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player ready...Here’s what to watch this week in the Big Ten.
Game of the week
Nebraska (5-1, 2-1) at No. 16 Indiana (6-0, 3-0), 11 a.m. Saturday, Fox-32
Indiana hasn’t trailed all season while posting its first 6-0 start since its 1967 Rose Bowl season. Nebraska’s 5-1 start is its best since 2016, the last season the Cornhuskers made a bowl game. Nebraska’s only loss came in overtime against No. 22 Illinois.
Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke has thrown 14 touchdown passes with only two interceptions and leads the FBS in passer rating. The Hoosiers will need a potent passing attack to win this one, as Nebraska is the lone FBS team that hasn’t allowed a touchdown run all season.
Both teams had a week off to prepare. Indiana is a 6½-point favorite.
The undercard
No. 24 Michigan (4-2, 2-1) at No. 22 Illinois (5-1, 2-1), 2:30 p.m. Saturday, CBS-2
Illinois has two AP Top 25 wins in a single season (over Kansas and Nebraska) for the first time since 2007, when the Illini beat three ranked teams.
This marks the first time two Top 25 teams have faced off at Memorial Stadium since a 10th-ranked Michigan team beat the 19th-ranked Illini 35-31 on Sept. 23, 2000.
Michigan has won its last six meetings with Illinois, which hasn’t beaten the Wolverines since a 38-13 triumph in 2009. Michigan is a three-point favorite.
Impact players
Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel was named the Davey O’Brien national quarterback of the week after throwing for 341 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for a 27-yard touchdown in the second-ranked Ducks’ 32-31 triumph over Ohio State.
Iowa DT Aaron Graves recorded two sacks and forced two fumbles in a 40-16 victory over Washington. His five sacks this season put him in a five-way tie for the Big Ten lead.
Minnesota’s Koi Perich was named the Jim Thorpe Award national defensive back of the week after intercepting two passes in a 21-17 victory at UCLA. Perich, a freshman, has made game-clinching interceptions each of the last two weeks.
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Penn State TE Tyler Warren caught 17 passes for 224 yards in a 33-30 overtime victory at USC. His 17 receptions tied an FBS single-game record for a tight end. New Mexico’s Emilio Valley did it in 1967 and Northwestern’s Jon Harvey matched the feat in 1982.
Inside the numbers
This is the first time in school history Indiana has scored at least 40 points in five straight games. … In his first college start last week, Ryan Browne became the third Purdue quarterback in the last 55 years to throw for at least 200 yards and rush for more than 100 in the same game. … Maryland’s Tai Felton is the first Big Ten player to have at least 55 catches in his team’s first six games since Purdue’s Dorien Bryant had 58 in 2005. … UCLA LB Carson Schwesinger has 41 solo tackles to rank second among FBS players behind Buffalo’s Shaun Dolac (47). … Nebraska has a plus-6 turnover margin that’s tied for 16th in the FBS. Last year the Huskers’ minus-17 turnover margin ranked second-to-last.
Now don’t get upset
Indiana’s fast start includes two road wins over UCLA and Northwestern, but Saturday’s home game with Nebraska arguably will be the toughest test the Hoosiers have faced. This looks like a down-to-the-wire game that could be decided by a late field goal. The 6½-point spread seems a bit large.