Sorry this is going up late--work deadlines intervened. (Don't you hate when that happens?) In any event, better late than never! Here's my ranking of the week's action:

Dramatic Re-enactment of Michigan vs. Penn State

 

KOs, TKOs and Unanimous Decisions

 

1. Wisconsin (11) beats MSU (8) 30-6 on the road.

Anytime you go to East Lansing and punch a Dantonio-coached team in the mouth, it’s an accomplishment. In fact, Urban Meyer hasn’t even managed that during his tenure at OSU. Props to the Badgers, then, who were efficient on offense and opportunistic on defense. On the other hand, MSU actually outgained Wisconsin in this one, so there are also reasons for pause. Next week’s trip to Ann Arbor will give us a definitive answer on whether the Badgers are for real or whether their ranked opponents just aren’t as good as the preseason hype suggested they would be. For the time being, however, this one looks impressive. 

 

2. Michigan (4) beats PSU (NR) 49-10 at home.

This was a classic beatdown of an overmatched opponent, kind of like all those losses that ended the 2010 season but in reverse. We even ran the same run play over and over again, just like Wisconsin did to us that year—and with the same result. The run game re-emerged and the defense looked monstrous. Both will be needed against Wisconsin next week, who look better than expected. Unfortunately, Speight still doesn’t look 100%. We'll need him to improve on this performance against what looks to be a much more capable opponent, though.

 

3. Nebraska (20) beats Northwestern (NR) 24-13 on the “road.”

Sure, the scoreboard implies wobbliness (especially considering how bad Northwestern have been to date). But this one wasn’t that close, as Nebraska turned the ball over twice within the red zone. Armstrong looked like a proper dual threat QB, and Nebraska looks like a serious contender for the Big 10 West. Up next: a very bad Illinois team. 

 

Split Decision Wins

5. Purdue (NR) beats Nevada (NR) 24-14 at home.

On the one hand, Purdue won! By double digits! On the other hand, this was one of two games all season that the Boilermakers were expected to win. Given the state of the Big 10 West, though, other wins may happen. This year.

 

6. Minnesota (NR) beats Colorado State (NR) 31-24 at home.

Minnesota was adequate in this home win against unheralded Colorado State. No more, no less. The Gophers look like a team that wins the games its supposed to win and loses the games its supposed to lose. That’s probably enough to squeak by PSU in Happy Valley, but I wouldn’t be surprised either way. 

 

7. Iowa (NR) beats Rutgers (NR) 14-7 on the road.

Kirk Ferentz earning that $48 million, week after week. Next up: another bad team that might keep it closer than it should be.

 

Moral Victories

8. Rutgers (NR) loses to Iowa (NR) 14-7 at home.

While Iowa has seemingly reverted to their 2012-2014 pattern of dull plains mediocrity, Rutgers can take heart in the fact that it wasn’t destroyed by a team with a pulse. Up next: Darth Sidious puts Count Dooku out of his misery.

 

9. Northwestern (NR) loses to Nebraska (22) 24-13 at “home.”

Gettin’ closer!

 

Out Cold

 

10. Indiana (NR) loses to Wake Forest (NR) 33-28 at home.

#TeamChaos outgained the Demon Deacons 611-352, but five (five!) interceptions nullified all that. Somehow that’s fitting.

 

11. MSU (8) loses to Wisconsin (11) 30-6 at home.

MSU hasn’t lost at home like this since 2012, the year of Andrew Maxwell. But even that team had a dominant defense and okay offensive line. So while Tyler O’Connor did provide a spot-on Maxwell impersonation, which certainly contributed to the final score, the real story was Wisconsin’s domination in the trenches. Throw in Notre Dame’s home loss to Duke, and these Spartans look like a pale imitation of their forebears. Anything can happen next week, when MSU travels to Indiana.

 

12. PSU (NR) loses to Michigan (4) 49-10 on the road.

There isn’t much PSU fans can take to heart from this loss, which the Wolverines thoroughly dominated. For the life of me I can’t figure out why PSU keeps Franklin around. He’s either in over his head, a la Brady Hoke, or a bad fit for what the program has and needs, a la Rich Rodriguez. My money's on the Hoke analogy, as there was never much doubt about whether Rodriguez could run an offense or make viable in-game decisions. Either way, though, the relationship's just not working. 

 

BYES: Ohio State, Illinois, Maryland.