Big Ten power rankings after Week 12: The order of supremacy is clear

Well, what was expected to be a potential showdown between ‘rivals’ Michigan State and Ohio State proved to yet again be a situation where the Buckeyes just reigned supreme. MSU was embarrassed on national television in a game where ESPN College GameDay was in town, as OSU sliced through the horrid Spartan pass defense like a hot knife through butter.

Meanwhile, Michigan destroyed Maryland, Wisconsin (you’re never going to believe this) beat Nebraska by only one score (OK, so you will believe it), while Purdue, Minnesota, Penn State, and Iowa were winners.

This next week provides all the biggest showdowns of the season with Michigan vs. Ohio State, Penn State vs. MSU, Illinois vs. Northwestern, Purdue vs. Indiana, Rutgers vs. Maryland, and Iowa vs. Nebraska. Here’s where all 14 Big Ten teams stand heading into the final week of the regular season.

Indiana Hoosiers (2-9)

Photo: Isaiah Hole

It’s been nothing but disappointment for the Indiana Hoosiers, a team that was ranked to start the season. Now on the third and fourth-string quarterbacks, IU is a shell of what the expectations were at the beginning of the year.

Indiana actually managed a decent showing on the ground, led by quarterback Donovan McCulley, but Minnesota gashed it for 195, with various backs that were nowhere near seeing the field at the beginning of the year.

Chances that the Hoosiers take down Purdue next week are low, but as with many rivalry games, there’s always a chance.

Northwestern Wildcats (3-8)

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Northwestern’s defense did not hold strong when it came to the Purdue passing game. Allowing Aidan O’Connell to torch the secondary to the tune of 423 yards and three touchdowns, the Wildcats got thrashed through the air.

The run game was good, as NU amassed 144 yards, albeit with an average of 3.3 yards per carry. Northwestern trotted out Andrew Marty and Ryan Hilinski again this week, and neither had a particularly good game.

Story continues

Illinois awaits this upcoming week.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-6)

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Rutgers looked good against Penn State for a stretch — then it completely fell apart.

The Nittany Lion defense would not allow anything of the Scarlet Knight offense, as Rutgers amassed just 160 total yard in Happy Valley. Meanwhile, Christian Veilleux provided a spark for the PSU offense, as Rutgers allowed 258 yards passing to go along with 149 yards rushing.

Bowl eligibility is on the line this next week when RU hosts Maryland.

Maryland Terrapins (5-6)

Photo: Isaiah Hole

When it comes to the 2014 additions to the Big Ten, Maryland wasn’t any better than Rutgers.

Hosting Michigan, the Terrapins never stood a chance, losing 59-18. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa couldn’t get much going through the air, but the run game was surprisingly robust, as the Terps managed 181 yards on the ground.

However, the Maryland defense surrendered 503 yards of offense, as the Wolverines racked up 352 yards through the air and 151 yards on the ground.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-8)

Photo: Isaiah Hole

Well, can’t say we expected anything different.

Once again, the Huskers clenched defeat from the jaws of victory, matching the red-hot Badgers step-by-step, only to lose thanks to a 53-yard Braelon Allen run with 3:50 left in the game. Adrian Martinez’s second-half opening drive interception led to Wisconsin points on a short field, as the Badgers controlled the game on the ground, with 252 rushing yards — 228 by Allen, who also scored three touchdowns.

Nebraska has lost all but one game by just one score, and the one it didn’t — Ohio State — very well could have been a win, as well.

Illinois Fighting Illini (4-7)

Photo: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the loss, Illinois gets credit for playing Iowa tough, starting out with a 10-0 lead that eventually evaporated.

Surprisingly, Brandon Peters passed decently well against the Hawkeyes, having a low completion percentage going 16-for-36, but managing 248 yards and two touchdowns. However, he also had two interceptions, one being a pick-six.

The Illini defense surrendered 172 yards on the ground, but held Alex Padilla to just 83 yards passing in the game. With Northwestern up next, Illinois has an outside shot at a bowl game as a 5-7 team, should it win next week.

Purdue Boilermakers (7-4)

(Nikos Frazier/Journal & Courier via AP)

Purdue simply handled business against Northwestern, but it required a Dedrick Mackey interception to put the game away for good. Aidan O’Connell managed 423 yards passing, but the Boilermakers couldn’t manage anything on the ground, gaining just 23 yards on 50 carries.

After the debacle against Ohio State last week, it’s all you could really ask for.

The rivalry game against Indiana and a chance to improve to eight wins comes next week.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (7-4)

Photo: HawkCentral

Minnesota did to Indiana what Minnesota tends to do to most teams — just win a good, old boring game.

Tyler Nubin had a big interception that sealed the Hoosiers’ fate in the third quarter, but this one was only in doubt for the first third of the first half. Tanner Morgan quietly got 196 yards passing while the cadre of running backs amassed 195 yards on the ground.

With the rivalry game up against Wisconsin next week, the Gophers will need to continue running the ball at a high clip — something no team has really done against the Badgers.

Penn State Nittany Lions (7-4)

Photo: Isaiah Hole

It took a minute, but Penn State slowly and methodically blew out Rutgers, 28-0.

A banged up and ill Sean Clifford was replaced by Christian Veilleux, who had a fantastic performance, going 15-for-24 for 235 yards and three touchdowns. The running backs, lead by Keyvone Lee, amassed 149 yards and another touchdown.

But the defense was the star of the show, holding the Scarlet Knights to just 160 yards total on the day while picking off Gavin Wimsatt near the end of the game.

The reeling Michigan State Spartans will host the Nittany Lions next week.

Iowa Hawkeyes (9-2)

Photo: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports

It wasn’t simple, but things rarely are for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa held on to beat Illinois, coming back after a 10-0 deficit to win 33-23, and avoiding yet another upset. Though the Illini passed the ball, the run defense was stellar, allowing just 64 yards. The Iowa passing game was subpar, but it only attempted 18 passes, completing six. Tyler Goodson and co. managed 172 yards rushing, however, which made all the difference, along with the pick-six in the fourth quarter.

The Hawkeyes face off against Nebraska on Friday to end the regular season.

Michigan State Spartans (9-2)

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

I’m sorry, but what was that?

In the week that head coach Mel Tucker was reportedly offered a contract that is the equal to elite coaches like Nick Saban, Michigan State didn’t even show up in Columbus. While the last place pass defense was already going to be in trouble, the supposedly explosive offense was an apparition, managing just over 220 yards total. Kenneth Walker III’s Heisman campaign is all but dead in the water as he managed just 25 yards on six carries and one catch for 4 yards. Payton Thorne threw 36 times and completed just 14 passes for 158 yards and a touchdown.

The Spartans also allowed 655 yards of total offense — 449 through the air and 206 on the ground. 500 of those yards were accumulated in the first half.

The argument about Michigan and MSU’s rankings are officially moot, as Michigan State was embarrassed as royally as one could in front of a national audience.

Wisconsin Badgers (8-3)

Photo: Isaiah Hole

It’s never easy against Nebraska, but like most teams, Wisconsin found a way to get the job done.

It was a mistake-free day for Graham Mertz, who went 12-for-18 for 145 yards and a touchdown, but he threw no interceptions, while Braelon Allen and the tailbacks did the rest. Speaking of Allen, he managed 228 yards and threw touchdowns on 22 attempts — yet another stellar game for the talented back.

The Badger defense surprisingly did allow 351 yards passing to go along with 101 yards rushing. Yet, it emerged with the victory, with a fully-secure Big Ten West division championship guaranteed with a win over Minnesota this week.

Michigan Wolverines (10-1)

Maryland’s high-powered offense was no match for the Wolverine defense. And true freshman running back Donovan Edwards was a revelation — in the pass game.

Michigan was unrelenting against Maryland, scoring 21 points in a five-minute span to take a commanding lead after the Terps had cut it to 20 points. But at no point were the maize and blue anywhere close to being in danger in Saturday’s matchup.

Destined to move up in the rankings, Ohio State looms large to end the regular season.

Ohio State Buckeyes (10-1)

(AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

Ohio State very well would have passed Oregon in the rankings even without the Ducks laying an egg at Utah. Against No. 7 Michigan State, the Buckeyes were relentless, amassing over 500 yards of total offense by halftime. Despite winning 56-7, the game wasn’t even that close. If OSU chose to keep its starters in for the whole game, it very well could have been a finish in the 80s or above.

The big showdown with Michigan in Ann Arbor awaits. While Ohio State has owned the Wolverines of late, it’s rare that both have met as good teams in The Big House.

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