Big Ten power rankings after Week 3: Saturday promises shake-up

If properly done, rankings should fluctuate. After all, they're based on limited information after three weeks. Currently the conference has 11 (!) undefeated teams, five at 2-1, and two with losing records.

Only USC and Oregon have won a conference game. Purdue and Northwestern started 0-1 in the Big Ten and dwell in the conference basement.

Rankings in mid-September are based on two-paragraph resumes and one bullet point.

1. Ohio State

The defending national champion, AP No. 1 Buckeyes have the conference's best win, shutting down Arch Manning and Texas 14-7 in the opener in Columbus, crushing Grambling in the Horseshoe 70-0, putting away Ohio 37-9.

Quarterback Julian Sayin has completed 78.9 percent of his passes, second only to Carson Beck of Miami at 79.3. He's thrown for eight touchdowns and 779 yards, though he's also tossed three interceptions, sacked once, connecting on deep passes of 87, 61, and 47 yards.

He looks the part, averaging a touchdown every nine passing attempts.

Bo Jackson and CJ Donaldson form another imposing tandem at running back, and the OSU defense ranks No. 2 in the country giving up 5.3 points a game with All-Americans Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles leading the way. Linebacker Arvell Reese has racked up 20 tackles.

The Buckeyes are off this weekend before a road game at Washington on September 27. They travel to AP No. 9 Illinois on October 11, host No. 2 Penn State November 1.

2. Oregon

The 3-0, AP No. 6 Ducks are one of two conference teams to win a road game, besting Northwestern in Evanston Saturday 34-14. They are third in the nation in scoring at 54 points a game and new quarterback Dante Moore is off to a solid start with 78.1 percent completions, seven touchdowns and just one interception.

A lingering concern for the Ducks is the run defense, currently 55th in the country allowing 3.47 yards per attempt and 123 yards per game. Tosh Lupoi's played a deep rotation in the early blowouts, however, and the first-team defense has yet to give up a touchdown.

A 79-yard run late in the fourth quarter by Northwestern's Dashun Reeder skews the stats, but more fundamentally concerning is the way Joseph Himon and Caleb Komolafe were able to push the pile in the first half, turning two yards into five.

The inability to stop the run could haunt them against Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen of Penn State.

3. Penn State

National No. 2 PSU opened with three cupcakes at home, dispatching Nevada, Florida International and Villanova by convincing scores. They enjoy a bye this week before hosting the Ducks in a White Out night game in Beaver Stadium in two weeks.

Through three games against favorable competition Drew Allar ranks 69th in passer rating and the Nittany Lion offense has been a bit clunky, getting the job done but rarely getting out of second gear. Allar's thrown just four touchdown passes and they've settled for nine field goals, six of those after reaching the Red Zone.

The Penn State defense has allowed just 3.59 yards per play in their 3-0 start, sacking the quarterback nine times. They're physical and disruptive with talent at every level, Zane Durant, Dani Dennis-Sutton up front, Tony Rojas and Amare Campbell at linebacker, A.J. Harris and Zakee Wheatley in the secondary.

Rojas, Dennis-Sutton and Campbell have combined for 12 tackles for loss. As a team the Nittany Lions have stacked up 29, third in the country.

4. Illinois

A veteran team that finished 10-3 last year, the Illini started this season 3-0 with a 45-19 road win at Duke in Week 2, two blowout victories over Western Illinois and Western Michigan.

They didn't look sharp in the early going against WMU, three-and-out on three of five possessions in the first half on their way to a 10-0 lead at halftime. Senior quarterback Luke Altmyerled three touchdown drives in the second half.

The 6-2 senior from Starkville, Mississippi has thrown for eight touchdowns without an interception, connecting on 72 percent of his throws. Running backs Kaden Feagin, Ca'Lil Valentine and Aidan Laughery have pounded out 486 yards on the ground with seven scores.

Feagin is a bulldozer, 6-3, 250.

Senior outside linebacker Gabe Jacas paces the defense, the conference leader with 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss.

5. Indiana

Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers struggled past Old Dominion in the opener, 27-14. They pummeled Kennesaw State and Indiana State to tiptoe into a No. 19 ranking but they host the Illini in the first marquee game of the conference slate this Saturday.

Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza leads all the B1G QBs in touchdown passes with nine, He misfired in the opener running a new offense but has settled down beautifully, completing 19-20 for 270 yards and five touchdowns versus the Sycamores.

IU boasts triple sign power in the backfield, where Kaelon Black, Lee Beebe Jr.and Roman Hemby have rolled up 626 yards rushing, all three over 200 yards with a combined 6.5 yards a carry. Junior wide receiver Omar Cooper struck for 10 catches, 207 yards and four touchdowns in the whitewash of ISU-- he's averaging 23 yards a catch.

Early concern for the Hoosiers is the run defense, Despite playing a tomato can schedule to begin the year they're giving up 4.02 yards on the ground, 14th in the conference. Senior safety Louis Moore swiped passes in each of the team's first two wins and he leads the Hoosiers with 17 tackles.

6. Michigan

A loss at Oklahoma mars the record, but true freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood has passed for 628 yards and ran for 108, accounting for four total touchdowns. Alabama transfer Justice Haynes is second in the conference in rushing with 388 yards, 7.9 yards a carry and 5 touchdowns.

The Wolverines travel to Lincoln this Saturday to take on Dylan Raiola and 3-0 Nebraska, unranked and hungry, 12;30 PT on CBS.

The Rest:

7. Nebraska 3-0. The Cornhuskers scored on seven straight drives against Houston Christian after a Game One escape against Cincinnati in Kansas City and a 68-0 pounding of Akron. It gets real with Saturday's home game against Michigan, a clash that will move them up or down. Big Red defense is 15th in the league against the run, 4.0 yards per carry.

8. USC 3-0. Hot start from Jayden Maiava has Trojan fans thinking playoffs. Jonathan Smith and Michigan State travel to the Coliseum for a reprise of PAC-12 After Dark Saturday night, an 8 p.m.PT start.

9. Washington 2-0. Wins over Colorado State and UC Davis prove little. They face the Buckeyes on September 27 in Seattle.

10. Michigan State, 3-0. At Oregon State Smith was a pickpocket, winning a game or two every year he had no business winning. He has Aiden Chiles playing like a veteran-- the junior from Long Beach has cut down on his errors, throwing for 656 yards and seven TDs with just one interception, rushing for 123 and a score.

11. Iowa 2-1 Mark Gronowski found some rhythm in his third start as a Hawkeye, bouncing back from a loss at 4-0, No. 12 Iowa State. He threw for a pair of touchdowns against the Minutemen as Kirk Ferentz won his 206th game as a Big Ten coach, surpassing Woody Hayes for career victories. They travel to Rutgers Friday night.

12. Minnesota Surprise loss at Cal dampened enthusiasm in Bloomington. Jaron Keawe-Sagapolutele diced the Gopher defense for 279 yards and three touchdowns.

13. Maryland Wait, what? The Terrapins are 3-0, off until they host Rutgers on the 27th. Malik Washington leads a surprising offense, 773 yards and six TDs.

14. Rutgers 3-0. After walloping Norfolk State 60-10 behind 309 yards passing from senior Athan Kaliakmanis, the Scarlet Knights begin their fight for bowl eligibility with Oregon, Illinois, Ohio State and Penn State all on the schedule, plus a road trip to Washington.

15. Wisconsin Loss to Alabama on the road drops Luke Fickell to 0-7 with the Badgers against ranked teams. Conference schedule is brutal, a daunting October that includes No. 21 Michigan, Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State and No. 6 Oregon.

16. Purdue The Boilermakers played USC tough before succumbing 33-17 in West Lafayette as the Trojans beat up quarterback Ryan Browne with five sacks and three interceptions.

17. Northwestern 2-1. David Braun can coach. The Wildcats had a good plan for keeping it close against the Ducks.

18. UCLA 0-3. The Bruins fired all-time running back great DeShaun Foster Sunday and Nico Iamaleava has little help, having made perhaps the worst business decision in Transfer Portal history. He'll get another shot after the season, perhaps at Miami or Clemson.

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