Coming into the weekend, it looked like a lackluster slate of games in the Big Ten, as Oregon and Iowa were the only ranked teams to face each other. Instead, the weekend turned into pure chaos as Penn State put Indiana on the brink, as did Iowa against Oregon which could've reshaped the entire College Football Playoff race.
Leaving the weekend, there has to be a feeling for several teams in the Big Ten that they're still in the hunt, as Indiana and Oregon both showed they're vulnerable. Aside from the top teams, we saw some truly shocking upsets and big wins that further shaped the picture in the Big Ten.
Big Ten Power Rankings: Indiana and Oregon escape to save their Playoff hopes
Purdue simply ran into a buzzsaw on Saturday, as even their perfect game may not have been enough to beat Ohio State. The offense couldn't get anything going like most teams do against Ohio State, while the defense struggled guarding an alien in Jeremiah Smith. This season was always going to be a struggle for Purdue with the coaching change, and it'll be interesting to follow this team's moves in the offseason.
All it took for Wisconsin to get off the mat and win a Big Ten game was giving Luke Fickell public support, stating he'd be back next season, and a rainy day in Washington. The Badgers won a game where their punter, Sean West, led the team with 24 yards passing, the same amount that quarterbacks Danny O'Neil, Carter Smith, and Hunter Simmons put together. This team is still lacking a ton of talent, but to see them rally and win a game should be encouraging for Luke Fickell.
This Penn State team has all the talent you could ask for, yet they find a way to lose games in every fashion. On Saturday, Penn State's offense actually gave this team a lead late in the game, and the defense only needed to make a stop. Instead, Penn State allowed Indiana to march down the field before an incredible effort sunk the Nittany Lions. This season is going to go down as an incredible disappointment, especially if they finish winless in league play.
The Michigan State Spartans spent the weekend on the bye as they have to find a way to pick up a league win in this final stretch. Jonathan Smith is on the hot seat, and the only thing that may allow him to coach a 3rd season is finding a way to pick up a Big Ten win.
Mike Locksley's seat has to be red hot, as dropping a 5th straight game to a Rutgers team they expect to beat is another new low. The offense is far too reliant on Malik Washington, and the team simply doesn't have the playmakers around him to help him succeed. The defense allowed Rutgers to move the ball at will as the Scarlet Knights averaged 11.5 yards per attempt and 5.2 yards per rush.
When Rutgers allowed Malik Washington to score on a 73-yard run to start the game, it looked like Rutgers was heading toward another loss. Instead, Greg Schiano's team dominated from the second quarter on, picking up a 35-20 win. This team has shown signs of improvement all season long, and while they'll need to pull off a miracle to win one of the final two games, this season is a great year to build on.
The exciting turnaround Tim Skipper and Jerry Neuheisel pulled off has been quickly washed away as the Bruins lost again on Saturday, this time to a Nebraska team starting a freshman quarterback. The offense struggled creating big plays, and it hurt them at times, like when they needed 6:39 to score in the 4th quarter while trailing by 14. It looked like this staff may end up earning the full-time jobs, but after the last two weeks, it may take an incredible turn of events in the last 3 weeks to pull it off.
In the first half, it looked like Northwestern may pick up an upset win over USC before the Trojans dominated the second half. The biggest issue for this offense is its inability to hit for big plays, as it would be its best chance to pull off some of these upsets. David Braun has done a solid job this season, but he needs to lead his team to a bowl game with a win over Michigan, Minnesota, or Illinois to make this season a success.
Everyone wrote off Nebraska after Dylan Raiola's injury, but on Saturday Night, they picked up another win to move to 7-3. Freshman quarterback TJ Lateef was impressive in his first start, going 13-15 for 205 yards and 3 touchdowns while Emmett Johnson rushed for 129 yards and a score. The topic of conversation around Matt Rhule is going to remain his record against ranked teams, but games like this one should be recognized when people discuss how good a coach he is.
The Washington Huskies went from a College Football Playoff contender to an absolute pretender in one game. For a team out of Washington, the Huskies looked like they never saw rain, scoring just 10 points in this game as Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston dealt with injuries. This win knocks Washington out of contention, and now this final stretch looks tougher if Boston and Coleman can't return.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers spent the weekend on the bye after picking up an overtime win over Michigan State. The path to wins the rest of the season is clear, as PJ Fleck's team needs Darius Taylor to be healthy for the game against Oregon, while Northwestern and Wisconsin are both easily winnable games.
Illinois spent the weekend on the bye after a dominant win over a subpar Rutgers team. Looking back at the season, the losses to Ohio State and Indiana were excusable, but losing to Washington is going to be the game that haunts this team. The final 3 games are an easy stretch as Maryland, Wisconsin, and Northwestern should allow this team to end the year 9-3.
The Iowa Hawkeyes had a golden opportunity late in the game after taking the lead, but a safety on a bad snap and a missed two-point conversion came back to haunt them. While Iowa will fall out of Playoff contention, they've played Indiana and Oregon closer than most teams could, and they have the potential to play spoiler down the stretch.
The Michigan Wolverines spent the weekend on the bye as Sherrone Moore prepares his team for an important final stretch. Michigan already has two losses on the season, meaning they'll need to win out to make the College Football Playoff. The next two games come against Northwestern and Maryland, which should set this team up for a win and in against Ohio State.
The USC Trojans let Northwestern hang around in the first half before unleashing their offensive firepower. Ja'Kobi Lane had one of his best games of the season, catching 11 passes for 161 yards and a score, while Makai Lemon added 74 yards and a touchdown. King Miller continues to be one of the biggest breakout stars of the season, as he was impressive, rushing for 127 yards and a touchdown. This team is hitting its stride on offense, and it's at the perfect time, as this final stretch will determine whether or not they'll make the College Football Playoff.
In a game where the Oregon Ducks were without most of their playmakers, Dante Moore rose to the occasion, driving this team down the field to kick the game-winning field goal. It wasn't pretty for Oregon in the rain, but Dan Lanning's team got the big win they needed to bolster their resume. The concern for Oregon now is getting healthier as they'll need their stars back for the final stretch against Minnesota, USC, and Washington.
After looking like the dominant force in the Big Ten for the entire season, Indiana found itself trailing a Penn State team that was winless in Big Ten play. Stars matter in College Football, and Heisman contender Fernando Mendoza led the Hoosiers down the field before Omar Cooper Jr made one of the most incredible catches of the season to win the game. Curt Cignetti will use this game as a wake-up call for this team, but escaping with a win is massive for the Hoosiers and tells us a ton about this team.
While others in the Big Ten get tested, Ohio State continues to unleash its dominance every week. Julian Sayin passed for 303 yards and a touchdown in a game where Carnell Tate was out, while the rushing attack picked up 170 yards, averaging 4.0 yards per carry. The defense continues to dominate as the Buckeyes held Purdue out of the endzone until the end of the game. This team will continue to cruise, as the next game they may get tested is in the finale against Michigan.