Everyone’s attention is on No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Penn State. With that game carrying so much weight throughout the remainder of the season, it’s hard to not be focused on the prime time matchup.

But there are three other conference games on the Saturday slate, along with one non-conference matchup. Two games feature four teams searching for their first conference win — Purdue vs. Nebraska and Indiana vs. Rutgers — and either No. 14 Michigan or Northwestern will lose their first B1G game of the season.

Michigan State is the lone team to step outside of league play, taking on Central Michigan.

Sports Betting in Big Ten Country

There is big news coming to the upcoming 2022-23 Big Ten football season (and NFL season). Ohio online sports betting and Maryland sports betting are on the way.

21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Here are five bold predictions for the fifth week of the season:

Michigan State has its first 100-yard rusher of the season

Three games into the season, the Spartans haven’t had a running back eclipse the 100-yard mark in a game yet. That will change on Saturday. Central Michigan has surrendered an average of 194 yards on the ground per game and was gashed by Kentucky, Kansas and Northern Illinois. Whether it’s L.J. Scott (day-to-day), Connor Heyward or La’Darius Jefferson, one of those backs will hit the century mark.

Stevie Scott will be the B1G Freshman of the Week again

In the first three weeks of the season, Indiana had absolutely no trouble running the football. The Hoosiers racked up over 200 yards in each of its first three contests. That came to a halt last weekend against Michigan State. Still, Scott ranks third in the B1G in total yards (406) had has scored three touchdowns. He should have no trouble dissecting a Rutgers defense that ranks dead last in the B1G against the run.

Nebraska falls to 0-4

Sorry, Huskers fans, it’s another miserable week in Lincoln. Scott Frost is right, Purdue is a winnable game, but the Boilermakers have the best player on the field (Rondale Moore) and usually that’s the difference in games like this. Don’t worry, this won’t be another 56-10 affair.

Shea Patterson lights up Northwestern’s defense

Patterson has looked better and better each week. But the quarterback hasn’t had that spectacular performance we’ve all been waiting to see. He’ll get it on Saturday in Evanston. Opponents are completing passes at a 66.7 percent rate and have found the end zone six times through the air. And Northwestern hasn’t played a team as loaded as Michigan or a quarterback as talented as Patterson.

The Ohio State-Penn State game will have a lopsided final score

Each of the past two seasons, the matchup between Ohio State and Penn State has had a thrilling finish. That won’t be the case this year. The Buckeyes and Nittany Lions may be neck-and-neck through the first three quarters, but Ohio State has better talent, more playmakers and is better in the trenches. The Buckeyes pull away late and win this one by three scores.