October 11th was another weekend of tight games that are helping to define The Big Ten conference race, but a surprising loss resulted in the biggest news for one of college football’s blue blood programs.
Are Ohio State And Indiana On A Collision Course For December 6th?
Ohio State, ranked No. 1, continued its march toward the College Football Playoff with a 34–16 win over No. 17 Illinois in Champaign. Despite being outgained in total yardage, the Buckeyes capitalized on three Illini turnovers, converting each into touchdowns. Their defense bent but never broke, and quarterback Julian Sayin had an efficient, if not gaudy, day running the offense.
Meanwhile, No. 7 Indiana stunned No. 2 Oregon 30–20 in Eugene, handing the Ducks their first Big Ten loss since joining the conference. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza led the Hoosiers with 215 passing yards and a touchdown, while the defense sealed the win with two fourth-quarter interceptions. Head coach Curt Cignetti’s squad is now poised for its highest ranking in decades, and with no regular-season matchup against Ohio State, a Big Ten Championship showdown between the two is increasingly likely.
Let’s Get Physical
In Los Angeles, USC made a statement by defeating No. 15 Michigan 31–13. Jayden Maiava threw for 265 yards and King Miller added 158 rushing yards, overwhelming a Wolverines team led by freshman phenom Bryce Underwood. Michigan’s offense showed flashes, including a 69-yard touchdown to Andrew Marsh, but couldn’t close the gap late.
“Been To The Edge…”
Nebraska edged Maryland 34–31 in a back-and-forth contest at SECU Stadium, while Minnesota held off Purdue 27–20 at home. Adding insult to injury for Maryland and Purdue is how both teams held the lead in their respective games, but were unable to maintain them.
Washington = The Rodney Dangerfield Of College Football
Washington defeated Rutgers 38–19 on Friday night, with a strong second-half surge. Just as Washington did versus Maryland on October 4th, the Huskies spotted the Scarlet Knights the early lead, before taking the lead in the second half. With Washington going on the road to face Michigan on October 18th, the Huskies will need to avoid a sluggish start. Despite a 5-1 record, Washington remains unranked.
Something Is A ‘Bruin’
Any thoughts that the UCLA win over Penn State on October 4th was a blip on the college football radar screen were quickly answered as the Bruins went to East Lansing and dominated Michigan State, 38-13. UCLA is now 2-4 on the season, and 2-1 in conference play. Michigan State sits at 3-3 on the season, and is 0-3 in Big Ten play.
Penn State Pulls The Plug
After the shocking loss at UCLA, the conventional wisdom was that Penn State would regroup at home versus Northwestern. The Wildcats had other ideas, and pulled off a shocking 22-21 win at Penn State. Penn State was a three touchdown favorite.
Penn State, despite the hefty buyout figure, decided that the James Franklin era had run its course, and relieved the coach of his duties on October 12th. Rumors and speculation will now run rampant on who the next Nittany Lions head coach will be for the remainder of the season.
Badgers Are Looking Bleak
Iowa went into Camp Randall Stadium and had no problem handling Wisconsin, shutting the Badgers out to a score of 37-0. Luke Fickell seemed shellshocked after the loss, and has to regroup for a visit from Ohio State on October 18th. Iowa is now 4-2 on the year, and 2-1 in The Big Ten. Wisconsin sits at 2-4, with an 0-3 record within The Big Ten. Wisconsin, Purdue, Rutgers, Michigan State, and Penn State are all seeking their first Big Ten win this season.
