“I’m going to have a tough time focusing on the game, because those alternative uniforms are fire emoji, fire emoji, fire emoji.”
1) Wisconsin (8-0):
DON’T @ ME.
2) Ohio State (7-1):
Ohio State beat Penn State by 1 point. Iowa lost to Penn State by 2. We’re looking at a one-score game here, folks.
3) Penn State (7-1):
Still good, just less good than before.
4) Michigan (6-2):
Even when the Wolverines are bad, they’re still good.
5) Northwestern (5-3):
The Wildcats are going to win out. Nebraska, Purdue, Minnesota, and Illinois. You have to be kidding me.
6) Iowa (5-3):
Can you imagine if Iowa beats Ohio State? Cover at DC’s is going to be like, $20.
7) Michigan State (6-2):
Three overtimes would have been interesting if it was literally any teams other than Michigan State and Northwestern.
8) Nebraska (4-4):
Nebraska is coming off a close win over Purdue. Things are heating up for the Cornhuskers.
9) Maryland (4-4):
The pals out East are still really hanging in there, some way, somehow.
10) Minnesota (4-4):
Nice guys don’t always finish last. Sometimes, they finish right in the bottom of the middle.
11) Indiana (3-5):
Beause you’re not ranked higher than the Boilermakers in basketball, I’ll put you a spot above them here, Indiana. Where it really matters.
12) Purdue (3-5):
They’re just excited that hoops szn is here.
13) Rutgers (3-5):
People forget Rutgers went 8-5 in 2014. I know I do.
14) Illinois (2-6):
I wanted to go to Illinois most of my junior year of high school. Thank God I chose Iowa.
Offensive impact
Name: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
Position: Quarterback
Year: Senior
This man is so, so good. He completed 16-consecutive passes in the end of the game to give Penn State its first Big Ten loss since Sept. 24, 2016. He’s averaging 3.125 passing touchdowns a game (oh, and tack on 5 more rushing touchdowns), has thrown just 1 interception, and has 2,166 yards. It’s mind-boggling.
Defensive impact
Name: Paddy Fisher, Northwestern
Position: Linebacker
Year: Redshirt freshman
Last week against Michigan State, Fisher had 17 tackles. That’s not even a season-high for him. In his first season, the linebacker has 73 tackles, good for third in the Big Ten behind Josey Jewell and Minnesota’s Thomas Barber. He’s going to be good for a long time.
Game to watch
No. 3 Ohio State at Iowa
When: 2:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Kinnick Stadium