The final week of the season is upon us and while the title races are set, there is still a ton of great (eh, some) rivalry action including a bowl berth on the line down in the Hoosier state. Like always, all times are central.
Game of the Week:
Indiana at Purdue
The Old Oaken Bucket has just a little bit more at stake this year than previous seasons. Tom Allen’s first year at Indiana has been a strange one between a canceled and replaced game, a 4 game skid where three of the losses were by a single score, and a late two game rally to put the Hoosiers at 5-6 with a bowl on the line. Jeff Brohm’s first year at Purdue has been a strange one between a 3-2 start, a 3 game skid in which all the losses were by a single score, and finally a late 2-1 rally that puts the Boilermakers at 5-6 with a bowl on the line. Indiana hasn’t quite lived up to expectations while Purdue has far exceeded theirs. A bowl for either team will be a feather in the cap of two fascinating debut seasons.
- Saturday, 11 am, ESPN 2
Sleeper:
Thanks to tiebreakers over everyone, the Buckeyes have already clinched the east no matter what they do in Ann Arbor BUT this is still a huge rivalry, Harbaugh has yet to win it as a coach, OSU has dominated it since John Cooper was shown the door, and despite two losses, the Bucks still have a shot at the “playoffs.” Personally, the intrigue in Indiana edged this out for the GOTW but for everyone not me, this is the real game of the week.
- Saturday, 11 am, Fox
Don’t Forget:
Ah, good old Paul Bunyan’s Axe. This is a great rivalry that has turned massively one-sided as Wisconsin seemingly cannot lose this annual tango. I don’t see them losing this installment, either, BUT…it certainly would add a lot of fuel to this rivalry fire if the Gophers make a bowl game in P.J. Fleck’s first year by spoiling Wisconsin’s undefeated season.
- Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC
Snoozer:
The top-ten Lions head down to College Park where the banged up Turtles might not even have enough players to suit up in this one. Yikes.
- Saturday, 2:30 pm, BTN…Or eat some crab cakes because eating crab cakes is better than watching Maryland football turn into a crab cake.
Upset Watch:
There isn’t a single ranked versus ranked match-up this week but there is a team good enough, at least defensively, to be ranked and that is Michigan. Therefore Ohio State is on upset watch as they head to Ann Arbor. Again, losing won’t impact the Buckeye’s division race hopes or their shot at a Big Ten title but I see no path for a three loss team to make the “playoff.”
Elsewhere (Alphabetical Order):
Illinois vs Northwestern – Technically this is a rivalry but Northwestern is really good and heading towards a nine-win season while Illinois is total crap and heading towards a nine-loss Big Ten season.
- Saturday, 3 pm, FS1
Iowa at Nebraska – Technically this has a trophy and is supposed to be a rivalry game but Iowa is a bowl-worthy team and Nebraska is total crap and can’t wait to dump Mike Riley.
- Friday, 3 pm, FS1
Michigan State at Rutgers – This game doesn’t even pretend to be a rivalry but MSU is a really good club heading towards nine-wins while Rutgers is total crap heading towards eight losses.
- Saturday, 3 pm, Fox
Random Musing:
Ah yes, the rival week the Big Ten had in mind comes this week with exactly, um, two games working out as planned.
Big Ten and Counting 