Top 5 Big Ten Week 11 games and predictions
Week 11 is upon us and so is the final quarter of the college football season. With 75% of games played, the Big Ten still has yet to figure out anything in regards to who is representing the respective sides of the conference in the championship game.
The Big Ten East is rather straightforward. Ohio State and Michigan are on a crash course to meet at 11-0 with the winner going to Indianapolis. Anything aside from that will be a shocker.
The Big Ten West is rather messy. The Illinois Fighting Illini still control their destiny but their slip up to Michigan State hurt them badly as they still have yet to play Michigan. One more falter and they could lose their grip on the West.
Enter in Iowa, Wisconsin and Purdue. If Iowa or Wisconsin win out and Illinois loses two more, they go to Indianapolis. Illinois is likely losing to Michigan, so if the Fighting Illini simply fall to Purdue this weekend or stumble to Northwestern in the final week of the season, the Hawkeyes or Badgers could backdoor their way into Indianapolis. It is a mess.
Not discussed here are the matchups of Ohio State vs. Indiana matchup and Minnesota vs. Northwestern.
Prediction: Ohio State 45, Indiana 17
Prediction: Minnesota 30, Northwestern 10
Rutgers (4-5) at Michigan State (4-5)
(Antaya/Getty Images)
Michigan State enters this one confident after upsetting the Fighting Illini on the road. They found some resolve in their team and proved they won’t go quietly into the offseason.
Rutgers had Michigan on upset alert for the first half of their game and sent a scare through Wolverines fans. Unfortunately, they decided to not play the second half.
Prediction: Michigan State 24, Rutgers 13. These teams are going in opposite directions. The Spartans are fighting for postseason eligibility and use that momentum to get a win at home.
Maryland (6-3) at No. 14 Penn State (7-2)
Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
So, maybe Maryland is still middle-of-the-pack in the Big Ten. They started hot, yet have not proven they can take down the contenders. This week shows the same story.
Penn State is essentially playing for a New Years’ Six bowl at this point. It feels like a slightly underwhelming year in Happy Valley.
Prediction: Penn State 27, Maryland 20. This game doesn’t raise any eyebrows, get crazy, or anything. Just a ho-hum Big Ten win for the Nittany Lions.
Nebraska (3-6) at No. 3 Michigan (9-0)
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Nebraska gets the unlucky draw of traveling to Ann Arbor amidst a year where there has been nothing but turmoil around the program.
Michigan is churning out wins and rushing yards like a machine on their warpath to a meeting with Ohio State.
Prediction: Michigan 41, Nebraska 20. Michigan is going to run all over the field on Nebraska. The Cornhuskers lose their seventh game and miss a bowl game.
Wisconsin (5-4) at Iowa (5-4)
Clay Maxfield/for Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
Iowa has found some life on offense. They are throwing it around the yard a bit. Freshman phenom Kaleb Johnson is running behind an improving line. The defense is lights out. The Hawkeyes have some momentum.
Wisconsin is on a rollercoaster of a season under an interim head coach yet they are still above .500 which is a testament to their program.
Prediction: Iowa 17, Wisconsin 12. This is essentially a do-or-die game for these teams grasping onto the final hopes of the Big Ten West. It is a defensive heavyweight battle that comes down to field position and turnovers.
Purdue (5-4) at No. 21 Illinois (7-2)
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
This game got a whole lot more interesting with Illinois losing to Michigan State. The Illini can still own their destiny in the Big Ten West but now draw Purdue who is coming off a poor showing against Iowa.
Purdue knows they can practically spoil Illinois’ Cinderella season and would love to get to bowl eligibility with their sixth win.
Prediction: Illinois 23, Purdue 17. Bret Bielema doesn’t let things fester in Illinois and this win shows his culture has taken over. Illini bounce back strong.
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