Big Ten football enters Week 6 of the college football season with a lot to be sorted out…below Ohio State, Penn State, and Oregon.
The Buckeyes are the only of the top three without an above average win, but that could change with the Iowa Hawkeyes coming to Columbus. Nah, not with their offense against one of the best defenses in the nation.
The Nittany Lions are only 28-point home favorites against UCLA, but that would mean expecting the Bruins to slow down, let alone stop any competent offense they have faced so far.
Oregon is a 23.5-point home favorite against Michigan State. I’d think about taking Sparty to cover, but a win is not happening.
The only team outside of that trio that is comfortably favored and has no business (and won’t be) losing is the Indiana Hoosiers traveling to Northwestern.
Who amongst the rest of the conference should watch their back on Saturday?
USC Trojans at Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Trojans are getting their due respect as 8.5-point road favorites, but the offense is having difficulty playing a full game.
That would be costly against an above average Gophers defense because there is no reason to think the offense will do anything other than trying to #EstablishIt and play keepaway.
A road loss would all but bury their season with PSU heading to L.A. for Week 7.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Nebraska Cornhuskers
In eight halves of play at home, Nebraska has had a single bad one. Rutgers continues to not look scary as a whole, but they have lived on the edge in close games and figure to be in one in Lincoln.
If Rutgers RB Kyle Monangai can solve the stout Cornhusker run defense, then the game leans toward the Scarlet Knights in what could be a second straight upset home loss for Nebraska.
Michigan Wolverines at Washington Huskies
This matchup is getting the NBC night game treatment and I am here for it. Can Alex Orji keep adding passing yards to his boxscore and finally crack the century mark? The Huskies have been undisciplined and could give the Wolverines passing attack trouble.
It’s difficult to see Michigan putting together four quarters of good play on the road, especially after allowing numerous teams into The Big House and have the advantage for long stretches of time.