In Columbus, Ohio State looked like a team intent on leaving nothing to chance. The Buckeyes, ranked No. 1, dismantled Rutgers 42–9 in a performance that was as clinical as it was ruthless. Quarterback Julian Sayin directed the offense with poise, spreading the ball to a deep cast of receivers while the ground game churned out steady yardage. The defense, meanwhile, suffocated Rutgers from the opening snap, stifling the offense and forcing punts that kept the Scarlet Knights from ever threatening. It was the kind of win that underscored Ohio State’s identity: efficient, relentless, and undefeated heading into “THE GAME.” Ohio State is undefeated at 11-0, while Rutgers sits at 5-6 as the Scarlet Knights need one more win for bowl game eligibility.

Michigan, their eternal rival, answered in kind. The Wolverines traveled to College Park and, after a shaky first quarter, rolled past Maryland 45–20. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood showed flashes of brilliance, throwing multiple touchdown passes and displaying the composure of a veteran. Running back Bryson Kuzdzal provided balance, pounding out tough yards and breaking free for a long score that broke the game open. Michigan’s defense, though tested early, tightened as the game wore on. With the win, the Wolverines improved to 9–2, ensuring that next week’s clash with Ohio State will carry not only the weight of tradition but the gravity of playoff implications. Maryland fell to 4-7 on the season, and will miss a bowl game after the regular season concludes.

Elsewhere, Iowa survived a scare in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes edged Michigan State 20–17 on a late field goal as time expired, a win that preserved their path to a strong bowl bid. It was not pretty—few Iowa victories are—but it was emblematic of the program’s resilience. Michigan State, already out of bowl contention, nearly spoiled the Hawkeyes’ season, and have to deal with another heartbreaking loss. Iowa is now 7-4 for the season, while Michigan State fell to 3-8, and the Spartans are still seeking their first Big Ten win of the season.

Penn State, under interim coach Terry Smith, fought to keep its season alive. Hosting Nebraska under the lights at Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions handled the Cornhuskers, 37-10. Nebraska is now at 7-4, hoping to regain some positive momentum heading into the final week of the regular season. For Penn State, a program in transition, it was a moment of pride and survival, keeping bowl hopes intact, as the Nittany Lions are now 5-6 on the season.

In Chicago, Northwestern and Minnesota staged a back and forth struggle at Wrigley Field. The Wildcats emerged 38-35, rallying from a 28-13 deficit in the second half. With the win, Northwestern ensured themselves a bowl game, as they now sit at 6-5 on the season. For Minnesota, the frustration of not winning a road game in 2025 manifested itself in the most painful fashion, as Northwestern kicked the winning field goal in the final seconds of the game. Minnesota now sits at 6-5 for the season.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, protected home turf in Madison, dispatching Illinois 27-10. The Badgers leaned on their rushing attack to wear down the Illini, who saw their postseason hopes dim further. It was a workmanlike win, the kind Wisconsin was hoping for from Luke Fickell when Fickell arrived to take over the program. Illinois is now at 7-4, while Wisconsin has improved to 4-7 this season.

Oregon defeated USC 42-27 in Autzen Stadium. The victory by the Ducks may have eliminated the Trojans from any possibility of a College Football Playoff berth, while also ensuring Oregon of a probable home game in the first round. Oregon now sits at 10-1, while USC fell to 8-3, and USC head coach Lincoln Riley is tasked with rallying the Trojans for the final game of the regular season.

Washington had little difficulty with UCLA, defeating the Bruins 48-14. Washington improved to 8-3, while UCLA is now at 3-8, and the glow of the three game winning streak by the Bruins in the middle of the 2025 season is looming more like a distant memory.

Taken together, the day’s results clarified the Big Ten’s hierarchy. Ohio State remains the standard-bearer, a machine rolling toward the playoff. Michigan lurks with renewed confidence, ready to test the Buckeyes in Ann Arbor. Rutgers and Penn State cling to their postseason ambitions, while Northwestern and Iowa remind the league of its depth.

And then there is Indiana, idle but undefeated, waiting in the wings for its first Big Ten title game appearance since 1945. Oregon, too, looms as part of the expanded Big Ten picture, its win over USC keeping it firmly in the national conversation.

November 22 was not about chaos. It was about inevitability. The giants held their ground, the contenders survived, and the conference’s storylines converged on what comes next. Rivalry week will decide not only bragging rights but the future of the College Football Playoff. For Ohio State and Michigan, the stakes are as high as they have ever been. For Iowa and Penn State, survival remains the theme. And for the league as a whole, the drama of late November is alive and well.

The Big Ten has always thrived on tradition, but this season it thrives on possibility. November 22 was the calm before the storm. Now, the storm arrives.

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Friday Night Lights: USC 38, Northwestern 17
At the Coliseum, USC’s win looked routine on paper—but for three quarters, Northwestern made the Trojans earn every yard. Trailing just 24–17 entering the fourth, the Wildcats ran out of gas as King Miller’s 129 rushing yards and a late touchdown sealed the deal. For USC, it was a lesson in patience. For Northwestern, a reminder that grit doesn’t always yield glory. Northwestern is still seeking its 6th victory of the season for bowl eligibility, while USC is at 7-2 and still in The College Football Playoff hunt.

Saturday Showdowns

Indiana 27, Penn State 24
History was made in Happy Valley. Indiana, winless in State College for over a century, stunned the Nittany Lions with a last-minute touchdown from Fernando Mendoza to Omar Cooper Jr. With 36 seconds left, the Hoosiers didn’t just win—they rewrote their program’s narrative. Penn State, once a playoff hopeful, now faces a distinct possibility of sitting at home for the holidays, as the Nittany Lions fell to 3-6 on the season.

Ohio State 34, Purdue 10
The Buckeyes remain unblemished, but not untested. Julian Sayin’s four-touchdown performance masked a sluggish second half in which Purdue’s defense held firm. The Boilermakers couldn’t capitalize offensively, but they exposed cracks in Ohio State’s armor—cracks that could widen under postseason pressure. Ohio State remains unbeaten as the nation’s top team, while Purdue is still seeking their first Big Ten win for 2025 and are 2-8 overall.

Rutgers 35, Maryland 20
In Piscataway, Rutgers turned a 14–14 halftime tie into a second-half statement. The Scarlet Knights leaned on their ground game with Antwan Raymond (41 carries for 240 yards and 1 touchdown) and defensive adjustments to pull away, while Maryland’s offense sputtered in the second half with only 83 yards. It was a win that spoke less about dominance and more about discipline. Rutgers is 5-5, clinging to hopes for a bowl game, while Maryland fell to 4-5 and have lost five straight games.

Oregon 18, Iowa 16
At Kinnick Stadium, the weather was bleak and the stakes were high. Oregon’s playoff hopes hung in the balance until Atticus Sappington’s 39-yard field goal split the uprights in the final seconds. Iowa’s defense had been heroic, but Dante Moore’s late-game poise proved decisive. This was Big Ten football at its most elemental: muddy, methodical, and merciless. Oregon is now at 8-1, while Iowa fell to 6-3 with their hopes for a possible College Football Playoff berth a longshot at best.

Wisconsin 13, Washington 10
The upset of the weekend came in Madison, where Wisconsin’s defense suffocated No. 23 Washington. A fourth-quarter field goal proved the difference, but the real story was the Badgers’ ability to dictate tempo and deny big plays. November is no place for finesse—and Wisconsin proved it. Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell can now savor his first Big Ten win of the 2025 season, while Washington fell to 6-3 for the season.

Nebraska 28, UCLA 21
In Pasadena, Nebraska was led by quarterback TJ Lateef in an impressive homecoming in his first start. The Bruins battled the Cornhuskers throughout, but had no answers for a dynamic performance by Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson, who had 28 carries for 129 yards and 1 touchdown on the ground, while adding 3 receptions for 103 yards and 2 touchdowns that proved to be the difference.

Final Whistle: What Week 11 Taught Us

This weekend wasn’t about style points—it was about survival. It reminded us that in the Big Ten, November is a proving ground. It’s where reputations are tested, contenders are clarified, and every possession carries weight. The scoreboard tells one story. The margins tell another.

And in those margins—of meaning, of motion, of momentum—this season’s legacy is being written.

Ohio State and Indiana still sit atop the conference standings undefeated, with Michigan, Oregon, and USC one game behind with one conference loss. Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, and Minnesota all had byes this weekend. Michigan State, Penn State, and Purdue are all seeking their first Big Ten wins of the 2025 season.

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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.

The post Week Seven 2025 Observations Of The Big Ten ~ A Pivotal Penn State Decision appeared first on Saturday Glory.

(Non-Conference) Rivalry Wins: The Civil War and The Apple Cup have traditionally been played at the end of the regular season, but with Oregon and Washington leaving for The Big Ten, it has necessitated the need to play those games in a non-conference setting. Both Oregon (Oregon 41, Oregon State 7) and Washington (Washington 59, Washington State 24) emerged victoriously in their games against their in-state rivals. Oregon travels to play at Penn State for a 7:30pm ET night game in Happy Valley (NBC), while Washington will welcome in Ohio State for a 3:30pm ET game in Husky Stadium (CBS).

Better Than 2024, But Still A Loss: Purdue has improved since last season, but the Boilermakers still wound up on the losing side of the ledger with a loss at Notre Dame in non-conference play, 56-30. Purdue has a bye week this coming weekend.

Gutty Road Wins: Iowa battled Rutgers into the 4th quarter before clinching the win over the Scarlet Knights, 38-28. This handed Rutgers their first loss of the 2025 season. Iowa hosts Indiana at 3:30pm ET in Kinnick Stadium (Peacock). Michigan went on the road and ran all over Nebraska for 290 yards on the ground, with a close 30-27 win in Lincoln. Both teams have a bye week this coming weekend.

Did Not See That Coming: Indiana had no problems with dispatching Illinois, 63-10. The Hoosiers served notice to The Big Ten, and to college football, that their 2024 season was no fluke with that performance. Indiana travels to play at Iowa this coming weekend at 3:30pm ET (Peacock).

Storm Cloud Are Gathering: Maryland went on the road to take on the Wisconsin Badgers in Camp Randall Stadium and handled Luke Fickell’s team, winning 27-10. Wisconsin did not score a touchdown until less than a minute remaining in the game. The fans chanting “Fire Fickell” were audible to the television viewing audience, and things do not look promising for the Badgers as they get deeper into Big Ten play. Mike Locksley said, “We made just enough plays on offense and took advantage of some of the things that they gave us.”. Both teams have a bye week this coming weekend.

Saturday Night Was Right For The Trojans: In a game that kicked off after 11pm ET, USC defeated Michigan State 45-31. The Trojans are 2-0 in The Big Ten, and will be traveling to Champaign, Illinois for a 12pm ET conference game (Fox) versus the Fighting Illini, who will be looking to bounce back after their disastrous performance versus Indiana this past weekend. Michigan State has a bye week this coming weekend.

The post Week Four 2025 Observations Of The Big Ten appeared first on Saturday Glory.

The Badgers made the move on Tuesday, according to Colton Bartholomew of the Wisconsin State Journal, and Guiton has introduced himself to Wisconsin’s wideouts.

READ: Colorado HC Deion Sanders eyes transfer portal moves

Guiton will reunite with Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell, who was Ohio State’s head coach in 2011.

Guiton has spent the past three seasons with the Arkansas program in the same role.

He first began as a graduate assistant in 2015 with Houston shortly after wrapping up his playing career at Ohio State following the 2013 season.

Guiton then moved into a quality control coaching role at Texas under Tom Herman in 2017. From there he grew into a larger coaching role and returned to Houston as he was named wide receivers coach for the Cougars from 2017-18.

READ: Reports: Purdue OLB Nic Scourton enters transfer portal

Guiton spent the 2019 season at Lousiana Tech as the wide receivers coach before fulfilling the same role at Colorado State in 2020.

Guiton served as Arkansas’ interim offensive coordinator during the second half of this season.

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Typically a Wednesday Big Board will feature a number of players who received conference player of the week nods and even more statistical standouts who may’ve not made Monday’s stat pack. 

This week, topics on the Big Board include storylines surrounding the biggest angles in college football. 

Here are several notes to keep a tab on in this week’s Big Board. 

Sam Hartman and Caleb Williams 

Two quarterbacks may’ve started their Heisman Trophy campaigns last weekend. 

Hartman welcomed himself to Notre Dame after a decorated career at Wake Forest. He threw four touchdowns, two in each half, and piled on 251 passing yards. 

Williams reasserted himself as the defending Heisman winner, also throwing for four touchdowns and obtaining 278 yards through the air which rank third in the NCAA after Week 0. 

Hartman appeared to have a firm and confident handle on the Notre Dame playbook. Notre Dame remained balanced for much of the first half, compiling over 100 yards passing and rushing. He had an answer for a Navy defense that allowed Hartman to throw for at least four touchdowns for the 10^th time in his six-year career. 

Williams continued making highlight-reel plays during his season debut against San Jose State. He stood in the pocket and fired a laser to Arizona transfer receiver Dorian Singer for his first touchdown pass of the season, and later managed a muffed snap and turned it into a 76-yard score through the air to Tahj Washington. 

Williams’ elusiveness wasn’t as on display as much as he may’ve liked, going for –2 yards on eight attempts, and he had one outing last season that went for negative rushing yards. That stands to change as the season continues and as more games are added to Heisman Trophy-worthy resumes. 

Coaching debuts will steal the spotlight 

This week will be the week of head coaching debuts. 

Luke Fickell will debut at Wisconsin, Matt Rhule will take the lead at Nebraska and Deion Sanders will have head coaching duties at Colorado among this offseason’s coaching changes. 

Fickell will be the only one of the trio with the luxury of coaching at home. No. 19 Wisconsin hosts Buffalo of the American Athletic Conference, and the Badgers will trot Tanner Mordecai out at quarterback after he spent the past two seasons at Southern Methodist University. 

Rhule and Sanders will be on the road to begin their tenures as head coaches at their respective schools. Sanders will have the tall task of matching up against last season’s College Football Playoff National Championship runner-up in No. 17 TCU, and Rhule will have his sights on Huntington Bank Stadium in Minnesota for his first game at the college level after being relieved of his duties mid-year with the Carolina Panthers. 

Rhule said Nebraska will have one of its road game customs set to take place when the team travels to Minneapolis before the season opener Thursday. 

“We try to get there early. We’ll go see a movie most road games,” Rhule said. “I always feel bad for the people that are on the floor below us at the hotel because you have all these guys jumping around, but we wake them up and we’ll walk through and we’ll get some work in the middle of day and then show up and play the game.” 

Florida at No. 14 Utah 

Another Thursday game on tap is a rematch between the Gators and the ranked Utes. 

Last season, Florida took victory over a then-No. 7 Utah team that had came off a Rose Bowl appearance. The Gators outslugged the Utes 29-26 at home, and this time have the challenge of playing on the road at Utah to begin the season. 

“We have a ton of respect for Utah, and reality is I think anytime you go play on the road against a team that has consistency, that’s been a contender and really plays quality football, play a really good complementary brand of football, it is no doubt there’s challenges that come with this game,” head coach Billy Napier said. “We’ve always believed in having a formidable opponent early. I think it brings a certain level of urgency to training camp, and this will be a very competitive game.” 

Florida will have Graham Mertz under center at quarterback, solidifying his place on a new team after transferring from Wisconsin. 

After a 6-7 season under Napier a year ago, Florida aims to set out to repeat history against Utah and maintain momentum from a highly anticipated season-opener on Thursday. 

“I feel good about this group of players. I feel good about the work they’ve done. I feel good about the intangibles that we’ve built,” Napier said. “I think this group cares about each other. I think they’re living life the right way for the most part right now, and I think they’re highly motivated.”

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