What really mattered and what’s important from Week 1 of the Big Ten college football season?
Thursday, Friday Games
Minnesota 28, South Dakota State 21
Don’t get into a twist over this being so close. South Dakota State is one of the best teams in the FCS in a relatively local game with a slew of fired up players who wanted this in a big way. It was supposed to be tight.
When the Gophers absolutely needed it, the went all Big Ten and blasted away with the running game late. The O line had a rough day, but it rose up and rocked in the clutch. However, the Gophers can’t run for just 132 yards on a regular basis.
The offense didn’t move well enough, but again, give SDSU credit for being just that good. There were a few explosive plays, but the Gophers were outgunned 367 yards to 308. That’s a problem with Fresno State’s D up next.
Michigan State 28, Tulsa 7
Michigan State in the opener went all Michigan State in the opener. It didn’t unleash the fury, it didn’t do anything crazy, and it won in a walk that was easier than the final score. You can do that when the defense is utterly dominant.
The Spartans lived in the Golden Hurricane backfield with six sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and finishing by handing the out -73 rushing yards. Good things tend to happen when you allow just 102 yards, however …
There’s some sharpening to do. The running game stalled way too easily, there were only three points in the second half, and the 14 penalties have to be cleaned up. However, QB Brian Lewerke was fine – throwing for 192 yards with a touchdown – and there weren’t any turnovers.
Wisconsin 49, USF 0
Welcome back, Wisconsin. We missed you in 2018. That was an attitude game that showed that the program might just have its mojo back after sleepwalking through last season. The offensive line didn’t dominate – it allowed 11 tackles for loss – but it paved the was for 5.4 yards per carry and the special day from Jonathan Taylor, running 16 times for 135 yards and two scores. And now he’s a part of the passing game, taking his two catches for scores.
And Jack Coan? Fine, he completed 19-of-26 passes for 199 yards and two scores with no picks, but he missed on a few makable deep throws. It’s as if Wisconsin isn’t used to having a terrific wide receiving corps.
There were some moments early on when the secondary looked shaky. USF shot itself in the foot more than the UW D made anything happen. But it was a road shutout against a good team – the rest is just nitpicking.
Rutgers 48, UMass 21
Okay, so it took a quarter. The defense was a mess in the first quarter, there were too many mistakes, and the 21-3 deficit was a hit on social media. But that’s why you play UMass to start the season – you can screw up and get past it.
Texas Tech transfer McLane Carter might have thrown three picks, but he also showed why he might be the difference-maker the offense needs. He threw for 340 yards and two scores, Isaih Pacheco ran for 156 yards and four touchdowns, and the Scarlet Knight offense exploded to get over the horrible start.
Not only did Rutgers outgain UMass by close to 150 yards, but it also held the ball for 12 minutes more. It was a controlled O the twas able to settle down, but against Iowa, it’s going to have to keep the balance and pop.
Nevada 34, Purdue 31
Purdue cranked up 519 yards. Elijah Sindelar threw for 423 yards and four scores, Rondale Moore was brilliant – catching 11 passes for 124 yards and a score – and … the turnovers. Moore lost a fumble, Sindelar threw two picks, and Purdue was a -5 in turnover margin.
Don’t get too grouchy about this. It was a total meltdown blowing a 31-14 lead, and it was an ugly final minute, but this looked like a Week 1 game for a team that needed to work out a whole lot of kinks. Here’s the problem: Vanderbilt, TCU, Minnesota, at Penn State, Maryland, at Iowa, Nebraska, at Northwestern, at Wisconsin. The Boilermakers needed this win.
Markus Bailey was all over the field with ten tackles, but the defensive front couldn’t get into the backfield enough and couldn’t generate enough pressure. The tackles did a decent job against the run, but there was just one sack.
NEXT: The Saturday Big Ten Games
Ohio State 45, Florida Atlantic 21
So … you were worried about whether or not Justin Fields was ready for primetime? Beating Florida Atlantic isn’t exactly like beating Florida, but 18-of-25, 234 yards, four touchdowns, 61 rushing yards and one score – BOOM. The Buckeyes delivered the knockout punch in the first quarter after Fields did absolutely everything the team could’ve hoped for.
It would’ve been nice if the Buckeyes kept their foot on the gas. It’s not like they were in any danger, but the offense didn’t set a Ryan Day-era tone by putting a massive number on the board in the first half … whatever. The first quarter was all that mattered about this. They made their point.
The pass rush was a problem for the Owls, and the run defense didn’t allow a thing. FAU had to start bombing away to try making it interesting, but they were still held to 22 yards on 33 carries and didn’t get loose for anything big.
Maryland 79, Howard 0
Welcome back to college football, Josh Jackson. The Virginia Tech transfer completed 15-of-24 passes for 245 yards and four scores as he took target practice in a nearly perfect performance. This was why you book Howard as a guest – you get a game to get the new parts in place.
It was Howard, but the defense did its part, too. It allowed 68 yards, one rushing yard, and got the pass rush going right away. It was a scrimmage, but with Syracuse up next, this was about as good as the D could play.
The Mike Locksley era got the big splashy start it wanted. Not that blasting the Howard Bison by 79 matters to the rest of the world, but for a program that’s had a hard time breaking through for something positive – at least recently – this was how it needed to get going.
Illinois 42, Akron 3
Well hello, Brandon Peters. The somewhat surprising call to take the Illinois quarterback job wasn’t perfect, but he was more than fine completing 14-of-23 passes for 163 yards and three scores with a rushing touchdown. He spread the ball around well, kept things moving early, and Illinois won in a laugher.
Lovie Smith’s best defensive coordinator really is Lovie Smith. It’s just Akron – just like it’s going to be just UConn next week, but the D was all over the place stuffing everything. There was no Akron ground game and almost nothing happening down the field.
207 rushing yards, 194 passing yards, no turnovers. This is how it’s supposed to look. This is what a Big Ten team is supposed to do against a mediocre MAC team. It was total dominance throughout as the team gets a slew of warm-up games. The predictions stands – the Illini will go bowling this year.
NEXT: Indiana vs. Ball State, South Alabama vs. Nebraska
Indiana 34, Ball State 24
It was a weird performance for the Hoosiers. Michael Penix was special at times – throwing for 326 yards and a score – but the freshman also threw two picks that helped Ball State stay alive. For good and for bad, Penix also led the team with 67 rising yards.
The Hoosier O line didn’t generate enough of a steady push. It wasn’t awful – it didn’t allow much in the backfield – and Penix made up for several issues with his mobility, but Stevie Scott was stuffed way too often. He ran for two scores, but he couldn’t break free for anything big.
The defense was able to do a decent job against the Cardinal ground game, but it struggled on third downs and got hit for a few too many big pass plays, allowing touchdowns from 45 and 36 yards away to keep it a one-score game late. IU got the double-digit win, but this was hardly an air-tight victory – that’s what Week 1 against Ball State is for.
Nebraska 35, South Alabama 21
The offense didn’t work. Really? Outgained 314 yards to 276? The Huskers got big plays out of the defense and special teams to get out of this alive, but the running game didn’t go anywhere, the passing attack stalled, and it was an ugly game that’s going to be a big, big concern going into the Colorado game. Of course the O will come around, but Adrian Martinez didn’t look right – he wasn’t as decisive as he was over the second half of last year.
Where were the explosive offensive plays? There was one nice pass that opened it up a little bit, but this was a ragged overall performance that wasn’t close. Martinez ran for just six yards, and the only rushing pop kicked in once Maurice Washington came into the game in the second half. The O didn’t do enough when he was in, though.
The defense wasn’t perfect, but it generated five takeaways and bailed the offense out of the fire time and again – take that as the big positive here. The offense is going to be fine in time, and Martinez will be great, so as long as the D is coming up with big things, all will be fine. It was a win – remember, it took a while for Nebraska to get that last year.
Idaho might be awful, but that’s still exactly what Penn State needed and wanted to do. Sean Clifford was able to bomb away without any worry – completing 14-of-23 passes for 280 yards and two scores with 57 rushing yards. The Nittany Lion offense took target practice with 342 passing yards and 331 on the ground.
It took a wee bit to get it all going. The offense needed a few drives before it was sharp, and then it was an avalanche. The attack showed off the depth of the backfield; there might not be a Saquon Barkley or Miles Sanders, but there was no shortage of options. KJ Hamler caught four passes for 115 yards and two scores.
To nitpick … the O only converted one of eight third down tries. It’s hard to argue when the D allows just four rushing yards and was up 44-0 at halftime, but the Nittany Lions can be even stronger. That’s what the Buffalo game is for next week.
NEXT: Northwestern at Stanford, Miami University at Iowa, Middle Tennessee at Michigan
Stanford 17, Northwestern 7
Northwestern was AWFUL. Hunter Johnson was a disaster, there was no running game, and despite the low-scoring battle, the defense couldn’t seem to wrap up and tackle. But it’s Northwestern – of course it’s going to be deep in the mix for the Big Ten West title again. As brutal as it was, there were still chances late to pull this off. Last year, the Cats won ugly. Stanford won uglier.
Hunter Johnson completed 6-of-17 passes for 55 yards and two picks, and lost a fumble on the final drive for a touchdown. He couldn’t make anything happen, but he was also under a whole lot of pressure. TJ Green wasn’t any better, completing 6-of-10 passes for 62 yards before getting banged up. The O lost RB Isaiah Bowser, too.
The Wildcats only had the ball for 22 minutes, turned it over four times, and was outgunned 365 yards to 212, and it was STILL never out of it. As bad as this looked, and as horrible as the offense was, the Northwestern style still works. Stanford might just be that good.
Iowa 38, Miami University 14
It took a while to get going. The Hawkeyes couldn’t seem to find any groove in the first half, but it simply looked like a case of the Week Ones – it was all fine in the second half. The Iowa lines dominated MU from the start, with the ground attack averaging over five yards per carry.
Nate Stanley was efficient and solid. There wasn’t any reason to take any major chances, and he didn’t, completing 21-of-30 passes for 252 yards and three score. It was Mekhi Sargent’s day, leading the team with 65 receiving yards to go along with his 91 yards and a score on the ground.
Miami wasn’t going anywhere. The Hawkeyes were able to overcome the sluggishness with third down stop after third down stop – the RedHawks couldn’t run the ball a lick. It would be nice to get more pressure behind the line, but Iowa held MU to 245 total yards.
Michigan 40, Middle Tennessee 21
It was hardly a perfect performance, but it was more than good enough. The defense stepped it up in the second half, the game was more lopsided than the final score, and there weren’t any major issues to be concerned about.
You wanted offensive balance? The sped-up offense was able to crank up 220 passing yards and three touchdowns – Shea Patterson was just fine – and the ground game came up with 233 yards and over five yards per pop, helped by Dylan McCaffrey coming in and showing a different look. Again, it wasn’t a razor-sharp performance, but that needs to come against Army before dealing with Wisconsin.
How did the defense overcome the key losses? For a week, the D was fine, but it’s not the same killer of last year. Khaleke Hudson was all over the place in the Viper role, but it was Jordan Glasgow who did more to get behind the line with two sacks. The D allowed too many midrange throws, but a bulk of Middle Tennessee’s 301 yards came late when the game was out of hand.
