SiriusXM Big Ten Radio’s Football Power Rankings – Week 7

Pete Pistone and the rest of the SiriusXM Big Ten Radio team will unveil “Power Rankings” each week of the college football season. Check out this week’s “Power Rankings” below, and start listening to SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372) on the SiriusXM App now.Here’s how the SiriusXM Big Ten Radio team voted after Week Seven for this edition of the Power Rankings:”

1. MICHIGAN

J.J. McCarthy threw a tiebreaking, 2-yard touchdown pass to Roman Wilson late in the first half and No. 2 Michigan pulled away to pummel Indiana 52-7 Saturday. The Wolverines started slow, punting after losing 8 yards on their first two possessions and giving up the game’s first touchdown. They closed strong, scoring 52 straight points to win another lopsided game against an overmatched opponent.

2. OHIO STATE 

Kyle McCord threw three touchdown passes and Dallan Hayden rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown in relief of an injury depleted running backs room, helping No. 3 Ohio State rout Purdue 41-7 on Saturday. The Buckeyes won their first road game in the series since 2013 and earned their second victory at Ross-Ade Stadium since 2007.

3. PENN STATE 

Drew Allar threw for three touchdowns and ran for another to lead No. 6 Penn State past UMass 63-0 on Saturday. Theo Johnson caught two touchdowns, Tyler Warren, Kaytron Allen, Trey Potts and Beau Pribula scored and Daequan Hardy returned two punts for touchdowns to lead the Nittany Lions to their 11th-straight win dating to last season.

4. IOWA

Leshon Williams scored the game’s lone touchdown on an 82-yard breakaway and finished with 174 yards rushing Saturday to lead Iowa to a 15-6 victory over Wisconsin, which lost quarterback Tanner Mordecai to a hand injury. Iowa has beaten Wisconsin in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2008-09 and gets to maintain possession of the Heartland Trophy, the 72-pound brass bull that goes to the winner of this annual matchup.

5. RUTGERS 

Kyle Monangai ran for 148 yards and had a go-ahead 21-yard touchdown run as Rutgers rallied from an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit to stun Michigan State 27—24 Saturday, denying interim Spartans head coach Harlon Barnett his first win. Rutgers got two big plays on special teams and two scores in a nine-second span in getting off to its best start since 2014 and handing Michigan State its fourth straight loss under Barnett.

6. MARYLAND 

The Terrapins lost to Illinois 27-24 last Saturday.

7. WISCONSIN

The Badgers lost to Iowa 15-6 last Saturday.

8. NEBRASKA 

The Huskers were idle last weekend.

9. ILLINOIS

Caleb Griffin kicked a 43-yard field goal as time expired to give Illinois its first Big Ten victory of the season, a 27-24 upset of Maryland on Saturday. Luke Altmyer threw two touchdown passes and then guided the Illini (3-4, 1-3) into field-goal range after Maryland’s Jack Howes tied it with a 48-yard kick with 1:31 remaining in regulation. After connecting on the winning field goal, Griffin took off running toward the other end of the field and slid on his stomach in celebration. Seth Coleman had three sacks for Illinois.

10. NORTHWESTERN

The Wildcats were idle last weekend.

11. MINNESOTA

The Golden Gophers were idle last weekend.

12. PURDUE

The Boilermakers lost to Ohio State 41-7 on Saturday.

13. MICHIGAN STATE 

The Spartans lost 27-24 to Rutgers last Saturday.

14. INDIANA 

The Hoosiers lost to Michigan 52-7 on Saturday.