After eight weeks of college football, the Big Ten has few teams that look like safe bets for a title run. CBS Sports' latest Week 9 power rankings place Ohio State first and UCLA second, while noting that injuries at key positions and stunning upsets have left more questions than answers.
The rankings point to a handful of elite defenses: Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan, with UCLA joining them after a midseason turnaround that has kept the Bruins unbeaten. Offense is the concern. Ohio State and Indiana have top skill-position talent but uncertain quarterback play, with Josh Hoover described as a significant downgrade for the Hoosiers. Northwestern, under Chip Kelly, has one of the more entertaining offenses in the country but has yet to face the conference's best teams.
Ohio State holds the top spot, but coach Ryan Day has not said whether Luke Fahey or Tavien St. Clair will start Saturday against USC, the Buckeyes' first game without Julian Sayin. UCLA is second. Its offense has cooled and its rushing attack has sputtered since Nico Iamaleava was injured, though the defense has improved and Ty Dieffenbach has produced two more wins through the air. The Bruins face Nevada this week.
Northwestern moved up one place to third after a rout of Rutgers and now travels to Oregon, where the Wildcats are short underdogs. Indiana slipped to fourth. The Hoosiers won at Michigan, but the passing game remained a problem, and their defense still gives them a chance against anyone. Minnesota and USC are next for Curt Cignetti's team.
Wisconsin jumped from eighth to fifth after a 24-7 win over USC on Saturday night, a result that all but ended doubts about Luke Fickell's future in Madison. The Badgers now visit Iowa. Minnesota rose from a tie for 11th to sixth by beating Iowa 13-10 and keeping the Floyd of Rosedale trophy, a win built on defense and special teams. The Gophers visit Indiana next, and Iowa, ranked seventh, faces Wisconsin and Northwestern in back-to-back games.
Nebraska is eighth after a bye week following two straight losses, including a fourth-quarter collapse at Oregon. The Huskers host Washington and need a win to reach 6-2. USC is ninth at 6-2 after struggling at Wisconsin, with Ohio State at home this week and later games against Indiana and UCLA. Washington is 10th and Purdue 11th, with the Boilermakers visiting Penn State.
Illinois climbed from 14th to 12th with a win over Oregon and travels to Maryland, which is playing under an interim coach. Oregon fell from sixth to 13th after a poor showing in Champaign. Quarterback Dante Moore is out for the season with a concussion, and the offense has struggled with Dylan Raiola and Brock Thomas. Michigan is 14th after a loss to Indiana in which its defense played well but Tommy Carr's offense could not fix its problems.
Rutgers is 15th and hosts Michigan State, hoping for a second Big Ten win. Penn State, 16th, is led by first-year coach Matt Campbell and needs home wins to stay bowl-eligible. Michigan State is 17th after a 28-10 loss at UCLA. Maryland is 18th, no longer alone among Power Four programs to fire a coach after NC State and Baylor made similar moves this past weekend.
