Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
ILLINOIS: The Fighting Illini suffered their seventh straight loss on
Saturday, this time falling at home to Minnesota in a 17-3 final. Illinois,
which is now just 2-8 on the year and 0-6 in the Big Ten, produced a mere 276
yards of total offense, as QB Nathan Scheelhaase threw for 175 yards and RB
Donovonn Young finished with just 42 yards on 10 carries. The UI defense
allowed 309 total yards to the Golden Gophers, only 78 of which were through
the air. LB Mason Monheim recorded 15 tackles in the loss, but the Illini did
not come up with a turnover while allowing Minnesota to score on all three of
its visits to the red zone. Illinois will try to end a 12-game conference
losing streak when it plays host to Purdue this Saturday. The Illini wrap up
the season the following week at Northwestern.
INDIANA: The Hoosiers' final home game of the season was anything but
enjoyable, as the Wisconsin Badgers claimed an easy 62-14 victory on Saturday.
The loss prevented Indiana from logging its first three-game win streak since
1993, and dropped it to 4-6 overall and 2-4 in conference this season. UW
outgained IU more than two-to-one (605-294), as the Badgers churned out a
staggering 564 yards on the ground. Indiana QB Cameron Coffman threw for 233
yards, two TDs and two interceptions, but the Hoosiers held the ball for just
over 20 minutes. Safety Mark Murphy posted a game-high 13 tackles in the loss,
which included nine solo stops. Indiana will play its final two games of the
regular season on the road, the first of which being this Saturday's clash
with the Penn State Nittany Lions.
IOWA: A last-second field goal by Purdue PK Paul Griggs doomed the Hawkeyes
over the weekend, as they dropped a 27-24 decision to the Boilermakers in
front of a disappointed home crowd. The loss was Iowa's fourth straight -- its
longest losing streak since 2007 -- and means the Hawkeyes will need to win
out to gain the required six wins to become eligible for a bowl game. That
isn't going to be easy however, as their last two games are at Michigan this
week, followed by a home tilt versus Nebraska on Nov. 23. The Hawkeyes have
played in six games this year decided by three points or less, and have lost
four of them. Iowa managed just 74 rushing yards in the recent setback to
Purdue, as RB Damon Bullock averaged a mere 1.9 ypc on 23 totes (43 yards).
Bullock did score a TD, and QB James Vandenberg threw for one score in
completing 19-of-36 passes for 190 yards. Defensively, the Hawkeyes allowed
490 total yards (211 rushing, 279 passing), despite coming up with three
fumble recoveries. DB Micah Hyde, LB James Morris and LB Christian Kirksey all
had double-digit tackles for Iowa.
MICHIGAN: The Wolverines improved to 4-0 in overtime games at home, and 8-1 in
all extra-session affairs by claiming a 38-31 decision against the visiting
Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday. Michigan battled back from a 10-point,
second-half deficit to send the game into OT, where QB Devin Gardner scored on
a one-yard run and the UM defense stood tall on the ensuing possession. For
the game, Gardner threw for a career-high 286 yards and two TDs, while adding
a career-best 47 yards and two scores on the ground. RB Fitz Toussaint
accounted for 92 yards rushing, while WRs Roy Roundtree and Jeremy Gallon
combined for 233 receiving yards. The Wolverines were 7-of-10 on third-down
conversion attempts and they scored on all five of their trips to the red
zone, four of which were TDs. Defensively, S Thomas Gordon notched 11 tackles,
while LBs Kenny Demens and Desmond Morgan tallied nine stops apiece. Michigan,
which is still in the race for a spot in the Big Ten title tilt, entertains
Iowa this coming weekend before closing out the regular season at bitter rival
Ohio State on Nov. 24.
MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans were idle over the weekend, giving coach Mark
Dantonio, his staff and players some addition time to prepare for this
Saturday's home game against Northwestern. Michigan State needs to win one of
its final two games to gain bowl eligibility, and if it doesn't come this week
against the Wildcats, it would have to be the following week at Minnesota.
MINNESOTA: The Golden Gophers gained bowl eligibility on Saturday, as they
beat Illinois on the road, 17-3. The win was the second in the last three
games for Minnesota, which gained only 78 yards through the air as QB Nelson
Philips completed just 9-of-15 passes on the day. RB Donnell Kirkwood
shouldered much of the offensive burden by rushing for 152 yards and two TDs,
averaging nearly five and a half yards per carry. The UM defense certainly did
its part, not allowing a TD and holding the Fighting Illini to a mere 276
total yards, of which only 101 came via the run. The Gophers logged two sacks
and a pair of fumble recoveries in the contest, and LB Aaron Hill led the team
with 10 tackles, seven of which were unassisted. The three points allowed to
Illinois were the fewest surrendered to a Big Ten foe since shutting out the
Illini, 45-0, in 2004. Minnesota plays at Nebraska this Saturday, before
closing out the regular season at home versus Michigan State on Nov. 24.
NEBRASKA: The Cornhuskers kept their dreams of playing for the Big Ten title
alive, as they battled from behind the claim a 32-23 win over visiting Penn
State on Saturday. Nebraska overcame a double-digit, second-half deficit to
earn its eighth win of the season, and its fifth in six conference bouts. The
Huskers are currently tied with Michigan atop the Legends Division standings,
but they hold the tie-breaker due to their 23-9 win over the Wolverines on
Oct. 27. Back to the PSU game, it was the third time in the last six games
that NU battled back from a deficit of 12 points or more to claim victory, as
QB Taylor Martinez tallied 275 yards of total offense (171 passing, 104
rushing), and had a TD toss. RB Ameer Abdullah led the Nebraska's ground
assault with 116 yards on 31 carries. In all, the Huskers rolled up 438 yards
of total offense, while allowing the Nittany Lions 391 yards. Ciante Evans and
Will Compton finished with 10 tackles apiece, and the Nebraska defense was
credited with three sacks and three takeaways, two of which belonged to
Daimion Stafford. Nebraska entertains Minnesota this Saturday, and then brings
the curtain down on the regular season at Iowa the following Friday.
NORTHWESTERN: The Wildcats lost their first-ever overtime game to a Big Ten
foe on Saturday, as they dropped a 38-31 decision at Michigan. Northwestern,
which had been 7-0 all-time in extra-session affairs against conference
rivals, got another impressive performance from RB Venric Mark, as he logged
his seventh 100-yard rushing game of the season by tallying 104 yards with a
TD. QB Kain Colter added 82 yards on the ground and 96 yards with a score
through the air. The NU defense allowed 133 yards and three TDs on the ground,
while the effort against the pass yielded 286 yards and another couple of
scores. LB Damien Proby was once again high man for the Wildcats on defense,
recording nine tackles, eight of which were unassisted. Already eligible for
postseason consideration, Northwestern has just two more games remaining in
the regular season, the first of which is this Saturday at Michigan State.
OHIO STATE: Although they were idle over the weekend, the undefeated Buckeyes
claimed at least a share of the Leaders Division title. Unfortunately, they
can not play in the Big Ten Championship Game, or go to a bowl game for that
matter, as they are ineligible due to NCAA sanctions. That said, putting the
wraps on a perfect season is what the team is focused on now, although
accomplishing the feat won't be easy as this week it will play at Wisconsin,
and then take on hated rival Michigan in the finale on Nov. 24.
PENN STATE: The Nittany Lions squandered a double-digit lead in the second
half to fall the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln on Saturday, 32-23. The loss
snapped Penn State's three-game road winning streak against Big Ten foes, and
dropped the team to 6-4 overall and 4-2 in conference. QB Matt McGloin threw
for 240 yards with a TD and an interception, RB Zach Zwinak rumbled his way to
141 yards and a TD, and WR Allen Robinson caught six balls for 97 yards. PSU
tallied 391 yards of total offense, but Nebraska countered with 438 yards, 267
of which came on the ground. Continuing their highly-productive seasons were
LBs Gerald Hodges, Glenn Carson and Michael Mauti, the trio combining for 38
tackles in the setback. Ineligible to participate in the postseason, Penn
State will play its final two games at home, starting with this Saturday's
visit from the Indiana Hoosiers.
PURDUE: Paul Griggs booted a 46-yard field goal as time expired to lift the
Boilermakers to a 27-24 victory at Iowa over the weekend. The win was Purdue's
first since Sept. 29, and snapped a five-game losing streak. As a result, the
Boilermakers will need to win their final two games -- at Illinois this
Saturday, and at home vs. Indiana on Nov. 24 -- to have any shot at earning a
bowl invite. QB Robert Marve threw for 266 yards and two TDs to help fuel the
PU offensive attack, which accounted for 490 total yards. RB Ralph Bolden
tallied 102 yards on 14 carries for the Boilermakers, who also had four guys
catch at least four passes. From a defensive standpoint, Purdue held its own
in yielding just 74 rushing yards and 264 total yards. The Boilermakers won
the game despite losing three fumbles and being penalized 10 times for a loss
of 100 yards.
WISCONSIN: Montee Ball ran for 198 yards and three TDs, and James White added
161 yards and two scores to power the Badgers to an easy 62-14 win at Indiana
on Saturday. The Badgers, who get a chance to defend their Big Ten title as
they clinched a berth in this year's championship game, finished with a
school-record 564 yards rushing, as they averaged 8.8 ypc, picked up 20 of
their 23 first downs on the ground, and did not commit a turnover in nearly 40
minutes of possession time. UW scored on all seven of its trips to the red
zone, including five TDs. Meanwhile, the Badgers defense held the Hoosiers to
just 294 total yards, which included a dismal 61 yards rushing. Ball is now
second all-time in the NCAA with 77 career TDs, and needs just two more to
take over the top spot from Miami-Ohio's Travis Prentice (78). Senior QB Curt
Phillips made his first career start against the Hoosiers, and went just 4-
of-7 for 41 with a TD, while carrying the ball seven times for 68 yards.
Wisconsin plays host to undefeated Ohio State this Saturday, before wrapping
up the regular season at Penn State the following week.
The Sports Network