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Big Ten power rankings after Week 6: While Ohio State stands strong, national champ Michigan drops down

The college football season is approaching the halfway mark on the calendar as teams enter Week 7. The Big Ten has been playing great football over the first six weeks of the season, as the 18 teams are a combined 64-32 overall and 42-10 in non-conference games.

Six Big Ten teams have been ranked in the latest rendition of the AP Top 25 Poll, with three of those teams — the Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks and Penn State Nittany Lions — in the top four. Four additional programs received votes, meaning that 10 of the Big Ten's 18 teams got some recognition from voters.

The No. 2-ranked Buckeyes lead the way as they are 5-0 and 2-0 in conference play. The Michigan Wolverines, who entered the season as the defending national champions, were among those who slid following a rough Week 6 loss, their second of the season.

Conference play has been in full swing over the past two weeks, with 16 of the Big Ten's 18 teams facing a conference opponent, and the remaining two having a bye week. The expanded postseason field of 12 teams will likely lead to multiple teams from the conference reaching the College Football Playoff.

Here's a look at the Big Ten power rankings after Week 6.

Big Ten power rankings after Week 6

  1. No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes (5-0, 2-0) - 35-7 W vs. Iowa Hawkeyes
  2. No. 3-ranked Oregon Ducks (5-0, 2-0) - 31-10 W vs. Michigan State Spartans
  3. No. 4-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0, 2-0) - 27-11 W vs. UCLA Bruins
  4. No. 18-ranked Indiana Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0) - 41-24 W at Northwestern Wildcats
  5. No. 23-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini (4-1, 1-1) - Bye week
  6. No. 24-ranked Michigan Wolverines (4-2, 2-1) - 27-17 L at Washington Huskies
  7. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1) - 14-7 W vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
  8. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (4-1, 1-1) - 14-7 L at Nebraska Cornhuskers
  9. Washington Huskies (4-2, 2-1) - 27-17 W vs. then-No. 10-ranked Michigan Wolverines
  10. Iowa Hawkeyes (3-2, 1-1) - 35-7 L at then-No. 3-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes
  11. USC Trojans (3-2, 1-2) - 24-17 L at Minnesota Golden Gophers
  12. Wisconsin Badgers (3-2, 1-1) - 52-6 W vs. Purdue Boilermakers
  13. Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-3, 1-2) - 24-17 W vs. then-No. 11-ranked USC Trojans
  14. Michigan State Spartans (3-3, 1-2) - 31-10 L vs. then-No. 6-ranked Oregon Ducks
  15. Maryland Terrapins (3-2, 0-2) - Bye week
  16. Northwestern Wildcats (2-3, 0-2) - 41-24 L vs. then-No. 23-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.
  17. UCLA Bruins (1-4, 0-3) - 27-11 L at then-No. 7-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions
  18. Purdue Boilermakers (1-4, 0-2) - 52-6 L at Wisconsin Badgers

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