For the third consecutive season I am back with my own personal Big Ten Football Power Poll. Every week I will rank the Big Ten teams how I see them, first by division, and then all fourteen teams in order. Sometimes there is rationality for how I see them ranked, and sometimes its just how I feel at the time. But I promise the rankings will make general sense—no ranking Rutgers #1 or anything stupid like that.

Week Ten was once again carnage in the west where teams are just beating one another up and leaving the scraps for the East winner. Speaking of that East winner—it sure looks like Michigan is in control. Can they get through two yawners before the defining game of Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan coaching career?

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Big Ten East:

#1 Michigan Wolverines

So much for Penn State putting up a fight. The Wolverines destroyed the Nittany Lions 42-7 and jumped up to #4 in the College Football Playoff Rankings. The Wolverines control their own destiny—but will they choke under the pressure. Not likely this week when they head to Rutgers.

#2 Ohio State Buckeyes

The Buckeyes are perilously close to dropping in these rankings. They took a huge scare from Nebraska last Saturday and have not looked good since Minnesota came to town a month ago. This week they have to head to East Lansing for what will determine who gets the #2 slot in these rankings next week.

#3 Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State gets an easy 24-3 win over Maryland and gears up for a huge game for the Fighting Dantonio’s this weekend against the Buckeyes.

#4 Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State got whupped in the Big House. But...because the bottom of the East is garbage, at #4 they stay. Wisconsin comes to town this weekend in a game that looked about 10000x more exciting 6 weeks ago.

#5 Maryland Terrapins

Maryland dealt with their drama by letting Michigan State dominate them. No real surprise there. They play at Indiana this week in the battle for the 5/6 spot.

#6 Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana had a bye and stayed put. They host Maryland in a game they need to win to have any slim chances of bowl eligibility.

#7 Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers is playing ok lately. Not good enough to win, but ok. They still are really bad though and Michigan might hang 70 on them this weekend.

Big Ten West

#1 Wisconsin Badgers

They really don’t deserve this spot, but Iowa lost to Purdue and Northwestern lost to Notre Dame. Que sera, sera. The Badgers head to Happy Valley for what was to be a huge game, but is now just another decent game.

#2 Northwestern Wildcats

Northwestern lost to Notre Dame, but it wasn’t embarassing...so they stay here. They just need to win two of their last three to go to the Big Ten title game with Iowa this week, then Minnesota and Illinois ahead.

#3 Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue got their second harboring of the season last Saturday when a ranked Iowa team lost on a last second field goal. That’s a shame. Any chance Purdue completely overlooks the Gophers this weekend? About 0? Ok...

#4 Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa got harbored and dropped all the way from #1 to #4. Ouch. But these four teams all could really be 1a-1d. It’s pretty much a coin flip of just slightly better than mediocreness. Big?? game against Northwestern this Saturday.

#5 Nebraska Cornhuskers

So Nebraska might actually be figuring things out. Are they getting legitimately better, or is Ohio State just crapping the bed that quickly. Who really knows? If Nebraska really is for real they should smoke Illinois at home this weekend.

#6 Illinois Fighting Illini

Lets forget last Saturday happened. Illini in Lincoln this Saturday.

#7 Minnesota Golden Gophers

Poopy poop poop. Something tells me AJ Barker and Phillip Nelson aren’t playing on Saturday....

Overall Big Ten Rankings (last week in parenthesis)

1. Michigan Wolverines (1)
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (2)
3. Michigan State Spartans (3)
4. Penn State Nittany Lions (4)
5. Wisconsin Badgers (7)
6. Northwestern Wildcats (6)
7. Purdue Boilermakers (8)
8. Iowa Hawkeyes (5)
9. Maryland Terrapins (9)
10. Nebraska Cornhuskers (10)
11. Illinois Fighting Illini (13)
12. Minnesota Golden Gophers (11)
13. Indiana Hoosiers (12)
14. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (14)