Coach Griff’s Week 3 Big Ten Power Rankings: Indiana Takes No. 1

One week ago, Ohio State was the team to beat. Indiana was right behind it, USC was climbing and Oregon still looked like a national-title contender.

Week 2 gave us new evidence. Indiana overwhelmed Howard 55–0. Ohio State controlled much of its showdown at Texas but let a 20-point fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 24–23 loss. Michigan answered its shaky opener by beating Oklahoma 17–10. Oregon’s 39–31 loss at Oklahoma State was the weekend’s biggest warning sign for a Big Ten contender.

These are Coach Griff’s power rankings, not the AP poll or conference standings. The question is which teams look best equipped to win right now. Results and opponent quality matter, but so do line play, consistency and the standard a program has already established. Here is the new order after Week 2, with last week’s spot in parentheses.

Tier 1 — Championship standard

1. Indiana (2)

The defending national champions have earned the top spot. Indiana’s 55–0 win over Howard featured three Charlie Becker touchdown catches, two 100-yard rushers and a defense that allowed only 57 total yards. Howard is not the test that will define the Hoosiers’ ceiling, but Indiana handled the opponent in front of it with the precision a championship program should show.

2. Ohio State (1)

A one-point road loss to the new national No. 1 is not a reason to bury the Buckeyes. For three quarters, Ohio State looked capable of controlling Texas. But failing to close out a 23–3 lead is a real mark against the standard we expect from this team. The talent remains elite; the finish was not.

Tier 2 — Playoff-caliber contenders

3. USC (3)

The Trojans are 3–0, and Jayden Maiava threw five touchdowns in a 49–30 win over Louisiana. That offense can stress nearly anyone, and a third win keeps USC ahead of Michigan for now. Giving up 30 points to Louisiana remains the question that could limit its ceiling.

4. Michigan (8)

No Big Ten team did more to improve its résumé. A week after escaping Western Michigan, the Wolverines held No. 11 Oklahoma to 10 points and won 17–10. The offense still has to find a more dependable rhythm, but the defense and physical identity looked like a contender’s foundation.

5. Iowa (7)

The Hawkeyes beat Iowa State 16–13 in the Cy-Hawk game, winning the kind of tight, physical contest that suits their identity. That win over a tougher opponent puts Iowa ahead of Penn State this week. The Hawkeyes still need more offensive punch to challenge the very top of the league, but their defense and late-game composure are already travel-ready.

6. Penn State (5)

Penn State followed its opening shutout with a 27–9 win at Temple. The Nittany Lions are taking care of business and limiting points. A tougher opponent will tell us more about the offense; Iowa’s Cy-Hawk win gives the Hawkeyes the edge for now.

7. Oregon (4)

This is a serious fall, not an obituary. Oregon has too much talent to write off after two games, yet a 39–31 loss at Oklahoma State cannot be brushed aside—especially after the Cowboys gained 554 yards. The Ducks need to prove they can impose their own terms at the line of scrimmage.

Tier 3 — Rising, but still proving it

8. Nebraska (11)

Nebraska’s 56–7 win over Bowling Green was decisive, and Anthony Colandrea threw four touchdowns. The Cornhuskers have done what they should against the opening schedule. The climb is earned; the next step is to show it against better competition.

9. Maryland (14)

Maryland’s 38–14 road win at UConn deserves attention. Quarterback Malik Washington passed for 347 yards, and the Terrapins have started 2–0 after entering the season with a lot to prove. They rise because the performance was more than simply surviving.

10. Michigan State (15)

The Spartans moved to 2–0 with a 35–7 win over Eastern Michigan. They have shown more consistency than we expected in the early going. The trip to Notre Dame will give us a much clearer measure of how high this team belongs.

11. Washington (6)

Washington is unbeaten, but a 16–14 home win over Utah State after a 24–10 opener against Washington State raises questions about offensive consistency. The Huskies still have talent, but the résumé has not matched the expectation yet.

12. UCLA (12)

The Bruins beat San Diego State 28–10, scoring all their points in the second half. A 2–0 start is valuable. A scoreless first half also reminds us that this offense has to become more reliable before UCLA climbs into the contender conversation.

13. Northwestern (13)

Northwestern did not play in Week 2. Its opening win over South Dakota State remains the only evidence we have, so there is no reason to move the Wildcats far in either direction.

Tier 4 — Answers needed

14. Illinois (10)

Illinois had chances against Duke but lost 31–27 at home. The offense produced, yet the Illini could not finish the game. This is a setback, not a verdict on the season, but it costs them ground in a crowded middle tier.

15. Purdue (16)

Purdue’s 38–36 double-overtime loss to Wake Forest hurts, but there were offensive signs worth keeping. The Boilermakers competed to the end; now they must turn that competitiveness into wins.

16. Minnesota (9)

The Gophers fall sharply after a 38–13 home loss to Mississippi State. A game against a Power Four opponent was an opportunity to validate their opening week. Instead, it exposed a gap Minnesota must close quickly.

17. Wisconsin (17)

Wisconsin responded to its Notre Dame loss with a 36–9 win over Western Illinois. That is a necessary reset, not enough evidence to erase the questions created by Week 1. The Badgers need a stronger performance against better opposition.

18. Rutgers (18)

Rutgers fell 28–21 at Boston College after losing its opener to UMass. The Scarlet Knights are 0–2 and still searching for the consistency needed to climb. Until they show it on the field, they remain at the bottom.

Coach Griff’s final word

The biggest move is at the top: Indiana replaces Ohio State because it is unbeaten, defending a national title and executing its assignments. That is not a declaration that the Hoosiers have answered every question. The schedule will ask harder ones soon.

Michigan earned a major jump with the best Big Ten win of the week, while USC’s 3–0 start keeps the Trojans one place higher. Iowa’s Cy-Hawk victory moves it past Penn State. Oregon earned the hardest drop with the league’s most troubling loss. The middle remains volatile because several teams are still playing opponents that tell us less than their records suggest.

Next week, conference play begins. The rankings will have even less room for reputation and more room for proof.

Fast. Physical. Relentless.