Big Ten Power Rankings, Week 10: Can Lincoln Riley lead USC on a late charge? — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- USC climbed from No. 9 to No. 3 in the Week 10 Big Ten power rankings after a 30-18 upset of then-No. 1 Ohio State in Halloween rain in Los Angeles — the Trojans' best performance of the season — leaving them 7-2 with a bye week before the Nov. 14 trip to Bloomington.
- Indiana took the No. 2 slot, up from No. 4, after escaping in overtime in back-to-back weeks against unranked opponents, including a 60-yard field goal as time expired against Minnesota that salvaged what the source calls one of the worst special-teams performances of all time; the starter decision between Grant Wilson and Josh Hoover remains open after the bye.
- Lincoln Riley's road record undercuts the surge: USC is 5-7 in Big Ten play away from home over the past three years — one of those wins was driving across L.A. to face UCLA — plus a loss at Notre Dame in that span, and this year a defeat as a favorite at Wisconsin and a one-score escape at Penn State.
- Ohio State fell from No. 1 to No. 4 after the USC defeat and landed at No. 12 in the first CFP poll, leaving the Buckeyes with zero margin for error; quarterback Luke Fahey's debut moved the ball but produced no touchdown finishes, with Oregon in town this week (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS).
- Oregon jumped from No. 13 to No. 10 after firing Drew Mehringer, with Dylan Raiola's best performance since his sudden insertion against USC fueling a comeback win over Northwestern and an offense the source calls improved — the biggest game remaining on the Ducks' schedule is now the road trip at Ohio State.
- UCLA stayed at No. 1, up from No. 2, after cruising past Nevada, but an offense the source says has lost some juice without Nico Iamaleava faces a road trip to Minnesota; the Bruins must reach 11-0 and get to the USC game to lock up a CFP spot.
- Iowa rose from No. 7 to No. 5 after a 30-0 beating of Wisconsin and now travels to Northwestern, which drops from No. 2 to No. 6; elsewhere Illinois climbs from No. 12 to No. 9 with a bowl-eligibility chance against Nebraska (down from No. 8 to No. 12 after three straight losses), Wisconsin drops to No. 8, Minnesota to No. 7 and Washington to No. 11.
Why it matters: Riley's most consequential test is now a date and a place: Nov. 14 at Indiana. USC's 30-18 win over Ohio State erased a 7-5 finish scenario, yet the same account logs a 5-7 Big Ten road record over three years and notes the CFP committee left the Trojans out of its first poll.
Ask SkimNews
