Iowa absolutely manhandled UNI, earning them a perfect 3-0 start to the season.
The Hawkeyes jumped slightly to No. 17 in the AP Top-25 rankings before the Big Ten schedule begins, setting up a top-20 road matchup against Michigan in week four. Before the Hawks hit the road, we have the week four power rankings for all 18 Big Ten squads.
No. 18: Rutgers (0-3, 0-1 Big Ten)
Week three: 35-42 loss vs. USC
Rutgers took USC to the wire in Piscataway, but ultimately lacked enough defense to put the Trojans away. Rutgers' leaky defense allowed USC 460 total yards, ultimately sealing their fate. They looked better in week three, but not enough to get out of the cellar.
Next game: vs. Howard (Piscataway, NJ)
No. 17: Purdue (1-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
Week three: 38-52 loss at UCLA
Purdue hung with UCLA for most of the game, but shot itself in the foot with three costly turnovers. The offense was also extremely one-sided, and the defense couldn't stop a nosebleed, allowing 645 total yards. Purdue couldn't get out of its own way and has now lost 19 straight Big Ten games.
Next game: September 26 vs. Notre Dame (West Lafayette, IN)
No. 16: Maryland (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 26-35 loss vs. Virginia Tech
Continuing the theme of limited defense, Maryland looked bad at home against Virginia Tech. They had success in the passing game (359), but didn't do enough on defense to win. Virginia Tech led wire-to-wire, and the schedule doesn't get easier with UCLA coming to town.
Next game: September 26 vs. UCLA (College Park, MD)
No. 15: Michigan State (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 10-27 loss at Notre Dame
Michigan State had a massive uphill climb against Notre Dame in week three. The Spartans were on the road in South Bend and were a 28.5-point underdog against the Fighting Irish. They ultimately lost, but covered the spread, so hey, there's that.
Next game: September 26 vs. Nebraska (East Lansing, MI)
No. 14: Minnesota (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 41-7 win vs. Akron
Minnesota suffered an ugly 38-13 loss to Mississippi State in week two, managing only 13 rushing yards and 292 total yards. The Golden Gophers bounced back nicely in week three against Akron with a more well-balanced offense, but they will need to be on point against a tough Washington team in Seattle in week four.
Next game: September 26 at Washington (Seattle)
No. 13: Illinois (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 48-10 win vs. Southern Illinois
Illinois should be 3-0, but a costly turnover against Duke sunk their chances in week two. The Fighting Illini bounced back with a win in week three, but it was against FCS squad, Southern Illinois, so nothing to write home about.
Next game: September 26 at Ohio State (Columbus, OH)
No. 12: Wisconsin (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 54-10 win vs. Eastern Michigan
Wisconsin came out flat against Eastern Michigan and trailed for most of the first half. Despite the early deficit, the Badgers offense woke up, tallying 479 total yards and 54 points to easily take care of Eastern Michigan. The Badgers can afford a repeat performance when they travel to Penn State in week four.
Next game: September 26 at Penn State (University Park, PA)
No. 11: Nebraska (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 34-7 win vs. North Dakota
Nebraska has rattled off three wins to start the 2026 season and easily beat North Dakota in week three. North Dakota recently signed a deal to play against Iowa in week zero in 2027.
Next game: September 26 at Michigan State (East Lansing, MI)
No. 10: Northwestern (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 41-7 win vs. Colorado
Northwestern had a rare week two by, giving them plenty of time to prepare for Coach Prime and the Colorado Buffaloes. The extra week of preparation paid off as the Wildcats easily handled the Buffaloes to move to 2-0. Michigan State transfer Aidan Chiles looks to be the real deal at quarterback, throwing for 514 yards in just two games.
Next game: September 25 at Indiana (Bloomington, IN)
No. 9: Washington (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 48-16 win vs. Eastern Washington
Washington hasn't lived up to the preseason hype just yet, but dropped a cool 48 points in week three. It was against FCS squad Eastern Washington, but it was still a positive sign for the Huskies offense.
Next game: September 26 vs. Minnesota (Seattle)
No. 8: Michigan (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 52-17 win vs. UTEP
After a questionable week-one win, Michigan followed by a surprising win over a ranked Oklahoma squad, then a dominant victory over UTEP. We don't know what we'll get from the Wolverines from week to week, and they start with a tough home matchup against the Hawkeyes in week four.
Next game: September 26 vs. Iowa (Ann Arbor, MI)
No. 7: USC (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 42-35 win at Rutgers
There are never easy games in the Big Ten, and USC nearly found that out the hard way in week three. The Trojans were heavy favorites against Rutgers on the road, but the Scarlet Knights gave them everything they could handle. USC escaped with a win, and started their Big Ten schedule off strong.
Next game: September 26 vs. Oregon (Los Angeles)
No. 6: Iowa (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 55-0 win vs. UNI
It was hard to not put Iowa in the top five after a commanding 55-0 victory in week three, but UNI isn't exactly the strongest opponent. The Hawkeyes' offense has been surprisingly good, and the defense is currently ranked No. 1 overall in college football, signaling that the Hawkeyes are for real. The real season starts in week four with a tough road test against Michigan.
Next game: September 26 at Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI)
No. 5: UCLA (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 52-38 win vs. Purdue
UCLA has looked solid to start the 2026 season, and even though they needed 52 points to take down Purdue, they earned their first Big Ten win. The Bruins had a well-balanced offensive attack, tallying 645 total yards, and look to have put the struggles from the 2025 season in their rearview mirror.
Next game: September 26 at Maryland (College Park, MD)
No. 4: Oregon (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 84-0 win over Portland
The Ducks took out their anger on a helpless Portland squad after a surprise week-two loss to Oklahoma State. Oregon could easily have been lower on this list, especially after a classless move by Dan Lanning to run up the score, but they did score 84 points.
Next game: September 26 at USC (Los Angeles)
No. 3: Penn State (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 55-13 win vs. Buffalo
The Matt Campbell era at Penn State has started well with three straight wins. The wins have all come against weaker opponents, but the Nittany Lions are taking care of business against the teams they should beat. The competition ramps up in week four as they welcome Wisconsin to University Park.
Next game: September 26 vs. Wisconsin
No. 2: Ohio State (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 59-3 win vs. Kent State
Thankfull for the Hawkeyes, they weren't the next game after Ohio State took a tough week-two road loss to Texas. The Buckeyes absolutely manhandled Kent State and will look to do the same to Illinois, as they welcome the Fighting Illini to Columbus.
Next game: September 26 vs. Illinois (Columbus, OH)
No. 1: Indiana (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Week three: 38-0 win vs. Western Kentucky
Indiana has absolutely dominated its first three opponents, and until the Hoosiers lose, they will stay atop the power rankings. The Hooisers looked poised for another deep CFP run, and start their Big Ten schedule with a home game against Northwestern.
Next game: September 26 vs. Northwestern (Bloomington, IN)
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