When you looked at the schedule in the Big Ten this weekend, you saw the massive game between Oregon and Indiana along with a ranked game between Ohio State and Illinois which made it a great slate. What no one factored in was all the potential upsets we could see this weekend that would shake the Big Ten.
After coming into the season with National Championship expectations, the Penn State Nittany Lions lost their third game in a row, eliminating them from the College Football Playoff race. We also saw two teams in Northwestern and UCLA pull off stunning wins, which made this one of the most entertaining weekends in a long time.
Penn State's collapse has changed the entire Big Ten
The Wisconsin Badgers have become one of the worst teams at the Power 4 level as they've now dropped 4 games in a row. This week, the Badgers suffered a 37-0 shutout at the hands of the Iowa Hawkeyes, which marks a new low in many ways. The pressure is mounting on Luke Fickell, and if he can't start to at least keep these games close, the Badgers may have no choice but to move on.
The Purdue Boilermakers had a great chance to get on the board in Big Ten play, but, they let it slip away in the 4th quarter. The offense looked on fire in the first half, but they were held to a field goal in the second half while also throwing a pick-six. The defense actually stepped up in this game, but the talent isn't here for this group to pull off many upsets in the Big Ten.
In the first half it looked like Rutgers had a chance to pull off the upset as they took a 13-10 lead into the locker room. The Scarlet Knights then managed just 6 points while Washington scored 28 points to pull of the comeback win. This team showed signs of improvement in Non-Conference play but, it once again looks like it's going to be a challenge for this team to pick up any wins in league play.
The Penn State Nittany Lions are officially a disaster as their 3-0 record has quickly turned to 0-3 as they haven't won a game in league play. The offense struggled again on Saturday, and now they'll be without their quarterback as Drew Allar was ruled out for the season with an injury. In the 4th quarter, when Penn State needed the defense the most, they couldn't get off the field, ending any hope this team had of making the Playoff.
Big Ten play has proven that the Michigan State Spartans are still a mess as they're now 0-3 in league play. The offense couldn't get anything done as the rushing attack struggled, while the passing attack continued to struggle with producing big plays. The defense was abysmal in this game as UCLA constantly got whatever they wanted and now you have to wonder if this group will win a game in league play.
We may have to start separating the UCLA Bruins before Jerry Neuheisel and after elevating him, as this UCLA offense looks like it's supercharged. Nico Iamaleava looks like the 5-star recruit everyone was waiting to see as the Bruins are able to move the ball at will now. The defense was stellar, shutting down the Michigan State offense, allowing this team to cruise to a 38-13 win.
What the Northwestern Wildcats did on Saturday was beyond impressive as they went on the road to Happy Valley and ended Penn State's season. The offense drove down the field in the 4th quarter to take the lead, and when they needed to run out the clock, they were able to move the ball at will. The defense shut the Penn State passing game down while holding one of the best rushing attacks in the Country to just 4.4 yards per carry.
Early on, it looked like Minnesota might fall to Purdue, but PJ Fleck's team came alive in the 4th quarter to win this game. Drake Lindsey found Jameson Geers in the 4th quarter to tie the game before Koi Perich delivered a game-winning pick-six. This team needs to do a much better job playing consistently for 4 quarters, but they have the talent to pull off some big upsets.
The Maryland Terrapins are a few plays away from being 6-0, but this team has been the victim of bad 4th quarters in back-to-back weeks. This team has taken a clear step forward from last season, and as the younger players continue to develop, they should only get better. Losing winnable games the last two weeks hurts as the back half of this schedule is tough, but this team won't be an easy out in any game.
The Iowa Hawkeyes got a gift coming off a loss to Indiana, as they got to face an abysmal Wisconsin Badgers team. The Hawkeyes took an early 17-0 lead, but all they needed to do was score a point as the defense shut Wisconsin out, forcing 3 turnovers. The offense took advantage of the opportunities, punching in 4 touchdowns on the ground while the passing attack still isn't clicking. This style of play is good enough to win against inferior opponents, but the Hawkeyes need to find some level of passing game if they're going to upset the more talented teams.
The Washington Huskies started slow on Friday Night, leading to them trailing Rutgers 13-10 at the half. In the second half, this team turned it on, outscoring Rutgers 28-6 to escape with the win, picking up another win in league play. This team has the talent to pull off some big wins and compete to be a dark horse in the Big Ten, but they need to start playing more consistently in order to do so.
Matt Rhule's team has learned how to win close games late, which is the biggest takeaway he should have with this group. Dylan Raiola had a shaky game yet, but when the team needed it most, he delivered the game-winning touchdown. There's plenty this team needs to clean up, but they're talented enough to have a big impact on the rest of the Big Ten.
The Michigan Wolverines came off the bye and looked like it may have killed the rhythm they found before the break. The rushing attack was only able to pick up 3.5 yards per carry, putting a ton of pressure on Bryce Underwood, and he couldn't deliver. The bigger concern may be the defense, which got shredded for 224 yards and two scores on the ground while picking up 6.2 yards per carry. There was a ton of hope for this team, but at the end of the day, they're going to have tough games as they're starting a true freshman quarterback.
The Illinois Fighting Illini are 5-2, but it's hard to fault them as they may have lost to the two best teams in the Country in Ohio State and Indiana. The offense turned the ball over three times, directly leading to 21 points for the Buckeyes. The final 5 games for this team are easily winnable, but when the Playoff discussion comes around, they may not have the big win to make the Playoff.
The USC Trojans sent a statement on Saturday Night with a dominant win over the Michigan Wolverines. The offense got Ja'Kobi Lane back in the lineup, and it made the Trojans' passing attack even harder to stop as they averaged 10.3 yards per reception. The defense was able to take away Bryce Underwood's rushing ability, and the Wolverines' offense couldn't do anything on the ground because of it.
The Oregon Ducks let a great opportunity slip away this weekend, losing their first game of the season to Indiana. Dante Moore and the offense struggled as Moore threw 2 interceptions and was sacked 6 times. The good news for Dan Lanning and his team is that they're going to have plenty of chances to fix their mistakes, as they shouldn't be tested by any of their remaining opponents.
Curt Cignetti keeps making anyone who's doubting him and his team regret it as he picked up a signature win on Saturday, going into Autzen Stadium and beating the Oregon Ducks. The offense didn't have a great game as Fernando Mendoza threw a pick-six, but the 30 points they scored were more than enough. The defense was incredible, forcing Dante Moore to throw a pair of interceptions while sacking him 6 times. This team is well on its way to the College Football Playoff, and it's impossible to count them out at this point.
The Ohio State Buckeyes continue to look like a better team than the group we saw win the National Championship last season after dominating Illinois. The offense took care of the football, and while it wasn't their best game, 34 points against a team like Illinois is impressive and good enough when you have a defense like the Buckeyes do. The defense completely erased Illinois' rushing attack while forcing an interception out of Luke Altmyer.