Sports

Big Ten football power rankings: Week 2

Jay LaPrete

AP ranking: No. 3

Record: 2-0

Result: Defeated Tulsa, 48-3

Last week: No. 1

Up next: at No. 14 Oklahoma (1-1)

Say what you want about Tulsa’s defense, but the Golden Hurricanes finished last season ranked 13th nationally in total offense, having scored at least 34 points in 11 of 13 games. Against the Buckeyes, Tulsa managed just 188 total yards. Quarterback Dane Evans, who finished seventh nationally in 2015 with 333.2 passing yards per game, threw for just 127 yards and had four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.

Though Ohio State didn’t score an offensive touchdown until quarterback J.T. Barrett scored on an 11-yard run with 9:42 left in the third quarter, and only had 158 yards of offense in the first half, the Buckeyes finished with 418 yards. Barrett ran for just two scores after setting the single-game school record with seven total touchdowns last week, but freshman running back Mike Weber (right) rushed for 92 yards and his first career touchdown as a Buckeye to help lead the way. Ohio State could be in trouble if the offense starts slow this weekend in Norman, but if the defense keeps playing like this, the Buckeyes will earn a signature win for the playoff committee.

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Tony Ding

AP ranking: No. 4

Record: 2-0

Result: Defeated Central Florida, 51-14

Last week: No. 2

Up next: vs. Colorado (2-0)

On a day the Wolverines struggled to run the ball (just 119 yards on 41 carries for an average of 2.9 yards per rush), quarterback Wilton Speight effortlessly carried the offense in his second career start, throwing for 312 yards and four touchdowns on 25-for-37 passing. With the Knights often stacking the box with eight or nine players, Speight and Michigan adjusted with play-action fakes, spreading the ball around to 10 different receivers.

On defense, the Wolverines were spectacular against the pass, limiting UCF to just six completions for 56 yards. But the Knights amassed 275 yards rushing on 46 attempts for six yards a carry, including runs of 26, 34, 35 and 87 yards. Michigan seemed to have trouble at times containing dual-threat quarterbacks Justin Holman and Nick Patti, and the Wolverines will have their hands full this weekend in Colorado’s Sefo Liufau (522 yards passing, 120 yards rushing, four total touchdowns this season).

Oh, and Michigan deflected two punts and blocked two field goal attempts, which is more production from special teams than most teams in the Big Ten will have all season.

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C.J. Doon