Big Ten Rundown: Nittany Lions Looking To Roar Past Defending Big Ten Champion Michigan
Undefeated Teams Set to Square Off in the Big House
What a week in the college football world, three games featuring a pair of undefeated.
One of the more compelling contests could be Penn St. at Michigan, as the Nittany Lions get a chance to prove that they can hang with the Big Ten heavyweights.
Also, two of the top running backs in the nation are featured (Illinois-Minnesota), while both Wisconsin and Michigan St. get to prove they’re better than they have looked at times this season. It’s an action-packed Week 7 in the conference. Even with favored Ohio St. not playing, there are multiple contests that could alter the standings.
Michigan (+2000) is sixth in the odds to win the national title, with Penn St. tied in 10th at +8000, per the college football playoff odds. In the Big Ten odds, Michigan’s second at +600, Penn St. next at +1000.
Ohio St., Michigan, and Penn St. are all in the top 10 in both the Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association polls.
Let’s check the latest NCAAF picks, stats, injury reports, and NCAAF predictions. We’ve plenty of NCAAF expert picks for you to consider.
Game of the Week
Penn St. Nittany Lions vs Michigan Wolverines
- Date, Time (TV): Saturday, Oct. 15th, 12 noon ET (FOX)
- Line: Michigan -7
This is a fun one, a pair of undefeated teams set to collide when 10th-ranked Penn St. (5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten) travels to No. 4 Michigan (6-0, 3-0). Michigan has won 11 home games in a row since the Nittany Lions’ 27-17 win over the Wolverines in 2020.
Unrivaled Game Preview | Michigan https://t.co/z7nIrMyuQE
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) October 12, 2022
Quarterbacks Sean Clifford (Penn St.) and J.J. McCarthy (Michigan) have a combined 18 touchdown passes (three interceptions). McCarthy is averaging 9.6 yards per attempt or two yards more than Clifford’s numbers.
Michigan’s 22 sacks lead the conference, while Penn St. has surrendered only seven.
Keep an eye on a pair of big-play receivers off to slow starts. Parker Washington (Penn St.) has yet to find the end zone, while Cornelius Johnson (Michigan) is fourth on the team with 182 receiving yards.
The bend-but-don’t-break defensive philosophy is working wonders on both teams. Opponents have just six touchdowns on 15 red-zone drives against Penn St., while Michigan’s defense has surrendered six TDs on 11 opposition trips to the red zone.
The losing team scored under 20 points in seven of the last eight games in this series.
Other Games to Watch
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Illinois Fighting Illini
- Date, Time (TV): Saturday, Oct. 15th, 12 noon ET (Big Ten Network)
- Line: Minnesota -6½
Illinois (5-1, 2-1) has been the biggest surprise in the Big Ten. It was rewarded by breaking into the Associated Press poll at No. 24.
Chase Brown, the second-leading rusher in the country, has led the Fighting Illini offense. Minnesota’s Mohamed Ibrahim is fourth nationally in rushing yards per game.
Brown is leading the country with 28 running plays of at least 10 yards. Ibrahim has 19 such runs in just four games, having missed last week’s game against Purdue (ankle). He is expected back this week with the Gophers (4-1, 1-1).
Illinois and Minnesota rank first and third, respectively, in the Big Ten rushing defense. It will be strength against strength with these teams in West Division contention.
Minnesota has won eight of the last 11 games in this series, four of the last five finishing under the college football odds total.
Maryland Terrapins vs Indiana Hoosiers
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Oct. 15th, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
- Line: Maryland -11½
There may be plenty of points scored in this one. Indiana (3-3, 1-2) has allowed more points than any other Big Ten team, while Maryland (4-2, 1-2) is 10th in scoring defense.
Indiana surrendered 14 offensive plays of 30 yards or longer, the second-highest total in the conference. Maryland has allowed 10 such plays.
Only Ohio St. has more offensive plays of at least 40 yards than the Terps, while the Hoosiers have 14 runs or passes of at least 30 yards. so this could be a fun one to see.
Indiana had won five-of-six games against Maryland before the Terrapins’ 38-35 win (as a 3½-point home favorite), according to the college football spreads.
Wisconsin Badgers vs Michigan St. Spartans
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Oct. 15th, 4 p.m. ET (FOX)
- Line: Wisconsin -7½
It’s somewhat strange to see Wisconsin and Michigan St. tied for last in the two conference divisions heading into this meeting.
Wisconsin’s Braelon Allen is one of five backs in the Big Ten averaging more than 100 rush yards per game. At Michigan St. (2-4, 0-3), Jalen Berger is 15th in the conference (51.3 yards/game). MSU misses Kenneth Walker, now with the Seattle Seahawks.
Graham Mertz is coming off a game with five touchdown passes in the Badgers’ win over Northwestern. A tough start to Spartans’ quarterback Payton Thorne’s season, with just about as many touchdown passes (nine) as interceptions (seven).
However, the bigger issue around Michigan St. is a defense that’s surrendered a conference-high 1,752 passing yards.
Wisconsin (3-3, 1-2) is looking to beat Michigan State three times in a row. That hasn’t happened since the 1995, 1999 and 2000 seasons. The Spartans have scored a total of six points in the last two meetings.
Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Purdue Boilermakers
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Oct. 15th, 7:30 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
- Line: Purdue -14
Nebraska (3-3, 2-1) is going after its first three-game win streak since opening the 2016 season at 7-0.
Wins against Indiana and Rutgers were not easy, but a victory is a victory.
Nebraska still needs plenty of work in the run department, that after averaging 2.25 and 2.48 yards per carry in the last two contests. There’s a big improvement on the other side of the ball. Though last in the Big Ten in rush defense, the last two games have seen ‘Husker opponents held under three yards per carry.
Do not expect to see many rushing attempts with a Purdue team that’s led the conference in passing attempts per game in each of the last three seasons.
The Boilermakers (4-2, 2-1) are actually third in that stat this season. Aidan O’Connell was 30-of-41 (360 yards) as the Boilermakers topped Maryland, third win in a row.
Something to consider for those who bet online is four of the last five games between the teams have been decided by 10 or fewer points, the road squad winning four times.
