Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 12: Michigan State rebounds
Nov 14, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Macgarrett Kings Jr. (85) stands on the field during the 2nd half of a game against the Maryland Terrapins at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
It was another interesting week of Big Ten football as the conference standings continue to solidify more and more as time goes by. It’s hard to believe we are heading into the 12th week of the season and there are still three teams alive in the College Football Playoff conversation — some would even argue four.
With the Pac-12 basically eliminated from playoff talks after a few of the top teams were dropped in upset fashion in week 11, the Big Ten’s hopes of getting at least one team in have gotten stronger.
In this week’s Spartan Avenue Big Ten football rankings, there wasn’t a ton of movement near the top, but a couple of middle-of-the-pack squads made a leap.
Let’s take a look at the week 12 power rankings.
Playing against one of the worst passing defenses in the country — Nebraska — the Chris Laviano and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights couldn’t get anything going, offensively. Passing for 170 yards and rushing for only 89, the Scarlet Knights stood no chance against a Cornhuskers team still looking for a shot to make a bowl game.
Rutgers has looked anything but competitive for the last few weeks and it has officially been eliminated from bowl contention after the loss.
The last two spots in the power rankings this year could really be interchangeable. Maryland is just 2-8 and has yet to win a Big Ten team, but the Terrapins have stayed competitive with some of the conference’s top squads.
Saturday, though, they looked lifeless, even without Michigan State star quarterback Connor Cook playing for the better part of three quarters. The Terrapins’ defense didn’t give up much to the backup quarterbacks, but the offense was stagnant, turning the ball over five times.
Next: No. 12 Purdue - No. 10 Minnesota