Big Ten Power Rankings Week 11: Oregon Surges, Ohio State Falls Behind Iowa

UCLA stays No. 1 in the Big Ten power rankings entering Week 11 after a 9-0 start, while Oregon jumps three spots to No. 3 and Ohio State falls to No. 6 after a second straight loss.

Oregon scored 38 unanswered points in a 41-28 win in Columbus, Iowa moves to No. 4 behind a six-sack defense and Michigan State passes Michigan after reclaiming the Paul Bunyan Trophy. Indiana holds No. 2 entering Saturday’s home game against USC.

18. Purdue (Previous rank: 15)

Purdue Boilermakers quarterback Ryan Browne (15) looks to get past Maryland Terrapins defensive back Messiah Delhomme (33) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: L vs. Maryland, 29-34
Next: at Iowa, Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. ET

Purdue outgained Maryland 425-390, won the first-down battle 26-12 and held the ball for nearly 36 minutes. Still, Jacobo Echeverria Lozano’s five field goals couldn’t keep pace with three Maryland touchdowns in the third quarter, and the Boilermakers gave up seven sacks, including one on the final play. Wins over Illinois and Minnesota still count, but the home loss drops Purdue (3-6, 2-4) behind the Terps.

17. Maryland (Prev: 18)

Last week: W at Purdue, 34-29
Next: vs. Wisconsin, Saturday, Nov. 14, 12 p.m. ET

Maryland ended a 13-game Big Ten losing streak and gave Aazaar Abdul-Rahim his first win as interim coach. Malik Washington threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more. The defense added seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss, the program’s most ever in a Big Ten game, with freshman Zion Elee accounting for 2.5 sacks.

“I’m happy for the fanbase. They’ve been starving for a Big Ten win,” Abdul-Rahim said. The Terps (3-6, 1-5) pass Purdue on the head-to-head result but stay behind Rutgers, which beat them earlier this season.

16. Rutgers (Prev: 17)

Last week: L at Wisconsin, 10-31
Next: vs. Nebraska, Saturday, Nov. 14, 12:30 p.m. ET

Rutgers tied Wisconsin at 10 in the second quarter and didn’t score again. Quarterback AJ Surace was sacked five times, and a roughing-the-passer penalty on Jesse Ofurie wiped out a JJ Conyers interception that would’ve given the Scarlet Knights the ball at the Wisconsin 23.

The seventh loss guarantees a second straight losing season. Rutgers (2-7, 1-5) moves up one spot only because Purdue falls below it, and the win over Maryland keeps the Scarlet Knights ahead of the Terps.

15. Michigan (Prev: 13)

Last week: L vs. Michigan State, 6-15
Next: at Oregon, Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET

Michigan turned the ball over four times, allowed five sacks and managed 192 total yards against a team that hadn’t won a Big Ten game. The Wolverines were held scoreless in the first half at home for a third straight game, which hadn’t happened in a season since 1979, and Jacob Baggett’s 26-yard miss off the left upright was the team’s fifth missed field goal in three games.

Savion Hiter’s 1-yard touchdown with 1:35 left avoided the program’s first home shutout against Michigan State since 1967. Michigan (5-4, 2-4) falls behind the Spartans on the head-to-head result.

14. Michigan State (Prev: 16)

Michigan State Spartans head coach Pat Fitzgerald looks on during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: W at Michigan, 15-6
Next: vs. Washington, Saturday, Nov. 14, 4:15 p.m. ET

Michigan State never reached the end zone in Ann Arbor and still won the rivalry for the first time since 2021. Liam Boyd went 5 for 5 on field goals while the defense forced four turnovers and recorded five sacks. A 17-play, 79-yard drive in the third quarter also took 10:41 off the clock, and Alessio Milivojevic played through a broken thumb.

“Liam was money,” head coach Pat Fitzgerald said. The win snapped a six-game losing streak, and the Spartans (3-6, 1-5) jump Michigan on the head-to-head result.

13. Nebraska (Prev: 12)

Last week: L at Illinois, 13-24
Next: at Rutgers, Saturday, Nov. 14, 12:30 p.m. ET

Nebraska gained 426 yards in Champaign and scored 13 points. Four drives of 11 plays or longer ended without points, John Hohl missed from 45 and 54 yards and Anthony Colandrea completed 32 of 43 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown.

Head coach Matt Rhule fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen the next day, five days after calling him “one of the best offensive minds of our generation.” Co-offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas takes over play calling. “While there are many areas that need improvement, our offensive plan and execution is simply not working,” Rhule said. The Huskers (5-4, 2-4) have lost four straight after a 5-0 start, and Washington’s win in Lincoln keeps them behind the Huskies.

12. Washington (Prev: 10)

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell talks with Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (1) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: L vs. Penn State, 25-28
Next: at Michigan State, Saturday, Nov. 14, 4:15 p.m. ET

Washington allowed three Penn State touchdowns in the second quarter and trailed 28-6 at halftime before winning the second half 19-0 behind Demond Williams Jr. Then a 12-men-on-the-field penalty extended Penn State’s final drive, and the Huskies never got the ball back over the last 7:40.

“The game was a tale of two halves in a lot of ways. We did not play good football in the first half,” head coach Jedd Fisch said. Washington (5-4, 2-4) has lost three straight home games for the first time since 2021, but its win at Nebraska keeps it ahead of the Huskers.

11. Penn State (Prev: 14)

Last week: W at Washington, 28-25
Next: vs. Minnesota, Saturday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. ET

Penn State scored 21 points in the second quarter, built a 28-6 halftime lead and then ran out the final 7:40 with a 14-play, 70-yard drive after Washington pulled within three. Carson Hansen ran for a season-high 119 yards and Chase Sowell caught four passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Rocco Becht added 240 passing yards and two scores.

The Nittany Lions (5-4, 2-4) have now won consecutive Big Ten games after an 0-4 conference start under first-year head coach Matt Campbell. The road win moves them past Washington and Nebraska, while Minnesota’s visit to Beaver Stadium decides the order between the Gophers and Nittany Lions.

10. Minnesota (Prev: 8)

Last week: L vs. UCLA, 20-34
Next: at Penn State, Saturday, Nov. 14, 7 p.m. ET

Minnesota tied UCLA at 17 with 12:50 left on Drake Lindsey’s 4-yard touchdown pass to freshman tight end George Rohl, then gave up 75-yard touchdown passes on the first snap of UCLA’s next two possessions. Head coach P.J. Fleck also sent Luke Drzewiecki out for two 56-yard tries on fourth down, and both sailed wide right, ending his FBS-best streak of 26 straight makes.

Wins over Iowa and Washington still matter, but an offense producing the second-fewest yards in the Big Ten limits how much credit the Gophers (5-4, 3-3) get for close losses. Illinois passes them on the strength of four straight wins.

9. Illinois (Prev: 11)

Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Collin Dixon (17) makes a catch in front of Oregon Ducks defensive back Ivy Obidegwu (7) | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: W vs. Nebraska, 24-13
Next: at UCLA, Friday, Nov. 13, 9 p.m. ET

Illinois won its fourth straight game and clinched bowl eligibility, putting the Illini in line for a third straight bowl trip for the first time since 1992. Katin Houser threw three touchdown passes, two to Collin Dixon, and a trick play set up the go-ahead score. Running back Javari Barnett was carted off with his left leg in an air cast.

Head coach Bret Bielema pointed to the bigger picture, noting that “a 9-3 team can get into the playoffs.” Only UCLA owns a longer active Big Ten winning streak. Still, the Illini (6-3, 4-2) opened conference play 0-2 with a home loss to Purdue, and they’ll settle the order with Northwestern in Evanston to close the regular season.

8. Northwestern (Prev: 7)

Last week: L vs. Iowa, 10-24
Next: at Ohio State, Saturday, Nov. 14, 12 p.m. ET

Northwestern played without Aidan Chiles, who missed the game with an upper-body injury, and the offense didn’t threaten Iowa’s end zone until the game was decided. The Wildcats converted 1 of 11 third downs, allowed six sacks and lost for the first time at the new Ryan Field.

Back-to-back losses to Oregon and Iowa cost Northwestern (6-3, 3-3) one spot. A four-game winning streak before that stretch and a loss without its starting quarterback keep the Wildcats ahead of Illinois, and Chiles’ status shapes Saturday’s trip to Columbus.

7. Wisconsin (Prev: 9)

Last week: W vs. Rutgers, 31-10
Next: at Maryland, Saturday, Nov. 14, 12 p.m. ET

True freshman Ryan Hopkins completed 18 of 24 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start, including a 66-yard score to tight end Jacob Harris. Wisconsin outscored Rutgers 18-0 after halftime, sacked Surace five times and clinched bowl eligibility for the first time since 2023.

The Badgers (6-3, 4-2) answered a 30-0 loss at Iowa with their seventh straight home win. Their October win over USC remains the best result held by any team in this part of the rankings, which puts Wisconsin ahead of Northwestern and Illinois.

6. Ohio State (Prev: 4)

Last week: L vs. Oregon, 28-41
Next: vs. Northwestern, Saturday, Nov. 14, 12 p.m. ET

Ohio State led 14-0 after the first quarter and then allowed 38 straight points at Ohio Stadium. Freshman Luke Fahey made his second start for the injured Julian Sayin, but the Buckeyes ran for 53 yards on 21 carries and gave up two touchdown runs to Dierre Hill Jr. and two touchdown passes to Dylan Raiola. The loss ended a 12-game home winning streak and a run of 140 straight home wins when leading by at least 14 points.

Ohio State (6-3, 4-2) fell 10 spots to No. 21 in the AP poll, and a third loss has likely ended its College Football Playoff chances. The Buckeyes still rank fifth nationally in ESPN’s Football Power Index and own a 19-15 win over Indiana, the Hoosiers’ only loss, which keeps them above Wisconsin. Back-to-back losses to USC and Oregon drop them behind both teams and Iowa, despite Ohio State’s win in Iowa City.

5. USC (Prev: 3)

Last week: Bye
Next: at Indiana, Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET

USC drops two spots without playing because the teams around it changed the picture. Oregon beat the Trojans 41-27 at the Coliseum in September, and the Ducks’ win in Columbus gives that result more weight. Iowa’s defense, which has allowed two touchdowns in three games, also offers a steadier full-season profile than a USC team that scored seven points at Wisconsin a week before beating Ohio State.

The No. 15 Trojans (7-2, 4-2) still hold the head-to-head edge over the Buckeyes. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti praised Jayden Maiava’s accuracy and quick release ahead of the first meeting between the programs since 1982, a series USC leads 4-0.

4. Iowa (Prev: 5)

Iowa Hawkeyes running back L.J. Phillips Jr. (21) reacts after scoring a touchdown | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: W at Northwestern, 24-10
Next: vs. Purdue, Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m. ET

Iowa recorded six sacks and kept Northwestern outside its 26-yard line until the fourth quarter. Braeden Jackson returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown right after Northwestern’s first points, his second kickoff-return score this season. L.J. Phillips Jr. ran for 128 yards, and Hank Brown threw for a touchdown and ran for another.

The No. 16 Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2) have beaten Northwestern five straight times and have three shutouts this season. Ohio State’s win at Kinnick Stadium still stands, but two straight Buckeyes losses outweigh it, and Iowa’s defense gives it a more dependable weekly floor than USC.

3. Oregon (Prev: 6)

Last week: W at Ohio State, 41-28
Next: vs. Michigan, Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET

Oregon trailed 14-0 after one quarter in Columbus and then scored 38 consecutive points. Raiola threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Hill ran for two scores, including a 48-yarder, as the defense held the Buckeyes to 53 rushing yards. It’s the first time in program history Oregon has rallied from a deficit of 14 or more points in consecutive games.

“We’re like cockroaches, man. We won’t die,” head coach Dan Lanning said.

The No. 18 Ducks (6-3, 4-2) get the edge over Iowa because of where they’ve won: at USC, at Ohio State and at home against Northwestern. All three losses came before Jay Johnson took over play calling two weeks ago, and the Ducks have scored 75 points since.

2. Indiana (Prev: 2)

Last week: Bye
Next: vs. USC, Saturday, Nov. 14, 3:30 p.m. ET

Indiana spent its off week with its quarterback question unresolved. Josh Hoover has dealt with an injury to his throwing arm since the 19-15 loss to Ohio State on Oct. 17 and has 200 passing yards over his last two games. Meanwhile, seventh-year senior Grant Wilson went 9 of 17 for 156 yards and threw the overtime touchdown that beat Minnesota.

Cignetti declined to name a starter Monday. “We’ll see how the week plays out and we’ll see who we trot out there,” he said.

The No. 6 Hoosiers (8-1, 5-1) stay second because their only loss came by four points to Ohio State, and the defense carried them through consecutive overtime wins over Michigan and Minnesota. Oregon’s surge tightens the race behind UCLA, but the Ducks’ three losses still separate the two.

1. UCLA (Prev: 1)

UCLA Bruins quarterback Ty Dieffenbach (14) makes a pass against the Minnesota Golden Gophers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Last week: W at Minnesota, 34-20
Next: vs. Illinois, Friday, Nov. 13, 9 p.m. ET

UCLA needed two snaps to break open a tied game in Minneapolis. Ty Dieffenbach hit Aidan Mizell for 75-yard touchdowns on the first play of consecutive fourth-quarter possessions, and Mizell finished with 150 yards on two catches. Dieffenbach threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns in his first road start, and Wayne Knight ran for 109 yards and his 15th score of the season.

The Bruins are 9-0 for the first time since 1998, a year after going 3-9, and first-year head coach Bob Chesney has already matched the largest one-year turnaround in program history.

The No. 4 Bruins (6-0 Big Ten) rank first nationally in ESPN’s strength of record with wins over Oregon and Wisconsin, and they hold sole possession of first place in the Big Ten with three games left.

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