Big Ten power rankings: USC squeaks out win, sets up showdown at Oregon

1. Ohio State (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten): With Carnell Tate out and fellow top wideout Jeremiah Smith limited, the Buckeyes leaned on their ground game (222 rushing yards) to beat UCLA 48-10. Ohio State is set host to Rutgers before the regular-season finale at Michigan.

2. Indiana (11-0, 8-0): Fernando Mendoza’s sizzling day — 22-for-24, 299 yards, four TDs — led the Hoosiers to a 31-7 victory over Wisconsin. A win over last-place Purdue on Nov. 29 will put Indiana in the Big Ten title game.

3. Oregon (9-1, 6-1): The Ducks warmed up for next weekend’s showdown vs. USC by rolling to a 42-13 win over the Gophers. A spot in the College Football Playoff could be on the line against the Trojans.

4. USC (8-2, 6-1): Down 14 points against Iowa, the Trojans scored the final 19 in a 26-21 victory. They will try to make the case that they’re deserving of a playoff berth in Saturday’s game at Oregon.

5. Michigan (8-2, 6-1): The Wolverines needed a last-second field goal to edge Northwestern 24-22 at Wrigley Field, overcoming three second-half turnovers in the process.

6. Iowa (6-4, 4-3): QB Mark Gronowski ran for a touchdown, passed for a TD and caught a TD pass in the first half vs. USC, but the Hawkeyes offense was a no-show in the second half of a five-point loss. Iowa has lost to four ranked teams this season by a combined 15 points.

7. Illinois (7-3, 4-3): With their 24-6 victory over Maryland, the Fighting Illini are on track for a 9-3 regular season. They close with a trip to Wisconsin and a home game against Northwestern.

9. Gophers (6-4, 4-3): The Gophers lost 42-13 on Friday at Oregon, and the three teams that have beaten Minnesota in Big Ten play are a combined 17-4 in conference games. Minnesota’s four Big Ten wins are against teams with a combined 6-23 league record.

10. Nebraska (7-3, 4-3): The Cornhuskers were idle this past weekend in advance of Saturday night’s game at Penn State.

11. Northwestern (5-5, 3-4): At 5-5 after a 24-22 loss to Michigan, the Wildcats need to beat either the Gophers on Saturday at Wrigley Field or Illinois in Champaign on Nov. 29 to secure bowl eligibility.

12. Rutgers (5-5, 2-5): The Scarlet Knights were on bye this weekend. To secure bowl eligibility, they must defeat either Ohio State on Saturday or Penn State in the finale.

13. UCLA (3-7, 3-4): With QB Nico Iamaleava out because of a concussion, the Bruins mustered only 50 first-half yards in a 48-10 loss to Ohio State.

15. Maryland (4-6, 1-6): The Terrapins dropped their sixth straight in a 24-6 loss at Illinois, but athletic director Jim Smith announced Sunday that coach Mike Locksley will return for a ninth season in 2026.

16. Wisconsin (3-7, 1-6): The Badgers trailed Indiana 10-7 at halftime but gained only 23 yards in the second half of a 31-7 loss. Wisconsin will host Illinois on Saturday before finishing the season against the Gophers in Minneapolis.

17. Michigan State (3-7, 0-7): The Spartans gave up five more sacks in a 28-10 loss to Penn State and have allowed a Big Ten-most 35 this year.