We had some surprises this week! Indiana took a risk in overtime, but it was clearly a calculated one. It worked, too, as they upset the heavily-favored Nittany Lions. With the Lions hosting Ohio State this week, they could open 0-2. The Spartans surprised me with the utter lack of a defense, likely making this a tough year for them. Maryland had no offense, and was demolished by Northwestern.
Power Rankings
1. Ohio State (1-0) : They started slowly, but they completely dominated the second half.
2. Wisconsin (1-0) : Even though they were playing a depleted Illinois squad, the Badgers were very impressive.
3. Michigan Wolverines (1-0) : They made Minnesota look like the Gophers of the 1990's, when they frequently trailed in the conference.
4. Indiana Hoosiers (1-0) : Talented offense and a large play book. Opposing defenses will have a hard time anticipating this team.
5. Northwestern Wildcats (1-0) : Strong victory against a team that has been decent the past few years. We need another week to see if this was a fluke.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions (0-1) : Their offense is still very impressive, but "Linebacker U" needs to take a serious look at their defense.
7. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-0) : They looked like Maryland against the spotty Sparty defense
8. Minnesota Golden Gophers (0-1) : At times they showed promise, but Michigan seemed to really confuse them. They need to sharpen their field sense.
9. Purdue Boilermakers (1-0) : They beat Iowa, but that team has a habit of needing a week or two to get in gear. Still not sure about this team's real position.
10. Iowa Hawkeyes (0-1) : Let's see if they've gotten their lethargy out of their system
11. Michigan State Spartans (0-1) : Their defense needs an overhaul
12. Nebraska Cornhuskers (0-1) : Just like the last two seasons, their quarterback makes too many mistakes for this team to be a true contender
13. Illinois Fighting Illini (0-1) : Won't get a real picture until this week, since so many players sat out this game
14. Maryland Terrapins (0-1) : What the hell happened to this team between last year and this year?
Week 2 picks
Minnesota Golden Gophers at Maryland Terrapins : If last week was any indication, the Gophers should roll. Maryland couldn't do anything offensively, and their defense leaked worse than a rusty water pipe. MINNESOTA
Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Wolverines : After last week, I'm not sure the Spartans can get it up, even for this state rivalry game. MICHIGAN
Purdue Boilermakers at Illinois Fighting Illini : Purdue works off momentum. Their win last week against Iowa could carry into this game. We haven't really seen the true Illini squad, which we'll see this game. This could be a close game, but I'll go with the known quality over the unknown. PURDUE
Wisconsin Badgers at Nebraska Cornhuskers : Wisconsin leans on the run, and Nebraska did a good job hampering the Buckeyes running game. The Badgers love the swing to the sides, though, while the Buckeyes prefer to run straight ahead. The Cornhuskers defense isn't fast enough to catch the Badger runners on sideline routes. WISCONSIN
Indiana Hoosiers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : After the offensive showcase demonstrated by Indiana last week, I don't see how the Scarlet Knight defense can stop them. INDIANA
Northwestern Wildcats at Iowa Hawkeyes : This game could really go either way. Have the Hawkeyes warmed up enough to play well, or will the wily Wildcats devise a game plan that they cannot overcome? I'll pick the home team, but this is really a "u-pick-em" game. IOWA
Ohio State Buckeyes at Penn State Nittany Lions : There is something missing on the Penn State defense this year. OHIO STATE
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