Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, October 4, 2015
With the first week of full-on Big Ten play behind us, there is quite a bit of change in my latest power rankings, presented by ArcelorMittal.
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Check out my latest poll below:
1. Ohio State (5-0, 1-0). At what point do fans go from being nervously restless to breaking into a hair-pulling panic? Five weeks into the season, and nothing seems to be changing. Is this 2015 reality?
Last week: 1
Up next: vs. Maryland (Watch on BTN2Go!)
2. Michigan (4-1, 1-0). Has any team been more impressive? Be honest, Brutus. You, too, Sparty. The Wolverines? only loss was to a top-10 squad on the road by a TD. Michigan has outscored its last four foes, 122-14, including back-to-back shutouts.
Last week: 5
Up next: vs. Northwestern (Watch on BTN2Go!)
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3. Michigan State (5-0, 1-0). See Ohio State.
Last week: 2
Up next: at Rutgers (Watch on BTN2Go!)
T-4. Iowa (5-0, 1-0). With each passing week, you get the feeling this may be a special season. There still is room on the bandwagon. It?s OK.
Last week: 3
Up next: vs. Illinois
T-4. Northwestern (5-0, 1-0). Hard to believe this is the same school that went an aggregate 10-14 the last two seasons-6-14 in the last 20 games entering 2015. NU is legit.
Last week: 4
Up next: at Michigan (Watch on BTN2Go!)
6. Illinois (4-1, 1-0). You say you wanna call that triumph vs. Nebraska a ?signature? win? OK by me. It also will look good on Bill Cubit?s application for full-time employment in Champaign.
Last week: 11
Up next: at Iowa
7. Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1). Those preseason concerns about the offensive line and running game have developed into in-season concerns about the offensive line and running game.
Last week: 6
Up next: at Nebraska
8. Nebraska (2-3, 0-1). They will be talking about that third-down play for ? oh ? the next 537 years in Lincoln. The entire fandom could do a Pepto-Bismol commercial.
Last week: 8
Up next: vs. Wisconsin
9. Indiana (4-1, 0-1). If ever a loss felt like a win, it was the Hoosiers? defeat to Ohio State. How will IU handle the woulda-shoulda-coulda loss?
Last week: 9
Up next: at Penn State
10. Minnesota (3-2, 0-1). Let?s file this team under ?M.? Not for ?Minnesota? ? but for ?Mess.? Just be happy you don?t have to watch offensive game film from the Northwestern contest.
Last week: 7
Up next: at Purdue
11. Penn State (4-1, 1-0). If there is a flimsier 4-1 team in America, I wanna see it. But, a win is a win, right? Let?s all have a glass of James Franklin?s Kool-Aid.
Last week: 10
Up next: vs. Indiana
12. Rutgers (2-2, 0-1). The Scarlet Knights were off ? which was good. Or, was it bad? I don?t know.
Last week: 12
Up next: vs. Michigan State (Watch on BTN2Go!)
13. Maryland (2-3, 0-1). I?m straining to think of something positive to put in this blank spot. But, I come up blank. Let?s come back to it.
Last week: 13
Up next: at Ohio State (Watch on BTN2Go!)
14. Purdue (1-4, 0-1). The effort at Michigan State was inspiring. Now comes a visit from beatable Minnesota, which is a must-win for this program. Yes, I did just type that.
Last week: 14
Up next: vs. Minnesota
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