Ranking Best Big Ten Football Matchups of Week 9
It took eight weeks for the Big Ten to get its first big shakeup of the season.
That came in Happy Valley on Saturday night, when Penn State rallied from a 14-point deficit by scoring 17 unanswered in the fourth quarter to beat Ohio State 24-21. The stunning upset put Michigan in the driver's seat for the East Division title, but key matchups down the stretch could drastically change the current pecking order.
Early in the West Division, it looked like Wisconsin would coast its way to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game, but the emergence of Nebraska and the recovery of Iowa and Northwestern make for a potentially wild finish.
How will the division races change in a vitally important Week 9 slate?
5. Maryland at Indiana
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Both Maryland and Indiana got off to surprisingly fast and strong starts in 2016, but after winning their Big Ten openers last month, each team dropped the following two games and faced the possibility of a huge momentum swing to their seasons.
The Terrapins (5-2) rebounded in Week 8, beating the slumping and visiting Michigan State Spartans 28-17 in prime time. Quarterback Perry Hills was dialed in, completing 21-of-27 passes and two touchdowns in the big win.
The Hoosiers (3-4) weren't as fortunate, falling into a 24-3 first-half hole on the road at Northwestern. Kevin Wilson's defense stiffened and pitched a shutout in the second half, but Richard Lagow couldn't find a rhythm against the Wildcats defense in a disappointing 24-14 loss.
Maryland can clinch bowl eligibility with a win, while Indiana needs a victory for any chance of making it into the postseason.
4. Penn State at Purdue
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How quickly a season can change, right Penn State fans?
The Nittany Lions got off to a rough start to the year after dropping two of their first four games, one of which was a 49-10 thumping at the hands of Michigan that proved just how far James Franklin's squad was from contending on the big stage.
Fast forward four weeks, though, and a young Penn State squad was upsetting the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes, in prime time and on national television, to officially launch the program where Franklin's been aiming it for years.
How do the Nittany Lions respond a week after their euphoric home win? Will there be a hangover against a motivated Purdue squad that's playing its first home game since the firing of former head coach Darrell Hazell, or will Penn State put its foot on the gas pedal and prove its here to stay?
3. Northwestern at Ohio State
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How will Ohio State respond after collapsing at Penn State last Saturday?
The Buckeyes had the game in hand down the stretch, entering the fourth quarter with a 14-point lead while facing an offense that hadn't mustered much against their stingy defense. But a few swings of momentum made it all come crashing down, and a pair of special teams blunders proved to be the deciding factor for the now-blemished Buckeyes.
Now, Urban Meyer and Ohio State are looking at their flaws and trying to figure out a way to regroup. The Buckeyes have an offensive line that absolutely wilted under pressure and a wide receiver unit that can't get separation at the second level.
Those were the two main issues in Ohio State's loss to Virginia Tech in 2014, but Meyer found a way to get his team to rebound and rip off an unexpected championship run.
Can the Buckeyes recreate that same magic?
They'll have to figure that out quickly, because on Saturday, an improving Northwestern team that's ripped off consecutive (and impressive) wins over Iowa, Michigan State and Indiana comes calling. And the Wildcats are bringing the Big Ten's best pass-rusher in Ifeadi Odenigbo, who already has eight sacks on the year, to test Ohio State's shaky line.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
2. Michigan at Michigan State
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It's finally revenge week for Jim Harbaugh and Michigan.
The Wolverines have spent the last year watching Michigan State famously return a botched punt in the final seconds for an improbable 27-23 victory that propelled them to a spot in the 2015 College Football Playoff. It was a brutal twist of fate and the most recent and brutal defeat in a string of three consecutive losses to the Spartans.
So will Michigan get just its second win over its in-state rival in its last nine tries?
It's certainly looking that way, as the unbeaten and No. 2 Wolverines have surged this year, while the Spartans—losers of five straight games in overwhelming fashion—have collapsed after what looked like a marquee win over Notre Dame.
This year's contest will take place in East Lansing, so the Spartans will have the benefit of home-field advantage. But if things don't go their way—it's not hard to imagine Harbaugh making as big of a statement as possible.
1. Nebraska at Wisconsin
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The leader for the Big Ten West Division will emerge on Saturday night when No. 7 Nebraska travels to Madison for a showdown against No. 11 Wisconsin.
The undefeated Cornhuskers would still hold an edge in the standings even if they fell to the twice-beaten Badgers this weekend, but they would lose their firm control of the division race. Mike Riley's team still has games at Ohio State and Iowa in November, while Wisconsin will be heavily favored against its final four opponents—Northwestern, Illinois, Purdue and Minnesota.
It'll be strength versus strength in Camp Randall Stadium, however, as Nebraska's potent offense goes against Wisconsin's unforgiving defense. Tommy Armstrong has been good this year, but he has yet to face a defense that currently ranks in the top 30 in points allowed.
That's why the Badgers will be Nebraska's toughest test. Linebacker T.J. Watt leads a defense that has destroyed opposing offenses, surrendering just 14.3 points per game, which ranks fourth nationally.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
