By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
Fourteen Massive Ten packages are in motion this week throughout seven convention video games.
The primary CFP rankings have been launched earlier this week, and the Massive Ten noticed a convention report seven groups ranked.
Amongst these seven have been three of the 4 groups from the west, with Oregon at No. 9, USC at No. 20, and Washington at No. 23.
If the Playoff have been to start this week, the Massive Ten would personal the highest two seeds with Ohio State topping the seeding, adopted by Indiana. The Geese would additionally be part of these two within the 12-team subject.
However the postseason doesn’t begin simply but, and we’ve got one other month of soccer to play earlier than these rankings actually imply something.
Every week, we spotlight the video games that includes the 4 West Coast faculties within the Massive Ten and a few different convention matchups.
This week, the one sport overlooked is Ohio State at Purdue. The Buckeyes will win massive and carry on rolling.
Here’s a take a look at the six Massive Ten video games we’re highlighting.
Northwestern Wildcats at No. 19 USC Trojans
Friday, November 7
6:00 PM PT, FOX
Line: USC –14
Over/Beneath: 50.5
The Trojans are presently on the surface wanting in on the playoffs.
USC can change that down the stretch, with a pair of ranked video games in opposition to Iowa and Oregon developing. However earlier than the Trojans attempt to handle that little bit of enterprise, they should get by a gritty Northwestern squad.
The Wildcats will head west following a bye week, whereas the Trojans performed an evening sport final Saturday at Nebraska. That could possibly be one thing to look at for on this contest, with USC coming off a brief week and Northwestern wanting comparatively contemporary.
Each of those groups have run the ball nicely this season. USC has been bitten by groups that transfer the ball efficiently on the bottom. Caleb Komolafe posted a career-high 125 yards on the bottom for the Cats of their final sport at Nebraska.
If the Trojans can’t discover a solution to include the NU floor assault, they could possibly be in for a battle.
The massive secret’s Jayden Maiava. The USC QB struggled throwing the soccer in opposition to the Huskers final week. However the Trojans shifted to the bottom assault within the second half, and Maiava was an enormous a part of that, totaling 62 speeding yards on 5.64 per carry.
That may be a wrinkle that Northwestern should key on this week. The Wildcats are thirteenth within the nation in opposition to the go, giving up simply 165.1 yards by way of the air per sport.
Any menace of Maiava pulling it down or operating the choice will open issues up for the Trojans within the passing sport.
The Cats have been strong in opposition to the run this season however search for King Miller to get a heavy workload on this one.
Northwestern will preserve this one attention-grabbing for a bit, however the Trojans will draw back.
Towards the unfold: USC
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: USC
No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers at Penn State Nittany Lions
Saturday, November 8
9:00 AM PT, FOX
Line: Indiana –14.5
Over/Beneath: 48.5
Indiana has by no means gained a sport at Penn State.
This hasn’t been a typical Massive Ten season, nevertheless, and the Hoosiers enter this one as a two-touchdown favourite.
And they’re totally different as a result of this Indiana protection is loaded with playmakers. They shut down the bottom assault, and Penn State might want to get manufacturing from Kaytron Allen, who was restricted to only 3.6 yards per carry final week in opposition to Ohio State.
On the season, Allen is averaging 5.78 yards per tote. The again may have hassle discovering room to run in on Saturday, but when the PSU offense is to do any harm, they may want him to have an enormous day.
The Hoosiers even have a fairly good offense, with Fernando Mendoza spreading it throughout as one of many Heisman favorites.
However the Massive Ten-leading Indiana floor assault is doing a lot of the work, ranked sixth nationally with 245.7 yards per sport.
An enormous subject for the Nittany Lions following the loss at OSU final week is how a lot the gamers have left within the tank.
Let’s not overlook, on prime of every thing that has unfolded for PSU this season, the Lions are actually firmly entrenched in a five-game dropping streak and coping with psychological fatigue that goes with that.
If Indiana begins sizzling, the Hoosiers will bury the Nittany Lions. If Penn State can preserve issues shut early, PSU might make this a 60-minute struggle. The Lions nonetheless subject a ton of expertise.
Indiana has outscored opponents 122-16 within the third quarter and 201-38 within the second half.
Scorching begin or not, the Hoosiers will end this one robust and go away central PA with a win for the primary time in program historical past.
Towards the unfold: Indiana
Factors Whole: Over
Outright winner: Indiana
Maryland Terrapins at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Saturday November 8
11:30 AM PT, FS1
Line: Maryland –1.5
Over/Beneath: 58.5
This one in Piscataway is a big sport for each Maryland and Rutgers. If both of those groups hopes to go bowling this season, they should come away with a win on Saturday.
Rutgers is 4-5 on the season with a visit to Ohio State on the horizon. The Terps are within the midst of a four-game dropping streak and have a pair of powerful exams on deck.
Evidently, the bowl hopes of each groups are teetering on the brink, and the loser will doubtless see their season finish early.
Maryland began sizzling in opposition to Indiana and had the No. 2 group within the nation on the ropes for a quarter-and-a-half earlier than the wheels got here off.
The Terps haven’t completed robust in any respect this season, having been outscored 75-24 within the fourth quarter. They should put collectively a full 60 minutes.
RU has struggled to cease anybody, and enters the sport giving up a Massive Ten-worst 428 yards per sport, which ranks 121st within the nation.
Maryland’s protection has not been nice both, however Malik Washington could make extra performs at QB for the Terps than Rutgers will get.
If not for a visit to Purdue just a few weeks in the past, Rutgers can be within the midst of a six-game slide. Maryland might want to discover a solution to decelerate the Rutgers floor assault.
I feel they will. The Terps preserve their bowl hopes alive for a short time longer.
Towards the unfold: Maryland
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: Maryland
No. 9 Oregon Geese at No. 20 Iowa Hawkeyes
Saturday, November 8
12:30 PM PT, CBS
Line: Oregon –6
Over/Beneath: 40.5
Okinnick Stadium is rarely a straightforward place to depart with a win, and the Geese will definitely have their palms full with Iowa this week.
Each of those groups are bodily, play good protection, and can wish to run the soccer.
The massive key on this one could possibly be massive performs. Oregon leads the Massive Ten with 61 performs from scrimmage of 20+ yards, the third most within the nation.
Iowa’s offense has produced simply 24 such performs this season, the third fewest amongst convention groups.
Now, defensively the Hawkeyes have solely allowed 18 performs of 20+ yards, second-best within the Massive Ten and third nationally. Who within the convention has allowed fewer?
The Oregon Geese. UO has allowed simply 13 performs from scrimmage of 20+ yards this season to steer the nation in that class.
This Iowa offense is significantly better this season than in previous seasons with Mark Gronowski beneath heart; the QB has not less than one speeding TD in every sport this season.
However will Iowa have sufficient offense to match the Geese? I don’t assume so.
The final time the Geese performed a very dominant protection was in opposition to Indiana, and Oregon has improved offensively since that sport.
Iowa will make it tough for Oregon to run the ball, however the Hawkeyes don’t have something near the go rush that Indiana has.
Dante Moore may have time to search out his receivers, and the Geese will have the ability to get some explosive performs.
Oregon leaves Iowa with the win in a decent sport highlighted by good defensive play.
Towards the unfold: Oregon
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: Oregon
No. 23 Washington Huskies at Wisconsin Badgers
Saturday, November 8
1:30 PM PT, Massive Ten Community
Line: Washington –11.5
Over/Beneath: 46.5
The Huskies appear to be a group poised to crash the playoff celebration if they will win out.
The Badgers are struggling by way of a dreadful season. The UW offense seems to be like top-of-the-line within the nation.
The Wisconsin offense ranks one hundred and thirty fifth within the nation and doesn’t look nearly as good as its rating. The Badgers are averaging 12.5 factors per sport and have managed simply seven factors of their final 4 video games mixed.
Can Washington go away Madison fairly pleased with a win? Sure, they need to, however this Badger protection can nonetheless make issues fairly depressing on opposing offenses.
So, whereas the Huskies will likely be examined once they have the ball, Washington’s offense gives so many choices and totally different seems to be it makes them powerful to cease.
Demond Williams is flexible and can punish the Badgers if they struggle to remove the run.
UW was in a position to create house for Jonah Coleman in opposition to Illinois final trip. Discovering room to run in opposition to Wisconsin will definitely be tough, however with some persistence, the bottom assault needs to be positive.
Merely put, the Huskies may have sufficient offense to get it executed and the Badgers will proceed to battle to attain factors.
Washington should just do sufficient to outlive, and they’ll.
This one stays beneath the whole on supply however nearly the entire scoring will come from the guests in Purple and Gold.
Towards the unfold: Washington
Factors Whole: Beneath
Outright winner: Washington
Nebraska Cornhuskers at UCLA Bruins
Saturday, November 8
6:00 PM PT, FOX
Line: UCLA -1.5
Over/Beneath: 43.5
Nebraska travels to UCLA and the Huskers will achieve this with a brand new QB guiding the present. After his unlucky damaged leg, Dylan Raiola offers solution to TJ Lateef.
Lateef, a real freshman from Orange County, CA, entered the season with a ton of upside, but additionally a yr to study and develop.
Now he’s thrust in his first profession begin on the Rose Bowl.
The brand new QB performed nicely in opposition to USC, with just a few quick passes, however the Bruins may have every week to prepare for him.
The Huskers are positively a throw-first group, however Emmett Johnson has already topped 1,000 yards this season and carried it 29 occasions final week.
Whereas the passing sport will take an enormous hit beneath Lateef, the QB gives much more within the operating sport than Raiola did.
It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how a lot the Huskers incorporate this weekend.
UCLA got here again to earth a bit the final trip in opposition to Indiana, however plenty of groups have executed so in opposition to the Hoosiers this season. Following a bye week with the Huskers reeling, that is the proper time for the Bruins to get issues again on observe.
With the intention to try this, UCLA might want to give Nico Iamaleava time to function within the passing assault. The Bruins have executed a great job of getting him some runs within the choice and that’s the place he has been the strongest.
The QB must be a menace on each down for UCLA to achieve success. With the intention to get the passing sport rolling the Bruins may have to have some max defend seems to be.
Search for UCLA to maintain the TE in to dam and cut back some routes, but it surely might open extra prospects up.
Lateef could possibly be arrange for a storybook first begin for because the QB returns to Southern California, however the Bruins will spoil the fairytale ending and get again to their successful methods
Towards the unfold: UCLA
Factors Whole: Over
Outright winner: UCLA
writes about varied subjects for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and data, faculty sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Middle (SERC).
