Big Ten Recap: Minnesota and Wisconsin Take Massive Non-Conference Ls As the League Rolls Into the Heart of Conference Play

But first, let’s take a minute to appreciate this.

pic.twitter.com/edRsIj7w94

— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) September 25, 2021

Clemson hasn’t been right since Justin Fields and Ohio State broke Dabo Swinney in New Orleans, and watching the Tigers stumble week after week is giving me life right now.

In other action, Lee Corso went Blues Brothers, Sooner fans turned on Spencer Rattler, SEC refs gave us the worst replay review you’ll ever witness, Jameson Williams went off for Bama, and we also had this, whatever that is (believe it or not, it led to a sack).

In Big Ten play, the conference wrapped up its non-conference slate as the league (largely) turns to in-conference games the rest of the way. Saturday saw B1G teams go 6–2 in non-conference games, mainly against MAC opponents, with the two losses being ugly ones – ugly enough to leave a mark.

#12 Notre Dame 41, #18 Wisconsin 13

Two years ago, I would have said Paul Chryst is absolutely the guy for Wisconsin. Now, I’m not so sure.

Here’s why: Chryst’s Badgers led No. 12 Notre Dame, 13-10, in the fourth quarter of the teams’ neutral-site matchup at Chicago’s Soldier Field Saturday, before the Irish reeled off 31-straight points – that is not a typo – for an easy 41-13 win.

In the final quarter, Chris Tyree got the party started with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the first surrendered by the Badgers in a decade, and then Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz “went to work,” promptly throwing two pick-sixes when his team needed him most.

Worse yet, with the win, Brian Kelly, an angry, unlikeable human, now has more wins as head coach at Notre Dame, an arrogant and unlikeable program.

The highest-rated passing prospect Wisconsin has seen in years, Mertz tossed four interceptions on the afternoon, giving him six in three games this season with just one touchdown pass in that span. Yikes.

Paul Chryst's face watching Graham Mertz play QB today says it all. pic.twitter.com/euBZ0FVskL

— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) September 25, 2021

Wisconsin started the season ranked No. 12 in the AP Poll but now find themselves 1–2 with a bout against undefeated Michigan on deck.

NEXT: Wisconsin (1–2) vs. Michigan (4–0)

#19 Michigan 20, Rutgers 13

Speaking of Michigan, the No. 19 Wolverines gutted out a hard-fought win over Rutgers in what is, for my money, the best rivalry in college football.

Michigan entered the game as 20-point favorites, and for a while, they looked the part, jumping out to a 20-3 halftime lead in a battle of unbeaten Big Ten programs.

But, I’ve been banging the Rutgers is Rutgers Good™ drum in this space for a while, and in the second half, they showed why shutting down Michigan’s potent rushing attack and rallying to make it a one-score game a minute into the fourth quarter.

In the end, the Scarlet Knights couldn’t get it done on the road, falling to Michigan, 20-13. Still, they did provide a blueprint for stopping the Wolverines’ run game, the nation’s best entering Saturday’s action, holding Michigan to just 2.9 yards per carry on 39 attempts.

Michigan is undefeated through its first four games, having never trailed this season – the first time they can claim that since 1973. If you were born in 1973, you’d be nearly 50, in case you were wondering how mediocre they’ve been since color television arrived on the scene.

NEXT: Michigan (4–0) at Wisconsin (1–2)

#20 Michigan State 23, Nebraska 20

One week after the kicking game cost Nebraska on the road at Oklahoma, the punting game failed the Cornhuskers at Michigan State.

Punter William Przystup recorded punts of 28 and 7 yards on the day, but it was Nebraska’s other punter, Daniel Cerni, who saw his own 34-yard punt returned for a game-tying 62-yard touchdown with under four to play before the Spartans would go on to get the win, 23-20, in overtime.

TIE BALL GAME FOLKS @JaydenReed5 pic.twitter.com/23lbWl6mzk

— Barstool Spartans (@BarstoolMSU) September 26, 2021

It didn’t matter that Nebraska doubled up Michigan State in first downs (26-12), nearly doubled the Spartans up in total offense (442-254), or held the nation’s leading rusher, Kenneth Walker III to a meager 61 yards on 19 carries, Nebraska under Scott Frost will find a way to disappoint its fans.

Through 37 games as a B1G Head Coach:

Scott Frost 14-23
Tim Brewster 14-23

— Ben Dawson (@BenjaminJDawson) September 26, 2021

NEXT: Michigan State (4–0) vs. Western Kentucky (1–2), Nebraska (2–3) vs. Northwestern (2–2)

#5 Iowa 24, Colorado State 14

No. 5 Iowa trailed at halftime for the first time all season but rallied for a 24-14 win against lowly Colorado State Saturday in Iowa City.

Once again, the defense got things going for the Hawkeyes, as linebacker Jack Campbell fell on a Colorado State fumble midway through the third quarter to give his team the ball on the Rams’ six. One play later, Tyron Tracy punched it in to tie things up at 14.

After forcing a three-and-out, Iowa went 41 yards in four plays to take the lead for good on a 27-yard Spencer Petras to Sam LaPorta connection.

The Hawkeyes have won 10 consecutive games and will put that streak to the test at unbeaten Maryland on Saturday.

NEXT: Iowa (4–0) vs. Maryland (4–0)

#6 Penn State 38, Villanova 17

Sean Clifford threw for 401 yards and four touchdowns as No. 6 Penn State jumped out to a 31-3 lead before Villanova scored twice in garbage time in a 38-17 affair.

Parker Washington hauled in five of Clifford’s completions for 148 yards and two touchdowns, while Jahan Dotson caught seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Oh, KeAndre Lambert-Smith hauled in an 83-yard touchdown as well. It was that kind of afternoon for Clifford, playing well lately, and the Nittany Lions.

NEXT: Penn State (4–0) vs. Indiana (2–2)

Bowling Green 14, Minnesota 10

That sound you hear is some of the air coming out of Ohio State’s strength of schedule as Minnesota took one on the chin from Bowling Green, 14-10.

At home. On homecoming. As 30.5 favorites.

Somehow, Bowling Green won this game with just 192 yards of total offense.

Well, not somehow. Here’s how: Gopher quarterback Tanner Morgan completed just five passes on the day. Five! He also threw two picks.

The loss snapped Minnesota’s 21-game unbeaten streak in non-conference games. 

At home. On homecoming. As 30.5-point favorites.

The Big Ten is now 10–1 against Mid-American Conference teams on the season. Thanks a lot, Minnesota.

NEXT: Minnesota (2–2) at Purdue (3–1)

Maryland 37, Kent State 16

Folks, Taulia Tagovailoa is going to be a problem.

Maryland’s junior quarterback threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns Saturday – with 108 of them going to the better-than-you-think-he-is Dontay Demus Jr. – as the Terrapins improved to 4–0 for the first time since 2016 with a 37-16 win against Kent State.

It wasn’t a complete walk for Maryland as Kent State had two touchdowns negated by penalties, but the Golden Flashes could never get within eight after the first three possession of the second quarter.

We’re going to find out a lot more about Maryland this Saturday. Until then, rank this team, cowards.

NEXT: Maryland (4–0) vs. Iowa (4–0)

Northwestern 35, Ohio 6

One week after losing the Nerd Bowl to Duke, Northwestern pulverized an awful Ohio team in Evanston, 35-6.

Wildcat running back Evan Hull ran for 216 yards and two touchdowns, the second of which, a 90-yarder that is the longest touchdown run in program history, put his team up 14-0 in the first quarter.

In all, the Wildcats ran for 373 yards against what may be the worst FBS program lining up on Saturdays.

NEXT: Northwestern (2–2) at Nebraska (2–3)

Indiana 33, Western Kentucky 31

Michael Penix Jr. turned in his first quality game of the season, throwing for 373 yards, and Stephen Carr rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns as Indiana evened its record with a 33-31 win at Western Kentucky.

Hilltopper quarterback Bailey Zappe had a solid evening himself, throwing for 365 yards and three touchdowns, but could only lead his team to within two after falling in a 14-0 hole to the Hoosiers.

NEXT: Indiana (2–2) at Penn State (4–0)

Purdue 13, Illinois 9

Backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell led Purdue on a 94-yard fourth-quarter touchdown drive to cap a 13-9 win over Illinois in West Lafayette Saturday.

There’s not much you can say about this one, other than I’m sorry to anyone who watched it. Oh, and Bret Bielema is 1–4 in his first season back in the Big Ten, which is cool.

NEXT: Minnesota (2–2) at Purdue (3–1), Illinois (1–4) vs. Charlotte (3–1)

The top of our power rankings hold with Penn State and Iowa, both unbeaten at 4–0 and set to play each other in two weeks, holding down the top two spots.

Michigan moves up a spot for their win over an unbeaten Rutgers Good™ Rutgers squad, while I moved Ohio State ahead of Michigan State due to Sparty’s trouble with Nebraska at home.

This is all such an inexact science until we get more conference games under us, and Week 5 gives us just that with six Big Ten matchups on the slate.

One thing I do know: Illinois is awful.

In non-conference games this season, Big Ten teams are 10–2 when ranked, 3–5 against ranked opponents, 23–9 against FBS programs, and 8–6 against Power 5 teams and Notre Dame.

B1G programs are 2–2 against the ACC, 2–1 against the Big 12, 3–1 against the Pac-12, and 1–0 against the SEC.