Week 8 B1G Power Rankings: Surprising results leads to some big changes

It was an interesting Saturday in the B1G. The games alone actually turned out to be mostly snoozers (again), but the results were actually quite intriguing from the seventh week of the season.

Purdue blew out Maryland. Wisconsin shut out Michigan State. Minnesota ran all over Nebraska. You might’ve expected all three of those teams to win, but you certainly expect all three of those games to be won in lopsided fashion, that’s for sure.

Of the six games on the slate, Penn State-Iowa was the only contest decided by one possession, meaning the rest of the weekend left something to be desired. But, what can you do? Hopefully next weekend is a little more entertaining.

Here’s a look at the updated B1G power rankings as we head into Week 8.

14. Rutgers, 1-5 (L, 35-0 at Indiana)

Last week: No. 14

Four B1G games, a 165-7 scoring differential. That’s all you need to know.

Up next: vs. Minnesota

13. Maryland, 3-3 (L, 40-14 at Purdue)

Last week: No. 10

This really wasn’t a great look for Maryland. Against a similar opponent, the Terrapins squandered opportunities with turnovers and penalties. Maybe if the Terps didn’t get blown out in West Lafayette they wouldn’t have dropped three spots, but here we are. It’ll be interesting to see how Mike Locksley and company respond next week against Indiana before a brutal stretch.

Up next: vs. Indiana

12. Illinois, 2-4 (L, 42-25 vs. #16 Michigan)

Last week: No. 12

Give Illinois some serious credit, it fought hard in the second half despite trailing 28-0 early in the game. The Illini scratched and clawed their way back into the game, making it 28-25 early in the fourth quarter. But, at the end of the day, it was another loss for this group, its fourth straight on the year. Illinois is a team that has the talent to make a postseason appearance, but just can’t get out of its own way.

Up next: vs. #8 Wisconsin

11. Northwestern, 1-4 (OFF)

Last week: No. 11

Pat Fitzgerald and the ‘Cats had the week off. They remain at No. 11 this week.

Up next: vs. #4 Ohio State 

10. Purdue, 2-4 (W, 40-14 vs. Maryland)

Last week: No. 13

With eight freshmen starters on offensive and defense and without Rondale Moore on the field, Purdue had its best performance of the year and have taken “one giant leap” in the power rankings. Maybe it was the inspiration of the moon helmets, but the Boilermakers performed like a team with a lot left to play for this season. The big question is whether or not they can string two of those performances together in back-to-back weeks.

Up next: at #17 Iowa

9. Nebraska, 4-3 (L, 34-7 at Minnesota)

Last week: No. 8

Yuck. Saturday’s game against Minnesota felt like a great chance to see how Nebraska measured up against some of the better teams in the B1G West. We got an answer, but it’s not the one we expected. It’s not surprising that the Gophers knocked off the Huskers, but it was surprising that Nebraska put up no fight, even without Adrian Martinez. By this time last year, Scott Frost’s team was trending in the right direction. That’s not the case right now.

Up next: OFF

8. Indiana, 4-2 (W, 35-0 vs. Rutgers)

Last week: No. 9

A second shutout for the Hoosiers this season and one win closer to bowl eligibility. Everyone looks good against Rutgers, so we won’t put too much stock into this win, but it’s a positive that Indiana was able to take care of business the way it’s supposed to in these games. The next three games are extremely manageable as well, taking on Maryland, Northwestern and Nebraska.

Up next: at Maryland

7. Michigan State, 4-3 (L, 38-0 at #8 Wisconsin)

Last week: No. 5

Back-to-back losses is hard. Losing those games in blowout fashion with your offense struggling to move the football is even worse. But, that’s what’s happened to the Spartans the last two Saturdays. A division title is now clearly out of the picture and Michigan State is losing that title as one of the power programs in the B1G. Right now, MSU is a middle-of-the-road program.

Up next: OFF

6. Iowa, 4-2 (L, 17-12 vs. #10 Penn State)

Last week: No. 6

No question, Iowa’s offense has looked horrendous the last two weeks. Let’s give those defenses some credit, with Michigan and Penn State have some solid guys up front. But the Hawkeyes should be much better at the line of scrimmage and able to open things up on the ground more than they have. They haven’t, though, and it’s led to back-to-back one-possession losses.

Up next: vs. Purdue

5. Minnesota, 6-0 (W, 34-7 vs. Nebraska)

Last week: No. 7

This is the Minnesota team that was expected to compete for a B1G West title this year. The offensive line was moving bodies out of the way, clearing a path for running backs Shannon Brooks, Rodney Smith and Mohamed Ibrahim. The defense completely shut down the Huskers, too. This team has looked completely different since the off week at the end of non-conference play.

Up next: at Rutgers

4. Michigan, 5-1 (W, 42-25 at Illinois)

Last week: No. 4

Putting an opponent away would probably be a good idea every now and then, especially teams like Illinois. Michigan still hasn’t found a recipe to close the door on its competition and Shea Patterson continues to struggle under center. Jim Harbaugh and company better get it figured out fast, because these issues will be magnified in Happy Valley next weekend.

Up next: at #10 Penn State

3. Penn State, 6-0 (W, 17-12 at #17 Iowa)

Last week: No. 3

It wasn’t pretty, but Penn State went into a hostile road environment and came away with a win. The defensive line played well again, shutting down the Iowa offense for most of the night. Sean Clifford struggled and the offense sputtered, but it did just enough to score a few touchdowns and get out of Iowa City with a win. The first major test on Penn State’s schedule has officially been passed.

Up next: vs. #16 Michigan

2. Wisconsin, 6-0 (W, 38-0 vs. Michigan State)

Last week: No. 2

Like it or not, Wisconsin is closing the gap with Ohio State. Four shutouts in six games? Holding opponents scoreless in 20 of 24 quarters? That’s just insane. Throw in the fact that Jonathan Taylor is a Heisman-caliber running back and Jack Coan is a serious threat under center. That’s a lethal combination. It’s time to start paying more attention to the Badgers as a legitimate championship contender.

Up next: at Illinois

1. Ohio State, 6-0 (OFF)

Last week: No. 1

The Buckeyes had the weekend to recuperate, which is a bit of a scary thought. We’ll see how they play out of the off week on Friday in Chicago.

Up next: at Northwestern