Big Ten Football Preview: Week Eight

The chase for the Big Ten title is heating up.

Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan State seem to have separated themselves from the pack, and games between the three schools in the next three weeks will likely decide the champion.

This week sees two of those contenders facing off when Ohio State travels to Spartan Stadium to take on a surging Michigan State team.  The Buckeyes are coming off a less than impressive performance against lowly Purdue, while the Spartans are coming off a dominating win over previously undefeated Northwestern.

That likely won't matter when the teams meet on Saturday.  The teams share more than their identical records.  Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio was an assistant coach and defensive coordinator for Jim Tressel at Ohio State, and the two men are great friends. 

For Ohio State, the game against this Michigan team may carry more importance this season than the game against that other team from up north. 

Meanwhile, a Michigan State win over the Buckeyes would not only keep their title hopes alive, but also give Dantonio his first signature win as a Spartan.

PURDUE at NORTHWESTERN (12:00 PM ET)

Purdue is struggling.  Joe Tiller's final season as the head man in West Lafayette may be his most frustrating.  Tiller's senior quarterback, Curtis Painter, who was being touted as a Heisman contender at the beginning of the season, cannot throw the ball with the same accuracy he did last season, and the offense cannot move the ball.

The Boilermaker defense has struggled this season as well, but they actually played well in the two biggest games of the season, against Oregon and Ohio State.  Last week the Purdue defense held Ohio State to only 16 points and no offensive touchdowns.

Northwestern's luck finally ran out.  The Wildcats cannot afford the mistakes they had against the Spartans last week.  Committing three turnovers and allowing big plays because of blown coverage is the surest way to lose a game against a good team.

C.J. Bacher attempted 61 passes in the game against Michigan State.  That is an astronomical number of passes, and with the way Tyrell Sutton was running the ball, it is questionable as to why Pat Fitzgerald focused so intently on the passing game.

Prediction: Purdue, 26-21

WISCONSIN at IOWA (12:00 PM ET, Big Ten Network)

The Badgers have seen better days.  Just three short weeks ago Wisconsin was a top 10 team with hopes not only for a Big Ten title, but a possible national championship game appearance.  Now the Badgers have dropped their last three games (two of which were at home) and are searching for answers.

Allan Evridge seems to be getting the majority of the blame, but this collapse cannot be put on his shoulders alone.  The coaching has been iffy at best, the defense has given up too many big plays on blown coverage, and the turnovers have been numerous and all untimely. 

Iowa played tough for three weeks but lost all three games close.  Finally the Hawkeye offense found its rhythm against Indiana last week behind first-year starters Ricky Stanzi and Shonn Greene.

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