Harty: My latest Big Ten football power rankings
IOWA CITY, Iowa –
1. Michigan (6-0) – Jim Harbaugh spent the bye weekend doing more creepy recruiting stuff. Instead of having a sleepover with a recruit, Harbaugh introduced the homecoming queen at Antioch High School, which is about an hour outside of San Francisco.
Harbaugh is trying to convince Antioch star running back Najee Harris to switch his commitment from Alabama to Michigan. Harbaugh could succeed if it comes down to a sleepover. Imagine Nick Saban during a sleepover. It would be lights out at 8 p.m., up by the crack of dawn and absolutely no fun allowed.
As for Harbaugh’s team, it keeps the top spot for a second consecutive week because Ohio State didn’t show enough against Wisconsin to cause a change.
2. Ohio State (6-0) – You wonder if Urban Meyer briefly thought about retiring to spend more time with his family after the Buckeyes fell behind at Wisconsin this past Saturday.
3. Nebraska (6-0) – With so many key seniors on the current team, Nebraska fans are worried just a little bit about next season and whether the Cornhuskers can defend the national title that fans fully expect them to win this season by pounding an overmatched Alabama team in the championship game.
4. Wisconsin (4-2) – Paul Chryst tells some close, personal friends in private that he resents Barry Alvarez moving up his bed time by an hour in the wake of two close losses against elite opponents.
5. Northwestern (3-3) – With morale and confidence no longer an issue following back-to-back victories over Iowa and Michigan State, Pat Fitzgerald doesn’t have to remind his players that they’re more intelligent than the opposing players.
6. Iowa (5-2) – Vegas has the spread at 58 points should Kirk Ferentz decide to hold a scrimmage matching his starters against the reserves.
7. Penn State (4-2) – It wouldn’t surprise me if the NCAA issues a warning to Ohio State to not run up the score.
8. Minnesota (4-2) – I’m hearing that the cast from “Family Guy” traveled from Rhode Island to deliver the pre-game speech before this past Saturday’s victory at Maryland and that Stewie worked the players into a lather.
9. Indiana 3-3) – Kevin Wilson feels that his job is safe because the Hoosiers are without question the best college football team in Indiana.
10. Maryland (4-2) – Okay, now it’s fair for Maryland fans to move on to the upcoming basketball season.
11. Illinois (2-4) –
12. Michigan State (2-4) –
13. Purdue (3-3) –
14. Rutgers (2-5) – There is no truth to the rumor that Rutgers is trying to schedule a game against Iowa’s reserves for later in the season.