Big Ten Football '09: Week 10 Preview

The next few weeks will go a long way in determining the Big Ten Champion.

With conference leaders like Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa playing each other in the next weeks, the conference picture will get much clearer.

Will the Nittany Lions be able to get past the Buckeyes?

Can Iowa continue to orchestrate ridiculous victories, or will they fall victim to their own mistakes against the Buckeyes next week?

Stay tuned, ladies and gentlemen, because this conference race is just starting to heat up.

Northwestern Wildcats (5-4) (2-3) at No. 4 Iowa Hawkeyes (9-0) (5-0): 12:00 ESPN

Northwestern looked good against Penn State for three quarters last week. Then Evan Royster and Daryll Clark got rolling, and things got ugly.

Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi had quite possibly his best and worst game of the season rolled into one. (Is that even possible?)

The Hawkeyes better not let down at home against these Cats, or Northwestern will ruin the Hawkeyes' hopes of a National Championship.

Mike Kafka and Co. have been very efficient with the ball this season, and it will be imperative that Tyler Sash and friends force a few mistakes for Iowa to win this one.

Wildcats 10, Hawkeyes 27

Purdue Boilermakers (3-6) (2-3) at Michigan Wolverines (5-4) (1-4): 12:00 BTN

Purdue got blasted by the Wisconsin Badgers last week and will be looking to get back into rhythm both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Michigan is struggling. 'Nuff said.

Purdue must win their next three games to be bowl eligible, and I think they start here.

Ralph Bolden will have a big day, and the Purdue defense will be out for blood against a young Michigan offense.

It will be a close game, being in Ann Arbor, but the Boilers pull out the victory on the road.

Boilers 28, Wolverines 27

Illinois Fighting Illini (2-6) (1-5) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-4) (3-3): 12:00 BTN

Illinois coach Ron Zook finally saw a spark of life from his team last week against Michigan, and Minnesota torched Michigan State for 505 total yards.

Minnesota proved that they can score without the conference's leading receiver, Eric Decker.

They will continue that trend at home this week against a hapless Illini squad.

Illini 17, Gophers 31

Western Michigan Broncos (4-5) (3-3) at Michigan State Spartans (4-5) (3-3): 12:00 BTN

Michigan State saw all hope of a conference title vanish last week with the loss to Minnesota.

Now they have a warm-up for the rest of the season.

Sparty will come out with a vengeance against the Broncos, quarterback Kirk Cousins will throw at least three touchdowns, and Sparty will pull away in the second half.

Broncos 21, Sparty 35

No. 21 Wisconsin Badgers (6-2) (3-2) at Indiana Hoosiers (4-5) (1-4): 12:00 BTN

Indiana leads the Big Ten in turnover margin. They also had Iowa on the ropes last week and let them come back.

Wisconsin is looking to win out and finish the season in a semi-significant bowl game.

The Badgers will get big back John Clay going early and often, just like they did last week against Purdue, and let their running game dominate the seventh-worst run defense in the conference.

The Badgers' O-line will struggle with Indiana ends Greg Middleton and Jammie Kirlew, so the Badgers need to get ahead early and not throw the ball too much.

If Indiana drops as many passes as Purdue did last week, this will be another whuppin' by the Badgers.

Badgers 28, Hoosiers 17

No. 16 Ohio State Buckeyes (7-2) (4-1) at No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions (8-1) (4-1): 3:30 ABC

This is the game of the week in the conference, and it also has major BCS game implications.

JoePa seems to have the Nittany Lions rolling after a pedestrian non-conference schedule.

Ohio State is hoping to get itself back in the conference title hunt with consecutive wins over PSU and Iowa.

The story of this game will be Penn State running back Evan Royster. If the Lions find a way to move the ball on the ground against a stellar Ohio State defense, the Buckeyes will be in for a long day.

Last week's game will be nothing like this week's, OSU. Penn State is not another Aggie team.

Penn State has the speed to match up with Ohio State across the board, and this game is in Happy Valley.

Buckeyes 13, Nittany Lions 21

Hopefully the officiating and the coaching are better this week than last week.