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This week there are only six games as opposed to seven. Illinois and Maryland both have the week off. We have a couple of rivalry games in the Paul Bunyan Trophy between Michigan and Michigan State as well as the Broken Bits of Chair Trophy between Minnesota and Nebraska. Even the early game slate is light with just two games at noon.
Iowa (6-0, 2-0) at Northwestern (5-1, 1-1) Noon, ABC/ESPN2
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This is a battle for B1G West supremacy! A win by Iowa puts them firmly in control for Indianapolis, as they would already have victories over contenders Northwestern and Wisconsin, plus a nice win over Illinois. That leaves Minnesota, Nebraska, and Purdue that they would need to get past in the west alone, plus Indiana and Maryland in the east. Is it time to have the discussion about Iowa going undefeated to Indy? Yes. Yes it is. Iowa 16, Northwestern 10
Purdue (1-5, 0-2) at Wisconsin (4-2, 1-1) Noon, BTN
Find something else to do. Seriously. We won't be offended here at Hammer & Rails. We have lots of basketball stuff coming next week and that wait overall is just four weeks away. We're the ones that have to watch this crap and write about it. You don't. Enjoy a nice fall weekend. Take your kids to a pumpkin patch. Visit a new brewery. Go hiking. Just find something else to do. This is Purdue-Wisconsin. We have seen this all before and it ends the same. Nothing from Purdue this year has shown me that it will be any different. This isn't even a vintage Wisconsin ground game with a banged up, inexperienced offensive line and it will still end with a multiple TD victory. Wisconsin 34, Purdue 7
Rutgers (2-3, 0-2) at Indiana (4-2, 0-2) 3:30pm, BTN
Bowl eligibility for Indiana may hinge on this game. They are beaten up with Nate Sudfeld and Jordan Howard both banged up. The Hoosiers need two wins to reach a bowl game, and it appears they are there with Rutgers, Maryland, and Purdue in the last six games. I don't think they will beat Michigan, Michigan State, or Iowa, but getting two of three from Rutgers, Maryland, and Purdue shouldn't be too hard. Much of that relies on Sudfeld and Howard, however. If they play and are effective, Indiana wins. If not, Rutgers probably wins. Indiana 31, Rutgers 27
Michigan State (6-0, 2-0) at Michigan (5-1, 2-0) 3:30pm, ESPN
What Michigan has done on defense since the Utah loss is damned impressive. They are choking the life out of people. Northwestern and BYU are both pretty good, too, but they dragged them into the deep end and held them down until the bubbles stopped. Can Michigan State go on the road and fight them? The Spartans haven't looked great, but they are winning games. I know Purdue fans would not give two shits about being 0-6 against the spread if being 6-0 overall was the end result. That said, Michigan has still looked better and they are angry coming into this. Michigan 20, Michigan State 17
Nebraska (2-4, 0-2) at Minnesota (4-2, 1-1) 3:30pm, ESPN2
How will Nebraska lose this week? I am still very troubled that Purdue lost to a Minnesota team that really is not that good due to their injuries, and we made them look like world beaters as a result. Really? Purdue is worse than Kent State and Ohio (don't answer that). Minnesota is still playing much, much better than Nebraska, who is due to lose a game by fumbling from the victory formation and having it returned for a touchdown. Minnesota 28, Nebraska 24
Penn State (5-1, 2-0) at Ohio State (6-0, 2-0) 8pm, ABC
Penn State is playing better. They are a bit like Minnesota in that they haven't played well, but they at least have a decent record. Now they get to play an Ohio State team that may have finally found the way to turn it on after a close call at Indiana and a close half against Maryland. Because of that I am going with the Buckeyes. Ohio State 38, Penn State 13