A wild week in the Big Ten gave way to several major shakeups in our weekly conference power rankings.
What a wild week it was in the Big Ten. Though the Oregon Ducks had a much needed week off after starting the season 5-0, plenty went on in Week 6.
For starters, Penn State, on the other end of the Ducks' hard-fought double overtime road victory, responded with an absolute dud of an effort on the road against UCLA. Coming into the game winless, the Bruins played inspired football with quarterback Nico Iamaleava putting together perhaps the game of his career. The loss knocks the Nittany Lions out of Big Ten title contention and puts a major stain on their College Football Playoff hopes.
Elsewhere, other top teams asserted their dominance against weaker opponents, with Ohio State, Michigan, Illinois and Nebraska all winning in rather comfortable fashion.
While Week 6 was crazy, Week 7 has the potential to be even better, with Oregon taking on Indiana, Ohio State taking on Illinois and USC hosting Michigan.
But before we get ahead of ourselves, let's take a look at our updated power rankings coming out of Week 6.
18) Wisconsin Badgers (2-3, 0-2)
Game Result: L 24-10 vs. Michigan
Previous Ranking: 16
What's Next: vs. Iowa
Analysis: Two straight wins to open the season has given way to three straight losses, as the Badgers fought hard but were ultimately undermanned against Michigan. They started their third different starting quarterback, as graduate transfer Hunter Simmons was unspectacular in throwing for 177 yards and an interception. At this point, it’d be a surprise if Wisconsin won a game in Big Ten play.
17) Northwestern Wildcats (3-2, 1-1)
Game Result: W 42-7 vs. UL Monroe
Previous Ranking: 17
What's Next: @ Penn State
Analysis: After falling behind 7-0 in the first five minutes, the Wildcats looked like a brand new team against UL Monroe. Quarterback Preston Stone was excellent, completing 20 of 31 passes for 262 yards and three touchdowns while the ground game amassed 246 yards and two touchdowns. Though it was their third win and second in a row, this is not the Northwestern that we’ve seen this season; a major test against Penn State looms next week.
16) Purdue Boilermakers (2-3, 0-2)
Game Result: L 43-27 vs. No. 22 Illinois
Previous Ranking: 15
What's Next: @ Minnesota
Analysis: Though they haven’t won since Week 2, head coach Barry Odom has his squad competing. They’ve put up a fight against USC, Notre Dame and Illinois, with their offense being able to move the ball in each game. On Saturday, quarterback Ryan Browne threw for 302 yards and a touchdown as the Boilermakers finished with 453 total yards. The issue was that they gave up 507 total yards, displaying a leaky defense that’s holding the team back.
15) UCLA Bruins (1-4, 1-1)
Game Result: W 42-37 vs. No. 7 Penn State
Previous Ranking: 18
What's Next: @ Michigan State
Analysis: In the most surprising outcome of Week 6, the Bruins jumped all over Penn State, taking a 27-7 lead to the halftime break. They eventually finished the deal, ending an 0-4 start with a magnificent upset victory in which Nico Iamaleava looked the part of a multi-million dollar quarterback, as he had 294 total yards and five total touchdowns (three rushing). Though it doesn’t completely remove the stench from a disastrous start, there’s now a glimmer of hope that the Bruins can turn their season around.
14) Michigan State Spartans (3-2, 0-2)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 14
What's Next: vs. UCLA
Analysis: The quarterback woes continued for the Spartans, as quarterback Aidan Chiles completed just nine of 23 passes for 85 yards and two interceptions. The talented junior gave way to backup Alessio Milivojevic in the fourth quarter, who led a touchdown drive in completing six of seven passes for 71 yards and a score. The Michigan State offense was anemic and has been most of the season; maybe giving Milivojevic more opportunities could solve that.
13) Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-2, 0-2)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 13
What's Next: @ Washington (Friday)
Analysis: Taking the week off for a bye, the Scarlet Knights have been a tale of two stories on each side of the ball. Offensively, they’ve been excellent behind a strong group of skill players. But the defense held them back, as they’re 79th in points allowed. Two difficult games are coming out of their bye: in Seattle to take on Washington before hosting Oregon. We’ll find out a lot about the Scarlet Knights during those two games.
12) Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-2, 1-1)
Game Result: L 42-3 vs. Ohio State
Previous Ranking: 12
What's Next: vs. Purdue
Analysis: Though star running back Darius Taylor was active, he wasn’t much of a factor coming off injury, as he carried the ball just eight times for 12 yards. In all, the Golden Gophers finished with 162 total yards to the Buckeyes’ 476. They converted just one of 11 third-down opportunities as well, far from a winning formula and representative of the whooping they took in Columbus.
11) Maryland Terrapins (4-1, 1-1)
Game Result: L 24-20 vs. Washington
Previous Ranking: 11
What's Next: vs. Nebraska
Analysis: The Terrapins were oh, so close to a 5-0 start, as they held a 20-0 lead minutes into the third quarter. But from that point, it was all Washington. The fourth quarter was specifically disastrous, as Maryland was outscored 21-0 in giving away the game. One reason for the collapse was the run game struggles, as Maryland finished with just 55 rushing yards and 2.8 yards per carry.
10) Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2, 1-1)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 10
What's Next: @ Wisconsin
Analysis: The hope has to be that the Hawkeyes examine what’s holding back their offense during their week off, as it’s – once again – been the driving force behind each of their wins. Against ranked opponents in Iowa State and Indiana, Iowa’s defense allowed just 36 points combined. The issue was that the offense combined for just 28 points, underscoring tremendous defensive efforts. It’s a trend that is likely to continue, as it’s been the case for Iowa for nearly a decade.
9) Washington Huskies (4-1, 1-1)
Game Result: W 24-20 vs. Maryland
Previous Ranking: 8
What's Next: vs. Rutgers (Friday)
Analysis: The Huskies woke up in the fourth quarter, storming back from a 20-3 deficit to win on the road at Maryland. Quarterback Demond Williams led the charge, as he completed 28 of 41 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns, both coming in the final quarter. Williams, paired with a suddenly stifling defensive effort, saved Washington from losing two consecutive games and instead leaves them with a 4-1 record.
8) Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-1, 1-1)
Game Result: W 38-27 vs. Michigan State
Previous Ranking: 9
What's Next: @ Maryland
Analysis: It wasn't pretty, but the Cornhuskers got the job done against the Spartans in the two-score victory. In recent years, it'd be tough for Nebraska to grind out victories, but that hasn't been the case in 2025. The only blemish on their resume is a close loss to Michigan, who's playing excellent football right now. With three straight very winnable games up next on the schedule, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Cornhuskers ranked soon enough.
7) USC Trojans (4-1, 2-1)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 7
What's Next: vs. Michigan
Analysis: The Trojans went into their bye week on a sour note, as they lost in the final seconds to Illinois, spoiling a 4-0 start to the season. The next two weeks will tell a lot about the physicality of USC, as they host Michigan before traveling to South Bend to take on Notre Dame – two teams who excel at the line of scrimmage.
6) Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1, 2-1)
Game Result: W 43-27 vs. Purdue
Previous Ranking: 6
What's Next: vs. Ohio State
Analysis: Quarterback Luke Altmeyer had one of the most productive days of his career on Saturday, as he threw for 390 yards and a touchdown in leading the Fighting Illini to 43 points. While it gives them their fifth win versus just one loss, that loss will serve as an albatross on Illinois’ resume: a 63-10 defeat at the hands of Indiana.
5) Penn State Nittany Lions (3-2, 0-2)
Game Result: L 42-37 vs. UCLA
Previous Ranking: 3
What's Next: vs. Northwestern
Analysis: Coming off an emotional loss to Oregon, the Nittany Lions had about as bad of a response as could be. They quickly fell behind on the road to 0-4 UCLA, giving them confidence and digging too big of a hole to come out of. In the process, Penn State’s College Football Playoff hopes were likely dashed.
4) Michigan Wolverines (4-1, 2-0)
Game Result: W 24-10 vs. Wisconsin
Previous Ranking: 5
What's Next: @ USC
Analysis: In classic Michigan fashion, the Wolverines dominated the game on the ground and came away with a two-score victory over Wisconsin. The game was hardly ever in doubt, with the final score appearing closer than it actually was. The backfield duo of quarterback Bryce Underwood (270 passing yards and a touchdown) and running back Justice Haynes (117 rushing yards and two touchdowns) continues to impress.
3) Indiana Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 4
What's Next: @ Oregon
Analysis: As a result of Penn State’s loss, the Hoosiers moved up a spot during their bye week. They’re well deserving of the No. 3 position, as they hold a 5-0 record and have an absolute drubbing of Illinois on their resume. A Week 7 clash with Oregon will be revealing on whether or not Indiana is what they believe they are: a national title contender.
2) Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0)
Game Result: W 42-3 vs. Minnesota
Previous Ranking: 2
What's Next: @ Illinois
Analysis: The passing attack continued to excel for the Buckeyes, as quarterback Julian Sayin was nearly flawless in completing 23 of 27 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns. Wide receivers Carnell Tate (nine catches, 183 yards and a touchdown) and Jeremiah Smith (seven catches, 67 yards, two touchdowns) form the dangerous pass-catching duo in America and are extremely hard to contain.
1) Oregon Ducks (5-0, 2-0)
Game Result: Bye
Previous Ranking: 1
What's Next: vs. Indiana
Analysis: Oregon's bye came at the perfect time, as they're given a week of rest and recovery after their impressive road win over Penn State. Though that win took a hit, as the Nittany Lions lost again, all that matters is that the Ducks are 5-0 and have a renewed focus heading into the meat of their Big Ten schedule. The biggest game comes next week, as the Hoosiers will be in town. Another standout effort will be needed if Oregon is to remain undefeated and keep their hopes of defending their Big Ten title and receiving a first-round bye in the CFP alive.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Big Ten power rankings following Week 6 featuring major changes
Category: General Sports
