College Football

Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Week 8 edition

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:44 p.m. ET

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Oct 15, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Dontre Wilson (2) catches a pass as Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Zack Baun (56) defends during the fourth quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Ohio State won 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Let’s take a look at the Week 8 Big Ten football depth chart after another exciting week of action.

The college football season is in full swing and we are just six weeks away from the end of the year. The Big Ten football season, however, is just heating up. While we are headed into Week 8, most teams in the conference have played just 3-4 games against Big Ten foes and that means the best action is ahead.

Michigan State keeps on struggling, though. The Spartans dropped to 0-3 in conference play with a fourth consecutive loss on Saturday against Northwestern. This is the longest losing streak of the Mark Dantonio era, and something needs to change.

Actual Big Ten title contenders did face off last week as Ohio State traveled to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers. The game went to overtime and the Buckeyes escaped with a seven-point victory.

Nebraska snuck by a pesky Indiana team on the road and Michigan had a bye week. Did the top of the power rankings from a week ago remain the same? Maybe. However, there were some major shakeups.

Take a look at who No. 14 through No. 1 are for Week 8.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2-5 (0-4 Big Ten), Last Week: 13

Chris Ash is having a very rough first season with the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. He may wind up turning this program around eventually, but for right now, it’s not looking promising. After starting the year 2-1, the Scarlet Knights have dropped four straight games in conference play and have been blown out each time. In fact, Rutgers hasn’t scored more than seven points in a Big Ten game this year, getting shut out twice. This team might not climb out of the No. 14 spot this year.

This week: at Minnesota

Purdue Boilermakers

3-3 (1-2 Big Ten), Last Week: 12

What a week it was for the Purdue Boilermakers. Hosting an Iowa team that is starting to get back on track offensively, Purdue thought it might have a chance for an upset. That wasn’t the case as the Boilermakers fell behind 35-7 at halftime and could never really catch up. They nearly out-gained Iowa offensively, but the Boilermakers’ defense couldn’t get any stops in the run game. Oh yeah, and Darrell Hazell was fired shortly after the loss. This program is in shambles at the moment.

This week: at No. 8 Nebraska

Illinois Fighting Illini

2-4 (1-2 Big Ten), Last Week: 14

It was a battle for last place in the Big Ten power rankings as Illinois faced off against Rutgers in Week 7. The Fighting Illini had shown no signs of life for the previous few weeks, but they came out swinging. It wasn’t necessarily Illinois’ offense that won it the game, 24-7, over Rutgers, but the defense which recovered four fumbles and picked off Giovanni Rescigno. Illinois was out-gained by Rutgers, but they took advantage of field position and put pressure on the hosting Scarlet Knights all game. Still, this team has a long way to go.

This week: at No. 3 Michigan

Michigan State Spartans

2-4 (0-3 Big Ten), Last Week: 10

Dang, another sour week for the Spartans. After starting the year 2-0 with a road win over then-No. 18 Notre Dame, things were looking up for Mark Dantonio and Michigan State. This team could exceed expectations and contend for another Big Ten title, people thought. Well, they were wrong. Michigan State has lost four games in a row and has yet to record a victory in conference play. It’s quite shocking since the Spartans have so much talent on the roster and just haven’t gelled as a team. The quarterback situation may be a big reason for the struggles as Brian Lewerke might be taking over for Tyler O’Connor these days.

This week: at Maryland

Maryland Terrapins

4-2 (1-2 Big Ten), Last Week: 6

Maryland isn’t nearly as poor of a team as it was a season ago. D.J. Durkin took over the program in the offseason and has done a tremendous job of exceeding expectations in his first season. In fact, the Terrapins have more wins this season than they did in all of 2015. However, this team is coming off a 21-point loss against Minnesota and has now fallen twice in a row. The Terrapins will face a hungry Michigan State team, angry about four straight losses on Saturday. It will be a battle for confidence.

This week: vs. Michigan State

Oct 15, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Clayton Thorson (18) attempts to throw the ball during the second half of a game against the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Golden Gophers

4-2 (1-2 Big Ten), Last Week: 11

Beating Maryland in Week 7 wasn’t as easy as it might have seemed before the season began, but the Golden Gophers took care of business. Down one starting quarterback, Mitch Leidner, it was up to Conor Rhoda to impress in his first start for the Gophers. He wasn’t overly productive, but played well enough to give Minnesota a chance to win, and it did, 31-10. He only attempted 15 passes, completing seven for 82 yards and a touchdown. He didn’t turn the ball over, but this team will be happy to have Leidner back to help it become bowl eligible.

This week: vs. Rutgers

Indiana Hoosiers

3-3 (1-2 Big Ten), Last Week: 6

Indiana has had a rough schedule lately. First off, the Hoosiers played Michigan State to open conference action, winning by three points in overtime. Following that up with Ohio State, the Hoosiers lost by 21 points. Finally, last week Indiana hosted No. 10 Nebraska for Homecoming and came up just five points short. This team is better than its 3-3 record indicates, losing two games this year by a combined 10 points. The offense struggled against Nebraska last week and if Richard Lagow didn’t have two costly picks, we might be talking about a 4-2 Hoosiers team.

This week: at Northwestern

Northwestern Wildcats

3-3 (2-1 Big Ten), Last Week: 9

Going on the road and winning in East Lansing has been a borderline impossible task for Big Ten opponents over the last six years, but Northwestern got the job done on Saturday over Michigan State. Sure, the Spartans are struggling this season, losing four straight, but Northwestern didn’t get off to the ideal start it was looking for, either. In fact, this team lost to both Western Michigan and Illinois State to begin the season. Since then, the Wildcats have won 3-of-4 and are looking much more polished offensively.

This week: vs. Indiana

Oct 15, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes running back Adrum Wadley (25) runs with the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Iowa Hawkeyes

5-2 (3-1 Big Ten), Last Week: 8

Iowa is starting to look like the team that made the Big Ten title game a season ago. OK, so the Hawkeyes’ defense could use some work, giving up 38 points in a Northwestern loss two weeks ago and 35 to a hapless Purdue squad in a win this week, but they’re still playing well lately. Iowa is on the rebound after a tough loss to North Dakota State in non-conference play dropped them from No. 14 to unranked. The season was dubbed a failure after that, but the Hawkeyes are still on the prowl and look like serious Big Ten West contenders.

This week: vs. No. 10 Wisconsin

Penn State Nittany Lions

4-2 (2-1 Big Ten), Last Week: 5

Penn State is coming off a bye week and that might either help or hurt this team, depending on if the time off interrupted a hot streak. The Nittany Lions had won two straight games after being blown out by Michigan on the road. They defeated Minnesota by just three points in overtime as well as Maryland by 24. James Franklin has a young squad on his hands and it is improving by the week, it seems. Trace McSorley could be a force in the passing game for years to come and Saquon Barkley is the conference’s top running back. Don’t forget about Big Ten Receiver of the Year candidate Chris Godwin. Defense is the main issue for the Nittany Lions.

This week: vs. No. 2 Ohio State

Wisconsin Badgers

4-2 (1-2 Big Ten), Last Week: 4

Despite being ranked No. 10 in the country, Wisconsin is fighting for its Big Ten title hopes in Week 8 against Iowa, on the road. The Badgers lost their second Big Ten contest of the year, this time at home against No. 2 Ohio State in overtime. That was a tough pill to swallow since the Badgers were up 16-6 at halftime with the raucous home crowd on their side, but allowed two crucial second half touchdowns and another in OT to drop, 30-23. This team has now lost to two top-five teams and beaten two top-10 teams. Hard to really put a finger on how good the Badgers are, or can be.

This week: at Iowa

Oct 15, 2016; Madison, WI, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes tight end A.J. Alexander (88) celebrates with fans following the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Ohio State won 30-23. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Nebraska Cornhuskers

6-0 (3-0 Big Ten), Last Week: 3

Nebraska escaped Bloomington with a slim five-point win over Indiana this past week and, who would have thought, the Cornhuskers have their defense to thank. Causing a couple of turnovers and holding the potent Indiana pass and run games in check, the Cornhuskers’ defense looks much more polished than it was last season especially in a game that Tommy Armstrong Jr. struggled. This team is now 6-0 and in sole ownership of first place in the Big Ten West. Nebraska controls its own destiny and Mike Riley is doing a fantastic job with this team in his second season in the Big Ten.

This week: vs. Purdue

Michigan Wolverines

6-0 (3-0 Big Ten), Last Week: 2

Michigan could be the best team in the Big Ten this year, but we won’t know until late-November when the Wolverines clash with Ohio State. Heck, there is still plenty of time before then for a team to upset Michigan — say, maybe Michigan State? Either way, this Michigan team is easily the best in the past decade and, coming off a bye, it will be refreshed to take on the second half of the season. Unbeaten and lightly-tested, the Wolverines should have no issue playing as well in the second half as they did in the first.

This week: vs. Illinois

Ohio State Buckeyes

6-0 (3-0 Big Ten), Last Week: 1

A major shocker, right? Ohio State just keeps beating ranked opponents to stay at No. 1 in the power rankings. Until the Buckeyes lose, there is no way I can move them from this spot. I’ll be the first to admit I thought this team would take a step back after 2015 when they lost about a dozen major pieces, but the 2016 Buckeyes are even better than last year’s version. This team is coming off a big road win against No. 8 Wisconsin and is in no hurry to lose its first game.

This week: at Penn State