Big Ten Week 12 efforts: 1. Wis., 5. Iowa, 14. Neb.

Some weeks, it's been hard to find a lot of Big Ten football heroics. Not so on Saturday.

It starts (and ends) with Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin and his 408 rushing yards, of course. But let us note the league was 2-0 in nonconference games. It beat Temple! And, oh yeah, Notre Dame.

Here is the ranking of Week 12's performances in the conference:

1. Wisconsin, W 59-24

vs. Nebraska

Nebraska led 17-3 early in the second quarter. It's true.

The Badgers still have room for growth under the leadership of Gary Andersen. In Bret Bielema's last game as Wisconsin's coach, the Badgers scored 70 points against Nebraska. Saturday, they had a mere 59 against the Huskers.

Incredibly, Wisconsin now has the FBS' all-time leaders in career rushing yards (Ron Dayne), career rushing touchdowns (Montee Ball) and single-game rushing yards (Gordon).

Barry Alvarez didn't just build a Rose Bowl-winning program at Wisconsin, he built the Hall of Rush.

2. Northwestern, W 43-40 (OT)

at Notre Dame

'You get to November, the weather gets nasty, and that's when champions are crowned,' Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald said after the game.

The Wildcats are 4-6.

But which would you rather be if you're a Northwestern fan, 6-4 without a win over the Fighting Irish in South Bend, or 4-6 with one? If you can't win a championship, the next best thing is a great memory.

After a touchdown gave the Irish a 40-29 lead Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly called for a two-point conversion try. It failed. The Wildcats then scored 11 points in the final 4:30 to tie the game at 40.

'In retrospect, there's no advantage (to going for two) — in retrospect,'' Kelly said.

Someone well-versed in math wouldn't have needed retrospect to realize that.

3. Ohio State, W 31-24

at Minnesota

How, how, how are we to differentiate between Gordon and Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett for the league's MVP?

Barrett, so good at Michigan State the week before, passed for 200 yards and rushed for 189 against the Gophers. He had an 86-yard touchdown run. He has passed or run for 38 touchdowns, an Ohio State record.

He's a freshman!

Said OSU Coach Urban Meyer: 'I had no idea this is what J.T. Barrett is.'

Said Barrett about his performance: 'It was OK — I don't think it was anything crazy or (anything) to shout about.'

The Big Ten champion is going to be a very good team.

4. Michigan State, W 37-15

at Maryland

The Spartans came off a very disappointing home loss to Ohio State, hit the road to play a 6-3 Maryland team, and dominated. MSU scored seven times.

It was Michigan State's ninth-straight road win in the Big Ten. That's impressive. Jeremy Langford had his ninth-straight 100-yard rushing game in Big Ten play. That's impressive.

'It's very important that when things go poorly for us, that we do respond,'' MSU Coach Mark Dantonio said before this game. 'That's very important to the structure and to the overall philosophy of this program. It goes beyond winning and losing.'

5. Iowa, W 30-14

at Illinois

The Hawkeyes have scored 30-plus points in four of their last five games. If they make it five of their last six when they play Wisconsin Saturday ... well, wouldn't that be something?

6. Rutgers, W 45-23

vs. Indiana

Rutgers is bowl-eligible, for the ninth time in the last 10 years. The Big Ten has nine teams with six or more wins, with a possibility of up to two more teams (Michigan and either Illinois or Northwestern.

The bad news: The Scarlet Knights could finish with losses to Michigan State and Maryland and end up 6-6 and in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The good news: It's a short bus ride from Rutgers' campus to Yankee Stadium.

7. Penn State, W 30-13

vs. Temple

Penn State is bowl-eligible, for the first time in three years. NCAA sanctions kept them out of bowls in 2012 and 2013 when they went 8-4 and 7-5.

Bob Flounders of the Harrisburg Patriot-News: 'Where will Penn State end up during bowl season? Does it really matter? The Lions made it that far.'

The Nittany Lions are 39-3-1 against Temple. Part of getting bowl-eligible is careful scheduling.

8-9. Michigan, Purdue (idle)

10. Minnesota, L 31-24

vs. Ohio State

'I'd like to see any team in the country come up here and do this,' Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer said. 'Play here in November, against a very good team. … Have at it.'

Meyer's point is valid. It would be interesting to see an SEC or Pac-12 team visit Minneapolis in 15-degree weather and try to knock off the stout Gophers.

'We have to keep moving forward because our season isn't done yet,' Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner said. 'We're a hungry football team. We're going to keep bringing it.'

Everyone is assuming Wisconsin wins the Big Ten West. It's the safest bet right now. But if Minnesota wins at Nebraska and Wisconsin does likewise at Iowa, the Nov. 29 Minnesota-Wisconsin game at Madison is for the West's spot in the Big Ten title game.

11. Indiana, L 45-23

at Rutgers

Lost in the Melvin Gordon hubbub was a rather incredible performance by Indiana's Tevin Coleman, who carried 32 times for 307 yards.

Who has ever lost when they had a guy rush for 300 yards? Who has ever lost by 22 points when they had a guy rush for 300 yards?

Heisman Trophy voters get ballots with lines for three players, with your first pick getting three points, second pick getting two points, and third pick getting one. I have a vote. Nothing short of getting kidnapped will stop me from putting Coleman's name on one of those three lines.

12. Maryland, L 37-15

vs. Michigan State

Maryland has had two sellout this season. The total score from those two games: Ohio State/Michigan State 89, Terrapins 39.

Welcome to the Big Ten East, Terps.s

13. Illinois, L 30-14

vs. Iowa

Some people picked the Fighting Illini to beat the Hawkeyes.

Some people from Iowa were very close to hitting the final score on the head.

14. Nebraska, L 59-24

at Wisconsin

Nebraska is 8-2. It's a very hollow 8-2 today.

Let's let Tom Shatel of the Omaha World-Herald express it from his column that pulled zero punches.

Taking responsibility is one thing, and fixing things is another. (Nebraska Coach Bo) Pelini surrounded himself with a young staff, including inexperienced coordinators learning on the job.

It's painfully obvious they haven't built a championship culture.

Will they ever get there? The answer to that looked painfully obvious on Saturday, too.