Nebraska, Penn State Shine in Week 4 Big Ten Power Rankings

Saturday Blitz Big Ten Power Rankings Week 4

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers, 4-0 (0-0), Defeated Miami Hurricanes 41-31 Last Saturday

Midway through the McNeese State game two weeks ago, it seemed laughable that the Nebraska Cornhuskers would be in the top spot going into Week 5 of the college football season. But after refocusing, Bo Pelini’s team beat a pretty good Miami Hurricanes team, Ameer Abdullah is making a case to become a Heisman candidate, and the Huskers look like they’re finally ready to take that jump and lose fewer than 4 games this year.

Nebraska is winning an old-school way: with a mobile quarterback in Tommy Armstrong, Jr. and a running back that make for a dominant running game and a passing game that is only there when needed. That’s old-school Cornhuskers football, and if the Pelini-coached defense can begin to improve and play to the level we know it is capable of playing at, then this team could be great.

The Huskers right now are showing that there’s still hope for the Big Ten, and there’s no reason to sleep on them yet as a legitimate Big Ten Title and college football playoff contender. We’ll find out just how legitimate that is over the next two weeks with games against Illinois and then at Michigan State. If they are 6-0 by the end of next weekend going into their bye week, then we should have no more questions about this team. For now, they belong at the top of the Big Ten with a good win a no losses.