The final weekend of October takes us one step closer to the final debate over who gets into the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Big Ten has five contenders: Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State, Indiana and Illinois, and each faces a challenge this weekend. (All games Saturday unless noted. The Gophers-Maryland prediction will run later this week.)
Big Ten football picks: Who wins, Illinois or Oregon? Penn State or Wisconsin?
Illinois is 6-1, but now comes undefeated Oregon. Meanwhile, the Badgers try to extend a three-game winning streak.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 23, 2024 at 6:00PM
Three with intrigue
No. 20 Illinois at No. 1 Oregon, 2:30 p.m., CBS
• Which Illini team do you trust at Oregon: the one that held off lowly Purdue 50-49 in overtime or the one that dominated Michigan 21-7? The top-ranked Ducks will show it’s more of the former than the latter. Oregon 45, Illinois 20
Nebraska at No. 4 Ohio State, 11 a.m., Fox
• Drubbed by 49 points at Indiana, the Huskers venture to Ohio State, where they’ve lost by an average score of 53-22 since joining the Big Ten. The Buckeyes need a win after losing at Oregon, and they’ll get one. Ohio State 38, Nebraska 17
Washington at No. 13 Indiana, 11 a.m., BTN
• The Hoosiers turned heads with their 56-7 pounding of Nebraska. They can bolster their playoff case by beating the Huskies, but they’ll have to do so without QB Kurtis Rourke (injured thumb). The Huskies had a bye week to prepare, but Indiana still wins. Indiana 31, Washington 21
Keep an eye on
No. 3 Penn State at Wisconsin, 6:30 p.m., NBC
• The Nittany Lions can’t afford a slipup in Madison with a showdown vs. Ohio State coming up next week. The Badgers keep it close but drop their 11th in the series. Penn State 17, Wisconsin 13
Michigan State at Michigan, 6:30 p.m., BTN
• The Wolverines’ two-game skid easily could have been four. The Spartans take advantage of a Michigan team handcuffed on offense. Michigan State 23, Michigan 13
And the rest
Northwestern at Iowa, 2:30 p.m., BTN
• The Hawkeyes will try to rebound from a sluggish effort in their loss at Michigan State. The Wildcats will face a more focused Iowa team. Iowa 31, Northwestern 10
Rutgers at USC, 10 p.m. Friday, Fox
• Something’s got to give here. The Scarlet Knights have lost three straight. The Trojans have lost three in a row and four of five. USC coach Lincoln Riley figures out a way to avoid coaching himself into a loss. USC 27, Rutgers 14
Ohio State players had been thinking about a rematch with Oregon long before the Buckeyes crushed Tennessee in a first-round playoff game.
