No. 4 Ohio State played a near-perfect football game Saturday, annihilating No. 7 Michigan State, 56-7, and setting up a monster trip to Ann Arbor to close the regular season. With No. 3 Oregon's 38-7 loss at Utah Saturday night, we know the Buckeyes should slide up one spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Was it enough to move into the two spot? I think so, but we'll find out Tuesday.
Across the Big Ten, Michigan saw what Ohio State did and tried to answer, Wisconsin found out what it's like to play a threw-win Nebraska, Iowa honored Bret Bielema's tattoo, and Minnesota kept its slim divisional championship hopes alive.
#6 Michigan 59, Maryland 18
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #6 MICHIGAN | 14 | 10 | 28 | 7 | 59 |
| MARYLAND | 0 | 3 | 15 | 0 | 18 |
| MARYLAND STADIUM • COLLEGE PARK, MD | |||||
You could almost picture the scene as the Michigan Wolverines, waiting to kick off at Maryland, periodically checked in on what Michigan State – the only team to hand them a loss – was doing at Ohio State, the team the Wolverines were set to face in the most important game of the season next weekend.
49-0 at the half?
If what was taking place in Columbus shocked the college football world, it didn't seem to rattle Michigan as the No. 6 Wolverines lit up Maryland, 59-18, on the road.
Michigan got scoring from all three phases to jump out to a 24-3 halftime lead before adding 35 more points in the second half. Cade McNamara threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns, one of them a 77-yard catch and run to running back Donovan Edwards, who finished with ten receptions for 170 yards. Hassan Haskins rushed for two scores on the way to 78 yards for the day, pushing his season total over 1,000 yards, and backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy passed for a score while running for another.
Defensively, the Wolverines held Taulia Tagovailoa to a near season-low 178 yards passing, picking him off once, which was promptly returned for a 42-yard pick-six by D.J. Turner. The loss was the sixth in seven games for a Maryland program that started the season 4–0.
Oh, and they also put this on film for Ohio State:
As called on Michigan Wolverines radio: pic.twitter.com/G2iv7xgiy8
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) November 20, 2021
For the first time since 1997, Michigan will welcome Ohio State to the Big House with one loss or fewer. The winner of "The Game" will earn a trip to Indianapolis to play in the Big Ten Championship.
Next
Ohio State (10–1) at Michigan (10–1); Maryland (5–6) at Rutgers (5–6)
#15 Wisconsin 35, Nebraska 28
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEBRASKA | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| #15 WISCONSIN | 14 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 35 |
| CAMP RANDALL STADIUM • MADISON, WI | |||||
In Madison Saturday, No. 15 Wisconsin discovered what most of the Big Ten already knew: pay little attention to Nebraska's record – playing the Cornhuskers is a pain in the ass.
Running back Braelon Allen – who won't turn 18 until January – ran for 228 yards and three touchdowns, including a 53-yarder to break a tie with under four to play, as the Badgers survived the Cornhuskers at home, 35-28.
.@BraelonAllen can't be stopped.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 20, 2021
No. 15 @BadgerFootball takes the late lead on the freshman star RB's latest highlight run. pic.twitter.com/wwqIoXJiZD
Nebraska had a chance to tie it at the end, driving into the Wisconsin red zone in the waning moments, but if there's anything quarterback Adrian Martinez is allergic to, it's coming up clutch.
Badger quarterback Graham Mertz had another very Graham Mertz-like outing, completing just 12 passes (the seventh time in his last eight outings he's completed 12 or fewer passes), but it didn't matter as Wisconsin won its eighth-straight against Nebraska.
Regular readers of this piece know that I've long referred to Nebraska as the best bad team in America, and they still are, but they might just be one of the best bad teams of all time.
Best SP+ ranking for 3-win teams, last 100 yrs (min. 10 gms):
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) November 21, 2021
2021 Nebraska (3-8, currently 25th)
2000 Colorado (38th)
1991 USC (39th)
1940 TCU (42nd)
1998 Auburn (43rd)
2015 Ga Tech (43rd)
(Those teams averaged 7.6 wins the next year, btw. CU went 10-3.) https://t.co/8joccS8Zwq
The win was Wisconsin's seventh in a row after starting the season 1–3, and the Badgers can clinch their fourth trip to Indianapolis in the last six seasons with a win at Minnesota in the final weekend of the regular season.
Next
Wisconsin (8–3) at Minnesota (7–4); Nebraska (3–8) at Iowa (9–2)
#17 Iowa 33, Illinois 23
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ILLINOIS | 10 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 23 |
| #17 IOWA | 7 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 33 |
| KINNICK STADIUM • IOWA, IA | |||||
Despite being coached by a man who regularly speaks first and thinks second, Illinois entered Saturday's game at No. 17 Iowa undefeated against ranked opponents.
When the Illini jumped out to a 10-0 first-quarter lead, you wondered if they might get a third such win, but a 100-yard kickoff return from Iowa's Charlie Jones got the Hawkeyes going, and they pulled away for a much-needed 33-23 win to keep their Big Ten West hopes alive.
100 YARDS TO THE HOUSE
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 20, 2021
What a response from @HawkeyeFootball pic.twitter.com/j05N3ILTwX
Iowa was outgained 312-255, but a dedication to the run game (52 rushes vs. only six pass completions) and a 32-yard pick-six from linebacker Jack Campbell with 1:36 to play were enough to close the deal for the Hawkeyes.
Indeed, coach, that Tigerhawk tattoo is not such a great idea now!
Iowa travels to Nebraska to close the regular season Friday, and a win in Lincoln, coupled with a Wisconsin loss at Minnesota, will clinch the Big Ten West for the Hawkeyes.
Next
Iowa (9–2) at Nebraska (3–8); Northwestern (3–8) at Illinois (4–7)
Penn State 28, Rutgers 0
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RUTGERS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| PENN STATE | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
| BEAVER STADIUM • STATE COLLEGE, PA | |||||
The first 11 drives of this game ended in punts, leading to a scoreless affair for far longer than Penn State fans were comfortable with, but the Nittany Lions put up four touchdowns over the final 35 minutes of game time to pull away with a 28-0 win over Rutgers.
Three of those touchdowns were thrown by freshman Penn State quarterback Christian Veilleux, who entered the game for an injured Sean Clifford and went 15 of 24 for 235 yards on the afternoon.
Penn State's defense held Rutgers to 165 yards and forced the Scarlet Knights to punt ten times as the Nittany Lions notched their 15th straight win in the series.
Fun fact: Penn State had a seven-yard rushing touchdown in this game, and it was its longest rushing touchdown of the season. Of the season!
Rutgers needs a win at home against Maryland to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since 2014, the longest postseason drought of any team in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Penn State travels to a wounded Michigan State to close out the regular season.
Next
Penn State (7–4) at Michigan State (9–2); Maryland (5–6) at Rutgers (5–6)
Minnesota 35, Indiana 14
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MINNESOTA | 0 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
| INDIANA | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| MEMORIAL STADIUM • BLOOMINGTON, IN | |||||
With one minute remaining in the first half, Minnesota and Indiana were tied up at seven. Then the doors came off for the Hoosiers.
Ky Thomas, who would finish with 105 on the ground, punched it in from the one to put the Gophers up 14-7 with 46 seconds remaining in the half. Three plays later, Minnesota's Tyler Nubin picked off Donaven McCulley, and the Gophers took over at the Indiana 31. Three plays after that, quarterback Tanner Morgan found Chris Autman-Bell from 14 yards out for the score.
Fourteen points in 37 seconds, and the Gophers took a 21-7 lead to halftime.
Minnesota would put up two more second-half touchdowns to finish with a 35-14 win, rebounding from a two-game losing streak. The loss for Indiana was its seventh straight.
The Gophers can still win the Big Ten West if… they beat Wisconsin, Iowa loses to Nebraska, and Purdue beats Indiana.
Of note: Minnesota left guard Connor Olson became the Big Ten's career leader in games started Saturday, breaking a tie with former Ohio State center Billy Price, with his 56th start. Olson achieved the mark by taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-shortened 2019 season.
Next
Wisconsin (8–3) at Minnesota (7–4); Indiana (2–9) at Purdue (7–4)
Purdue 32, Northwestern 14
| Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PURDUE | 0 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 32 |
| NORTHWESTERN | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| WRIGLEY FIELD • CHICAGO, IL | |||||
Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell had another huge day Saturday, throwing for 423 yards and three touchdowns as the Boilermakers rolled Northwestern, 32-14, at Wrigley Field.
Wide receiver Milton Wright was his primary beneficiary, hauling in eight receptions for 213 yards and all three of those touchdowns, while fellow wideout David Bell caught 12 passes for 101 yards.
The grass at Wrigley wasn't great, leading to a hilariously unintentional onside kick recovered by Purdue:
Purdue did an accidental onside because the grass is so bad at Wrigley pic.twitter.com/k3H1KSTAjo
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 20, 2021
Another oddity from this one: the two teams shared the north sideline due to a lack of space on the south end!
Next
Indiana (2–9) at Purdue (7–4); Northwestern (3–8) at Illinois (4–7)
| Rank | Team | Overall | B1G | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 OHIO STATE
|
10–1 | 8–0 | – |
| 2 |
 MICHIGAN
|
10–1 | 7–1 | – |
| 3 |
 WISCONSIN
|
8–3 | 6–2 | ▲ 1 |
| 4 |
 PURDUE
|
7–4 | 5–3 | ▲ 1 |
| 5 |
 IOWA
|
9–2 | 6–2 | ▲ 1 |
| 6 |
 MICHIGAN STATE
|
9–2 | 6–2 | ▼ 3 |
| 7 |
 PENN STATE
|
7–4 | 4–4 | – |
| 8 |
 MINNESOTA
|
7–4 | 5–3 | – |
| 9 |
 NEBRASKA
|
3–8 | 1–7 | – |
| 10 |
 ILLINOIS
|
4–7 | 3–5 | – |
| 11 |
 MARYLAND
|
5–6 | 2–6 | – |
| 12 |
 RUTGERS
|
5–6 | 2–6 | – |
| 13 |
 NORTHWESTERN
|
3–8 | 1–7 | – |
| 14 |
 INDIANA
|
2–9 | 0–8 | – |
Twelve weeks in and I feel like I finally have a handle on power rankings for the conference.
The top two teams remain the same, with Ohio State at No. 1 and Michigan at No. 2, and the two look to be the class of the entire conference.
Wisconsin, winners of seven straight, slides up to three, Purdue up to four, and Iowa up one spot to five, and that seems like the sound and lawful order for the top five teams in the Big Ten.
Michigan State takes a tumble for getting absolutely hammered by Ohio State, but not too far because I'd still take Sparty over any of the teams below them.
Speaking of the teams below them, Penn State, Minnesota, Nebraska (America's best bad team), and Illinois round out the top 10.
Maryland, Rutgers, Northwestern, and 0–8 in conference Indiana fill out the bottom of our rankings.
Going into the final weekend of Big Ten play, three teams have a chance to win the West. Wisconsin will punch a ticket to Indy with a win at Minnesota. Iowa will earn the bid with a win at Nebraska Friday and a Wisconsin loss. The Gophers need a bit more help, requiring losses by Wisconsin and Iowa, coupled with a win by Purdue.
In the East, it comes down to "The Game" as it should. The winner will represent the division in the Big Ten Championship Game.
PLAYER of the WEEK
Since I can't pick C.J. Stroud because this piece focuses on the rest of the Big Ten, Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen takes home the honor for the second week in a row after rushing for 228 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries (10.4 per). It was the freshman's seventh straight 100-yard game and gave him 401 rushing yards in his last two outings.
