By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
This week, 17 of the 18 Large Ten groups are in motion throughout eight convention video games.
USC steps out of league play for the intersectional rivalry with Notre Dame, and Illinois has the week off following its reasonably sturdy exhibiting in opposition to Ohio State. (The turtle—the Illi-Buck Trophy—stayed with the workforce clad in Scarlet and Grey).
Nearer to house, the Huskies look to make a press release in opposition to Michigan, the Bruins hope to remain scorching, and the Geese search to rebound from an oh-so-rare defeat in Eugene.
Every week on this column, we take a look at the 4 West Coast Large Ten groups and the opposite Large Ten video games of essentially the most curiosity for a preview of six contests.
Along with the area’s 4 groups this weekend, we spotlight the Friday evening battle between Minnesota and Nebraska and the trophy matchup between Indiana and Michigan State.
Among the many three Large Ten video games we don’t preview this week, I feel Northwestern barely avoids the upset at house vs Purdue. And in Iowa Metropolis, it is going to be a brand new coach, however the identical consequence as Penn State loses once more.
Lastly, Ohio State will beat Wisconsin so badly that you’ll marvel if Luke Fickell survives the weekend.
With that, right here is my tackle the six Large Ten video games we’re that includes.
No. 25 Nebraska at Minnesota 
Friday, October 17
5:00 PM PT, FOX
Line: Nebraska –7.5
Over/Beneath: 50.5
Minnesota is unbeaten in 4 house video games this season. Nebraska is unbeaten on the street, although the pattern measurement is sort of small. One thing has to provide.
The Huskers have solely performed one true street sport, and it was final week at Maryland. In that one, Nebraska rallied within the fourth quarter, scoring the sport’s closing 10 factors within the final eight minutes to safe a three-point win.
The Gophers have been superb in opposition to the run this season, however obtained torched on the bottom final week of their win over Purdue, giving up 253 yards.
The Huskers had a great deal of success on the bottom in opposition to the Terps final week, however it’s Dylan Raiola making performs within the passing sport that can make the offense hum.
The Gophers have been lit up via the air of their two losses. Ohio State threw for 341 in opposition to them whereas Cal went for 279.
Search for Nebraska to make the most of the Minnesota secondary and depart the Twin Cities with a win—and possibly a late cowl.
In opposition to the unfold: Nebraska
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: Nebraska
Washington at Michigan 
Saturday, October 18
9:00 AM PT, Large Ten Community
Line: Michigan –5.5
Over/Beneath: 50.5
Washington is sneaking up on some folks.
We knew the Huskies have been going to be a strong workforce coming into the season, however with the 5-1 begin and strong exhibiting in opposition to Ohio State, they’re beginning to make some people across the nation take discover.
Demond Williams can be beginning to present the remainder of the world simply how good he’s.
And the Huskies are getting it accomplished within the first half of the season, with Jonah Coleman being comparatively quiet, regardless of main the nation in speeding touchdowns. As soon as he will get going, the Huskies might be lights out.
That is one which the Huskies may want the star again to step up in. The Wolverines are all the time good on protection and particularly good in opposition to the run.
That’s once more the case this season, however the Maize and Blue should not practically as dominant at stuffing the run as they’ve been in latest seasons.
They at present rank twentieth in defending the bottom assault, giving up simply over 100 yards per sport, they usually gave up 224 on the bottom to USC final week.
Within the 4 wins, they’ve allowed 61.8 whereas getting torched on the bottom within the losses to the tune of 181 per sport.
Oklahoma and USC each punished the Wolverines on the bottom, and you’ll suppose the Huskies ought to discover success as properly.
On the opposite facet of the ball, Bryce Underwood has been superb underneath middle for Michigan. The true freshman has thrown for simply over 200 yards per sport whereas additionally working for 177 yards on the season.
As strong as he has been, Michigan must run the ball to search out success. Michigan is 0-2 this season after they fail to succeed in not less than 175 speeding yards.
Washington has the seventh-best run protection within the nation, permitting simply 82.8 yards per outing. Essentially the most the Huskies have allowed on the bottom this season is 149 to Ohio State.
Washington will rating the upset within the Large Home and keep within the hunt for the Large Ten and Playoff rivalry.
In opposition to the unfold: Washington
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: Washington
Michigan State at No. 3 Indiana
Saturday, October 18
12:30 PM PT, Peacock
Line: Indiana –27.5
Over/Beneath: 52.5
Curt Cignetti is 17-2 since taking up the Indiana job, and people 17 wins over the past two seasons are essentially the most in any two-year span in Hoosier program historical past—and the workforce nonetheless has not less than seven video games to play in 2025.
The turnaround in Bloomington has been a gargantuan feat. Every week after ending Oregon’s nation-leading house profitable streak, the Hoosiers will welcome Michigan State to city for the battle of the Outdated Brass Spittoon.
Whereas IU is experiencing a degree of profitable underneath its second-year head coach that it has by no means seen earlier than, the Spartans are struggling via Yr Two underneath Jonathan Smith.
MSU is 0-3 in convention play and, relationship to final season, has gone 1-7 in its final eight Large Ten video games with a 20.4-point common margin of defeat over these seven losses.
So, how does MSU keep on this one? Run the soccer; the Spartans are 3-0 after they run for not less than 150 yards this season.
Indiana has allowed greater than 93 yards on the bottom in only one sport —ODU ran for 218 within the opener, and 159 of them got here on two performs. The Hoosiers restricted Oregon to 81 on the bottom.
Indiana could also be gassed and maybe due for a letdown, but it surely received’t be this week in opposition to a banged-up Michigan State workforce.
Indiana has the nation’s third-longest home-field profitable streak at 12 video games, they usually received’t see it finish on Saturday.
The Spitter stays in Bloomington for not less than yet another season.
In opposition to the unfold: Indiana
Factors Complete: Over
Outright winner: Indiana
No. 8 Oregon at Rutgers
Saturday, October 18
3:30 PM PT, Large Ten Community
Line: Oregon –17
Over/Beneath: 60.5
Oregon ran right into a protection that was able to play final week. The Geese solely managed 15 yards of offense within the fourth quarter in opposition to Indiana and have been held to only 64 yards of offense after halftime.
Dante Moore was sacked six occasions, and the outing was about as un-Oregon-like as you would get. Now we return to our usually scheduled broadcast.
Rutgers goes to be the elixir to erase final week’s efficiency. The Scarlet Knights opened the season with three straight wins however are nonetheless on the lookout for their first little bit of success in convention play.
The Knights had a 10-0 lead on Washington on the finish of the primary quarter final week, however noticed it evaporate within the second quarter. The second half in Seattle shouldn’t be something the Knights will look again fondly on as they obtained outscored 28-6 following the break.
Rutgers has allowed 13 sacks of their three Large Ten video games this season, with Minnesota attending to Athan Kaliakmanis seven occasions. The Geese ought to be capable of ratchet up the stress on RU and dominate the road of scrimmage.
Search for Matayo Uiagalelei to feast on this one.
When the Geese have the ball, they are going to be dealing with the 114th-ranked go protection within the nation. Dante Moore and the offense may have a bounce-back sport in a giant method.
In opposition to the unfold: Oregon
Factors Complete: Over
Outright winner: Oregon
Maryland at UCLA
Saturday, October 18
4:00 PM PT, FS1
Line: UCLA –3.5
Over/Beneath: 52.5
Can the Bruins hold this factor rolling?
Properly, issues are going to begin to toughen up on the UCLA’s schedule with a visit to OSU, IU, and USC nonetheless forward, together with visits from Washington and Nebraska.
But it surely actually begins with the Terps coming to Pasadena.
Whereas UCLA opened the season 0-4 solely to win its final two, Maryland opened the season 4-0 and suffered a pair of robust losses. Make no mistake, regardless of the latest defeats, this can be a very strong Maryland workforce.
This UCLA offense has seemed utterly totally different the final two weeks, scoring 80 factors with 10 touchdowns and 426.5 yards of whole offense per sport with zero turnovers.
The final quantity is perhaps the most important because the Bruins turned it over 4 occasions within the first 4 video games of the season. Maryland, nonetheless, leads the nation in turnover margin at +1.67 per sport. The Terps’ protection has picked off an FBS-leading 12 passes this season.
Staying clear with the soccer might be simpler stated than accomplished this week and might be pivotal if UCLA needs to make it three in a row.
Malik Washington has stepped in at QB for Maryland as a real freshman and at present ranks thirtieth within the nation, throwing for 251 yards per sport, however he has solely accomplished 62.3% of his passes.
This has rather a lot to do together with his receivers having a ton of drops, but when UCLA can get the Terps in long-yardage conditions, they may have success on protection. UCLA shouldn’t be a simple workforce to throw in opposition to, permitting simply 173.7 passing yards per sport, twenty fifth within the nation.
And whereas UCLA has been horrible in opposition to the run, Maryland has not been capable of run the ball successfully all season.
Will probably be power on power, and whichever unit performs higher, and maybe covers up their deficiencies higher, will succeed.
I feel the Bruins will once more seem like a workforce able to make noise this season, however I feel the true key on this one might be turnovers.
For that purpose, I just like the Terps to finish the Bruins’ win streak as they power some errors.
In opposition to the unfold: Maryland
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: Maryland
No. 20 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame
Saturday, October 18
4:30 PM PT, NBC
Line: Notre Dame –9.5
Over/Beneath: 61.5
For the second straight week, we get a primetime NBC matchup with a pair of massive manufacturers, and for the second straight week, a type of squads is USC.
Now, can the Trojans replicate the outcomes from per week in the past in South Bend this Saturday and head again to LA with the Shillelagh?
Sure, sure, they’ll. They usually can if they’ll transfer the ball on the bottom like they did in opposition to Michigan. The Combating Irish have allowed simply 75.5 yards on the bottom within the final two video games and have allowed solely 106.2 per sport this season.
That makes this Notre Dame protection the twenty fifth greatest within the land at shutting down the run. That’s stout. You recognize who else is stout in opposition to the run? Michigan!
They’re nonetheless permitting simply 101.5 per sport, and previous to USC working throughout them have been permitting 77.5 per sport. There isn’t any purpose USC will be unable to run the ball once more this week.
Offensively, the Trojans have been practically good other than a collapse in opposition to Illinois. If USC doe not implode in that one we’re taking a look at an unbeaten Trojan workforce heading to Notre Dame as a favourite.
That loss has forged some doubt, however the Irish haven’t fared properly in opposition to reasonably respectable groups this season.
Not solely is the Trojan offense good however the protection is loaded with athletes, particularly within the center. The SC linebackers might be in for a giant sport this week.
This one might be a de facto playoff elimination sport.
I feel the Irish will hold issues shut and it might come all the way down to the wire, however with SC getting 9,5 factors, give me the unfold all day lengthy. Not solely do they cowl, the Trojans come again with the Jeweled Shillelagh!
In opposition to the unfold: USC
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: USC
writes about varied matters for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and information, faculty sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Heart (SERC).
