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There is a game this week involving two teams that are winless in Big Ten play… and Purdue is not involved! The loser seems destined to finish dead last in the conference. That one of those teams is defending champion Michigan State is even more absurd. Yes, Rutgers-Michigan State is your cripplefight of the year. Rutgers still has Penn State and Maryland to play while Michigan State has Ohio State and Penn State. We can only hope the loser drops the last two so Purdue is guaranteed to end its run of three straight dead last finishes.
Rutgers (2-7, 0-6) at Michigan State (2-7, 0-6) Noon, BTN
When Michigan State beat Notre Dame the Spartans were ranked 12th and the Irish were ranked 15th. Since then the teams have gone a combined 2-11. For Michigan State, it has been a progressive “What’s wrong with them?” The loss to Wisconsin was troubling, but Wisconsin is good. The loss at Indiana rang some alarms. The blowout home loss to BYU started a panic. Now? Now Michigan State is so bad they lost to Illinois. It can’t get worse with a Rutgers loss, can it? Michigan State 27, Rutgers 21
Penn State (7-2, 5-1) at Indiana (5-4, 3-3) Noon, ABC/ESPN2
Since halftime of the Purdue game (and yes, Penn State was in danger at halftime of that game) The Nittany Lions have been flat out wrecking shit. They ran off 45 points in one half on Purdue and absolutely rocked Iowa. They basically have one mission now: Don’t screw up in the last three games and hope Ohio State beats Michigan. Now they get chaos team. I think Indiana does their usual in making this as difficult as possible before painfully losing in the end. Penn State 34, Indiana 31
Northwestern (4-5, 3-3) at Purdue (3-6, 1-5) Noon, BTN
When Darrell Hazell was fired just before the more difficult half of the season began I wanted just one more win. I wanted to win one game for the kids on this team that have been embattled and are now playing for a different coach. In fact, if you count the interim stint in the Heart of Dallas bowl, Gerad Parker is the fourth coach some of Purdue’s players have played under. I looked at this game as Purdue’s best chance for a win and still believe it. Northwestern has been up and down all year. If the team that hung with Ohio State shows up we’re in trouble. If the team that lost to Illinois State shows up we have a great chance. I think for one afternoon, at home, we hold on in the second half and take advantage of a beleaguered Wildcat secondary. Purdue 31, Northwestern 27
Illinois (3-6, 2-4) at Wisconsin (7-2, 4-2) 3:30pm, ESPN2
Wisconsin is back in the driver’s seat in the Big Ten West thanks to a pair of Nebraska losses, and they even have an outside shot at the playoff. A couple of narrow losses to Michigan and Ohio State are as good as anyone, and they likely get a chance to avenge one of them in the Big Ten title games. A nice, soft finishing slate of Illinois-Purdue-Minnesota is just what the doctor ordered. Wisconsin 45, Illinois 13
Ohio State (8-1, 5-1) at Maryland (5-4, 2-4) 3:30pm, ESPN
After looking shaky for two weeks in a row Ohio State completely annihilated Nebraska last week. They looked like Ohio State again. Now they get a Maryland team that can look good against the likes of Purdue and Michigan State, but has struggled to beat anyone better in league play. The Buckeyes should roll here, as they are now on a mission before playing Michigan. Ohio State 48, Maryland 14
Minnesota (7-2, 4-2) at Nebraska (4-2, 4-2) 7:30pm, BTN
Well look at that! Minnesota now controls its own destiny to win the Big Ten West and they really aren’t that far off from being undefeated. If not for a late defensive lapse at Penn State they are probably ranked and even in the playoff discussion right now. Winning this game sets up a likely winner-take-all battle for the Axe at Wisconsin in two weeks. The Gophers may not be the prettiest team out there, but they are good and Nebraska is in a bit of freefall at the moment. Minnesota 30, Nebraska 28
Michigan (9-0, 6-0) vs. Iowa (5-4, 3-3) 8pm, ABC
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Michigan is going to be a double-digit favorite now in every game before playing Ohio State. They are showing no signs at all of slowing down, either. The defense has been incredible. Aside from 23 points given up to Michigan State they have given up 28 points in their other five Big Ten games combined. They are feasting on the blood of innocents. Michigan 41, Iowa 10