Big Ten Football Power Rankings Week 13: Michigan State reigns supreme

Nov 21, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Rashad Still (88) celebrates with Minnesota Golden Gophers wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky (82) after scoring a touchdown in the first half at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota needed to take care of business against a tough Illinois team at home in order to keep its bowl hopes alive. Just a few months ago, Jerry Kill was the head coach of this team and people were predicting a Big Ten West title and an appearance in the conference championship game for the Gophers and now they’re fighting for bowl eligibility and Kill has retired.

Shannon Brooks really broke out in the run game as Mitch Leidner passed for just 88 yards on Saturday. The freshman running back looks phenomenal this season and he did again this past weekend, rushing 17 times for 174 yards and three scores. The future in the backfield is bright. Minnesota will need a home win against Wisconsin this weekend to make a bowl.

Watching the Penn State offense is one of the most excruciating things you can make a lover of college football do. The Nittany Lions have a talented quarterback, a solid freshman running back and one of the top receivers in the conference, but the offensive line is like Swiss cheese — and not in a good way for the running backs.

All too often, Christian Hackenberg looks frazzled because he’s constantly running from pressure and/or getting knocked on his backside. The Michigan Wolverines stomped Penn State in Beaver Stadium on Saturday, 28-16, as the Nittany Lions’ must look to get their eighth win at Michigan State this weekend.

The perfect time for a bye week happens to come before a team faces off in its most important game of the season. Going up against the No. 5 Iowa Hawkeyes at home, the Nebraska Cornhuskers have a chance to end two teams’ perfect seasons in 2015 all while making a bowl game despite starting the year 3-6.

To be fair, Nebraska is one of the most talented teams to be sitting at 5-6 heading into the last week of the season. Tommy Armstrong Jr. and the Cornhuskers have lost five games by a total of 13 points, including a loss to BYU on a Hail Mary in the season-opener that set the tone for the rest of the year.

Next: No. 6 Wisconsin - No. 4 Michigan