Big Ten Football Week 8: What We Learned
Week Eight is over, and any honest observer of college football would say that by any measure, the Big Ten conference is having a great year.
Three teams in the top ten, one of the last remaining unbeatens, the two best running back duos in the country are just a few of the things the conference has going for it.
Week eight gave us a little clarity on the conference title race for now, and also provided some surprising information concerning certain Big Ten pretenders.
With Michigan State firmly entrenched in the driver's seat, the Spartans have the inside track to the Rose Bowl, while Ohio State and Wisconsin have great shots at BCS berths if they win out.
An old fashioned slug-fest in Iowa City demonstrated that times have changed, while the Boilermakers learned that being the object of OSU's revenge is not the optimal way to spend the weekend.
In a week when the MVP's may have been two punters, let's dive in and take a look at what we learned in week eight.
10. Jim Tressel Is a Master of Revenge
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The Sweatervest has been a master of revenge since coming to the Buckeyes.
Since 2004, the Buckeyes are 7-0 against conference foes who beat them in the previous meeting and 20-2 in games after a loss.
The Boilermakers were the latest sacrificial lamb to be offered on the altar of Jim Tressel's wrath.
Purdue fell behind 42-0 going into halftime, en route to a 49-0 beat down by the Buckeyes.
9. Michigan State Is For Real
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MSU did something that Wisconsin and Ohio State both failed to do.
The Spartans went on the road for the first time in the conference for a big test and came out unscathed.
With Coach Dantonio on the sidelines, the Spartans used a combination of great offensive talent and a little luck to win yesterday in Evanston.
8. Wisconsin Is Deep
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Wisconsin went into yesterday's contest against the Hawkeyes in Iowa City as the absolute underdog, despite their higher BCS ranking.
The Badgers came out with the knowledge that they may have as much depth as any team in the country.
The Badgers lost freshman phenom James White in the second quarter, All-American candidate tight end Lance Kendricks in the second quarter, and star receiver Nick Toon did not play. Still, the Badgers pulled it out.
And the key contributor was sophomore back Montee Ball.
With the Badgers trailing 30-24 late in the fourth quarter, Ball was key in a fourth down conversion and ran for the game winning touchdown, dragging four Iowa defenders three yards to find paydirt.
Not bad for number three on the depth chart.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. Indiana Is Just Plain Bad
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This may be obvious, but the Hoosiers are not good, at all.
Even with arguably the best set of receivers and quarterback in the conference, this Indiana season is an exercise in futility, yet again.
The Hoosier are one game from bowl eligibility; however, with Northwestern, Wisconsin, Iowa, Purdue and Penn State still on the slate, the chances are dwindling for the Hoosiers.
6. Iowa's Defense Is Not As Dominant As Advertised
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Iowa has been billed as the best defense in the Big Ten, but against two decent opponents the last two weeks, the Hawkeyes have failed to live up to that billing.
In those two games, the Hawkeyes have allowed an average of 29.5 points and 434.5 yards per contest.
The Hawkeyes are going to have to tighten up this weekend if they expect to take down undefeated MSU.
5. Adam Weber Is the Best Quarterback Who Can't Win
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A senior quarterback for the University of Minnesota, Adam Weber has some great numbers.
Weber is tied for second in the conference with 17 touchdown passes this season, and second in passing yards for the 1-7 Gophers.
4. Northwestern Is Not Going to Be a Factor in the Conference Race
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Northwestern has been on the border as far as competing for place at the top of the conference.
However, last week's loss to MSU after they had them down 17-0 took away all doubt that they are the same old Northwestern, teasing with some success, but never a legitimate threat to the big dogs.
3. Illinois Will Finish With Eight Wins
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Illinois has surprised many this season, jumping to a 4-3 record and approaching bowl eligibility.
With Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern, Michigan and Minnesota remaining on their conference slate, the Illini will win eight games, and possibly nine.
2. Big Ten Coaches Are Gamblers
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Forget the rest of the country. If you're looking for coaches who aren't afraid to gamble with their team's destiny, look no further than Wisconsin's Brett Bielema and MSU's Mark Dantonio.
Dantonio showed his penchant for games of chance earlier in the season, faking a field goal for a touchdown pass against Notre Dame.
Yesterday, with his team trailing in the fourth, Dantonio and company executed a perfect punt fake that changed the momentum and outlook of their contest with Northwestern.
Bielema is another story.
On the road against his alma mater, Bielema and O-coordinator Paul Chryst dialed up a run on 4th and 4 with a little over six minutes left in the game, trailing 30-24.
Brad Nortman ran for 17 yards, and the Badgers marched down the field for the game winning score in Iowa City.
1. The Conference May Have Ten Teams Bowl Eligible.
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The Big Ten has been much maligned in recent years, but the conference is well on it's way to redemption.
The Big Ten went 4-3 in last season's bowl games, improving on their abysmal performance the past two years.
And this season, the conference could have ten teams who are bowl eligible.
You want to tell me about depth and parity? Look no further than the midwest and the Big Ten.
Wisconsin, OSU and MSU are all bowl eligible right now, with Iowa, Michigan and Northwestern needing only one more win to join them, and Purdue, Indiana and Penn State each needing only two wins to become eligible.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
