Week 13 of the College Football season is in the books, and while it wasn't the most exciting weekend of the season, there were several games that had a massive impact on the Playoff race. The biggest stakes in the Big Ten came as Oregon hosted USC in a pivotal game in the race for the College Football Playoff.
The Oregon Ducks won big proving that they belong in the same conversation with the likes of Ohio State and Indiana. Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Big Ten has set itself up for some serious high stakes drama.
Big Ten Power Rankings: Oregon punched its ticket to the Playoff
The Purdue Boilermakers spent the weekend on the bye before their final game of the season. Barry Odom's team is looking to avoid going winless in Big Ten play, and in order to do so they'll need to shock the Indiana Hoosiers which is almost impossible to imagine.
Jonathan Smith's team continues to find ways to lose games, as this weekend saw the Spartans allow 10 points in the final 3 minutes to lose the game. The offense caught fire in the 3rd quarter, but picked up just 1 first down in the 4th quarter, giving Iowa all the time they needed to win the game. The Spartans have one last chance to pick up a win in league play against Maryland; otherwise, it may cost Jonathan Smith his job.
Mike Locksley's slide continued on Saturday as the Terrapins lost their 7th game in a row after starting Big Ten play 1-0. The Terrapins were gashed by Michigan's 3rd string running back as the Wolverines won the game in the trenches. Mike Locksley was reassured he'll be back next season, but this team needs to make clear strides next season.
While Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate were out, it would've taken a lot more for Rutgers to have any chance against Ohio State. The Scarlet Knights couldn't get anything going on offense, and eventually the defense couldn't keep getting stops. Greg Schiano now has one last game to get this team bowl-eligible; otherwise, it'll be another season with nothing to show for it.
Early on in Tim Skipper's tenure, it looked like he and Jerry Neuheisel could be the duo to turn this program around. The Bruins have since lost their last 4 games, 3 of which have been in blowouts, changing the sentiment around the interim staff. UCLA took a big risk bringing in Nico Iamaleava, and while he hasn't been the problem, it only raised expectations this team couldn't meet.
PJ Fleck's team has been inconsistent, and on Saturday they showed it in the second half against Northwestern. Fleck's team blew a 15 point lead in the second half as a pair of missed field goals sunk this team. Injuries certainly hurt this team, but PJ Fleck is going to need to improve this roster as a whole if they're going to take a step toward Playoff contention.
When Nebraska lost Dylan Raiola for the season, it was understood that this team would be shaky, and against Penn State they certainly were. Penn State jumped on Nebraska early, and without Raiola they can't keep up in a game where they need to score constantly. The Huskers defense was the biggest issue as they allowed Penn State to go 11-12 passing while the Nittany Lions gashed them on the ground.
After Wisconsin announced it was backing Luke Fickell for 2026, he's rewarded the program with Top 25 wins in back-to-back weekends. The Badgers' defense shut Illinois down on the ground, and Luke Altmyer couldn't find a rhythm through the air to make up for it. The Badgers' offense was powered by Darrion Dupree, who rushed for 131 yards and a pair of scores. It's been a disappointing season for Wisconsin, but with the way this team has finished the year, it's encouraging for Luke Fickell's future.
Even in a lost season, Penn State hasn't quit, as they dominated Nebraska on Saturday Night. The offense was led by Kaytron Allen, who became Penn State's career leading rusher with another great performance. Next weekend, give this team a chance to salvage the season in a way that they could punch their ticket to bowl season with a win.
For a team that entered the season with hopes of making the College Football Playoff, the Illinois Fighting Illini have been a massive disappointment. Saturday marked Illinois' 4th loss as the Fighting Illini couldn't get anything going on offense against a Wisconsin team having a down season. The Illini can still finish strong, but coming into the year, taking 4 losses in league play would've been a disappointment for many.
Northwestern was able to snap its 3-game losing streak in spectacular fashion to clinch bowl eligibility. The Wildcats dominated the second half to storm back and win on a 33-yard field goal with under a minute to play. David Braun's team was given low expectations coming into the season, yet they've been competitive in big games which is exciting for the future.
Without Denzel Boston and with Jonah Coleman limited, the Washington Huskies were still able to score 48 in a win over UCLA. The Huskies were dominant, getting production from almost every player on the offense. The Huskies should be kicking themselves over the loss to Wisconsin, as they'd likely have a win-and-in game against Oregon next weekend.
Iowa looked like they might drop their 3rd game in a row before a late 4th quarter comeback to escape with a win. In typical Iowa fashion, the only thing that kept the Hawkeyes in this game early was a punt return touchdown before Drew Stevens delivered a clutch 44 yard game winning field goal. The Hawkeyes remain a team that's looking for a consistent source of offense, as every other unit is in the top tier of the Big Ten.
The USC Trojans had a great chance to launch themselves into the College Football Playoff picture, but they ended up eliminating themselves against Oregon. The end of the first half was a disaster as the defense cost themselves 7 points before strange play calling by Riley led to a missed field goal, allowing Oregon to play comfortably in the second half. This team is a clear step forward for Riley, and a group to keep building on, but they once again weren't good enough.
This week was the dress rehearsal for The Game, and Michigan played one of its best games of the season. Bryson Kuzdzal ran for 100 yards and 3 touchdowns ensuring Michigan didn't miss a beat with their rushing attack. Next weekend will determine the Wolverines fate and with the streak they're on against Ohio State it's impossible to rule them out.
Dan Lanning and the Oregon came into the weekend with a chance to prove to the committee that they're one of the best teams in the Country, and they did just that. The Oregon Ducks jumped on USC at the end of the first half, and they never looked back, picking up a massive resume-building win. The biggest key for Oregon now is getting healthy, as this team keeps suffering injuries.
Curt Cignetti's team spent the weekend on the bye before they try to close out an undefeated regular season. The task for Indiana is about as easy as they come, as they'll face a Purdue team that's still looking for its first win in league play. Indiana should be able to cap this regular season unbeaten, giving them a chance to go out and send a statement against Ohio State in the conference championship.
Even as two of the biggest stars in the sport, Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate were sidelined, the Ohio State Buckeyes still had more than enough firepower to beat Rutgers. The Buckeyes turned to their rushing attack, picking up 254 yards and 4 touchdowns, averaging 6.7 yards per carry, while the defense was its dominant self. The Buckeyes have been unstoppable this season, and they'll have their biggest test once again against Michigan.