Around the Big Ten: Week 6

Audio/Story posted October 3, 2018 in CommRadio, Sports by Sports Staff

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

 

 

After an extremely exciting week five around the Big Ten Conference, week six presents four games with teams inside the AP Top 25. The Saturday slate kicks off with Maryland at Michigan and the day concludes with Nebraska at Wisconsin under the lights.

Illinois had a bye during week five and it is sitting with an overall record of 2-2. The Fighting Illini will hit the road and take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights for a high-noon shootout on October 6 at HighPoint Solutions Stadium.

The Indiana Hoosiers exploded for 24 points in the first 30 minutes against Rutgers and that was all they needed as they defeated the Scarlet Knights 24-17. The Hoosiers improved to 4-1 overall and quarterback Peyton Ramsey went 27/40 for 288 yards, one touchdown through the air and one interception. Tom Allen’s team will have a daunting task ahead of them as it takes on No. 3 Ohio State in Columbus at 4 p.m. on October 6.

Iowa was idle during week five and its record is still 3-1 overall. Kirk Ferentz’s team will look to avenge its week four loss to Wisconsin as it takes on Minnesota at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis at 3:30 p.m. on October 6.

Maryland was another team that was also off during week five. The Terps still have a 3-1 record and they will look to knock off No. 15 Michigan at the Big House in Ann Arbor on October 6 at noon.

Down 17-0 in the second quarter, Michigan scored 20 unanswered points throughout the remainder of the game to avoid the upset trap at Northwestern behind the effort of Karan Higdon. Higdon ran for 115 yards on 30 carries and found pay dirt twice. His final touchdown run from five yards out gave Michigan a 20-17 lead with 4:06 to play and the Wolverine defense held its own at the end. Michigan improved to 4-1 overall and Jim Harbaugh’s team will return home to the Big House for a noon battle with Maryland on October 6.

Michigan State earned its second win in a row after a 31-20 decision over Central Michigan. The win bumps the Spartans’ record to 3-1 overall. The Spartans scored their four touchdowns on the ground and quarterback Brian Lewerke had two of those touchdowns. Michigan State ran out to a 31-3 lead but the Chippewas scored 17 fourth-quarter points. Mark Dantonio’s team will play Northwestern at noon on October 6 at in East Lansing.

After a bye week, Minnesota is still hanging around in the Big Ten West at 3-1 overall. PJ Fleck’s team will welcome Iowa to TCF Bank Stadium for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on October 6.

Another week has gone by and Scott Frost is still looking for his first win as Nebraska’s head coach. The Cornhuskers fell 42-28 to Purdue behind 582 yards of total offense. Quarterback Adrian Martinez went 25/42 for 323 yards, threw two touchdowns but also surrendered an interception. Running back Divine Ozigbo had 170 yards rushing on 17 carries and two touchdowns. JD Spielman also added 135 yards receiving and caught both of Martinez’s touchdown passes. Nebraska fell to 0-4 and it will look to upset No. 16 Wisconsin under the lights at home on October 6 at 7:30 p.m.

After leading 17-0 into the second quarter, Northwestern surrendered 20 unanswered points and could not complete the upset over Michigan. The Wildcats fell 20-17 dropping to 1-3 overall. Pat Fitzgerald’s team only had 202 yards of total offense and it will look to rebound against Michigan State in East Lansing on October 6. Kickoff is scheduled for noon.

In front of a record crowd of 110,889 at Beaver Stadium, Ohio State escaped the Penn State Whiteout victorious by the score of 27-26 after being down 26-14 with eight minutes to go. Dwayne Haskins led a 96-yard scoring drive and threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to KJ Hill with 2:03 to go to give Ohio State the one point lead. The Buckeyes improved 5-0 overall and will welcome Indiana to Columbus on October 6 at 4 p.m.

After leading 26-14 with eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter, No. 9 Penn State surrendered 13 points in the final frame and fell 27-26 to No. 4 Ohio State. Quarterback Trace McSorley had 461 total yards and the whiteout almost claimed its third victim in the past four seasons. KJ Hamler had 138 yards receiving including a 93-yard catch and run for a touchdown. Penn State had an opportunity to win the game but the Ohio State defense shut the door on the Nittany Lions on a fourth down and five with over one minute to go. The Lions dropped to 4-1 and will have a bye week before they take on Michigan State on October 13.

After losing its first three games, Purdue has boosted up to 2-3 overall after a 42-28 win against Nebraska in Lincoln. Quarterback David Blough went 25/42 for 328 yards and one touchdown through the air. DJ Knox had two touchdowns on the ground to accompany 85 yards rushing on just eight carries. The Boilermakers will be off during week six and will travel to Illinois on October 13.

Rutgers fell behind 24-7 at halftime against Indiana and a second-half comeback could not be completed. The Scarlet Knights dropped their fourth straight game 24-17 at the hands of the Hoosiers and have reached 1-4 overall. Quarterback Art Sitkowski went 18/35 for 154 yards, threw a touchdown pass to Shameen Jones and also threw an interception. Chris Ash’s team will look to rebound at home against Illinois at noon on October 6.

After defeating Iowa during week four, the Badgers of Wisconsin were off during week five. Paul Chryst’s team sits at 3-1 overall and will welcome Scott Frost’s Nebraska Cornhuskers to Camp Randall Stadium under the lights for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff on October 6.

 

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