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| Rank | Team | Record | B1G Record | Last Week | Last Result | This Week |
|
1 |
#5 Michigan State | 10-1 | 6-1 | 3 | W @ #2 Ohio State 17-14 | vs. Penn State |
| 2 | #4 Iowa | 11-0 | 7-0 | 2 | W vs. Purdue 40-20 | @ Nebraska |
| 3 | #8 Ohio State | 10-1 | 6-1 | 1 | L vs. #9 MSU 17-14 | @ #10 Michigan |
| 4 | #16 Northwestern | 9-2 | 6-1 | 5 | W @ #25 Wisconsin 13-7 | vs. Illinois |
| 5 | #10 Michigan | 9-2 | 5-2 | 6 | W @ Penn State 28-16 | vs. #8 OSU |
| 6 | Wisconsin | 8-3 | 5-2 | 4 | L vs. #20 NW 13-7 | @ Minnesota |
| 7 | Penn State | 7-4 | 4-3 | 7 | L vs #12 Michigan 28-16 | @ #5 MSU |
| 8 | Nebraska | 5-6 | 3-4 | 8 | W @ Rutgers 31-14 (bye last) | vs. #4 Iowa |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5-6 | 2-5 | 9 | W vs. Illinois 32-23 | vs. Wisconsin |
| 10 | Indiana | 5-6 | 1-6 | 11 | W @ Maryland 47-28 | @ Purdue |
| 11 | Illinois | 5-6 | 2-5 | 10 | L @ Minnesota 32-23 | vs. #16 NW |
| 12 | Rutgers | 4-7 | 1-6 | 12 | W @ Army 31-21 | vs. Maryland |
| 13 | Purdue | 2-9 | 1-6 | 13 | L @ #5 Iowa 40-20 | vs. Indiana |
| 14 | Maryland | 2-9 | 0-7 | 14 | L vs Indiana 47-28 | @ Rutgers |
On Rutgers
Rutgers stays put at 12 because Purdue and Maryland stay losing. The Scarlet Knights can move up if they win and Indiana loses their season finale at Purdue. I can't put Rutgers ahead of a 5-7 Illinois team that would seemingly lose to Northwestern, unless they get blown out. Allow me to put things in perspective. Rutgers could field its worst team in 10 years and still have 3 or 4 teams finish below them in probably the best conference in the country. I just noticed that so while fans are down in the dumps about the season, there are certainly conference foes of ours that have it worse.
On the B1G
I just can't put Iowa at 1, I can't. Michigan State should be 11-0, but got screwed by bush league referees against Nebraska. They also have the most impressive win of any team in the country at this point. To go on the road against a team with the talent and pedigree of Ohio State with 2 backup QBs and pull out a win is simply incredible. They earned the top spot.
Iowa is clearly a very strong 2, but will need to win the B1G championship to move up to the top spot. Their cupcake schedule is killing them, and Michigan State's win against Oregon looks better and better each week. Michigan moved into the top-10 of the CFP rankings, although they play with fire wayyy too much.
Northwestern should be ranked higher than them, in my opinion. Northwestern has a great win against Stanford and a good win against Duke. Michigan's loss to Utah also isn't looking like such a quality loss anymore.
There really isn't much change in the rest of the standings. Penn State, Nebraska, and Minnesota all held onto their rankings. Indiana and Illinois flip flopped, as the Hoosiers won and the Illini dropped a tough game to Minnesota. The bottom 3 of Rutgers, Purdue, and Maryland remains the same as well.