1 thing I learned about every Big Ten team in Week 11

We could see it coming from a mile away, and now it is here — a 4-way tie atop the Big Ten West with 2 weeks left in the regular season.

We warned you about that possibility weeks ago — actually, months ago — so don’t act surprised.

These are the new things we learned about each team in Week 11 of the Big Ten football schedule.

Illinois: The Illini aren’t frontrunners

Illinois has played well as an underdog this season, working its way to 7-1 out of nowhere. But when expected to win, the Illini just haven’t had it.

Saturday’s 31-24 loss to Purdue was the second straight game Illinois dropped as a home favorite. Winning either would have put the Illini in total control of the Big Ten West.

The Illini will be in the more comfortable role as underdog heading into next week’s game at Michigan. But if Chase Brown’s leg injury at the end of the Purdue game turns out to be serious, you can forget about anything good happening against the Wolverines.

Indiana: Dexter Williams gives you a pulse

Quarterback Dexter Williams II was clearly overmatched against No. 2 Ohio State’s defense, but at least he provided a jolt off the bench to Indiana’s lifeless offense.

Though he was just 6-for-19, Williams threw for a pair of touchdowns and 107 yards. He also had 46 yards on 16 carries.

He should get the start next week against Michigan State, so we’ll see what he can do against a defense that has some tape on him.

Iowa: Who’s laughing now?

With Illinois visiting Michigan, the path sets up nicely for the Hawkeyes to reach the Big Ten championship game. If the Wolverines take care of business, Iowa is in Indy with wins over Minnesota and Nebraska.

Unthinkable 3 weeks ago; reality now. That’s just what Kirk Ferentz does.

Maryland: Mike Locksley has probably peaked

If there were ever a year for Maryland to reach 9 wins, this was it.

The Terrapins boasted the Big Ten’s most explosive combination of quarterback and receivers behind Ohio State. All 5 starting offensive linemen returned. On top of that, Maryland demonstrated major growth in its running game most of this season.

Based on how each team performed against Michigan, it felt like the Terps might actually be better than Penn State.

Not so much. The Nittany Lions humiliated Maryland in a 30-0 whitewashing. It was 27-0 at halftime as the Terps looked like a team playing football for the first time.

A 7-5 record may be as good as it ever gets for Maryland under Mike Locksley. That’s fine if it happens consistently, but if it’s the outcome of your most talented team, that’s a bit of a downer.

Michigan: There was nothing to learn

The offensive line is awesome. We knew that. Blake Corum (28 carries, 162 yards) is awesome. We also knew that.

But there was nothing to be learned against a Nebraska team that somehow lost both its quarterback and offensive coordinator to injuries in the first half. The Cornhuskers, who already had no chance coming in, broke mathematics and somehow had less than a 0% chance of winning after halftime.

Illinois should provide a more suitable challenge next week — if Chase Brown can actually go.

Michigan State: The Spartans can kick field goals

Michigan State doubled its season field goal total from 2 to 4 when Ben Patton hit kicks from 34 and 48 yards out in the fourth quarter. Patton’s field goals ended up being the difference on the scoreboard in a 27-21 win over Rutgers.

With a win over Indiana next week, the Spartans will have scraped their way from 3-5 to bowl eligibility with a week to play.

Minnesota: Gophers are curse breakers

The Gophers became the first team this season to win a game the week after playing Nebraska. Seriously. Teams were previously 0-8 the game after playing the Huskers. Minnesota changed that with a 31-3 win over Northwestern.

But now the Gophers are fans of the Wildcats. Minnesota needs to win out and have Illinois and Purdue lose once more in order to reach the Big Ten title game. Northwestern plays both of those teams in its final 2 games.

Nebraska: Mickey Joseph can’t catch a break

Mickey Joseph deserves consideration for Nebraska’s full-time coaching gig, but the deck continues to be stacked against him.

The Huskers, already without starting quarterback Casey Thompson, lost backup Chubba Purdy to a second-quarter injury at Michigan. Then after Nebraska scored its first touchdown, offensive coordinator Mark Whipple was knocked over after the ensuing kickoff return and sent to the hospital.

So Joseph was stuck facing the nation’s No. 3 team with his third-string quarterback and backup offensive coordinator. (Who in this case was Joseph himself.)

This is a really difficult situation for AD Trev Alberts to analyze.

Northwestern: When you have 4 QBs, you have no QB

Four Wildcats threw passes in Northwestern’s 31-3 loss at Minnesota. Brendan Sullivan played well enough, but the wheels came off quickly when he was injured near the end of the first half.

• Brendan Sullivan: 9 of 11, 94 yards
• Ryan Hilinski: 3 of 11, 68 yards, INT
• Carl Richardson: 2 of 7, 37 yards, INT
• Cole Freeman: 1 of 3, 7 yards

The Wildcats are a truly dismal football team, but can be the West’s biggest spoilers in close-out games against Purdue and Illinois.

Ohio State: So, the Buckeyes can run

The Ohio State running game was the cause of some recent concern with the Buckeyes averaging 4.1 yards per carry in their 3 games leading up to Indiana.

Against the Hoosiers, Ohio State gained 340 rushing yards on 43 carries — a smooth 7.9 per carry.

In the long term, though, losing Miyan Williams to a leg injury is a major concern for the Buckeyes, who are already without TreVeyon Henderson. Ohio State needs 1 of the 2 backs back for Michigan in 2 weeks.

Penn State: Manny Diaz earns his keep

This game was a masterpiece in defensive coordinating.

At halftime, Penn State had as many points as Maryland had yards — 27.

The Nittany Lions absolutely dominated up front with 9 TFL and 7 sacks. Only a defensive score was missing from this otherwise thorough butt-whipping.

Purdue: A randomly dominant run defense

Purdue is the definition of an average run defense this season. The Boilermakers entered the week 7th in the Big Ten in run defense and 8th in yards per carry allowed.

Yet Purdue is the only team to hold Minnesota under 100 rushing yards this season, and on Saturday the Boilers became the first team to hold Illinois running back Chase Brown under 100 rushing yards.

Both performances, seemingly out of nowhere, have Purdue still alive for the Big Ten West title.

Rutgers: Gavin Wimsatt showed something

People have been trying to sell me on Gavin Wimsatt as the legitimate quarterback of Rutgers’ future, but I haven’t been buying. His totals — 43.5% passing with 2 touchdowns and 6 interceptions — had done all the talking for me.

But Wimsatt’s showing against Michigan State might have been the game where he turns a corner and proves the optimists are right. Wimsatt was 20-of-34 for 236 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 27-21 loss at Michigan State.

If he can close out with decent performances against Penn State and Maryland, there’s reason to feel good about where the Scarlet Knights are headed next year.

Wisconsin: A clinic on how to give up 146 yards and lose

Jim Leonhard’s defense allowed just 146 yards to Iowa’s offense, but Jim Leonhard’s team lost to Iowa for only the 3rd time in the past 11 years.

The Badgers committed 3 turnovers, including a pick-6, allowed a blocked punt, and allowed another punt to be returned inside their 20-yard line. Wisconsin was also whipped up front, allowing 9 TFL.

Leonhard is still likely to earn Wisconsin’s full-time coaching job, but a performance this sloppy creates second thoughts.