Griffiths’ Big Ten picks: Much yet to be determined in final weekend
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
There’s plenty to be determined as we enter the final weekend of regular season Big Ten play.
We don’t know who is going to represent the Legends Division in the Big Ten Championship Game or if five, six or seven teams from the league are going bowling.
On Friday, Nebraska can punch its ticket to the conference championship title game Dec. 1 in Indianapolis if it wins at Iowa. However, if the Cornhuskers get upset by the Hawkeyes, Michigan will have a shot at going to its first league title game if it can knock off Ohio State and spoil the Buckeyes’ bid for a perfect season in Columbus.
Nebraska will play Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game if it wins in Iowa City or if the Wolverines lose to the Buckeyes.
The other important aspect of the last weekend of Big Ten play is Michigan State and Purdue have a chance to become bowl eligible. The Spartans need to win at Minnesota to improve to 6-6 and the Boilermakers need to beat rival Indiana in West Lafayette to move to .500 on the year and go bowling for the second straight season.
Northwestern, Minnesota and Wisconsin, all of whom are bowl eligible, can improve their standing in the bowl pecking order with victories.
Penn State is ineligible to participate in the post-season and can’t win the Leaders Division, but you know the Nittany Lions would like nothing better than to beat the visiting Badgers and finish a very difficult year 8-4.
Meanwhile Iowa, Indiana and Illinois are in Wait Until Next Year mode. With that said, the Hoosiers and Hawkeyes would like nothing better than to play spoiler. As for the Illini, they’re simply trying not to finish Year One of the Tim Beckman Era winless in the Big Ten.
As you try to digest your Thanksgiving feast, IndySportsLegends.com provides you the following guide to what conference games are worth watching Friday and Saturday and the ones that aren’t DVR worthy.
(I turned in another good week going 5-1, only missing the Northwestern @ Michigan State game. My season record now stands at 72-18, a winning percentage of 80 percent.)
Game-Of-The-Week
#20 Michigan (8-3, 6-1) @ No. 4 Ohio State (11-0, 7-0)
Saturday
Noon
ABC
Columbus, Ohio (Ohio Stadium 102,329)
The ultimate of college football rivalries has plenty of significance this year. Despite being ineligible for the Big Ten Championship Game or any bowl game, Ohio State would love to end their year on NCAA probation undefeated, especially considering this is Urban Meyer’s first season in Columbus.
For Michigan, it will know by the time it takes the field in the Horseshoe if there’s a chance to go to the Rose Bowl. If Nebraska beats Iowa, Michigan will be trying to beat Ohio State for not only bragging rights, but to solidify its spot in likely the Capital One Bowl.
Michigan is 0-5 in its last five trips to Columbus with its last win there coming in 2000.
This will be an entertaining one with two athletic quarterbacks in Braxton Miller and Devin Gardner, who accounted for six TDs last week against Iowa.
Ohio State barely survived in Madison and should get by Michigan. Bucks finish perfect and will have a long time to think what might have been. O-H-I-O, 24-17.
Must-See TV
Wisconsin (7-4, 4-3) @ Penn State (7-4, 5-2)
Saturday
3:30 p.m.
ESPN2
University Park, Pa. (Beaver Stadium 106,572)
This will be the last Penn State game for its talented senior class and may be Bill O’Brien’s final game in Happy Valley if he can’t turn down the NFL’s greener pastures.
Penn State QB Matt McGloin puts the finishing touches on what’s been a terrific senior season.
After this year, expect several lean years in Penn State Country as the cupboard will really be bare of quality talent which will need to be replenished. Reloading will be very difficult considering the restrictions this program faces. Expect Penn State to be in serious rebuilding mode going forward.
This could be and should be a record-setting day for Wisconsin. Running back Montee Ball looks to become the all-time NCAA leader in touchdowns. His next one will set the standard. He has 78 right now.
Penn State’s defense is good, good enough to keep Ball out of the end zone, but it will be playing short-handed as linebacker Michael Mauti, its best defensive player, won’t play due to a knee injury.
The Nittany Lions will miss Mauti badly as Ball and Co. will take advantage of his absence. On Wisconsin, 27-21.
Worth A Look-see
No. 17 Nebraska (9-2, 6-1) @ Iowa (4-7, 2-5)
Friday
Noon
ABC
Iowa City, Iowa (Kinnick Stadium 70,585)
Talk about two teams headed in opposite direction.
A win gives Nebraska no worse than a share of the Legends Division title and more importantly a trip to Indy where the Cornhuskers will play in the Big Ten Championship Game with a chance to go to the Rose Bowl.
Iowa, on the other hand, isn’t going anywhere after losing five straight games and will now have its first losing season since 2001.
To have a chance in this one, the Hawkeyes must have success running the ball. If they can do that, they’ll keep NU’s offense off the field, something they must do because they simply cannot outscore the Huskers.
Nebraska just has way too much firepower for Iowa to handle. Taylor Martinez and Co. should win this one in convincing fashion. Go Big Red, 33-10.
Indiana (4-7, 2-5) @ Purdue (5-6, 2-5)
Saturday
Noon
BTN
West Lafayette, Ind. (Ross-Ade Stadium 62,500)
The Old Oaken Bucket battle has more significance than just bragging rights this year for Purdue. The Boilermakers must beat the Hoosiers to get to 6-6 and become bowl eligible.
Some may believe Purdue coach Danny Hope must win this game to have any chance of keeping his job. I think this game’s outcome doesn’t matter as far as Hope’s future is concerned. Hope’s fate is already sealed. Attendance at Purdue is way down, the interest level in the program is arguably at an all-time low and the program will suffer its third losing Big Ten season in Hope’s four seasons at Purdue. Translation: Danny Hope, you’re fired. This time next week Purdue will be looking for a new head coach.
IU won’t be going bowling this season, but it wants to finish on a winning note to show all that its program is headed in the right direction.
Purdue’s chances against IU will hinge on how well it runs the ball and if its special teams, particularly its return game, can come up with a big play.
The Hoosiers have a good offense, but their defense still has major problems.
The turnover factor is always huge in this game and for some reason the Hoosiers always seem to have a key miscue or two.
The Boilermakers have the Hoosiers’ number, winning six of the last seven meetings in Ross-Ade and are 12-3 in the last 15 showdowns. Boiler Up! 31-28.
Michigan State (5-6, 2-5) @ Minnesota (6-5, 2-5)
Saturday
3:30 p.m.
BTN
Minneapolis, Minn. (TCF Bank Stadium 50,805)
The Spartans face a must-win situation to take part in the post-season.
The Gophers could use a win, too, to possibly move up the Big Ten bowl pecking order.
This might be a road game for Michigan State, but the Spartans have a decided advantage because they run the ball so well with Le’Veon Bell and Minnesota struggles mightily stopping the run. That’s not a good combo.
Mark Dantonio’s bunch also has a big upper hand because they have the Big Ten’s best defense.
It’s been a tough year for the Green and White, but a win in the Twin Cities will make some of those close losses not sting as much at least for a few minutes. Go Green, 22-13.
Blowout City
Illinois (2-9, 0-7) @ Northwestern (8-3, 4-3)
Saturday
Noon
BTN
Evanston, Ill. (Ryan Field 47,130)
Northwestern will drill Illinois. Count on it.
The Illini have lost 13 straight Big Ten games and can’t score. They haven’t scored more than 22 points in a league game this season.
The Wildcats are coming off a big 23-20 win at Michigan State last Saturday. Prior to that game, NU scored 28 or more points in three straight games against the likes of Nebraska and Michigan. Imagine how many the Cats are going to hang on the Illini.
Go Cats, 44-7.
(All times ET)
