Big Ten power rankings: How far did the Gophers tumble?
What's standing between Michigan and a higher ranking? Where are the Gophers after their jarring loss to Northwestern? The latest from college football writer Randy Johnson.
September 26, 2023 at 3:42PM
1. Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten): Late rally at Notre Dame shows QB Kyle McCord can rise to the moment.
2. Penn State (4-0, 2-0): Balanced Nittany Lions get four TD passes from Drew Allar vs. Iowa, keep the ball for 42 minutes.
3. Michigan (4-0, 1-0): Soft schedule so far pushes Wolverines down. They'll have their chances to move up against Nittany Lions, Buckeyes.
4. Maryland (4-0, 1-0): Terps defense forces five Michigan State turnovers while Taulia Tagovailoa accounts for four TDs.
5. Wisconsin (3-1, 1-0): Seventeenth consecutive win over Purdue was costly: RB Chez Mellusi lost for season.
6. Rutgers (3-1, 1-1): Scarlet Knights hung with Wolverines until mistakes did them in.
7. Iowa (3-1, 0-1): Hawkeyes cough up four turnovers, generate only 76 yards at Penn State.
8. Northwestern (2-2, 1-1): Wildcats roll up 313 yards, 30 points after halftime to stun Gophers.
9. Illinois (2-2, 0-1): Fighting Illini rally, then hang on for six-point win over Florida Atlantic.
10. Gophers (2-2, 1-1): Up 31-10 in the fourth quarter, Gophers stop playing defense vs. Northwestern.
11. Nebraska (2-2, 0-1): Huskers rush for 312 yards in win over Louisiana Tech.
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12. Indiana (2-2, 0-1): Hoosiers needed OT to beat Akron.
13. Michigan State (2-2, 0-1): Spartans have been outscored 72-16 over the past two weeks.
14. Purdue (1-3, 0-1): Boilermakers have given up an average of 37.3 points in their three losses.
The Gophers were left to ponder what might have been and what kind of team they are after staging a stirring fourth-quarter comeback in a 27-24 loss to the Wolverines.
