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Big Ten Football: The Sunday Morning Recap

Posted By: DJ Hoyt

Purdue plays the role of top-5 slayer once more, knocking off MSU from the ranks of the unbeaten

The Lead

There was concern Michigan State could be on upset alert facing Purdue on Saturday. They were coming off a big and emotional win over Michigan, plus were facing a team that could exploit an MSU secondary that statistically was one of the worst in the nation.

Turns out the concern was legitimate.

Purdue took down the #3 Spartans, using their passing game to overwhelm MSU on their way to a 40-29 victory.

For the Boilermakers, it is their second win as an unranked team against a top five opponent this season. Their first coming against Iowa earlier this year when the Hawkeyes were #2 in the nation. The win also marked Purdue’s 17th win in school history against a top five opponent as an unranked team, best in the FBS all-time.

Purdue now improves to 6-3 on the year, and is bowl eligible again for the first time since the 2018 season when they went to the Music City Bowl. For Michigan State, they lose their first game of the season to drop to 8-1.

It has been quite a turnaround for Purdue under Jeff Brohm. After consecutive seasons of disappointing results on the field, the fan base was looking for reasons to believe in the once promising coach again. I think it’s safe to say that Brohm has completed his redemption with the fan base, now guaranteeing Purdue won’t have its third consecutive losing season.

The Boilermakers still have an outside shot at winning the West Division, but need help from both Minnesota and Wisconsin in order for that to happen. Still, with three games left in the season, Purdue should find themselves back in the top-25 after their upset this week.

Ohio State awaits Purdue next, and will go for the hat trick of knocking off top five opponents this year. If someone knows when or if a team has ever beaten three top five teams in a season, let me know in the comments below.

Lastly, the Spartans dropping the game today may not really have any impact on the goals that were in front of them before this contest. They can still win out and find themselves in the Big Ten Championship, and if that happens, find themselves smack in the middle of the CFP selection’s four spots.

Illinois Records Second Top-25 Upset

Bret Bielema is sending a message to potential recruits after upsetting #20 Minnesota, 14-6.

Illinois recorded their second win against a ranked opponent this year, and improved their overall record to 4-6 and are technically still in play for a bowl birth. Minnesota drops their first divisional game of the year, and now has to win out if they hope to have a chance at the Big Ten title game.

For Bielema, another win against a ranked team is a selling pitch to recruits about why they should look towards committing to the Illini. The two wins can be used as undeniable proof that this staff has laid the foundation for building a contender in the Big Ten West.

Obviously Illinois is not a contender this year. They most likely won’t be next year either. However, Bielema can show recruits that he has a defensive system that was key to upsetting Penn State and Minnesota on the road. Also, while Illinois isn’t playing the the style of offense they talked about this off-season, they can still sell prospects on the potential for a more open look when the talent allows it.

Bielema and his staff may have been able to convince these recruits to come anyway, but the two wins can only help sell the idea that Illinois is an up and coming program under this administration, and that they could be a part of this program’s rise.

No matter how the rest of the year pans out, Illinois can feel like year one under Bielema was a success, with a brighter future ahead.

Wisconsin Is Peaking At Right Time

Left for dead after a 1-3 start, Wisconsin now sits 6-3 and in control of the West after a 52-3 drubbing of Rutgers.

Anyone following the sport knows Wisconsin has a lights out defense, and the Badgers have relied on that unit and their run game to carry them back into the Big Ten title chase. It’s a recipe that has worked against inferior competition while they try to work through their issues with the passing game.

In the victory over Rutgers, QB Graham Mertz had his best game of the season. Mertz threw for 240 yards on 11 completions and 3 touchdowns. While Rutgers’ secondary is very bad this year, Wisconsin fans have to be happy to see some life from the QB position after dreadful play has plagued the team all year.

Also, it may become even more important for Mertz and company to build on their success through the air, as starting running back Chez Mellusi went down in the game with an injury. No word on how long Mellusi may be out for, but while the Badgers have Braelon Allen to shoulder the load, a prolonged absence of Mellusi will require Wisconsin to find offense from another source if it wishes to win the West and Big Ten.

Either way, kudos to the Wisconsin coaching staff for keeping the team together after the early struggles and staying alive in the chase for an invitation to Indy at the end of the year.

Huge Day For A Trio Of Big Ten Receivers

The Big Ten built its reputation as a football conference that runs the ball and plays good defense. Throwing or spreading out offenses was not the way to win in this conference.

Of course, over time those views changed. However, the reputation has never quite gone away. So allow yesterday to be your reminder that the Big Ten has evolved its offensive philosophy.

Receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba of Ohio State, Jahan Dotson of Penn State, and David Bell of Purdue all had record days receiving Saturday.

Smith-Njigba set an Ohio State single game record with 15 receptions in Ohio State’s 26-17 win over Nebraska. On the day, Smith-Njigba would finish with a stat line of 15 catches, for 240 yards, and 1 touchdown.

Jahan Dotson would set his own school record, as he recorded 242 yards receiving helping PSU to a 31-14 win over Maryland. Dotson’s stat line would end up 11 catches, 242 yards, and 3 touchdowns.

Last, but not least, in Purdue’s upset of a win over Michigan State, David Bell had a stat line of 11 receptions, for 217 yards, and 1 touchdown. It would be Bell’s 15th game of 100 or more yards receiving, setting a new school record for most 100 yard games receiving in a career.

It’s fun to think about how some of the old school coaches who helped build the Big Ten into the entity that it has become today would view such feats if they were still around today. Long gone are we the conference of three yards and a cloud of dust.

Tweets of the Week

Players of the Week

Offense

Aidan O’Connell – QB – Purdue

O’Connell played his best game against the Spartans this weekend, throwing for 536 yards, 3 touchdowns, and completing 74% of his throws. His performance ended MSU’s unbeaten season and helped Purdue become bowl eligible on the year.

Defense

Dane Belton – DB – Iowa

Belton helped Iowa return to the win column by recording 2 tackles, 1 pass deflection, and 2 interceptions. HIs last interception coming within the last two minutes of the game, helping to preserve Iowa’s 17-12 win over Northwestern.