
Last week’s ranking: 7.
This week’s game: Bye week.
What to know: The Hawkeyes started the season slowly but have ripped off five straight weeks. Now, they get a bye before the two weeks that will make or break their season against Oregon and USC.
5. USC (5-2)
Last week’s ranking: 5.
This week’s game: at Nebraska.
What to know: The Trojans got to rest after taking their lumps against the Fighting Irish. They now have five consecutive games in November.
6. Michigan (6-2)
Last week’s ranking: 6.
This week’s game: vs. Purdue.
What to know: The Wolverines handled their business against rival Michigan State and continue into the easiest stretch of their schedule which continues this week at home against lowly Purdue.
7. Washington (6-2)
Last week’s ranking: 8.
This week’s game: Bye week.
What to know: The Huskies were doubted after a sloppy loss at Michigan, then steamrolled a potent Illinois team at home to regain momentum. For some reason, they’re still not ranked in the coaches poll, though neither is Iowa nor USC.
8. Illinois (5-3)
Last week’s ranking: 4.
This week’s game: vs. Rutgers.
What to know: The Illini have lost their three toughest games: at Indiana. home against Ohio State and at Washington. They’re 5-0 in the rest of their contests and should make that six against Rutgers.
9. Nebraska (6-2)
Last week’s ranking: 11.
This week’s game: vs. USC.
What to know: The Huskers reached bowl eligibility with a victory over a team with a winning record in the Wildcats. Now, they’ll try to get their first win over a ranked team since 2016.
10. Northwestern (5-3)
Last week’s ranking: 9.
This week’s game: Bye week.
What to know: Their record is shocking. They fought hard in Lincoln and came up just short. They get to regroup on the bye before facing four more teams with winning records to reach bowl eligibility (at USC, vs. Michigan, Minnesota and at Illinois).
11. Minnesota (5-3)
Last week’s ranking: 10.
This week’s game: vs. Michigan State.
What to know: The Gophers couldn’t follow up their impressive win over Nebraska and got manhandled 41-3 at Iowa. The good news is a floundering Michigan State squad is coming to Minneapolis.
12. UCLA (3-5)
Last week’s ranking: 12.
This week’s game: Bye.
What to know: All good things must come to an end − and an emphatic end it was losing 56-6 at Indiana. A perfect time for a bye week before the home stretch.
13. Maryland (4-3)
Last week’s ranking: 13.
This week’s game: vs. Indiana.
What to know: The Terrapins have not won a game since late September. It doesn’t look like November will start any better than October went, given the high-powered Hoosiers are coming to town.
14. Rutgers (4-4)
Last week’s ranking: 15.
This week’s game: at Illinois.
What to know: The Scarlett Knights snapped a four-game losing streak to beat Purdue on the road. Greg Schiano’s group has a chance to make a bowl game, but it feels unlikely it gets any closer to that this week in Champaign.
15. Penn State (3-4)
Last week’s ranking: 14.
This week’s game: at Ohio State.
What to know: This was billed as one of the top matchups of the college football season coming into the year. Instead, Penn State will be without its coach and its quarterback, and will be fortunate to score more than 10 points.
16. Michigan State (3-5)
Last week’s ranking: 16.
This week’s game: at Minnesota.
What to know: MSU has lost five consecutive games after opening the season 3-0. It feels like coach Jonathan Smith will be fired any day − it’s somewhat surprising it hasn’t happened already.
17. Purdue (2-6)
Last week’s ranking: 17.
This week’s game: at Michigan.
What to know: Purdue has lost six consecutive games, two by one possession. Stylistically, this Michigan game appears to be a disaster for the Boilermakers.
18. Wisconsin (2-6)
Last week’s ranking: 18.
This week’s game: Bye week.
What to know: The Badgers scored their first points in more than two games against the Ducks. That was the only silver lining in yet another loss, 21-7. But hey … they can’t lose this week!
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Big Ten football power rankings set up deciding November stretch
Reporting by Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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