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Big Ten Power Rankings: Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks Competing For No. 1
The No. 3 Oregon Ducks and the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes have a date on Saturday, Oct. 12, for the top spot in the Big Ten power rankings and perhaps even the whole country. Big Ten teams are littered across the AP Poll top 25. Six teams, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Penn State, No. 18 Indiana, No. 23 Illinois, and No. 24 Michigan, were all in the rankings heading into week seven of the college football season.
The Ohio State Buckeyes remain at No. 1 atop the Big Ten power rankings after yet another dominating performance in their 35-7 win over the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Ohio State has outscored their opponents 234-30 and haven’t had to sweat for a second in their 5-0 start. Their first big test is coming up on Saturday, Oct. 12, vs. Oregon.
Next Game: Oct. 12 at No. 3 Oregon
The Ducks have started to hit their groove. Oregon beat up on a reeling Michigan State Spartans team 31-10 on Friday, Oct. 4, to improve their record to 5-0 and jump to No. 3 in the AP Poll.
This week, the winner of Ohio State vs. Oregon will take the No. 1 spot in the Big Ten power rankings and potentially the No. 1 spot in the country.
Next Game: Oct. 12 vs. No. 2 Ohio State
The Penn State Nittany Lions took care of UCLA 27-11 on Saturday, Oct. 5, to improve their mark on the season to 5-0. Penn State’s defense is humming, and that is why they are a legitimate Big Ten contender.
They are comfortable playing in low-scoring defensive battles. It will be interesting to see them when they take on a USC team trying to do the opposite on Saturday.
Next Game: Oct. 12 at USC
The undefeated Indiana Hoosiers move up to No. 4 on this week’s edition of the Big Ten power rankings. The Hoosiers picked up their Big Ten-leading sixth win in a 41-24 road win over Northwestern.
What more can be said about the 6-0 Hoosiers? First-year Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has transformed a program from 3-9 a year ago to a team that has already locked up a bowl game bid in the first week of October. Indiana will enjoy their bye week before they host Nebraska.
Next Game: Oct. 19 vs. Nebraska
Illinois took full advantage of their bye week and saw some of the top Big Ten teams above them suffer bad losses. For that, the Illini moved up to No. 5.
Next Game: Oct. 12 vs. Purdue
Nebraska won a low-scoring affair against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Saturday, Oct. 5, 14-7. The Huskers didn’t score a single point in the second half, but it didn’t matter. Their defense came up huge and forced two timely turnovers to pull out the win.
They have a bye week to rest up before traveling to Bloomington to play Indiana.
Next Game: Oct. 19 at No. 18 Indiana
Just as Michigan was finally reverting to its old form, they laid an egg against Washington. The Wolverines took a lead into the fourth quarter but were outscored 13-0 to end the game in a 27-17 road loss to the Huskies.
The schedule doesn’t get any easier for Michigan as they go to Illinois after their bye week on October 19. Additionally, Michigan has some questions at quarterback going forward.
Next Game: Oct. 19 at No. 23 Illinois
USC had one of their worst losses in recent memory against Minnesota, 24-17. The Trojans had the edge across the board regarding talent, but Minnesota bothered Trojans quarterback Miller Moss all day in the Gophers comeback win.
It appears that the Trojans’ kryptonite is a run-first team that wants to slow the game down. This was imminent in their loss to Michigan and again vs. Minnesota. They have to counter this somehow or they will lose again vs. Penn State.
Next Game: Oct. 12 vs. No. 4 Penn State
Rutgers had a disappointing loss at the hands of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Scarlet Knights were down 14-0 at the half but continued to battle in the second half. Their defense kept them in the game, but the offense was only able to put up 7 points in the 14-7 loss, their first of the season.
It wasn’t a disastrous loss by any means, so they only dropped one spot.
Next Game: Oct. 12 vs. Wisconsin
Minnesota is back in the top ten after their stunning 24-17 upset of USC. Minnesota has suffered three losses this season, but two of them were right at the buzzer. They lost to UNC on a missed field goal and lost to Michigan by three after the referees wiped away a Gopher recovery on the onside kick late in the game.
Minnesota could very well be 5-1. Plus, they got one of the best wins of the weekend, earning a spot on here.
Next Game: Oct. 12 at UCLA
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The Ohio State men’s basketball team will host No. 8 Purdue on March 1 while fighting to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes intact.
The Buckeyes have three games left in Big Ten regular-season play and are 17-11 overall and 9-8 in the league. On Feb. 25, they lost 74-57 at Iowa, marking their second consecutive defeat and their first losing streak of the season. Afterward, the Buckeyes struggled to explain why they came apart when the Hawkeyes went on their first run of the game.
The Boilermakers 22-6 overall, 12-5 in the Big Ten and fresh off a 76-74 home loss to No. 13 Michigan State on Feb. 26.
As of Feb. 26, the Buckeyes were ranked No. 38 in the NET rankings used by the NCAA Tournament selection committee. They are also No. 46 in Wins Above Bubble, another category being utilized by the committee.
Purdue is No. 7 in the NET, making this a Quad 1 game for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is 1-10 in Quad 1.
Here is where Ohio State sits in the major NCAA Tournament projections as it prepares to host the Boilermakers at the Jerome Schottenstein Center:
Ohio State basketball standing in latest bracketology
In a bracket update published Feb. 18, USA Today projects the Buckeyes to make the NCAA Tournament and play in the First Four in Dayton. Ohio State is included as a No. 11 seed, facing fellow No. 11 seed Missouri. The winner of that game would head to Portland to face No. 6 seed Louisville.
Two weeks ago, Ohio State was a No. 10 seed and projected to avoid the First Four in Dayton. Now the Buckeyes are projected second on the list of the final four teams to make the tournament.
Ten Big Ten teams are included in the field, the second-most for any conference after the SEC (11).
In a Feb. 24 update, one day before the Buckeyes lost at Iowa, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi had Ohio State as the first team not to make the tournament. After the loss, he dropped them to the third team in the first four out.
ESPN’s Bubble Watch noted that the loss now has Ohio State’s odds of making the tournament at about 50%.
CBS has the Buckeyes fourth on its list of the first four out.
The website BracketMatrix.com, which aggregates 118 different bracket projections, has Ohio State as a potential No. 11 seed. The Buckeyes appear in 41 brackets, many of which had not been updated after the Iowa game.
Analytics site BartTorvik.com projects Ohio State as a No. 10 seed and gives the Buckeyes a 52.1% chance to make the tournament as of Feb. 27.
Ohio State men’s basketball beat writer Adam Jardy can be reached at ajardy@dispatch.com, on Bluesky at @cdadamjardy.bsky.social or on Twitter at @AdamJardy.
INDIANAPOLIS — There are so many questions an NFL team can pose to a top prospect and so many of them have to do with how he will handle the step up to the next level.
And how will he deal with waiting his turn?
These questions do not really apply to Carnell Tate.
Not after the gauntlet he had to pass through in college, trying to find his way and making incremental rises on a depth chart overflowing with talent at his position.
“The competition there, we’re all pushing to be the best receiver on the field that day and that practice,’’ Tate said Friday morning at the NFL Scouting Combine, “and typically, when you’re the best receiver at Ohio State, you’re the best receiver in the country.’’
True, that.
Tate figures to be in play for the Giants with the No. 5 pick in the NFL Draft.
He is widely considered the top receiver in this class — there are certainly Jordyn Tyson supporters out there — and where the Giants prioritize aiding their offense with bolstering their defense will go a long way in determining if they select a wide receiver with their top pick for the second time in three years.
Where they are situated, one or both Ohio State studs, safety Caleb Downs or linebacker Sonny Styles, should be on the board — another Ohio State defender, edge rusher Arvell Reese, could go to the Jets at No. 2.
The Giants unquestionably need another prime target for Jaxson Dart but, when healthy, they already have a No. 1 receiver in Malik Nabers, who was the No. 6 overall pick in 2024.
Investing so much draft equity in another one might not be the most balanced way to build the team in John Harbaugh’s first year as the head coach.
Or, it might be just the ticket to launch the offense.
“You’re always going to want to add more explosiveness to your offense, guys that score touchdowns, wherever that comes from: running back, receiver, tight ends, whatever it may be,’’ general manager Joe Schoen said. “That will be something we’ll look for.’’
There should not be much, or any, concern that Tate will not be a supportive and obliging running mate for Nabers, who made it into only four games last season before a devastating knee injury — he tore his right ACL and meniscus — left Dart without his only lethal weapon.
Tate is not one of those youngsters accustomed to being the top guy during his college experience.
Tate arrived as a five-star recruit in 2023 but how the heck was he supposed to break into the starting lineup with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka — both future first round picks — ahead of him?
In 2024, Tate was overshadowed by freshman phenom Jeremiah Smith.
Tate had to wait for his opportunities and while he did, he concentrated on becoming a better all-around player, developing his ability as a blocker on the perimeter.
In three seasons, Tate totaled 121 receptions for 1,872 yards.
He notched nine of his 14 touchdowns during the 2025 season.
Tate is often likened to Chris Olave, another former Buckeyes wideout.
Olave was a 2022 first-round pick of the Saints and has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in three of his four NFL seasons.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks) and Garrett Wilson (Jets) are also former Ohio State receivers tearing it up in the NFL.
“It means a lot to me and it’s also a lot on your shoulders,’’ Tate said of the legacy. “Now you got to be the next one to come out there and put on for the school and carry the Receiver U.’’
Tate lining up on one side and Nabers — who is expected to be fully recovered in the spring or by training camp — lining up on the other side would be quite a combination for Dart.
“It would be great,’’ said Tate, who this week had a formal meeting with the Giants. “It would be a great opportunity, especially playing in New York. Big showcase. I’d love to go out there and play in New York.’’
Wan’Dale Robinson, mostly a slot receiver, is an impending free agent.
If he does not return, it would drain the passing game of the 92 receptions for 1,014 yards he contributed in 2025.
Veteran Darius Slayton is coming off a poor seventh year with the Giants.
At 6-foot-3, Tate has ideal height and he is lean at 195 pounds.
He will run the 40-yard dash in Indy but otherwise wait for his Pro Day to work out for NFL executives, coaches and scouts.
Without sounding boastful, Tate does not lack confidence.
“I think my game brings it all to the table,’’ he said. “I got the contested catch, I got the route-running and I also bring it in the run game, a lot of receivers don’t do that. I’m able to impact the game with or without the ball in my hands.
“If you want a game-changer, you got one right here.’’
The best wide receiver in this draft class?
“Me, no question,’’ Tate said.
“Whatever you need to do, I got it.’’
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