Big Ten Power Rankings after week four: Does USC fall after loss to Michigan?

Week four of the college football season is in the books and it was another interesting week in the Big Ten as many conference games were contested. Let's take a look at our updated conference Power Rankings.

Week 4: LSU 34 - UCLA 17

A respectable showing at LSU isn't enough to bring UCLA out of the cellar. Yes, the Bruins put up more of a fight than most expected in Baton Rogue but upcoming games against Oregon and Penn State will likely beat the rest of the fight out of them.

Week 4: Oregon State 38 - Purdue 21

Purdue was thoroughly dominated by Oregon State this weekend. The Boilermakers managed to pass for only 56 yards against the Beavers while giving up 445 yards of total offense. Now, they have to try to get right against a Nebraska team that will be motivated after an OT loss to Illinois.

Week 4: Washington 24 - Northwestern 5

After winning eight games last year, Northwestern appears to have taken a step back in 2024. Scoring only five points against a so-so Washington team is a sign that the Wildcats are headed in the wrong direction. They'll have to score more than that in two weeks when high-powered Indiana comes calling.

Week 4: Iowa 31 - Minnesota 14

After shutting out its two previous opponents, Minnesota couldn't hold down a suspect Iowa offense in week four. The Hawkeyes ran for 272 yards as they punished the Gopher defense at the line of scrimmage. Now, back-to-back games with Michigan and USC will really test Minnesota's toughness.

Week 4: Maryland 38 - Villanova 20

In today's world of college football, beating an FCS team like Villanova shouldn't be taken for granted. However, beating that FCS team by only 18 points is not enough to inspire confidence in the Terrapins. They will have to play better this week when they travel to Indiana, one of the highest-scoring teams in the conference.

Week 4: Boston College 23 - Michigan State 19

A four-point loss to B.C. will be hard for MSU to swallow considering they had a seven-point halftime lead. Two critical second-half interceptions helped seal the Spartans' doom. Now, they embark on a gauntlet, at home vs. Ohio State, at Oregon, vs. Iowa, and then at Michigan.

Week 4: Off

The Badgers had a week off to lick their wounds after being taken to the woodshed by Alabama in week three. That gave them time to adjust to life without starting QB Tyler Van Dyke. They'll have to be able to keep up on offense with their new QB when they head to USC this weekend.

Week 4: Washingotn 24 - Northwestern 5

Washington held a bad Northwestern team at bay all day in week four. If the Huskies can win at Rutgers this week after making a cross-country trip, they will open some eyes. If they can't they might be staring at a three-game losing streak with Michigan and Iowa on the schedule after this week.

Week 4: Indiana 52 - Charlotte 14

Indiana continues to be one of the surprise teams in the conference thanks to their explosive offense. However, their schedule has been full of cupcakes thus far. Two more winnable games against Maryland and Northwestern could help the Hoosiers stay hot.

Week 4: Illinois 31 - Nebraska 24

Just when it appears that Nebraska is about to take a solid step forward as a program, they drop a home game to Illinois in overtime. Now, it is fair to wonder if the Matt Rhule rebuild is going to take longer than the fans in Lincoln hope it will. The Huskers should handle Purdue this weekend before an interesting home game against Rutgers.

Week 4: Illinois 31 - Nebraska 24

The Illini validated their national ranking by winning at Nebraska in dramatic fashion. The Illini look solid in all phases of the game thus far. However, this weekend's trip to Penn State could prove to be a true litmus test.

Week 4: Iowa 31 - Minnesota 14

Iowa impressed in week four by hanging 31 points on a Minnesota defense that had shut out its two previous opponents. Kaleb Johnson galloped his way to 206 yards and three scores to lead that effort. Now, the Hawkeyes get a week to prepare for a road trip to Ohio State. Can they be the first team this year to challenge the Buckeyes?

Week 4: Rutgers 26 - Virginia Tech 23

Rutgers validated their hot start and the offseason hype surrounding their season by winning at Virginia Tech in week four. Now, with a manageable schedule in front of them, they could be a nine-win team in the regular season. But they can't get tripped up at home by Washington this weekend.

Week 4: Michigan 27 - USC 24

USC was bullied at the line of scrimmage by a Michigan team that didn't even pretend to try to throw the football. Yes, the Trojans played better on both sides of the football in the second half but when the game was there for the taking, they got out-muscled by the Wolverines. That has to be concerning as they continue to try to rebuild their defensive identity.

Week 4: Michigan 27 - USC 24

Michigan needed a big win to prove that they remain a Big Ten contender and that's what they got against USC. Despite getting only 32 passing yards from new starting QB Alex Orji, the Wolverines pounded out enough offense to squeak past the Trojans. Now, they must back this win up by handling their business against Minnesota and Washington before a meeting with No. 19 Illinois.

Week 4: Off

The Ducks took the week off after their week-three rivalry win over Oregon State. This week they should handle UCLA and next week they should take care of Michigan State before the big showdown against Ohio State on October 12.

Week 4: Penn State 56 - Kent State 0

Penn State didn't play with its food this weekend like so many good teams have this year when playing lesser opponents. Perhaps they learned a lesson from their close call vs. Bowling Green. This week's showdown with Illinois in Happy Valley suddenly has become rather intriguing and will be the Nittany Lions' best test thus far.

Week 4: Ohio State 49 - Marshall 14

Ohio State still hasn't been tested this year. That was the case in week four and will probably be the case in the next two weeks against Michigan State and Iowa. We probably won't know much about what the Buckeyes really have until they take on Oregon on October 12.