Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, October 22, 2017

Penn State made a loud statement vs. Michigan and remains king of the hill, setting up a showdown at Ohio State this Saturday. The fast-riser? Rutgers, winners of two-count ?me-two games in a row and owners of the same Big Ten record as Michigan: 2-2.

[ MORE: Week 8 video | Best of Week 8 | AP & Coaches polls | Week 8 predictions revisited ]

Get my latest Big Ten Power Rankings, presented by ArcelorMittal, below.

1. Penn State (7-0, 4-0). It?s Saquon Barkley?s world. We?re just living in it. Will he pad his Heisman resume at Ohio State?
Last week: 1
Up next: at Ohio State

2. Wisconsin (7-0, 4-0). The Badgers biggest opponent is themselves. Stay hungry. Stay motivated. Stay focused.
Last week: 2
Up next: at Illinois

3. Ohio State (6-1, 4-0). The Buckeyes were off last week. They will need the extra prep time for Penn State?s visit.
Last week: 3
Up next: Penn State

4. Michigan State (6-1, 4-0). This is not the prettiest 6-1 team in the nation. Who cares? It?s wild how the Spartans have rebounded from a forgettable 2016.
Last week: 4
Up next: at Northwestern

5. Michigan (5-2, 2-2). The offensive issues persist. And the vaunted defense got punched up for over 500 yards by Penn State.
Last week: 5
Up next: Rutgers

6. Northwestern (4-3, 2-2). The Wildcats got a much-needed win vs. Iowa. This is an underrated defense.
Last week: 8
Up next: Michigan State

7. Iowa (4-3, 1-3). The defense is fine, but the offense needs more traction in the rushing game.
Last week: 6
Up next: Minnesota

8. Nebraska (3-4, 2-2). The Cornhuskers were off. Maybe the time off will allow Nebraska to regroup for a strong finish.
Last week: 10
Up next: at Purdue

9. Indiana (3-4, 0-4). The Hoosiers are oh-so-close to a big win. The schedule hasn?t been kind. IU?s first four B1G foes: Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan and MSU. God bless Tom Allen.
Last week: 9
Up next: at Maryland

10. Rutgers (3-4, 2-2). For the first time since joining the Big Ten, the Scarlet Knights have won two league games in a row.
Last week: 13
Up next: at Michigan

11. Purdue (3-4, 1-3). The offense is inept, scoring one TD in the last two games. How will the Boilermakers respond to the numbing loss at Rutgers?
Last week: 7
Up next: Nebraska

12. Minnesota (4-3, 1-3). The Golden Gophers got a needed win vs. Illinois to end a three-game slide. More is needed from the passing game.
Last week: 12
Up next: at Iowa

13. Maryland (3-4, 1-3). That win at Texas seems like 100 years ago, as the Terps have lost three in a row.
Last week: 11
Up next: Indiana

14. Illinois (2-5, 0-4). That?s five defeats in a row for the Fighting Illini. Will this team win again?
Last week: 14
Up next: Wisconsin