Big Ten Football Power Rankings (Week 5): Maryland is Very Good
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The midpoint of the 2023 college football season is almost here. The Big Ten has separated into three pretty distinct groups, with an elite trio at the top, two teams right behind that are very good and a nine other teams that have a whole lot of work to do.
Here are the Big Ten football power rankings following Week 5:
1. Michigan (5-0, 2-0 B1G)
Week 5 Result: W, 45-7 vs Nebraska
Week 6 Matchup: @ Minnesota
One of the only 45-7 victories in the history of football where the score understates how much better the winning team was than the losing team.
To be clear, Michigan has had one of the easiest schedules in the country, as Rutgers is the Wolverines' best win to date. But they've done exactly one should when given a slate of cupcakes — absolutely wipe the floor with them.
2. Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 B1G)
Week 5 Result: Bye
Week 6 Matchup: vs Maryland
The Buckeyes remain here after being idle in Week 5. Though it feels important to note, the gap between Ohio State and No. 3 on this list has grown because ...
3. Penn State (5-0, 2-0 B1G)
Week 5 Result: W, 41-13 vs Northwestern
Week 6 Matchup: Bye
Penn State looked really, really terrible against Northwestern in the first half. The Nittany Lions were tied with the 'Cats in Evanston at halftime, and did not lead until the third quarter. The final score looks fine but it deceives what actually happened.
Drew Allar had another underwhelming passing performance, and it looks like the Penn State offense might hold back what is a truly phenomenal defensive unit.
4. Maryland (5-0, 2-0 B1G)
Week 5 Result: W, 44-17 vs Indiana
Week 6 Matchup: @ Ohio State
Another week, another Maryland beatdown. Indiana is one of the worst teams in the Big Ten, if not the worst, but it's still shocking just how easily the Terrapins dispatched them.
It's likely that Mike Locksley's team falls from the ranks of the unbeatens next week in Columbus, but this is the best Maryland football team in well over a decade.
5. Wisconsin (3-1, 1-0 B1G)
Week 5 Result: Bye
Week 6 Matchup: vs Rutgers
Wisconsin was idle for Week 5, and there's been no evidence compelling enough to dissuade either myself or others from the notion that the Badgers are the favorites in the West.
6. Iowa (4-1, 1-1 B1G)
Week 5 Result: W, 26-16 vs Michigan State
Week 6 Matchup: vs Purdue
Iowa trailed 16-13 entering the fourth quarter and only won because superstar defensive back Cooper DeJean returned a punt for a touchdown in the closing minutes.
The Hawkeyes completed only 14 of 32 pass attempts between two quarterbacks and ran for 2.3 yards per carry. It's the exact same team that coach Kirk Ferentz has put on the field for what feels like 10 years straight.
7. Rutgers (4-1, 1-1 B1G)
Week 5 Result: W, 52-3 vs Wagner
Week 6 Matchup: @ Wisconsin
Rutgers has to remain in the top half of the power rankings for the time being, simply due to the fact that none of the subsequent seven teams have proved they belong anymore than the Scarlet Knights. Next Saturday's road trip to Wisconsin will be a great litmus test for Greg Schiano's team.
As long as the Scarlet Knights compete well against one of the Big Ten's more competent squads, it's a great sign. Bowl eligible Rutgers may soon be upon us.
8. Purdue (2-3, 1-1 B1G)
Week 5 Result: W, 44-19 vs Illinois
Week 6 Matchup: @ Iowa
I was very wrong about Purdue.
I ranked them at the bottom of the Big Ten power rankings for weeks, only for the Boilermakers to absolutely rout Illinois in West Lafayette. In retrospect, losing to Wisconsin, Fresno State and Syracuse — likely three of the top 45 teams in FBS — is really not that bad. Great win last Saturday for coach Ryan Walters and his team.
9. Michigan State (2-3, 0-2 B1G)
Week 5 Result: L, 16-26 vs Iowa
Week 6 Matchup: Bye
It tells you how rough the bottom half of the Big Ten is that Michigan State moves up in this week's power rankings for only losing to Iowa by 10.
The Spartans are still not very good, but at least its three losses are to teams that are a combined 14-1 on the season, which is not something some of these other squads can say.
10. Illinois (2-3, 0-2 B1G)
Week 5 Result: L, 19-44 vs Purdue
Week 6 Matchup: vs Nebraska
Illinois has had a brutal schedule to be sure, but there's no excuse for getting dominated by Purdue like Bret Bielema's team just did. The Luke Altmyer quarterback rollercoaster took a turn for the worse in West Lafayette, and this team seems in store for a major regression year after nearly winning the West in 2022.
11. Minnesota (3-2, 1-1 B1G)
Week 5 Result: W, 35-24 vs Louisiana
Week 6 Matchup: vs Michigan
Another game where the final score is deceiving, as coach P.J. Fleck and the Gophers trailed their Group of Five visitors 17-14 at the half.
A win is a win, and Minnesota still has interesting talent at running back and wide receiver, but this team is just not playing very well right now.
12. Northwestern (2-3, 1-1 B1G)
Week 5 Result: L, 13-41 vs Penn State
Week 6 Matchup: vs Howard
For a half it looked like Northwestern might keep up with the magic it produced in Week 4 against Minnesota. Then, reality set in, Penn State outscored the 'Cats 31-3 in the second half, and backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan threw one of the worst interceptions in the history of the sport.
Northwestern shockingly looks better than it did in 2022, but this is a team that can still go 3-9 very easily.
13. Nebraska (2-3, 0-2 B1G)
Week 5 Result: L, 7-45 vs Michigan
Week 6 Matchup: @ Illinois
Nebraska just has nothing going on offense. Given, Michigan has a great defense, but the Cornhuskers couldn't get a single thing going all game, even with the visible quarterback improvement its seen in switching from Jeff Sims to Heinrich Haarberg. Illinois could be a winnable game for Nebraska in Week 6, but this team still has a long way to go under Matt Rhule.
14. Indiana (2-3, 0-2 B1G)
Week 5 Result: L, 17-44 vs Maryland
Week 6 Matchup: Bye
It's not going well.
Related Stories on Big Ten:
- SATURDAY GAME RESULTS: Week 5 of the 2023 college football season is in the books, as this past Saturday of Big Ten football brought several lopsided scores, giving more clarity as to which teams are on the rise, and which teams still have a lot to figure out. CLICK HERE
- JACK'S TAKE: Indiana coach Tom Allen wasted no time when making changes during Indiana's bye week. On Sunday, he fired offensive coordinator Walt Bell and promoted Rod Carey. The move makes sense, but it may not help Indiana improve enough to have a successful season. CLICK HERE
- WALT BELL FIRED: Coach Tom Allen and the Indiana football team have fired offensive coordinator Walt Bell following the Hoosiers' 44-17 loss against Maryland on Saturday. Offensive coordinator responsibilities for the remainder of the 2023 season will be assumed by Rod Carey, who was previously the quality control coach for Allen and Indiana. CLICK HERE
- DANIEL OLINGER'S COLUMN: Indiana lost to Maryland 44-17 on Saturday in the most discouraging performance of the 2023 season. Coach Tom Allen blamed execution yet again after the game, an excuse that rings hollow this deep into the season. CLICK HERE