Around the Big Ten: Week 9

Audio/Story posted October 25, 2018 in CommRadio, Sports by Sports Staff

Joe Skinner, Andre Magaro, Chris Hess and Jeremy Ganes preview week nine action in Big Ten football:

 

 

Week eight of the Big Ten season featured one ranked versus ranked matchup as Michigan and Michigan State squared off for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. The East and West division races are becoming tightly contested as each week progresses and it’s starting to become crunch-time for some teams.

Lovie Smith and the Illinois Fighting Illini fell 49-20 to Paul Chryst’s Wisconsin Badgers and the first half was played during a driving snowstorm with extremely low visibility. Running back Reggie Corbin ran for 100 yards on just nine carries and found pay-dirt once on an 80-yard scamper. Illinois fell to 3-4 and will travel to College Park for a date with the Maryland Terrapins at 3:30 p.m. on October 27.

Indiana was down 12 points to Penn State with under a minute to go and later cut the deficit to five. After recovering the onside kick, the Hoosiers could not move the ball down the field and fell 33-28 to the Nittany Lions. Stevie Scott towed the ball 26 times and racked up 138 yards alongside two scores. The Indiana offense put up over 500 yards and Peyton Ramsey also threw for 236 yards. Tom Allen’s team fell to 4-4 overall and will travel to Minnesota for a Friday night collision at 8 p.m. on October 26.

The Iowa Hawkeyes played one of their most complete defensive games in 2018 after defeating Maryland 23-0. The Hawkeye defense surrendered just 115 total yards and held Terrapin quarterback Qasim Hill to just 47 yards passing. Iowa also rushed for 224 yards as a team and Ivory Kelley-Martin led all rushers with 98 yards on 24 carries. Kirk Ferentz’s team improved to 6-1 overall and will travel to Happy Valley for a 3:30 p.m. clash with Penn State on October 27.

Maryland found themselves down early against Iowa and could not nut even muster a point against the stout Iowa defense. The Terrapins fell 23-0 to the Hawkeyes and totaled only 115 total yards. Maryland was held to just seven first downs and totaled just as mere 68 yards rushing and 47 yards passing. The Terrapins fell to 4-3 and will look to rebound at home against Illinois at 3:30 p.m. on October 27.

In the only ranked versus ranked Big Ten matchup, Michigan defeated Michigan State 21-7 and the Paul Bunyan Trophy is heading back to Ann Arbor for just the third time since 2007. Shea Patterson connected with Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 79-yard touchdown to give the Wolverines a 14-7 lead in the third quarter. Ben Mason provided the icing on the cake with a five-yard run with 10:21 to go in the final frame. Michigan improved to 7-1 overall and will have week nine off before a highly anticipated matchup with Penn State on November 3.

Michigan State had lost to Michigan just twice since 2007 and the Spartans’ run came to an end as Dantonio’s team fell 21-7 to the Wolverines. The Michigan State offense only put up 94 total yards and quarterback Brian Lewerke went 5/25 passing for just 66 yards. The Spartans fell to 4-3 overall and will welcome Purdue to Spartan Stadium at noon on October 27.

After starting off 3-0, Minnesota has lost four games in a row and fell to last place in the Big Ten West after a 53-28 loss to Nebraska. Quarterback Zack Annexstad was removed from the game after an injury to his midsection and Tanner Morgan was thrown into the fire. The Golden Gophers passed for 349 yards as a team and only rushed for 125 yards on 36 carries between six ball-carriers. Minnesota has dropped to 3-4 overall and will host Indiana on October 26 at 8 p.m.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers were able to get Scott Frost his first win as head coach in a 53-28 demolition of Minnesota. The Cornhuskers’ offense put up 659 yards and rushed for 383 yards. Stanley Morgan had 163 yards receiving and three running backs had over 100 yards rushing. Devine Ozigbo, Adrian Martinez, and Maurice Washington had rushing totals of 152, 125, and 109 respectively and combined for four touchdowns. Nebraska has improved to 1-6 overall and will host FCS Bethune Cookman at noon on October 27.

With 9:58 remaining in the third quarter, Rutgers had climbed out to a 15-7 lead and Northwestern had a daunting task on their plate. The Wildcats were able to score 11 unanswered points and escape Piscataway with an 18-15 win. Isaiah Bowser scored from five yards out to give the Wildcats a 16-15 lead with 8:12 to go and Clayton Thorson connected with Flynn Nagel on the ensuing two-point conversion. Bowser rushed 108 yards on 24 carries for two touchdowns and the Wildcats held Rutgers to under 200 total yards. Pat Fitzgerald’s team improved to 4-3 overall and will host Wisconsin at noon on October 27.

Ohio State was poised for a Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff run. However, those aspirations took a small detour as the Buckeyes fell 49-20 to Purdue. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins went 49/73 for 470 yards, threw two touchdowns, but also threw a pick-six. The Ohio State ground game only put up 76 yards on 25 carries and longest rush of the night was 11 yards. Urban Meyer’s team fell to 7-1 overall and will be idle during week nine.

Penn State was able to snap its two-game losing skid with a 33-28 win in Bloomington against Indiana. The Lions needed one last defensive stand after Indiana recovered an onside kick. Shaka Toney had four sacks on defense and Trace McSorley had 107 yards rushing on 19 carries. The Nittany Lions moved to 5-2 overall and Penn State will play host to Iowa at 3:30 p.m. on October 27.

Purdue opened its season on a three-game skid. Since losing to Missouri on September 15, the Boilermakers have won four straight games and demolished Ohio State 49-20. Purdue totaled 539 yards and the offense was led by David Blough, DJ Knox, and Rondale Moore. Blough passed for 378 yards and threw three touchdown passes. Knox rushed for 128 yards and three touchdowns including runs of 42 yards and 40 yards respectively. Rondale Moore had 170 yards receiving and his 43-yard catch and run put the game away for good. The Boilermakers will visit East Lansing for a date with Michigan State at noon on October 27.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights dropped their seventh straight game in 2018 and this time, it was at the hands of Northwestern. Chris Ash’s team had a 15-7 lead in the third quarter and later fell 18-15. The Rutgers offense totaled just 188 yards and quarterback Art Sitkowski went 15/31 for just 81 yards. Isaih Pacheco had the lone Rutgers touchdown on a 44-yard run. Rutgers dropped to 1-7 overall and will be idle during week nine.

Paul Chryst’s Wisconsin Badgers totaled 545 yards in a 49-20 win over Illinois. The Badgers rushed for 357 yards and averaged 6.6 yards per rush against the Fighting Illini defense. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 157 yards on 27 carries and Alex Hornibrook threw for 188 yards totaling three scores. The Badgers improved to 5-2 overall and will travel to Evanston to take on Northwestern at noon on October 27.

 

 

Christopher Hess is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism and minoring in history. To contact him, email christopherhess22@gmail.com.