Massive Ten Energy Rankings: Ohio State, Oregon Reign; Minnesota, Wisconsin Slide

Even though Oregon and Northwestern kicked off conference play with their nationally televised matchup, the league’s Week 3 slate was mostly about Big Ten teams trying to avoid disaster in what amounted to a collective tune-up before everything ramps up in Week 4. 

Indiana pummeled Indiana State by 73 to get things going on Friday night, assuring the Hoosiers of another undefeated non-conference slate under head coach Curt Cignetti, and then there were a series of blowouts on Saturday: Michigan thumped Central Michigan by 60; Penn State whacked Villanova by 46; Illinois smashed Western Michigan by 38; Nebraska shellacked Houston Christian by 52; Rutgers toppled Norfolk State by 50; Iowa blitzed UMass by 40 and Ohio State pulled away from Ohio for a 32-point win. 

But the story of the weekend was UCLA, which suffered a second consecutive defeat to a non-conference opponent from outside the Power 4 leagues. And in the end, that was enough for the Bruins to fire head coach DeShaun Foster on Sunday afternoon. 

For a team-by-team look at the league, here’s our newest edition of Big Ten Power Rankings:

The Top 10

Result: 37-9 home win over Ohio

The final score reflected a fairly comprehensive victory for Ohio State, which wrapped up the non-conference portion of its schedule on Saturday evening, but the performance itself was a mixed bag. On one hand, the Buckeyes held their third consecutive opponent to nine points or fewer under new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, and now they’ll enter a bye week with the No. 2 scoring defense in the country at just 5.3 points per game. On the other hand, a 67-yard touchdown pass from Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro to wide receiver Chase Hendricks trimmed Ohio State’s lead to 13-9 with 14:07 remaining in the third quarter.

An uneven showing for the Buckeyes’ offense included a second consecutive 300-yard game for quarterback Julian Sayin, who completed 25 of 32 passes with three touchdowns, and the first 100-yard rushing game for freshman tailback Bo Jackson, the No. 161 overall prospect in the 2025 recruiting cycle. All-American wide receiver Jeremiah Smith even set a career high with nine receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown. But Sayin also tossed two interceptions — his second and third INTs in the last two games — and the Buckeyes did not score a touchdown until the 2:26 mark of the second quarter after turning the ball over on downs to begin the game and then settling for two field goals. There is plenty for head coach Ryan Day and his staff to address before conference play begins at Washington on Sept. 27. 

Result: 34-14 road win over Northwestern

Scoring-wise, Oregon’s victory at Northwestern wasn’t nearly as eye-popping as its 46-point drubbing of Montana State in the season opener or its 66-point whipping of Oklahoma State last week, but that doesn’t mean it was any less controlling. After punting on its opening possession, Oregon produced points on five consecutive drives — four touchdowns, one field goal — to build a 31-0 lead by the end of the third quarter in a game that was never in doubt. 

Tailbacks Dierre Hill Jr., Jayden Limar and Jordon Davison all found the end zone on an afternoon when Oregon rushed 30 times for 181 yards overall (5.9 yards per attempt) and rested starting quarterback Dante Moore for the entire fourth quarter. The Ducks’ defense, which now ranks 24th overall (256 yards per game) and tied for 14th in scoring (10 points per game), navigated its third consecutive outing without allowing a passing touchdown — one of only five teams in the country that can make that claim. They limited Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone to 11-of-21 passing for 135 yards and two interceptions, both of which led to touchdowns. Oregon will face in-state rival Oregon State next week before an enticing matchup with No. 2 Penn State on Sept. 27. 

Result: 52-6 home win over Villanova

There are two sides to the Penn State coin after three comprehensive victories with a combined scoring margin of 132-17. The good news for head coach James Franklin is that his pricey addition of former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles seems to be an incredibly shrewd move, even with a cost of $3.1 million per year. After forcing two more turnovers against Villanova on Saturday and limiting the Wildcats to just 180 yards of total offense, the Nittany Lions enter a bye week tied for 11th in total defense (224 yards per game), third in scoring (5.7 points per game), tied for sixth in turnovers gained (seven) and tied for fifth in opponent red zone scoring percentage (50% on four trips). 

That’s all great to see. But what’s going on with quarterback Drew Allar and Penn State’s offense? Allar completed 22 of 26 passes (84.6%) for 217 yards and one touchdown in the opener against Nevada but has seen his efficiency plummet ever since. He only connected on 57.6% of his passes in Week 2 against FIU, and that number dropped to 55.2% against Villanova, when Allar’s only touchdown was offset by his first interception of the season. He ranks 66th nationally in passing yards with 626 — one spot below Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood — for an offense that is 83rd in both third-down conversion rate (38.9%) and red zone touchdown rate (58.8%). 

Result: 38-0 home win over Western Michigan

There’s a new name on the Illinois injury report following Saturday’s game: Bret Bielema. The Illinois head coach was so frustrated about his team’s first-half performance against Western Michigan that he slapped a board and showed up with his hand still swollen for a postgame news conference several hours later. 

On the surface, it’s easy to understand why Bielema was angered by the way Illinois showed up through the opening two quarters. The Illini went three-and-out on three of their first five possessions against an overmatched opponent and only entered the locker room with a 10-point lead. And while it was unlikely that Bielema’s squad would actually lose to the Broncos, he still wanted to send a message loudly and clearly: If Illinois wants to accomplish its goal of competing for a Big Ten Championship and reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history — the program’s current ranking of No. 9 in the AP Poll is already its highest mark since 2001 — then it can’t afford to start slowly, especially with Big Ten opponents looming. The Illini responded with three consecutive touchdown drives to begin the second half and cruised to another lopsided victory. They’ll visit No. 19 Indiana on Saturday for what should be a fascinating early-season barometer.

Result: 73-0 home win over Indiana State

As expected, Indiana completed its non-conference schedule with another lopsided blowout of an opponent that never had a chance. Head coach Curt Cignetti, who has publicly backed the Hoosiers’ scheduling policy at every turn, most notably at Big Ten Media Days earlier this summer, watched on Friday night as his team scored on its first 10 possessions outside a brief kneeldown at the end of the second quarter. Nine of those drives ended in touchdowns. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a dark horse Heisman Trophy candidate, played his best game since joining the program from California by completing 19 of 20 passes for 270 yards and five touchdowns. He also added his second rushing score of the season before giving way to his brother, backup quarterback Alberto Mendoza, in the second half.

Indiana’s relentless, smothering defense only allowed 77 yards of total offense while racking up five sacks and a staggering 16 tackles for loss, never allowing the Sycamores to cross midfield until the fourth quarter. Cignetti’s team won its three non-conference games against Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State by a combined score of 156-23. Two of the Hoosiers’ next three games, however, are against ranked opponents in No. 9 Illinois (home) and No. 6 Oregon (road). 

Result: 63-3 home win over Central Michigan

This was the kind of performance Michigan fans have always wanted to see from true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. Sure, Underwood had moments of brilliance with his arm in the season-opening win over New Mexico in which he threw for 251 yards and a touchdown. But fans and analysts alike were puzzled by his — or the coaching staff’s — apparent aversion to incorporating quarterback runs through the first two weeks, the kind of dual-threat plays that Oklahoma signal-caller John Mateer used to topple the Wolverines last Saturday on a night when Underwood only completed 37.5% of his passes.

That certainly wasn’t the case against Central Michigan, however, with Underwood carrying the ball nine times for a team-high 114 yards and two scores. Some of those rushes were designed runs dialed up by offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey; others were moments of improvisation in which the 6-foot-4, 228-pound Underwood decided to unleash his athletic gifts. Overall, Underwood spearheaded a Michigan rushing attack that churned out 390 yards and eight touchdowns on 52 relentless carries — the kind of punishing game plan that surely pleased head coach Sherrone Moore, who was serving the first of a two-game, self-imposed suspension. Up next, the Wolverines will face a difficult road game at Nebraska in what figures to be an excellent quarterback matchup between Underwood and the Cornhuskers’ Dylan Raiola, another former five-star recruit. 

Result: 59-7 home win over Houston Christian

This game was never close as Nebraska, which improved to 3-0 for just the second time since 2016, strung together a run of seven consecutive touchdowns from the early stages of the first quarter through the midway point of the fourth, bifurcated only by a kneel down to end the opening half. Quarterback Dylan Raiola didn’t need to play in the final two quarters after completing 15 of 21 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns for his third straight impressive performance to begin his sophomore year. He is one of only six FBS quarterbacks to throw at least eight touchdowns without an interception this season, placing him alongside Alabama’s Ty Simpson, North Texas’ Drew Mestemaker, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Temple’s Evan Simon and Illinois’ Luke Altmyer in that category.

The Cornhuskers’ résumé now includes a Power 4 win over Cincinnati at a neutral site and blowouts of Akron and Houston Christian in which they topped 50 points in back-to-back games for the first time since 2007. Nebraska’s defense has been equally impressive under new defensive coordinator John Butler and ranks sixth nationally overall (202 yards per game) and seventh in scoring (eight points per game). Head coach Matt Rhule and his team will host No. 21 Michigan this weekend.  

Result: 33-17 road win over Purdue

It was unclear exactly how good USC might be this season after putting up incredible offensive numbers in blowout victories over lesser opponents Missouri State (73-13) and Georgia Southern (59-20) to begin the season. And while the Trojans traveled to Purdue for Saturday’s conference opener with the No. 1 scoring offense and No. 1 total offense in the country, it’s fair to say the jury is still out regarding their ceiling under fourth-year coach Lincoln Riley. 

Everything about this game was thrown out of whack by a weather delay of more than three hours as thunder, lightning and torrential rains whipped through West Lafayette. When the game finally kicked off around 6:45 p.m. ET — which Riley joked was much more amenable to their West Coast body clocks — the Trojans largely controlled it while building a 14-point lead at halftime and a 20-point lead at the end of the third quarter, thanks in part to a 70-yard interception return touchdown by defensive lineman Jamaal Jarrett. Tailbacks Waymond Jordan and Eli Sanders combined to rush for 152 yards and a touchdown on an evening when quarterback Jayden Maiava, who’d tossed six scores in USC’s first two games, failed to find the end zone through the air. This marked the Trojans’ first win in the Eastern Time Zone since beating Syracuse in 2012. They’ll host fellow unbeaten Michigan State on Saturday night.

Result: Idle 

Head coach Jedd Fisch and his team had an early bye week that gave them extra time to prepare for this year’s rendition of the Apple Cup against in-state rival Washington State. If Washington can get through that game unscathed, it will return home for a matchup of undefeated teams when No. 1 Ohio State visits Husky Stadium on Sept. 27. The Buckeyes’ have a bye this week. 

Result: 41-24 home win over Youngstown State

For Michigan State, there was plenty to quibble with from a game the Spartans only led 14-10 at the 5:59 mark of the second quarter and 31-17 at the 1:17 mark of the third quarter against an FCS opponent. But the primary concern coming out of Spartan Stadium on Saturday evening is an injury report that includes four primary contributors. Sophomore wide receiver Nick Marsh, who set school records for a true freshman with 41 receptions and 649 yards last season, left the game with an apparent knee issue and was reportedly not on the sideline in the second half. Starting guard Luka Vincic, starting right tackle Conner Moore and starting tailback Makhi Frazier also left the game after receiving medical attention.

Nonetheless, head coach Jonathan Smith became the first coach in program history to begin his tenure with back-to-back 3-0 starts, a mark he set on the strength of a balanced running game (33 carries, 174 yards, four TDs) and a strong all-around performance from Aidan Chiles, the Spartans’ rapidly developing dual-threat quarterback. Chiles completed 22 of 29 passes for 270 yards, one touchdown and one interception while also carrying eight times for a team-high 76 yards. His six-to-one touchdown to interception ratio through the first three games is encouraging for a player who tossed 11 INTs in 2024. 

The Rest

Result: 47-7 home win over UMass

This past Saturday was a joyous afternoon for the Iowa program as head coach Kirk Ferentz, 70, passed legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes for most victories in Big Ten history. Ferentz scored his 206th win on the strength of a balanced offensive effort in which quarterback Mark Gronowski threw touchdowns on the Hawkeyes’ first two possessions and the ground game produced 201 yards and two more scores. Iowa travels to Rutgers before a high-profile home date with No. 19 Indiana. 

Result: 27-14 road loss to California

The Gophers were in position to tie this game early in the fourth quarter until two special teams gaffes tilted momentum toward Cal. Kicker Brady Denaburg, a transfer from Syracuse, missed his first field goal of the season on a 51-yard attempt when Minnesota trailed 17-14. And several minutes later, star safety Koi Perich muffed a punt inside his own 10-yard line that was recovered by the Bears, handing them an extremely short field for an easy touchdown. That score pushed Cal’s lead to double digits with 6:55 remaining. 

Result: 44-17 home win over Towson

For obvious reasons, there has been plenty of attention on Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood through the first few weeks of the season. But perhaps it’s time to start talking about Maryland’s true freshman signal-caller, Malik Washington, the No. 10 player at his position in the 2025 recruiting cycle. Washington threw for 261 yards and a touchdown against Towson on Saturday, bringing his season total to 773 yards. It’s the highest passing total by a true freshman from the Power 4 conference in his first three games since former Texas Tech quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 1,160 yards during that same span in 2018. 

Result: 60-10 home win over Norfolk State

This week’s 60-point explosion reinforced the idea that Rutgers has a burgeoning offense under the direction of coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca, now in his fifth season with the program. The Scarlet Knights now enter conference play ranked 12th nationally in scoring (46.3 points per game), 36th in total offense (461 yards per game) and tied for 25th in third-down conversation rate (50%). A back-loaded Big Ten slate featuring games against No. 9 Illinois, No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Penn State during the second half of the season means Rutgers needs to start strong in conference play. 

Result: 38-14 road loss to No. 19 Alabama

For the second consecutive season, Wisconsin was outclassed by Alabama in a non-conference game that was largely uncompetitive. Forced to rely on backup quarterback Danny O’Neil, who only completed 11 of 17 passes for 117 yards, the Badgers were outgained 454-209 and lost the turnover battle 2-0. They trailed 21-0 at halftime and only produced one offensive touchdown in the game, with their other score coming on a 95-yard kickoff return by wide receiver Vinny Anthony II. A winnable conference opener against Maryland next weekend gives way to a gauntlet October schedule that features No. 21 Michigan, Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State and No. 6 Oregon. 

Result: 33-17 home loss to USC

Purdue fell behind by 14 points at halftime and never trimmed the margin closer than 10 for the remainder of the game. Quarterback Ryan Browne, who had produced five touchdowns against only one interception in the Boilermakers’ first two games, was intercepted three times and sacked five times as the offense became one-dimensional in an effort to erase the deficit. Purdue gained just 52 rushing yards on 28 attempts for an anemic average of 1.9 yards per carry. 

Result: 34-14 home loss to No. 4 Oregon 

Trailing by 31 points after three quarters, Northwestern regained a measure of respect by scoring 14 points in the fourth to make the final score look more respectable. But in truth, the game was never close. Head coach David Braun acknowledged as much in his news conference by saying the Wildcats had gotten “our butts kicked by a really good football team today.” They only converted three of 11 times on third down and lost the turnover battle 2-1.  

Result: 35-10 home loss to New Mexico

Is this rock bottom? UCLA paid New Mexico a sum of $1.2 million to schedule this non-conference matchup at the Rose Bowl, and the Bruins were thoroughly played off the field in a humiliating loss to an opponent from outside the power leagues. The school responded by firing second-year head coach DeShaun Foster on Sunday afternoon. He was in charge of the program for 15 games. 

Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.

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