Week 7 B1G Power Rankings: It was a pretty ho-hum weekend across the league

If you came to the B1G looking for some really good games this weekend, well you came to the….well, not the right place.

Sure, there were a few interesting games on Saturday afternoon, with Iowa-Michigan and Northwestern-Nebraska both being decided by one possession. Those games provided some good moments. The other five games across the conference weren’t so hot.

All five of those contests were decided by three touchdowns or more. Not the most thrilling football in the world.

So, after a relatively mundane weekend of football, I’ve updated our weekly power rankings. Let’s dive right in as we now head into the seventh week of the season.

14. Rutgers, 1-4 (L, 48-7 vs. Maryland)

Last week: No. 14

Welp, Pat Hobbs decided to make a midseason coaching change, but it really didn’t seem to matter. This was the same old Rutgers. Not having Art Sitkowski or Raheem Blackshear — both planning to redshirt — is going to be a pretty big issue for the Scarlet Knights’ offense moving forward. Hard to imagine this team winning another game.

Up next: at Indiana

13. Purdue, 1-4 (L, 35-7 at #12 Penn State)

Last week: No. 13

Give Purdue some credit, despite being seriously undermanned and falling down 21-0 in the first quarter, the Boilermakers fought in the last three quarters and made the score somewhat respectable. A lot of teams would’ve probably lost by 50 or more. Still, with the injuries piling up, Purdue is going to have trouble keeping up in the B1G.

Up next: vs. Maryland

12. Illinois, 2-3 (L, 40-17 at Minnesota)

Last week: No. 12

Saturday felt a little like Lovie Smith’s last stand, didn’t it? You can’t come out of an off week and perform that poorly against a team that is known for allowing teams to hang around. Yes, Brandon Peters left early which hurt the offense, but the defense came up with two touchdowns and the Illini weren’t even close to winning. There could be a change coming at the head coach position soon.

Up next: vs. #19 Michigan

11. Northwestern, 1-4 (L, 13-10 at Nebraska)

Last week: No. 10

More frustration for Northwestern. This time, it was an interception late in the game that cost the Wildcats on the road. And now, it’s looking even more like the defending B1G West champs won’t be bowl eligible at the end of the season. Northwestern is getting production on the defensive side of the football, but the offense is still a big mess.

Up next: OFF

10. Maryland, 3-2 (W, 48-7 at Rutgers)

Last week: No. 11

So, Maryland’s offense isn’t completely gone. I know it’s Rutgers, but this was a nice time for the Terrapins to bounce back and prove they still have a little juice left. Mike Locksley’s bunch now enters a three-game stretch against Purdue, Indiana and Minnesota, all winnable games. They’ll need that offense to be clicking if they hope to string together some wins.

Up next: at Purdue

9. Indiana, 3-2 (OFF)

Last week: No. 8

The Hoosiers got a chance to rest before next week’s home game against Rutgers. Should be a good opportunity for IU to flex its muscle.

Up next: vs. Rutgers

8. Nebraska, 4-2 (W, 13-10 vs. Northwestern)

Last week: No. 9

Considering what happened last week, it felt like Nebraska needed to win this game to keep things moving in a positive direction. The Huskers needed an interception at the end of the game, but they got the job done. And as ugly as the offense looked at time, the final score is all that matters. Scott Frost’s bunch is now just two wins away from bowl eligibility.

Up next: at Minnesota

7. Minnesota, 5-0 (W, 40-17 vs. Illinois)

Last week: No. 7

Hey! I guess the Gophers can close out a game without having that dramatic ending. Minnesota built a big second half lead and kept Illinois from climbing back into it in the fourth quarter. Maybe that’s a small thing, but it was an important thing. Also, I know it’s Illinois, but Shannon Brooks looks pretty good out of the backfield. He might be coming back at just the right time for Minnesota.

Up next: vs. Nebraska

6. Iowa, 4-1 (L, 10-3 at No. 19 Michigan)

Last week: No. 4

Ranked opponents away from Kinnick Stadium is still Iowa’s kryptonite. The defense played well enough to win on the road, but the offense mustered just one rushing yard and Nate Stanley threw three interceptions. Those aren’t good statistics, especially with Penn State and Wisconsin. This game doesn’t have to define the season, but the offense cannot play that poorly and expect to win big games.

Up next: vs. #12 Penn State

5. Michigan State, 4-2 (L, 34-10 at #4 Ohio State)

Last week: No. 5

For about 26 minutes, Ohio State had the toughest game of the season. Michigan State was able to get to Justin Fields, made some plays on offense and appeared to be heading into the locker room in a one-possession game against the fourth-best team in the country. But the Buckeyes were too much. It says more about Ohio State than Michigan State, which is why the Spartans don’t drop.

Up next: at #8 Wisconsin

4. Michigan, 4-1 (W, 10-3 vs. #14 Iowa)

Last week: No. 6

Jim Harbaugh just bought himself a few more weeks. It wasn’t pretty, but Michigan got a win over a ranked opponent, rinsing the bad taste of the Wisconsin loss out of their mouths, at least temporarily. That means Michigan should head into Happy Valley with a 5-1 record and plenty on the line against Penn State on Oct. 12. The offense still has something to prove, though.

Up next: at Illinois

3. Penn State, 5-0 (W, 35-7 vs. Purdue)

Last week: T-No. 2

There was enough evidence to separate Penn State and Wisconsin, though the difference is minimal. Penn State jumped out to a big 21-0 lead and should’ve been able to pour it on a really depleted Purdue team. But after the fast start, the Nittany Lions stalled offensively and struggled to get points the rest of the game. That’s probably not a major concern, but it was a little head-scratching. We’ll see what happens next week in Iowa City.

Up next: at #14 Iowa

2. Wisconsin, 5-0 (W, 48-0 vs. Kent State)

Last week: T-No. 2

Wisconsin is five games into the season and a majority of those contests have ended with a shutout (3). Jonathan Taylor bolstered his Heisman resumé and the Badgers cruised to another blowout win. Not much else to say about Wisconsin right now, other than it looks like a pretty clear favorite in the West.

Up next: vs. #25 Michigan State

1. Ohio State, 6-0 (W, 34-10 vs. #25 Michigan State)

Last week: No. 1

Another “big test” for Ohio State results in another big win for the Buckeyes. The offense struggled early in the game and Justin Fields showed his human side, throwing his first interception of the season. But even with some of the miscues offensively and surrendering a few big plays defensively, this game was still well in-hand by halftime. There aren’t many challenges left on the Ohio State schedule.

Up next: OFF