Big Ten Recap: Michigan Tops Penn State, Wisconsin Keeps Rolling, and Iowa Gets Another Much-Needed Win

It was a great football Saturday in Columbus as the Buckeyes hung 59 on a ranked team, building momentum for a homestretch that will see Ohio State play two top 10 teams to end the season.

Nationally, it was a week of hilarious upsets and embarrassments as Kansas rocked Texas in Austin, Oklahoma benched its second quarterback of the season in a loss to Baylor (a great result for undefeated Cincinnati, by the way), and two ranked SEC teams were upset, while a third gave up 42 first-half points to Samford. Samford!

In our own backyard, Michigan snapped a two-game losing streak to Penn State, Wisconsin won its sixth in a row, and Iowa got another win after the wheels fell off last month.

#6 Michigan 21, Penn State 17

Like most Ohio State fans, I spent this one cheering on Penn State, hoping they could get it done against No. 6 Michigan.

Alas, I learned once again that James Franklin might be the worst big-game coach in America.

Penn State left at least six points on the field and called one of the worst 4th-and-2 plays you will ever see as the Wolverines held on for a 21-17 win in State College to improve to 9–1 on the season.

Sean Clifford was sacked three times on Penn State's opening possession, but the Nittany Lions managed a field goal to take a 3-0 lead into the second quarter. Penn State had a chance to extend the lead, but Michigan snuffed out a fake field goal and then quickly scored to go up 7-3.

The Wolverines would add a touchdown in the third to make it 14-6, but Penn State rallied to take a 17-14 lead with 5:55 to play, thanks to an 11-point fourth quarter. Two minutes later, Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara found tight end Erick All on a mesh route for a 47-yard touchdown to go up 21-17.

I guess all of those years of watching Ohio State mesh them to death taught Michigan something.

Penn State had a chance to win the game, but Franklin dialed up a fade on 4th-and-2 at the Nittany Lions' own 33. It was just as dumb as you might imagine it to be as the pass sailed over the head of Cam Sullivan-Brown to effectively end the game.

Thanks for nothing, Penn State.

Next

Michigan (9–1) at Maryland (5–5); Rutgers (5–5) at Penn State (6–4)

#20 Iowa 27, Minnesota 22

Minnesota held No. 20 Iowa to 12 first downs, rolled up a sizable advantage in total yardage (409 to 277), won the turnover battle, and limited Hawkeye running back Tyler Goodson to 59 yards on 18 carries.

Yet none of that mattered as Iowa found points when it had to on the way to rallying for a 27-22 win in Iowa City. Case in point: Iowa quarterback Alex Padilla went just 11 for 24, but threw two big second-half touchdowns, none bigger than a 72-yarder to Charlie Jones to take the lead for good on the Hawkeyes' opening possession of the second half.

Iowa (8–2), now has back-to-back wins since dropping two in a row after starting the season 6–0 and rising to No. 2 in the AP Poll.

The loss sent the Gophers a game back of Iowa and Wisconsin, who are now tied atop the standings in the Big Ten West with two to play.

Next

Illinois (4–6) at Iowa (8–2); Minnesota (6–4) at Indiana (2–8)

#18 Wisconsin 35, Northwestern 7

Don't look now, but the Badgers are on fire.

No. 18 Wisconsin won its sixth straight game, rolling hapless Northwestern, 35-7, after starting the season 1–3, and very much look like the team to beat in the Big Ten West.

Running back Braelon Allen – who I'm obligated to point out is just 17-years-old every week – rushed for a career-high 173 yards and three touchdowns as the Badgers used a 21-point second quarter to effectively end this one at halftime. Allen, picking up the slack after Chez Mellusi was sidelined for the season last week, has a 100-yard outing in each of Wisconsin's six wins during their streak after getting just 12 carries in the Badger's first four games.

Graham Mertz, who had gone six weeks without completing more than 11 passes in a game, had a relatively big day, going 18 of 23 for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

Next

Nebraska (3–7) at Wisconsin (7–3); Purdue (6–4) at Northwestern (3–7)

#7 Michigan State 40, Maryland 21

Another week, another big day for Kenneth Walker III. The nation's leading rusher ran for 143 yards and two scores in No. 7 Michigan State's comfortable 40-21 win over Maryland as the Spartans bounced back from their only loss of the season the week prior.

Spartan quarterback Payton Thorne threw for 287 yards and three of his four touchdowns in the first half as Michigan State jumped out to a 27-14 halftime lead at home. 

Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa slung it once again, throwing for 350 yards in the loss, but the Terrapins dropped their fifth game in six outings since starting the season 4–0.

Michigan State still controls its destiny, but it won't be easy. The Spartans travel to Ohio State Saturday before welcoming Penn State to town to end the season. If they can go 2–0, they'll represent the Big Ten East in Indianapolis.

Next

Michigan State (9–1) at Ohio State (9–1); Michigan (9–1) at Maryland (5–5)

Rutgers 38, Indiana 3

What happens if you lose the turnover battle 6-0 and go 1 of 14 on third down? Indiana found out the hard way, getting pulverized by Rutgers, 38-3 at home.

It didn't matter that the Scarlet Knights entered the contest with just one win in Big Ten play. Nor did it matter that Rutgers quarterbacks combined to complete just 10 passes on the afternoon. When you cough up the ball six times, you're going to have problems.

It was that kind of day for Rutgers, as Isaih Pacheco rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns and offensive lineman Raiqwon O'Neal even got in on the action rumbling in from seven yards out for a beautiful Fat Guy Touchdown. With a bonus pylon dive!

The big guy gets a TD for @RFootball! pic.twitter.com/63Z4Dcv0fa

— Rutgers On BTN (@RutgersOnBTN) November 13, 2021

While Greg Schiano's team might not be Rutgers Good™ yet, Rutgers is one win away from becoming bowl eligible for the first time since 2014. And get this: If Rutgers can sweep its last two (Penn State, Maryland), Schiano will have seven Big Ten wins in two seasons, or as many as the Scarlet Knights had in their entire B1G history prior to his second arrival.

Next

Rutgers (5–5) at Penn State (6–4); Minnesota (6–4) at Indiana (2–8)

B1G Power Rankings: Week 11

Rank	Team	Overall	B1G	Move
1	OHIO STATE	9–1	7–0	–
2	MICHIGAN	9–1	6–1	–
3	MICHIGAN STATE	9–1	6–1	▲ 1
4	WISCONSIN	7–3	5–2	▲ 1
5	PURDUE	7–3	5–2	▼ 2
6	IOWA	8–2	5–2	▲ 1
7	PENN STATE	6–4	3–4	▼ 2
8	MINNESOTA	6–4	4–3	▲ 2
9	NEBRASKA	3–7	1–6	▼ 1
10	ILLINOIS	4–6	3–4	▼ 1
11	MARYLAND	5–5	2–5	▼ 2
12	RUTGERS	5–5	2–5	▲ 2
13	NORTHWESTERN	3–7	1–6	–
14	INDIANA	2–8	0–7	▼ 2

The top of our power rankings hold this week a Ohio State and Michigan remain in the top two spots, respectively. Michigan State slides up to No. 3 and Wisconsin up to No. 5, while Purdue, while still potent, drops to No. 5 for giving up nearly half a hundred in the first half to the Buckeyes.

Rounding out our top 10 are Iowa (6), Penn State (7), Minnesota (8), Nebraska (9), and Illinois, improbably, at No. 10.

We have a new team in the cellar this week as Indiana's 0–7 Big Ten start leaves me no choice for a team that entered the season with plans on doing some minor damage in the league.

Ohio State holds a one-game lead on Michigan and Michigan State in the Big Ten East with two to play, while Iowa and Wisconsin are tied atop the Big Ten West with 5–2 records in conference.

These last two weeks of games should be wild, with several teams in play in both divisions of the Big Ten.

PLAYER of the WEEK
Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. Did I mention that he's only 17-years-old? I think I did.