Big Ten Week 3 turned into a scoreboard binge, but the biggest takeaway wasn’t just the points. USC walked away with a win over Rutgers and still came out looking like the week’s biggest loser. The Trojans gave Rutgers enough life to leave the Scarlet Knights feeling better about themselves, and that is not the kind of result USC needed with Oregon coming up.
That was the thread running through the weekend for the conference: some teams looked ready to matter, others just survived, and a few turned routine wins into loud statements. Penn State and Wisconsin both fit firmly into the first group after comfortable victories that made them look worth taking seriously.
Oregon set the tone on Friday with an 84-0 demolition of Portland State. The Ducks clearly wanted to send a message before facing USC, and they did exactly that. It was the kind of result that announces confidence without much subtlety.
Penn State kept rolling on Saturday, handling Buffalo 55-13. Quinton Martin Jr. did his damage in a hurry, needing only 10 carries to pile up 100 yards on the ground. The Nittany Lions continue to look like they are moving straight ahead without much resistance.
Wisconsin also delivered a dominant showing, beating Eastern Michigan 54-10. Colton Joseph and the Badgers’ offense started to find their rhythm, and the performance gave Wisconsin the look of a team building toward something.
Ohio State had its own runaway performance, crushing Kent State 59-3. Jeremiah Smith made history in the win and helped the Buckeyes keep cruising.
Minnesota got back on track with a 41-7 win over Akron after last week’s troubling loss. The Gophers now move into a tougher stretch with at least some momentum behind them.
Illinois took care of Southern Illinois 48-10 and moved to 2-1, but the win did not do much to change the bigger picture. The Duke loss still hangs over this team, and it is hard to leave this one feeling confident about Illinois handling top-tier opponents.
Michigan beat UTEP 52-17, though the Miners showed some fight early. It was a solid win, but not the kind of start that turns heads after a big victory. There is still time for Michigan to prove it belongs in the contender conversation.
Iowa looked even more dominant in a 55-0 rout of Northern Iowa. Hank Brown did not even need to show up for the Hawkeyes to take control on the ground. Xavier Williams and Braeden Jackson both topped 100 yards and powered the shutout.
Indiana put together one of the cleanest wins of the weekend, blanking Western Kentucky 38-0. Charlie Becker continued his rise as one of the best receivers in the country, and he and Hoover are quickly becoming one of the top connections around.
Washington finally got its offense moving in a 48-16 win over Eastern Washington. Demond Williams delivered an elite quarterback performance, and the Huskies looked like a team that found its rhythm at the right time with the schedule heating up.
Nebraska handled North Dakota 34-7 and once again looked like a team that should not be brushed aside.
Northwestern also made a statement, beating Colorado 41-7. Julian Lewis and the Buffaloes could not get anything going, while Aidan Chiles delivered an elite passing performance as the Wildcats closed the door.
Notre Dame beat Michigan State 27-10, and the Spartans actually put up more of a fight than many expected. The defense held up better than the offense did, but Michigan State’s attack remains far from ready to challenge the best teams.
UCLA wrapped the weekend with a 52-38 win over Purdue, and the Bruins’ offense kept humming. Nico Iamaleava and the rushing game were both firing, and Bob Chesney appears to have found something special there. For another week, UCLA looked like a force to be reckoned with.
Then there was USC, sitting at the center of the mess. A 42-35 win should have been a confidence builder.
Instead, it raised questions and handed Rutgers something to feel good about. That is why, even with the victory, the Trojans ended Week 3 as the conference’s most disappointing team.
In Other News...
USC Now Faces A Different Oregon Offense Than Expected
Oregons passing game took an unexpected turn before its meeting with Portland State, when junior wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan broke his foot in warmups and was ruled out indefinitely. The injury forced the Ducks to adjust on the fly, and freshman Messiah Hampton filled some of the opening with 71 receiving yards and two touchdowns, giving Oregon a different look than the one USC likely spent part of the week preparing for.
The matchup now brings another wrinkle for the Trojans, because Oregon is also expected to have tight ends Kendre Harrison and Jamari Johnson available for the upcoming game. With McClellan sidelined and Hampton suddenly in a bigger role, USC has to account for an offense that is already shifting in real time, and the Ducks may keep leaning on personnel groupings and targets that werent central to the original scouting report. [Read more 🡒]
USC Heads Into Oregon Week With A Secondary Problem Fans Feared
USCs secondary is suddenly a point of concern as the Trojans turn the page from their win over Rutgers and into a far bigger test against Oregon. Alex Graham and Jontez Williams both picked up injuries in that game, and Lincoln Riley acknowledged after the fact that each is dealing with an issue while the staff waits to see how they respond in the days ahead.
The timing is less than ideal, given how much the matchup with Oregon asks of a defense on the back end. USC is already sorting through replacement options and monitoring both players closely, with the hope that neither absence becomes a longer-term problem. For now, though, it leaves the Trojans heading into the week with one of the concerns fans were bracing for. [Read more 🡒]
Ole Miss Just Added Pressure To Oregon In The Title Race
Oregon answered its loss to Oklahoma State the only way it could, burying Portland State in a record-setting 84-0 rout that looked more like a stress reliever than a tune-up. Even so, the Ducks did not fully repair the damage in the eyes of the oddsmakers, with multiple sportsbooks trimming their national championship odds as other contenders, including Ole Miss, kept stacking results that reshaped the early title picture.
For USC, the timing matters. The Trojans are set to see Oregon in Week 4, and that matchup now carries a little extra weight as the Ducks try to climb back in the College Football Playoff conversation. A win over a team still trying to steady its title hopes would give USC its own boost in the national discussion, while Oregon will be aiming to show the kind of response that sportsbooks and voters tend to notice. [Read more 🡒]