B1G Rewind: Hide your eyes

Big Ten fans, you've been here before. From the eye rolling to the head shaking and clenched lips, you've felt this way numerous times over the past 10 years. And now you have to see it, hear it and read it all again — ad nauseam — because of the league's performance on Saturday.

In the day's three highest-profile national match-ups, the Big Ten went 0-fer. Michigan State lost 46-27 at Oregon, which actually was the most tolerable defeat. Michigan, which has whined for two years about Notre Dame dropping their annual rivalry, never did make it to South Bend in a 31-0 shellacking. Ohio State suffered a 35-21 home defeat to unranked Virginia Tech.

Traveling west and playing in near 100-degree temperatures, the Spartans led by nine points in the third quarter before succumbing to the heat and an avalanche of 28 consecutive points.

The Spartans are known for their defensive prowess, and that's where they struggled in the second half. They gave up their most points (46) and yards (491) since the 2011 Capital One Bowl beatdown by Alabama. Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, among the Heisman Trophy front-runners, scorched the Spartans for 318 passing yards and three touchdowns. That's what Coach Mark Dantonio emphasized afterward, more than the heat.

'We didn't lose the game because we were out of condition,' Michigan State Coach Mark Dantonio said. 'We lost the game because we did not contain the quarterback in the third and fourth quarters, mainly in the fourth quarter.'

The only progress Michigan has made since last year is, well, the calendar turned from 2013 to 2014. Michigan was shut out for the first time since a 26-0 defeat to Iowa on Oct. 20, 1984. Quarterback Devin Gardner had four turnovers in the second half alone. The Wolverines have lost six of their last eight games, dating to last season.

Ohio State dropped its home opener for the first time since 1978. It also ended a 64-game winning streak against unranked, non-conference opponents at Columbus. Ohio State gave up seven sacks and freshman QB J.T. Barrett had three interceptions including a game-deciding pick-six.

'The thing that's going to be real obvious the way we operate, there's not going to be this guy's gotta do better,' Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer said. 'We're not going to do that. Where do you put the blame or something. We don't blame people. We just gotta get a lot better,'

In the East Division, the only teams with 2-0 records are Big Ten newcomers Rutgers and Maryland and Penn State, which is ineligible for the league title.

The West Division lacks blemishes but is filled with bruises. Nebraska needed an epic 58-yard catch-and-run from running back Ameer Abdullah to beat FCS squad McNeese State 31-24. Abdullah evaded or powered past seven would-be tacklers for the game-winning touchdown with 20 seconds left.

Iowa needed two touchdowns in the final 2:52 to beat Ball State 17-13. Minnesota completed only five passes for 67 yards in a 35-24 win against Middle Tennessee State. Illinois trailed Western Kentucky in the fourth quarter. Wisconsin didn't score a touchdown against Western Illinois until 2:16 remained in the first half. Northwestern and Purdue lost to Mid-American Conference teams Northern Illinois and Central Michigan, respectively.

The Big Ten arguably has had worse days. On Jan. 1, 2011, the league lost all five bowl games. Michigan absorbed a 52-14 pounding by Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl, and Alabama pounded Michigan State 49-7 in the Capital One Bowl. From 2006 through 2008, the league lost all six BCS bowls. Two of the defeats occurred in the BCS title game and five of them were by at least 14 points.

Style points always matter in this sport but no more so than in the College Football Playoff's inaugural season. Every high-profile, non-conference loss is magnified, and the Big Ten faces more scrutiny because of its recent dismal past. The 'weak' end won't completely derail the league's playoff hopes but the Big Ten's margin for error no longer exists, even for the unbeaten teams.

SATURDAY'S STARS

Illinois quarterback Wes Lunt passed for 456 yards and three touchdowns. ... Minnesota running back David Cobb rushed for 229 yards and two scores. ... Iowa defensive end Drew Ott had 13 tackles, including the game-winning sack and strip. ... Michigan State WR Tony Lippett caught 11 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown. ... Nebraska QB Tommie Armstrong Jr. passed for 242 yards and rushed for 131 yards.

NOTEWORTHY

Wisconsin QB Tanner McEvoy rebounded from a tough first week by completing 23 of 28 passes for 283 yards and three TDs. ... Penn State linebacker Mike Hull had 11 tackles. ... Purdue's Ja'Whan Wheatley intercepted a pass and returned it 44 yards. ... Northwestern WR Kyle Prater caught seven passes for 87 yards and a TD. ... Michigan WR Devin Funchess had nine catches for 107 yards. ... Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova tossed for 282 yards and four touchdowns. ... Ohio State DE Joey Bosa had two tackles for loss, including a sack and a forced fumble. ... Maryland's Marcus Leak caught three passes for 72 yards and two touchdowns.

POWER RANKINGS

1. Vacant

No Big Ten team deserves a No. 1 ranking after this weekend

2. Michigan State (1) 1-1 0-0

Ducks wore down Spartans in the Oregon heat, melting the Big Ten's rep with it

3. Ohio State (4) 1-1 0-0

Might need to take the offense back to square one after home loss to Virginia Tech

4. Penn State (5) 2-0 0-0

Held a likely bowl team in Akron to three points; Nice start to Franklin era

5A. Nebraska (3) 2-0 0-0

Needed an highlight play from Ameer Abdullah to get past FCS McNeese State

5B. Iowa (6) 2-0 0-0

Comeback win aside, Iowa abandoned its identity for one it can't sustain

7. Wisconsin (7) 1-1 0-0

Scored in game's first second, then took nearly 28 minutes to score again vs. Western Illinois

8. Maryland (8) 2-0 0-0

Faces border foe West Virginia in Terrapins' true test

9. Indiana (10) 1-0 0-0

Hoosiers lead the Big Ten in total defense ... seriously

10. Minnesota (11) 2-0 0-0

Passing game is stuck in neutral; running game is in overdrive

11. Michigan (2) 1-1 0-0

I know at least one person who feels dumb for picking Michigan as league champ

12. Illinois (12) 2-0 0-0

Three fourth-quarter TDs salvaged victory for Illini

13. Rutgers (9) 2-0 0-0

Washington State win doesn't look quite as impressive

14A. Northwestern (14) 0-2 0-0

It's not quite the start Pat Fitzgerald envisioned after finishing last season 1-7

14B. Purdue (13) 1-1 0-0

Directional Michigan schools even the season score with Directional Lafayette

STANDINGS

WEST DIVISION

Iowa 2-0 0-0

Illinois 2-0 0-0

Minnesota 2-0 0-0

Nebraska 2-0 0-0

Purdue 1-1 0-0

Wisconsin 1-1 0-0

Northwestern 0-2 0-0

EAST DIVISION

Maryland 2-0 0-0

Penn State 2-0 0-0

Rutgers 2-0 0-0

Indiana 1-0 0-0

Michigan 1-1 0-0

Michigan State 1-1 0-0

Ohio State 1-1 0-0

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

Iowa 17, Ball State 13

Oregon 46, Michigan State 27

Virginia Tech 35, Ohio State 21

Illinois 42, Western Kentucky 34

Notre Dame 31, Michigan 0

Penn State 21, Akron 3

Nebraska 31, McNeese State 24

Wisconsin 37, Western Illinois 3

Central Michigan 38, Purdue 17

Rutgers 38, Howard 25

Minnesota 35, Middle Tennessee State 24

Northern Illinois 23, Northwestern 15

Maryland 24, South Florida 17

UP NEXT

West Virginia at Maryland, 11 a.m. (BTN)

Indiana at Bowling Green, 11 a.m. (ESPNU)

Kent State at Ohio State, 11 a.m. (ABC)

Iowa State at Iowa, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Miami (Ohio) at Michigan, 2:30 p.m. (BTN)

Minnesota at TCU, 3 p.m. (FS1)

Illinois at Washington, 3 p.m. (Fox)

Purdue at Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)

Penn State at Rutgers, 7 p.m. (BTN)

Nebraska at Fresno State, 9:30 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)

l Comments: (319) 339-3169; scott.dochterman@sourcemedia.net