USC climbed from ninth to third in the latest Big Ten power rankings after a convincing 30-18 victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State, reviving Lincoln Riley's tenure and putting the Trojans (7-2) back in College Football Playoff contention. The win came a week after a loss to Wisconsin had many questioning Riley's future, but the Trojans now have a bye before a pivotal road game at No. 4 Indiana on Nov. 14.
UCLA remains atop the rankings at 11-0, followed by Indiana (9-0) despite the Hoosiers needing a last-second field goal to force overtime against Minnesota. Ohio State drops to fourth after its first loss, while Iowa, Northwestern, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Oregon round out the top ten. The rankings reflect a conference where the top teams have shown vulnerability, and the upcoming matchups — especially USC at Indiana and Oregon at Ohio State — will shape the CFP picture.
Riley's team has struggled on the road in Big Ten play (5-7 over three years), making the Indiana game the biggest test of his USC career. Indiana, meanwhile, is dealing with quarterback uncertainty between Grant Wilson and Josh Hoover. The first CFP rankings placed Ohio State at No. 12, giving the Buckeyes no margin for error against Oregon this week.
