ESPN FPI After Week 5 — Purdue Moves Up After Bye Week
Purdue may have been idle in Week 5, but it moved up a spot in ESPN's latest Football Power Index (FPI). The Boilermakers have climbed in the latest rankings, despite getting a week to rest and recover.
In ESPN's FPI following Week 5 action, Purdue moved up to No. 74, up one spot from last weekend when it was ranked No. 75. The Boilermakers are 2-2, posting wins over Ball State and Southern Illinois and suffering losses to USC and Notre Dame.
Purdue remains ahead of just two Big Ten teams: Northwestern (No. 78) and UCLA (No. 90).
After an off week, the Boilermakers return to the field this weekend to play No. 22 Illinois in a rivalry game. The game is scheduled for noon ET and will be played at Ross-Ae Stadium. Big Ten Network will carry coverage of the game.
If Purdue is able to pull off the upset, it could really see a boost in its FPI standing from ESPN next week.
Big Ten in ESPN's FPI After Week 5
ESPN's FPI ranks every team that participates at the FBS level. Here's a look at where each Big Ten team stands following Week 5 (national rank).
- No. 1 — Oregon Ducks (5-0)
- No. 2 — Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0)
- No. 5 — Indiana Hoosiers (5-0)
- No. 10 — USC Trojans (4-1)
- No. 11 — Penn State Nittany Lions (3-1)
- No. 12 — Michigan Wolverines (3-1)
- No. 21 — Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-1)
- No. 26 — Washington Huskies (3-1)
- No. 30 — Illinois Fighting Illini (4-1)
- No. 32 — Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2)
- No. 46 — Rutgers Scarlet Knights (3-2)
- No. 47 — Maryland Terrapins (4-0)
- No. 57 — Wisconsin Badgers (2-2)
- No. 59 — Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-1)
- No. 63 — Michigan State Spartans (3-1)
- No. 74 — Purdue Boilermakers (2-2)
- No. 78 — Northwestern Wildcats (2-2)
- No. 90 — UCLA Bruins (0-4)
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.