The Big Ten Conference is a gauntlet in college football, and here is where each team stacks up after an intense week five.
No. 1: Ohio State
They may just be inevitable; the road win at Washington, one of the loudest stadiums in college football, was the most impressive win of the season so far.
Credit Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia for making halftime adjustments that completely suffocated Washington's offense, helping turn this team into a powerhouse that may indeed find itself able to repeat as national champions come January.
No. 2: Oregon
The overtime win on the road at Happy Valley and the early drubbing of Oklahoma State show Dan Lanning once again has assembled a monster of a team in the Big Ten.
With impressive and patient quarterback play by Dante Moore and a defense that'll knock your teeth out, you'd better hope Oregon isn't on your schedule.
No. 3: Indiana
The 5-0 Hoosiers may be on their way to two straight years as an at-large bid in the College Football Playoffs.
Love or hate Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti, he knows how to put together a tough team that will leave others in the dust.
No. 4: Michigan
Freshman Quarterback Bryce Underwood will improve the rest of the year, as will the Wolverine defense.
This could become a formidable contender, one that may even have a chance at making the College Football Playoffs.
No. 5 Penn State
Many Penn State fans want James Franklin gone because of his record in big games, but let's not kid ourselves.
Even if the Nittany Lions aren't perfect, this is still a coach that over a hundred colleges would dump several truckloads of money's worth on his front lawn to have him come coach at their school; don't expect Penn State to fold and give up on the year.
No. 6: Illinois
This is a team worthy of being ranked in the AP Top 25 in college football.
Sure, giving up 63 to Indiana stings, but with wins over USC and a road win over Duke (who has improved significantly since their early loss), the Illini still have a lot to fight for this season.
No. 7: University of Southern California (USC)
While the defensive front for USC was exposed on Saturday's loss to Illinois, there's still a lot to like about this team.
With Jordan Waymond putting up over 500 yards already this season and Jayden Maiava also passing the eye test early, Lincoln Reily's seat feels cooler by the week.
No. 8: Nebraska
While the defensive front for USC was exposed on Saturday's loss to Illinois, there's still a lot to like about this team.
With Jordan Waymond putting up over 500 yards already this season and Jayden Maiava also passing the eye test early, Lincoln Reily's seat feels cooler by the week.
No. 9: Iowa
Losing by only one score to two highly ranked teams, as per the AP Poll, does give me some confidence, as does an improving defense.
However, the uncertainty of Quarterback Mark Gronowski's health for the rest of the year leaves me worried and unwilling to put the Hawks any higher than 9.
No. 10: Washington
While that first half performance against Ohio St. this past weekend was promising, the finish was more than flat.
Luckily, Washington has one of the easiest schedules going forward and will likely end up with a winning conference record.
No. 11: Minnesota
P.J. Fleck, love him or hate him, always seems to put together a team willing to fight. Aside from a bad performance late on the West Coast against Cal, this Minnesota squad has a solid run game and a good defense.
No. 12: Michigan State
The double OT win against Boston College, a team that has lost to both Cal and Stanford in the ACC, has not aged particularly well for the Spartans.
With a tough road schedule ahead, the Spartans will need Quarterback Aidan Chiles to keep turnovers to a minimum.
No. 13: Maryland
While they may be 4-0, and freshman Quarterback Malik Washington has played well through September, I expect the toughening schedule for the Terrapins to start taking its toll.
They'll still be far from an easy win, but don't expect that perfect record to go far into October.
No. 14: Rutgers
Don't let the 0-2 conference record fool you, the air attack by former Minnesota Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is tough to beat.
While they also don't get too many easy games the rest of the way, don't be surprised if they make a run for being bowl eligible.
No. 15: Northwestern
The Wildcats are 1-1 in conference play, but there's room to improve. Komolafe and Himon offer something of a two-headed running back style that could be tough to nail down for rushing defenses.
No. 16: Purdue
Barry Odom's first year in West Lafayette was always going to be tough, especially with how last year went for the Boilermakers.
They also don't have many breaks in their upcoming schedule. We should expect only modest gains for the remainder of the season.
No. 17: Wisconsin
With not just a monstrously tough conference schedule, but also a hurt quarterback who will be a game-time decision this week, Wisconsin is also in a tough spot this year.
Set expectations low for the remainder of 2025.
No. 18: UCLA
The only 0-4 team in the Big Ten, and it shows with poor quarterback play by former Tennessee sensation Nico Iamaleava and Head Coach DeShaun Foster being fired after the week 3 loss to New Mexico.
The Bruins will have to look forward to next year.