Though the Big Ten West is Iowa’s division to lose at this point, the race for the Big Ten East is far from over.
Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan are all still in the mix, with a huge showdown between Ohio State and Michigan State looming this Saturday.
There is also no shortage of storylines for the Big Ten teams that aren’t at the top of the standings in either division.
After a quick 4-0 start to the season, Indiana has gone 0-6 in conference play, though the Hoosiers have come agonizingly close to winning many of those contests. With games against Purdue and Maryland, the two worst teams in the Big Ten remaining, bowl eligibility is still within reach. If they lose either of those games, head coach Kevin Wilson could be headed to the chopping block.
Minnesota and Illinois are both still trying to achieve bowl eligibility, with the Illini needing just a single victory and the Gophers needing to win out in order to reach the postseason.
Mike Riley’s Cornhuskers might finally be hitting their stride in his first season, and they could still reach a bowl game if they’re able to upset the Iowa Hawkeyes at home next weekend. It’s been a challenging year for Nebraska, but a win over Iowa would go a long way in helping Riley win over a lot of fans.
Of course, it’s still the marquee teams that are getting the most attention over these final weeks.
The Buckeyes and the Hawkeyes both are very much alive in the College Football Playoff race, but there are plenty of questions still remaining for both teams. But with just two weeks remaining in the regular season, we’re about to start getting a lot of answers.
1. Ohio State, 50 points
The defending national champions moved to 10-0 with a 28-3 win over Illinois this past Saturday, but now is when the real fun begins for the Buckeyes. Ohio State welcomes Michigan State into Columbus this Saturday, followed by a trip to Ann Arbor to take on archrival Michigan.
After a slow start to the year, the Buckeyes seem to be firing on all cylinders now with J.T. Barrett under center. These next two weeks will really show us just how good Ohio State is. If the Buckeyes can survive and make it to the Big Ten Championship Game at 12-0, they’ll be in prime position to make a return trip to the College Football Playoff.
2. Iowa, 34 points
For the first time in school history, the Iowa Hawkeyes are 10-0. What a time to be alive.
The Hawkeyes have now scored at least 31 points in four straight weeks, though their last game gave fans a bit of a scare. Their 40-35 win over Minnesota did nothing to win over any of their many skeptics, but all Iowa can do is keep winning and not worry about anything else for now.
In the end, Iowa’s hopes of making an appearance in the College Football Playoff hinge almost completely on the Big Ten Championship Game, where it will potentially face defending national champion Ohio State.
If the Hawkeyes get to 13-0, it’s really hard to imagine the committee leaving them out of the playoffs, regardless of what their detractors might think.
3. Michigan State, 33 points
Play with fire too many times, and you’re bound to get burned eventually.
That’s what happened two weeks ago when the Spartans were stunned in Lincoln by the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Nebraska took the lead in the final seconds of the game, with the help of a controversial call from the refs, to end Michigan State’s perfect record and, in all likelihood, its playoff hopes.
Still, the Spartans have a chance to take down Ohio State this weekend, which would probably spoil the Buckeye’s bid for a second straight national title, and get to the Big Ten Championship Game.
However, quarterback Connor Cook suffered a shoulder injury last weekend against Maryland. Though the coaching staff has said he’ll be fine, the Spartans could be in deep trouble against Ohio State if he’s anything less than 100 percent.
4. Michigan, 23 points
Do not forget the covenant Khaki Jesus has made with you, and do not worship other gods. Rather, worship the Harbaugh as your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies. — 2 Kings 17:38-39
Though it took two overtimes, the mighty Khaki Jesus conquered the heathen Hoosiers to keep Michigan alive in the race for the Big Ten East. The once-vaunted Wolverine defense has looked a bit suspect in recent weeks, but quarterback Jake Rudock and the offense have managed to pick up the slack.
Now, the Wolverines prepare to make the voyage to Happy Valley, where they’ll take on Penn State. If they are successful in their quest for a victory there, it will set the stage for a matchup with Ohio State that could have the Big Ten East crown hanging in the balance if the Buckeyes take care of business against Michigan State this weekend.
Ohio State fans may worship Urban Meyer, but they will learn in less than two weeks time that he is but a false idol in the eyes of our Lord and savior, Khaki Jesus.
5. Wisconsin, 7 points
Wisconsin has responded nicely after a somewhat rocky 3-2 start to the year and is riding a five-game winning streak into this Saturday’s matchup with Northwestern.
Though the Badgers have an 8-2 record, they still haven’t beaten a team in conference play that currently has a winning record. They’ll get an opportunity to change that this weekend against the Wildcats.
Redshirt senior quarterback Joel Stave will also be making the final start of his illustrious career at Camp Randall Stadium, where he’ll surely be showered with positivity from the masses that have supported him all the way. His Heisman campaign may fall a little short, but the memories of his career will endure forever.
