No. 6 Ohio State at No. 16 Penn State
Time: 6:45 p.m.
Place: State College, Pa
Line: Ohio State, -3
TV: ESPN
Records: Ohio State 3-1, 1-0 Big Ten, Penn State 5-0, 2-0
What’s at stake: Penn State can finally show it belongs with a win over Ohio State, maybe the best team in the conference. Ohio State looks to stay on track for a conference title.
Overview: Penn State wasn’t expected to be one of the Big Ten’s top teams this year, but the Nittany Lions have a chance to prove their worth against the Buckeyes. The task will be daunting as Ohio State brings one of the best defenses in the country. If the Buckeyes can do a better job of containing Michael Robinson than the Gophers did, they should shut down Penn State’s offense, but the Nittany Lions’ strong defense will keep the game close.
Minnesota at No.21 Michigan
Time: 12:00 p.m.
Place: Ann Arbor, Mich
Line: Michigan -7.5
TV: ABC
Records: Minnesota 4-1, 1-1, Michigan 3-2, 1-1
What’s at stake: Michigan needs to keep winning or its conference title hopes will take a huge hit. Minnesota needs to rebound with a win or risk spiraling out of contention.
Overview: The Wolverines suddenly seem alive after upsetting Michigan State.Minnesota had its running game stifled by the Nittany Lions last week. If Laurence Maroney and company can’t get themselves back on track, their season may spiral out of control like last year’s campaign which saw Rose Bowl hype rapidly fade away.
Iowa at Purdue
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Place: West Lafayette, Ind
Line: Purdue -5
TV: ESPN
Records: Iowa 3-2, 1-1, Purdue 2-2, 0-1
What’s at stake: After being trendy preseason picks, whoever loses this game is will have almost no chance at the Big Ten title.
Overview: When they won the Capital One Bowl last year, the Hawkeyes looked like a program on the rise. They started this season with national championship aspirations. Instead they will have to salvage the season against a Purdue team that is in a remarkably similar position. Purdue’s defense looked shoddy last week, giving up 28 points in the first half, and must get tougher to save their season.
Illinois at Indiana
Time: 11:00 a.m.
Place: Bloomington, Ind
Line: Indiana -6
TV: ESPNU
Records: Illinois 2-3, 0-2, Indiana 3-1, 0-1
What’s at stake: Nothing, let’s be honest.
Overview: Illinois and Indiana were both off to surprising starts, and with their near upset of Cal, Illinois looked like it may be a surprise team. But after two awful showings against Michigan State and Iowa, Illinois is reeling. The Hoosiers fell back to earth last week after Wisconsin scored 41 points in a game that Badgers coach Barry Alvarez says his team didn’t play well in. These two teams may be playing for pride for the rest of this season. For this week, it’s a fight to be the second worst team in the Big Ten.
Reach David Kalan at
