Michigan will look to duplicate its efforts the last time it faced Wisconsin by knocking off the nationally-ranked Badgers in Madison. Last year the Wolverines upset No. 9 Wisconsin 27-25 in Ann Arbor to push its all-time series advantage to 49-12-1. U-M, which owns a 19-5-1 mark in Camp Randall Stadium, has claimed victories in 17 of the last 21 games and 31 of the last 36 matchups against the Badgers.
Michigan still owns the league’s top scoring offense with 32.0 points per game as well as the most productive rushing attack with 208.3 yards per outing. Carlos Brown (53.1) and Brandon Minor (52.9) make up more than half of the Wolverines’ ground game and rank eighth and ninth, respectively, in conference rushing. Minor registered 154 rushing yards versus Purdue, which marked the sixth 100-yard rushing game of his career and his second of the season. QB Tate Forcier, who is throwing for 163.6 yards per game, was 15-of-24 for 212 yards last week against the Boilers, but was sacked five times. Wideout Roy Roundtree recorded career highs in the game with 10 receptions and 126 receiving yards. Wisconsin gives up just 312.1 total yards per game, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten, including only 102.8 yards on the ground, also fourth-best. Mike Taylor leads the UW squad with 6.6 tackles per game, while O'Brien Schofield handles the unit up front with 7.5 sacks and a league-best 18.5 tackles for loss this year. Freshman Chris Borland has recorded three fumble recoveries as well.
Look for stark differences in two categories this weekend. The Wisconsin offense leads the Big Ten in time of possession (32:58) and red zone offense (33-of-35, 94.3%), while Michigan’s offense ranks last in both categories (26:34 & 29-of-41, 70.7%), respectively. The Badgers are fourth in the conference with 29.6 points and 403.7 total yards per game. UW gets most of its production done on the ground with John Clay (108.1) and Montee Ball, who ran for 115 yards on 27 carries last week after Clay suffered a concussion. In the air, Scott Tolzien throws for 190.8 yards each time out and is completing 61.8 percent of his passes. Wideout Nick Toon is ninth in the league with 4.11 receptions per game and has 446 yards and five touchdowns on the year. Michigan is eighth in the Big Ten with 393.3 yards of total defense and allows 5.7 yards per play, which ranks near the bottom of the conference. Of that total yardage, the Wolverines are giving up 235 yards in the air and boast a minus-9 turnover margin that ranks tied for last in the Big Ten. Donovan Warren does have four interceptions this year and Brandon Graham owns 6.5 sacks and 17.0 TFLs on the year.
(6-4, 3-3 Big Ten)
Northwestern at Illinois Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 • 11 a.m. CT • Champaign, Ill. • Memorial Stadium (62,870) ESPN Classic • Announcers: TBD
Although Saturday's game marks the 103rd meeting between Illinois and Northwestern, it will be the first contest for the newly created Land of Lincoln rivalry trophy. The Fighting Illini leads the overall series by a 52-45-5 margin and is 25-19-2 in game played in Champaign. The Wildcats topped the Illini 27-10 last season in Evanston, while Illinois took the last meeting in Champaign, 41-22, in 2007.
Northwestern enters the weekend on the heels of one of its biggest upsets in school history, having knocked Iowa from its hopes for a national championship. Both Iowa and Northwestern struggled on the offensive side of the ball and the Wildcats’ victory was mostly attributed to the NU defense. QB Mike Kafka was limited in his playing time due to a leg injury, but he managed to finish the game 10-of-18 passing for 72 yards. Scott Concannon paced Northwestern's running backs with 59 rushing yards. The Wildcats rank sixth in the conference in total offense (375.1), but are last in the league with a yards-per-play average of 4.8. While most damage has been done in the air this season, NU has scored 15 rushing touchdowns and is fifth in the Big Ten with 117.1 rushing yards per game. Illinois ranks ninth in the conference in total defense (395.4) and actually gives up the most yardage per down with an average of 5.9. The Illini also rank ninth in pass defense, allowing 233.2 yards per game. In its win over Minnesota last week, the Illinois defense dominated the line of scrimmage, racking up seven sacks and eight tackles for loss, both season-highs. Defensive end Clay Nurse posted four sacks for a loss of 28 yards and seven total tackles, both of which were career-highs. Ian Thomas is eighth in the Big Ten with 8.0 stops per game.
In the past two weeks, the Illinois offense has found its stride, exploding for 851 combined total yards, including 500 total yards against Michigan two weeks ago. The last time the Wildcats traveled to Champaign, Illinois rolled up 541 total yards and 321 yards rushing, holding the ball for over 38 minutes. Quarterback Juice Williams has found success against Northwestern in the last two seasons. He's hit 35-of-59 passes (59.3 percent) for 432 yards and a touchdown and has also rushed for 230 yards on 48 carries (4.8 ypc) and two touchdowns. Despite posting just 63 yards against Minnesota before leaving with an injury, a healthy Williams needs just 22 yards to reach 10,000 for his career. Mikel Leshoure leads the ground game with 57.5 yards per outing. In last week’s upset over Iowa, Northwestern forced four turnovers -- all in the second quarter. Safety Brad Phillips was Northwestern's leading tackler with 10 hits and he also forced a fumble. Among the other defensive highlights, NU held Iowa to a season-low-tying 65 rushing yards, held the Hawkeyes to just 121 total yards in the final three quarters, and shutout the fourth-ranked team in the final 55 minutes of the game. Nate Williams and Quentin Davie rank in the Big Ten’s top 15 with 7.2 and 7.1 tackles per game, respectively.
(7-2, 6-1 MVC)
South Dakota State at Minnesota Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 • 11 a.m. CT • Minneapolis, Minn. • TCF Bank Stadium (50,720) Big Ten Network • Announcers: Matt Rosen, Ron Johnson
Series: Minnesota leads 5-0 • Last Meeting: Sept. 30, 1933: Minnesota 19, South Dakota State 6
(5-5, 3-4 Big Ten)
Needing just one more win to earn bowl eligibility, Minnesota remains home to face South Dakota State in non-conference action Saturday. The Jackrabbits enter the contest with a 7-2 overall record and a 6-1 mark in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, but do not own a win over the Golden Gophers in five previous matchups. In fact, South Dakota State has been shut out three times against the Gophers. The two teams have not met since 1933, however, and the Jackrabbits have only suffered losses to Football Bowl Subdivision teams this year.
Offensively, South Dakota State averages 27.2 points and 357.3 yards per game. In last week’s loss to Southern Illinois, quarterback Ryan Crawford completed 15-of-29 attempts for 147 yards before backup quarterback Thomas O’Brien finished the game 16-of-25 passing for 181 yards and an interception. Glen Fox caught a career-high 12 passes for 101 yards, while Saunders Montague added six receptions for 48 yards. Kyle Minett led the Jackrabbit ground game with 61 yards on 11 carries. Defensively, Minnesota’s starting linebacking corps of Lee Campbell, Nate Triplett and Simoni Lawrence lead the team in tackles. Campbell enters Saturday’s game with a team-best 100 tackles and also leads the squad with nine tackles for loss. Triplett has tallied 90 tackles and a team bests with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Lawrence has notched 68 tackles with two sacks. Minnesota, which allows 397.1 total yards per game, has intercepted seven passes this season, forced 11 lost fumbles and blocked three kicks.
The Golden Gophers have scored an average of 29.7 points per game at home, while averaging only 16.3 points in its four road games. Junior quarterback Adam Weber directs the Minnesota offense, averaging 207.4 yards per game through the air. Weber has completed 54.4 percent of his passes, but has thrown 13 interceptions compared to 12 touchdowns. Tight end Nick Tow Arnett has stepped up since the injury absence of wideout Eric Decker, recording 30 receptions for 395 yards and two scores. Sophomore wide receiver Brandon Green has added 20 catches for 286 yards and a touchdown. The Golden Gophers’ running game has been by committee this season as three rushers have gained more than 200 yards. Duane Bennett leads the way with 357 yards and six touchdowns, followed by DeLeon Eskridge with 251 yards and three TDs. Kevin Whaley has chipped in with 231 yards and a pair of scores, while backup quarterback MarQueis Gray has contributed 161 yards, while averaging 5.2 yards per carry. Defensively, the Jackrabbits allow 13.9 points and 285.6 yards per game. South Dakota State’s Conrad Kjerstad notched a career-high 15 tackles in last week’s loss, while Danny Batten added 10 stops.
(5-5, 3-3 Big Ten)
Michigan State at Purdue Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 • Noon ET • West Lafayette, Ind. • Ross-Ade Stadium (62,500) ESPN • Announcers: Dave Pasch, Bob Griese, Chris Spielman
Series: Michigan State leads 30-28-3 • Last Meeting: Nov. 8, 2008: Michigan State 21, Purdue 7
(4-6, 3-3 Big Ten)
Saturday’s game marks the 62nd meeting between Michigan State and Purdue, with the Spartans leading the all-time series 30-28-3, including a 12-16-3 record in games played in West Lafayette. The Boilermakers have won seven of the last 10 meetings, however, Michigan State has won the last two games, including a 48-31 victory in Ross-Ade Stadium in 2007. That win marked the Spartans’ first at Purdue since 1993 and ended a four-game losing streak in Ross-Ade Stadium. In addition, four of the last six games in the series have been decided by 10 points or less.
Michigan State continues to pace the Big Ten in passing (280.7) and total offense (419.0), while rating third in scoring offense (30.1). Sophomore QB Kirk Cousins has thrown for nearly 2,100 yards this year, completing 63.7 percent of his passes and leading the conference with a 149.3 efficiency rating. Cousins, who has thrown 14 TDs to only five interceptions, ranks sixth in the league with 209.7 passing yards per game. His primary targets include Blair White (104 catches for 1,520 yards), junior Mark Dell (79 for 1,291) and sophomore B.J. Cunningham (82 for 1,038). White ranks among the Big Ten leaders in TD receptions (tied for first), receiving yards (fourth at 83.6 per game) and receptions (fifth at 5.8 per game). In last week’s win over Western Michigan, sophomore Ashton Leggett recorded career highs in carries (14), rushing yards (110) and rushing touchdowns (4). On defense, Purdue is giving up a conference-high 28.8 points per game, and is allowing 173.1 rushing, 196.4 passing and 369.5 total yards each time out. Ryan Kerrigan has a league-best 10 sacks on the year, coupled with 16.5 tackles for loss, which is followed closely behind by Jason Werner’s 14.5 TFLs. Kerrigan also has five forced fumbles this season.
Purdue is coming off another impressive victory as the Boilermakers make a comeback run at earning a bowl bid. For his efforts in the win at Michigan, QB Joey Elliott was tabbed the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week after completing 72 percent of his passes (28-of-39) for a career-high 367 yards to help rally Purdue from a 14-point halftime deficit. The Boilermakers are third in the conference with 248.5 passing yards per game and rank fifth in total offense with 384.3 yards each time out. Keith Smith paces the conference with 7.10 receptions per game and is first among active Big Ten receivers with 86.3 yards every Saturday. On the ground, Ralph Bolden is third in the league with 85.5 yards per contest. MSU allows 333.6 total yards per game, including 232.2 in the air. Junior linebacker Greg Jones leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation with 117 tackles. Jones also boasts 7.5 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss on the year.
(4-6, 1-5 Big Ten)
Indiana at No. 18 Penn State Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 • Noon ET • University Park, Pa. • Beaver Stadium (107,282) Big Ten Network • Announcers: Craig Coshun, Glen Mason, Anthony Herron
Series: Penn State leads 12-0 • Last Meeting: Nov. 15, 2008: Penn State 34, Indiana 7
(8-2, 4-2 Big Ten)
Simply put, Indiana has never defeated Penn State. It has come close at times, but the Hoosiers are 0-12 against the Nittany Lions since 1993. In fact, five of the 12 matchups and two of the last three contests have been decided by seven points or less. Prior to last year's 34-7 PSU victory at Beaver Stadium, the Hoosiers dropped a 36-31 decision to the Nittany Lions at Memorial Stadium in 2007.
Indiana’s offense, which ranks ninth in the Big Ten at 357.2 yards per game, relies heavily on a passing attack that is fourth-best in the league with 241.1 yards each time out. The Hoosiers also put up 24.1 points every Saturday – all numbers that do not bode well against the impressive defensive averages Penn State has posted this season. However, IU has found a way to compete on the road during conference play. Indiana is just plays away from winning at Michigan, at Northwestern and at Iowa. In those games, the Hoosiers have held leads at the end of the first half and at the end of the third quarter – an occurrence that marks the first time that IU held a halftime lead in three conference road games since 1994. Quarterback Ben Chappell ranks second in the Big Ten with 237.7 passing yards per game, third in completion percentage (63.0) and fourth in total offense (235.1). He is 213-of-338 on the season and has 13 touchdown tosses and two rush scores. Tandon Doss is third in league receptions (6.5) and receiving yards (84.3) per game, while freshman Darius Willis leads the ground game with 58.1 yards each outing, which ranks sixth in the Big Ten. Penn State sits in the top 15 nationally in several major defensive statistical categories. The Nittany Lions are third in scoring (10.8), ninth in pass defense (166.1), 14th in rush defense (98.5) and eighth in total defense (264.6). Their 3.20 sacks per game rank eighth and 8.70 tackles for loss each time out are second. Josh Hull ranks fourth in the conference with 95 tackles in addition to his two sacks, 8.5 TFLs and two interceptions. Senior Sean Lee has 63 stops, two sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, while junior Navorro Bowman owns 62 tackles, one sack, 10 TFLs, one pick and two fumble recoveries. Senior tackle Jared Odrick leads the team with six sacks and shares second with 10 tackles for loss, and sophomore end Jack Crawford has 5.5 sacks and a team-best 13.5 TFLs.
The Nittany Lions are scoring 28.3 points, rushing for 171.4 yards, passing for 234.9 yards and accumulating 406.3 total yards per game. Junior Evan Royster is second in the Big Ten with 89.5 rushing yards each time out. Royster has rushed for 895 yards with a 5.7 average and five scores. QB Daryll Clark averages 228.3 yards per game, has completed 61.2 percent of his passes, and has thrown 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The senior also has scored six times on the ground and rushed for 168 yards. Sophomore Derek Moye paces all PSU wideouts with 39 catches for 648 yards and five TDs. Defensively, Indiana is eighth in the conference against the rush (160.4), 10th in scoring (28.5) and last in passing (250.4) and total yards allowed (410.8). Like Penn State’s top-rated red zone defense, which allows opponent scoring just 60.9 percent of the time, Indiana rates second in the conference with a percentage of 76.3. Matt Mayberry is sixth in the league with 8.4 tackles per game, while Jammie Kirlew owns 5.5 sacks and 13.5 TFLs on the year. Austin Thomas, who is listed as questionable for the game, leads the Hoosiers’ secondary and is third in the Big Ten with four interceptions on the year.
(9-1, 5-1 Big Ten)
No. 10 Iowa at No. 11 Ohio State Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 • 3:30 p.m. ET • Columbus, Ohio. • Ohio Stadium (102,329) ABC • Announcers: Sean McDonough, Matt Millen, Holly Rowe
Series: Ohio State leads 44-14-3 • Last Meeting: Sept. 30, 2006: Ohio State 38, Iowa 17
(8-2, 5-1 Big Ten)
Saturday marks the 62nd meeting in a series in which Ohio State holds an impressive 44-14-3 advantage and has taken the past two outings. The teams have not met since the Buckeyes captured a 38-17 rout in Iowa City. OSU also took home a 31-6 victory in 2005 on Iowa's last visit to Columbus. Saturday's game will also mark the 19th time the teams have met when both have been in the national rankings. Perhaps the most impressive note is that while the Hawkeyes has the nation’s second-longest win streak snapped last week against Northwestern, Iowa has still won its last six games away from Iowa City, which includes wins at Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Wisconsin and a bowl game. In those wins Iowa allowed just 46 points. Oh yeah, and the winner of this game also takes home at least a share of the Big Ten title and the conference’s automatic bid to the Rose Bowl. Ohio State will be looking to clinch a share of its fifth straight league title with a win.
The Iowa offense will have to take to the field Saturday without its leader in quarterback Ricky Stanzi. Prior to the start of the season, when Iowa learned that tailback Jewel Hampton would miss the entire season to injury, the Hawkeyes promptly responded by putting themselves in position to win a national championship. But those dreams went away last week when Stanzi suffered a severe ankle sprain and has since undergone surgery that is expected to keep him out of the final two regular season games. Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg, who was just 9-of-27 for 82 yards in the loss to Northwestern, will start under center. Against the Wildcats, Derrell Johnson-Koulianos had six receptions for 63 yards, while Brandon Wegher led Iowa's ground game with 63 yards on 19 carries. Ohio State’s defense is allowing 11.2 points, 85.4 rushing yards, 168.7 passing yards and a league-best 254.1 total yards per game, while boasting a conference-high plus-9 turnover margin. Brian Rolle averages 7.8 tackles per outing and Kurt Coleman is fourth in the league with three forced fumbles and sixth with three picks on the season.
The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten in scoring (29.0) and are second in rushing (184.8) during conference games only. In all contests, Ohio State is just 10th in the league in passing (183.1), but Terrelle Pryor had a solid outing in last week’s big-game win over Penn State, so OSU fans are expecting more of the same in Saturday’s headliner. Pryor accounts for 166.8 yards in the air and 60.4 on the ground each time out. Brandon Saine is 10th in the league with 50.7 yards per outing, while DeVier Posey is fifth in receiving yards (67.2) and eighth in receptions (4.5) per game. Defensively, Iowa sophomore Tyler Sash leads the conference in interceptions with six, including one for a touchdown. Senior Pat Angerer is second in the league with 106 total tackles. As a team, the Hawkeyes rank first in the Big Ten in pass efficiency defense (94.3) and third in total defense, giving up just 291.7 yards per game.
