The Wolverine takes a look around the league heading into week five of action.
Illinois (1-2)
After a bye week last Saturday, Illinois hits the road to take on No. 15 Nebraska ... Illinois is 3-9-1 all time against Nebraska, including a 1-7 mark in Lincoln, with the lone win coming in 1924 ... Redshirt junior running back Kendrick Foster’s 9.7 yards per carry leads the conference ... Senior defensive lineman Carroll Phillips is second in the Big Ten in both sacks (four) and tackles for loss (nine).
Indiana (2-1)
After dropping its first game of the season last week to Wake Forest, Indiana hosts No. 17 Michigan State ... The two teams will be playing for the Old Brass Spittoon, a trophy that is believed to be nearly 200 years old and has been awarded to the game’s winner since 1950 ... The Hoosiers have seen an immense improvement on defense under new coordinator Tom Allen, as they currently rank 38th nationally in yards allowed per game (351.3), after finishing 121st last year ... This is the only night game on the Big Ten slate this weekend.
Iowa (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten)
Iowa welcomes Northwestern to Iowa City after a victory at Rutgers last week ... The Hawkeyes were dealt a devastating blow on Monday when senior receiver Matt VandeBerg suffered a foot injury and will likely miss the rest of the season ... Iowa has more victories against Northwestern (50) than any other Big Ten school ... This will serve as the Hawkeyes’ homecoming game.
Maryland (3-0)
Maryland hosts Purdue on Saturday afternoon in both teams’ conference opener ... The Terrapins are looking to start 4-0 for just the second time since 2001 ... Maryland and Western Michigan are the only two FBS schools yet to commit a turnover this season ... The Terps already have more wins (four) than they had all of last year (three).
No. 17 Michigan State (2-1, 0-1 Big Ten)
No. 17 Michigan State heads to Indiana, hoping to rebound from its blowout loss to then-No. 11 Wisconsin last week ... The Spartans’ 24-point home loss last Saturday was its worse since 2009 ... Michigan State leads the all-time series against Indiana, 45-15-2, and has won seven straight against the Hoosiers ... The Spartans’ rush defense is only allowing 88.67 yards per game, which ranks 13th in the country.
Minnesota (3-0)
Minnesota travels to Penn State for its first conference game of the year ... The Gophers will be missing numerous key players to injury, including freshman linebacker Carter Coughlin, fifth-year senior linebacker Nick Rallis, junior tight end Brandon Lingen, sophomore receiver Rashad Still and freshman defensive lineman Tai’yon Devers ... Minnesota has scored on all 14 of its red-zone possessions this season, with 13 of those scores resulting in touchdowns ... Fifth-year senior quarterback Mitch Leidner’s 64.5 completion percentage is the second best in the Big Ten.
No. 15 Nebraska (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
Looking to start 2-0 in conference play, No. 15 Nebraska hosts Illinois Saturday afternoon ... The Cornhuskers suffered a heartbreaking loss at Illinois last season in the closing seconds, 14-13 ... Nebraska is off to its second 4-0 start in the last three years ... Fifth-year senior receiver Alonzo Moore leads the conference in yards per catch (25.8) and is third in receiving yards (310).
Northwestern (1-3, 0-1 Big Ten)
After dropping its conference opener last week to Nebraska, Northwestern hits the road for Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes ... The Wildcats were blown out at home last year by Iowa, 40-10 ... Fifth-year senior receiver Austin Carr leads the Big Ten in catches (26) and yards (392), and is second in receiving yards per game (98) ... Fifth-year senior linebacker Jaylen Prater has the most tackles in the league (38).
No. 2 Ohio State (3-0)
Fresh off a bye week, No. 2 Ohio State welcomes Rutgers to Columbus ... Ohio State’s plus-9 turnover margin is tied with Washington for the best in the country ... The Buckeyes are the only team in college football yet to allow a rushing touchdown ... Head coach Urban Meyer has a 14-0 record in the month of October during his tenure in Columbus ... Ohio State throttled the Scarlet Knights, 49-7, last year in Piscataway.
Penn State (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
After getting destroyed in Ann Arbor by No. 4 Michigan last week, 49-10, Penn State returns home to face an undefeated Minnesota team ... This will mark the Golden Gophers’ first trip to Happy Valley since 2009 ... The Governor’s Victory Bell trophy will be awarded to the winner of the game ... Sophomore running back Saquon Barkley’s six rushing touchdowns lead the conference.
Purdue (2-1)
Purdue heads to Maryland for the first-ever regular-season meeting with the Terps ... The Boilermakers finished September with a winning record for the first time since 2012 ... Sophomore running back Markell Jones’ 105.3 rushing yards per game are good for third in the league ... Senior receiver Domonique Young’s 19 catches are tied for third-most in the Big Ten.
Rutgers (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
Rutgers heads to Columbus to take on No. 2 Ohio State ... Head coach Chris Ash served as Urban Meyer’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons ... Current Buckeye co-defensive coordinator Greg Schiano was Rutgers’ head coach from 2001-2011 ... The Scarlet Knights were dealt two devastating blows on Monday, when it was announced that senior receiver Janarion Grant and fifth-year senior defensive lineman Quanzell Lambert will both miss the rest of the season with injury.
No. 8 Wisconsin (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten)
Coming off its huge win at then-No. 8 Michigan State, No. 8 Wisconsin heads to Ann Arbor this weekend to take on No. 4 Michigan ... The two teams have not met since 2010, when Wisconsin won, 48-28, in The Big House ... The Badgers have won eight consecutive road games, the longest streak in school history ... Both Paul Chryst and Jim Harbaugh are in the second year at their respective schools and own identical 14-3 records.
Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 1
- Northwestern at Iowa: 12:00 PM (ESPNU)
- Rutgers at No. 2 Ohio State: 12:00 PM (BTN)
- No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan: 3:30 PM (ABC)
- Illinois at No. 15 Nebraska: 3:30 PM (ESPN2)
- Minnesota at Penn State: 3:30 PM (BTN)
- Purdue at Maryland: 3:30 PM (BTN)
- No. 8 Wisconsin at No. 4 Michigan: 3:30 PM (ABC)
- No. 17 Michigan State at Indiana: 8:00 PM (BTN)
