Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

October is here. Let's look at what's on tap in the Big Ten.

Michigan (4-0, 1-0) at Michigan State (1-3, 0-1), Big Ten Network, noon ET

Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier and the Wolverines hit the road for the first time this season, making the short trip to East Lansing. All the talk before the season was how Michigan State had eclipsed Michigan as the state's premier program, but things have gone the opposite direction this fall. The Spartans are on a three-game losing streak and try to beat Michigan at Spartan Stadium for the first time since the "Clock Game" in 2001. Both teams have struggled in the secondary, ranking eighth (Michigan) and 10th (Michigan State) in the league in pass defense.

Wisconsin (4-0, 1-0) at Minnesota (3-1, 1-0), ESPN, noon ET

The battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe features several interesting storylines this year. Both teams are off to good starts, and the winner could be a darkhorse in the Big Ten title chase. Wisconsin hits the road for the first time as quarterback Scott Tolzien, the Big Ten's pass efficiency leader (164.3 rating), tries to continue his strong play against a Gophers secondary that has struggled at times. Minnesota finally found some balance in its offense with running back Duane Bennett, who comes off a three-touchdown performance against Northwestern. Gophers safety Kim Royston will be amped for this one after transferring from Wisconsin last year.

Northwestern (2-2, 0-1) at Purdue (1-3, 0-0), Big Ten Network, noon ET

Both teams are in desperate need of a victory, as Purdue enters on a three-game slide, while Northwestern has dropped consecutive games. Both teams need better play from their defensive lines, as Purdue ranks last in the Big Ten in rush defense (177.5 ypg) and Northwestern is still waiting for pass rusher Corey Wootton to emerge. Boilers quarterback Joey Elliott gets another crack at the Wildcats after sustaining a season-ending separated shoulder during last year's loss in Evanston.

Arkansas State (1-2) at Iowa (4-0), ESPN2, noon ET

The Hawkeyes have been the Big Ten's most impressive team the last three weeks, and they return home after a huge win at Penn State. A defense that finished fifth nationally in scoring last year hasn't missed a beat this fall, ranking eighth nationally in scoring and sixth in pass efficiency. Adrian Clayborn and the Hawkeyes shouldn't have much trouble with Arkansas State, which fell 38-9 to Nebraska in Week 2. This has to be the week for the Iowa offense to put together a complete performance. Arkansas State ranks 102nd nationally in pass defense (256.7 ypg), and quarterback Ricky Stanzi and his targets need to capitalize before Michigan visits next week.

Penn State (3-1, 0-1) at Illinois (1-2, 0-1), ABC, 3:30 p.m. ET

Daryll Clark and Juice Williams both look to rebound from difficult outings last week against Iowa and Ohio State. Many projected this as a trap game for Penn State before the season, especially given Illinois' strong receiving corps, but that was before the Illini stumbled out of the gate so badly. Illinois has been outscored 67-9 against FBS opponents this year, and Ron Zook's team can't afford another embarrassing performance. Illini star wideout Arrelious Benn had a big game against Penn State last year, while the Lions hope to get star linebacker Sean Lee back on the field.

Ohio State (3-1, 1-0) at Indiana (3-1, 0-1), Big Ten Network, 7 p.m. ET

This matchup got a lot more interesting Saturday, as Indiana validated its hot start by making Michigan sweat out a 36-33 win. Quarterback Ben Chappell is quietly turning in a nice season, and running back Darius Willis looked very impressive in the Big House. The Indiana offense needs to be clicking against Ohio State, which posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since 1996. The Buckeyes defense seems to be getting stronger each week, particularly the front seven, and will test Chappell at Memorial Stadium. The teams haven't played since 2006, and Ohio State has captured the last 14 meetings.