Big Ten Power Rankings Shakeup Looms: Can Anyone Break the Top Three Deadlock After Ducks’ Shocking Week 9?
As Week 9 wraps up in the Big Ten, the competition’s pulse is beating a little clearer, carving out a distinct hierarchy amid the chaos. Three heavyweights are staking their claim at the summit, yet even among these frontrunners, the Oregon Ducks found themselves wrestling with a gritty Wisconsin squad that refused to back down last Saturday night. It’s that raw, unpredictable nature of Big Ten play that keeps fans glued—where no opponent is a pushover, and the underdogs can bite hard regardless of their standings. The weekend served up some marquee clashes as the surging UCLA Bruins—once winless but now riding a three-game wave under interim coach Tim Skipper—faced off against the unstoppable Indiana Hoosiers, who firmly dashed any hopes of an upset in Bloomington. Meanwhile, the Washington Huskies and Illinois Fighting Illini locked horns in a pivotal contest that saw the Huskies cement their place in the upper tier, powered by the laser-like precision of QB Demond Williams Jr. Several more games snapped tight down to the wire, painting a vivid portrait of just how fierce and talented this conference has become, housing the last two national champions and plenty of firebrands contending for glory. Ready to dig in? Let’s dive into how Week 9 has reshaped the Big Ten power landscape.
With the conclusion of Week 9 in the Big Ten, the conference standings are beginning to take shape. A trio of contenders have separated themselves from the pack — yet the Oregon Ducks, among those three, still struggled mightily on Saturday evening against a rugged Wisconsin squad that came ready to play.
Such is life in the Big Ten, as even the teams at the bottom of the standings can compete with the best of the best.
Week 9 presented fans with several high-profile matchups in the conference, as the morning slate brought the previously 0-4 UCLA Bruins — who had rattled off three straight wins under interim coach Tim Skipper — to Bloomington to take on the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers. It’s safe to say head coach Curt Cignetti’s squad heard all the noise that the Bruins could compete with the Hoosiers, as it was far from close.
Meanwhile, the Washington Huskies and Illinois Fighting Illini met in a critical matchup in which the former had a chance to cement themselves in the upper half of the Big Ten. The Huskies did exactly that thanks to yet another banner performance from quarterback Demond Williams Jr.
Several other games came down to the final possessions as well, showing just how high the talent level is in the conference with the past two national champions.
Let’s get into our Big Ten power rankings after a Week 9 that revealed the true colors of a number of teams.
18) Wisconsin Badgers (2-6, 0-5)
Game Result: L 21-7 vs. Oregon
Previous Ranking: 18
What’s Next: Bye
Analysis: If nothing else, the Badgers showed immense fight against the Ducks on the road in a tough environment. The defense limited Oregon to just 132 yards through the air while their own rushing attack found success in totaling 108 yards. Wisconsin will need much more from quarterback Hunter Simmons — or anyone else at that position — if they want to win a game in the Big Ten this season, as he completed just seven of 21 passes for 86 yards — his third straight start with under 100 yards passing.
17) Purdue Boilermakers (2-6, 0-5)
Game Result: L 24-27 vs. Rutgers
Previous Ranking: 16
What’s Next: @ Michigan
Analysis: All season, the Boilermakers have received a bump in these rankings for remaining competitive yet succumbing to superior teams. That was the story once again in Week 9, as they led 10-0 over Rutgers before falling in the final seconds. That competitive bump is gone now, as Purdue has repeatedly shown an inability to actually come out on top instead of notching moral victories.
16) Michigan State Spartans (3-5, 0-5)
Game Result: L 31-20 vs. Michigan
Previous Ranking: 17
What’s Next: @ Minnesota
Analysis: The Spartans were beaten in the physicality category by their in-state rival Wolverines, as the rushing disparity was stark. Michigan State managed 115 yards on the ground while Michigan totaled 276 and four scores, with a healthy mark of 5.6 yards per carry. Quarterback Aidan Chiles, as has been the story too many times this season, struggled to throw the ball. He completed just 14 of 28 passes for 130 yards — simply not good enough to win in the Big Ten.
Game Result: W 27-24 vs. Purdue
Previous Ranking: 16
What’s Next: @ Illinois
Analysis: A blowout loss to Oregon seemed to carry over to Week 9 for the Scarlet Knights, as they quickly fell behind by two scores against Purdue. They snapped out of it in the second half, as quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (359 passing yards and a touchdown) and running back Antwan Raymond (116 rushing yards and a touchdown) got going while the defense forced a crucial fumble in the final minute that led to the game-winning field goal.
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 14
What’s Next: @ Ohio State
Analysis: Let’s take a step back, as Penn State did during their bye week. Less than a month ago (Sept. 27), the Nittany Lions looked to be right there with Oregon as title contenders during their 30-24 double overtime thriller in Happy Valley. Fast forward three more Nittany Lions losses later, and the team has fired its head coach (James Franklin) and lost its starting quarterback to a season-ending injury (Drew Allar). They’re now simply fighting for bowl eligibility. Not great, to say the least.
13) Maryland Terrapins (4-3, 1-3)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 13
What’s Next: vs. Indiana
Analysis: The positive for Maryland this season: they’ve found their starting quarterback of the future in true freshman Malik Washington, who looks the part of a starter in the Big Ten at 19-years-old. The negative: they have yet to beat a Big Ten opponent not named Wisconsin and they have No. 2 Indiana up next. Regardless, rebounding from a 4-8 2024 season with at least some promise moving forward is a significant step forward for the program.
12) UCLA Bruins (3-5, 3-2)
Game Result: L 56-6 vs. Indiana
Previous Ranking: 12
What’s Next: Bye
Analysis: The Cinderella story ended in dramatic fashion for UCLA, as they were dominated in every facet of the game against Indiana. Quarterback Nico Iamaleava threw two interceptions for the second straight week, something he’ll need to clean up if the Bruins can rebound from an 0-4 start and make a bowl game. Despite holding a 3-5 record and losing by 50, UCLA showed themselves to be a solid team under interim head coach Tim Skipper in October.
Game Result: L 28-21 vs. Nebraska
Previous Ranking: 11
What’s Next: Bye
Analysis: Quarterback Preston Stone’s two interceptions proved to be critical in Northwestern’s narrow loss to Nebraska, as his final giveaway resulted in the final Cornhusker touchdown. However, the Wildcats may have found something in sophomore running back Caleb Komolafe (125 rushing yards, two touchdowns), who’s stepped up in the absence of starter Cam Porter who suffered a season-ending injury. The schedule won’t get any easier for the Wildcats, but they’ll have four more chances to reach bowl eligibility.
10) Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-3, 3-2)
Game Result: L 41-3 vs. Iowa
Previous Ranking: 8
What’s Next: vs. Michigan State
Analysis: Coming off their biggest win of the season over then No. 25 Nebraska, Minnesota had a complete dud of a performance on the road against Iowa. They fell behind 17-0 after the first quarter and had no chance from there, as they managed just 133 total yards and turned the ball over three times on quarterback Drake Lindsey’s passes. Star running back Darius Taylor got hurt on his first carry, continuing injury woes that have plagued him his entire collegiate career.
9) Nebraska Cornhuskers (6-2, 3-2)
Game Result: W 28-21 vs. Northwestern
Previous Ranking: 10
What’s Next: vs. USC
Analysis: It was an ugly win but a win nonetheless for the Cornhuskers, who leaned on running back Emmett Johnson. The junior standout carried the ball 27 times for 124 yards and two touchdowns, overcoming a subpar day for quarterback Dylan Raiola and the passing attack. At 6-2 and notching their third one-score win of the season, Nebraska has certainly taken steps forward in 2025.
8) Illinois Fighting Illini (5-3, 2-3)
Game Result: L 42-25 vs. Washington
Previous Ranking: 6
What’s Next: vs. Rutgers
Analysis: Relative to preseason expectations, Illinois’ disappointing 2025 campaign continued on Saturday as they lost by three scores on the road against Washington. The pass defense struggled mightily and the run game, as has been the case often this year, couldn’t find much consistency. At 5-3 and having lost two straight, the Fighting Illini’s season is quickly unraveling.
7) Iowa Hawkeyes (6-2, 4-1)
Game Result: W 41-3 vs. Minnesota
Previous Ranking: 6
What’s Next: Bye
Analysis: The Hawkeyes showed what they’re capable of when the offense and defense are in sync, as the defense forced three turnovers that led to 14 points. The passing game is still far from awesome, with quarterback Mark Gronowski throwing for 135 yards and a score, but it hasn’t entirely been needed as Iowa collected their fourth win in Big Ten play.
6) Washington Huskies (6-2, 3-2)
Game Result: W 42-25
Previous Ranking: 9
What’s Next: Bye
Analysis: The Huskies got back in the win column after a road loss to Michigan, coming away with a commanding win over Illinois in which quarterback Demond Williams Jr. was the catalyst once again. He completed 79% of his passes for 280 yards and four scores while adding 66 yards with his legs. The sophomore is quickly emerging as one of the most dangerous players in the Big Ten. Washington has a very real possibility of heading into their bye week with a spot in the top 25.
5) USC Trojans (5-2, 3-1)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 5
What’s Next: @ Nebraska
Analysis: The Trojans have arguably the highest ceiling of the teams outside the top three in the Big Ten, but find themselves with two losses and fighting to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive. Quarterback Jayden Maiava and the offense have been excellent, with the defense proving to be leaky at times — a USC staple in the Lincoln Riley era.
4) Michigan Wolverines (6-2, 4-1)
Game Result: W 31-20 vs. Michigan State
Previous Ranking: 4
What’s Next: vs. Purdue
Analysis: Michigan flexed its muscles for a second straight week, this time against Michigan State. On a day in which true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood threw for just 86 yards, star running back Justice Haynes picked up the slack in carrying the ball 26 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns. Though they were beaten by the Trojans earlier this season, the Wolverines appear to pose a bigger threat on a consistant basis to the top three teams in the conference.
3) Oregon Ducks (7-1, 4-1)
Game Result: W 21-7 vs. Wisconsin
Previous Ranking: 3
What’s Next: Bye
Analysis: Oregon struggled its way to a two-score victory over Wisconsin, as nothing seemed to go right in the first half. Quarterback Dante Moore got injured as well, as he came up bleeding after a rough tackle in the third quarter and never returned. The Ducks got huge contributions from running backs Jordon Davison (102 yards, two touchdowns) and Noah Whittington (97 yards), who helped drag the team to a victory. There’s plenty to clean up for head coach Dan Lanning‘s squad as they head into their second bye week before their final four regular-season games.
2) Indiana Hoosiers (8-0, 5-0)
Game Result: W 56-6 vs. UCLA
Previous Ranking: 2
What’s Next: @ Maryland
Analysis: In what was hyped up as a potential tight matchup between the undefeated Hoosiers and Bruins on a hot streak, Indiana put all doubt to bed right from the jump, as they led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and took a 35-3 lead to halftime. The run game (262 yards, four touchdowns) and defense (201 total yards and six points allowed) shined in the blowout victory. The Hoosiers remain cemented as the No. 2 team in the country and the Big Ten.
1) Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0, 4-0)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 1
What’s Next: vs. Penn State
Analysis: Ohio State has hardly been challenged since their Week 1 bout with Texas, rolling through the Big Ten with ease thus far. Though they have several slight flaws (inconsistent rushing attack and taking their foot off the gas too early among them), the Buckeyes have been far and away the best team in college football and should be the favorite to repeat as national champions.
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