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The CN team assembled earlier this week and took a stab at ranking the teams in the Power Poll...and there's a shifting sentiment at the top:
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Overall Rank
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Prev
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David
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Ty
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Cheese and corn
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Jon
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Husker Mike
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Brian
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Aaron
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Andy
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Paul
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Ranchbabe
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Greg
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Salt
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Total Points
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| Michigan State | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 16 |
| Ohio State | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 21 |
| Nebraska | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 35 |
| Minnesota | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 51 |
| Wisconsin | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 64 |
| Maryland | 6 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 69 |
| Iowa | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 93 |
| Northwestern | 8 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 96 |
| Penn State | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 113 |
| Indiana | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 124 |
| Rutgers | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 129 |
| Purdue | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 133 |
| Michigan | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 149 |
| Illinois | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 167 |
Paul: It was hard to decide this, but this week I moved THE Ohio State to #1. If OSU and MSU played tomorrow I think that OSU would win, based on the last few weeks. Neither has played games that should have been much different in difficulty, but while MSU seemed to sleepwalk through them, OSU has won in a way that the best team in the conference should win. Even though I believe that Nebraska would win a rematch with Michigan State, MSU has scoreboard on the Huskers and Nebraska isn't exactly setting the world on fire anyway. So Nebraska is #3.
Iowa let me down. Why in the world did I think it would get to Thanksgiving at 10-1?
Purdue has earned the right not to be dead last...those moral victories do count for something.
Husker Mike: I was thinking the same way, Paul. Ohio State has been flying under the radar the last few weeks and really playing better than just about everybody else. So I'm joining you with moving the Buckeyes to #1.
And I'm thinking that Purdue is ready for a major promotion. Since switching to Austin Appleby, the Boilermakers look like a completely different team...and frankly, better than Iowa, Penn State, and Northwestern. But people would start fitting me for a straightjacket if I moved them that high. Be forewarned: that November 1st game in Lincoln is no longer the gimme that we expected.
Andy: I can't quite sign off on OSU jumping the Spartans. That will take a State loss or the Buckeyes winning the head to head. Nebraska's bounceback leaves them as a solid #3. Also, Urban Meyer poops on cheap hookers and makes everyone at the office call him "Ser" Game of Thrones-style and never meet his gaze. OK, fine, I made all that up, but in no way does any of it sound far-fetched.
Minnesota is #4 and leading the West but after squeaking by Purdue, you can color me somewhat unconvinced they'll be that high at the end of the year. Looking at their remaining schedule, they appear to be primed for a typical Gopher finish of 1-4 or 2-3.
After that, the rest of the conference is basically Alpo. Those teams have an upside of playing in a bowl game sponsored by tampons, erection drugs or a branch of the military. Their coaches dream of just being in the same office next year.
Salt Creek: I'm still in mourning over Northwestern. So much hope. Gone so soon, with but a whimper. Let's watch Northwestern allow another fluke touchdown pass:
Good night, sweet prince.
As for my power poll this week, my top three are now Nebraska, Michigan State, and Ohio State. (Look at me conforming and stuff.) The Spartans should remain #1 until the Buckeyes beat them in November. (It is possible that the leadership-deficient Michigan Men find a way to beat MSU this week, but that basically requires the Spartans to suddenly have an outbreak of dysentery. Possible but unlikely.)
We welcome Minnesota, current Big Ten West leader, to the #4 slot. Like the invitational, this slot is a rotating spot. Minnesota can secure their spot with victories over Nebraska and Wisconsin. Laugh now, but Kill's team may actually pull off that sort of insanity. You want a team with a hard-working, lunch-pail mentality, Minnesota is that team. If Nebraska or anyone else left on their schedule doesn't bring their A game, Minnesota will win. (We've seen this. It was bad.)
Other than that, I don't think I'm too many orders of deviation away from everyone else. Michigan remains #14 and will stay there until Brady Hoke is clapping at home or some other sideline somewhere. (That being said, no, Harbaugh is not taking his show to Ann Arbor. They will hire someone flashy but without substance, because that coach will successfully bring MICHIGAN MANBALL back.)
(Stop laughing! You're hurting Dave Brandon's feelings!)
And yes, Wisconsin is probably undervalued. When I see their coaching staff stop being stupid, I'll put them higher. That being said, they'll probably beat Nebraska. Because, you know, chaos reigns.
Ty: I can't put OSU at number one unless they beat MSU. So... that. Also, Nebraska at 3. Then the bottom is clear again. Then the middle is... mucky. How do I pick this? Darts. And let 4th graders. I don't really know. It's nuts, and any team in the 5-9 range could probably beat 1-4 on any given day, or fall to 10-14. Who the hell knows? This year could be really messy.