The Big Ten had a tough weekend, plain and simple. They weren’t alone, as the SEC – the other “power” conference – also didn’t look their best. But this a Big Ten blog, so let’s look at what went wrong.
It started with Northwestern being upset by Duke at noon and was followed up with a tough 3:30 slate. Washington State toppled Wisconsin and Iowa lost to their rival Iowa State. The bad day ended with an exclamation point: Nebraska giving up 642 yards in 45-42 loss to Georgia Southern. To make it worse, all 4 losses came at home.
Despite those tough losses, there were a lot of other great performances that flew under the radar. We’ll cover them all in this week’s edition of the Big Ten Power Rankings.
1) Ohio State (2-0, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 1
Week 2 Result: W 45-12 vs Arkansas State
Although the Buckeyes’ week-1 win over Notre Dame is no longer quite as impressive, their defense remained stout against Arkansas State. Ohio State gave up some big plays in the pass game, allowing 223 passing yards and making few too many penalties. But they kept the Red Wolves out of the end zone (now 6 straight quarters played without giving up a touchdown) while remaining as strong as any team in the front seven. They gave up just 53 yards rushing on 1.6 yards per carry and racked up 12 TFLs.
Offensively, the passing attack started to get back on track. The now Heisman frontrunner Stroud went 16-24 for 351 yards, 4 TDs, and 0 turnovers. There are still things to clean up, as sloppy first-half play led to just a 24-9 lead. But this kind of performance with Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Julian Flemming still out of the lineup is a sign of progress for the talented Buckeyes.
Player of the Game: WR Marvin Harrison Jr
The son of the NFL Hall of Famer had his second 3-touchdown performance of his career, becoming just the second Buckeye to ever do so. He finished with 7 receptions for 184 yards. Harrison displayed elite speed and jump-ball ability, showing he can be Ohio State’s #1 receiving threat if called upon.
Marvin Harrison is a freak athlete and proved a trio of himself, Egbuka, and a healthy JSN could be just as lethal – if not more so – than last year’s receiving trio.
Up Next: vs Toledo
2) Michigan (2-0, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 2
Week 2 Result: W 56-10 vs Hawaii
JJ McCarthy finally got his shot to be the Wolverine’s starter and he showed out, going 11-12 for 229 yards, 3 TDs, 0 turnovers, and adding a 16-yard scramble. Although it was against an incredibly weak and likely jetlagged Hawaii team, McCarthy seems to have finally taken hold of the starting job like fans have been hoping for.
Although their defense gave up some big plays in the run game and accounted for just 1 sack and 2 TFLs, it really didn’t matter. Michigan held Hawaii scoreless through the first half and could do virtually anything they wanted offensively throughout the game. The Wolverines look strong, but they’ll have to be tested against a more quality opponent if they want to overtake Ohio State for the #1 spot.
Player of the Game: QB JJ McCarthy
This one was easy. Michigan fans have been clamoring for McCarthy to overtake McNamara as the starter since last year. Although no official word has come out, it appears the job is McCarthy’s to lose.
He displayed a great command of the offense as well as his superior arm strength and athleticism compared to McNamara. Michigan’s offense is dangerous this year. But the former 5-star could make them even more lethal.
Up Next: vs UCONN
3) Penn State (2-0, 1-0 BIG)
Last Week: 4
Week 2 Result: W 46-10 vs Ohio
An offensive that struggled to gain momentum in the run game against Purdue seemed to get back on track. True freshman and former 5-star running back Nicholas Singleton was the catalyst and may have taken over as the starter, racking up 179 yards and 2 TDs on just 10 carries. Although the offensive line still has some question marks (they gave up 5 sacks), Sean Clifford seemed to have carried over his performance from the game-winning drive against Purdue the week before.
The Nittany Lion defense – which should be as good as any defense in the conference – also got back on track. They allowed just 264 total yards and allowed less than 50% completion from Ohio’s QBs. There is still a lot to fix if Penn State hopes to hang with Ohio State and Michigan in the Big Ten East. But the emergence of Nicholas Singleton with an improving Clifford, talented receivers, and the Big Ten’s best secondary makes for a team no one will be excited to play.
Player of the Game: RB Nicholas Singleton
Singleton was the #1 running back in the 2022 class. With a dangerous combination of tough running and home-run ability, Singleton was bound to contribute for Penn State at some point this year. His breakout performance coming in week 2 is a pleasant surprise for Nittany Lion fans.
Ripping off TD runs of 70 and 44 yards, Singleton added a whole new dimension to this Penn State offense. For a team with an offensive line that is still in the bottom half of the conference, having a player like Singleton raises the ceiling of what they can accomplish this year.
Up Next: at Auburn
4) Minnesota (2-0, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 5
Week 2 Result: W 62-10 vs Western Illinois
Minnesota has quietly emerged as the clear-cut favorite to win the West through 2 weeks. They followed up their shutout victory over New Mexico State with an even more dominant win over the hapless Leathernecks. The RB-duo of Ibrahim and Potts was as effective as always, combining for 209 yards and 4 TDs on 33 carries. Tanner Morgan also displayed the efficiency and big-play ability this offense needs, going 14-18 for 287 yards, a TD, no turnovers, and no sacks.
Defensively, they gave up less than 200 yards, allowed 50% completion & 1.8 yards per rush, and gave up just 1 3rd down conversion on 13 attempts. Minnesota has yet to be challenged by a good offense, but a garbage-time TD with less than 5:00 left in the game was the first TD the Gophers have given up all year. A game against Colorado this weekend will be a much better measuring stick of where this team actually stands.
Player of the Game: S Jordan Howden
Led by guys like Cody Lindenberg, Mariano Sori-Marin, and Thomas Rush, Minnesota’s defense has been dominant through 2 weeks. But Jordan Howden was the man on Saturday.
Howden made the defensive play of the game: a leaping interception on a well-thrown ball, stealing it from receiver Jafar Armstrong. He also had 5 tackles and a TFL in less than 3 quarters of play.
Up Next: vs Colorado
5) Michigan State (2-0, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 6
Week 2 Result: W 52-0 vs Akron
Although the AP and Coaches Poll have MSU as the 3rd-best Big Ten team, I still have some reservations from the pre-season that have yet to be squashed through 2 games against very overmatched opponents. First, Payton Thorne has more INTs than TDs through 2 games. Although he hits some beautiful passes, Thorne seems to be struggling to go on long, sustained drives. Additionally, a putrid secondary from 2021 has yet to be tested with a decent offense.
Nonetheless, Sparty looked as good as they could have against Akron. Jalen Berger and Jarek Broussard combined for 188 yards and 5 TDs on 32 carries. The front-7 also looked strong, accounting for 5 sacks and 9 TFLs while allowing just 1 yard per carry. A road trip to play Washington is a great opportunity for Michigan State to soar up these rankings.
Player of the Game: LB Jacoby Windom
Windom followed up his 4-sack game against Western Michigan with another great one. He had 1.5 sacks, 2.5 TFLs, and forced 3 fumbles (recovering 2 of them).
The UNLV transfer has quickly become a leader and a playmaker on a defense that will desperately need play like this in a division loaded with talented offenses.
Up Next: at Washington
6) Purdue (1-1, 0-1 BIG)
Last Week: 7
Week 2 Result: W 56-0 vs Indiana State
The Boilermakers dominated the Sycamores on Saturday, outgaining them 521-145. Purdue also got more first downs (28-7), won the turnover battle (3-1), held the ball longer (32:00-28:00 TOP), had more sacks (4-0), and had only 3 penalties all game. All in all, it was an impressive and dominating first win of the season.
Charlie Jones continued his dominance catching the ball, hauling in 9 passes for 133 yards and 3 TDs. What fans liked to see the most, though, was the presence of a run game. After failing to be able to run the ball to close out Penn State last week, Purdue piled up 232 yards rushing on over 5 yards per carry. It’s always hard to evaluate teams when they face FCS competition, but Purdue looks like a good football team fully capable of winning the West through 2 weeks.
Player of the Game: QB Aidan O’Connell
O’Connell was nearly perfect, going 17-19 for 211 yards, 4 TDs, and 0 turnovers. Although Charlie Jones was still the top target, Aidan spread the ball around much more efficiently than he was able to against Penn State.
It’ll be an interesting battle to see who emerges as the second-best QB in the Big Ten behind Stroud. But one thing is for sure: Purdue can count of O’Connell to put up big numbers throughout the season.
Up Next: @ Syracuse
7) Maryland (2-0, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 8
Week 2 Result: W 56-21 at Charlotte
After failing to toss a TD in last week’s win over Buffalo, Taulia came out against Charlotte guns blazing. He led touchdown drives on their first 5 possessions. While the pass game was as efficient as Maryland fans had hoped coming into the season, they also got a boost from a couple big run plays. Colby McDonald had a 49-yard TD run and Antwain Littleton II had a 59-yard TD run.
However, this team still has concerns. Aside from the two aforementioned runs, the Terps averaged only 3.3 yards per carry. Defensively, they garnered only 1 sack and gave up nearly 400 yards of total offense (292 of which through the air). And for the second consecutive week, they failed to get a turnover. As prolific as Taulia and the passing game can be, the defense will have to step up and make some plays if they want to compete in their brutal start to Big Ten play (at Michigan, vs MSU, vs Purdue).
Player of the Game: QB Taulia Tagovailoa
Tua’s younger brother was disappointed with his play last week, but more than made up for it this week. He went 27-31 for 391 yards, 4 TDs, 1 INT, and no sacks. Tagovailoa displayed some beautiful touch on deep balls, connecting for touchdowns of 39 and 45 yards.
In a season where Maryland is sure to be in a lot of conference shoot-outs, Terp fans are happy to have Taulia on their side. But more players in the run game and in the secondary will need to step up in Maryland wants any chance at competing with the big boys.
Up Next: vs SMU
8) Wisconsin (1-1, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 3
Week 2 Result: L 14-17 vs Washington State
Despite outgaining the Cougars 401-253, gaining 12 more 1st downs, running 25 more plays, and possessing the ball for 16 more minutes, Wisconsin lost at home as 17 point favorites. After going down 17-14 on a remarkable 31 yard catch-and-run by Washington State (and former Wisconsin) back Nakia Watson, Wisconsin had a chance to tie or take the lead midway through the 4th. But then Mertz was picked off at the WSU 9 yard line. Although the defender coughed the ball back up, a personal foul on TE Clay Cundiff pushed Wisconsin back to the 35. He later fumbled the ball at the 12 with 5:44 left and the Badgers never saw the ball again.
Despite Wisconsin fielding yet another great defense, Cundiff’s mistakes, 11 team penalties, and 2 missed field goals spoiled the day. The supposed great RB duo of Allen and Mellusi combined for just 3.9 yards per carry. Although Mertz actually played well, he is not good enough to carry this offense without a strong run game behind him. Wisconsin has just 1 week to clean things up before traveling to Columbus.
Player of the Game: LB Nick Herbig
Wisconsin’s stout defense is certainly not to blame for the upset loss on Saturday. The defense held WSU to 253 total yards, 2-11 on 3rd down, and 2.4 yards per carry while also forcing 3 turnovers. Their defensive leader Nick Herbig had a big hand in their performance.
Herbig finished with 4 tackles, 1 sack, 1.5 TFLs, and a QB hurry. His sack came on 3rd down and gave Wisconsin the ball back in the 4th quarter down 14-17 – an opportunity the offense couldn’t capitalize on.
Up Next: vs New Mexico State
9) Indiana (2-0, 1-0 BIG)
Last Week: 12
Week 2 Result: W 35-22 vs Idaho
The Hoosiers trailed 10-0 at half, but scored on all of their second half possessions (including drives of 72, 70, and 64 yards) and got a safety to take the win. They were moving the ball in the 1st half too, but missed a FG, turned it over on downs, threw a pick, and fumbled the ball. Instead of the offense going through QB Bazalek like last week against Illinois, Indiana dominated on the ground, outrushing the Vandals 239-126.
For the second straight week, Indiana showed impressive grit by rallying for a tight win. Their defense held up despite being on the field for over 38 minutes, giving up just 330 total yards and 2.9 yards per rush. For a team whose defensive strength is supposed to be the secondary, the 219 pass ypg they’ve given up to mediocre passing offenses is concerning. But Indiana looks like a bowl eligible team after 2 weeks – a result Hoosier fans would love after a disastrous 2021.
Player of the Game: RB Shaun Shivers
Indiana mustered just 32 yards rushing on 1.2 yards per rush last week against Illinois. Credit where credit is due – the coaching staff knew what had to change against Idaho. Auburn transfer Shaun Shivers stepped up and displayed the speed and play-making ability this backfield missed last week and in week 1.
Shivers rushed 20 times for 155 yards and a TD. His 46-yard TD run put Indiana up 35-16 with 7 minutes left in the game and put the game in the bag. Even though fellow RB Josh Henderson also ran the ball well at over 8 yards per carry, Shivers looks to have taken over this backfield.
Up Next: vs Western Kentucky
10) Rutgers (2-0, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 11
Week 2 Result: W 66-7 vs Wagner
Despite it being against Wagner, Rutgers had their best offensive game since they joined the Big Ten in 2014. Their 66 points were the most in a game since 1993, they scored TDs on their first 4 drives for the first time this century, and they had over 250 yards rushing and passing for the first time since 2008. All in all, Rutgers outgained Wagner 585-145 and accumulated 24 more 1st downs.
I was incredibly impressed at how the Scarlet Knights followed up last week’s emotional, comeback win at Boston College. Greg Schiano has this program heading in the right direction, as they are eyeing their first .500 or better season since 2014. Their recipe of leaning on their run game and defense might not be exciting to watch, but it just might get them to their second straight bowl game.
Player of the Game: QB Evan Simon
Rutgers offense sputtered last week against BC. Most notably, they mustered just 63 passing yards on 13 attempts. Schiano was looking for improved QB play against a weaker opponent, and Simon came through. Despite fans clamoring for more of former 4-star QB Gavin Wimsatt, Simon proves to be their best option.
Evan Simon went an efficient 10-13 for 151 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 turnovers. His first TD pass of the season – and his career – was a pretty 40-yard ball. Despite this being a weak opponent, Rutgers fans seeing a QB take care of the ball and make some big plays was certainly refreshing.
Up Next: at Temple
11) Illinois (2-1, 0-1 BIG)
Last Week: 13
Week 2 Result: W 24-3 vs Virginia
Illinois followed up a tough loss at Indiana last week with an impressive throttling of Virginia. Although they didn’t clean up their play as much (4 turnovers, 10 penalties), their defense didn’t allow the Cavaliers to get anything going. An early fumble led to their only points of the game. Virginia’s only drives that went over 30 yards ended in a couple interceptions and a missed field goal.
Chase Brown dominated on the ground yet again, carrying it 20 times for 146 yards. QB DeVito, who at one point completed 9 straight passes, seems to be getting more comfortable as the season progresses. He was sacked 3 times and threw a pick, but completed 68% of his passes for 196 yards and a couple TDs. DeVito will have to continue to become more efficient and make more plays if Illinois wants to get to a bowl game.
Player of the Game: DT Keith Randolph Jr
Chase Brown dominating is nothing new. But the emergence of sophomore DT Keith Randolph was not only a surprise, but a real difference maker.
He led the team with 7 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, a sack, and 2 QB hurries. Randolph was relentless both in the run game and in pass rush. For a team that hopes to win in the trenches each week, Keith Randolph could be a real play maker for the rest of the season.
Up Next: BYE
12) Northwestern (1-1, 1-0 BIG)
Last Week: 10
Week 2 Result: L 23-31 vs Duke
Rather than re-energize the team, Northwestern’s extra week of preparation seemed to slow them down. Northwestern’s first 3 drives went punt, missed FG, three and out. Duke, meanwhile, at least 77 yards in 6 plays or fewer 3 times to take a 21-0 lead. Northwestern fought back, getting the lead down to as little as 5 points before getting the ball back down 31-23 with 1:18 left in the game. The Wildcats marched to the Duke 12 in just 6 plays, but Evan Hull fumbled into the end zone to end the game.
To Hull’s credit, he was the biggest reason Northwestern had a shot to win the game. After going down 21-0, the run game was essentially abandoned. Ryan Hilinski was forced to throw 60 passes, completing 36 of them for 435 yards 2 TDs, and an INT. Northwestern ended up outgaining Duke 511-461, garnered 8 more first downs, and possessed the top for 10 more minutes. But none of it was enough to overcome the horrendous start.
Player of the Game: RB Evan Hull
Northwestern ran the ball half as much as they threw it because of the early deficit. When they did run, they struggled. Hull averaged just 3.8 yards per carry, pacing a team that averaged 2.2 yards per carry for the game.
But Hull hauled in 14 receptions for 213 yards and a TD, accumulating 278 yards in total. No other Wildcat had more than 7 receptions or 78 yards receiving. Game losing fumble aside, Hull played his heart out and was the biggest reason Northwestern was able to claw out of the early 21-0 deficit.
Up Next: vs Southern Illinois
13) Iowa (1-1, 0-0 BIG)
Last Week: 9
Week 2 Result: L 7-10 vs Iowa State
When Hawkeye fans thought it couldn’t get any worse than week 1’s 7-3 win over South Dakota State, it did. Although they did score their first TD of the season (set up at the ISU 16 thanks to a blocked punt), they totaled a feeble 150 yards, committed 3 turnovers, and went 3-11 on 3rd down. Fans are calling for Spencer Petras’ job after completing less than 50% of his passes for the 2nd straight game. But I don’t think few QBs would find success behind this offensive line and with these skill position players.
On the bright side, Iowa’s defense proved again to be one of the country’s best. Despite being on the field for over 38 minutes, they held the Cyclones to 313 yards and forced 3 turnovers. But with the field position battle not nearly as lopsided as it was against South Dakota State, Iowa couldn’t help but give up some points. This defense is good enough to drag Iowa to a bowl game. But what might be college football’s worst offense already has them out of the Big Ten West picture.
Player of the Game: S Cooper DeJean
Iowa’s offense is so bad that Terry Roberts was inconsolable after an INT because he didn’t return it back for a TD. Roberts, Quinn Schultze, and Cooper DeJean led another great performance by the secondary. But it’s safety DeJean who gets player of the game honors this week.
The Iowa native led the team with 11 tackles and had a couple pass breakups. It’s truly a group effort on the defensive side of the ball, with all 3 levels exceling after 2 weeks. But the Iowa offense is in a truly dire position. With no quick fixes on the horizon, it’ll be hard for Hawkeye fans to enjoy the few wins left on their schedule.
Up Next: vs Nevada
14) Nebraska (1-2, 0-1 BIG)
Last Week: 14
Week 2 Result: L 42-45 vs Georgia Southern
Nebraska was a trendy pick to win the West in the off-season after a season of impossibly close losses. That all came crashing down week 1 against Northwestern. But Saturday against Georgia Southern marked a new low for the Scott Frost era – and maybe in all of Nebraska’s history. And it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Frost was fired Sunday morning after 4 seasons and 3 games.
Casey Thompson finally put together a complete game and Anthony Grant had another effective game on the ground. But it’s not even worth getting into the few things Nebraska did well. The Cornhuskers – once home of a proud defensive tradition – gave up 642 total yards against a Sun Belt school. The Southern Eagles were 9-13 on 3rd down, averaged 7.8 yards per rush, and threw for over 400 yards. While this is already seems like a lost season for Nebraska and the start of another rebuild, it will be fascinating to see how the players respond to this sudden change in the weeks to come.
Player of the Game: QB Casey Thompson
The Texas transfer had a terrific 1st half in the opener against Northwestern, but struggled to recapture that efficiency while taking care of the ball. But he finally put together a complete game and helped Nebraska hang with a Georgia Southern team that was running up and down the field.
Thompson went 23-34 for 318 yards, a TD, and no turnovers. He also added 31 yards and 3 TDs on the ground. At this point, Nebraska will likely hope to develop Casey as much as possible throughout the rest of the season. If he decides to return to Nebraska, Thompson could lead a 2023 team with lots of returning starters.