Big Ten Football

Minnesota Golden Gophers head football coach P.J. Fleck is staying put.

Minnesota announced on November 3 it had agreed to a seven-year contract extension with the coach that runs through the 2028 campaign.

Fleck released a statement:

This is home. Our family loves it here and we are excited to continue this journey at the University of Minnesota. From day one, we talked about cultural sustainability and how important it is to building a successful football program and life program. Today is another step in that process, and this new contract is a commitment to our elite staff and the entire state of Minnesota. Heather and I are so thankful to our staff, Mark Coyle, President Joan Gabel and the Board of Regents for trusting us to lead this program. Our goal is to recruit and coach at an elite level and to have our young people achieve academic, athletic, social and spiritual excellence. It's a tremendous honor to lead this program, and we will continue to work to build a culture that connects the entire state.

Fleck's deal was officially approved on Monday by the school's board of regents, per Steve Berkowitz of USA Today. Per Berkowitz, the deal will pay Fleck $5 million annually.

The school's announcement pointed to the coach's accomplishments since he took over the program in 2017.

He is sixth in school history with 32 wins and third with a .603 winning percentage among coaches with at least 45 games. He won the Big Ten Coach of the Year Award in 2019 when he led the Golden Gophers to 11 wins, their most since 1904.

Fleck was at Western Michigan for four seasons before starting his Minnesota tenure and finished with a 30-22 record and three bowl game appearances. The Broncos went 13-1 during the 2016 campaign and reached the Cotton Bowl.

Minnesota is 32-21 under his guidance and reached the Quick Lane Bowl in 2018 and the Outback Bowl in 2019. It capped the 11-win 2019 season with a victory over Auburn in the bowl game.

The Golden Gophers are once again in position to be a factor in the late portion of the season at 6-2.

They are 4-1 in conference play and control their destiny in the Big Ten West standings. If they win out, they will have a high-profile showdown against Ohio State, Michigan State or Michigan in the Big Ten title game and could shake up the College Football Playoff race.       

No. 5 Ohio State football defeated No. 20 Penn State 33-24 on Saturday at Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

OSU running back TreVeyon Henderson paced the Buckeyes offense with 28 carries for 152 rushing yards and a touchdown that gave the Buckeyes a 26-17 third-quarter lead.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud found seven different receivers en route to completing 22-of-34 passes for 305 yards and one touchdown. Chris Olave caught that score for 38 yards.

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson starred for the Nittany Lions, with 11 catches, 127 yards and a two-yard touchdown run that helped tie the game at 17 in the third quarter.

OSU (7-1, 5-0 Big Ten) has now won six straight games. Penn State (5-3, 2-3 Big Ten) has dropped three straight, including a nine-overtime 20-18 loss to Illinois.

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Notable Performances

Penn State QB Sean Clifford: 35-of-52, 361 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT

Penn State WR Jahan Dotson: 11 catches, 127 receiving yards; 2-yard TD run

Penn State WR Parker Washington: 9 catches, 108 receiving yards

Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud: 22-of-34, 305 passing yards, 1 TD

Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson: 28 carries, 152 rushing yards, 1 TD 

Ohio State WR Chris Olave: 3 catches, 44 yards, 1 TD

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High-Powered, Talented OSU Offense Shines Again

Ohio State has averaged 47.25 points per game, and its lowest scoring output was 28 points in a Sept. 11 loss to Oregon.

Since then, the Buckeyes have crushed their opponents to the tune of a 217-point differential.

OSU met some resistance on Saturday against a tough PSU defense, but the Buckeyes were simply too strong for the Nittany Lions in front of their raucous home crowd.

Stroud and Olave put OSU into the lead after they connected on a 38-yard downfield shot for six and a 9-7 edge:

CO2️⃣@chrisolave_ hauls in his 31st career @OhioStateFB TD, and fourth vs. Penn State. pic.twitter.com/MowAHJQAro

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 31, 2021

An efficient passing game (9.0 yards per attempt for Stroud) worked in sync with the running game, which featured an explosive 68-yard run from Henderson to set up his own one-yard score for a 26-17 edge in the third quarter:

He's just a freshman. 😨

TreVeyon Henderson breaks free to set up his 13th rushing TD of the season.@TreVeyonH4 // @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/z3cZJhAvuO

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 31, 2021

Stroud entered this game as one of Pro Football Focus' top-graded quarterbacks, and he'll likely stay that way after adding another win to his resume:

Highest-graded QBs heading into Week 9

1. Caleb Williams, OU - 93.6
2. Kenny Pickett, Pitt - 92.7
3. Malik Willis, Liberty - 92.4
4. Brennan Armstrong, UVA - 91.9
5. C.J. Stroud, OSU - 91.8 pic.twitter.com/KdHdESGuXa

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 30, 2021

The redshirt freshman is firmly planted in the Heisman conversation as he tries to guide the Buckeyes to a Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff appearance.

Meanwhile, as Dan Hope of Eleven Warriors tweeted, Henderson has 15 touchdowns, including at least one in each game he's played.

It was a remarkable effort for the running back, who started the game with 20 yards on 14 carries. He finished strong, though, and even gave credit to PSU for their effort:

TreVeyon Henderson says "that defense, that's a great defense. One of the best defenses we've played all year. But I needed that to prove to myself that I'm tough."

— Griffin Strom (@GriffinStrom3) October 31, 2021

Ultimately, PSU's defense hung tough for much of the game, but OSU's talented attack prevailed.

    

Penn State Fights Hard; Missed Opportunities at End

It's never easy for any team to go into Colombus and beat the Buckeyes, but PSU found itself down just 27-24 with 10 seconds remaining in the third quarter following a Keyvone Lee one-yard scoring rush.

That score capped off Penn State's third touchdown drive of 75 yards or more.

Clifford found Brenton Strange for a five-yard pass to cap a 13-play, 89-yard drive for a 6-0 lead:

Penn State strikes first and Sean Clifford silences the crowd 🤫 pic.twitter.com/JjXuIifs8p

— ESPN (@espn) October 31, 2021

Dotson ended a 12-play, 75-yard effort in the third quarter with a Wildcat TD to help PSU tie this one up at 17:

JAHAN DOTSON WILDCAT TD 👀 pic.twitter.com/ZIOR3PApyO

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 31, 2021

Lee's score ended another 75-yard drive, and PSU was down just a field goal entering the fourth.

It was a remarkable effort from the offense, especially since OSU defensive lineman Jerron Cage scored on a 57-yard scoop-and-score in the second quarter:

🏈 @CageJerron scoops.
💪 Jerron Cage scores.#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/Ruzi2NqJZB

— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) October 31, 2021

However, PSU couldn't take advantage of multiple opportunities down the stretch.

Cameron Brown intercepted a Clifford pass with PSU driving down 27-24 with 11:15 left. The Nittany Lions held OSU to a field goal, but the PSU offense then went three-and-out on a drive that saw a 70-yard John Lovett touchdown called back for illegal touching.

OSU then moved the ball in chunks down the field before a Noah Ruggles 26-yard field goal. A PSU drive in response ended with a missed field goal, all but ending the game.

It's undoubtedly been a disappointing stretch for PSU, especially after a 20-18 nine-OT loss to a previously 2-5 Illinois team at home one week ago. However, the Nittany Lions played hard on Saturday evening in a tough environment before OSU pulled away down the stretch.

    

What's Next?

Both teams will hit the road for Big Ten matchups Saturday.

Penn State will visit Maryland in College Park's Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium. Ohio State will take on Nebraska in Lincoln's Memorial Stadium.

If you were looking to buy low on Kenneth Walker III as a Heisman Trophy dark horse, that time has passed.

The Michigan State star is now +500 to win college football's top individual honor, the fourth-best moneyline at DraftKings Sportsbook. His odds skyrocketed following the Spartans' 37-33 victory over rival Michigan on Saturday.

Kenneth Walker III's Heisman odds entering today's game: +1600

After today's game: +500 😳 pic.twitter.com/9lR5k3hGQb

— br_betting (@br_betting) October 30, 2021

Their offense was effectively a one-man show, as Walker carried the ball 23 times for 197 yards and five touchdowns. He now has 1,194 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground for 8-0 Michigan State.

At +170, Alabama's Bryce Young is the Heisman favorite, but he hasn't built an unassailable lead. Young's 2,453 passing yards and 26 touchdowns to three interceptions are impressive yet not otherworldly.

Michigan State still has trips to Purdue and Ohio State and will host Maryland and then Penn State in its finale. Should the Spartans win out, Walker could overtake his fellow contenders in the Heisman race.

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Michigan State remains perfect after notching the biggest win of the Mel Tucker era, a 37-33 victory over No. 6 Michigan on Saturday in East Lansing, Michigan.

Kenneth Walker III was a one-man wrecking crew, scoring all five of his team's touchdowns and putting MSU ahead for only the second (and final) time with 5:08 on the clock.

The eighth-ranked Spartans are now the Big Ten's only unbeaten team, and taking down their in-state rivals will be a big demonstration of their College Football Playoff bona fides.

On the other side, the result could take on an added importance depending on how the rest of the year shakes out for the Wolverines. A 7-0 start had some wondering whether things were finally changing under Jim Harbaugh. Instead, it looks like they're the same as they ever were.

(6) Michigan at (8) Michigan State will mark the 5th AP top-10 matchup in series history and the first since 1964. The road team won the 4 previous such games.

Michigan is 2-8 against AP-ranked opponents on the road under Jim Harbaugh, including 0-5 vs AP Top-10 teams. pic.twitter.com/1ESxp2PbpZ

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 30, 2021

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Notable Performers

Payton Thorne, QB, Michigan State: 19-of-31, 196 yards, two interceptions

Kenneth Walker III, RB, Michigan State: 23 carries, 197 yards, five touchdowns; three receptions, 11 yards

Cade McNamara, QB, Michigan: 28-of-44, 383 yards, two touchdowns, one interception

Andrel Anthony, WR: Michigan: six receptions, 155 yards, two touchdowns

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Walker Polishes Heisman Resume

Because of how much quarterbacks have come to dominate the award, Walker's odds of winning a Heisman Trophy weren't very good to begin Saturday. That may not be the case anymore.

Michigan State was playing from behind for almost the entire game, so head coach Mel Tucker had to lean on the passing game to move the ball quickly. When Walker did get the ball in his hands, he capitalized.

Kenneth Walker made something out of nothing 👀

(via @CFBONFOX)pic.twitter.com/6lgKi7SoZo

— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) October 30, 2021

Kenneth Walker showing some Sanders-esque start-and-stop ability.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) October 30, 2021

Payton Thorne did well to shake off a pair of early interceptions, but this installment of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry was a showcase for Walker. His 58-yard touchdown run to help tie the game at 30 points in the fourth quarter certainly fit the bill for the proverbial "Heisman Moment."

THIS DUDE IS UNBELIEVABLE 😱🔥@Kenneth_walker9 scores his FOURTH touchdown of the game for @MSU_Football! pic.twitter.com/1gtjXOaQW7

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 30, 2021

Kenneth Walker was RB1 in the latest @PFF position rankings. Such a complete runner. Can run through, around, or past you

— Mike Renner (@mikerenner_) October 30, 2021

If Michigan State manages to win the Big Ten—and even if the Spartans fail to get that far—Walker at least warrants a trip to New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony if he keeps performing like this.

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Costly Fumble Overshadows Offensive Improvement

Heading into the game, ESPN's Bill Connelly wrote how this matchup would be a big test for Cade McNamara and a Michigan offense that ranked 91st in explosive play rate.

The Wolverines responded to the challenge on their first drive. On 3rd-and-5 from his own 7-yard line, McNamara hit Andrel Anthony, and the freshman wide receiver did the rest for a 93-yard touchdown.

YOU'RE NOT CATCHING HIM ⚡️@UMichFootball gets the first TD of the game thanks to this 93-yard catch and run by @andrel_jr! pic.twitter.com/QecWvygzrP

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 30, 2021

McNamara and J.J. McCarthy, who played a handful of snaps, weren't shredding Michigan State's secondary with deep throws down the field. Instead, they found consistent success with intermediate throws that added up to a lot of yardage.

vs Zone and Man they're forcing Sparty to cover more yards vertically and horizontally. Makes area in zone a lot bigger than only running routes 20 yards and down. Makes DBs have to actually cover instead of sit when they're in man.

— Michael Felder (@InTheBleachers) October 30, 2021

Cade McNamara has made some beautiful throws across the middle today. Great touch and accuracy.

— Josh Newkirk (@JoshNewkirk7) October 30, 2021

Harbaugh's decision to deploy both McNamara and McCarthy came back to bite him in the fourth quarter, though.

Michigan averted disaster when a fumble by McCarthy bounced out of bounds. The Wolverines weren't as fortunate the second time around as McCarthy mishandled a handoff to Blake Corum.

McCarthy’s earned the right to play in a game like this. But he also just fumbled on the last drive. He doesn’t necessarily deserve a second chance in the biggest game of the year when Cade is dealing the way he has all day.

— Chris Herring (@Herring_NBA) October 30, 2021

Michigan fans are also left to rue the defensive touchdown that was wiped off the board in the second quarter when the referees determined Thorne was down before losing control of the ball. Aidan Hutchinson had recovered the fumble in the end zone.

The Spartans eventually punted, and the Wolverines settled for a field goal on their next drive. The four points they lost sure would've helped late in the game.

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What's Next?

Michigan hosts Indiana on Nov. 6, while Michigan State hits the road to play Purdue.

The unranked Wisconsin Badgers upset the No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes 27-7 on Saturday at Camp Randall Stadium to move to 5-3 on the season.

Saturday's loss dropped Iowa to 6-2 on the year. It was the Hawkeyes' second straight loss to an unranked opponent after a 24-7 defeat to Purdue last weekend.

Iowa made it seem like it had a real shot at the College Football Playoff following a surprising 23-20 victory over then-No. 4 Penn State on Oct. 9. However, the team's playoff hopes are effectively crushed following this weekend's loss to Wisconsin.

Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz had a solid outing, completing 11 of 22 passes for 104 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for two scores. Running back Braelon Allen and wide receiver Danny Davis III also had impressive performances.

Allen finished with 20 carries for 104 yards, and Davis finished with five catches for 59 yards. 

However, the best player on the field Saturday was Wisconsin linebacker Leo Chenal, who finished with 0.5 sacks, nine tackles and one tackle for a loss. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky made it a point to mention Chenal's performance during the broadcast:

https://twitter.com/SchutteCFB/status/1454520802154618886

Wisconsin outside linebacker Nick Herbig also had a big day, recording 2.5 sacks, six tackles, two tackles for a loss and one forced fumble.

The Iowa offense had an unimpressive afternoon. Quarterback Spencer Petras completed just nine of 19 passes for 93 yards and no touchdowns, though he did rush for a score. Running back Tyler Goodson finished with 13 carries for 27 yards, while wide receiver Sam LaPorta finished with three catches for 44 yards.

The Hawkeyes ended up replacing Petras with Alex Padilla in the fourth quarter, who completed three of six passes for 39 yards.

The Badgers hadn't beaten the Hawkeyes since November 2019. Iowa won last year's meeting 28-7 at home. However, Wisconsin holds a 49-44-2 record against Iowa.

The Badgers have now won their last four games and will take on Rutgers next weekend, while the Hawkeyes will be on the road against Northwestern.

The Wildcats have dominated the Hawkeyes in recent years, going 4-1 against the team since October 2016. So, Iowa won't necessarily have it easy.

The Illinois Fighting Illini upset the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions 20-18 in nine overtimes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.

Saturday's game marked the first 9OT contest in the history of the Football Bowl Subdivision.

After stopping a PSU two-point conversion attempt, Illinois put the game away when quarterback Brandon Peters hit Casey Washington on a walk-off two-point conversion:

ILLINOIS UPSETS NO. 7 PENN STATE IN THE NINTH OVERTIME‼️

That’s the most overtimes in FBS history 😳 pic.twitter.com/uKlOg9Sd6j

— ESPN (@espn) October 23, 2021

Penn State fell to 5-2 overall and 2-2 in Big Ten play this season with the loss, and it figures to experience a significant drop in the rankings. Meanwhile, Illinois improved to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in the conference.

CBS Sports HQ broke down the game's quarter-by-quarter scoring across regulation and all nine overtime periods:

Illinois upsets Penn State in the FIRST 9OT game in FBS history! pic.twitter.com/7d6i9DV9AH

— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) October 23, 2021

College football adopted new overtime rules this season, requiring teams to switch off attempting two-point conversions following the second overtime.

Illinois and Penn State traded field goals in each of the first two OT periods, failed on five consecutive two-point conversion attempts each and made a two-point conversion attempt each in the eighth OT.

After Illinois stopped Penn State in the ninth overtime, Peters finally managed to end the game.

Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk and Jemele Hill of The Atlantic were two of the many who cracked jokes about the wild game:

This Penn State-Illinois game is going to make the NCAA try some new overtime rules next year:
First OT: Red light green light.
Second OT: Cut a shape out of a cookie.
Third OT: Tug of war.
Fourth OT: Marbles.
Fifth OT: Run across panes of glass.

— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) October 23, 2021

The opposite of “refuse to lose” is happening in this Penn State-Illinois game. These two teams refuse to win. My goodness.

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) October 23, 2021

Though the overtime was somewhat gimmicky, regulation was a defensive struggle with a focus on old-school football, especially on the part of Illinois.

The Illini overcame a 10-0 deficit thanks largely to their running game, which produced a remarkable 357 yards on the ground.

Running back Chase Brown led the way with 223 yards and one touchdown, and he joined an elite group in the history of Illinois football as well:

Chase Brown has recorded his 2nd 200-yard rushing game of the season.

He joins Howard Griffith (1990) and Rashard Mendenhall (2007) as the only players in @IlliniFootball history with multiple 200-yard rushing games in a single season. pic.twitter.com/LsT8pA0kFt

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 23, 2021

After struggling in a loss to Iowa two weeks ago, Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford had another unspectacular game Saturday, going 19-of-34 passing for 165 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions, plus several failed two-point plays.

The win marked Illinois' sixth in 26 tries against Penn State all-time, and it ended a three-game losing streak against the Nittany Lions.

It won't get any easier for Penn State, as the Nittany Lions will face the No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes on the road next Saturday, while Illinois will take on Rutgers at home.

For the second time in the Jim Harbaugh era, the Michigan Wolverines are off to a 7-0 start after their 33-7 victory over Northwestern on Saturday at the Big House. 

The Wolverines have had some close calls this season, but they have been able to make the necessary plays to come out on top. Their defense has been mauling opponents, allowing just 15.5 points per game entering Saturday's matchup with the Wildcats. 

Northwestern has been trying to find week-to-week consistency all season. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald's team has now alternated wins and losses through the first seven games. 

Michigan did get off to a slow start, holding a 10-7 lead at halftime. The third quarter is when the Wolverines were able to pull away. They scored 17 points thanks to rushing touchdowns by Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins. 

The rushing attack carried Michigan's offense in the win. It had 294 yards on 54 carries. Corum and Haskins both had two rushing touchdowns.  

The Wolverines defense continued their stellar play. They only allowed 233 yards and 10 first downs. 

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Notable Game Stats

• Cade McNamara (MICH): 20-of-27, 129 yards
• Blake Corum (MICH): 19 carries, 119 yards, 2 TD
  
• Hassan Haskins (MICH): 23 carries, 110 yards, 2 TD
  
• Ryan Hilinski (NW): 14-of-29, 114 yards, INT
  
• Evan Hull (NW): 6 carries, 81 yards

Corum, Haskins Carry Wolverines to Victory

Saturday was a perfect encapsulation of what has made Michigan so successful to start the 2021 season. 

The defense stormed out of the gate on fire. Northwestern's first three drives combined to take 16 plays and gained 38 yards. Ryan Hilinski did get 29 yards on his first throw, but his next 10 passes went for a grand total of 16 yards. 

Michigan's defense has been applying pressure aplenty in the early going, the biggest positive for UM thus far.

— Maize n Brew (@MaizenBrew) October 23, 2021

There was a brief moment late in the second quarter and early in the third quarter when it looked like Northwestern had found a soft belly in the defense. 

Not counting two rushing plays to run out the clock for halftime, the Wildcats had back-to-back drives that gained 124 yards. Evan Hull gained 75 yards on one play with a touchdown run with 2:16 remaining before halftime. 

After those two drives, though, Michigan's defense was able to tighten things back up. It didn't face a drive of more than nine plays for the rest of the game. 

Harbaugh and his staff also made adjustments on the offensive end to blow the game open. Their first drive of the second half went 74 yards on seven plays, culminating with Corum's touchdown run. 

💪 @UMichFootball's offense drives down the field and finds the end zone to extend its lead to 17-7! pic.twitter.com/s5Ej5jsOeD

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 23, 2021

Special teams also helped the Wolverines pull away. Cornelius Johnson blocked a punt midway through the third quarter to help set up Haskins' touchdown from 13 yards out three plays later. 

BLOCKED ❌@UMichFootball blocks the punt and recovers in great field position pic.twitter.com/FA2LKWiVl9

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 23, 2021

The blocked punt turns into 7 for @UMichFootball as the Wolverines are pulling away from Northwestern 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FaAzkS5tcf

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 23, 2021

There are still aspects of this Michigan team that show up each week and suggest this group might struggle against better competition. 

The passing game was virtually non-existent against Northwestern. Cade McNamara remains a very limited passer. He only averaged 4.8 yards per attempt on Saturday, his second-lowest mark of the season (2.9 vs. Washington). 

Harbaugh did get freshman J.J. McCarthy in the game during the fourth quarter when the result was well in hand. 

Listen, I’m sorry to be that guy…but you have to let 9 play. He is so much more dynamic. He brings so much more to the table. This Michigan offense is so limited with McNamara.

Cade is a great kid. He has done a fine job. But McCarthy can be a difference maker.

— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) October 23, 2021

McCarthy only threw five passes, so it's hard to make any grand proclamations about his skill set from this game. 

At some point, though, the Wolverines will need to throw the ball to win a game. For now, they can celebrate being 7-0 heading into a marquee matchup against Michigan State next week.    

Northwestern Still Seeking Answers at QB

Among the most significant problems facing Northwestern and head coach Pat Fitzgerald right now is what to do at quarterback. 

Fitzgerald has clearly recognized that with the way he has handled the position so far this season. Ryan Hilinski, Hunter Johnson and Andrew Marty had all thrown at least 16 passes coming into Saturday. 

Johnson looked impressive in the season opener against Michigan State. The senior went 30-of-43 for 283 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-21 loss. He was a mess in the next two games, however, going a combined 15-of-32 with one touchdown and four interceptions. 

After Johnson threw three of those interceptions against Duke, Hilinski was elevated to No. 1 on the depth chart. He had his best game of the year last week with 267 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-7 win over Rutgers. 

Things came crashing back down to earth for Hilinski against Michigan, though. The sophomore signal-caller had just 114 yards and one interception on 29 pass attempts. 

GIMME DAT 🙌@djturner_5 with incredible concentration to come up with the INT for @UMichFootball pic.twitter.com/TUubS9SnOJ

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 23, 2021

Ryan Hilinski's first interception of the year goes to E.J. Turner off a circus catch that the corner also returned to the Northwestern 15-yard line. Just a brutal showing from the offense today.

— Inside NU (@insidenu) October 23, 2021

The issues at quarterback have derailed the rest of the offense, which has a lot of promising talent that is playing well. Hull has 643 yards and five rushing touchdowns on 101 carries this season after Saturday's loss. 

And just like that, @NUFBFamily strikes in Ann Arbor! 👀 pic.twitter.com/KIwXrt6AUE

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 23, 2021

Malik Washington, who caught six passes against Michigan, has three consecutive games with one catch of at least 29 yards. 

Fitzgerald apparently saw enough out of Hilinski late in the game that he turned to Carl Richardson for the team's final two possessions. It's hard to evaluate a player on three pass attempts in a blowout, but everything should be on the table moving forward.

Northwestern still has five games left to turn things around. Next week's matchup against a good Minnesota team will likely go a long way toward showing whether or not the Wildcats can salvage a bowl appearance this season.   

What's Next?

Northwestern will return home to host Minnesota next Saturday. Michigan will travel to East Lansing to take on No. 9 Michigan State on Oct. 30.

  

The No. 6 Michigan Wolverines don't meet the No. 5 Ohio State Buckeyes until Nov. 27, the final game of the regular season. However, that didn't stopped Michigan from taking a jab at OSU on Saturday. 

During halftime of the game between the Wolverines and unranked Northwestern, the Michigan marching band trolled the Buckeyes with a beer pong skit:

Michigan marching band just performed a beer pong skit with an Ohio State ping pong ball missing the cup and a Michigan ball going in the cup. pic.twitter.com/yBRJqdSA7i

— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) October 23, 2021

Ohio State and Michigan have a well-established rivalry. The Wolverines haven't beaten the Buckeyes since 2011, and Ohio State has steamrolled Michigan in their last two meetings, too. In 2018, the Buckeyes won 62-39, and in 2019 they won 56-27. 

Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh became the first Michigan head coach to start his tenure 0-5 against Ohio State with the 2019 loss. At this year's Big Ten Media Day, Harbaugh said his team would beat the Buckeyes "or die trying," per Sports Illustrated.

Despite OSU's dominance over the last decade, Michigan leads the all-time series 58-51-6. 

One week after their emotional win over Penn State, the No. 2 Iowa Hawkeyes fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 24-7 loss to Purdue at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday. 

There were certainly a number of questions for the Hawkeyes to answer coming out of last week. Penn State led the game 17-3 before quarterback Sean Clifford got hurt early in the second quarter. 

It's a credit to Iowa that it was able to outscore its Big Ten rival 20-3 after Clifford left to seal a win. The victory moved the Hawkeyes up to No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, their highest ranking since 1985. 

Based on Saturday's result, there are still a lot of questions head coach Kirk Ferentz has to figure out with this team.

Boilermakers quarterback Aidan O'Connell and wide receiver David Bell lit up Iowa's secondary. 

O'Connell threw for a season-high 375 yards and two touchdowns. The senior came into this game with more interceptions (five) than touchdowns (four) in the first four games of the season. 

Purdue is now 8 for 12 on third downs at Iowa. Aidan O'Connell has thrown for 360 yards against a Hawkeyes defense that has only allowed over 185 pass yards once in six games this season.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) October 16, 2021

Bell continues to be Purdue's best offensive weapon, especially in games against Iowa. The Indianapolis native had 240 receiving yards on 11 receptions, his fourth 100-yard game of the season. He's torched the Hawkeyes secondary for three years running. 

Noted Hawkeye killer David Bell's career stats against Iowa:

2021: 11 catches, 240 yards, 1 TD
2020: 13 catches, 121 yards, 3 TDs
2019: 13 catches, 197 yards, 1 TD

— Chris Hummer (@chris_hummer) October 16, 2021

Only one receiver has had more than 81 yards this season against Iowa (Kent State’s Keshunn Abram who had 138 in a 30-7 loss). Today, Purdue’s fantastic WR David Bell’s put up 11 catches for 240 yards at the Boilers are really putting it on the Hawkeyes.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) October 16, 2021

Bell's 21-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter sealed Iowa's fate. 

🔔

That's it. That's the tweet.@DB3LL // @BoilerFootball pic.twitter.com/x06nd4xnPA

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 16, 2021

Iowa's strength through the first six games of the season had been on defense. That unit ranked third in the nation in yards allowed per play (4.02), seventh in yards allowed per game (274.0) and tied for seventh in touchdowns allowed (nine). 

Purdue burned that group for 464 yards, 24 first downs (9-of-16 on third downs) and 8.8 yards per pass attempt. 

Bell had almost as many receiving receiving as Iowa did in total offense (271). Hawkeyes quarterback Spencer Petras had his worst game of the season with 195 yards and four interceptions. He only had two interceptions through the first six weeks.

Consistency has been an issue for the Boilermakers so far this season. They had lost two of their past three games, including a 20-13 home defeat to Minnesota last week. Sandwiched between those losses was a narrow 13-9 victory over an Illinois team that is just 2-5 this season. 

Saturday's win could be a huge momentum shift for head coach Jeff Brohm. The schedule eases up with games against Wisconsin and Nebraska before things pick up on Nov. 6 against Michigan State and Nov. 13 at Ohio State. 

Iowa was supposed to be out of its most difficult stretch of the season. Penn State was the last ranked opponent remaining on its schedule, based on the current AP Top 25 poll. 

Heading into next week's game at Wisconsin, the Hawkeyes suddenly look very vulnerable in the race for the top spot in the Big Ten West.