B1G Rewind: Divisional races heat up

If the Big Ten wanted a climax to its divisional races, well, the league gets it this month.

In the East Division, Ohio State and Michigan State square off in a winner-take-all showdown this week in East Lansing (7 p.m. ABC). In the West, all four one-loss teams take on one another over the next four weeks.

No. 16 Ohio State (7-1, 4-0) wiped out Illinois 55-14 on Saturday night en route to a revenge game against the No. 8 Spartans (7-1, 4-0). The teams met last year in the Big Ten championship game as part of the defunct Legends and Leaders divisions, and Michigan State powered past the Buckeyes 34-24. The loss prevented Ohio State from reaching the BCS title game, and the victory elevated Michigan State into the Rose Bowl.

While the Buckeyes have not recently discussed last year's defeat, it was a focal point during training sessions.

'In the off-season, our strength coach, Coach Mick (Marotti), does a little bit of motivational stuff about how that was obviously the dream was ripped away from us, ripped away by a very good team, and we're going to face a very good team that we have a lot of respect for,” Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer said.

Last year's title game was the perfect scenario for the Big Ten. It boasted two high-profile, dominant, unbeaten teams in conference play that had yet to play one another. The game featured wild swings, from Michigan State taking a 17-0 lead to Ohio State rallying with 24 consecutive points. But the Spartans were more physical along the line of scrimmage and won 34-24.

'Last year when I red-shirted during the Big Ten Championship game, I was just taking it all in and learning as much as I could,” Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett said. 'We're a different team this year, and so are they. They're going to get after us defensively, and we need to be prepared.”

Michigan State was idle Saturday, which was its perfect scenario. The Spartans pounded instate rival Michigan 35-11 a week ago, and the game featured plenty of emotion. Ohio State's win against Illinois allowed it to discard any lingering doubt after a dismal performance against Penn State.

'It's all about the most prepared team,” Meyer said. 'That's what's going to win this game. And I don't think there will be a whole lot of necessary ... we'll do our part about motivation, but this is a motivated team. And I think the most prepared team will win it.”

Four teams own only one conference loss, and they stage their own round-robin through the season's end. This week, Iowa travels to Minnesota for the fourth time in the last five years. On Nov. 15, Nebraska travels to Wisconsin. On Nov. 22, Wisconsin plays at Iowa (6-2, 3-1). On the season's final weekend, Nebraska heads to Iowa and Wisconsin hosts Minnesota.

The running game defines West Division play, and Saturday's statistics bear that out. Wisconsin (6-2, 3-1) had two running backs exceed 125 yards and two touchdowns in a 37-0 win at Rutgers. Two Iowa running backs exceeded 90 yards in a 48-7 win against Northwestern.

Nebraska (8-1, 4-1) lost its top running back, Ameer Abdullah, to a left knee sprain and bruise early in a 35-14 win against Purdue. Abdullah rushed just six times for five yards and left the game midway through the first quarter. He did not return.

'If he could've, he would've,” Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini said. 'We were going to be cautious with him. We were going to do everything we needed to do to make sure we were doing the right thing by Ameer. He already had an MRI and we feel good about where he is.”

Minnesota (6-2, 3-1) was idle Saturday, one week after losing at Illinois (4-5, 1-4). Nebraska is off this week before heading to Madison for the second time in Big Ten play. The Badgers played host to Nebraska in its Big Ten debut, which turned into a 48-17 Wisconsin blowout.

'Wisconsin is a hard-working team, and we have to take care of the ball,” Nebraska quarterback Tommie Armstrong Jr. said. 'If we turn the ball over like we did (Saturday), and make mistakes like we did, we are going to lose.”

'You have to get a little bit of a sense of being a perfectionist and knowing that you have to keep pushing if you really want to reach your potential,” Pelini said. 'I think that's a challenge we have over this last month. And that's what we need to carry us through. We've got a heckuva challenge ahead of us in the next couple of weeks, as with the other two opponents we have coming in. You just have to keep getting better.”

BAD BLOOD

Maryland entered the Big Ten this year without a natural rivalry. Based on a pregame incident Saturday, it intends to force one with Penn State.

The schools share a significant border and rhetoric between their coaches heated up in the off-season. Penn State Coach James Franklin declared Maryland part of his recruiting territory, and Terrapins Coach Randy Edsall didn't like it. That friction spilled over before Saturday's game with a scuffle. Then Maryland's captains refused to shake hands with their Penn State counterparts. Maryland was slapped with an unsportsmanlike penalty, which was assessed on the opening kickoff.

'Pregame got a little out of hand. We need to keep our composure,” Maryland tight end P.J. Gallo said. 'It wasn't a smart decision. That is something that could cost us a game.”

'Our emotions got the best of us and we've got to be above that,” Edsall said.

Edsall and Maryland Athletics Director Kevin Anderson both apologized for the incident. Franklin was perplexed by the lack of sportsmanship.

'I guess we all have a choice and option to do whatever they want to do,” Franklin said. 'They decided to start the game that way. That's their prerogative. I've never been apart of that. In 20 years, I've never seen that before.”

So, will this annual division series turn into a rivalry? That remains to be seen. Most are formed organically based on proximity, frequency or comparable results. Maryland had several long-played football opponents in the ACC but none that elevated to much more than an annual series. After Maryland pulled out a 20-19 win Saturday at Penn State, the Terrapins cut its historic deficit to 2-35-1 against the Nittany Lions. Programs declaring rivalries against others schools - especially ones with greater tradition, like Penn State - rarely makes for an eye-level series.

Before Saturday, the teams hadn't played since 1993. But does an incident like this, combined with a Terrapins' victory, escalate Maryland-Penn State into a rivalry?

'You don't know what this means to our program,” Edsall said. 'I mean, 1-35-1 and 0-20 at Beaver Stadium, and recruiting. We just continued what the Maryland High School Association did by coming up here last year and beating the Pennsylvania team in the Big 33 game. We wanted to create more pride in the state of Maryland and understand that I really think, I said it and I'm going to say it, let the rivalry begin now. Let it begin. There should be a trophy for this game. It's a bordering state. Let's have some fun. Let's really make it competitive.”

I'd say not yet. Penn State has to see Maryland as a rival to make it one. The Nittany Lions have a championship pedigree, Big Ten rivalries already established and other historical series against other schools that dwarf the Terrapins in significance. If Maryland can compete as an annual bowl team, sure, it can become a rivalry. But if Penn State returns to the league's elite and Maryland falls to mid-tier status, it's a match-up of unequal status. That's not a rivalry.

SATURDAY'S STARS

Iowa defensive tackle Louis Trinca-Pasat had three sacks for minus-29 yards and one quarterback hurry. ... Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon ran for 131 yards and RB Corey Clement ran for 128 yards. Both had two touchdowns. ... Maryland WR Stefon Diggs caught six passes for 53 yards and returned four kickoffs for 75 yards. ... Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa had three tackles for loss, including two sacks.

NOTEWORTHY

Northwestern safety Traveon Henry had 14 tackles. ... Nebraska punter Sam Foltz had six punts for a 43.2-yard average, including three punts inside the 20. ... Purdue linebacker Danny Ezechukwu had 12 tackles. ... Rutgers' Leonte Caroo had two catches for 33 yards. ... Indiana RB Tevin Coleman has rushed for at least 100 yards in every game after 108 yards against Michigan. ... Michigan WR Amara Darboh caught nine passes for 107 yards and a score. ... Penn State kicker Sam Ficken had four field goals, including a 48-yarder. ... Illinois linebacker Mason Monheim had 11 tackles, including one for loss, and a forced fumble.

POWER RANKINGS

1. Michigan State (1) 7-1 4-0

Still the king ... at least until Saturday

2. Ohio State (2) 7-1 4-0

Buckeyes have waited 11 months for this week's rematch

3. Nebraska (3) 8-1 4-1

Season prospects change awfully quick based on Abdullah's health

4. Wisconsin (4) 6-2 3-1

Blasted Big Ten newcomers Maryland and Rutgers by a combined 89-7

5. Iowa (5) 6-2 3-1

Hawkeyes finally string together a strong, complete effort

6. Minnesota (6) 6-2 3-1

Faces a season-defining game against Iowa

7. Maryland (7) 6-3 3-2

Hasn't quite adopted Big Ten culture as of yet

8. Northwestern (8) 3-5 2-3

Nobody expected to see that performance against Iowa

9. Penn State (9) 4-4 1-4

Lost another tight one, season starting to sway southward

10. Rutgers (10) 5-4 1-4

Felt the angry sting of Big Ten scheduling

11. Michigan (11) 4-5 2-3

Still lurking around in bowl picture

12. Purdue (12) 3-6 1-4

Boilermakers may have changed West Division race by hurting league's best player

13. Illinois (13) 4-5 1-4

Illini get a week off before facing Hawkeyes

14. Indiana (14) 3-5 0-4

No passing game, no chance at the postseason

STANDINGS

WEST DIVISION

Nebraska 8-1 4-1

Iowa 6-2 3-1

Minnesota 6-2 3-1

Wisconsin 6-2 3-1

Northwestern 3-5 2-3

Illinois 4-5 1-4

Purdue 3-6 1-4

EAST DIVISION

Michigan State 7-1 4-0

Ohio State 7-1 4-0

Maryland 6-3 3-2

Rutgers 5-4 1-4

Penn State 4-4 1-4

Michigan 4-5 2-3

Indiana 3-5 0-4

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

Iowa 48, Northwestern 7

Wisconsin 37, Rutgers 0

Maryland 20, Penn State 19

Nebraska 35, Purdue 14

Michigan 34, Indiana 10

Ohio State 55, Illinois 14

Idle: Minnesota, Michigan State

UP NEXT

Iowa at Minnesota, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)

Wisconsin at Purdue, 11 a.m. (ESPNU)

Penn State at Indiana, 11 a.m. (BTN)

Michigan at Northwestern, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Ohio State at Michigan State, 7 p.m. (ABC)

Idle: Nebraska, Illinois, Maryland, Rutgers

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@thegazette.com