Big Ten Football: This Week in the National Polls and Week One of BCS Rankings

The Big Ten saw a few shakeups in the Polls this week after an exciting weekend of games.

No. 15/13 (AP/Coaches) Michigan State was up from last week's rank of 23/19 as the Spartans beat Michigan in a decisive win at home.  The Spartan defense held Michigan to season lows in yards and points and allowed Denard Robinson just 165 total yards.

In light of that loss, No. 18/17 Michigan settled seven spots below last week's top ten ranking (11th in the AP poll).  Michigan had ridden an undefeated record to the first top ten ranking since the Wolverines entered the season as the number five team in the nation in 2007.

Also dropping like it was hot, Illinois fell all the way to 23/21 after a disappointing loss to Ohio State in which the Buckeyes only completed one pass all game.  Illinois was held scoreless until late by the Buckeye defense.

Remaining steady in the polls this week were Wisconsin, still 4th overall in both polls, and Nebraska which shifted up one place in the AP poll from last week to number 13 overall and three places in the Coaches' poll to 11th.  

So far the BCS undervalues the Big Ten.  Wisconsin is two spots lower than both polls coming in sixth.  Nebraska is next at 13th followed by Michigan State at 16th --- lower than both human polls.  Michigan at 18 and Illinois at 23 round out the Big Ten in the Poll To End All Polls.

Michigan is off this week while Nebraska and Illinois get games against Minnesota and Purdue respectively.  The three teams with an eye on the rankings either have a bye this week (Ohio State), or play the other two Big Ten bottom feeders; Iowa hosts Indiana and Penn State travels to Northwestern.

This week presents only one consequential Big Ten matchup, but it is arguably one of the three biggest matchups of the season.

Undefeated and 4th overall Wisconsin travels to East Lansing to take on the stifling Spartan defense in a rematch of the last year's influential game.

Wisconsin lost in East Lansing a year ago early in the season, but came out two weeks later and stunned the top ranked Buckeyes on the way to a perfect finish and an invite to the Rose Bowl.

Wisconsin has had its sights set on this game since last season, and this is the Badgers chance for revenge as well as an important piece in the argument Wisconsin hopes to make at the end of the season for a place in the BCS championship game.

Michigan State won the battle last year, but due to inane Big Ten tiebreaker rules, the Spartans lost the war.  Wisconsin got the invite to the Rose Bowl by virtue of its best-of-the-three BCS ranking, Ohio State got the Sugar Bowl invite by virtue of it being Ohio State, and Michigan State got an invite to the Capital One Bowl to play a pissed off Alabama team with something to prove and a month to prepare --- not a good combination.

Both teams enter the game with a chip on their shoulder, and for Wisconsin there is the added pressure of staying unbeaten.

If Michigan State wins, a top 10 ranking is in the cards and a win against Nebraska the week after is the only thing standing between MSU and a spot in the first Big Ten championship game.  For Wisconsin it would mean a tumble to the bottom half of the top 10 and no chance at the BCS title game.

If Wisconsin wins it remains fourth in the nation, but its case for inclusion in the BCS game gets stronger after beating a third top 15 team.  For the Spartans it would mean no chance at a regular season finish in the top 10, and a much smaller margin of error with games against Nebraska and Iowa still to go.

Adding to the pressure?  This night game is also going to be the host of College Gameday.

Not that the Spartans or Badgers need much more motivation for this one.