Fansided

Big Ten power rankings, Week 11: Michigan humiliates Penn State

By Ethan Lee

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 03: Chase Winovich #15 of the Michigan Wolverines gets ready to lead the team onto the field prior to the start of the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Penn State 42-7. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 03: Chase Winovich #15 of the Michigan Wolverines gets ready to lead the team onto the field prior to the start of the game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Michigan Stadium on November 3, 2018 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan defeated Penn State 42-7. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images) /
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EVANSTON, IL – SEPTEMBER 29: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines leads his team to the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on September 29, 2018 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
EVANSTON, IL – SEPTEMBER 29: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines leads his team to the field before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on September 29, 2018 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

The Big Ten power rankings entering Week 11 see Michigan and Ohio State check in at 1-2 while Penn State is tumbling after a blowout loss.

This might just be Jim Harbaugh’s season. The Michigan Wolverines may not have a team that can truly rival them for the Big Ten title this season. With the way things are trending at the moment, it appears likely that this conference is going to be claimed by the team from Ann Arbor this season. That is unless more chaos strikes, which could seemingly happen at any time with this conference this year.

During week 10 of the 2018 college football season, the Big Ten didn’t experience many shocking upsets. However, it did see some of its supposedly stronger teams show more weaknesses than what was thought previously possible.

Coming into the season, did anyone expect Wisconsin to struggle and make multiple mistakes against Rutgers, keeping the Scarlet Knights within a distance that likely wasn’t comfortable for Badger fans? What about with Ohio State? How many people just a month ago would have thought that Nebraska would have had a realistic shot at upsetting the Buckeyes?

The Big Ten is something of a mess right now and it looks like that mess is benefitting the team clad in Maize and Blue.

Against a Wisconsin team that was supposed to win the Big Ten West with ease, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights did an admirable job of keeping things interesting. Rutgers wasn’t built to win that game. There’s no way that the Scarlet Knights could have really slowed down Wisconsin’s Johnathan Taylor or hoped to keep up with him, but they did force Alex Hornibrook to throw a couple of picks. Rutgers still isn’t good and the Scarlet Knights don’t get a win simply because they forced a team to struggle, but this was a somewhat respectable effort.

Just one week after things started trending up for Minnesota, the Golden Gophers go and inexplicably get blown out by Illinois. P.J. Fleck’s team had what was supposed to be an easy win right in front of them that would have helped them maybe make a bowl game. Now, with a 4-5 record and a remaining schedule that features Purdue, Northwestern, and Wisconsin, a bowl game seems out of reach.

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