No, I am not paid by the University of Michigan but they have had some great games on paper the last few weeks and so for the third time in a row, the Wolverines will be featured in the game of the week. As always, all times are central.
Game of the Week:
Michigan at Michigan State
Rivals? Check. Divisional implications? Check. “Playoff” implications? Check. Everyone and their brother knows Michigan is back in the thick of things since that Notre Dame game with six straight wins and a 4-0 league mark. Not talked about as much though is Michigan State’s loss to Northwestern doesn’t matter as much now because they just beat the Nittany Lions. Yes it is doubtful but if MSU runs the table, they will have a tiebreaker over everyone in the east. Now, let’s be real – that probably isn’t happening but what can happen is MSU totally tank someone’s season. They already have one victim: PSU. Sparty would love to get another, especially their in-state rivals. So to recap, MSU still has a puncher’s chance at winning the division and the Wolverines have a great shot at winning the east too (divisional implications). Michigan’s “playoff” hopes would take a massive nose dive with a loss in East Lansing (“playoff” implications) and one of these teams likes to call the other little brother (rivals). Holy crap, I didn’t preview any of the players. I’ll make it quick. MSU’s front seven has to play like they did at PSU to have a shot at turning this game into a grinder. Once it is a grinder, then MSU has a shot to win late. They wouldn’t have it any other way.
- Saturday, 11:00 am, Fox
Sleeper:
Iowa’s rush defense has been solid this season and the stats back this up as they sit at fourth nationally in rushing yard allowed per game (81.5). Maryland uses Ty Johnson and a bevy of talented backs and jet sweep looks to get the rushing game going and it has worked very well as Maryland sits at 17th in the nation in rushing yards per game (245.2). Strength versus strength games are fun because you can get one club out-working the other or the winning team using some new wrinkles to shock the opposing team. No matter what happens, I really think this is going to be a fun game in Kinnick.
- Saturday, 11:00 am, ESPN2
Don’t Forget:
It’s not often you get a re-do but that’s what the Boilers have this week. They opened the season with a packed Ross-Ade Stadium and fell hard to Northwestern. The comeback was fun but it definitely qualified as stumbling out of the gate. This wasn’t a one week gaffe, either. Purdue’s record ran to a frightening 0-3 before Boston College came to town. Now, three wins later, Purdue is 3-3 and gets a re-do to start the season. They will have a packed Ross-Ade and they will have a chance for a statement game against Ohio State. Between the big plays Purdue has offensively and the big plays Ohio State has allowed defensively, there is a chance for the Boilers and when you are building a program that has been down as long as Purdue’s, all you can ask for is a chance.
- Saturday, 6:30 pm, ABC
Snoozer:
Normally you would see Rutgers here but Northwestern has decided to have their 28th straight “cardiac cat” season and make every week interesting so we have to look outside the New Jersey vortex. Illinois looked dreadful a week ago against Purdue. Wisconsin looked equally inept against Michigan. The thing is though, one team is talented and just crapped the bed. The other is in the midst of a several decade(?) rebuild.
- Saturday, 11:00 am, FS1…Seriously? You are going to pass up the Michigan-MSU game or the sneaky Maryland-Iowa game for this one? Yikes.
Upset Watch:
Well we’ve reached that point where there are so many league games there is no longer any point of doing a right end or a wrong end distinction. For the rest of the way (until bowl season of course), the Upset Watch will feature just one game, unlike weeks one through four.
Michigan State knocking off Michigan would be an upset, but it is also a rivalry game, MSU isn’t half bad, and we have come to expect the unexpected from that program. Purdue knocking off Ohio State though? Now that would be an upset! Seeing the second ranked team go down in West Lafayette would have ripples across the nation. Notre Dame’s “playoff” hopes would soar. The Big 12 might get back into “playoff” contention. A second SEC team (i.e. Georgia or LSU) would have better chances. Make no mistake, the eyes will be glued to this game if Purdue finds themselves with a second half lead. I’m excited for the potential already.
Elsewhere (Alphabetical Order):
Indiana vs Penn State – Two teams coming off back-to-back losses meet in Bloomington this week. For Penn State they are the more talented team but with any title hopes over, will they have much fire? Meanwhile, the Hoosiers looked lifeless in their blowout home loss to Iowa. They have four wins but too many performances like that will make hitting six games and a bowl mighty difficult. Let’s see if they come out sharp enough to upset Penn State.
- Saturday, 2:30 pm, ABC
Minnesota at Nebraska – Gophers have played better the last two weeks but still sit at 3-3 (0-3). Meanwhile the Huskers have also shown improvements yet they sit at 0-6 (0-4). Both teams are really young but have shown flashes. For the Gophers, their defense is nothing to scoff at. For Nebraska, they can really move the ball. Lastly, Huskers will be playing for pride as winning out for a bowl seems highly unlikely where as Minnesota still has to be optimistic about scratching out three more victories. I guess we will see if offense and pride beats defense and bowl potential or vice versa.
- Saturday, 2:30 pm, BTN
Northwestern at Rutgers – RU is obviously awful but Northwestern finds ways to make life interesting. Last week it was a 99 yard drive to tie the game. Who knows what they will do this week. Maybe they will mix it up and after Rutgers ties the game with 10 seconds left, Northwestern returns the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for the win. It’s just what they do and the sooner we accept that fact, the sooner you can cope with the mental anguish that is losing to Northwestern in hilarious fashion. As an Iowa fan, I already know this year’s game will be a 25-24 loss. NU will be down 24-0, score three TDs, miss the final two point conversion, recover the on-side kick, then hit a walk-off field goal.
- Saturday, 11:00 am, BTN
Random Musing
The $5 Bits of Broken Chair trophy game is here again! Since joining the league Nebraska has had trophy games crafted by marketing people against Iowa and Wisconsin. They are wretched. They should be melted down. Against Minnesota however a trophy started with some fun on twitter and carried over to reddit. Now the trophy has a charitable component as hospitals in Minneapolis and Lincoln get some important funds. This is how you make a trophy game that will stick around.
Big Ten and Counting 