Several Big Ten teams are facing all kinds of quarterback question marks as we hit the home stretch. Julian Sayin is out indefinitely, leaving the starting job in the hands of a true freshman. UCLA won’t have Nico Iamaleava for the rest of the year. And Michigan's Tommy Carr honeymoon lasted all of one week, while Bryce Underwood already has one foot out of the door. Week 8 was always going to be about simply surviving and advancing — and while some would-be contenders were up to the task, others were not.

Here’s a look at the updated Big Ten power rankings after a wild Saturday that not only shook up the conference but the College Football Playoff race as a whole. 

Updated Big Ten rankings after Week 8

1. Indiana Hoosiers (7-1)
2. Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1)
3. UCLA Bruins (7-0)
4. Northwestern Wildcats (6-1)
5. USC Trojans (6-1)
6. Wisconsin Badgers (4-2)
7. Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-2)
8. Iowa Hawkeyes (5-2)
9. Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-2)
10. Michigan Wolverines (4-3)
11. Oregon Ducks (4-3)
12. Washington Huskies (4-3)
13. Purdue Boilermakers (3-4)
14. Illinois Fighting Illini (4-3)
15. Penn State Nittany Lions (3-4)
16. Michigan State Spartans (2-6)
17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-5)
18. Maryland Terrapins (2-5)

Northwestern proving to be a legit dark horse in the Big Ten

Chip Kelly has been an offensive maestro at Northwestern this year, one of the several reasons why the Wildcats are both ranked in the AP top 25 and a real threat to crash the Big Ten party after rolling Rutgers on Saturday. With a trip to Oregon not looking nearly as daunting as it once did (more on that in a minute), the Wildcats have a real chance to get to their trip to Ohio State in three weeks at 8-1 overall and 5-1 in conference play. Win that against a Buckeyes backup QB, and Northwestern can go from College Football Playoff outsider to legitimate contender. 

The Big Ten hasn't been blown totally wide open just yet, but depending on how things unfold over the next couple of weeks — as Ohio State lives life without Julian Sayin and Indiana and USC look awfully beatable — it could open up the chance for new teams to work their way into contention. Northwestern is at the top of the list.

UCLA has clear path to Big Ten title game

UCLA, despite being down its starting quarterback, has a clear path to Indianapolis after a blowout win over Michigan State. The only ranked opponent remaining on the Bruins' schedule is the finale against USC, and MIchigan and Minnesota are the only true road trips left; there’s no reason why the Bruins can’t finish this season undefeated in conference play.

It's time to start taking seriously the possibility that UCLA runs the table in the regular season. Bob Chesney has turned this program around in one year, and the Bruins are a legitimate threat in the Big Ten — not to mention the CFP. The Michigan game in Ann Arbor in November could be a trap game, but for now, the Bruins are the team to beat thanks to a solid defense and a relentless running game.

Iowa blows golden chance to compete for Big Ten title game spot

You'd think that so much chaos toward the top of the league would mean that this is finally Iowa's opportunity to raise their ceiling. But just when it seemed like the Hawkeyes were ready to go on a run, they stub their toe in the Floyd of Rosedale game at Minnesota on Saturday to suffer a second conference loss.

That by no means takes Iowa out of things entirely. But they officially have no more margin for error, with a trip to Northwestern and tricky home dates against Wisconsin and Nebraska still to come. Given the mediocrity at quarterback between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski, it feels hard to believe they can run the table and give themselves to a shot at both a spot in Indy and the CFP.

It's officially time to stick a fork in Oregon

On one hand, it's hardly Oregon's fault that so many key pieces of their offense have been bitten by the injury bug this year, most prominently QB Dante Moore. On the other hand, this team was looking rickety even before Moore went down, and that still doesn't explain how this veteran defense allowed over five yards per play to an Illinois team also down to its backup quarterback on Saturday.

Dan Lanning's team suffered a second loss in three weeks, 21-10 in Champaign. It's clear that neither Dylan Raiola nor Brock Thomas have what it takes to keep this team afloat in Moore's absence, and at 4-3 on the year, there's increasingly little reason to rush Moore back in what sure seems like a lost season. Their Playoff hopes are cooked, and their Big Ten title game hopes are on life support with Northwestern, Ohio State, Michigan and Washington still to come.