Big Ten Football Power Rankings: Week 6 edition

Oct 3, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Christian Hackenberg (14) scrambles out of the pocket against the Army Black Knights during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Coming into the year, I had picked the Nebraska Cornhuskers to be the Big Ten West champs and play for a conference title. While that still might be possible, boy do I ever look silly for making that pick.

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Nebraska is coming off a road loss to a Big Ten team that looked more like a circus before the season began after they fired their head coach just days before the opener. That team is Illinois, and the Cornhuskers couldn’t muster any offense against the Fighting Illini. Tommy Armstrong Jr. may have had his worst game ever, completing just 10-of-31 passes for 105 yards and a pick in a 14-13 loss.

Penn State was the only team in the conference who played a non-conference opponent in week five. The Nittany Lions had trouble with Army at home and it’s really starting to look like they aren’t the team everyone expected them to be when the season began.

Although the defense is solid, usually, it gave up 261 yards on the ground, but that wasn’t the issue. The offense is as lackluster as any in the Big Ten, only finishing with 264 total yards on the day. Christian Hackenberg really needs to step it up.

The Golden Gophers had a real shot to prove that they belonged in the Big Ten title conversation with a big road win over Northwestern, but that didn’t happen. Heck, they didn’t even come close, getting shut out 27-0.

Like many bottom-dwellers in the conference right now, Minnesota’s offense is sputtering and the quarterback issues are continuing with Mitch Leidner under center and unable to really get anything going.

Next: No. 8 Indiana - No. 6 Wisconsin