2024 Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State, Indiana, Iowa climbing after Week 10
Before the season began, there were two games that college football fans and analysts circled as must-watch matchups in this year's Big Ten: Ohio State at Oregon on Oct. 12 in a showdown between the conference's best team of the past decade and its best newcomer from the Pac-12, and Ohio State at Penn State on Nov. 2 in a contest that many expected to have massive league championship and College Football Playoff implications.
The first of those two games delivered an absolute classic at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, with the Ducks prevailing by a point. And while Saturday's showdown at Beaver Stadium was much more of a slugfest than an aesthetic masterpiece, both teams had chances to win deep into the fourth quarter. In the end, Ohio State earned its 10th win over the Nittany Lions in 11 tries against head coach James Franklin and reclaimed the right to control its own destiny in the Big Ten.
Elsewhere around the league, Indiana stormed to a ninth consecutive win and climbed to No. 8 in the AP Poll, while USC suffered another devastating one-score loss to fall below .500 on the season.
Here’s a fresh batch of Big Ten Power Rankings following Week 10:
1. Oregon (9-0 overall, 6-0 Big Ten)
Result: 38-17 road win over Michigan
For the second time in as many weeks, the Ducks handled most of their business in the first half en route to another comfortable Big Ten victory. Oregon hung 35 points on then-No. 20 Illinois during the first two quarters before coasting to an easy win, and this time it built a 28-10 advantage over Michigan going into the break. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy, completed 22 of 34 passes for 294 yards and one touchdown in what was his second