Big Ten football power rankings, Week 14: Michigan reigns as king

Northwestern completed the perfect season. Well…not really. But they lost 11 straight games after winning the season opener against Nebraska. And that game was Ireland so the Wildcats lost every game in this country. It was their worst season in 33 years.

After a season as bad as this one, you know changes would be coming and Pat Fitzgerald did not waste any time. The Wildcats are only two seasons removed from a Big Ten West championship. But in the last two seasons, they are a combined 4-20.

Rutgers finished their season with a 37-0 shutout loss at Maryland. It is a disappointing end for the Scarlet Knights who started the year 3-0 but only managed one conference win. They will miss a bowl game after going to one last year but that was as a 5-7 replacement team. Rutgers has not been bowl eligible by winning at least six games since the 2014 season.

It seems Rutgers is regressing some under Greg Schiano in his second stint with the program at least just based on their records since he returned. However, there have been some positives. Freshman quarterback Gavin Wimsatt has shown flashes and perhaps with another offseason, the Knights can put some things together to improve next year.

Indiana finishes their season at 4-8 after losing to Purdue 30-16. Like Rutgers, the Hoosiers also started 3-0. But a seven-game losing streak doomed their season. The offense was too inconsistent most of the season and the defense eventually broke during games.

What’s worse is starting quarterback Dexter Williams seriously hurt his leg late in the first quarter against the Boilermakers. He will have a whole offseason to rehab but a serious injury is never a good thing. After the 2020 magical season, the Hoosiers are a combined 6-18 in the last two. Tom Allen is a good coach and he will be given a little more time to course correct.