1. Wisconsin: The Badgers looked like a well oiled machine last week stomping UNLV. Russell Wilson looks like he may be as good as advertised after an impressive debut in Camp Randall. Keep your eye on Wilson as a dark horse Heisman candidate.
2. Ohio State: Most people noticed that the Buckeyes still have plenty of athletes at their disposal. Don't let their off the field issues and suspensions fool you. This team is still the deepest in the conference and it will show, especially as the year wears on. Joe Bauserman, who will turn 26 in October, may be the perfect quarterback to lead this team. An older, mature quarterback is not a bad thing for a team that has lacked discipline off the field.
3. Iowa: I am starting to worry about the Hawkeyes depth at running back, especially after Mika'il McCall suffered a season ending injury against Tennessee Tech. Marcus Coker is great, but even with his size he'll need help from someone and he won't have Adam Robinson, or McCall to give him a breather this year. On a positive note James Vandenburg continues to impress me. I think he is the best pure passer in the conference and he did nothing to make me sway from my opinion last week. Look for Vandenburg and Marvin McNutt to hook up again this week early and often against rival Iowa State. The Hawkeyes defense looked good last week, but we won't have an idea as to just how good it will be for another 3-4 weeks.
4. Nebraska: A route of Chatanooga does nothing for me. On a positive note Taylor Martinez looked healthy rushing for over 100 yards in the win. Rex Burkhead is who he is - workmanlike and nothing better. The Blackshirts D will be great once again, but the measuring stick for how successful this team will be rests within the consistency of the offense and the jury is still out.
5. Michigan State: The Spartans looked lethargic against Youngstown State, but it's understandable after the recent death of Mark Dantonio's father. I expect the Spartans to look much better this week against Florida Atlantic.
6. Penn State: Silas Redd is a creature, but the rest of the Nittany Lion offense leaves a lot to be desired. They still haven't a clue who their quarterback is going to be and they have the pleasure of playing Alabama this week. The Nittany Lions defense is good, but not good enough to stop BAMA. I see the Nittany Lions getting routed this weekend.
7. Michigan: What's this?! A Michigan defense showing a pulse? That was a sight for sore eyes for Wolverine fans everywhere. The offense looked neutered, but man that D looked a lot better, then again they played Western Michigan... But what does that say about the offense than? I think DRob and company will get their act together eventually and it probably starts this week against a reeling but ticked off Notre Dame team.
8. Illinois: That was a sloppy defensive performance from the Illini and I am tempted to drop them lower in my power rankings, but I will keep them here for now. It's always a risk to buy a Ron Zook coached team's stock and I am thinking about selling all of my shares sooner rather than later. This team definitely has some talent, but I worry about the organization and discipline as well as their identity. It seems like the coaching staff in Champaign has become obsessed with throwing the ball more this year, which would be a catastrophic mistake. This team is made to run the ball with it's offensive line and Nathan Scheelhaase, let's not turn Scheelhaase into another Juice Williams and take him out of his comfort zone. Illinois has been the most successful running the football under Zook and they shouldn't get too cute with airing it out.
9. Minnesota: The Gophers are a team I am tempted to put higher, but I am going to refrain because it was just one game. I still need to see the Gophers smash a team they are supposed to before I am ready to say they have turned a corner. There have been way to many losses and close calls against teams from the Dakota's and directional namesakes. The Gophers need to do what they did under Glen Mason - bully an inferior opponent into submission. They will get their chance this week against New Mexico State, which is one of the worst programs in the FBS.
10. Northwestern: Count me unimpressed with Northwestern's win over Boston College. Yeah I know it was a road win against a BCS conference opponent, but Boston College is awful, and even Pat Fitzgerald admitted as much. Fitzgerald had this to say "We let a team hang around that had no business doing so." The Cats are clearly a well coached team under Fitzgerald, but I need to see more than just a so-so victory over a lower echelon BCS conference team like BC. I will give the Cats credit for doing what they did with backup Kain Colter, but Minnesota almost upset USC with a true freshman.
11. Purdue: I have a hunch this is going to be Danny Hope's last season in West Lafayette and for the record I hope I'm wrong. Hope is an incredibly likable, engaging individual, but he is a shadow of his predecessor when it comes to coaching. He does have the best mustache in the league however...
12. Indiana: When IU first hired Kevin Wilson I snickered a bit because he has been a career assistant and is an offensive minded coach and the Hoosiers needed their D fixed, not their O. After gaining a verbal commitment from Gunner Kiel, one of the nations top prep quarterbacks, I started to become a believer, and then they got their @$$*$ kicked at the line of scrimmage by a MAC team and I am off the Wilson band wagon once again. Hee hee
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