Big Ten Power Rankings for College Football Week 6: Northwestern Surges

Ohio State takes over the top spot in the Big Ten power rankings entering Week 6 after a 31-14 win at Iowa, while Northwestern's rout of Penn State in the Ryan Field opener sent the Wildcats into the top four.

Northwestern made the biggest jump, climbing six spots to No. 4 after rushing for 413 yards in a 34-13 win. Michigan fell three spots to No. 11 after losing at Minnesota for its second straight defeat.

Week 6 features seven conference games, headlined by Indiana at Nebraska and UCLA at Oregon, while Michigan, Rutgers and Wisconsin are off. Here's how all 18 Big Ten teams stack up entering Week 6.

18. Rutgers (Previous rank: 17)

Big Ten Power Rankings for Week 6: Northwestern Surges, Michigan Slides Again — Rutgers KJ Duff scores the first touchdown of the season for Rutgers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Last week: L Indiana, 15-47
Next: Bye week

Indiana piled up 593 yards, while Rutgers ran for 59 and reached Indiana territory on just three of its 12 possessions. Quarterback Dylan Lonergan left in the second quarter with an injury, and four defenders also went down. The Scarlet Knights' four losses have come against UMass, Boston College, USC and Indiana.

17. Maryland (Prev: 16)

Last week: L Nebraska, 23-48
Next: at Ohio State, Saturday, Oct. 10, 4:15 p.m. ET

Maryland gained 300 yards in the first half and led until the final seconds before halftime, but it managed 62 yards after the break and went 1 of 14 on third down. Dwayne McDougle III's 81-yard interception return was the third pick-six Malik Washington had thrown over a four-quarter span. The Terps have lost 18 of their last 20 Big Ten games.

16. Michigan State (Prev: 15)

Last week: L Wisconsin, 3-31
Next: vs. Illinois, Saturday, Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET

Michigan State played three quarterbacks and finished with 235 yards. Starter Alessio Milivojevic went 15 of 32 for 103 yards, and the Spartans converted 5 of 18 third downs and 1 of 6 fourth downs. They've scored 16 points across back-to-back conference losses and have dropped three straight games.

Head coach Pat Fitzgerald said, "We weren't good enough. It looks like we lost some one-on-one battles and looked like we had guys open at times and couldn't get the ball."

15. Illinois (Prev: 13)

Last week: L Purdue, 17-24
Next: at Michigan State, Saturday, Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET

Illinois had 26 first downs to Purdue's 19, but it turned it over on downs at the Purdue 17, missed a 32-yard field goal and threw an interception at the Purdue 8. Leading rusher Ka'Lil Valentine suffered a season-ending leg injury.

The Illini lost The Cannon at home and are 0-2 in Big Ten play for the second time under head coach Bret Bielema.

14. Purdue (Prev: 18)

Last week: W Illinois, 24-17
Next: vs. Minnesota, Saturday, Oct. 10, 8:00 p.m. ET

Purdue snapped a 19-game Big Ten losing streak and won its first conference game since 2023. Ryan Browne completed 18 of 27 passes for 255 yards and a touchdown, then ran in a two-point conversion for a 24-10 lead late in the fourth quarter.

Freshman kicker Jacobo Echeverria Lozano made three field goals, and the Boilermakers recovered an onside kick to finish it.

13. Penn State (Prev: 12)

Last week: L Northwestern, 13-34
Next: vs. USC, Saturday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. ET

Northwestern ran for 413 yards, while Penn State managed 48 on 22 carries. Rocco Becht threw two interceptions, and Ryan Barker missed a 45-yard field goal before halftime with the Nittany Lions down 24-7. They've lost two straight after a 3-0 nonconference start, and Max Granville is out for the season.

12. Washington (Prev: 14)

Last week: L USC, 21-25
Next: vs. Iowa, Friday, Oct. 9, 9:00 p.m. ET

Washington led 21-10 in the third quarter, but USC scored the game's final 15 points. Jahkeem Stewart's 48-yard fumble return off a strip-sack of Demond Williams Jr. put the Trojans ahead for good.

Williams threw for a season-low 198 yards, then drove the Huskies from their own 5 to the USC 12 in the final minutes before his last pass fell incomplete with 39 seconds left. The two conference losses have come by a combined seven points.

11. Michigan (Prev: 8)

Last week: L Minnesota, 14-20
Next: Bye week

Bryce Underwood went 10 of 21 for 101 yards and ran 10 times for 20 yards. Michigan gained 82 yards on 24 second-half plays, and one of its two touchdowns came on Nathaniel Staehling's 79-yard interception return.

The Wolverines have failed to reach 20 points in four of five games under head coach Kyle Whittingham, who confirmed the staff considered a quarterback change during the loss. On Monday, he pointed to a schematic shift toward a downhill run game.

10. Minnesota (Prev: 11)

Last week: W Michigan, 20-14
Next: at Purdue, Saturday, Oct. 10, 8:00 p.m. ET

Minnesota held Michigan to 180 yards and kept the Wolverines scoreless after halftime.

Aydan West and Zack Harden intercepted Underwood to set up second-half scores. Drake Lindsey overcame two first-half interceptions to hit Darius Taylor for the go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

It's the program's first win over the Wolverines since 2014 and its first at home in the series since 1977. The Gophers are 2-0 in conference play with wins over Washington and Michigan.

9. Wisconsin (Prev: 9)

Last week: W Michigan State, 31-3
Next: Bye week, then at UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 17

Colton Joseph threw three touchdown passes and ran for another a week after his late heroics at Penn State. He became the first Badgers quarterback to rush for 100 yards in a game since 2014, and his 47-yard touchdown run made it 24-3 in the third quarter. The defense held Michigan State to 235 yards and stopped the Spartans on five of six fourth-down tries.

Wisconsin has won four straight games for the first time in five years, and ESPN's strength of record ranks the Badgers 13th nationally.

8. USC (Prev: 5)

Last week: W Washington, 25-21
Next: at Penn State, Saturday, Oct. 10, 7:30 p.m. ET

USC trailed by 11 in the third quarter before Tanook Hines' 10-yard touchdown catch and Stewart's fumble return flipped the game. The 295-pound defensive tackle's score capped a defensive effort that held Washington scoreless over the final 28:30.

Jayden Maiava threw for 245 yards but has three interceptions in his past four games, and the Trojans committed nine penalties for 94 yards. Students chanted "Fire Lincoln" during the game.

Head coach Lincoln Riley said, "I felt like for a long period of the game, we were really outplaying them."

7. Iowa (Prev: 3)

Last week: L Ohio State, 14-31
Next: at Washington, Friday, Oct. 9, 9:00 p.m. ET

Hank Brown fumbled after a sack in the opening minute, and Ohio State scored three plays later. The quarterback finished 12 of 27 for 132 yards and an interception before Jeremy Hecklinski replaced him with 12:47 left.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz called Brown's injury a mild sprain. Ohio State's 484 total yards more than doubled Iowa's output, and the Hawkeyes had no answer for Jeremiah Smith.

Ferentz said, "We knew it was going to be a challenge going in, and unfortunately, we couldn't meet that challenge."

6. UCLA (Prev: 6)

Last week: Bye
Next: at Oregon, Saturday, Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET

UCLA used its bye week to get an early start on preparation after earning its first national ranking since 2022.

The Bruins have outscored opponents 179-75 and average 281.5 rushing yards per game, while holding opponents to 2.7 yards per carry. Wayne Knight has 445 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, and the defense has eight interceptions, including four against Maryland. However, ESPN's FPI ranks UCLA's schedule 113th nationally.

5. Nebraska (Prev: 7)

Last week: W Maryland, 48-23
Next: vs. Indiana, Saturday, Oct. 10, 12:00 p.m. ET

Nebraska trailed 23-14 in the second quarter before McDougle's pick-six and Anthony Colandrea's 1-yard touchdown pass to Luke Lindenmeyer with 5 seconds left in the half.

The Huskers then shut out Maryland after halftime. Colandrea ran for a career-high 108 yards on 10 carries without injured running back Jamal Rule, and Kwazi Gilmer caught 11 passes for 147 yards and two scores. Nebraska also committed 16 penalties for 132 yards.

The Cornhuskers are 5-0 for the first time since 2016 but remain unranked in the AP Top 25.

4. Northwestern (Prev: 10)

Last week: W Penn State, 34-13
Next: vs. Ball State, Saturday, Oct. 10, 12:30 p.m. ET

Northwestern opened its $875 million Ryan Field with 413 rushing yards and led from start to finish.

Caleb Komolafe ran for a career-high 188 yards and a touchdown, and Joseph Himon II added a career-high 162 yards and two scores on 10 carries.

Braydon Brus and Robert Fitzgerald each intercepted Becht, and the Wildcats outgained Penn State 506-291. Combined with the six-point loss at Indiana, that gives the Wildcats a stronger body of work than either unbeaten team directly below them, and ESPN ranks them 10th nationally in overall efficiency.

Head coach David Braun said, "We have redefined how we do football on Saturdays in Evanston."

3. Oregon (Prev: 4)

Last week: Bye
Next: vs. UCLA, Saturday, Oct. 10, 3:30 p.m. ET

Oregon's 41-27 win at USC remains one of the strongest results in the conference, and its only loss came against Oklahoma State.

The Ducks average 47.5 points and 505.5 yards per game, while allowing 113 rushing yards per game and a 21% third-down conversion rate. Dante Moore practiced Monday in a helmet and shoulder pads for the first time since his concussion at USC, but head coach Dan Lanning didn't clear him for Saturday.

Dylan Raiola, who threw for 289 yards and two touchdowns in relief, would make his first Oregon start if Moore can't face his former team.

2. Indiana (Prev: 1)

Last week: W Rutgers, 47-15
Next: at Nebraska, Saturday, Oct. 10, 12:00 p.m. ET

Indiana slides one spot despite a dominant road win because Ohio State's victory at Iowa carried more weight.

Turbo Richard ran for a career-high 204 yards a week after leaving the Northwestern game with an ankle injury, and Lee Beebe Jr. added 122 yards and a touchdown. Josh Hoover threw for 251 yards and four touchdowns and has 15 touchdown passes without an interception this season.

The defense held Rutgers to 59 rushing yards and nine first downs with four sacks. The defending national champions have won 21 straight games, the longest streak since Washington won 21 straight from 2022-24.

1. Ohio State (Prev: 2)

Last week: W Iowa, 31-14
Next: vs. Maryland, Saturday, Oct. 10, 4:15 p.m. ET

Ohio State produced the most impressive result of Week 5, pulling away for a 31-14 win at Kinnick Stadium. Smith caught 11 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, including a 57-yard score late in the third quarter.

The junior became the program's career leader in receptions and touchdown catches, passing Emeka Egbuka and Chris Olave, and he already owned the receiving yards record. It was also his second straight 200-yard game, a first for an Ohio State receiver.

Julian Sayin threw for 324 yards, and head coach Ryan Day improved to 3-0 against Ferentz. The only loss came 24-23 at Texas, and ESPN's FPI ranks the Buckeyes No. 1 nationally.

Day said of Smith, "I can't say enough about who he is as a person, but yeah, how about some of the plays he made?"

Add us as a preferred source on Google