Week 5: Big Ten Top 5 Power Rankings
Through week five, the top five teams are established in the Big Ten. Four Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll and the conference is the best it's been in years in terms of top to bottom. Conference play is underway and we can learn the regular season is shaping up to be super important regarding which team will make the college football playoff. Let’s take a look at the top five power rankings and see who is leading the conference. Here we go.
5. Michigan State (5-0)
The Spartans have looked opposite to the team they had in 2020 and it comes down to them having a functional offense. The offense is averaging 37.8 points per game which ranks 19th among FBS teams. They do not turn the ball over often which is a recipe for success. The rushing attack for Michigan State is the best part of their offense, Kenneth Walker III has eight touchdowns and 680-yards through just five games. Look out for the Spartans to make noise and potentially upset the teams ahead of him.
4. Michigan (5-0)
The Wolverines started the season unranked after a disappointing 2020, now they sit at No. 9 in the nation. Michigan is coming off an impressive win versus Wisconsin but in reality, the Badgers aren’t a good football team. There hasn’t been an impressive win yet for the Wolverines which is why I have them ranked at No. 4. But credit is due, the defense and offense both look great. The defense is giving up 12.8 points per game while the offense is averaging 39.8 points. Michigan knows their identity but they haven’t played anybody to prove their worth. We will get a better idea of who the Wolverines are as we progress in the season.
3. Penn State (5-0)
Ranking the top three is super difficult but it comes down to which offense has the most weapons. Although wide receiver Jahan Dotson and Sean Clifford are performing well, Penn State’s offense is not dynamic. Right now, the offense is averaging 30 points per game ranking 63rd in the country. The defense is elite, they are giving up only 12 points per game and they are forcing 1.8 turnovers per game. In week six, they will learn more about their team when they play No. 3 Iowa.
2. Iowa (5-0)
Iowa forces you to beat them offensively and not many teams in the conference can do that. The defense is really good, they are ranked second in the nation giving up 11.6 points per game. The Hawkeyes take the ball away and force turnovers as they are averaging 3.2 turnovers a game. They have beaten legit teams in Maryland, Indiana, and Iowa State. Quarterback Spencer Petras is playing solid football, he isn’t necessarily special but he is managing the games well by not giving the ball away. We will see just how good Iowa is when they play Penn State in week six.
1. Ohio State (4-1)
Ohio State is still the best team in the conference. After losing to Oregon in week two, everybody was out on the Buckeyes and their defense. But, in the past two weeks, the defense has had five takeaways and, the young guys on defense are starting to figure it out. The offense is what separates them from the rest of the conference. C.J. Stroud is finding his groove after the Rutgers game, and the offense is averaging 45 points per game, 4th in the nation. Freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson is emerging as the best running back in the conference and, he is averaging 9.4 yards a carry. The wide receiver unit is the best in the nation and, the offense is too good for other teams to compete with Ohio State.
References: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/
-By: Justin Howard