Week 1 Big Ten Ranking: 1. Penn State, 9. Iowa

This isn't a power ranking or a cumulative ranking. I rank the Big Ten football teams strictly by their performance in the weekend just ended.

That's very difficult in August/September, because everybody plays some flotsam and some jetsam. I base these rankings on how teams played, who they played against, and where they played.

1. Penn State, W 26-24 vs. Central Florida in Dublin.

Sam Ficken, who hasn't always been a hero in his kicking career, made a last-second, 36-yard field goal in Ireland and surely had a wonderful flight home.

Ditto sophomore quarterback Christian Hackenberg, who threw for 454 yards.

'He's what a college quarterback should look like,” UCF Coach George O'Leary said of Hackenberg.

I wonder how many George O'Learys live in Dublin.

UCF was 12-1 last season, you know. This was a nice win. Penn State had to make that kick in the last second, but it dominated the game statistically.

2. Rutgers, W 41-38 at Washington State in Seattle.

A road win against a Pac-12 team. The Big Ten will take it anytime against anyone.

Rutgers withstood Mike Leach's pass-happy offense, and got some punch from running back Paul James, who ran 29 times for 173 yards and three touchdowns.

I feel great right now,'' said James after the game. 'I could go out and play three more quarters, probably.”

But it was already late, and the Scarlet Knights had a cross-country flight home to New Jersey.

3. Ohio State, W 34-17 vs. Navy in Baltimore

. That's a solid program the Buckeyes beat, one with eight or more wins in nine of the last 10 seasons.

OSU got pushed, and was down 7-6 at halftime. The Buckeyes struggled to get a rushing game going, and allowed 370 yards against Navy's triple-option. But OSU freshman quarterback J.D. Barrett hung in there, passing for 226 yards on just 15 throws, and rushing 9 times for 50 yards.

The Buckeyes are 25-0 in the regular-season under Urban Meyer. But today you'd have to agree with those who say Michigan State is the class of the East. Today.

4. Wisconsin, L 27-24 vs. LSU in Houston.

Yes, the Badgers coughed up a 24-7 lead.

But credit them for playing this game (granted, the money isn't bad). They looked so good rushing and defending, and then they looked helpless at both. It obviously didn't help that two key defensive linemen were knocked out of the game with injuries. But on offense, Wisconsin had no passing game whatsoever with Tanner McEvoy.

So, the SEC laughs after this escape. And the Big Ten's best win of the day was across an ocean in a game that started at 5:30 a.m in the Pacific time zone.

5. Nebraska, W 55-7 vs. Florida Atlantic

. The Cornhuskers were merciless.

Nebraska gained 784 yards, 232 of them on 21 Ameer Abdullah rushes. Put Abdullah in the Heisman Trophy race. Put a bunch of players in it. It's Aug. 31.

Quarterback Tommy Armstrong passed for 271 yards. Nebraska scored on its first five possessions.

Florida Atlantic isn't the king of south Florida, but it did win its last four games last season.

6. Michigan State, W 45-7 vs. Jacksonville State

. The visitor was an FCS national quarterfinalist last season. And it never fired a shot, as Hayden Fry would say.

The Spartans had 565 yards to JSU's 244. MSU quarterback Connor Cook completed all but one of his 13 passes for 285 yards and three scores.

Michigan State looked good.

7. Michigan, W 52-14 vs. Appalachian State

. So, it was revenge for the Appies' win in the Big House seven years ago.

But not really. For one thing, nothing will ever erase that stain. For another, it was more important to the Wolverines that they again look like a good football team. They did.

Devin Gardner completed 13 of 14 passes for 173 yards and three TDs. Which means Cook and Gardner were a combined 25 of 27 for six scores. Jeepers!

8. Maryland, W 52-7 vs. James Madison. Matt Zenitz of the Baltimore Sun wrote that Maryland Coach Randy Edsall challenged his team to start fast and finish strong.

Check, and check.

9. Iowa, W 31-23 vs. Northern Iowa

. 'We have to improve our down the field passing game,” former Hawkeye wide receiver Marvin McNutt tweeted during the game.

Soon afterward, Jake Rudock hit Derrick Willies for 46 yards.

'See what happens when the ball is thrown downfield,” McNutt said in his next and last tweet of the day.

10. Minnesota, W 42-20 over Eastern Illinois

. The Gophers started slowly offensively against the 2013 FCS national quarterfinalist, but led 35-0 in the fourth quarter.

EIU scored twice in the final 28 seconds to make the score look deceptively competitive.

But Minnesota only had one first down and two passing yards in the first quarter, so the early impression it made wasn't as good as it could have been.

11. Indiana, W 28-10 vs. Indiana State

. The Sycamores were 1-11 last year, including a 73-35 loss at Indiana. So, this win won't help Indiana with the College Football Playoff's selection committee.

But the Hoosiers methodically dominated, and had 566 yards to Indiana State's 170.

Five more wins, and Indiana can go to the Pinstripe Bowl.

12. Illinois, W 28-17 vs. Youngstown State.

The Illini trailed 9-7 after three quarters. Then Wes Lunt threw three fourth-quarter touchdown passes.

The attendance in Champaign was 36,234. That's not great.

13. Purdue, W 43-34 vs. Western Michigan.

The Broncos were 1-11 last year. So were the Boilermakers.

Since someone had to win, Purdue decided 'Why not us?” It was the Boilers' first win over an FBS team since November 2012. It was a rematch of the 2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

Next for Purdue: Central Michigan.

14. Northwestern, L 31-24 vs. California

. Whoa!

Cal led 24-7 at halftime. Cal outgained the Wildcats by 60 yards. Whoa!

There were hard feelings between the two teams last year during and after Northwestern's 44-30 win in Berkeley.

'The way it went last year,” Fitzgerald told NU fans in June, 'I look forward to shaking that coach's hand after we beat ‘em (in August).”

At the Pac-12 media days in July, Cal Coach Sonny Dykes was asked for his reaction to Fitzgerald's comment.

I don't really have a reaction to it,” Dykes said.

His team, which went 1-11 last year in Dykes' first season at Cal, apparently did have a reaction.

That's a bad loss, Wildcats. Whoa, whoa, whoa!