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Unbelievable, isn’t it?
It feels like the college football season kicked off just a few weeks ago, yet here we are, bundled up in hoodies, jackets and long underwear with the calendar flipped to November. The final month of the year is upon us.
No, I’m not crying, you’re crying!
November is a time when chaotic things can start to happen. That’s been a theme throughout this season, so who’s to say it won’t continue over the next 4 weeks? There aren’t many “marquee matchups” on the slate, but that could lead to some upset specials.
As we head into Week 10, here are some bold predictions for the B1G:
Iowa piles up 200 rushing yards vs. Northwestern
Running the football has not been a strength for Iowa this season. The Hawkeyes are averaging just 105 yards per game on the ground, ranking 13th in the B1G and 117th nationally. Northwestern, on the other hand, is allowing a B1G-worst 229.9 rushing yards per game, which sits 126th nationally. Basically, the moveable object meets the stoppable force. I have more faith in Tyler Goodson and Ivory Kelly-Martin than the Wildcats defense, though. Iowa will pile up the yardage on the ground.
Aidan Hutchinson racks up multiple sacks vs. Indiana
Michigan’s defense is going to be angry after getting torched by the Michigan State offense one week ago. Plus, the Hoosiers have struggled to do anything offensively for a majority of the season. If the Wolverines build an early lead, look for Indiana to throw the ball pretty frequently, allowing one of the game’s top defensive ends to pin his ears back and chase down Donaven McCulley for a good chunk of the game.
Nebraska endures its first loss by more than 1 possession
All 6 of Nebraska’s losses have come in 1-possession games this season. That won’t be the case this week. I don’t believe the Huskers will be blown out by Ohio State — that hasn’t been the case all season — it just won’t be another one of those nail-biting, heart-wrenching outcomes that have repeatedly surfaced in 2021. I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.
Wisconsin’s defense pitches another shutout
How will Rutgers move the ball against a defense that’s improving? The Scarlet Knights are averaging just 342 yards per game this season and a haven’t scored more than 20 points in a conference game through 5 games. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has allowed just 2 offensive touchdowns in its last 3 B1G contests. Rutgers’ best hope is that Kyle Monangai or Isaih Pacheco rips off a big run or Noah Vedral finds Bo Melton on a long pass play while catching the Badgers sleeping. This team won’t be able to steadily move the ball down the field against the B1G’s best defense.
Taulia Tagovailoa trips up against a good Penn State defense
Tagovailoa has thrown 8 interceptions through 8 games, but all of those came in a 3-game stretch against Kent State (1), Iowa (5) and Ohio State (2). Those are pretty opportunistic defenses. So is Penn State’s. Even though the Maryland quarterback threw the ball all over the field against Indiana for 419 yards and 2 touchdowns, the Nittany Lions are a different beast. I expect to see Penn State’s defense rack up a few picks on Saturday.
Purdue upsets Michigan State
Michigan State is coming off an emotional win over Michigan. The Spartans are still struggling to defend the pass. Purdue’s defense is playing at a high level right now. It’s being played in West Lafayette. The Boilers have 16 wins over Top 25 teams as an unranked squad. This is just more of a gut feeling, but I think we’re talking about the Purdue “Spoiler”makers on Saturday evening.
Both Ky Thomas and Mar’Keise Irving hit the 100-yard mark
It’s pretty incredible how Minnesota’s stable of running backs continue to answer the call. The Gophers are down to fourth- and fifth-string ball carriers Thomas and Irving, both of which have hit the 100-yard mark this season already. Expect both of them to do the same against Illinois. The Fighting Illini rank 12th in the B1G defending the run, and I don’t see the Illinois defensive front or linebackers posing an threat to the Minnesota offensive line.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB