Iowa’s next opponent leads my latest Big Ten football power rankings
IOWA CITY, Iowa – This is Jim Harbaugh's quirky world and the rest of the Big Ten, including Ohio State, is just trying to survive in it .
Second-ranked Michigan continues to lead my Big Ten power rankings after yet another lopsided victory this past weekend over Maryland. The Wolverines also are favored by at least three touchdowns heading into Saturday's game against Iowa at Kinnick Stadium.
Harbaugh has made football fun for the Michigan players, but the rest of the conference isn't laughing.
1. Michigan (9-0 overall, 6-0 Big Ten) – Harbaugh should motivate his players by taking them to the house in Iowa City in which he lived for three years as a kid in the early 1970s when his father was a member of Frank Lauterbur’s coaching staff at Iowa. Harbaugh could deliver a passionate speech in the front yard about how his life hasn’t been the same since Lauterbur and his assistants were fired in the wake of a 0-11 season in 1973.
2. Ohio State (8-1, 5-1) – I’d respect Urban Meyer a lot more if he led the Cleveland Browns to a 63-3 victory over Nebraska instead of Ohio State.
3. Wisconsin (7-2, 4-2) – Barry Alvarez rewards Paul Chryst for being the first Wisconsin coach to win at Northwestern since 1999 by allowing him to address the team without speaking to him first about what to say.
4. Penn State (7-2, 5-1) – I’d rather see a statue of Saquon Barkley than Joe Paterno.
5. Minnesota (7-2, 4-2) – The Gophers might be the worst 7-2 team in college football, slightly ahead of Nebraska.
6. Nebraska (7-2, 4-2) – Nebraska fans explain the 63-3 loss to Ohio State by saying it’s hard when your team has a target on its back and is always the game of the year for less-prestigious programs like Ohio State.
7. Northwestern (4-5, 3-3) – This ranking was so close between the Wildcats, Hawkeyes and Terrapins that ACT scores had to be used in order to make a choice.
8. Iowa (5-4, 3-3) – Sadly, the Iowa offense could practice in a phone booth.
9. Maryland (5-4, 2-4) – Quick, name Maryland’s head coach. Time’s up. His name is D.K. Durkin.
10. Indiana (5-4, 3-3) – To make his defense meaner and nastier, Kevin Wilson should have Bob Knight address the team.
11. Illinois (3-6, 2-4) – Lovie Smith is used to losing football games in the state of Wisconsin after coaching the Bears. That trend should continue on Saturday in Madison, Wis.
12. Purdue (3-6, 1-5) – The Boilermakers are allowing an average of 37.6 points per game, which might get the job done against a Todd Lickliter-coached basketball team, but not against quality Big Ten football opponents.
13. Michigan State (2-7, 0-6) – Mark Dantonio tells his players after each loss to keep grinding and they eventually will be rewarded for staying the course. Well, here comes the reward with the Spartans set to host Rutgers on Saturday.
14. Rutgers (2-7, 0-6) – The Big Ten should consider using a mercy rule for games when Rutgers falls behind by 50 points.