Big Ten football power rankings Week 5: Minnesota soaring to new heights

There were several conference games across Big Ten football on the final weekend of September. The results provided some clarity particularly for the teams at the top.

There are some tiers of the conference that have started to emerge. There are two teams that look particularly awful in the conference basement. Then there is a middle tier of eight teams that really could be put in any order and could be viewed as right. These teams have flaws that must be fixed if they are to contend for a division crown and/or bowl eligibility.

Then there are the top four teams. These teams look like complete teams so far. Although there are challenges left on each of their schedules as we head into October, these four teams look like the ones that will be competing for a spot  in Indianapolis at the end of the regular season.

The non-conference schedule is now complete for all Big Ten teams. There is a ton of football left and things will change some along the way. But let’s get to how the conference looks after one month of play.