Illinois at Ohio State
TV/radio: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, WLS-Ch. 7, WIND-AM-560.
Line: Ohio State by 14.
Records: Ohio State 2-1; Illinois 1-1.
Last meeting: Ohio State won 30-20 on Nov. 15, 2008, in Champaign.
GETTING OFFENSIVE: Injuries have kept Juice Williams and Arrelious Benn (below) from playing a full game together. The running game has been solid in their absence. Ohio State’s defense ranks third in the Big Ten, holding teams to 15 ppg.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: The llini need to stop Buckeyes QB Terrelle Pryor (right), who leads the Big Ten with 263 total ypg. The secondary — allowing opponents to pass for 339.5 ypg, worst in the conference — needs to step up.
THE NUMBER: 300
Total yards Illinois can give up. The Illini defense gives up 420 ypg, while the Buckeyes gain about 383 ypg. USC held the Buckeyes to 265 yards.
THE TALK: Can quarterback Williams and the Illini recreate the magic from 2007, when they staged a 28-21 upset at No. 1 Ohio State?
LOOKING AHEAD: A shaky Illinois defense won’t stop a solid Ohio State offense. Ohio State 24, Illinois 17.
— Shannon Ryan %% CATEGORY ILLINI OSU
Rushing offense 247.0 (13) 162.7 (51)
Passing offense 189.5 (86) 220.7 (62)
Total offense 436.5 (30) 383.3 (54)
Scoring offense 27.0 (65) 28.0 (55)
Rushing defense 80.5 (18) 105.7 (40)
Passing defense 339.5 (119) 182.7 (43)
Total defense 420.0 (102) 288.3 (31)
Scoring defense 27.0 (84) 15.0 (24)
Minnesota at Northwestern
TV/radio: 11 a.m., BTN, WGN-AM 720, WNUR-FM 89.3. Line: Minnesota by 1.
Records: Northwestern 2-1; Minnesota 2-1.
Last meeting: Northwestern won 24-17 on Nov. 1, 2008, in Minneapolis.
GETTING OFFENSIVE: Minnesota is averaging just 3.3 yards per rush, Northwestern 3.5. But the Gophers have the league’s best receiver in Eric Decker, and no conference passer has been on the mark more than NU’s Mike Kafka (74.4 percent).
ON THE DEFENSIVE: You can’t overstate the importance of Northwestern’s top cover corner, Sherrick McManis, who missed the last two games with leg injuries, being off the injury list. The Gophers have intercepted only one pass in three games.
THE NUMBER: 210
Syracuse’s Mike Williams’ receiving yards against NU. Williams is good, but Minnesota’s Decker is better. The Wildcats must contain him.
THE TALK: Three classic NU victories against Gophers: Brendan Smith’s walk-off 48-yard interception (2008), a 49-48 double-OT thriller (2007) and the 41-35 conquest (2000) that ended on Zak Kustok’s tipped Hail Mary completion.
LOOKING AHEAD: These 2-1 teams are carbon copies: big-time passing games, weak rushing attacks and mediocre defenses. Go with the home team.
Northwestern 34, Minnesota 31.
— Teddy Greenstein
CATEGORY MINN NU
Rushing offense 85.7 (109) 152.7 (60)
Passing offense 233.3 (46) 278.7 (17)
Total offense 319.0 (96) 431.3 (33)
Scoring offense 21.3 (93) 36.0 (27)
Rushing defense 171.3 (93) 120.7 (52)
Passing defense 181.3 (41) 211.3 (64)
Total defense 352.7 (68) 332.0 (53)
Scoring defense 22.7 (63) 25.0 (74)
Notre Dame at Purdue
TV/radio: 7 p.m., ESPN, WLS-AM 890, WJOB-AM 1230. Line: ND by 7. Records: ND 2-1; Purdue 1-2.
Last meeting: Notre Dame won 38-21 on Sept. 27, 2008, in South Bend, Ind.
GETTING OFFENSIVE: For all the talk of replacing Michael Floyd, it could be Irish tailback Armando Allen and the ability to play ball-control that decide the course of the game, in part because it would keep a suspect defense off the field.
ON THE DEFENSIVE: Purdue’s Ralph Bolden is the No. 2 rusher in the country at 140.3 ypg. Considering the Irish haven’t stopped lesser offensive talent for two weeks straight, linebacker Brian Smith and Co. need a good game immediately.
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THE NUMBER: 25
The Irish defense should come out a little more desperate. Hold Purdue to 25 or fewer points, and that should be enough.
THE TALK: Can the Irish offense be as lethal without Floyd? And are the defensive issues a matter of scheme or simply a lack of talent? Moreover, the Irish still haven’t finished a close game so much as they avoided losing. LOOKING AHEAD: Purdue’s defense is shoddy enough that the Irish’s still-considerable weapons should produce. The big question is limiting the Boilermakers.
Notre Dame 27, Purdue 20.
— Brian Hamilton
CATEGORY ND PUR
Rushing offense 155.0 (58) 210.7 (22)
Passing offense 324.0 (10) 229.7 (52)
Total offense 479.0 (14) 440.3 (25)
Scoring offense 34.0 (33) 36.3 (26)
Rushing defense 149.3 (74) 181.0 (102)
Passing defense 249.3 (91) 253.3 (95)
Total defense 398.7 (96) 434.3 (105)
Scoring defense 22.7 (63) 32.3 (104)
Idaho at NIU
TV/radio: 2:30 p.m., CSN,
WSCR-AM 670, WLBK-AM
1360. Line: NIU by 16 1/2 .
Records: NIU 2-1; Idaho 2-1.
Last meeting: NIU won 42-35 on Sept. 22, 2007, in Moscow, Idaho.
GETTING OFFENSIVE: NIU racked up 454 total yards against Purdue. Me’co Brown ran for a career-high 150 yards in the Huskies’ 28-21 upset. Brown is averaging 110.3 yards to lead the MAC. Chad Spann has seven touchdowns (six rushing, 1 rec.) .
ON THE DEFENSIVE: After limiting Western Illinois to 223 yards in the opener, the Huskies’ defense was even better against Purdue. The Boilermakers totaled just four first downs and 36 rushing yards in the first half.
THE NUMBER: 1,000
NIU plays its 1,000th game with the only female official in the Football Bowl Subdivision, Sarah Thomas, working the game.
THE TALK: Coach Jerry Kill spent much of this week explaining why he called a fake punt from the Huskies’ 16 with 3:44 left at Purdue. NIU was leading 28-21, and the fake worked as Justin Anderson ran 11 yards for the first down. LOOKING AHEAD: Fake punts and onside kicks may catch the opponent off guard, but the Huskies will have to rely on stellar play in the trenches to earn their third victory. NIU 31, Idaho 20.
— Fred Mitchell
CATEGORY IDAHO NIU
Rushing offense 127.0 (81) 208.0 (24)
Passing offense 253.3 (29) 166.3 (100)
Total offense 380.3 (58) 374.3 (61)
Scoring offense 26.0 (72) 29.7 (49)
Rushing defense 93.3 (29) 127.0 (60)
Passing defense 243.0 (87) 203.3 (58)
Total defense 336.3 (58) 330.3 (52)
Scoring defense 22.7 (63) 18.7 (38)
Iowa at Penn State
TV/radio: 7 p.m., WLS-Ch. 7.
Line: Penn State by 9 1/2 .
Records: Iowa 2-0; Penn State 2-0.
Last meeting: Iowa stunned Penn State 24-23 on Nov. 15, 2008, in Iowa City.
GETTING OFFENSIVE: Two of the Hawkeyes’ best three pass catchers — Tony Moeaki and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos — might not play because of injuries. Penn State’s poor rushing attack (4.0 yards per carry) is a concern. ON THE DEFENSIVE: Penn State loses one stud linebacker to injury (Sean Lee) but gets another back in Navorro Bowman. The Nittany Lions are giving up just 1.6 yards per carry; Iowa is yielding 4.6 per carry, worst in the Big Ten.
THE NUMBER: 2
Penn State has allowed only two TDs in three games. But Akron, Syracuse and Temple aren’t Murderers’ Row.
THE TALK: Iowa has won six of the last seven in the series, so it’s no wonder Joe Paterno heaped serious praise on Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, calling him “a no-nonsense guy, honest … he’s got class.”
LOOKING AHEAD: I would feel better about this pick if the Hawkeyes were healthy, but I’ll go with the theory Iowa is battle-tested after beating Iowa State and Arizona. Iowa 21, Penn State 20.
— Teddy Greenstein
CATEGORY IOWA PENN ST.
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Rushing offense 137.0 (70) 133.3 (75)
Passing offense 227.3 (55) 264.0 (25)
Total offense 364.3 (68) 397.3 (46)
Scoring offense 26.3 (70) 30.0 (48)
Rushing defense 140.7 (68) 46.3 (4)
Passing defense 162.7 (25) 166.0 (29)
Total defense 303.3 (36) 212.3 (7)
Scoring defense 12.0 (15) 6.7 (2) %%