If one were to describe Week 13 of the college football season in one word, that word would be blustery. Some Big Ten partisans suspect teams from outside the region are afraid to play in the Midwest in winter, and yesterday was a good example of why. All six games in Big Ten country saw record or near-record lows, with the weather affecting scoring in several games. The division standings are set the bowl teams are set, the Big Ten Championship Game is set, and nobody is getting fired. Whether you call it boring or stable, the Big Ten is ready for 2014 with one week to spare.
#19 Wisconsin (9-2, 6-1) 20, #25 Minnesota (8-3, 4-3) 7
The most anticipated game of the day was the lowest scoring, to great surprise. Wisconsin won the Paul Bunyan Axe for the tenth straight time by shutting down Minnesota’s offense.
Jack Russell kicked a field goal to put the Badgers up 3-0, which is where the score stayed until Aaron Hill returned an interception 39 yards to give Minnesota a 7-3 lead in the second quarter. Wisconsin responded with James White’s 1-yard touchdown and another Russell field goal to take a 13-7 lead to the half, and a third quarter touchdown pass to Jared Abbrederis capped the scoring. Minnesota’s defense, led by Ra'Shede Hegeman, rebuffed Wisconsin a few times in the fourth quarter, but the Gophers could gain nothing on offense and Wisconsin cruised to a deceptively comfortable victory. The teams scuffled in the end zone over the axe, adding some fuel to the rivalry for next year.
Though Minnesota had built a reputation as a sneaky-good team, its ability to hang with Wisconsin demonstrated its growth. The rushing defense was a disaster earlier this year, and White and Melvin Gordon were a fearsome duo; the Golden Gophers defense held them to 194 yards on 38 carries. The secondary kept Stave from gashing it with play-action as well. The problems were all with quarterback Philip Nelson, who was 7-of-23 passing, and the offensive line, which had trouble moving the line of scrimmage on running plays. Minnesota finishes season against No. 13 Michigan State, which threatens to shut them down just like Wisconsin did.
In the light of Arizona State’s victory over UCLA yesterday, Wisconsin’s loss to the Sun Devils looks more and more outrageous. Arizona State will likely play in the Pac-12 championship game and may be the best team in the conference; meanwhile, the Badgers are slated in the low teens because voters penalize them for a fluke loss they didn’t see and the Big Ten’s perceived stinkiness. The Badgers received some BCS help with Oregon’s blowout loss, and it needs a few more breaks – including Ohio State taking care of business in the Big Ten Championship Game – to be in the discussion for an at-large bid. Wisconsin ends the season against Penn State.
#13 Michigan State (10-1, 7-0) 30, Northwestern (4-7, 0-7) 6
Michigan State secured an outright Legends Division title in a dominating win against snakebitten Northwestern.
The Spartans got off to a slow start, allowing Northwestern to hold a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Spartans controlled the second quarter and had a few lucky breaks to take a 14-6 lead to halftime, though Mark Dantonio was visibly displeased with the narrow margin and safety Jeremiah Lewis's ejection for targeting:
Michigan State pulled away in the third quarter with 10 more points, and Jeremy Langford’s second rushing touchdown of the day early in the fourth quarter ended any realistic hopes for Northwestern.
Like most of its losses, Northwestern played the winning team tight and had some horrible luck along the way. Cook’s 89-yard touchdown pass was a total fluke, Trevor Siemian had a good passing day, and Northwestern’s overmatched lines held up for a long time. The Wildcats can’t blame luck for all of the loss, though; Northwestern settled for for field goals twice inside Michigan State’s 10 and punted inside the MSU 40 several times in a must-win game. Pat Fitzgerald’s decision-making over the latter part of the season has been so conservative that some Northwestern fans are wistful for Kirk Ferentz. Northwestern’s miserable season comes to an end next week against Illinois.
Michigan State is living high on the hog, with a chance at its first perfect record in Big Ten play since 1966. The team's major concern is starting slow, which could hurt it against the typically fast-starting Buckeyes. Michigan State has a stakes-free season finale against Minnesota before the championship showdown in two weeks.
Iowa (7-4, 4-3) 24, Michigan (7-4, 3-4) 21
Goldy Gopher is popular. Goldy Glass, less so.
Though neither side showed the skill or purpose of a good team, Iowa rallied from a halftime deficit to defeat Michigan.
An early pick-six and A.J. Williams’ first career touchdown reception gave Michigan a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Despite being doubled in yardage, Michigan took a 21-7 lead into halftime with another Devin Gardner score. Iowa began its comeback with a jolting 55-yard touchdown pass to Tevaun Smith, and then the game settled down. Mark Weisman leveled the score with a 9-yard run early in the fourth quarter, Michigan had a typical three-and-out, and Iowa chipped away at Michigan’s defense until it got in range for the go-ahead field goal with 6:02 remaining. On the Wolverines’ final possession, Devin Gardner fumbled trying to stretch for more yardage and Iowa bled the final two minutes of clock for the win.
Michigan fans are at wit’s end with Al Borges. When Borges stopped pulling lineman on running plays, the idea was that simplified blocking would let Michigan execute something, anything effectively. Michigan had 158 yards of offense, 2.3 yards per play, and eight three-and-outs. Gardner played what might be the worst game of his career, not surprising since he’s one of the walking wounded, and Michigan played its fifth offensive line combination when unit cohesiveness takes precedent over everything. Anyone know who the Wolverines play next week?
Iowa fans are nearly as angry at their offensive coordinator as Michigan's fans. Greg Davis’s offense is blander than dry toast, but at least he occasionally understands what works (inside zone runs) and what doesn’t (three-yard outs on third and 10). For middling programs, wins and not style points are what matter. Iowa competes in Farmageddon against Nebraska on Black Friday.
Nebraska (8-3, 5-2) 23, Penn State (6-5, 3-4) 20, OT
Nebraska won another tight game and Penn State participated in its fourth overtime game in its last five home Big Ten games.
The first quarter was a feeling-out process for both teams, culminating in a short touchdown pass to PSU's Adam Breneman. The Nittany Lions missed the extra point. Quincy Enunwa caught a touchdown pass to put Nebraska up 7-6, where the score remain for the rest of the half. In the third quarter, Christian Hackenberg put the Nittany Lions back on top with a touchdown scramble, only for Kenny Bell to return the favor with a 99-yard return on the ensuing kickoff. Hackenberg would again put Penn State back up 20-17 on a long touchdown pass to Jesse James, and it appeared that Penn State’s defense would impose its will for the rest of the game until Ameer Abdullah burst for a 50-yard gain late in the fourth quarter to set up a game-tying field goal. In overtime, Sam Ficken missed a field goal on Penn State’s possession and Pat Smith hit a 42-yarder to give the Cornhuskers the win.
Penn State has lived dangerously as of late. Between the surprisingly good quarterback play, games blown on the kicker’s foot, and muted enthusiasm from fans, this team feels like last year’s team with worse luck. Wacko Penn State fans thought the sanctions would be reduced to let this team go bowling. That’s not the case, making next week’s game against Wisconsin the 2013 season finale.
Nebraska too likes to live dangerously. Five short weeks after the diehards were screaming for Bo Pelini’s head, the team is on track for another above-average season, 8-5 at worst or 10-3 at best. Pelini will have to find a better quarterback than the sometimes-efficient Ron Kellogg III in 2014, and the defense will have to prove itself in ways it hasn’t over the last few years. Nevertheless, Nebraska is positioned as a perennial New Year’s bowl team under Pelini, and that’s a nice place to be. Nebraska plays Iowa on Black Friday to end the season.
Illinois (4-7, 1-6) 20, Purdue (1-10, 0-7) 16
In a game every bit as crapulent as advertised, Illinois survived a bevy of turnovers to beat Purdue and end a 20 game conference losing streak.
If not for terrible defense, this game would have been a snoozer. Early gaffes enabled Akeem Hunt’s 62-yard touchdown run – the first touchdown of the season by a Purdue running back – on the Boilermakers' first possession, and Nathan Scheelhaase responded with a methodical touchdown drive for Illinois. Each team put up another early touchdown to make it 14-14, and then the offenses stagnated. Illinois gave Purdue chance after chance with three turnovers in its own territory, but Purdue came away with zero points. In the fourth quarter, Illinois hit a pair of field goals to take a 20-14 lead. The Boilermakers drove as far as Illinois’s 29-yard line, but Danny Etling’s fourth down pass was intercepted by V’Angelo Bentley to kill the threat. Illinois took a safety on the last snap as a safeguard.
Purdue’s strong showing in the last few Big Ten games has been more about legacy than this season's success. Thanks to some decent play, Darrell Hazell’s first team won’t be in the same conversation as 1981 Northwestern or 1934 Michigan for the worst team in Big Ten history. Chin up, Purdue; you beat the FCS team on your schedule, which is more than Florida can say. The Boilermakers finish the season against Indiana.
Illinois fans don’t care how ugly the win was, only that the accursed losing streak is over. Despite some blown plays, the defense had a day that would be quality against any non-Purdue team: 283 total yards for Purdue, 5.6 yards per play, 4-of-15 on third downs and stiff when the offense played poorly. Mason Mondheim and Jonathan Brown played well for Illinois, which faces Northwestern next week for bragging rights and little else.
Oh, and that's a nice racket you got going there, unnamed bowl official:
There's a bowl rep on hand to see Purdue and Illinois play. Dude, what are you doing here?
— Chris Emma (@CEmmaScout) November 23, 2013
Boston College 29, Maryland (6-5, 2-5) 26
Nate Freese hit a 52-yard field goal as time expired to give Boston College a last second win over a lively Maryland team.
Maryland and BC were in a nailbiter from start to finish. After trading field goals in the first quarter, Albert Reid’s touchdown run gave Maryland a surprising lead only for potential Heisman finalist Andre Williams to answer. In the third quarter, a touchdown pass from C.J. Brown to Amba Etta-Tawo retook the lead, followed by Brown’s three-yard run in the fourth quarter to give Maryland a 24-13 edge.
BC gashed the Terrapins twice more with lengthy touchdowns, first Williams’ second touchdown run and then a 74-yard touchdown pass to Alex Amidon. But the extra point was blocked, and Anthony Nixon returned the PAT for a defensive conversion to even the score at 26. On BC’s final drive, Williams ran 36 yards into Maryland territory to set up the game-winner.
The loss is disheartening, considering how well Maryland contained Williams for most of the game. Maryland fans are also frustrated that coach Randy Edsall elected to freeze BC’s kicker before the final field goal, since he missed on his first try. Maryland’s season concludes with a game against ACC cellar-dweller North Carolina State. After all the turmoil under Edsall, the Terrapins will accept any bowl game with a smile on their faces.
#17 Central Florida 41, Rutgers (5-5, 2-4) 17
Central Florida flattened Rutgers to give the Scarlet Knights their fourth loss in five games.
Rutgers was in trouble from the get-go. UCF scored touchdowns on its first four possessions to go up 28-7 and was close to a blowout; the runaway victory was delayed only by Rutgers’ Anthony Cioffi blocking a punt that was returned for a touchdown by teammate Andre Patton. In the second half, Gary Nova’s inaccuracy bogged down Rutgers’ offense, while UCF simply added a few more scores and milked the clock.
Rutgers’ reliance on the passing game at this point in the season is concerning. Nova has shown that he is highly variable in whether he has a great game or more often a terrible game. Even though Paul James has struggled since his return from injury, it would be better to rely on his and Justin Goodwin’s legs than Nova’s arm. The bright side: at least they get a near-guaranteed win next week at feckless Connecticut.
That does it for Week 13 in the Big Ten. The final week of the season has games surprisingly devoid of stakes. Perhaps that’s for the best; why worry about other games when The Game looms over all?
