B1G Rewind: How the West was fun

Nebraska and Wisconsin have formed somewhat of a kinship in their short time as Big Ten competitors, and not just for jersey color. They've competed in three memorable games - all for different reasons - and both mean a great deal to Wisconsin Athletics Director and former Nebraska player Barry Alvarez.

The two West Division foes also boast running attacks that are tenacious and relentless. Wisconsin crushed Bowling Green 68-17 and rushed for a school-record 644 yards, breaking its school record by 80 yards. It was the most rushing yards by a Big Ten squad in 87 years. Nebraska put up 343 yards on the ground in a 41-31 win against Miami (Fla.)

Wisconsin junior running back Melvin Gordon blasted Bowling Green for 253 yards and tied a Wisconsin school record with five touchdowns. He set the school mark with 19.5 yards per carry (at least 10 attempts) and now is tied for the NCAA career record for yards per carry at 8.26 (Army's Glenn Davis). Gordon's 253 yards are the most against a Football Subdivision opponent this year.

'I thought he was a great back way before (Saturday),” Wisconsin Coach Gary Andersen said. 'I know we all believe that or we should believe that. But this was his opportunity to break out and he made a lot of people miss today against a defense that I thought tackled very well throughout their first games. And it was just, it was fun to watch for a lot of times.”

Gordon shook off an early lost fumble - the first of his career - to pick up more than 140 yards for the 11th time in his career. He now has 431 yards in three games.

'It feels good when you play well,” Gordon said. 'It was exciting out there. We really played Wisconsin football. Every guy played really well today from a blocking standpoint to an execution standpoint. We were a little sloppy with the football (Saturday), but we will clean that up when we get in the film room. Overall, I think we had a successful day.”

Wisconsin quarterback Tanner McEvoy (158 yards) and running back Corey Clement (111) also surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark.

Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah was every bit as impressive as Gordon. In a 41-31 win against Miami (Fla.), Abdullah rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries. He finished 313 with total yards and now ranks No. 1 in Nebraska history with 5,762 all-purpose yards, surpassing 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers (5,586).

'I tell you, I've been around a lot of football, and (Ameer Abdullah) No. 8 showed just how special he is (Saturday),” Nebraska Coach Bo Pelini said. 'He ran like a man possessed. I think the offensive line stepped up. The receivers stepped up. But I think our running game is what won this football game for us. That's what Nebraska football is all about.”

Abdullah also scored on a 3-yard reception.

'He's special every night,” Nebraska left tackle Alex Lewis said. 'A guy like that; he can run, he can cut, he will hit. Its something that you love blocking for and you get to tell the future that you got to block for a running back that great.”

HOOSIER DADDY

Indiana bounced back from a loss to the aforementioned Bowling Green to upset defending SEC East Division champion Missouri 31-27. The Hoosiers' game-winning drive consisted on a Mizzou pass interference penalty on fourth-and-6 and a 44-yard reception by running back Tevin Coleman before running back D'Angelo Roberts scored on a 3-yard run with 22 seconds left.

'We told them at halftime, we couldn't win and we couldn't lose,” Indiana Coach Kevin Wilson said. 'All we could do was play and that's all we wanted to do. Dig deep and play as hard as you can. We kept fighting at the end. We played hard enough to be on the right side by one play.”

It was Indiana's first win over a top-20 team since 2006 when the Hoosiers knocked off No. 15 Iowa 31-28. The last time Indiana beat a top-20 team on the road was 1987 (31-10 at No. 9 Ohio State).

'From our standpoint, it's not a surprise that we won, but it was a big upset in reality,” Indiana linebacker Tegray Scales. 'I think we're very excited to know we could do that.”

Coleman has surpassed 100 rushing yards in five straight games and he has scored a touchdown in 12 consecutive games, college football's longest streak.

GOING BLUE

Michigan was the only Big Ten squad to lose on Saturday, and the defeat was at home and decisive. Utah returned a punt for a score and held Michigan quarterbacks to 18-of-39 passing and three interceptions in a 26-10 Utes' win.

The past two seasons suggest something is broken in Ann Arbor. Michigan barely qualified for a bowl last year and has looked sluggish the last three weeks. Yet when asked about his message to his team, Coach Brady Hoke recalled how a Wolverines' squad rallied to a championship season 16 years ago.

'I reminded them of the 1998 team, which was a team that went to Notre Dame, I was part of that team, and lost, and lost here at home against Syracuse, then went off and won the Big Ten or part of the Big Ten championship,” Hoke said. 'Those goals, our goals, are all out there. I do believe we have a team that can do that. Now you can't play the way you did today and do that. We realize that. But we've got a bunch of guys in that locker room who every day work their tails off and are supportive and believe in each other.

Under Hoke, Michigan remains consumed by its history. There's the constant griping about losing the Notre Dame rivalry. There's the locker room clock that counts down to season-ending opponent Ohio State, which has beaten the Wolverines nine out of the last 10 meetings.

Michigan is 10 years removed from its last Big Ten title. That - like its great tradition - is reality. Any suggestion that this team is comparable to its 1998 version is fantasy.

RUNNINGS AND GOINGS

Minnesota's David Cobb joined the weekly 200-yard club with 207 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries in a 24-7 win against San Jose State. His play was essential for a Gophers' offense that completed just one pass for seven yards in the entire game.

But it wasn't all bright news for running backs around the Big Ten. Rutgers leading rusher Paul James will miss the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his knee after a hit by Navy cornerback Brendon Clements early in the second quarter of Rutgers' 31-24 win on Saturday. James had rushed for 363 yards and five touchdowns in four games.

BLOCK OF THE YEAR

Iowa left tackle Brandon Scherff delivered one of the most devastating blocks ever witnessed along the line of scrimmage. With Iowa facing third-and-4 at the Pittsburgh 18 early in the fourth quarter, Scherff dropped into pass protection. Pittsburgh strong safety Reggie Mitchell attempted a delayed blitz, and Scherff attacked Mitchell with a power block that immediately sent Mitchell to the ground.

That was the style of play Iowa discussed at halftime after the offense had the ball for just five plays in the second quarter.

'Just focus on the smaller details and go back to what we're known for, just powerful football and finishing each play, one play at a time,” Scherff said.

SATURDAY'S STARS

Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon rushed for 253 yards and five TDs. ... Nebraska RB Ameer Abdullah ran for 229 yards and two TDs and added a receiving score. ... Maryland QB C.J. Brown threw for two TDs and 280 yards. ... Indiana RB Tevin Coleman rushed for 132 yards and a score. ... Minnesota RB David Cobb rushed 26 times for 207 yards and two TDs.

NOTEWORTHY

Michigan State RB Delton Williams ran for 103 yards and three touchdowns. ... Northwestern punter Chris Gradone punted seven times for a 44.1 average. ... Iowa CB Greg Mabin had three pass breakups, including two on consecutive passes late in the fourth quarter. ... Purdue WR Danny Anthrop caught five passes for 106 yards and a score. ... Michigan WR Devin Funchess caught four passes for 82 yards. ... Rutgers QB Gary Nova completed 11 of 14 passes and rushed for two 1-yard TDs. ... Penn State RB Bill Belton rushed seven times for 76 yards and two scores. ... Illinois RB Josh Ferguson ran for 190 yards and two scores.

POWER RANKINGS

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

Put up 73 points on Eastern Michigan without running up the score

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

Buckeyes didn't play and saw Michigan lose at home. It's a good week

3. Nebraska (3) 4-0 0-0

Cornhuskers' offense might be team's best since moving to Big Ten

4. Penn State (4) 4-0 1-0

Anxious to see Nittany Lions compete against higher-profile Big Ten squads

5. Wisconsin (5) 2-1 0-0

Bowling Green sounds like the playing surface for the Badgers' running attack

6. Maryland (7) 3-1 0-0

Terrapins bounce back after loss with impressive road win at former ACC opponent

7. Iowa (8) 3-1 0-0

Hawkeyes finally looked like a contender in second half at Pittsburgh

8. Indiana (10) 2-1 0-0

Beat SEC divisional champion on the road to briefly spoil national narrative

9. Rutgers (9) 3-1 0-1

Solid win at Navy but loses top rusher to ACL injury

10. Minnesota (11) 3-1 0-0

Completed one pass and won, just like it did in the 1930s

11. Michigan (6) 2-2 0-0

Clocking now is ticking on Hoke

12. Illinois (12) 3-1 0-0

Illini have much to prove in late-night game at Nebraska this week

13. Northwestern (13) 1-2 0-0

Young running back tandem showed flashes in home victory

14. Purdue (14) 2-2 0-0

Got back to winning ways entering Big Ten play

STANDINGS

WEST DIVISION

Nebraska 3-0 0-0

Iowa 3-1 0-0

Illinois 3-1 0-0

Minnesota 3-1 0-0

Wisconsin 2-1 0-0

Purdue 2-2 0-0

Northwestern 1-2 0-0

EAST DIVISION

Penn State 4-0 1-0

Maryland 3-1 0-0

Ohio State 2-1 0-0

Indiana 2-1 0-0

Michigan State 2-1 0-0

Michigan 2-2 0-0

Rutgers 3-1 0-1

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

Iowa 24, Pittsburgh 20

Northwestern 24, Western Illinois 7

Wisconsin 68, Bowling Green 17

Purdue 35, Southern Illinois 13

Michigan State 73, Eastern Michigan 14

Maryland 34, Syracuse 20

Rutgers 31, Navy 24

Utah 26, Michigan 10

Minnesota 24, San Jose State 7

Illinois 42, Texas State 35

Penn State 48, UMass 7

Indiana 31, Missouri 27

Nebraska 41, Miami (Fla.) 24

UP NEXT

Iowa at Purdue, 11 a.m. (BTN)

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

Tulane at Rutgers, 11 a.m. (ESPNews)

South Florida at Wisconsin, 11 a.m. (ESPNU)

Wyoming at Michigan State, 11 a.m. (ESPN2)

Maryland at Indiana, 12:30 p.m. (BTN)

Minnesota at Michigan, 2:30 p.m. (ABC)

Cincinnati at Ohio State, 5 p.m. (BTN)

Illinois at Nebraska, 8 p.m. (BTN)

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