Here are The Detroit News Football Power Rankings for the week of Oct. 20, 2024, with analysis from Angelique S. Chengelis.

Picked in the preseason to finish 13th in the Big Ten, Illinois has exceeded expectations by already beating three ranked teams. For Bielema, this season is gradually erasing memories of his five seasons at Arkansas and building a bridge to the Wisconsin days, when conference titles and Rose Bowls were the norm.

Here’s a look at how we see the power rankings of the Big Ten after eight weeks of action. Don’t sling mud at us just yet because we’re sure this thing will still change from now until the end of the season with so many marquee matchups still to go. Last Week (No. 18 – no change)