The Boilers just miss the top 10 for the first time in almost five years.
This is now a "We're Back" moment, because as our neighbors to the South showed, that means nothing if you don't stay there. Instead, it is a triumphal return knowing that there is still work to do. This week Purdue held serve from last week. It looked like the Boilers would move into the top 10, but in the Coaches' Poll they stayed at No. 11, just 13 points behind Virginia:
TOP 25 TEAMS, WEEK 5
| RANK | TEAM | RECORD | POINTS | 1st Place Votes | Prev | CHANGE | Hi/Low |
| 1 | Michigan St | 9-0 | 765 | 26 | 3 | 2 | 3/13 |
| 2 | Iowa St. |