Big Ten football power rankings, Week 9: Purdue stumbles

The Wildcats put up a decent fight against Maryland this week but ultimately fell short again for the sixth consecutive game. Northwestern had a 10-point lead in the second quarter and led by seven at the halftime break. But Maryland controlled most of the second half and got the game-winning touchdown.

There is a good chance this will be the worst season of the Pat Fitzgerald era. He’s had two three-win seasons but not sure they can win another game this season. Their best hope is against a bad Iowa team this Saturday.

Indiana opened their game against Rutgers with a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. They eventually had a 14-0 lead and a 14-7 lead at halftime. It all ended in a 24-17 defeat for the Hoosiers.

Indiana has now lost five in a row since they started the season 3-0. It does not get any easier for them. After the bye week, they host Penn State before traveling to Columbus.

Iowa got what they wanted out of their defense early against Ohio State. Holding the Buckeyes to several field goals and had a defensive touchdown of their own. But eventually, the Buckeye offense woke up and with the Hawkeye offense doing nothing, it turned into a blowout.

If we were ranking the offensive and defensive units of Iowa separately, the Hawkeyes’ defense would be near the top of the conference. The Hawkeye offense on the other hand would rank below Northwestern. This is a terrible offense and there is no overnight fix. Bowl eligibility is in danger this season. Next up is a home game against Northwestern.