Big Ten Power Rankings are freshly updated as we react to the results from Week 12 of the season!

It’s hard to believe it B1G fans but we have just 2 weeks left in the regular season. Before long, fans will be settling in for the Thanksgiving holiday as football teams will be focusing on Rivalry Week and a successful end to the season.

For now, fans can still rest easy with plenty of football on the docket ahead. Week 12 was also insightful as the No. 1 team in the country, Oregon, received a wake-up call on the road.

While the Ducks survived that scare from Wisconsin, Penn State and Ohio State rolled to big wins against bottom-tier B1G opponents. Meanwhile, Indiana sat idle as the Hoosiers await a top-5 matchup with the Buckeyes.

A handful of B1G teams still have realistic bowl-game hopes as we hit Week 13, including Nebraska’s hunt for that ever-elusive 6th win. For now, let’s get to the latest power rankings as we embark on a new week ahead!

18. Purdue (1-9)

Last week: vs. Penn State, L 49-10

Purdue has just one season with a 1-11 record in program history. This team seems destined to tie that mark as one of the worst versions of the Boilermakers.

17. Northwestern (4-6)

Last week: vs. Ohio State (Wrigley Field), L 31-7

For 2 offensive drives, Northwestern looked like it was dominating Ohio State’s defense. It didn’t last long.

16. Maryland (4-6)

Last week: vs. Rutgers, L 31-17

Maryland has not looked like a bowl-bound program really at any point in this season. Barring a pair of surprising upsets (vs. Iowa; at Penn State), the Terps will see their 3-year streak of bowl games and winning seasons come to an end.

15. Michigan State (4-6)

Last week: at Illinois, L 38-16

Michigan State faded down the stretch vs. Illinois, but it’s not quite time to close the book on a bowl game just yet. The Spartans will be favored against Purdue in Week 13 before a winnable game against Rutgers in the season finale. Winning both games would get Jonathan Smith’s team to that 6-win target.

14. Nebraska (5-5)

Last week: at USC, L 28-20

What else is there to say about Nebraska that hasn’t already been said? Matt Rhule is now 0-6 in November with the Huskers, and he’s just 2-9 in one-score games. Rhule is also 0-8 in games that would net Nebraska a 6th win on the season in order to get back to a bowl game.

13. USC (5-5)

Last week: vs. Nebraska, W 28-20

USC is playing for a bowl game this season, but the Trojans still have a shot at getting to the postseason after Jayden Maiava accounted for 4 total touchdowns in his first start for the program. Most importantly, Maiava led a game-sealing drive late in the fourth quarter that ate up the clock and boosted the lead to 8 points. That’s how you finish.

12. UCLA (4-6)

Last week: at Washington, L 31-19

UCLA’s 3-game winning streak came to an end, but the Bruins continue to play hard under DeShaun Foster. Can UCLA get a rivalry win over USC to keep the hopes of a bowl game alive?

11. Wisconsin (5-5)

Last week: vs. Oregon, L 16-13

Why did OC Phil Longo get the axe on Sunday? The Badgers have scored exactly 36 points in a 3-game losing streak. Their best performances against B1G teams were vs. Purdue and at Rutgers. That’ll do it.

10. Michigan (5-5)

Last week: BYE

9. Rutgers (6-4)

Last week: at Maryland, W 31-17

Rutgers is heading back to the postseason after its 6th win of the season in a strong road performance vs. Maryland. It goes down as the first time the Scarlet Knights have 6+ wins in back-to-back seasons since they achieved that feat from 2011-14.

8. Minnesota (6-4)

Last week: BYE

7. Washington (6-5)

Last week: vs. UCLA, W 31-19

Don’t sleep on Washington getting to its 6th win and a bowl game as Jedd Fisch tries to put his stamp on the Huskies. QB Demond Williams Jr., who has played throughout his freshman season, will get a jump start on 2025 with those extra practices.

6. Iowa (6-4)

Last week: BYE

5. Illinois (7-3)

Last week: vs. Michigan State, W 38-16

Illinois got back in the win column with a dominant closing stretch vs. Michigan State. Hitting the road for the final 2 games will not be easy, but it’s a great opportunity to end the year on a high note. The Illini have not won 9 games since 2007.

4. Penn State (9-1)

Last week: at Purdue, W 49-10

We can talk about James Franklin vs. top-10 teams all we want. The bottom line is Penn State doesn’t lose to unranked opponents under his watch, and that’s a great sign for the end of the regular season. The B1G race is one thing, but the Nittany Lions are lined up for the Playoff.

3. Indiana (10-0)

Last week: BYE

2. Ohio State (9-1)

Last week: at Northwestern (Wrigley Field), W 31-7

Ohio State was able to quickly put a slow start behind it. Carnell Tate scored twice in a Chicago homecoming, and the Buckeyes rolled with their eyes on Indiana. This will be the biggest Ohio State vs. Indiana game since… ever? And the outcome will go a long way toward deciding the race to Indy and the final Playoff field.

1. Oregon (11-0)

Last week: at Wisconsin, W 16-13

It was bound to happen at some point. Even the great teams produce a clunker and need a wake-up call at some point in the season. The good news? Oregon survived, and the Ducks get a late-season bye before the regular-season finale.