Corn Nation Power Poll Week 7

Paul: First, from a statistical standpoint, there is a high level of agreement between the Corn Nation writers. For interest sake, the third chart shows the difference in each person’s votes and the average for each team. The closer to zero, the more in-agreement the vote.

OSU showed it can be beaten, but it wasn’t. So it remains #1 and I have no reason to believe anyone else is any better than Michigan, so they remain #2. Even with two losses, I am still leaving Wisconsin at #3. This is, after all, supposed to be an exercise in saying who would be whom. And I believe that Wisconsin would win against every other team below then.

NU at #4 is winning by sheer willpower...but that goes a long, long way. After that? Who knows. #5-#11 is impossible to really say who is better. On any given Sunday I feel like any could win and any can lose.

Illinois is promoted to #12 over Purdue simply because they won over the worst Big Ten team in decades. And speaking of #14 Rutgers, their 7 points was the first in three weeks. To put that into perspective, Rutgers last scored 5 days before "grab ‘em by the _____" became part of our political vernacular.

Jill: Top 4 were easy for me to assign. I think Wisconsin’s schedule, despite two losses, keeps them ahead of Nebraska until we beat them. Wisconsin is a good team, but I think I’m most worried about injuries, especially to the O-line. Get well soon big fellas. Five-fourteen is a bunch of "who cares" mixed with "suck" and "more suck". Then there’s Rutgers. Some of those teams are going to have a good day once in a while (Hullo Northwestern) but others are just waiting for basketball season. Then there’s Rutgers.

Andy: 1st time ever - my poll from last week is completely unchanged from the previous week.

OSU - defeated Wiscy, they remain #1. Instead of "defeated", I somehow typed "defisted" on the first try. I have so many issues.
Michigan - DNP, hold #2
Wisconsin - Find 2 better losses anywhere in the country. I dare you. Dicking about with the Hoosiers does not earn consideration for a drop. #3
Huskers - Still undefeated. This week? #109 Purdue. :-P (There is good news - Northwestern & Oregon have both cracked the Top 50, so schedule strength is skyrocketing. Suck it, ESPN.) #4
Penn St - DNP #5
Iowa - Wasn’t pretty & never impressive when you pull your starters & have to send them back in, but, as Nebraska can attest, a W’s a W. #6
Indiana, Minnesota - only spots I wrestled with & I wouldn’t argue it to the death, but despite their loss and Minny’s win, I still feel Indiana is better - love their D this year. #7, #8
Northwestern - OK, could probably throw them in that mix, but MSU is awful (I picked Northwestern to win that one straight up - no, really!!) so I’m not dealing out much credit for beating a toothless big name. #9
Maryland - Only their record and the horrors beneath them hold them at #10
Mich St., Purdue - The wheels may not be off in East Lansing, but the lug nuts are loose. Purdue just went ahead & changed the tires. #11, #12
Illinois - WHOOOO!!!! YOU BEAT RUTGERS! Um... #13
Rutgers - At this point, any comments would just be like running over that dead possum in the road. #14