Big Ten football power rankings: Where Huskies land after shaky Apple Cup

The conclusion of Week 1 typically provides a glorious opportunity for pundits and fans alike to overreact to what transpired in season openers over the holiday weekend.

Except the biggest story in the Big Ten — whether the game clock is real — does not require a hasty, breathless response. It’s a mammoth issue for the conference, and the sport.

We could fill the following paragraphs with commentary on Oregon’s unexpected issues against Boise State on the line of scrimmage.

Or Washington’s ghastly offense in the Apple Cup.

Or the turnaround unfolding at UCLA under first-year coach Bob Chesney.

We could even offer a bright forecast for what appears to be USC coach Lincoln Riley’s playoff-worthy roster.

Instead, let’s drill into one of the most controversial finishes in college football history: an upset derailed, the ClockGate furor and a Hail Mary that should have never been.

Perhaps the best way to frame what transpired Saturday evening at the end of, and following Michigan’s 13-12 victory over Western Michigan is this: A game-winning Hail Mary was not the biggest story.

Yes, Michigan was dreadful in its first game under Kyle Whittingham.

Yes, WMU did everything necessary to win.

And yes, the Wolverines converted a 47-yard Hail Mary on the final play — the second final play — after one second was put back on the game clock.

By now, everyone has seen the highlights, and many fans are aware of the explanation offered by the Big Ten: The game clock available in the Big House and on NBC’s broadcast was not in sync with the official clock used by replay review.

That fractions-of-a-second difference made all the difference.

After reviewing the private (official) clock, the Big Ten’s instant-replay crew added one second back on the public (unofficial) clock, and Michigan converted.

NBC’s statement on Sunday offered a morsel of clarity while generating a pound of additional scrutiny: “Our cameras are not the official arbiter of timekeeping within the game. That is the Big Ten and game officials’ responsibility.”

The existence of two clocks was undoubtedly a stunner to many.

The fact that the clock only officials see is the real clock should be deeply concerning to everyone associated with the sport.

Or haven’t you heard of Kalshi?

The rise of prediction markets and, more broadly, advances in sports betting technology make airtight integrity exponentially more important.

College football cannot have two clocks. The time seen by the teams and the public must be the real time.

Yes, the two clocks (scoreboard clock and official clock) are synced up before kickoff, as the Big Ten noted in its statement on the situation.

Obviously, the synchronicity can be disrupted.

The NCAA’s instant replay handbook is somewhat murky on the protocol to follow in that situation, but Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira told The Athletic:

“It is my understanding that if there is a discrepancy between the video and replay command center versus the television network video that everybody sees, that replay is to use the TV video. And that is the same protocol in the NFL … You use the footage that everybody sees if there is a discrepancy.”

To be clear, there is no hint of devious intent by anyone involved (Michigan, the officials, the Big Ten). Even Western Michigan’s president, Russ Kavalhuna, said the process was fair.

But like the Brendan Sorsby affair in June — Texas Tech attempted to play a transfer quarterback who had bet on his own team — the Ann Arbor ClockGate cuts to the integrity of the game itself.

If the public doesn’t know if what we are watching is real, or official, that’s a problem requiring no overreaction.

To the power rankings …

(All times Pacific)

1. Ohio State (1-0)

Result: beat Ball State 56-3
Next up: at Texas (4:30 p.m. on ABC)
Comment: The marquee non-conference game of the season is the first of six major challenges for the Buckeyes: Texas, Iowa, Indiana and USC on the road and Oregon and Michigan at home — that’s half their schedule, delivered straight from Hades itself. (Preseason: 2)

2. Indiana (1-0)

Result: beat North Texas 52-16
Next up: vs. Howard (9 a.m. on Big Ten Network)
Comment: Josh Hoover threw 13 interceptions last season at TCU, got dissed by coach Sonny Dykes on the way out of town and opened his Indiana tenure with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. What changed? Hmmm. (Preseason: 3)

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3. USC (2-0)

Result: beat Fresno State 39-0
Next up: vs. Louisiana (8 p.m. on Big Ten Network)
Comment: Had UCLA or Cal played San Jose State on Week 0 in the afternoon heat, their crowds would have been just as sparse. The Trojans should not be catching attendance flak from Berkeley or Westwood, of all places. (Preseason: 4)

4. Oregon (1-0)

Result: beat Boise State 34-27
Next up: at Oklahoma State (9 a.m. on ESPN)
Comment: Oregon’s trip to the Coliseum on Sept. 26 is rapidly moving up the list of the most consequential games of the season, anywhere. The Ducks and Trojans should be undefeated and both, quite possibly, could be nestled somewhere in the top 10. (Preseason: 1)

5. Iowa (1-0)

Result: beat Northern Illinois 40-0
Next up: vs. Iowa State (4:30 p.m. on NBC)
Comment: The Cy-Hawk showdown hasn’t been decided by more than 10 points in a decade. That stretch of close games is about to end. (Preseason: 8)

6. UCLA (1-0)

Result: won at Cal 45-24
Next up: vs. San Diego State (4:15 p.m. on Big Ten Network)
Comment: Tremendous atmosphere in Berkeley on Saturday night, with UCLA well represented. It’s amazing what can happen when chancellors care about football. (Preseason: 10)

7. Washington (1-0)

Result: beat Washington State 24-10
Next up: vs. Utah State (12:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network)
Comment: The goal remains the same despite the underwhelming performance in the Apple Cup: Carry a 9-1 record, at worst, into the final fortnight, split with Indiana and Oregon and accept the playoff invitation that follows. (Preseason: 5)

8. Michigan (1-0)

Result: beat Western Michigan 13-12
Next up: vs. Oklahoma (9 a.m. on Fox)
Comment: The existence of two game clocks, with the official version kept private, should be a mammoth concern to everyone in the sport, especially in the age of prediction markets. (Preseason: 6)

9. Penn State (1-0)

Result: beat Marshall 45-0
Next up: at Temple (9 a.m. on ESPN2)
Comment: New coach, same soft non-conference schedule. The Nittany Lions are one of five teams — five! — in the Big Ten that don’t face a Power Four opponent outside of league play. The others: Washington, USC, Indiana and Nebraska. It’s embarrassing. (Preseason: 7)

10. Minnesota (1-0)

Result: beat Eastern Illinois 59-7
Next up: vs. Mississippi State (12:30 p.m. on CBS)
Comment: Is the bottom half of the Big Ten as stout as the bottom half of the SEC? The result Saturday in Minneapolis will lend some clarity to the topic. (Preseason: 11)

11. Wisconsin (0-1)

Result: lost to Notre Dame 41-13
Next up: vs. Western Illinois (4:15 p.m. on Big Ten Network)
Comment: Better does not mean good. The Badgers are the former but perhaps not quite the latter. (Preseason: 9)

12. Nebraska (1-0)

Result: beat Ohio 49-21
Next up: vs. Bowling Green (4 p.m. on FS1)
Comment: One of the most deceiving final scores of the weekend: The Cornhuskers led Ohio by a touchdown with 10 minutes left in the game. A wobbly performance, for sure. (Preseason: 12)

13. Illinois (1-0)

Result: beat UAB 42-23
Next up: vs. Duke (12:30 p.m. on FS1)
Comment: The Illini won handily at Duke last season. This should be more competitive based on what we saw — or, rather, didn’t see — from their defense against UAB. (Preseason: 13)

14. Maryland (1-0)

Result: beat Hampton 62-0
Next up: at UConn (12:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network)
Comment: If it’s September, the Terps must look like one of the most improved teams in the conference. By the end of October, they usually look like one of the worst. (Preseason: 14)

15. Northwestern (1-0)

Result: beat South Dakota State 34-18
Next up: idle
Comment: There are few things more difficult to overcome than a Week 2 bye and the subsequent barrage of games, but don’t blame the Big Ten. It’s the result of Northwestern’s non-conference schedule, which features a date with Ball State on Oct. 10. (Preseason: 15)

16. Purdue (1-0)

Result: beat Indiana State 44-19
Next up: vs. Wake Forest (9 a.m. on FS1)
Comment: The Boilermakers better take advantage of their last decent chance until the middle of October to collect win No. 2. (Preseason: 17)

17. Michigan State (1-0)

Result: beat Toledo 30-20
Next up: vs. Eastern Michigan (12:30 p.m. on Big Ten Network)
Comment: As noted below, the Hotline picked the Spartans to finish 16th. After watching them struggle to finish off Toledo, we are starting to wonder if that was one spot too high. (Preseason: 16)

18. Rutgers (0-1)

Result: lost to UMass 37-21
Next up: at Boston College (Friday at 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2)
Comment: Apologies for the candor, but this Friday affair should be on ESPN17. (Preseason: 19)