The 2014 Week 8 Big Ten Power Poll: Minecraft Edition

For a game that at a glance wouldn't look out of place in the 1990s, Minecraft has done fantastically well. The block oriented world builder generated enough money and notoriety that no less a conglomerate than Microsoft acquired the franchise for around $2.5 billion recently. Since the main man in charge of the B1G, one Jim Delany (cue Spartan booing and hissing), is also all about making money, this week's Power Poll will be comparing the teams of the conference to blocks and items found in Minecraft.

There were 13 voters this week. As always, a First Place Vote is worth 14 points, while a Last Place Vote is worth 1, and everything else in between is probably worth what you think it is. Highs, lows, and last week's placement are recorded accordingly.

1. Michigan State Spartans - Diamond

176 Points || 7 First Place Votes || High 1 || Low 2 || Last Week: 1

One of the rarest materials in the game. While it may only take Iron to mine you out some of the time, you are capable of breaking through pretty much everything else out there. You tend to appear on a lot of advertising for the product, and everyone wants a piece of you. Though there are times we can live without you just fine, you make a lot of things much easier for us.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes - Obsidian

174 Points || 6 FPV || High 1 || Low 3 || Last Week: 2

Noted for being nearly impossible to mine (unless using Diamond). You can be pretty much anywhere and everywhere you want to be, but it takes the right balance to make you instead of something much weaker. Without you, entire portions of the game are impossible to access. Of course, we have to light you on fire to make that work, but it's a task we're more than willing to try.

3. Nebraska Cornhuskers - Redstone

157 Points || High 2 || Low 3 || Last Week: 3

You certainly like to flaunt being red. You're capable of making complex systems run flawlessly, but most new people just think you're used for creating light. For some reason, the number 4 is a big deal to you, as you produce 4 when a block of you is mined. As much as people weren't sure what to make of you when we got you originally, you've proven to be very useful, and only get more so by the day.

4. Minnesota Golden Gophers - Gold

142 Points || High 4 || Low 5 || Last Week: 5

While you occasionally undergo some minor color changes, we always recognize you as Gold. You've not always proven to be as effective as Iron, but you are also a bit harder to find, so your value may be slightly inflated. Regardless, you have some fine looking armor.

5. Wisconsin Badgers - TNT

123 Points || High 4 || Low 8 || Last Week: 6

You're the red and white menace we all have to be very careful around. You're always explosive, but whether that's to your benefit or detriment isn't always immediately clear. When put into the hands of the wrong people, you're simply a destructive force that no one enjoys but the person in charge of you. Dangerous, yet fragile, we keep a close eye on you and stand back when you're about to blow up.

6. Maryland Terrapins - Endermen

122 Points || High 5 || Low 7 || Last Week: 8

A relative newcomer compared to the rest, you've proven that you can certainly be dangerous, despite your usually docile nature. While you are tough, there are ways to defeat you that you just can't handle. Looking directly at you is a challenge at best, and potentially fatal at worst. Not to be taken lightly.

7. Iowa Hawkeyes - Wood

103 Points || High 7 || Low 8 || Last Week: 4

Let's face it, you're not the most exciting block in the game. Your style is more about function than flash, and while that makes you very valuable to keep around, you're not exactly a starring attraction. You're capable of doing a lot of things, but you tend to stick to the things you know the most. And barring utter catastrophe, you're gonna be sticking around for a long, long time.

8. Northwestern Wildcats - Coal

92 Points || High 6 || Low 9 || Last Week: 7

You've got a long, slow burn ahead of you. What you'll be doing with it is anyone's guess. You could melt down some Gold, or possibly just be used to cook some pork. It's likely you'll just be used recklessly, but you're out of the ground, and that's better than nothing right now.

9. Rutgers Scarlet Knights - Iron

74 Points || High 8 || Low 12 || Last Week: 9

You ran up against some Obsidian last week, and you really only scratched the surface. When not being abused that way, though, you've put together a very strong performance. You've got plenty of nice tools, and a nice set of armor, and you're certainly lasting much better than many expected. Someday, people may recognize that you actually do more things than Wood, but today is not yet that day.

10. Purdue Boilermakers - Rail

60 Points || High 9 || Low 13 || Last Week: 13

It seems like you might finally be going places. The more together you are, the more useful you become. You are a lot more complex that you might appear at first glance, but if you're doing things right, carts get rolling. However, you can be destroyed quite easily, and even the smallest break can derail your whole system.

11. Michigan Wolverines - Cobblestone

56 Points || High 10 || Low 12 || Last Week: 10

You can trace your history back to the beginning of the game, and though you disappeared for a bit, you came back and have been strongly associated ever since. Unlike the smooth stone you can become, you're currently rather rough around the edges. People have been chipping away at you all year, and you're settling into a layer you'd rather not be a part of.

12. Indiana Hoosiers - Glass

37 Points || High 10 || Low 13 || Last Week: 11

Easily broken, relatively transparent, and mostly for decoration. You've gone through a lot of trouble to get here, but you became extremely fragile, and are beginning to shatter under the pressure. You can have a few different looks, but looking good isn't everything. Despite potentially containing something extremely rare, people can and will look right through you and right past you.

13. Penn State Nittany Lions - Bedrock

36 Points || High 11 || Low 13 || Last Week: 12

Despite looking strong early, you've basically drifted to the bottom levels. While you have been hard to break at times, those capable of breaking you have done so. You mostly serve as a warning that too much mining has occurred, and that it's time to turn around.

14. Illinois Fighting Illini - Creeper

13 Points || 13 Last Place Votes || Last Week: 14

That's a very nice football program you have there. It would be a shame if something were to happen to it. hissssssssssssss BOOM!