With the way Penn State played against Indiana, it’s looking more and more like the Big Ten East will come down to Michigan versus Ohio State. As for the West, a loss by Wisconsin, along with wins by Minnesota and Nebraska, created a four-way tie among the three schools and idle Iowa atop the Big Ten West. It will be a fun final four weeks of division play in the conference.
Here’s how the B1G teams rank after nine weeks of college football:
B1G Tier I: Natty Favorite (1) Michigan Wolverines 8-0 | 5-0 (1)Last Week: Idle | SP+: 1 | PFF: 2
Even if Michigan had played last week, it’s hard to imagine anything that happened on the field would have been bigger news than the NCAA’s investigation into their sign stealing. How they perform the rest of the season will be under extra scrutiny.
Up Next: vs. Purdue (-32.5)
B1G Tier II: CFP Contenders (2) Ohio State Buckeyes 8-0 | 5-0 (2)Last Week: Won @ Wisconsin 24-10 | SP+: 3 | PFF: 3
The Buckeyes add to their Big Ten-best resume with a solid win in Madison. In Week 8, the story was that OSU had Marvin Harrison, and PSU did not. In Week 9, OSU had Harrison (123 receiving yards) and TreVeyon Henderson (207 all-purpose yards), and the Badgers did not. Many consider Ohio State the favorite to earn the No. 1 spot in the first CFP revealed this week.
Up Next: @ Rutgers (-18.5)
More OSU: Buckeyes Beat Badgers For 10th Straight Time
B1G Tier III: Maybe Next Year (3) Penn State Nittany Lions 7-1 | 4-1 (3)Last Week: Won vs. Indiana 33-24 | SP+: 10 | PFF: 10
It was not pretty, and per Bill Connelly’s numbers, PSU had the second-lowest postgame win expectancy (44%) in a win in Week 9. They allowed 24 points to an Indiana offense that scored 10 points combined versus Ohio State and Michigan.
Up Next: @ Maryland (-11.5)
More PSU: Unexpected Struggle vs. IU, Puzzles & Intrigues
B1G Tier IV: Not Top 25, But Bowl Bound (4) Iowa Hawkeyes 6-2 | 3-2 (4)Last Week: Idle | SP+: 36 | PFF: 26
Iowa got word that Cade McNamara will return for a sixth season in 2024, and his presence—even at less than 100 percent—is sorely missed. Will the Hawkeyes continue to run out Deacon Hill if he doesn’t improve?
Up Next: @ Northwestern (-5.5)
(5) Wisconsin Badgers 5-3 | 3-2 (5)Last Week: Lost vs. Ohio State 24-10 | SP+: 27 | PFF: 43
A more talented team overmatched Wisconsin. Still, there were some positives, especially considering they were without their best player in the second half, Braelon Allen, who usually does his best work after intermission. The offensive line held up OK, and QB Braedyn Locke showed composure.
Up Next: @ Indiana (-8.5)
B1G Tier V: Somebody Else Has to Win 6 Games (6) Minnesota Golden Gophers 5-3 | 3-2 (7)Last Week: Won vs. Michigan State 27-12 | SP+: 49 | PFF: 27
It was a solid all-around performance. Athan Kaliakmanis threw for a season-high 200 yards (9.1 YPP), and Jordan Nubin rushed for a career-high 204 yards (had 51 career yards going in). The only points the defense allowed through three quarters were off of turnovers.
Up Next: vs. Illinois (-3)
(7) Maryland Terrapins 5-3 | 2-3 (6)Last Week: Lost @ Northwestern 33-27 | SP+: 31 | PFF: 48
Maryland has dropped three straight, including the past two as double-digit favorites. It’s as if they still haven’t recovered from the second-half collapse in Columbus. Or maybe they’re just not that good. None of their remaining games—home for PSU and Michigan, on the road for Nebraska and Rutgers—are gimmies.
Up Next: vs. Penn State (+11.5)
Before you make your bets for Week 10, check out SportsGrid’s college football picks and five-star player props!
(8) Rutgers Scarlet Knights 6-2 | 3-2 (8)Last Week: Idle | SP+: 50 | PFF: 46
It took Greg Schiano until his fourth season to reach traditional bowl eligibility (six wins) in the Big Ten. I heard many people say, “This isn’t the Big East,†about his record through three seasons (12-22). No, no, it isn’t. In Schiano’s first three seasons with Rutgers in the Big East, they were 8-27, and they didn’t make a bowl until his fifth season.
Up Next: vs. Ohio State (+18.5)
B1G Tier VI: So, You’re Saying There’s a Chance (9) Nebraska Cornhuskers 5-3 | 3-2 (10)Last Week: Won vs. Purdue 31-14 | SP+: 51 | PFF: 49
The defense is legit good (held Purdue to less than 100 yards passing and rushing), and the banged-up offense did enough despite five fumbles (four lost). That might be good enough to win their next game at MSU, but they will probably need more from the offense to win the B1G West (four-way tie).
Up Next: @ Michigan State (-3.5)
(10) Northwestern Wildcats 4-4 | 2-3 (13)Last Week: Won vs. Maryland 33-27 | SP+: 92 | PFF: 86
What a season the Wildcats are having! They have two conference wins over teams with a winning record, which only Michigan, Ohio State (three each), and Minnesota can claim (no PSU cannot). Saturday’s upset over Maryland without Ben Bryant was especially surprising. Brendan Sullivan had a day with a career-high 265 passing yards (two TDs) and a team-high 56 rushing yards.
Up Next: vs. Iowa (+5.5)
B1G Tier VII: Probably Not the Somebodies (11) Purdue Boilermakers 2-6 | 1-4 (9)Last Week: Lost @ Nebraska 31-14 | SP+: 82 | PFF: 74
It wasn’t so much that they lost at Nebraska, but how they lost. The offense was incredibly embarrassing. Hudson Card had 100 passing yards (3.1 YPP), Purdue rushed for 96 yards (3.3 YPC) and turned it over three times. On two possessions that started inside the Nebraska 32-yard line in the first three quarters (with the game still in reach), Purdue lost seven yards and scored zero points.
Up Next: @ Michigan (+32.5)
(12) Illinois Fighting Illini 3-5 | 1-4 (11)Last Week: Idle | SP+: 62 | PFF: 69
To have a chance at six wins, Illinois (home games vs. Northwestern & Indiana remain) will have to win at least one of two remaining road games: this week at Minnesota or Iowa in Week 12. Making this week tougher is the Illini will be without their best player, Johnny Newton, for the first half.
Up Next: @ Minnesota (+3)
B1G Tier VIII: Not the Somebodies (13) Michigan State Spartans 2-6 | 0-5 (12)Last Week: Lost @ Minnesota 27-12 | SP+: 74 | PFF: 89
MSU continues to drop with a sixth-straight loss. The Spartans had two field goals before they picked up a first down (thanks to the defense), and Katin Houser was benched in his third start in favor of true freshman Sam Leavitt. Leavitt brings a running dimension that Houser lacks and could earn himself a start.
Up Next: vs. Nebraska (+3.5)
(14) Indiana Hoosiers 2-6 | 0-5 (14)Last Week: Lost @ Penn State 33-24 | SP+: 95 | PFF: 103
After losing their previous three games by a total of 89 points, Indiana found themselves trailing Penn State by three points late in the fourth quarter at the PSU 21-yard line and decided to run the ball three straight times (for four yards) to kick a game-tying field goal. Tom Allen deserves the basement.
Up Next: vs. Wisconsin (+8.5)
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