By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
All 18 Large Ten groups are in motion this week throughout 9 convention video games. We check out the 4 video games that includes the West Coast colleges and two others that supply some intrigue.
The Large Ten schedule kicks off with Washington internet hosting Rutgers in a sport that might see the scoreboard mild up.
UCLA will look to make it two in a row with a visit to East Lansing, whereas the in-state rival for every of these groups will meet in LA as USC welcomes Michigan to the Coliseum.
The marquee matchup within the convention brings No. 7 Indiana to No. 3 Oregon for a Prime 10 showdown.
(Within the three Large Ten video games we don’t have a look at this week, I believe Nebraska barely avoids the upset at Maryland. Penn State takes out a few weeks of frustration on Northwestern, and Minnesota beats Purdue.)
And with that, here’s a have a look at the six Large Ten video games we’re highlighting.
Rutgers at Washington
Friday, October 10
6:00 PM PT, FS1
Line: Washington -10.5
Over/Underneath: 59.5
A pair of high-scoring offenses can be on provide in Seattle on Friday Evening.
The Huskies boast the Sixteenth-highest scoring offense within the nation, averaging 39.4 factors per outing, whereas the Knights are the 18th most prolific scoring group within the nation at 39.0 factors per sport.
So, whose protection will step up?
On paper, it seems like that edge lies with the Purple and Gold. UW is nineteenth within the nation in complete protection, limiting foes to 283.6 yards per sport. Rutgers is permitting 346.4 per sport—not horrible, however not as stingy because the Huskies.
Washington has additionally performed Ohio State this season, whereas essentially the most harmful offense Rutgers has confronted is Ohio College. Athens and Columbus are solely about an hour and twenty minutes aside on US 33, however these two offenses are nowhere close to one another.
The Huskies have been in a position to transfer the soccer with average success towards OSU; the difficulty was within the Purple Zone. In three journeys contained in the 20, UW got here away with a pair of FGs. Leaving 11 factors on the sector in an 18-point loss.
In Washington’s different 19 journeys to the Purple Zone this season, they’ve scored a TD on 17 of them. Rutgers ranks 123rd within the nation in Purple Zone protection and has transformed 73.7% of their journeys, 114th within the land.
The bottom sport could take a short time to get going for UW on this one. Rutgers has achieved job bottling up backs this season.
However it can ultimately get going for Washington. Demond Williams ought to be capable to discover house, and Jonah Coleman will get free sooner or later. As soon as the bottom sport is established, the Huskies must be in management.
Rutgers will rating some factors, however Washington wins going away.
In opposition to the unfold: Washington
Factors Whole: Over
Outright winner: Washington
UCLA at Michigan State 
Saturday, October 11
9:00 AM PT, Large Ten Community
Line: Michigan State -8.5
Over/Underneath: 55.5
Now, I’m not going to attempt to let you know I had any inkling that UCLA was going to have the ability to shock the world towards Penn State final week, as a result of I didn’t. I figured an offended PSU group would roll.
What I did say on this column final Thursday was that if the Bruins have been going to have an opportunity at making it a sport, then Nico Iamaleava would wish to make performs along with his arm and his legs.
Nicely, the QB did simply that, operating for 128 yards and three touchdowns. He added two extra by the air, and that’s the form of output the Bruins want each trip from the star QB.
Clearly, these gawdy numbers won’t be replicated every week, however the Bruins want him to make performs within the operating sport to open all the pieces up.
So, was that sport an indication of issues to return for UCLA, or just a blueprint on the best way to beat Penn State—one thing now we have seen two weeks in a row now?
It may be a little bit of each, perhaps extra of an indictment on PSU, however we’ll be taught so much in regards to the Bruins this week.
The Spartans have been good towards the run for essentially the most half, however did get torched on the bottom by USC. The arrogance that UCLA will carry into East Lansing on offense can’t be understated.
MSU has solely needed to take care of one true operating QB this season, Broc Lowry of Western Michigan, and he averaged 4.8 yards per carry. However he additionally had his lowest dashing efficiency, and it’s value noting his fewest rush makes an attempt in a sport up to now.
So, the Bruins will as soon as once more want Iamaleava to create issues along with his legs. And it ought to open issues up in by the air, as MSU has been dreadful towards the cross this season.
The Bruin protection might want to drive Aidan Chiles into some poor choices and make issues uncomfortable for the QB within the pocket. UCLA has not been in a position to get to QBs with any consistency
That might want to change towards the Spartans, with some deficiencies in cross safety. If the Bruins permit Chiles to get in a groove, it might be a really lengthy day for the guests.
There’s some hope for the Bruins now, because the season doesn’t seem like a complete loss. There nonetheless usually are not a ton of wins left on the schedule, however this might be considered one of them . . . Although I don’t suppose will probably be.
The Bruins cowl, however the Spartans win in a really entertaining contest.
In opposition to the unfold: UCLA
Factors Whole: Over
Outright winner: Michigan State
No. 1 Ohio State at No. 17 Illinois 
Saturday, October 11
9:00 AM PT, FOX
Line: Ohio State -14.5
Over/Underneath: 49.5
Tright here is quite a lot of school soccer left to be performed this 12 months, however a bit over 1 / 4 of the best way by the season, it appears there will not be a dominant group in 2025.
Whereas that will or will not be the case, it does seem that there’s a dominant protection, and that protection resides in Columbus, OH, and is clad within the Scarlet and Grey.
Whereas the Buckeyes definitely have some offensive points, the protection is as stout because it will get, with OSU permitting simply 25 complete factors by 5 video games.
Opponents have managed simply three area objectives in eight Purple Zone journeys, and are changing on simply 20.3% of third downs. Make no mistake, his protection is an issue.
The final time Illinois confronted a dominant protection, it was battered by Indiana. Luke Altmyer ended up on his again seven instances.
The Illini appear to have the safety fastened since that debacle, nonetheless, permitting simply three complete sacks within the final two video games. However search for the Buckeyes to ratchet up the warmth.
If there may be one factor the Buckeyes protection has not achieved effectively, it’s creating takeaways and Illinois takes care of the soccer. Altmyer shouldn’t be going to make quite a lot of errors and that, together with the protection, may hold the Illini on this one for a bit.
Ohio State wins and possibly covers, but it surely stays tighter for lots longer than some could anticipate.
In opposition to the unfold: Ohio State
Factors Whole: Underneath
Outright winner: Ohio State
No. 7 Indiana at No. 3 Oregon
Saturday, October 11
12:30 PM PT, CBS
Line: Oregon -7.5
Over/Underneath: 55.5
The final time a Large Ten group went to Eugene, Oregon, and left Autzen with a win was September 11, 2004. The victors that night?The Indiana Hoosiers in a 30-24 stunner.
So, can the Hoosiers pull the upset once more? Or will Oregon get a second signature win in as many video games?
Now the Penn State win could have misplaced some luster after the klunker for PSU on the Rose Bowl final week, however make no mistake, successful at Penn State in a whiteout isn’t any small feat and shouldn’t be discounted.
This would be the hardest protection Dante Moore and the Geese have confronted this season. Almost definitely, will probably be the hardest unit they face within the common season. And the important thing for the Geese might be the play of their QB.
The final trip, towards PSU, Moore was stellar, throwing the ball, however he additionally made performs along with his legs. He’ll want to try this as soon as once more and create performs when issues break down.
Indiana is among the many finest within the nation at attending to the QB, and so they can get it achieved with simply the entrance 4. The Hoosiers don’t want quite a lot of unique blitz packages to create havoc.
The Geese have solely allowed one sack all season.
And there, my pals, is the important thing to this one. Whoever controls the road of scrimmage, particularly when Oregon has the ball, will most probably win.
The Hoosiers have the fifth-most prolific offense within the nation this season and are balanced on that aspect of the ball. If Oregon takes away the run, Indiana can be more than pleased to sling it round.
Indiana is permitting only one sack per sport, and a majority of them this season got here by the hands of Iowa.
Oregon has not been nice and creating sacks; the Geese might want to make issues uncomfortable for Fernando Mendoza. If the QB has a clear pocket and time to function, he can decide aside a protection.
Neither of those groups flip it over; Oregon has solely given the ball away as soon as this season whereas Indiana has solely turned it over twice. If both group creates a takeaway, will probably be enormous.
Oregon might be the most effective group within the nation, and Indiana will not be that far behind.
The road opened at 10.5 and has fallen to 7.5; the cash is leaning towards Indiana. However the Geese are the extra gifted group.
I believe Oregon escapes with a home-field win, however the Hoosiers get the quilt.
In opposition to the unfold: Indiana
Factors Whole: Over
Outright winner: Oregon
Iowa at Wisconsin 
Saturday, October 11
4:00 PM PT, FS1
Line: Iowa -3.5
Over/Underneath: 35.5
Iaybe Nebraska vs. Maryland is the extra intriguing matchup, and with the best way the Badgers are enjoying, that one involving the Terps and Huskers might need extra bearing on the Large Ten standings.
However this one between Iowa and Wisconsin is a rivalry, and there’s a trophy on the road, so I selected to write down about it as a substitute.
The Hartland Trophy is the prize, and the Hawkeyes have owned it for the final three years and can search for their first four-game win streak within the collection since 2006.
Iowa boasts a 29-11 mark in its final 40 rivalry video games (Iowa St, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin). For the Badgers, it’s homecoming, and so they have been a stellar 10-1 when welcoming again the alumni since 2013.
This one shapes up because the Badgers’ run protection towards the Hawkeyes’ dashing assault. Wisconsin is considered one of simply 13 groups nationally that haven’t allowed greater than two runs of 20+ yards this season.
UW is sixth nationally, limiting opponents to simply 75 yards on the bottom, though they gave up 175 to Michigan final week. Iowa is averaging 178 per outing on the bottom.
Iowa can be excellent towards the run and, statistically talking, higher than their counterparts to the NE on US-151. The Hawkeyes are yielding simply 69.4 dashing yards per sport.
In contrast to Iowa, Wisconsin can’t transfer the soccer on the bottom, and actually has not been too good at throwing it both.
This one will keep shut, as a result of these groups will at all times hold it shut, however Iowa pulls away in the long run and will get the win. The Badgers haven’t scored greater than 14 in any of their final three; they received’t achieve this on this one both.
In opposition to the unfold: Iowa
Factors Whole: Underneath
Outright winner: Iowa
No. 15 Michigan at USC
Saturday, October 11
4:30 PM PT, NBC
Line: USC -2.5
Over/Underneath: 57.5
This one is an enormous deal. It’s Michigan and it’s USC, two iconic manufacturers in school soccer. IT can be an enormous deal it doesn’t matter what, however the truth is the winner has a reasonably good shot at being the fourth—if not third—finest group within the Large Ten.
And with that additionally comes the chance to make your method into the Playoff.
For USC, it is a must-win sport for that to occur following the loss to Illinois. With journeys forward to Notre Dame and Oregon, the Trojans have the chance to make a press release down the stretch, however they’ll’t afford a loss at dwelling on Saturday.
Michigan has a go to from OSU to finish the season, however that is their solely probability at a signature street win, and a loss coupled with the sooner loss at Oklahoma can be sufficient to derail Michigan’s playoff hopes—barring one other upset of the Buckeyes.
The Wolverines haven’t been something close to as dominant this season, however they hold successful video games. And they’re getting it achieved with basically sound soccer. UM doesn’t flip it over, with simply three giveaways all season.
And maybe extra importantly, particularly with a real freshman underneath heart, they don’t seem to be committing penalties. The Wolverines are solely getting flagged 4 instances per sport, the eleventh fewest flags towards per outing within the nation.
Because of this, Michigan has solely confronted 25 third downs of seven+ yards this season. UM is changing simply 24% of these third down makes an attempt, whereas they’ve a conversion price of 54.1% on third and 6 or much less.
USC might want to get Michigan off schedule and behind the sticks. The way in which the Trojans can do that’s by getting stops within the backfield. USC is seventh within the nation with 3.4 sacks per sport and eight.0 tackles for loss per sport, higher than all however 9 groups nationally.
The Wolverines don’t have many backwards performs but when the Trojans are to get this win, the defensive entrance might want to win within the trenches.
I believe USC will maintain serve at dwelling and get the win in a sport that stays tight your entire night time.
In opposition to the unfold: USC
Factors Whole: Underneath
Outright winner: USC
writes about numerous subjects for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and data, school sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Middle (SERC).
