Big Ten Football Week 7 Power Rankings, featuring Linkin Park

This week marks the official halfway mark of the regular season, with many teams having already played six games. Two weeks of conference play have separated a group of contenders from a group of free–falling teams, which has finally provided real stratification in these rankings.

There is still time for many of the teams near the bottom of the rankings to make a complete change and turn things around. These changes may be compared to some bands, such as Linkin Park, that continuously chart a different course to grow over time.

While Linkin Park may not be everyone's cup of tea, they continue to remake themselves within a broadly-defined rock genre, which is precisely what the bottom-feeders in the Big Ten need to do for the rest of the season. The only way to grow and improve for this year and for next year is to make some changes and learn how to win in tight situations against quality competition.

Without further ado, let's allow Linkin Park to take us One Step Closer to the Big Ten Championship Game...

12. Minnesota (0–2, 1–5)

Theme Song–Given Up

The first two weeks of Big Ten play have not been kind in any way for the Golden Gophers, as Michigan and Purdue have throttled Minnesota by 58 points and 28 points, respectively. On the bright side, at least Minnesota has four of the final six games at TCF Bank Stadium.

Minnesota now ranks 110/120 nationally in passing yards, 109th in points, and 110th in points against. Minnesota appears to be not just the worst team in the conference, but perhaps the worst BCS conference team int he country.

The Gophers will not make a bowl game with four ranked opponents left on the schedule, starting with Nebraska in two weeks following a bye. However, if Jerry Kill can motivate the younger players to improve and perhaps win one or two conference games, the building blocks will be in place for a big jump in 2012.

11. Indiana (0–2, 1–5)

Theme Song–Faint

Indiana seems to take one step forward and two steps back as the season goes along. After playing tough in the Big Ten opener against Penn State, the Hoosiers were knocked out early against the Illini last week in a 21 point loss.

The Hoosier defense had serious trouble containing mobile quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase, which does not bode well for this week when Wisconsin hosts the Hoosiers. Indiana has been moderately successful at stopping the run, which will come in handy against the Badgers heavily ground-based attack.

That being said, Russell Wilson is more than good enough to have a career day against Indiana's secondary. Indiana quarterback Dusty Kiel will miss this week's game, which means the load will likely fall once again on Edward Wright-Baker.

Wisconsin may not score 83 again this year against Indiana, but another 40–50 point winning margin is certainly plausible.

10. Northwestern (0–2, 2–3)

Theme Song–Crawling

In two games, quarterback Dan Persa has already exceeded the output of Kain Colter through his three games starting to begin the season. However, Persa has failed to lead the Wildcats to wins against two nationally–ranked opponents in Michigan and Illinois.

The schedule does lighten up significantly, but Persa cannot afford to disappear like he did against a questionable Michigan defense in the second half last weekend. A road game at Iowa appears to be a must win for both Legends Division competitors, if either wants to keep pace with Michigan and Michigan State. Thankfully the Wildcats have had Iowa's number the past few seasons.

Despite Northwestern not having a dominant running back, the Wildcats have been able to rack up 188 rushing yards per game in the first five games. As long as that production continues, the passing game will follow along and get Northwestern back into the bowl eligibility mix in the next few weeks.

Small steps will be required to get to six wins.

9. Purdue (1–0, 3–2)

Theme Song–Breaking The Habit

Purdue has not been successful in the past few years in Big Ten openers, so having Minnesota to start the conference slate was a great opportunity to start well. The boilermakers did just that, rushing out to a 31 point lead in the first half and coasting to win easily against the Golden Gophers.

Caleb Terbush remains the primary quarterback despite the return of Robert Marve, but expect Danny Hope to continue to use both quarterbacks as the schedule becomes tougher. Purdue has managed over 215 yards per game on the ground, although none of the first five opponents has had a great defense.

It will be interesting to see how well the Purdue offense runs against the stiff Penn State defense this week. If Purdue manages the upset at State College, then the Boilermakers will have a great chance at bowl eligibility even if the following three games against undefeated teams Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin end in a 0–3 stretch.

This weekend is key to breaking the losing habit and getting back to a bowl game.

8. Ohio State (0–2, 3–3)

Theme Song–Numb

After another spirit–crushing loss at Nebraska, the Buckeyes and interim coach Luke Fickell look dazed, confused, and numb. The Buckeyes executed a brilliant game plan to grab a 21 point third quarter lead at Nebraska, and the Buckeye offensive and defensive lines were dominating the line of scrimmage.

Then Braxton Miller turned the ball over in his own red zone and was injured on the next drive. With Joe Bauserman at the helm for the remainder of the game, the offense stalled to a halt, similar to the results in the Miami and Michigan State games.

What was more disappointing and surprising was the total defensive collapse as well, with the Cornhuskers ripping off 28 points in a row with ease to steal the win.

The road in October gets no easier with a road trip to Illinois followed by a bye week and the Wisconsin game. At this point, the Buckeyes probably need this win against Illinois or a late–season win against Penn State to even reach six wins. The king of the conference in the last decade is officially deposed.

7. Iowa (0–1, 3–2)

Theme Song–New Divide

Heading into the bye week to start Big Ten play, the Hawkeyes looked to be right in the mix with everyone but Minnesota in the Legends Division race.

Following a lifeless offensive showing at Penn State, it appears that Iowa has been divided with Northwestern into the pretenders in the division. This is a perfect week to host the struggling Wildcats, as Iowa should be able to jump start the offense again.

The next two weeks after Northwestern bring games against Indiana and Minnesota. With Purdue also on the schedule, Iowa should have no problem getting to six or seven wins. The key will be whether the offense can learn to play 60 minutes against better competition. Pittsburgh might have let Iowa come back, but better defenses like Michigan State will not.

James Vandenberg has thrown for 1260 yards and 10 touchdowns in just five games, and his favorite target (unsurprisingly) is senior Marvin McNutt. Marcus Coker continues to be effective in the running game, although he could use a little more help from his backups.

As long as Iowa avoids the 0–2 conference start, there is still time for Iowa to compete in the Legends Division.

6. Nebraska (1–1, 5–1)

Theme Song–We Made It

Nebraska was thoroughly dominated for the first six quarters of their Big Ten era, as Wisconsin and Ohio State collectively outscored the Cornhuskers by 52. However, a turnover by freshman quarterback Braxton Miller opened the door for a historic come–from–behind victory with 28-straight points against the Buckeyes.

Considering how poorly the Buckeyes have played most of this season, this game begs the question: Which Nebraska is the true Nebraska? Are the Huskers going to dominate the Big Ten by outscoring their competition? Or will the underachieving defense let the team down?

Watching Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead carve up a solid OSU run defense in the second half is a good sign for being dominant in the league. In fact, Nebraska has run for nearly 250 yards per game, which is a solid number considering that Nebraska has now played three good defenses in Washington, Wisconsin, and Ohio State.

Speaking of defense, Nebraska got terrible news this week that lineman Jared Crick has a muscle tear and is finished for his senior year. Although the schedule is not terribly difficult the remainder of the way, losing Crick will be another big step back for the under performing Blackshirts defense.

The Huskers have a bye and then a road game at Minnesota to work out the kinks before playing Michigan State in a huge Legends Division showdown.

5. Penn State (2–0, 5–1)

Theme Song–In The End

With respect to the quarterback controversy continuing endlessly in State College, it appears that it does not really matter with the dominant Nittany Lion defense shutting down opposing teams. In games against Temple, Indiana, and Iowa, Penn State has only score 14 points per game, yet won all three games.

Even with the early loss to Alabama, the Nittany Lions are only giving up an astounding 10.5 points per game. Silas Redd and Curtis Dukes wear-down opposing defenses just enough to allow the dual quarterbacks to win the game, even with a few mistakes sprinkled in.

The next two weeks should be two more wins for the Nittany Lions against Purdue and Northwestern. Then the schedule ramps up for a big finish: Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio State, and Wisconsin, with the last two on the road.

It would be nice if Rob Bolden or Matt McGloin took the quarterback job by the reins, but Penn State will be in the mix for a division title with merely adequate quarterback play.

4. Michigan State (1–0, 4–1)

Theme Song–Iridescent

Having survived another poor road trip at Columbus to start Big Ten season, Michigan State will be happy to have two weeks at home against the best teams in each division of the conference following the bye last weekend.

Outside of a surprising meltdown at South Bend, the Spartan defense has been rock solid, only giving up 10 points per game. That statistic will be sorely tested against Michigan this week.

While Mark Dantonio defeated the Wolverines each of the past three seasons, this Michigan team appears to be much more formidable in Brady Hoke's first season. Michigan is still weak against opposing passing games, so expect the game plan to involve a ton of Kirk Cousins to B.J. Cunningham. Cousins will be ready to improve upon his Big Ten opener, when he was limited to one touchdown on a broken play.

The Spartans dominated Ohio State with their defensive line, and a similar performance will be necessary to keep Denard Robinson in check. Robinson will lead the Wolverines to a few big broken plays no matter how well the defense plays, but the Spartans must overcome those plays to hold Michigan below 21–24 points.

Wisconsin looms next week, but winning this weekend to take sole possession of first place in the Legends Division is the main priority.

3. Michigan (2–0, 6–0)

Theme Song–Somewhere I Belong

Michigan does not believe they belong in the Top 15 rankings nationally yet, but the top of the Big Ten may be somewhere that Michigan believes they belong in 2011.

The road to Indianapolis begins this week at East Lansing and one of the two rivals that dominated Michigan in the Rich Rodriguez years.

Denard Robinson can solidify his Heisman candidacy with a big game against one of the best defenses in the country this weekend. Robinson has thrown for 1130 yards and run for 720 more, which is over double the second-highest rushing total (326 for Fitzgerald Toussaint). Robinson will need to read pressure well this weekend, so that quick passes can be delivered when necessary to burn the Michigan State defense.

With a win this weekend, Michigan will have a legitimate claim to a Top 10 ranking and a shot at No. 1 in these power rankings. Not playing Penn State and Wisconsin in cross division games looks like a boon for Michigan, assuming that the Wolverines can pull at least one win against Michigan State and Nebraska. Michigan would officially be back, which is a good thing for the conference.

2. Illinois (2–0, 6–0)

Theme Song–From The Inside

Last week Illinois pushed their record to 6–0 for the first time in 60 years and finally broke a streak of close calls with a 21 point win against Indiana.

Although this start looked feasible on paper, the poise with which the Illinois defense has held on in critical situations has made the feat more impressive than expected.

Furthermore, Ohio State now comes into Champaign with all kinds of problems after a 0–2 Big Ten start. Although the Buckeyes have played better than the other winless teams in the conference, there are questions about whether freshman quarterback Braxton Miller can handle heavy pressure defense. And that is exactly what Illinois has used to knock-off two other quality teams with young quarterbacks: Western Michigan and Arizona State.

Taylor Martinez proved that dual threat quarterbacks will find holes in the Buckeye defense provided enough time. With lineman Nathan Williams out for the season, look for the Illini to take advantage of this slight weakness in the defensive front of the Buckeyes.

If Illinois survives this week, then Purdue is up next and eight-straight wins to start the season is highly probable.

1. Wisconsin (1–0, 5–0)

Theme Song–The Catalyst

Although it may appear that the catalyst to this great season in Madison was the addition of Russell Wilson this summer, I would argue that the catalyst was the struggles of the 2008 season when Wisconsin went 7–6.

In that year, coach Bielema learned how to handle adversity and became a much more effective coach, as proven the past three years. Wisconsin actually plays a high number of underclassmen and yet still is the dominant force in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin received an opportunity to enjoy the dominant victory over Nebraska during the bye week, and the remaining schedule is relatively soft outside of road trips to Michigan State and Illinois.

This week should bring some good memories against Indiana, which surrendered 83 points to Wisconsin in a shocking late season blowout last year. There should be no hiccup on offense or defense this week, as the Badgers prepare for much more important road games at East Lansing and Columbus.

Russell Wilson continues to be a Heisman front-runner, but the Badgers are still all about the running game with Montee Ball and James White gaining nearly 243 yards per game.

Indiana will likely not be able to slow the rushing attack, but do not expect Wisconsin to run up the score to 80 this year. There is no need to impress the voters, at least not yet.

Looking Ahead: Saturday Selections

With taking on other assignments as a "Featured Columnist in training," I have determined that my game previews are better served as a short addendum to the weekly power rankings. Thus, every week I will close the rankings with a quick look ahead to the weekend in front of us in Big Ten football.

Last week the only miss was Penn State, and the 4–1 record pushed the season record to 46–11, and 9–1 in conference play.  I now try to return to perfection this week:

Indiana at Wisconsin: Wisconsin will dominate every phase of this game. The only question is whether Edward Wright–Baker can lead the Hoosiers to any points against the Wisconsin defense.

Wisconsin wins by 51.

Purdue at Penn State: Penn State shut down Iowa last week at home, and Purdue is coming off a 50 point performance against Minnesota. However, Minnesota's defense has nothing in common with the Nittany Lions.

If Purdue can force more than one turnover, the game will be close. However, Penn State will pull out the win late at home even if this happens.

Penn State wins by 13.

Michigan at Michigan State: The biggest game on the weekend schedule will determine the leader in the Legends Division. Michigan State has a better defense, but Michigan has played more consistently as a team, especially in the second halves of games.

The Spartans are pumped up for this big showdown at home, and Kirk Cousins will continue to dominate the Wolverines defense. Denard Robinson will have a shot to win it late, but Shoelace comes up short this time.

Michigan State wins by 4.

Ohio State at Illinois: This is an absolute must win for the Buckeyes with Wisconsin coming up next, but Illinois knows Braxton Miller has a weak ankle and not much experience as a starter.

Illinois knocked out Terrelle Pryor last year in Champaign and almost came back to win with their own freshman quarterback, who is now a much more effective sophomore in Nathan Scheelhaase.

Illinois will follow the same game plan that Michigan State used to beat the Buckeyes and force enough mistakes to outscore the weak OSU offense.

Illinois wins by 10.

Northwestern at Iowa: It always seems like Northwestern comes up at the worst time for the Hawkeyes. This year is no different as Dan Persa looks to knock Iowa out of the Legends Division race with the same 0–2 start the Wildcats have already suffered.

Iowa will find the offense much easier to run this week after being shut down by the Nittany Lions, but the Hawkeyes cannot afford to stall for half a game, like they did against Iowa State and Pittsburgh.

Kinnick Stadium will be raucous for a night game environment, and the Hawkeyes will feed off that to finally beat their bugaboo.

Iowa wins by 7.

Thanks for reading and I look forward to seeing you next week, when we see what other bands come out of the woodwork to provide backdrop music for the Big Ten. See you next week!