Melvin Gordon. Melvin Gordon. Melvin Gordon.
Were you expecting something else to start this column? If the Big Ten in Week 11 was about ugliness, this week it was about Melvin Gordon being a beautiful, wonderful running back.
No. 20 Wisconsin 59, No. 16 Nebraska 24
Melvin Gordon set a FBS record with 408 rushing yards in one game as Wisconsin trounced Nebraska in a crucial Big Ten West game.
The Badgers had a tough start, losing three fumbles (two by Gordon) as Nebraska went ahead 17-3. But then Wisconsin went on a tear, scoring 56 points in a row and turning a close game into an embarrassment. Gordon broke LaDainian Tomlinson's rushing record on a 26-yard touchdown run, his fourth of the day; even more impressively, he set the record in just three quarters, sitting out the fourth quarter.
Until this game, it wasn't clear if the best Big Ten running back was Melvin Gordon, Ameer Abdullah or Tevin Coleman. Obviously, that debate is over now. Gordon is the all-time NCAA leader in yards per carry, and he is clearly the Heisman frontrunner. Wisconsin might not as helpful for OSU's playoff hopes as an 11-1 Nebraska would have been, but how about that Melvin Gordon/J.T. Barrett matchup in the Big Ten Championship Game?
For Nebraska's part, there wasn't much the Cornhuskers could do to stanch the bleeding. Tommy Armstrong had a lousy day at quarterback, showcasing awful mechanics and a noodle arm, and Wisconsin's defense eventually swarmed Ameer Abdullah.
The Blackshirts just couldn't catch Gordon, and they weren't much better against Wisconsin's backups. To echo what play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough said during the broadcast, what Nebraska is doing is better than mediocrity, but it's still not championship football.
Nebraska hasn't won the big games; now it'll have to settle for winning the little games. It can still end the streak of four-loss seasons by beating Minnesota and Iowa.
Iowa 30, Illinois 14
Maryland sure loves its state flag.
Although the Hawkeyes should have won by more, they still impressed in a win over Illinois.
Iowa dominated the game early, but Illinois held a 7-2 lead after one quarter thanks to turnovers and a goal line stand. Mark Weisman battered the Illini on the ground for 138 yards, though, and with contributions from Jake Rudock, Jordan Canzeri and Jonathan Parker the Hawkeyes racked up 304 rushing yards. The Hawkeyes outgained Illinois 587-235, and the Illini didn't score again until garbage time.
Iowa straddles the line between good and bad better than anyone. They are capable of impressive performances, but they can also gag against bad teams or get blown out. If only the Hawkeyes had a coach who could motivate his players, one who has the right attitude all the time. This guy, for instance.
Penn State 30, Temple 13
When Penn State agreed to a four-year postseason ban and massive scholarship reductions in 2012, no one could have imagined that it would be in a bowl two years later. The resilient Nittany Lions are now 6-4 and headed for a December bowl game near you.
In an oddball November nonconference game, Penn State defeated Temple to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2011. The Owls kept it close during the first half, with Sam Ficken's field goals being the difference in a 6-3 score. In the second half, Akeel Lynch and Bill Belton broke a pair of touchdown runs, and Grant Haley returned an interception 30 yards in the fourth quarter to insure the win.
Penn State's defense was lights out as usual, but I'm concerned that Christian Hackenberg is regressing like Devin Gardner. He has all the talent in the world, but he's forced to develop tics and bad habits to cope with his shoddy offensive line. I hope a five-star passer like Hackenberg can have at least one good year with decent protection before he goes pro.
Northwestern 43, No. 18 Notre Dame 40, OT
You thought Indiana beating Missouri was weird? You ain't seen nothing yet: Northwestern, freaking Northwestern, upset a ranked Notre Dame team in South Bend.
Everyone figured Northwestern would pack it in against the Fighting Irish; the Wildcats were 17-point underdogs and Notre Dame had to respond after a frustrating loss to Arizona State. It should have been an easy win for Notre Dame, but Northwestern fought all the way.
Justin Jackson rushed for 149 yards, Trevor Siemian was a viable quarterback for the first time all year, and the Wildcats battled back from 20-9 and 40-29 deficits to tie the game. In overtime, Notre Dame's kicker missed a field goal and Northwestern kicker Jack Mitchell hit a 41-yarder to give the Wildcats an improbable win.
This has been another lousy season for Northwestern, but now they have another thing to hold over Notre Dame (the Fighting Irish canceled the original series after NU's famous 1995 upset). Somehow, Pat Fitzgerald's defective squad can still make a bowl game with wins against Purdue and Illinois.
Rutgers 45, Indiana 23
In the preseason, Rutgers was picked to finish dead last in the Big Ten East. On Saturday the Scarlet Knights defied that prediction, earning bowl eligibility by trouncing Indiana.
The Scarlet Knights were unable to contain Indiana's Tevin Coleman, who ran for 309 yards, but it hardly mattered. Coleman only broke one touchdown run, and the Hoosiers stalled out on a number of promising drives after taking a 13-10 lead to halftime. Josh Hicks and Robert Martin combined for 197 rushing yards and four touchdowns for Rutgers, and the Scarlet Knights outscored the Hoosiers 35-10 in the second half to pick up the comfortable win.
| School | W-L | Rank | Prev |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 8-2 (5-1) | 1 | 5 |
| Ohio State | 9-1 (6-0) | 2 | 1 |
| Northwestern | 4-6 (2-4) | 3 | 13 |
| Michigan State | 8-2 (5-1) | 4 | 2 |
| Iowa | 7-3 (4-2) | 5 | 12 |
| Rutgers | 6-4 (2-4) | 6 | 9 |
| Penn State | 6-4 (2-4) | 7 | 8 |
| Minnesota | 7-3 (4-2) | 8 | 3 |
| Maryland | 6-4 (3-3) | 9 | 6 |
| Illinois | 4-6 (1-5) | 10 | 11 |
| Purdue | 3-7 (1-5) | 11 | 7 |
| Michigan | 5-5 (3-3) | 12 | 10 |
| Nebraska | 8-2 (4-2) | 13 | 4 |
| Indiana | 3-7 (0-6) | 14 | 14 |
NovaWatch: Did Gary Nova prevent his team from winning? Hardly! In his return from a knee injury, Nova threw for 217 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. His two touchdown throws to Leonte Carroo (five catches for 125 yards) padded Rutgers' lead when they needed to stall Coleman. After all the scorn opportunists have hurled Nova's way, he deserves this glory.
Michigan State 37, Maryland 15
After failing to stop Ohio State last week in the Big Ten East's de facto championship game, the Spartans took out their anger on Maryland.
Maryland's defense held up for a long time, but its offense shot itself in the foot so much that it didn't matter. Trailing 16-7 in the third quarter, C.J. Brown threw a pick-six right to Michigan State's R.J. Williamson, Brown's third interception of the day. Jeremy Langford's 25-yard touchdown a few minutes later made it 30-7 and essentially ended the game.
Michigan State looked much better on defense this week, holding Maryland to six rushing yards and and 5.1 yards per play. If Ohio State wins out, the Spartans should be in position for a big money game; at worst, they're looking at a top-10 ranking and four 10-win seasons in five years.
With only two weeks left in the season, nine Big Ten teams are bowl eligible and two more (Michigan, Northwestern/Illinois) could get there. Next week, check out Wisconsin-Iowa for a potential trap game, Minnesota-Nebraska for quality and Maryland-Michigan for unbridled desperation. See you then.
