Week 9 in the Big Ten went about as expected. After weeks of excitement, we were treated to a Saturday with much less mayhem.
At the top of the conference No. 1 Oregon handled No. 20 Illinois. No. 3 Penn State lost QB Drew Allar to an apparent knee injury but backup Beau Pribula stepped in to beat Wisconsin. No. 4 Ohio State was able to hold off Nebraska, and No. 13 Indiana continued its magical run with a win over Washington.
With five teams ranked in the polls just a week out from the first time we’ll see rankings as voted on by the College Football Playoff selection committee, the Big Ten has a strong case for four teams in the newly expanded playoff field. All but a few teams in the league have been highly competitive, even if not ranked, making the conference as a whole look strong and more interesting.
Indiana, Penn State and Oregon all look incredibly dominant but Ohio State has shown some flaws. In their Week 9 game against Nebraska, the Buckeyes, who are battling some injuries, struggled to put the Huskers to bed. While no team is perfect, they’ve got a week to get it together before they face the undefeated Nittany Lions in Happy Valley.
Penn State goes into the matchup with the Buckeyes undefeated this season but on the losing end of the series. They last beat Ohio State in October 2016, having lost the last seven games. The game is one to watch in Saturday’s slate. Regardless of the result, both teams will be certain to receive selection committee consideration.
It’s the Hoosiers I’m hoping the selection committee will give a serious look. No. 13 in the AP poll just feels a bit too low. They’re not just squeezing out wins, they’re dominating. I’m sure someone will make the argument they haven’t really played a major team, but Indiana hasn’t trailed at all this season and they’re tied for the longest win streak in school history. There’s something there worth giving some consideration. They’re cooking with gas in Bloomington.
With star quarterback Kurtis Rouke out of the lineup, the Hoosiers and backup quarterback Tayven Jackson battled the Huskies to stay perfect. Jackson completed 11-of-19 passes for 124 yards with a touchdown and an interception. And D’Angelo Ponds, who appeared on my list of players a few weeks ago, showed out. Against the Huskies, Ponds had five tackles, two interceptions and one touchdown — the first score of the game.
In the 31-17 win, Indiana did what good teams do. The next man stepped in his role and the team did what needed to be done on both sides of the ball to keep rolling. Coach Curt Cignetti and team aren’t just making history from week to week, they’re a lot of fun to watch. I’m looking forward to seeing this team as we get deeper into November.
When the rankings come out we’ll get a first glimpse at how the selection committee is handling this 12-team field and what types of things they’re weighing. It’s hard to predict too much before then, but I imagine having more playoff spots and conference realignment makes it that much harder to choose.
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