Week 7 B1G report card: Michigan, Michigan State lead the class

Upset Saturday has come and gone. We felt some of the aftershock in the B1G this weekend.

Michigan State upended No. 8 Penn State 21-17 to end the Nittany Lions hopes of a conference title and CFB Playoff appearance. And No. 12 Michigan didn’t pull off an upset, but the way it manhandled No. 15 Wisconsin was unprecedented. It was a fun way to close out the first half of the season.

Now, we’ll look forward to the second half of the year. This is when things get interesting. But before we completely move on, we’ll dive into the Week 7 report card from the B1G.

B1G East

Michigan: A+

So much to like from the Wolverines on Saturday. The offensive line pushed around an always-sturdy Wisconsin defensive front, paving the way for 320 rushing yards. And on the defensive end, Michigan shut down the passing attack. This was one of the more impressive victories of the Jim Harbaugh era. Now on to Michigan State.

Michigan State: A+

Just when you thought you could eliminate the Spartans from any B1G conversation, they spring for a huge win over Penn State. Now, Michigan State seems like a factor again. But that could end quickly if Mark Dantonio’s bunch lays an egg at home against Michigan this weekend. Talk about an important rivalry game.

Maryland: B+

It’s always hard to grade teams after playing Rutgers. The Terrapins came up with five interceptions and held the Scarlet Knights to just two completions. Maryland won the game by 27 points. What else can you really say?

Ohio State: C-

Ohio State was without some key defensive players on Saturday but it was still an ugly performance against Minnesota. The Gophers won the battle in the trenches for most of the afternoon and continually hit on slant routes to keep the Buckeyes off balance. That’s two weeks now Ohio State hasn’t looked like a CFB Playoff team.

Penn State: D+

Nobody expected Penn State to blow out Michigan State this weekend, but considering how explosive the offense has been, it seemed as close to a lock as you can get. Instead, Penn State came up short. Now, the Nittany Lions have been eliminated from the B1G East race and the CFB Playoff conversation. It’s back to the drawing board for James Franklin.

Indiana: D-

Couldn’t tackle, couldn’t move the ball and just looked uninterested for most of the afternoon. Iowa was the better team, but Indiana should’ve been in the ball game. Before the Hoosiers can start competing with the Michigans and Ohio States, it’s going to have to be consistent on a week-to-week basis. The program just isn’t there yet.

Rutgers: F

Two completions. Five interceptions. That’s all.

B1G West

Iowa: A+

T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant might be the two best tight ends in college football. After throwing six touchdowns, three of which went to his tight ends, Nate Stanley is emerging as one of the top quarterbacks in the conference. The Hawkeyes are quickly becoming one of the more dangerous teams in the B1G.

Purdue: A

Purdue’s offense continues to roll. The Boilermakers picked apart one of the more opportunistic defenses in the conference Saturday while getting back to the .500 mark on the season. Jeff Brohm and Co. face a huge challenge next weekend, hosting No. 2 Ohio State in Ross-Ade Stadium.

Minnesota: B+

Even though it was a two-touchdown loss, Minnesota’s effort against Ohio State might’ve been one of the best outings since P.J. Fleck took over. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, but Zack Annexstad connected on slant plays all afternoon and Mohamed Ibrahim rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Was Saturday a glimpse into the future?

Northwestern: B-

It’s a good thing football games last 60 minutes, because Northwestern needed every second to escape an embarrassing loss to Nebraska on Homecoming. Clayton Thorson came up big, delivering on an eight-play, 99-yard drive that resulted in a game-tying touchdown. And with the overtime win, the Wildcats are now leading the B1G West.

Nebraska: C-

A 10 point lead with under six minutes to go against an offense that has struggled all season long. This seemed like a guaranteed win for the Huskers. Instead, they drop to 0-6 on the year and 0-4 in the B1G. The nightmare continues in Lincoln, but Nebraska is getting closer to that first win.

Wisconsin: D

Being dominated at the line of scrimmage isn’t something you ever see from a Wisconsin team. Ever. But that’s what happened in Ann Arbor, and it was on both sides of the ball. This was probably the worst loss of the Paul Chryst era for the Badgers.

Illinois: F

Considering the improvement Illinois had made this season, Saturday’s performance against Purdue was a step back. Maybe not permanently, but the Illini would’ve like to have challenged the Boilermakers, especially on Homecoming. Things spiraled out of control quickly and Illinois just didn’t have the offensive firepower to play catch-up.

Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Hall Passes

Iowa offense: Really the hall pass goes to Stanley, Hockenson and Fant. This combination could be incredibly lethal the rest of the way.

Purdue offense: David Blough continues to air it out, Rondale Moore is still making big plays and D.J. Knox is a bowling ball. The Boilermakers offense steamrolling defenses right now.

Michigan offense: The Wolverines have an offense and it was on full display against Wisconsin. Karan Higdon is quickly emerging as one of the best backs in the country, too.

Michigan State defense: Holding the Penn State offense to 17 points is no small feat. Despite giving up 205 rushing yards (most of the season), the Spartans defense came up big.

Detention

Nebraska defense: Northwestern scored 10 points in six minutes and converted on a 99-yard drive to force overtime. It cost Scott Frost and Nebraska the game.

Illinois defense: This is the first time the Illini have landed on this list. Purdue found some weaknesses and picked apart Illinois all afternoon.

Ohio State offense: The offensive line was particularly poor against Minnesota. Maybe Ohio State earns detention because we’re used to seeing more points, but it wasn’t a great outing for the Buckeyes.

Wisconsin offense: Jonathan Taylor kept his streak of 100-yard rushing games alive, but that’s about the only positive against Michigan. The Badgers couldn’t get anything going.