USC's stunning 30-18 victory over No. 1 Ohio State has revived their College Football Playoff hopes and shifted the Big Ten power rankings entering Week 10. The Trojans (7-2) now face a critical road test at No. 4 Indiana on Nov. 14 (3:30 p.m. ET on CBS) after a bye week. The game is described as the biggest of Lincoln Riley's tenure at USC, with the first CFP rankings showing the committee remains skeptical of a sudden turnaround.
UCLA remains atop the rankings at 11-0 after cruising past Nevada, but faces a tricky road trip to Minnesota. Indiana holds the No. 2 spot despite back-to-back overtime escapes against unranked opponents. Ohio State drops to No. 4 after the loss, sitting at No. 12 in the initial CFP poll with zero margin for error.
Week 10 Big Ten Power Rankings Top 10
Other notable movements: Iowa climbs to No. 5 after shutting out Wisconsin 30-0; Northwestern falls to No. 6 after a second-half fade at Oregon; Minnesota stays at No. 7 despite the heartbreaking loss to Indiana. Wisconsin drops to No. 8 after being blanked by Iowa for the third straight year. Illinois rises to No. 9 with three straight wins, while Oregon enters the top 10 at No. 10 following an offensive resurgence under new play-calling.
The article notes USC's road struggles under Riley (5-7 in Big Ten road games over three years) and the importance of the Indiana game to prove the Ohio State win wasn't a fluke. The Hoosiers will have a bye week to decide between quarterbacks Grant Wilson and Josh Hoover. Meanwhile, Nebraska continues a three-game losing streak, and Michigan State seeks a signature win over Michigan after a bye week.
