No. 8 Ohio State at Penn State
Normally a key conference game, this season's Penn State-Ohio State game has a lackluster feel.
The Nittany Lions (2-6 overall, 0-4 Big Ten) are headed to one of their worst seasons ever, amidst some controversial off-field issues.
Thomas McHugh, a Penn State sophomore offensive lineman, was charged with harassment, public drunkenness and underage drinking and was kicked off the team. McHugh has been accused of striking a woman around 2 a.m. last Sunday near a parking garage in State College, Pa.
The Nittany Lions also are dealing with senior wide receiver Tony Johnson, who was arrested on a driving under the influence charge on Oct. 17. Johnson was benched last week and will not play this week against Ohio State.
There also has been talk among fans and media that head coach Joe Paterno is past his prime. Paterno has dismissed those discussions and said he is not ready to retire.
Penn State's challenge this weekend isn't easy, as it faces No. 7 Ohio State (7-1, 3-1). The Buckeyes are looking to win at State College for the first time since 1995.
However, they haven't had much success on the road or even played many road games yet this season. Ohio State played all four of its nonconference games at home. In conference play on the road, the Buckeyes lost to Wisconsin and won at lowly Indiana last week.
"It was good to get a Big Ten win on the road," Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel said. "We all know how difficult it is when you travel in this conference. Hopefully, that will give us some confidence on the road as we travel to State College this weekend."
Penn State is just looking to get back to basics this week, something it has struggled with all season long.
"There's three things in football: One's kicking, one's defense and one's turnovers," Paterno said. "We've not been able to put the three things together."
J. Ryan Mulcrone
Northwestern at No. 18 Purdue
Purdue has a problem - it's too consistent.
In Joe Tiller's tenure as head coach, the Boilermakers (6-2, 3-1) have made a bowl game in each of his six full seasons. But only one of those, 2001's Rose Bowl loss, was a BCS berth.
In short, Tiller has brought a winning tradition to Purdue but has yet to lead his team to the promised land. Last weekend's 31-3 loss to Michigan was a speed bump on that road and the only blemish on Purdue's conference record.
The Boilermakers don't need to hit the panic button yet, though. Despite last week's loss - Purdue's worst of the season - the Boilermakers are only one game behind conference leader MSU and play this Saturday at home against Northwestern.
But don't expect Northwestern (4-4, 2-2) to lie down as Purdue looks to bounce back. The Wildcats are a quickly improving team. They have won two straight, including last weekend's 16-7 upset against Wisconsin.
"We're excited anytime you play well against a great program like Wisconsin," Northwestern head coach Randy Walker said. "We've been close time and time again but not as consistent as you need to be in the Big Ten."
Northwestern's running game finally clicked last week, as standout Jason Wright rushed for 97 yards and one touchdown while being hampered by a leg injury. Junior Noah Herron ran for 104 yards on 11 carries.
While Purdue quarterback Kyle Orton struggled against the Wolverines - he passed for 184 yards and was sacked seven times - Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez played well last weekend despite minimalist numbers.
Basanez and the Wildcats will have to post more points if they hope to upset Purdue. The Boilermakers are second in the Big Ten in overall defense (275.5 yards allowed per game) and second in stopping the run (70.9 rushing yards allowed per game).
"They are very good in every aspect of their team," Walker said of Purdue. "They make it tough to do anything. They make it difficult to run and difficult to throw the football."
Patrick Walters
Illinois at No. 13 Iowa
The way Illinois has played recently, it's doubtful this game will shake up the Big Ten championship race.
Illinois (1-8, 0-5) travels to Kinnick Stadium to play Iowa (6-2, 2-2) on Saturday.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a 26-14 victory over Penn State last week after losing a hard-fought battle against Ohio State the week before in Columbus, 19-10.
As for the Illini, wins have been scarce, but some late-season respectability might be what's needed in Champaign, Ill., especially if head coach Ron Turner expects the blue and orange faithful to welcome him back to campus next fall.
Despite Illinois' struggles this season, it leads the all-time series between both clubs with a 37-24-2 edge, including wins in the past two meetings. Their last game was a lopsided Illinois victory: 31-0 in Champaign in 2000.
Turner knows the type of team Iowa will field Saturday. Not only are the Hawkeyes gifted offensively, with running back Fred Russell ranked second in Big Ten rushing with 916 yards and a 4.7 yards per-carry average, but their defense has become one of the most respected in the conference.
"They're as good as I've seen. They're a great defense. They just line up and play," Turner said. "They've got great players doing it. They do a great job up front of getting off blocks, they use their hands. Very, very explosive up front, linebackers that can run - outstanding linebackers. They got a safety in (Bob) Sanders that is as good of a hitter in this league."
A win for the Hawkeyes could establish momentum as they enter the final stretch of their season that includes a trip to No. 18 Purdue and home games against No. 24 Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Illini close out the race for conference doormat at Indiana, followed by Northwestern at home.
Paul Day
Indiana at No. 24 Minnesota
The Golden Gophers are hoping Halloween weekend will bring them a treat - not another trick.
Minnesota (7-2, 3-2) was flying high at 6-0 with a 28-7 lead against Michigan three weeks ago. Then the tricks multiplied.
U-M rallied for a 38-35 win. The Gophers fell behind 17-0 to the Spartans the next week, eventually losing 44-38. Both losses were at the Metrodome and dropped Minnesota to the middle of the conference pack .
The Gophers then traveled to Illinois, where they were greeted by an awful team. Minnesota dominated en route to a 36-10 win.
This weekend, the Gophers will try and avoid their third straight home loss as they face Indiana (1-7, 0-4).
"I'm very happy we came away from Champaign with a victory, a Big Ten victory," Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. "It's always great when you can win a game on the road.
"We have not been very good in the turnover category. We haven't been getting enough turnover productions from our defensive team."
Against MSU, Minnesota had three turnovers and the Spartans had none. The Gophers had two against U-M and the Wolverines had one. That 5-to-1 ratio is a big reason for the two losses.
In Minnesota's win against Illinois, it only had one turnover - a Fighting Illini interception.
If turnovers have been the key to Minnesota's success, then its game against Indiana might not be so easy.
The Hoosiers are third in the conference with a plus-2 turnover margin. Still, Indiana head coach Gerry DiNardo's squad isn't high on confidence.
"I think the toughest thing is just to keep the players on track, where they really believe in the fact that it's going to turn around," DiNardo said, adding that the Hoosiers, despite their 1-7 record, are on track to improve their football program.
If Indiana picks up the victory, it would be the Hoosiers' first Big Ten win since October of last year when they beat Wisconsin, 32-29. They are currently riding an 11-game Big Ten losing streak.
Because of the Big Ten's rotating schedule, the two teams haven't played each other since October 2000. With the help of current Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, the Hoosiers won 51-43.
Christopher M. Mackinder
