Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 8

Week 8 of the college football season has come and gone, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers are 5-2, coming off a crushing 56-7 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana improved their record to 7-0 for their best start since 1967.

Week eight saw several significant games in the Big Ten Conference. On Friday night, the Oregon Ducks continued their winning ways, defeating the Purdue Boilermakers 35-0. It ended with the Michigan State Spartans winning at home against the Iowa Hawkeyes 32-20.

One of the bigger games of the week saw the USC Trojans blow a fourth-quarter lead for the third straight week to fall to Maryland 29-28. Nebraska will now prepare to travel to Columbus this Saturday to face the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Scroll below to find Cornhuskers Wire’s Big Ten Power Rankings for Week 8 of the college football season and see where the Cornhuskers stack up against the rest of the conference.

18. Purdue Boilermakers 1-6 (0-4)

Result: Loss vs. Oregon (35-0)

Next Week: Bye week

Thoughts: Purdue continues to struggle this season. The Boilermakers failed to score after scoring 49 against Illinois two weeks ago. If you look at the schedule, you wonder if Purdue will win a Big Ten game this season.

Result: Loss vs UCLA (35-32)

Next Week: at USC (10:00 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: Rutgers has now lost three in a row and this past weekends defeat to UCLA is especially troubling. The Bruins had looked terrible all Big Ten season but had no problems competing with the Scarlet Knights. Now they must travel across the country to face a struggling USC team.

16. UCLA Bruins 2-5 (1-4)

Result: Win at Rutgers (35-32)

Next Week: BYE

Thoughts: The Bruins looked like they might go the whole Big Ten campaign without a victory but a win at Rutgers last Saturday showed the Bruins are growing under head coach Deshaun Foster.

Get more UCLA news, analysis, and opinions on UCLA Wire.

15. Northwestern Wildcats 3-4 (1-3)

Result: Loss vs. Wisconsin (23-3)

Next Week: at Iowa (2:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: Northwestern took a step in the wrong direction on Saturday with a 23-3 loss to Wisconsin. Now they travel to Iowa but the Wildcats have had success against the Hawkeyes before and hope that good fortune strikes again.

14. USC Trojans 3-4 (1-4)

Result: Loss at Maryland (28-29)

Next Week: vs. Rutgers (10:00 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: The Trojans have now blown a 14 point lead in fourth quarter in back-to-back games. Lincoln Riley’s seat is starting to heat up and you wonder if USC will ever figure out how to hang on to leads late in games. A home game against Rutgers this Saturday could help put things right.

Get more USC news, analysis, and opinions on Trojans Wire

13. Maryland Terrapins 4-3 (1-3)

Result: Win vs. USC (29-28)

Next Week: at Minnesota (2:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: Maryland was downright terrible against Northwestern two weeks ago but responded in a major way with a 4th quarter comeback against USC. Now they go for two in a row when they face Minnesota on Saturday.

12. Minnesota Golden Gophers 4-3 (2-2)

Result: Bye week

Next Week: vs. Maryland (2:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: A bye week for Minnesota helped them rest up before hosting a Maryland team riding high after a comeback win over the USC Trojans.

11. Michigan Wolverines 4-3 (2-2)

Result: Loss at Illinois (21-7)

Next Week: vs. Michigan State

Thoughts: Michigan’s offense is in shambles after a disastrous performance against Illinois. Now they face in-state rival Michigan State and hope to figure things out offensively before next Saturday

Get more Michigan news, analysis, and opinions on Wolverines Wire

10. Iowa Hawkeyes 4-3 (2-2)

Result: Loss at Michigan State (32-20)

Next Week: vs. Northwestern (2:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: The Hawkeyes’ offense struggled against Michigan State on Saturday, and now they face the Northwestern Wildcats in a game that could determine the rest of the season.

Get more Iowa news, analysis, and opinions on Hawkeyes Wire

9. Michigan State Spartans 4-3 (2-2)

Result: Win vs. Iowa (32-20)

Next Week: at Michigan (6:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: The Spartans are still rebuilding and have a ways to go but a big victory over Iowa goes a long toward showing where Jonathan Smith has this program headed. Now they get a chance to face in-state rival Michigan next weekend.

Get more Michigan State news, analysis, and opinions on Spartans Wire

8. Washington Huskies 4-3 (2-2)

Result: Bye week

Next Week: at Indiana (Oct. 26)

Thoughts: Washington struggled against Iowa two weeks ago and now have to travel to Bloomington to face one of the more explosive offenses in the country in Indiana.

Get more Washington news, analysis, and opinions on UW Huskies Wire

7. Nebraska Cornhuskers 5-2 (2-2)

Result: Loss at Indiana (56-7)

Next Week: at Ohio State

Thoughts: The Huskers were crushed by the Hoosiers on Saturday. Things don’t get any easier as they now prepare to travel to Columbus to take on the Buckeyes.

6. Wisconsin Badgers 5-2 (3-1)

Result: Win at Northwestern (23-3)

Next Week: vs. Penn State (6:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: The Badgers have started to figure things out in the middle of the season but a big home game against Penn State next Saturday will give everyone an idea of where this team is under head coach Luke Fickell.

Get more Wisconsin news, analysis, and opinions on Badgers Wire

Result: Win vs. Michigan (21-7)

Next Week: at Oregon (2:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: Illinois had a big victory against Michigan on Saturday. Now the Fighting Illini have a chance to make a major statement when they travel to Eugene to take on the Ducks next Saturday.

4. Indiana Hoosiers 7-0 (4-0)

Result: Win vs. Nebraska 56-7

Next Week: vs. Washington

Thoughts: The Hoosiers faced their first test of the 2024 season and had no problem with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This is a legitimate Big Ten title game team contender, and a victory over Washington next Saturday would be another step in the right direction.

3. Ohio State Buckeyes 5-1 (2-1)

Result: Bye week

Next Week: vs. Nebraska (11:00 a.m. CT)

Thoughts: The Buckeyes had a week to rest before retaking the field on the 26th when they host the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Buckeyes will be looking to get back into the win column after losing to Oregon two weeks ago.

Get more Ohio State news, analysis, and opinions on Buckeyes Wire

2. Penn State Nittany Lions 6-0 (3-0)

Result: Bye

Next Week: at Wisconsin (6:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: The Nittany Lions had this last Saturday off before having to travel to Madison to take on the Badgers, but their game against Ohio State on Nov. 2 looms large.

Get more Penn State news, analysis, and opinions on Nittany Lions Wire

1. Oregon Ducks 7-0 (4-0)

Result: Win vs. Oregon (35-0)

Next Week: vs. Illinois (2:30 p.m. CT)

Thoughts: The Ducks had no trouble on the road against Purdue on Friday night. Now, they return home and host a ranked Illinois team.

Get more Oregon news, analysis, and opinions on Ducks Wire

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 8