Big Ten Power Rankings for Week 4: USC, Oregon Collide as Conference Play Heats Up

All 18 Big Ten teams are in action this weekend, and the latest conference power rankings heading into Week 4 set up two ranked matchups with Oregon visiting USC and Iowa traveling to Michigan.

Indiana stays at No. 1 after a 38-0 win over Western Kentucky, while Northwestern made the biggest jump, climbing four spots after a 41-7 rout of Colorado.

Eleven Big Ten teams won by at least 30 points in Week 3. However, Maryland lost to Virginia Tech, Michigan State fell at Notre Dame and Rutgers dropped to 0-3 with a 42-35 loss to USC.

Here is how all 18 Big Ten teams stack up entering Week 4.

18. Rutgers (Previous rank: 18)

Big Ten Power Rankings for Week 4: USC, Oregon Collide as Conference Play Heats Up — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: L USC, 35-42
Next: vs. Howard, Friday, Sept. 25, 7:00 p.m. ET

Rutgers finished with 460 total yards against USC, one fewer than the Trojans. But two interceptions turned into 14 USC points, including Prophet Brown's 99-yard pick-six at the goal line while the Scarlet Knights were driving to tie the game. Dylan Lonergan returned from injury and threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns.

Head coach Greg Schiano said, "We've just got to stop turning the ball over. You know, now we're at 10 in three games, and we turned the ball over 11 times the entire year last year."

17. Purdue (Prev: 17)

Last week: L UCLA, 38-52
Next: vs. Notre Dame, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2:00 p.m. ET

Ryan Browne threw for 378 yards and three touchdowns in the Rose Bowl shootout, and Xavier Townsend caught two of those scores. But the Boilermakers' defense gave up 369 rushing yards, and Purdue has now lost 19 straight Big Ten games.

Head coach Barry Odom said, "We got a lot of things to fix, and it's unfortunate because I think there were a lot of really good performances on the offensive side. We didn't give ourselves a chance."

16. Michigan State (Prev: 16)

Last week: L Notre Dame, 10-27
Next: vs. Nebraska, Saturday, Sept. 26, 5:00 p.m. ET

Michigan State trailed Notre Dame just 17-10 at halftime, but the Spartans managed 40 yards of offense after the break. Cam Edwards entered the game leading the Big Ten in rushing and finished with 38 yards on 12 carries. Alessio Milivojevic also threw two interceptions while splitting time with Cam Fancher.

Head coach Pat Fitzgerald said, "I think we took a step today, from a maturity standpoint, but we did not from an execution standpoint."

Nebraska is 3-0 for the third straight season under head coach Matt Rhule.

15. Maryland (Prev: 13)

Last week: L Virginia Tech, 26-35
Next: vs. UCLA, Saturday, Sept. 26, 1:30 p.m. ET

Virginia Tech converted 8 of 9 third downs in the first half and built a 35-14 lead, and the loss snapped Maryland's country-leading 20-game nonconference winning streak. Malik Washington threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns, but the Terps ran for just 64 yards and missed two fourth-quarter two-point tries.

Head coach Mike Locksley said, per 247Sports, "Can't let this one game define us with us entering into Big Ten play next week."

14. Wisconsin (Prev: 12)

Last week: W Eastern Michigan, 54-10
Next: at Penn State, Saturday, Sept. 26, 5:00 p.m. ET

Colton Joseph set a program record with 302 first-half passing yards and finished with 362 yards and four total touchdowns. Tyrell Henry caught a school-record 14 passes for 160 yards after dislocating a finger on the opening drive. The defense also forced its first three takeaways of the season after totaling only six in all of 2025.

Head coach Luke Fickell said, per Badger Notes, "Well, that's closer to what complementary football for us looks like and feels like."

13. Minnesota (Prev: 14)

Last week: W Akron, 41-7
Next: at Washington, Saturday, Sept. 26, 11:00 p.m. ET

Minnesota played without leading rusher Darius Taylor and threw on about 70% of its plays through three quarters. Drake Lindsey went 17 of 31 for 204 yards and three touchdowns, and freshman tight end Roman Voss caught his first college touchdown. The Gophers ran for 154 of their 191 yards in the fourth quarter.

Head coach P.J. Fleck said, "We are not just going to run our head into a wall. We are going to do what we need to do, and I thought we executed in the pass game."

12. Illinois (Prev: 11)

Last week: W Southern Illinois, 48-10
Next: at Ohio State, Saturday, Sept. 26, 12:00 p.m. ET

Katin Houser completed 23 of 29 passes for 305 yards, and Collin Dixon caught eight passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns. Dixon now has seven touchdown catches, already a single-season record at Gies Memorial Stadium. Safety Matthew Bailey added an 88-yard interception return, and Illinois held Southern Illinois to 29 rushing yards.

"Collin's start is incredible," head coach Bret Bielema said. "He's really special."

The Illini played their first three games at home, and Jeremiah Smith broke Ohio State's career receiving yards record last week.

11. Northwestern (Prev: 15)

Last week: W Colorado, 41-7
Next: at Indiana, Friday, Sept. 25, 8:00 p.m. ET

Aidan Chiles accounted for all five Northwestern touchdowns, going 17 of 22 for 241 yards with three scores to Joseph Himon II and running for two more. The Michigan State transfer was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, and the Wildcats are 2-0 for the first time since 2020. The win came two days after the school extended head coach David Braun's contract through 2031.

Colorado led in total yards at halftime, but Braun said, per the Associated Press, "Looking at yardage stats is for losers. At the end of the day, it does not dictate winning."

Indiana hasn't allowed a point since late in the third quarter of its opener against North Texas.

10. Nebraska (Prev: 9)

Last week: W North Dakota, 34-7
Next: at Michigan State, Saturday, Sept. 26, 5:00 p.m. ET

Nebraska held North Dakota, the No. 6 team in the Football Championship Subdivision, to 205 yards and 1-of-12 on third down. The Fighting Hawks entered averaging 50.3 points per game. Freshman running back Jamal Rule broke a 55-yard touchdown run and has six touchdowns in three games, and Anthony Colandrea has accounted for 10 touchdowns.

Rhule said, "I didn't care about the score; I wanted to know how we would handle the tough moments."

Michigan State ran for 44 yards at Notre Dame and didn't gain a rushing yard after halftime.

9. UCLA (Prev: 10)

Last week: W Purdue, 52-38
Next: at Maryland, Saturday, Sept. 26, 1:30 p.m. ET

UCLA scored touchdowns on its first three possessions and ran for 369 yards, with Knight gaining 177 and scoring twice. Nico Iamaleava threw his first three touchdown passes of the season even after cutting a finger on his throwing hand. Head coach Bob Chesney is the third Bruins coach in the past 50 years to start 3-0, joining Terry Donahue and Jim Mora. Still, the pass defense allowed 378 yards.

"In the end, we knew we were running the ball, they knew we were running the ball, and we were still able to run the ball," Chesney said.

8. Washington (Prev: 8)

Last week: W Eastern Washington, 48-16
Next: vs. Minnesota, Saturday, Sept. 26, 11:00 p.m. ET

Demond Williams Jr. completed 27 of 33 passes for 373 yards and four touchdowns, and he opened the game 12 of 13. Tight end Baron Naone had 103 receiving yards, the first Washington tight end to reach 100 since Cade Otton in 2020. However, the Huskies drew eight penalties for 101 yards, and two players were ejected.

Head coach Jedd Fisch said, "Just disappointed in the discipline penalties. We'll have to continue to address them, because clearly it's not where we need that to be."

Minnesota's TJ Thomas broke a 71-yard touchdown run against Akron, the fourth-longest run of Fleck's tenure.

7. Oregon (Prev: 7)

Last week: W Portland State, 84-0
Next: at USC, Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m. ET

Oregon set program records with 12 touchdowns and the most points in its modern history, and it was the largest margin of victory ever at Autzen Stadium. Dante Moore went 19 of 23 for 280 yards and four scores, and Dylan Raiola completed all 11 of his passes for three touchdowns in his Oregon debut. The Ducks also outrushed Portland State 273-2.

Head coach Dan Lanning, who earned his 50th win in Eugene, said, "This isn't completely a measure of the games that we're going to have to face."

6. Michigan (Prev: 4)

Last week: W UTEP, 52-17
Next: vs. Iowa, Saturday, Sept. 26, 3:30 p.m. ET

UTEP led twice in the first half after scoring off two Michigan fumbles, and then the Wolverines scored 38 straight points. Bryce Underwood completed 19 of 25 passes for 223 yards and two touchdowns, and Andrew Marsh caught 10 passes for 105 yards. Running back Jordan Marshall left in the third quarter after aggravating an injury.

Michigan has fumbled six times in three games and lost four. Head coach Kyle Whittingham said, per the Associated Press, "Big concern. Hopefully that can slow down because six in three games is way too many."

Iowa ranks No. 6 nationally in passing yards allowed.

5. Iowa (Prev: 6)

Last week: W Northern Iowa, 55-0
Next: at Michigan, Saturday, Sept. 26, 3:30 p.m. ET

Iowa ran for 422 yards, the most under head coach Kirk Ferentz, and had three 100-yard rushers after leading rusher Kamari Moulton was hurt against Iowa State. Xavier Williams ran for 151 yards and three touchdowns on six carries, while Braeden Jackson added 125 and Nathan McNeil had 111. Hank Brown completed all 12 of his passes with two touchdowns, and Ferentz has since named him the starter.

"He's helped himself with every opportunity," Ferentz said.

The Hawkeyes are 3-0 for the first time since 2023.

4. Penn State (Prev: 5)

Last week: W Buffalo, 55-13
Next: vs. Wisconsin, Saturday, Sept. 26, 5:00 p.m. ET

Penn State scored on its first three drives and outgained Buffalo 305-80 in the first half. Rocco Becht threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns and earned his 29th career win, which leads the Football Bowl Subdivision. Koby Howard caught a 70-yard pass and scored on a 20-yard reverse.

Head coach Matt Campbell said, "Not where we need to be. But I think a team that has certainly grown in different entities each week and still a team that in my opinion's got so much ability and growth to go."

3. USC (Prev: 3)

Last week: W Rutgers, 42-35
Next: vs. Oregon, Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m. ET

USC is 4-0 after a seven-point win in Piscataway, but the Trojans outgained winless Rutgers by one yard. Brown's pick-six and a Christian Pierce interception covered for a defense that allowed 292 passing yards.

Head coach Lincoln Riley said, "We were certainly out of position and I thought that had a big effect on the game. We also gave up too many big plays defensively. Not pleased at all with how we played there."

2. Ohio State (Prev: 2)

Last week: W Kent State, 59-3
Next: vs. Illinois, Saturday, Sept. 26, 12:00 p.m. ET

Ohio State scored touchdowns on its first four possessions and added a Hail Mary touchdown at the end of the first half. Smith broke the program's career receiving yards record in the first quarter. Still, the Buckeyes entered the game ranked No. 71 nationally in rushing at 165.5 yards per game.

Head coach Ryan Day said of Smith, "Boy, it's hard to put anybody above him. It is hard. 33 games to break the all-time leading receiving record at Ohio State."

1. Indiana (Prev: 1)

Last week: W Western Kentucky, 38-0
Next: vs. Northwestern, Friday, Sept. 25, 8:00 p.m. ET

Indiana and Western Kentucky were scoreless after one quarter, and then the Hoosiers scored 38 unanswered points. Josh Hoover went 18 of 24 for 273 yards and two touchdowns, including 12 of 12 passing on first down, and Turbo Richard ran for 149 yards on 15 carries. The defense has posted back-to-back shutouts, and Indiana owns the Football Bowl Subdivision's longest active winning streak at 19 games.

Head coach Curt Cignetti said Monday, per Indiana Athletics, "I like the way we responded to a little adversity there. Made the play that changed the momentum."

Cignetti is 30-2 in Bloomington.

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