Week 9 brings a line of Big Ten games that could reshape a few seasons in a hurry, and a handful of quarterbacks sit right in the middle of it. From Rutgers trying to catch Michigan sleeping to Ohio State searching for the right answer under center, this weekend has no shortage of swing spots.
Michigan’s trip to Rutgers stands out first, and not because the Wolverines have looked settled. Their quarterback play has already been a concern, but last week exposed bigger problems than that.
The roster has talent, yet the coaching has left them exposed, and that makes them vulnerable every time out. Rutgers may sit at the bottom of the Big Ten, but this is not a team that comes empty-handed.
The Scarlet Knights have NFL talent and enough pop to score, and KJ Duff and Antwan Raymond are both positioned for big days. The call here is a Rutgers upset.
Another game that feels ready to tilt is Minnesota against Indiana. The Gophers just came off a huge win over Iowa, and that performance said plenty about their defense.
It looked capable of hanging with the conference’s best groups. Minnesota also showed it can win a game in the mud, which matters against an Indiana team that plays that kind of style.
Josh Hoover has been struggling, and there is no reason to expect a bounce-back here. This one should stay tight for all four quarters, but Minnesota’s momentum makes the difference, and the Gophers are in position for their biggest win of the season.
Purdue has already checked one upset box this season with its win over Minnesota, and there’s reason to think it can do it again. The Boilermakers have enough offense to make life uncomfortable, and Penn State has looked vulnerable over the last few weeks. If Purdue takes advantage, it will walk out with a second upset on the year and a little more belief to go with it.
There’s also a quarterback situation worth watching in Columbus. Ohio State will be without Julian Sayin for the rest of the season, but Tavien St.
Clair may be the player who changes the picture. He’s an elite athlete with real passing ability, and that combination could give the Buckeyes something new on offense.
He may not start this game, but the expectation is that he gets on the field and helps Ohio State get past USC. The bigger point is that he looks like the quarterback who can carry them moving forward.
Out west, Washington’s quarterback decision is still unsettled, but Elijah Brown makes the most sense against Nebraska. Jedd Fisch has not made his call yet, but Brown has already given the Huskies’ offense a spark, and another chance feels deserved.
Nebraska has struggled to close games, and that late-game trouble keeps showing up. The expectation here is that Washington finishes stronger, with Elijah Brown delivering the deciding touchdown in the fourth quarter.
In Other News...
Arizona Just Got A Painful Reality Check In The Rankings
Ohio States trip to USC turned into the kind of setback that can shake up the entire rankings picture, even with the Buckeyes out-gaining the Trojans on the night. With true freshman Luke Fahey starting at quarterback because of Julian Sayins injury, Ohio State still had enough talent to control stretches of the game, but missed tackles, penalties and special teams mistakes kept opening the door for USC to make the most of it.
The ripple effects go beyond Columbus, too. Georgia steadied itself with a win over Florida after its earlier loss, though the passing game still looked like a work in progress, while Floridas offensive issues are pushing it toward another drop after its third loss. And for Arizona, Texas Techs important win only adds to the pressure in a crowded rankings race, the sort of result that can quickly turn a promising week into a painful reality check. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Added More Fuel To Ohio States Ugly Night
After USCs 30-18 win over Ohio State, the night got even messier as Lincoln Riley found himself in the middle of a postgame confrontation while leaving the field. Reporters on hand and video from the scene showed the USC coach exchanging words with Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork and other staff members, turning an already rough loss for the Buckeyes into something more combustible on the way off the turf.
Maurice Clarett, the former Ohio State running back, was also seen stepping in to help cool things down as the moment escalated. For a game that already carried plenty of weight, the postgame scene added another layer of tension, leaving the Buckeyes to sort through both the defeat and the fallout from a night that was ugly in more ways than one. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Than One Road Loss
The upset in Los Angeles did more than hand Ohio State a road loss. USCs defense set the tone early and never let the Buckeyes get comfortable, holding them to one touchdown while piling up tackles for loss and sacks against backup quarterback Luke Fahey. The Trojans also got the kind of explosive play they have been hunting, with Mark Bowman turning a short opening into a 70-yard catch-and-run that helped swing the game in USCs favor.
For Lincoln Riley, the 30-18 win carried extra weight because it was his first top-five victory with the Trojans, and it came against a team that arrived with far more national respect. For Ohio State, the bigger issue now is not just the blemish on the schedule but the way the offense looked under pressure, with a backup quarterback trying to survive behind a line that could not settle things down. [Read more 🡒]