What happened in Week 8 within the Big Ten?

Well, Purdue upset Ohio State of course. That was the big game. But Michigan also took it to Michigan State.

The Wolverines defense showed up in a major way. Another unit that proved its worth was Wisconsin’s offensive line. The Badgers defeated Illinois 49-20.

Wisconsin had not only Jonathan Taylor rush for over 100 (159) yards in the game, but backup RB Taiwan Deal also garnered 111 yards on just 12 carries while scoring 2 TD. Of course Taylor and Deal had fantastic games, but who opened up the holes?

The hog mollies up front.

And Pro Football Focus took note:

For the first time in PFF history, the entire offensive line for one team represented its conference’s offensive team of the week.

Wisconsin’s offensive line was supposed to be dominant coming into 2018. A couple losses have stung the Badgers to this point in the season, but perhaps now is when the team is starting to truly figure out how to play up to its potential.

Wisconsin plays at noon on Saturday at Northwestern. The game will be televised on FOX.