The action in the Big Ten concluded on Sunday night and it was an impressive week for the conference as a whole.
There was plenty of movement among the rankings as teams took the field for the first time. Who made the biggest jump/fall?
So much for betting the over, Aidan Chiles. Michigan State looked like what we all expected from the team in its first season under Jonathan Smith. While this remains a great hire for the program, it is going to take some time. Chiles was expected to come in and make an impact right away, and he still has the chance to do so, but it did not happen in Week 1. He totaled 114 yards and two interceptions through the air. This was against FAU. It was an ugly start to the season for this Michigan State offense.
It was supposed to be a down year for the Bruins but could it be worse than anticipated? It took until the second half for an Eric Bieniemy-led offense to score its first points of the season. Hawaii took a 10-0 lead into halftime by getting pressure on quarterback Ethan Garbers early and often. This led to bad decision making, including two interceptions. UCLA escaped with a victory but this game did little to inspire confidence in the team moving forward.
It was a strange opening week for Northwestern in many ways. The game took place on its practice field that was turned into a makeshift stadium. On the field, the Wildcats made fans question whether or not last season was a dream. What should have been a walkover for Northwestern turned into a 13-6 win against Miami Ohio. It is hard not to take much stock in this game but that should be the case with Northwestern. We'll still wait and see what this team is this season but a drop in the rankings in more than warranted.
Minnesota was the lone Big Ten team to suffer a loss this weekend. The Gophers' offense looked thin around quarterback Max Brosmer, who showed potential with some impressive throws in the fourth quarter. This includes a final drive that got Minnesota in field goal range before a missed kick that would have won the game. The grass might not be greener moving forward. The offense lacks weapons and let's not forget, PJ Fleck is the head coach. That is no reason for positive thoughts.
Purdue needed a performance like this to begin the season. The defense for the Boilermakers was supposed to be able to compete but it was Hudson Card and the offense that impressed. Card went 24-for-25 for 273 yards and four touchdowns against a bad Indiana State team. Of course, fans know better than to expect this type of performance on a weekly basis but it was time to party on Saturday. Defensively, it was what we expected as the team allowed just 50 passing yards.
It was a good week for some of the lesser teams in the Big Ten to beat up on Group of Five teams. Indiana did this despite the offense not putting up its best performance. Kurtis Rourke completed just 15 passes with two going to Eijah Sarratt. The defense was clicking early on but there is plenty to be desired with this Hoosier offense.
Illinois is another Big Ten team that beat up on an inferior opponent in Week 1. Luke Altmyer led the offense with four touchdowns. Defensively, the Illinois allowed just 49 yards on the ground. That is impressive from a defensive front that lost plenty of production from 2023. the trenches for the Illini will be tested all season long in this conference and it is unknown how it will hold up. What we do know is that it worked in the first game of the season.
Billy Edwards Jr. won the starting job this season and finished with 311 yards and two touchdowns in his first start. The post Taulia Tagovailoa began with 50 points as the offense showed off plenty of weapons. Granted, the Terps played UConn but there has to be some excitement around the team with the style of play in Week 1.
There is nothing that can be drawn from a win over Weber State in Week 1. This is the reason the Huskies are staying where they began the season among these rankings. Will Rogers tossed a touchdown. Demond Williams Jr. added one and Jonah Coleman rushed for 127 yards and three scores. This remains a new-look Washington team with a new head coach. That brings plenty of question marks and it was hard to answer any in the first game of the season.
Wisconsin-Western Michigan early in the season. The Badgers had to roll, right? Well, they trailed early in the fourth quarter. Wisconsin and new quarterback Tyler Van Dyke scored just 13 points in the first three quarters of this contest. The passing game struggled. We should see a lot of the ground game from Wisconsin this season to go with a strong defense. With a lack of a passing attack, it will be interesting to see how the offense moves this season.
Did Rutgers really deserve to move up a spot here? Not necessarily but we're going to give them the benefit of the doubt. It was an ugly start for the Scarlet Knights, who struggled to get the offense going in the first half. Rutgers began pounding the ball on the ground. Kyle Monangai finished with 165 yards, which ties a career high. Athan Kaliakmanis threw three touchdowns and the defense got in the end zone on an Eric rogers pick six. Rutgers is home once again this weekend looking to take care of business against Akron.
The hype around Nebraska and Dylan Raiola finally hit the field. Matt Rhule took over at Nebraska last season and now has a five-star quarterback that looks to help turn the program around. Raiola finished with 238 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start. Raiola showed an immediate connection with Isaiah Neyor and this could be the theme for the season. There will be another weak defense on the schedule come Saturday as Nebraska takes on Colorado.
Iowa has struggled to score against anyone in recent years. Brian Ferentz might be gone but it felt like deja vu in the first half as the Hawkeyes scored just six points in the first half against Illinois State. The offense finally woke up in the second half. Cade McNamara threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns. The defense is as good as ever. If the team can find a way to score points, Iowa will be a threat once again.
Michigan could have easily been sixth this week after its performance in Week 1. The offense had just 13 points against Fresno State through three quarters. Davis Warren was decent in his first start but all preseason questions reared their heads in the opener for the Wolverines. This goes from the head coach to the offensive weapons. The one area there was not a question mark was in the backfield with Donovan Edwards. Is there one now? The back finished with 27 yards on 11 carries. This is not the National Champion Wolverines this season.
The start of the Dillon Gabriel era was not a good one for the Ducks. Oregon, who has Big Ten Championship Game aspirations, led Idaho by three entering the fourth quarter. The offensive line struggled and this led to the offense sputtering at times. This was worthy of a drop in the rankings. How far? A couple spots felt necessary. This is a team that will rise from here but it was pretty ugly in Week 1.
It was a great opener for USC in a standalone game on Sunday night. The Trojans took down a Top 15 LSU team and did it with strong play on both sides of the ball. Miller Moss looked great and the Trojans defense looked like a threat. Lincoln Riley might have the best defensive group he has had in some time. There were questions around what the Trojans would be this season and some were answered right away.
Penn State silenced any hype surrounding West Virginia on Saturday by scoring the first two touchdowns of the game. The Mountaineers were one of the trendiest underdogs in Week 1 and were never in it. Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki took Drew Allar out of a box and let him throw the ball down the field. He also used his legs effectively to go with a two-headed monster in the backfield. The Nittany Lions, along with one of the top defenses in the nation, looked dangerous in the opener.
Ohio State scored basically 17 points on defense against Akron. The offense did not score 60+ like expected but Jeremiah Smith was the standout star. The true freshman score twice in his debut and has the chance to be a legitimate No. 1 receiver in his career. Ohio State rolled in what was a glorified preseason game and started a potential National Title run in a big way.