Quick thoughts and takes on every Week 7 Big Ten game.
Purdue 40, Maryland 14
The Boilermakers were so overdue for something positive. They were due for a sharp performance, a little luck, and a plucky game where everything started to go right. Apparently, that’s what Maryland is for, with Jack Plummer lighting up the Terp secondary for 420 yards and three scores on a 33-of-41 day. Rondale Moore was still out, but Brycen Hopkins stepped up with ten catches, and David Bell caught 138 yards with of passes and scored twice.
Oh Maryland. The offense that looked like it had the scheme and the flash early in the season is sputtering and coughing. With Josh Jackson out, Tyrrell Pigrome wasn’t able to get the thing moving despite his 218 passing yards, 107 rushing yards, and a decent second quarter to get the team back in the game … right up until he threw a pick six.
That isn’t that for Maryland’s bowl hopes, but it’s a win it needed to have with a rough run ahead. Now the Terps have to win three games against Indiana, at Minnesota, Michigan, at Ohio State, Nebraska and Michigan State – that’s not going to happen with an O that’s struggling so much on third downs.
Purdue doesn’t quite have a bowl life again, but at 2-4, at least there’s a little bit of hope with winnable games against Illinois, Nebraska, Northwestern and Indiana to deal with. The O has to keep being as sharp as it was this week, but it’s not going to get the Maryland defense at Iowa next week.
Indiana 35, Rutgers 0
Indiana didn’t take pity on Rutgers, but it could’ve been a whole lot worse. Michael Penix was taking target practice, hitting 20-of-29 passes for 282 yards and three scores with a pick, and the Indiana running game got rolling with Stevie Scott tearing off 164 yards. This was over after a 21-0 first quarter lead.
Rutgers just doesn’t have any offensive playmakers. Johnny Langan only hit 5-of-13 passes for one yard. That’s had to do. The running game didn’t provide a lick of help, with just 74 yards led by Isaih Pacheco. The Scarlet Knights have been shut out in three of their last five games, and scored seven points last week against Maryland.
How bad was this total wipeout? IU outgained Rutgers 557 yards to 75. The Scarlet Knights missed on all 11 third down tries, and IU had the ball for over 36 minutes. Next week, it’s Minnesota’s turn at Rutgers, while Indiana at 4-2 should get a fifth win of the season against Maryland.
NEXT: Michigan 42, Illinois 25; Wisconsin 38, Michigan State 0
Michigan 42, Illinois 25
It’s Michigan, so everyone will focus on the 25 straight points allowed and not the 17-point Big Ten road win. It’s Illinois, so it’s supposed to be an easy week, and in many ways it was. The running game emerged with close to 300 yards – Hassan Haskins and Zach Charbonnet each went over 100 yards – and Shea Patterson threw three touchdown passes without a pick. There was a letdown, but the team turned it on again when it had to.
With Brandon Peters not playing, it was up to Matt Robinson to run the Illinois offense. The running game didn’t go anywhere, and he threw for 192 yards and a score, but there wasn’t enough of a push after fighting back to pull within three in the second half. With play after play behind the line, Michigan flipped the switch late. Illinois finished with just 64 rushing yards.
The Wolverines still aren’t all that pretty, but they’re still 5-1, and they’re still surviving and advancing. Now it’s time to show whether or not this team really is ready to do anything big with a trip to Penn State next and with Notre Dame to follow. The Illini get Wisconsin next week. Uh oh.
Wisconsin 38, Michigan State 0
Complete and utter domination, although this time, it wasn’t against Kent State. Wisconsin was able to roll at will with a near-perfect game from the defense, and the day of days from Jack Coan. Michigan State came in determined to not let Johnathan Taylor go off – he ran for 80 yards and two scores – and dared Coan to produce. The Badger QB hit 18-of-21 passes for 180 yards and a score with no picks.
Don’t call it an excuse for Michigan State, buuuuuuuuut that looked like a team that played Arizona State, dealt with Ohio State last week, and was on a run of three road games in four weeks that finished off with one of the last teams you want to face when you’re a little bit worn down. The offensive line did nothing to help out QB Brian Lewerke – he completed 7-of-16 passes for 53 yards and a pick – and did nothing for the ground game. There wasn’t anywhere for anyone to move. The Spartans gained just 149 yards of total offense.
Michigan State really, really needs this week off. At 4-3, there’s no fear of not coming up with a bowl and a winning season, but with Penn State coming up next, the team needs to recharge and find some offensive punch after two straight duds. Wisconsin has to gear it up for three road games in the next four, starting with Illinois next week and with the trip to Ohio State to follow.
NEXT: Penn State 17, Iowa 12; Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7
Penn State 17, Iowa 12
Penn State showed it could get tough and nasty when it has to. Iowa might not have a whole lot of firepower, but it’s got the toughest lines the Nittany Lions have faced by far. There was no buckling, and when needed, they pounded away with the tough, grinding yards to take over the game.
There weren’t any long runs, and there wasn’t the explosion the offense had over the last few weeks, but Noah Cain pounded out 102 yards and a score, Sean Clifford didn’t make any major mistakes and kept the offense moving, and the offense capitalized late and let the D do the rest.
The Iowa offense only managed two field goals before the late scoring drive on a brilliant catch by Brandon Smith to pull within five, but when the D line needed to come up with one big stop, it couldn’t. The running game generated one nice run – the Hawkeyes managed just 70 yards on the ground – and Nate Stanley threw for 286 yards, but Penn State controlled the clock and the big moments.
That’s not it for Iowa in the Big Ten chase, but it’s close. Two games behind both Minnesota and Wisconsin in the division, they have to win out – including beating shows two – and get a little help. On the plus side, Purdue, at Northwestern, Illinois, at Nebraska – they can beat everyone else.
Penn State now gets the Gameday treatment. It’ll be White Out time when Michigan comes to Happy Valley next Saturday night as Part Two of the nasty three-game stretch. Michigan State might not be playing like anything special, but it’s on the road, it gets two weeks off, and the Nittany Lions will be coming off two straight battles. And after that? They get a week off before going on the road to deal with a fantastic-looking Minnesota.
Minnesota 34, Nebraska 7
Minnesota went from struggling to dominant over the last six quarters. Nebraska didn’t have a prayer from the start, not doing anything offensively with Adrian Martinez out and with the lines getting blasted by the Gopher running game.
Finally, Minnesota pounded away with its best game yet from the O line, grinding out 322 yards on the ground with all three of the star backs getting fed. Rodney Smith ran for 139 yards, Shannon Brooks came up with 99, and Mo Ibrahim scored three times with 84 yards.
Nebraska looked lost. There was no tempo, there was no pace, and there was no production when it mattered. The Huskers let the Gophers dictate the tempo and the action, and nothing worked. The lines were dominated, there were no long and sustained drives, and there were just 299 yards of total offense with the lone score coming at the end when it was all over.
The Gophers will be 8-0 as long as it doesn’t trip over dates at Rutgers and against Maryland over the next two weeks. And then comes Penn State and at Iowa in a make-or-break pair of games. at 4-3, Nebraska gets time off to heal up and Richard, and then it gets Indiana and a trip to Purdue. Win those two, and it can get right back in the Big Ten West chase when Wisconsin comes to town. However, the team needs to get a whole lot more physical in a big, big hurry or IU could be dangerous.
