Every week we look at all of the games that are being played in the heartland and try to understand the insane world of Big Ten football by ranking all teams from fourteen to number one from the start of the season to now, but the further we get into the As the season progresses, the Big Ten universe looks more like we imagined it to be at the start of the season.
After another week in the books there seems to be a clear separation of three teams in the East Division, and we are now getting a little more clarity in the wide open West Division as well.
But what does it all look like if you take the two divisions and simply rank all fourteen teams from worst to first place? We’ll try again, take a step back, and listen to the fans of certain teams unleash the mean tweets.
Here are the Big Ten soccer power rankings after week 11.
14th
Indiana Hoosiers (2-8, 0-7)
Indiana manager Tom Allen speaks to Indiana players before running onto the field against Michigan State on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
After an all-out loss to Rutgers, things have plummeted for the Hoosiers this season. Surprisingly, it feels like the team has given up even playing for a coach like Tom Allen.
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| 14th | – |
Next up: vs. Minnesota
13th
Northwestern Wildcats (3-7, 1-6)
September 3, 2021; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald reacts after a game against the Michigan State Spartans in the fourth quarter at Ryan Field. Photo credit: Jon Durr-USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
No one would have been surprised if Pat Fitzgerald found a way to steer his team in the right direction after a miserable start. After a pretty thorough loss to Wisconsin for their fourth straight loss, it is clear this is going to be a season to turn to the page quickly. The talent just isn’t there at Evanston this season.
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| 13th | – |
Next up: vs. Purdue
12th
Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-7, 1-6)
11/6/2021; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Scott Frost (right) looks on to the field in the second quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium. Photo credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
I got a lot of headwinds from fans for Nebraska ranking so low last week, but you can’t keep competing against each other and keep finding ways to lose to every level of competition. The bottom line is that Nebraska has only one conference win. There is only one team in the league that has a worse record, and so you can’t get any kind of power rankings up in any universe.
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| 12th | – |
Next up: in Wisconsin
11
Maryland turtles (5-5, 2-5)
Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Teradja Mitchell (3) and Ohio State Buckeyes defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste (8) come together to tackle the Maryland Terrapins who challenged Faamatau (29) in the second quarter of their NCAA college football game at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on October 9, 2021. Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
The terps are moving in the wrong direction and you have to wonder if they will ever qualify for a bowl. Maryland has now lost five of the last six after beating the state of Michigan, with the only three-point win over the stretch against Indiana. The end-of-season game at Piscataway looks like a potential bowl elimination game.
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| 9 | – 2 |
Next up: vs. Michigan
10
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (5-5, 2-5)
Rutgers’ Olakunle Fatukasi celebrates after Michigan State’s Jayden Reed took a fumble at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing during the second quarter on Saturday, October 24, 2020. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
We’re pretty sure what to expect from the Scarlet Knights from week to week, but the team is a competitive group that may become bowl-ready before all is said and done. Greg Schiano’s side celebrated an impressive 38-3 win over Indiana.
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| 11 | + 1 |
Next up: Penn State
9
Illinois fighting Illinois
09/04/2021; Champagne, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illinois head coach Bret Bielema steps onto the field with his team before the start of Saturday’s game with the UTSA Roadrunners at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
Illinois has some impressive wins this season, but also some pretty insane losses. There’s still a lot of room for this program to grow, and it won’t bowl this season, but there’s no denying that the Illinois have gotten better as the season has gone on.
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| 10 | – 1 |
Next up: in Iowa
8th
Minnesota Golden Gophers (6-4, 4-3)
09/02/2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Gophers head coach PJ Fleck looks on before the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Huntington Bank Stadium. Photo credit: Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
Two weeks ago we thought the Golden Gophers might be the team to beat in the West. Now we are wondering which team will show up next week. There are limits to this team, but the competitive spirit is there when they play flawless football. The heavy loss to Iowa continues the slide for Minnesota.
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| 7th | – 1 |
Next up: in Indiana
7th
Iowa Hawkeyes (8-2, 5-2)
Iowa freshman wide receiver Keagan Johnson (# 6, left) celebrates with his teammates after a touchdown in the second quarter against Colorado State at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday, September 25, 2021. Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
It’s been a fine week of rebound for the Hawkeyes with a narrow win over Minnesota to keep the West Division on the hunt. Surprisingly, the Hawkeyes found a minor insult this past weekend. The team is still very challenged but difficult to play when they can take attacks on the offensive.
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| 8th | + 1 |
Next up: vs. Illinois
6th
Purdue Boilermakers (6-4, 4-3)
Purdue Boilermakers wide receiver Milton Wright (0) sits in the back of the end zone after throwing a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, November 13, 2021 Has. Ohio State won 59-31. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
Purdue can’t handle success. It knocks Iowa from the undefeated ranks and is punished by Wisconsin the following week. It gives Michigan State its first loss and then gets knocked off the field against Ohio State. The Boilermakers have been largely inconsistent but still have two of the highest quality wins in the conference.
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| 4th | – 2 |
Next up: vs. Northwestern
5
Penn State Nittany Lions (6-4, 3-4)
10/23/2021; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Rasheed Walker (53) and linebacker Jesse Luketa (40) and Safety Jaquan Brisker (1) and Safety Jonathan Sutherland (0) run onto the pitch for the coin toss before the Illinois Fighting Illinois game at Beaver Stadium. Source: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
It was actually a pretty good performance against Michigan on Saturday, but the Nittany Lions figured out a way to lose a game that could have been in the Victory Column. Just slightly lacking in Penn State’s ability to finish games, and now it relies on trying to win the final two just to position itself in a warm spot for the postseason rather than a cooler climate bowl -Game.
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| 5 | – |
Next up: vs. Rutgers
4th
Wisconsin Badgers (7-3, 5-2)
Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz (5) scores a touchdown in the second quarter against Army Saturday, October 16, 2021 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin Samantha Madar / USA TODAY NETWORK
The reason for the ranking
All of the problems we’ve seen with Wisconsin spinning the ball and fighting mightily on the offensive earlier this year seem to be a thing of the past. The Badgers now look like the team to beat in the west. The defense is still fantastic, but the offense comes in to make this a more rounded and dangerous roster. Is this the team that could pose the greatest risk to the state of Ohio, maybe in Indy?
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| 6th | + 2 |
Next up: vs. Nebraska
3rd
Michigan Wolverines (9-1, 6-1)
The Michigan Marching Band takes the field before the game in Northern Illinois at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 18, 2021. Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
You have to give Michigan credit. It found a way to win close matches this year, and it happened again in Happy Valley. It’s a solid win on a collision course with Ohio State by the end of the year. What a difference a year makes to Jim Harbaugh’s views on college football life.
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| 3rd | – |
Next up: in Maryland
2
Michigan State Spartans (9-1, 6-1)
Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs against Michigan defensive back RJ Moten (6) in the second half at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing on Saturday, October 30, 2021. Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
Michigan State hasn’t looked like a juggernaut for the past few weeks, but it still has only one loss of the season, with the big win over Michigan. The Spartans control their own fate in the east, and that fate faces the state of Ohio next weekend. This team isn’t the most explosive you will find, but it makes everything solid.
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| 2 | – |
Next up: in the state of Ohio
1
Ohio State Buckeyes (9-1, 7-0)
Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Cameron Brown, 26, has a pass break in the second quarter of the NCAA football game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, November 13, 2021. Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
The reason for the ranking
Ohio State set off an offensive fireworks display against Purdue and showed everyone why it’s the league’s class. But not everything will be easy. The next two weeks could be the toughest two games on the Buckeyes’ Big Ten schedule. If OSU is running and not making penalties and sales, then who can get in the way? Michigan State will try old college on Saturday.
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| 1 | – |
Next up: vs. Michigan State
Perform
Five things we believe we learned from Ohio State’s shot on goal against Purdue
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