(Sports Network) -
ILLINOIS: The Illini took it on the chin in their conference opener over the
weekend, losing at Ohio State in a 30-0 final. Juice Williams was ineffective
under center, throwing for just 77 yards with two INTs, while the Illinois run
game produced a mere 82 yards on 34 carries (2.4 ypc). The Illini held the
Buckeyes to zero passing yards in the first half, and only 82 for the game.
Their effort against the run, however, left quite a bit to be desired as OSU
piled up 236 yards and scored a pair of rushing TDs. Donsay Hardeman paced the
UI defense with a career-high eight tackles. The Illini will try once again to
post their first Big Ten win of the season when they play host to an ornery
Penn State squad this Saturday.

INDIANA: In what was a back-and-forth affair all afternoon, the Hoosiers wound
up on the short end of a 36-33 final at Michigan in the conference opener for
both teams. Darius Willis certainly did his best to help Indiana pull off the
upset, rushing for a career-high 152 yards and a two TDs, while Nick Freeland
matched a school record with four FGs. QB Ben Chapell threw for 270 yards with
an INT, but he did not have a scoring strike. Tandon Doss logged his second
100-yard receiving game of the season (104 yards). Matt Mayberry, Jammie
Kirlew and Greg Middleton were busy all day for the IU defense, combining for
23 tackles, of which four were for negative yardage including two sacks.
Indiana outgained Michigan, 467-372, but a 3-of-15 effort on third downs
certainly hurt the Hoosiers' chances. The 467 yards amassed by Indiana was the
most the team has ever posted against Michigan and its 33 points also marked
the most ever put up by an IU team against the Wolverines. There is no time to
think of what might have been for the Hoosiers, as the Ohio State Buckeyes
come to Bloomington this week.

IOWA: On a rain-soaked Saturday night in Happy Valley, the Hawkeyes battled
from behind to claim a 21-10 decision from No. 5 Penn State. It was the second
straight year in which Iowa upset a top-five ranked PSU squad and the seventh
time in the last nine games that the Hawkeyes have beaten the Nittany Lions.
Adam Robinson rushed for 88 yards and a TD to power the Iowa ground game,
helping pick up QB Ricky Stanzi who threw for just 135 yards with a pair of
INTs. Iowa, which has won eight consecutive games dating back to last season,
took advantage of four Penn State turnovers and the defense held the Lions to
just 109 rushing yards. The Hawkeyes' special teams also played an important
role in the outcome, coming up with a 53-yard punt return for a TD in the
early stages of the fourth quarter. Pat Angerer, the current Big Ten Defensive
Player of the Week, made a game-high 14 tackles, while Jeremiha Hunter
finished with a dozen. Broderick Binns was in on both sacks recorded by the UI
defense. Undefeated Iowa takes a break from the rigors of Big Ten play when it
host the Sun Belt Conference foe Arkansas State this Saturday.

MICHIGAN: Tate Forcier continues to establish himself as perhaps the next
great Michigan quarterback, as the freshman threw for 184 yards and two TDs to
lead the Wolverines past visiting Indiana over the weekend, 36-33. The UM
ground attack was also productive, accounting for 149 yards and three TDs, one
each coming from Carlos Brown, Brandon Minor and Forcier. On the other side of
the ball, the Michigan defense had its problems with the multi-faceted Indiana
offense, as the Hoosiers generated their most yards (467) and points (33) ever
against the Maize and Blue. Jonas Mouton and Obi Ezeh were both credited with
double-digit tackles in the contest with 11 and 10, respectively, while Ryan
Van Bergen finished with six stops, including a sack, and he broke up a pair
of passes as well. State bragging rights are on the line this weekend, as the
unbeaten Wolverines head to East Lansing to tangle with Michigan State.

MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans hung tough in their recent bout with Wisconsin,
but in the end just didn't have enough in the tank to pull out the win on the
road, falling to the Badgers in a 38-30 final. Michigan State shot itself in
the foot time and time again, suffering four turnovers on the day, including
three INTs. MSU QBs Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol combined to throw for 396
yards (matching the second-highest total in school history) and four TDs, two
of which went to Keshawn Martin, who finished with four grabs for 139 yards --
91 of which came on a scoring strike from Nichol with only 15 seconds
remaining in regulation. The Spartans picked up just 90 yards on the ground,
with Glenn Winston carrying the ball nine times for 52 yards. The Michigan
State defense yielded 436 total yards (193 rushing, 243 passing) and was on
the field for 37 and a half minutes. Three Spartans finished with double-digit
tackles, as Greg Jones, Roderick Jenrette and Trenton Robinson combined for 38
stops. Jones has logged at least 10 tackles in 10 of his last 11 games. The
Spartans host bitter rival Michigan this Saturday.

MINNESOTA: Balance was the order of the day for the Minnesota offense over the
weekend, as Duane Bennett rushed for a career-best three TDs and Adam Weber
passed for two scores in the Golden Gophers' 35-24 win over Northwestern. Eric
Decker led all receivers in the game with eight grabs for 84 yards and two
TDs, and Bennett finished with 89 yards on a career-high 21 carries. Decker,
who has 23 TD receptions in his career, has now caught a pass in 30 straight
games. Northwestern managed just 64 net rushing yards on 29 attempts for an
average of 2.2 ypc. The 'Cats did, however, amass 309 passing yards and scored
twice through the air. Nate Triplett and Simoni Lawrence tallied 10 tackles
apiece for Minnesota, which was credited with four sacks and three turnovers
on the day. The Gophers play host to the undefeated Wisconsin Badgers this
Saturday.

NORTHWESTERN: Despite 309 passing yards and two TDs from Mike Kafka, the
Wildcats fell in their Big Ten opener against Minnesota in Evanston over the
weekend, 35-24. It was the second consecutive game in which Kafka, who started
the day as the Big Ten leader in completion percentage (.744), threw for more
than 300 yards. Three different receivers wound up with at least 43 yards on
the day, with Zeke Markshausen leading the way with his six grabs for 70
yards. Arby Fields led the NU rushing attack with 43 yards and a TD on nine
carries, but the 'Cats finished with just 64 net rushing yards and committed
three turnovers. Brendan Smith spearheaded the Northwestern defensive effort
with 10 tackles, while Quentin Davie and Sherrick McManis finished with nine
stops apiece. The Wildcats continue their quest for their first conference win
of the campaign when they play at Purdue this Saturday.

OHIO STATE: For the second straight week, the Buckeyes blanked an opponent as
they topped visiting Illinois in the conference opener for both teams in a
30-0 final. Ohio State, which beat Toledo 38-0 the week before, had not posted
consecutive shutouts since doing so against Minnesota (45-0) and Illinois
(48-0) during the 1996 season. It was the OSU run game that inflicted the most
damage against the Illini, as RBs Dan Herron and Brandon Slaine combined for
156 yards and two TDs (both by Herron). Herron has now scored a rushing TD in
eight straight games, dating back to last season. Terrelle Pryor ran for 59
yards on a day where he threw just 13 times and completed eight passes for 82
yards and a TD. The Buckeye defense did an outstanding job of containing
dangerous Illinois QB Juice Williams, holding him to 77 passing yards and just
18 net rushing yards. Ohio State will try for its second conference win in as
many weeks when it hits the road for this Saturday's bout with Indiana.

PENN STATE: Daryll Clark threw three INTs and the Nittany Lions suffered four
turnovers in all in their 21-10 loss to visiting Iowa on Saturday night. As a
result, Penn State saw its 11-game home winning streak come to an end. Clark
completed just 12 passes for 198 yards with a TD, but that came early on with
the play covering 79 yards to Chaz Powell. Evan Royster is one of the Big
Ten's top RBs, but he was held in check on a soggy field, rushing for just 69
yards. The PSU defense got stellar individual performances from Navorro Bowman
and Josh Hull, who logged 13 tackles apiece, including five TFLs. Nick Sukay
was credited with a career-best nine stops and he also came up with his first
collegiate INT in addition to breaking up four passes. Despite the loss, the
PSU defense has allowed just three TDs this season, none of which have come in
the first half. Coach Joe Paterno's club can't spend too much time licking its
wounds as the Lions head to Champaign for this week's conference clash with
Illinois.

PURDUE: The Boilermakers were the only Big Ten team not to open conference
play over the weekend, instead playing host to Hoosier State rival Notre Dame.
Despite battling all afternoon, Purdue wound up on the losing end of a 24-21
final. Purdue's Joey Elliott completed 22-of-38 passes for 289 yards and three
TDs, hitting Keith Smith 11 times for 136 yards and a score. The PU run game
generated just 74 net yards, with Ralph Bolden accounting for 67 yards on 17
totes. The Fighting Irish finished with 383 total yards, getting near equal
production from both the run (167 yards, two TDs) and the pass (216 yards, one
TD). Purdue committed a pair of turnovers and was flagged 13 times for a loss
of 103 yards, and Notre Dame held almost a 10-minute advantage in time of
possession. Dwight Mclean and Joe Holland both made 10 tackles in the game,
and Jason Werner had two of the team's four sacks. Purdue kicks off the league
portion of its schedule this Saturday at home against Northwestern.

WISCONSIN: Scott Tolzien threw for 243 yards and a career-high four touchdowns
to lead the Badgers past visiting Michigan State, 38-30, on Saturday
afternoon. Tolzien was named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Week for
his efforts. TE Garrett Graham caught three TD passes for the Badgers, while
the UW run game featured the stellar play of John Clay, who rushed for 142
yards and a score. The Badgers took full advantage of four MSU turnovers,
converting three of them into TDs. Wisconsin controlled the ball for 37:29,
the first time it has won the time of possession battle this season, and made
good on 11-of-18 third down conversion attempts in the win, which kept the
team perfect on the year (4-0). The UW defense held the Spartans to just 90
yards rushing, and freshman Mike Taylor paced the squad with eight tackles and
his first career INT. The Badgers return to action this Saturday when they
travel to Minneapolis for a conference clash with the Minnesota Golden
Gophers.





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