Unless something drastic happens next week, it looks like most of the Big Ten teams will play at least seven games in this COVID-ravaged season, making six games the requirement for bowl eligibility and playing in the conference championship game. If that holds, then Wisconsin will be ineligible for both, having only played three games in the first six weeks. Minnesota is in danger, as their game this week is cancelled, and last week's game was cancelled. They must play on Dec 12th. Ohio State needs to play both of these last two weeks as well. If all five currently-scheduled games play this week, every other conference team will have played at least six games (with four of them playing seven).
Team Power Rankings [Last week's position]
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (4-0) [1]
2. Indiana Hoosiers (5-1) [2] : Maryland slowed their offense, but the defense showed they can be just as brutal
3. Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2) [4] : Four consecutive wins propels the Hawkeyes to the upper echelons of the conference. Unfortunately, a one-point loss to Northwestern, and the Wildcats not playing this week and guaranteeing no more than two losses, leaves them on the outside of the conference championship.
4. Northwestern Wildcats (5-1) [3] : They lost to Michigan State, but the cancellation of this week's game guarantees them a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game.
5. Wisconsin Badgers (2-1) [5]
6. Maryland Terrapins (2-2) [6] : They lost to Indiana, but their defense was impressive enough to hold at Number Six.
7. Minnesota Golden Gophers (2-3) [7]
8. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-3) [9]
9. Michigan State Spartans (2-3) [13] : Well, at least they have another win along with beating their in-state rival. The defense showed up nicely, but the offense still needs work.
10. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-4) [12] : Nice win over Purdue!
11. Purdue Boilermakers (2-3) [8]
12. Michigan Wolverines (2-4) [10] : They got beat by Penn State, who hadn't won a game all season. Yeah, we knew they would eventually win one, but I'll bet the Wolverines wish it had taken one more week.
13. Penn State Nittany Lions (1-5) [14] : They are out of the cellar, and I'll bet that feels good!
14. Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-4) [11] : And that puts Nebraska squarely at the bottom
Week 6 picks
Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan State Spartans : They are happy to be playing, and will grind up the Spartans. The only hope for Sparty is if the same defense that showed up last week turns out again. Against the powerful Buckeyes offense, though, I don't think so. OHIO STATE by 18
Nebraska Cornhuskers at Purdue Boilermakers : Purdue has been a threat, despite losing three games in a row. I think that streak will end against the Cornhuskers, who just can't seem to get it together. PURDUE by three
Penn State Nittany Lions at Rutgers Scarlet Knights : Can Penn State make it two in a row? They certainly have the talent to beat Rutgers, but that talent hadn't really show up since the Ohio State loss, at least not until last week. Was the Michigan game a fluke, or the start of a Lions revival? I'll pick Rutgers due to the their momentum, but this game could go either way. RUTGERS by three
Indiana Hoosiers at Wisconsin Badgers : Can Wisconsin's defense slow down the Hoosiers enough to stay in the game? I don't think so. Normally I'd say the Badgers ground game would be an advantage, but not this year. INDIANA by 14
Iowa Hawkeyes at Illinois Fighting Illini : Illinois has most of their starters back, but the Hawkeyes have been excelling since a season-opening two-week skid. I think the Illini will keep this one close, but Iowa will triumph. IOWA by six
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