Big Ten Power Rankings for College Football Week 5: Iowa Soars, Penn State Plummets

Indiana holds the top spot in the Big Ten power rankings entering Week 5, but Iowa's last-second win at Michigan and Wisconsin's comeback at Penn State shook up nearly everything below the Hoosiers and Ohio State.

Wisconsin made the biggest jump, climbing five spots to No. 9 after Colton Joseph hit Jacob Harris for a 72-yard touchdown in the final two minutes of a 24-20 win. Penn State fell eight spots to No. 12 after losing a 17-0 lead at home.

Eight conference games are on the Week 5 slate, including Ohio State at Iowa, while Oregon and UCLA are off. Here's how all 18 Big Ten teams stack up entering Week 5.

18. Purdue (Previous rank: 17)

Big Ten Power Rankings for Week 5: Iowa Ascending, Penn State Plummets — Purdue wide receiver Asaad Waseem (19) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last week: L Notre Dame, 10-49
Next: at Illinois, Saturday, Oct. 3, 4:15 p.m. ET

There's a new team at No. 18. Notre Dame led 35-0 at halftime, and Purdue averaged 1.3 yards per carry while giving up six sacks. The Boilermakers also came up 1 yard short on a fake punt near midfield on their second possession. Purdue has now lost three straight games.

17. Rutgers (Prev: 18)

Last week: W Howard, 58-7
Next: vs. Indiana, Saturday, Oct. 3, 8:00 p.m. ET

Antwan Raymond ran for 140 yards and three touchdowns, and Rutgers scored on 10 of its 12 possessions. Dylan Lonergan went 12 of 17 for 214 yards and two scores in three quarters. KJ Duff also set a program record with a touchdown catch in his fifth straight game.

The win was head coach Greg Schiano's 100th at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights forced three turnovers and didn't give the ball away after committing 10 in their first three games.

"It was very perplexing, very frustrating," Schiano said of the turnovers. "But tonight, we took it away three times and that's what we have to do to win."

16. Maryland (Prev: 15)

Last week: L UCLA, 3-54
Next: at Nebraska, Saturday, Oct. 3, 4:00 p.m. ET

UCLA scored two defensive touchdowns in the third quarter, with Ta'Shawn James and Scooter Jackson each returning an interception. Maryland finished with 181 total yards and 39 rushing yards, and the Terps failed to convert their first nine third downs. The program has now lost two straight after a 2-0 start.

Head coach Mike Locksley said, "We've got a long Big Ten season ahead of us. Now isn't time for us to hang our heads."

15. Michigan State (Prev: 16)

Week 5 Big Ten Power Rankings — Michigan State’s Alessio Milivojevic | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last week: L Nebraska, 13-31
Next: at Wisconsin, Saturday, Oct. 3, 12:30 p.m. ET

Michigan State managed 252 total yards, and top running back Cam Edwards suffered a right leg injury in the first quarter. Penalties hurt in the first half, too. A blocked punt was wiped out by holding, and a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct call kept Nebraska's scoring drives alive. Alessio Milivojevic completed 18 of 26 passes for 208 yards with an interception.

14. Washington (Prev: 8)

Last week: L Minnesota, 24-27
Next: at USC, Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET

Minnesota led 14-0 after the first quarter and sacked Demond Williams Jr. seven times. The Huskies ran for 40 yards on 27 carries, went 1 of 10 on third down and threw two interceptions. Washington pulled within three late, but Minnesota recovered an onside kick and tackled Dezmen Roebuck on the final play.

Head coach Jedd Fisch said, "Disappointed in our tackling today. I thought we are a much better tackling team."

13. Illinois (Prev: 12)

Last week: L Ohio State, 19-42
Next: vs. Purdue, Saturday, Oct. 3, 4:15 p.m. ET

Illinois gained 462 yards in Columbus, and Laughery ran for 113 yards on 11 carries. Katin Houser threw for 263 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown. But the defense gave up 518 yards with no turnovers, and Illinois and defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck parted ways the next day.

Head coach Bret Bielema said, "Obviously, it's unacceptable. We've got to make sure we're doing things that make sense in the moment we're in."

12. Penn State (Prev: 4)

College football Big Ten Power Rankings — Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: L Wisconsin, 20-24
Next: at Northwestern, Friday, Oct. 2, 8:00 p.m. ET

Penn State led 17-0 in the second quarter after Josiah Zayas returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown and Rocco Becht scored from 3 yards out. The Nittany Lions still led 20-10 with 3:31 left, and it was their largest blown lead since an 18-point collapse against Ohio State in 2017. Becht also fumbled a snap with 8:01 left, and the loss was the first under head coach Matt Campbell.

With a weak nonconference schedule to start the season, the Nittany Lions' resume is paper thin.

Campbell said, "We left it to chance, and we had so many opportunities to put the game away. We just didn't take advantage of those opportunities."

11. Minnesota (Prev: 13)

Last week: W Washington, 27-24
Next: vs. Michigan, Saturday, Oct. 3, 12:00 p.m. ET

Drake Lindsey completed his first eight passes and went 15 of 16 for 125 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Karter Menz had two sacks, and linebacker Maverick Baranowski added a sack, an interception and the game-ending tackle. Minnesota also played without its top two centers, and the Gophers didn't win a road game last season.

10. Northwestern (Prev: 11)

Last week: L Indiana, 23-29
Next: vs. Penn State, Friday, Oct. 2, 8:00 p.m. ET

Aidan Chiles completed 22 of 29 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. That's the most passing yards Indiana has allowed since head coach Curt Cignetti arrived in 2024. Griffin Wilde caught two touchdown passes, and the Wildcats cut the deficit to 22-20 with 5:10 left. Jackson Kleather's 42-yard field goal made it a one-score game with 58 seconds left, but Indiana recovered the onside kick.

Head coach David Braun said, "We should have won this football game."

9. Wisconsin (Prev: 14)

Big Ten Power Rankings for Week 5 — Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Colton Joseph (1) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: W Penn State, 24-20
Next: vs. Michigan State, Saturday, Oct. 3, 12:30 p.m. ET

Joseph threw three interceptions, including a pick-six, and Wisconsin trailed 20-10 with 3:31 left. The quarterback then hit Eugene Hilton Jr. for an 11-yard touchdown before the 265-pound Harris outran Penn State's secondary on the 72-yard score. It was the Badgers' largest comeback win since they rallied from 18 points down against Illinois in 2006.

8. Michigan (Prev: 6)

Last week: L Iowa, 19-20
Next: at Minnesota, Saturday, Oct. 3, 12:00 p.m. ET

Michigan outgained Iowa 429-285 and led 19-14 late, but it went 2 for 4 in the red zone. The Wolverines drew eight penalties for 75 yards, including an unnecessary roughness call on Zeke Berry on third-and-12 during Iowa's final drive. Michigan has 32 penalties this season, the second-most for the program through four games since at least 2000. The Wolverines still own a win over Oklahoma, but they fell out of the AP Top 25 after the loss.

Head coach Kyle Whittingham said, "It's excessive, and we've got to do something about it."

7. Nebraska (Prev: 10)

Last week: W Michigan State, 31-13
Next: vs. Maryland, Saturday, Oct. 3, 4:00 p.m. ET

Anthony Colandrea threw for 212 yards and two first-half touchdowns and led the team with 66 rushing yards. Kwazi Gilmer caught a 44-yard score, and Vincent Genatone scored twice. The offense averaged 3.8 yards per rush, but the defense held Michigan State to 252 yards. Nebraska is 4-0 for the first time since 2016.

Head coach Matt Rhule said, "Really fired up for the guys. It's a great first step."

6. UCLA (Prev: 9)

Big Ten Power Rankings for College Football Week 5: Iowa Soars, Penn State Plummets — UCLA head coach Bob Chesney speaks with quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: W Maryland, 54-3
Next: Bye week, then at Oregon on Saturday, Oct. 10

UCLA forced four turnovers and outscored Maryland 34-0 after halftime. Wayne Knight ran for 100 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and Nico Iamaleava completed 15 of 24 passes for 209 yards and a score in the rain. The Bruins are 4-0 for the first time since 2022.

Head coach Bob Chesney said, "We want to play our best football and do it one play at a time, and I think that is where our guys have done a really good job."

5. USC (Prev: 3)

Last week: L Oregon, 27-41
Next: vs. Washington, Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 p.m. ET

Jayden Maiava threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns, and USC erased a 10-point second-half deficit on Tanook Hines' touchdown catch with 12:41 left. Oregon answered with a touchdown, and the Trojans turned it over on downs at midfield after three straight incompletions. The Ducks averaged 7.4 yards per play and scored on seven of their nine drives.

Head coach Lincoln Riley said, "We made a few too many errors there in the end, especially when we got momentum there in the fourth quarter, and they did a good job to capitalize on them."

4. Oregon (Prev: 7)

Last week: W USC, 41-27
Next: Bye week, then vs. UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 10

Moore left on a backboard in the second quarter after a late hit while sliding, and Oregon later said he suffered a concussion with no other injuries. Dylan Raiola replaced him and threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns, and he led the go-ahead drive capped by Dakorien Moore's touchdown after USC tied the game. Oregon finished with 504 yards.

Head coach Dan Lanning said, "I said the most physical team was going to win, and I think that showed up tonight."

Lanning said the team will be cautious with the quarterback's return. Moore wrote on social media Monday, "I'll be back soon."

3. Iowa (Prev: 5)

College football power rankings — Iowa quarterback Hank Brown (9) | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last week: W Michigan, 20-19
Next: vs. Ohio State, Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET

Hank Brown found Reece Vander Zee for a 16-yard touchdown on the final play after Caden Buhr missed a 51-yard field goal with 2:33 left. Iowa got the ball back at its own 9 with 1:46 left and one timeout. It was Iowa's first win over a ranked Big Ten opponent since 2021 and its first road win over one since 2015.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz said, "It wasn't looking good there in the fourth quarter, certainly. But one thing about these guys, though, they don't quit. They fight. It wasn't perfect, but they don't give up."

2. Ohio State (Prev: 2)

Last week: W Illinois, 42-19
Next: at Iowa, Saturday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. ET

Jeremiah Smith caught 12 passes for 217 yards and four touchdowns, tying the program's single-game record for touchdown catches. He's the first Buckeyes receiver with at least 10 catches, 200 yards and four scores in a game. Sayin went 27 of 36 for 367 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another. Still, the defense allowed 462 yards, and the only loss came 24-23 at Texas after Ohio State led 23-3 in the fourth quarter.

Head coach Ryan Day said of the junior receiver, "I think he's taking his game to the next level this year."

1. Indiana (Prev: 1)

Last week: W Northwestern, 29-23
Next: at Rutgers, Saturday, Oct. 3, 8:00 p.m. ET

Indiana ran for 270 yards, and Lee Beebe Jr. posted a career-high 203 yards on 24 carries. The Hoosiers led 12-0 at halftime but had to recover an onside kick in the final minute. Running back Turbo Richard left with an injury, and there was no immediate update on his status. Indiana has won 20 straight games.

Cignetti said Monday, "Positive is we were in a close game and prevailed. There is value in that. Negative is we didn't play well."

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