After over a dozen responses I have counted the votes and determined the one, the only, the weekly Big Ten Coaches Power Rankings. Here are the results.
1. Mark Dantonio (Avg. Score: 1.50 LW: #1, 1.08)
Team Record (Big Ten): 70-30 (42-19)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 6-1 (3-0)
Last week: Away vs Indiana (W 56-17)
This week: Home vs Michigan
After leaking oil in the second half against Purdue and Nebraska, Michigan State came out of the tunnel in the second half against Indiana and shut things down. Now Michigan State takes on Michigan and Ohio State with only a bye week in between in East Lansing, a stretch that could define the Spartan's season. If Michigan State takes care of business at home they should be favorites to reach the College Football Playoff.
2. Urban Meyer (Avg. Score: 2.00 LW: #2, 2.25)
Team Record (Big Ten): 29-3 (18-1)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 5-1 (2-0)
Last week: Home vs Rutgers (W 56-17)
This week: Away vs Penn State
Behind the improved play of J.T. Barrett, Urban Meyer and OSU cruised to an easy win over the Scarlet Knights. Now the Buckeyes had to Happy Valley for a night game against a motivated and improved Penn State team. If Ohio State wants to remain a contender for the playoff, they'll need to take care of the Nittany Lions on the road and the Illini at home before setting their sights on a date with the Spartans.
3. Jerry Kill (Avg. Score: 3.80 LW #4, 4.17)
Team Record (Big Ten): 23-22 (11-16)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 6-1 (3-0)
Last week: Home vs Purdue (W 39-38)
This week: Away vs Illinois
While the Purdue game was definitely closer than anybody would like to admit, it's hard to complain about a perfect record in Big Ten play and a 6-1 record overall. Now the Bowl Eligible Gophers need to handle business in Illinois if they want to be considered true contenders for the Big Ten West.
4. Bo Pelini (Avg. Score: 4.00 LW #3, 3.67)
Team Record (Big Ten): 64-25 (19-9)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 6-1 (2-1)
Last week: Away vs Northwestern (W 38-17)
This week: Home vs Rutgers
From last week:
Nebraska can still make the playoffs and should be the favorite in the Big Ten West, but a road trip to Northwestern after the Bye Week could prove deadly.
Well 4 touchdowns and 146 yards by Ameer Abdullah proved that the road trip to Northwestern wasn't all that deadly. Now with only a single, respectable loss Nebraska has a chance to climb up the rankings against Rutgers and Purdue in Lincoln before heading to Madison to take on the Badgers. Nebraska should be a contender in the West but the real question is whether their defining game will be against Wisconsin or Minnesota.
5. Randy Edsall (Avg. Score: 5.50 LW #9, 7.75)
Team Record (Big Ten): 18-26 (2-1)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 5-2 (2-1)
Last week: Home vs Iowa (W 38-31)
This week: Away vs Wisconsin
The Terrapins took care of business in front of the home crowd on Saturday but next Saturday will be welcomed to another staple of Big Ten football: Camp Randall Stadium. Wisconsin has been vulnerable this year and offers a good chance for Edsall and Maryland to prove that they are more a contender than a pretender in the Big Ten.
6. Gary Andersen (Avg. Score: 6.20 LW #6, 6.67)
Team Record (Big Ten): 13-6 (7-3)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 4-2 (1-1)
Last week: Bye Week
This week: Home vs Maryland
From last week:
A game against Illinois and a bye week have given Gary Andersen plenty of time to think about that loss to Northwestern. They'll look to stay on track against Maryland at home as they try to keep pace with... Minnesota? Yep Minnesota is in the lead in the West. Huh.
7. James Franklin (Avg. Score: 8.20 LW #7, 7.58)
Team Record (Big Ten): 4-2 (1-2)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 4-2 (1-2)
Last week: Bye Week
This week: Home vs #13 Ohio State
Well things have turned quickly for Penn State haven't they? After being 4-0 with bowl eligibility restored Penn State has followed with 6 points at home against Northwestern and 13 on the road against Michigan. Both of those teams are bad. Franklin got an extra week to prepare for his first meeting with the Buckeyes but Happy Valley could turn Sad quickly if the Nittany offense isn't ready to hang with the big boys again.
8. Darrell Hazell (Avg. Score: 9.00 LW #13, 11.92)
Team Record (Big Ten): 4-16 (1-11)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 3-5 (1-3)
Last week: Away vs Minnesota (L 39-38)
This week: Bye Week
Ok so Hazell has followed up the longest Big Ten win streak of his career (1) with the second longest Big Ten losing streak of his career (2), but baby steps guys, baby steps. Purdue made things interesting against Sparty and had a great chance of winning against Minnesota. Bowl eligibility is possible for this squad if they can come out from the bye week and take one from either Wisconsin or Nebraska, but even if they stay home in January this team is a long way from the one that was blown out by Central.
Travis Miller from Hammer & Rails had this to say:
What a job by Darrell Hazell! Nothing was expected of Purdue, and they would be threatening bowl eligibility with a break or two. Just need to turn a corner and win a few of these now.
9. Kirk Ferentz (Avg. Score: 9.20 LW #5, 6.58)
Team Record (Big Ten): 112-81 (66-57)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 5-2 (2-1)
Last week: Away vs Maryland (L 38-31)
This week: Bye Week
Ferentz and Iowa once again bounced from "Hey they might be good!" to "Well they might be bad" and the result is a similar situation to a lot of Big Ten teams: a solid record but a soft schedule. Are they actually good? It may be awhile before we know for sure, as the Hawkeyes take a week off before heading on the road to Northwestern. The November 8th trip to Minneapolis could offer some clarity on a confusing Iowa team.
10. Pat Fitzgerald (Avg. Score: 9.30 LW #10, 8.42)
Team Record (Big Ten): 58-50 (29-39)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 3-4 (2-2)
Last week: Home vs #19 Nebraska (L 38-17)
This week: Bye Week
From last week:
So maybe Northwestern isn't completely back on track yet after that blowout against Nebraska, but Pat Fitzgerald and company have plenty more chances for glory and intrigue, including a potential trap game in South Bend on November 8th. I'm sure many Big Ten fans would love to see Northwestern knock Notre Dame out of the playoff picture entirely.
11. Kyle Flood (Avg. Score: 9.60 LW #8, 7.67)
Team Record (Big Ten): 20-13 (1-2)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 5-2 (1-2)
Last week: Away vs #13 Ohio State (L 58-17)
This week: Away vs #16 Nebraska
These two weeks will serve to teach Kyle Flood that sometimes life in the Big Ten is hard. Like when you go to Columbus and Lincoln in consecutive weeks, something no Big Ten team would want to do. It's a tough stretch for Rutgers and a home date with Wisconsin is hardly a reprieve. In a few weeks we could all struggle to remember that this team was once 5-1.
12. Kevin Wilson (Avg. Score: 10.40 LW #11, 10.67)
Team Record (Big Ten): 13-30 (5-22)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 3-4 (0-3)
Last week: Home vs #8 Michigan State (L 58-17)
This week: Bye Week
Trailing the defending Big Ten Champs 28-17 with two timeouts, ball at their own 27 and 1:17 left in the game Indiana ran the ball and the clock for two short plays in 5 yards. Indiana would never score again. There is a time and place to be conservative but playing the Champ is not one of them. If you want to beat the Champ you can't dance with him, you have to attack him quickly and decisively. Kevin Wilson will get a bye week to think about his decisions before heading to the Big House.
13. Brady Hoke (Avg. Score: 12.80 LW #12, 12.92)
Team Record (Big Ten): 29-17 (16-11)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 3-4 (1-2)
Last week: Bye Week
This week: Away vs #8 Michigan State
From last week:
Apparently a win counts for something as Hoke has managed to claw his way up to just above Tim Beckman (not an accomplishment). Now he leads his Michigan team into a lose-lose scenario for Michigan fans. Lose and you lost to Sparty AGAIN. Win and Brady Hoke possibly keeps his job. The situation in Ann Arbor is a disaster but change and basketball is on the horizon so at least we have hope.
14. Tim Beckman (Avg. Score: 13.50 LW #14, 13.58)
Team Record (Big Ten): 9-22 (1-18)
2014 Record (Big Ten): 3-4 (0-3)
Last week: Bye Week
This week: Home vs Minnesota