B1G Power Rankings following Week 11

Two weeks. Believe it or not college football fans, we are less than two weeks to Thanksgiving, and that means we are two weeks out from Rivalry Weekend and the final regular-season weekend of the 2022 college football season.

By now, the conference and divisional races are firmly coming into view. Well, all of them except for the wild B1G West, that is. Another upset has tossed the division into a 4-way tie with 2 weeks left on the schedule.

As for the B1G East, it should be one more week of focused tune-up games for Ohio State and Michigan before the two sides can squarely turn their attention to The Game as a de facto B1G East championship.

So, without further ado, here are Tradition’s B1G Power Rankings coming out of Week 11:

14. Northwestern (1-9)

Last week: at Minnesota, L 31-3

The last time Northwestern finished with less than 2 wins was in 1989. The Wildcats would go 0-11 in Year 4 of head coach Francis Peay. He finished his Wildcat tenure at 13-51-2 over 6 seasons. The point here? Where does Pat Fitzgerald turn after a historically bad season in Evanston? And how bad will things have to get before Northwestern’s administration starts to turn up the heat?

Up next: at Purdue

13. Indiana (3-7)

Last Week: at Ohio State, L 56-14

Connor Bazelak started the game for Indiana but quickly gave way to Dexter Williams II against Ohio State. Williams did lead one touchdown drive in the first quarter to delay the full extent of the blowout until after halftime, but that’s about it for the Hoosiers. Indiana surrendered over 650 yards of offense, including a 71-yard TD to emergency RB Xavier Johnson.

Up next: at Michigan State

12. Nebraska (3-7)

Last week: at Michigan, L 34-3

Mickey Joseph is not going to want to put this tape in his interview portfolio for the full-time head coaching job. However, some of the issues (mainly Casey Thompson’s injury absence) were out of his control. Joseph did take a shot at the talent on Nebraska’s roster, saying the program needs to recruit better to close the gap between Michigan and top B1G programs.

Up next: vs. Wisconsin

11. Rutgers (4-6)

Last week: at Michigan State, L 27-21

A for effort, right? The Scarlet Knights battled on the road, and QB Gavin Wimsatt was a bright spot with his best start under center. Unfortunately, a bowl game is likely all but eliminated with games against Penn State and Maryland to end the year.

Up next: vs. Penn State

10. Michigan State (5-5)

Last week: vs. Rutgers, W 27-21

It wasn’t pretty. That might be the theme of Michigan State’s 2022 season at this point, but the Spartans secured the win over Rutgers to pull to .500 on the year. Now, all Mel Tucker needs to get to the postseason is a win over Indiana in Week 12. For all the turmoil, that would be a huge positive for a program in need of the extra development time of bowl practices.

Up next: vs. Indiana

9. Maryland (6-4)

Last week: at Penn State, L 30-0

Congratulations, Maryland. How did you do it? How did you hang with Michigan in the Big House and go on to reach bowl eligibility in October? In all honesty, the Terrapins last looked like a complete team in the win over Michigan State with a 2-3 record since then that includes close wins over Indiana and Northwestern.

Up next: vs. Ohio State

8. Wisconsin (5-5)

Last week: at Iowa, L 24-10

Well, at least the Badgers should get a bowl game, and that means Jim Leonhard will get an extra game to prove he’s the guy for the job. At this point, it should be Leonhard as the guy in Madison, but Saturday’s performance in Kinnick did nothing to boost his stock. And having to shoot down rumors about a potential Braelon Allen transfer can’t feel great for a coach in limbo.

Up next: at Nebraska

7. Illinois (7-3)

Last Week: vs. Purdue, L 31-24

What could have been? There’s still a chance (technically) that the Illini can win the B1G West, but it’s hard to envision this team recovering after standing on the doorstep of a divisional title. Bret Bielema’s squad committed 12 penalties (albeit some of them frustratingly questionable) and surrendered the most points they have all season. Now, Illinois must pull off a gigantic upset in Ann Arbor to maintain its slim shots at a trip to Indianapolis.

Up next: at Michigan

6. Purdue (6-4)

Last week: at Illinois, W 31-24

Here come the Boilermakers! You know, the same program that was thoroughly roughed up on the road by Wisconsin and held to a field goal at home by Iowa? Either way, Jeff Brohm and Purdue pulled it off in Champaign, scoring 10 points in the 4th quarter for the upset. The B1G West is unlikely due to the loss to Iowa, but don’t count the race as over quite yet.

Up next: vs. Northwestern

Tie-4. Minnesota (7-3)

Last Week: vs. Northwestern, W 31-3

It’s amazing what the month of November can do for some teams. That, and playing Northwestern at home. The Gophers are in a loaded group of teams tied atop the B1G West, but everything rests on the next two games. Those games are a visit from the suddenly hot Hawkeyes and a road trip to Madison with a shot to retain the Axe.

Up next: vs. Iowa

Tie-4. Iowa (6-4)

Last week: vs. Wisconsin, W 24-10

If the win over Purdue was Iowa’s most balanced win of the year, the win over Wisconsin is arguably the best defensive effort from the Hawkeyes this season. Save for a busted 51-yard touchdown before halftime, Iowa could have kept Wisconsin out of the end zone entirely. And if we’re being the honest, the Hawkeyes are now — somehow — the favorites in the B1G West with two games to go.

Up next: at Minnesota

3. Penn State (8-2)

Last week: vs. Maryland, W 30-0

Nick Singleton set the tone early for Penn State with a pair of big touchdowns, both coming on 4th-and-1 against the Terrapins. The defense also showed out and dominated Maryland’s offense, holding the Terrapins to 134 yards of total offense and 4-of-16 on third downs. Even with the losses to Michigan and Ohio State, the Nittany Lions are far and away the 3rd-best team in the B1G this season.

Up next: at Rutgers

2. Michigan (10-0)

Last week: vs. Nebraska, W 34-3

Jim Harbaugh probably put it best when he said Michigan’s performance would make George Patton proud. Michigan ran the ball 49 times with just 20 passes thrown in the win over the Huskers while the defense more than shut down a banged-up and reeling Nebraska squad. Donovan Edwards not seeing the field after a pair of early carries is something to monitor heading into a game vs. Illinois.

Up next: vs. Illinois

1. Ohio State (10-0)

Last week: vs. Indiana, 56-14

How’s that for a bad-weather outing? One week removed from scoring 21 points during an ugly afternoon in Evanston, Ohio State hung 56 points on Indiana as snow and rain fell in Columbus. CJ Stroud was back to his effective ways, completing 17-of-28 passes for 297 yards and 5 touchdowns. The bigger concern for the Buckeyes is another injury, this time to RB Miyan Williams.

Up next: at Maryland