With the top two teams idle last week, there wasn’t any movement among the leaders in the Big Ten football power rankings.
There was a lot of reshuffling right behind them, however.
Oregon, Indiana and Illinois continue to climb, while Washington took a big tumble after its Apple Cup loss.
Here’s our weekly power rankings.
1. Ohio State
Last week: 1
Record: 2-0
This week: vs. Marshall, 9 a.m. Saturday (FOX)
Last week: No game
What to know: Did the Buckeyes even need a bye week? They’ve outscored their first two opponents 108-6 and now will face Marshall coming off a week of rest. Ohio State has been the best team in the conference from the start and that shouldn’t change this week.
2. Southern California
Last week: 2
Record: 2-0
This week: at No. 17 Michigan, 12:30 p.m. Saturday (CBS)
Last week: No game
What to know: The Trojans still have the best win in the conference through the first three weeks with their season-opening victory against LSU. Now they head to the Big House to open Big Ten play against the reigning national champion Wolverines.
3. Oregon
Last week: 5
Record: 3-0
This week: No game
Last week: 49-14 win at Oregon State
What to know: The No. 6 Ducks will go into their bye on a high after putting together their best performance of the season on Saturday. The win — their first at Reser Stadium since 2018 — included 10 plays of 20 or more yards and a 27-0 shutout in the second half.
4. Nebraska
Last week: 4
Record: 3-0
This week: vs. Illinois, 5 p.m. Friday (FOX)
Last week: 34-3 win against Northern Iowa
What to know: Freshman QB Dylan Raiola has been getting most of the hype for the Cornhuskers’ undefeated start, but it’s also noteworthy that Nebraska’s defense has allowed a total of 20 points through three games and have held each of their first three opponents to 10 points or fewer for the first time since 2005.
5. Penn State
Last week: 3
Record: 2-0
This week: vs. Kent State, 12:30 p.m. Saturday (BTN)
Last week: No game
What to know: The No. 8 Nittany Lions remained in the top 10 despite not playing last week, but they’re still looking for an impressive win this season (sound familiar, Oregon fans?) That could come this week when Penn State is a seven-touchdown favorite against Kent State.
6. Illinois
Last week: 8
Record: 3-0
This week: at No. 22 Nebraska, 5 p.m. Friday (FOX)
Last week: 30-19 win against Central Michigan
What to know: The llini are off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2011 and at No. 24 are ranked in the AP top 25 for the first time since 2022. They’ll find out just how good they really are with back-to-back road games against No. 22 Nebraska and No. 8 Penn State over the next two weeks.
7. Indiana
Last week: 13
Record: 3-0, 1-0 Big Ten
This week: vs. Charlotte, 9 a.m. Saturday (BTN)
Last week: 42-10 win at UCLA
What to know: Quarterback Kurtis Rourke had a 307-yard, four-touchdown performance in the Rose Bowl to ruin UCLA’s Big Ten debut. Curt Cignetti became the first Hoosiers coach to begin his tenure with three straight wins since Bill Lynch in 2007, and the 29-point victory was the largest in a Big Ten game for Indiana since a 34-3 win against Northwestern in 2019.
8. Michigan
Last week: 7
Record: 2-1
This week: vs. No. 12 USC, 12:30 p.m. Saturday (CBS)
Last week: 28-18 win against Arkansas State
What to know: The good news from the Wolverines’ bounce-back win Saturday is that they reestablished the ground game, rushing 44 times for 301 yards and three TDs. The bad news is star tight end and leading pass catcher Colston Loveland left the game with an apparent shoulder injury.
9. Michigan State
Last week: 12
Record: 3-0, 1-0 Big Ten
This week: at Boston College, 5 p.m. (ACCN)
Last week: 40-0 win against Prairie View A&M
What to know: The Oregon State transplants are thriving in East Lansing as coach Jonathan Smith and QB Aidan Chiles have the Spartans at 3-0. On Saturday they had their first shutout win since Sept. 10, 2022.
10. Rutgers
Last week: 10
Record: 2-0
This week: at Virginia Tech, 12:30 p.m. Saturday (ACCN)
Last week: No game
What to know: The Scarlet Knights hit the road for the first time this season as they head to one of the best environments in college football. A win in Blacksburg at Lane Stadium would be huge for Rutgers, and having the No. 4 rushing offense in FBS (307 yards per game) will certainly help.
11. Minnesota
Last week: 14
Record: 2-1
This week: vs. Iowa, 4:30 p.m. Saturday (NBC)
Last week: 27-0 win against Nevada
What to know: The Gophers defense has recorded two straight shutouts and has allowed just one touchdown in their three games this season. They also beat FCS Rhode Island 48-0 last week. Minnesota last shut out consecutive opponents in October 1962.
12. Iowa
Last week: 9
Record: 2-1
This week: at Minnesota, 4:30 p.m. Saturday (NBC)
Last week: 38-21 win against Troy
What to know: Running back Kaleb Johnson rushed for 173 yards and two TDs on Saturday and now has rushed for 100-plus yards in the Hawkeyes’ three games this season. He didn’t play in the first half of the season opener but has since totaled 479 yards on 61 carries.
13. Washington
Last week: 6
Record: 2-1
This week: vs. Northwestern, 4 p.m. Saturday (FS1)
Last week: 24-19 loss to Washington State
What to know: Despite the Apple Cup being played at a “neutral” site in Seattle, the Huskies couldn’t match the Cougars production or discipline. Washington was called for 16 penalties — third-most in school history — for 135 yards.
14. Maryland
Last week: 15
Record: 2-1, 0-1 Big Ten
This week: vs. Villanova, 9 a.m. (BTN)
Last week: 27-13 win at Virginia
What to know: With his nine-catch, 117-yard, one-TD performance on Saturday, receiver Tai Felton became the first Maryland player to open the season with three-straight 100-yard games. He is the Big Ten leader with 447 receiving yards.
15. Wisconsin
Last week: 11
Record: 2-1
This week: No game
Last week: 42-10 loss to Alabama
What to know: Not only were the Badgers blown out by the No. 4 Crimson Tide in their most lopsided home loss since 2008, they lost their starting QB on the first series of the game. Tyler Van Dyke was hurt on a scramble and needed to be carted to the locker room. He was on crutches as he watched the second half from the sideline.
16. Purdue
Last week: 16
Record: 2-1
This week: at Oregon State, 5:30 p.m. (CW)
Last week: 66-7 loss to Notre Dame
What to know: The Boilermakers were no match for the No. 18 Irish, who ran for 362 yards. It led to the most lopsided loss in Purdue’s’ 137-year history and the largest halftime deficit — 42-0 — since 2013.
17. Northwestern
Last week: 18
Record: 2-1
This week: at Washington, 4 p.m. Saturday (FS1)
Last week: 31-7 win against Eastern Illinois
What to know: Do the Wildcats have a legit QB In Jack Lausch? The redshirt sophomore threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s win. He also rushed for 62 yards.
18. UCLA
Last week: 17
Record: 1-1, 0-1 Big Ten
This week: at No. 16 LSU, 12:40 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)
Last week: 42-13 loss to Indiana
What to know: Saturday’s loss to Indiana was the Bruins‘ worst loss in a home opener since being shut out 35-0 by Stanford in 2010. Things aren’t going to get easier for the offensively inept Bruins, whose next three games are against LSU, Oregon and Penn State.
Chris Hansen covers University of Oregon football, men’s basketball, track and field, cross country and softball for The Register-Guard. You can reach him at chansen@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @chansen_RG.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon football moves up Big Ten power rankings after Week 3
