B1G Power Rankings, Week 2

Week 2 Power Rankings

Who's got the power in week two?

These power rankings reflect the team’s performances and injuries compared to the rest of the league, not necessarily the current standings, talent, or a predicted finish for the league, but a fluid representation of where each team currently stands.

It was a rough week for the Big Ten, going a mediocre 6-6, so without further ado, lets get into it.

Please share your rankings in the comments below!

12. Illinois Fighting Illini (Last Week: 9)

When your supposed strength gives up a million yards and almost as many points, it is hard for people to take you seriously. Nathan Scheelhaase needs to come back ASAP because he gives this team some swagger, and lord knows the Illini could use some of that irrational confidence after how quickly things turned in Tempe.

11. Indiana Hoosiers (Last Week: 12)

Honestly, if Tre Roberson’s season hadn’t ended against UMass, I would have had the Hoosiers ninth. They are the only 2-0 team in the bottom four, and the defense put in a gem against the Minutemen.

10. Penn State Nittany Lions (Last Week: 10)

The Nittany Lions played a lot better in week two than week one, barely losing to Virginia, 17-16. If PSU wants to get in the win column, they need to finish drives better than they did against the Cavaliers; as hard as it will be, the defense also needs to find a way to play better.

9. Iowa Hawkeyes (Last Week: 7)

The Hawks are a touch ahead of the bottom three in a couple aspects. Compared to Illinois, the defense has put together two good games. Compared to Indiana, they don’t have their starting quarterback lost for the year. Compared to Penn State, they have a special teams' unit that's humming. Now, can they get the offense going enough to have these positives actually mean something? I think that’s what the entire state is wondering.

8. Minnesota Golden Gophers (Last Week: 11)

I want to see this product against legitimate talent, as the opening two weeks were very soft. I’ll get my wish in two weeks when Syracuse comes calling, but so far, the results have been much more impressive than I would have imagined.

7. Northwestern Wildcats (Last Week: 8)

Well, if the defense can play the way they did against Vanderbilt, this teams PR standing will jump even higher.

6. Wisconsin Badgers (Last Week: 4)

So, the line issues have become a raging inferno, but play calling certainly hasn’t endeared Matt Canada to anyone in Madison. They still have talent, but they need to put together a full sixty minutes of Badgers football to get the bitter taste of Saturday out of their mouths. More importantly, these players need a victory and some confidence heading into league play.

5. Purdue Boilermakers (Last Week: 5)

The Boilermakers nearly played well enough to get the win in South Bend, but the teams ahead of them have shown that closer instinct much better than Purdue. Until the Boilermakers actually win a big game, there will be doubt.

4. Nebraska Cornhuskers (Last Week: 2)

The Huskers defense needs a lot of work, but their offense put up some wonderful numbers in Pasadena. I think the fix for the Huskers will be not having to face UCLA RB Jonathan Franklin again all year.

3. Michigan Wolverines (Last Week: 6)

This is more telling about No.'s 4-12 than about Michigan. Of the “rest” of the league, I like Michigan the best. Denard Robinson bounced back in a big way.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes (Last Week: 3)

The Buckeyes were a touch sloppy against an underrated Central Florida team, but Braxton Miller is on fire right now. Ohio State's defense is behind only Michigan State.

1. Michigan State Spartans (Last Week: 1)

Wow, what a dominating performance the Spartans turned in against Central Michigan. State QB Andrew Maxwell improved a lot in reading the defense from week one to two.