Ranking Big Ten Week 3 Performances: 1. Nebraska, 11. Iowa

This is a ranking of how Big Ten football teams did in Week 3, and Week 3 only.

Week 3 didn't have the marquee carnage of Week 2, but it really wasn't any better. The Big Ten had three games against Big 12 teams, were favored in the two that were at Big Ten sites, and lost all three.

On with the rankings:

1. Nebraska, W 55-19 at Fresno State

We knew Fresno State was bad given the way it was routed at USC and Utah. But, it was a long trip out West for the Huskers, a home game for the Fresnots, a Nebraska team that was shaky the week before against McNeese State ... who knew what would happen?

The Huskers scored two touchdowns in the first three minutes and acted like a good Big Ten team is supposed to act against a lightly regarded team from the Mountain West.

Freshman De'Mornay Pierson-El returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown, and returned another 51 yards. The Huskers had eight offfensive plays of 20 yards or more.

2. Penn State, W 13-10 at Rutgers

This game was hard on the eyes, especially Nittany Lion eyes. At least for the first 58 minutes.

But Christian Hackenberg, possibly the league's best quarterback, led an 80-yard touchdown drive that put the Lions ahead with 1:13 left.

Penn State's defense kept its team in the game, holding Rutgers under 300 yards and intercepting Gary Nova five times.

3. Ohio State, W 66-0 vs. Kent State

'This is what the doctor ordered,” OSU Coach Urban Meyer said.

What physicians do you know who would prescribe mismatches?

Freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett passed for six touchdowns, tying the school record.

'At the end of November, they probably will be fighting for a championship,” said Kent State Coach Paul Haynes.

And Kent State won't.

4. Michigan, W 34-10 vs. Miami (Ohio)

This would have been a No. 8 or No. 9 ranking if the rest of the league was taking care of business.

Wolverines fans booed when their team went to the dressing room at halftime with just a 17-10 lead over a Miami club that had lost by that score to FCS Eastern Kentucky a week earlier.

From John Niyo of the Detroit News:

This is what you get when you're marketed as an elite team but playing like a generic brand. This is what you get when you're struggling to handle one of college football's worst teams a week after enduring one of your program's worst losses.

You get restlessness and resentment and what'll undoubtedly be viewed as a lack of respect - highlighted by that halftime shower of boos at Michigan Stadium - by some folks inside Schembechler Hall after Saturday's 34-10 win over Miami (Ohio).

5. Rutgers, L 13-10 vs. Penn State

Hey, Rutgers gave the Big Ten Network a great atmosphere for three-plus hours Saturday night.

The stadium had its biggest crowd ever for a football game, 53,774. The Scarlet Knights' defense played lights out for a long time, and it was an old-time, Big Ten-like grunt-and-groan battle.

But Rutgers is 0-1 in the Big Ten. And its next four conference games are against Michigan, Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

6. Purdue, L 30-14 vs. Notre Dame (Indianapolis)

The Boilermakers led 14-10 with three minutes left in the first half. So they'll always have that.

7 through 9. Michigan State, Northwestern, Wisconsin (idle)

10. Maryland, L 40-37 vs. West Virginia

West Virginia's first play was a 50-yard pass. The Mountaineers finished with 694 yards on 108 offensive plays.

Josh Lambert hit a last-second 47-yard field goal to give West Virginia to win. So two Big 12/Big Ten games basically ended with the Big 12 team kicking a field goal for the victory.

Maryland wore uniforms featuring the lyrics to the Star-Spangled Bannerin cursive script. The word 'TRIUMPH” was on the back of the jerseys.

Triumph? Uh, no. Unless it was a reference to Triumph, the Insult Comic Dog.

11. Iowa, L 20-17 vs. Iowa State

Iowa fans who say playing Iowa State doesn't do the Hawkeyes any good may be right, since Iowa has lost three of the last four games in the series.

Iowa gained 275 yards. There's your story of this one.

12. Indiana, L 45-42 at Bowling Green

James Knapke threw a 2-yard touchdown pass with :09 left for the win. Knapke passed 73 times. His team amassed 571 yards.

Same old Indiana defense.

13. Illinois, L 44-19 at Washington

Washington linebacker Shaq Thompson scored touchdowns on an interception return and a fumble return.

Huskies linebacker Hau'oli Kikaha had three sacks of Illini quarterback Wes Lunt, who still managed two TD passes to up his season-total to nine. But he didn't shred UW's injury-depleted defensive backfield.

Washington beat FCS Eastern Washington the week before, 59-52.

14. Minnesota, L 30-7 at TCU

Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner completed 12 of 26 passes with three interceptions. The Gophers trailed 24-0 at halftime. They had five turnovers. Ewww.

The Big Ten West's record against FBS teams is 6-8. Ewww.