Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Before the Big Ten begins the home stretch, it's time to look back at a jam-packed October that featured five weekends of games.
The envelope, please ...
Team of the month -- Iowa
The Hawkeyes kept us interested throughout the month, as they continued to win games in dramatic fashion. Though they still take heat for a lackluster win against Arkansas State on Oct. 3, they deserve credit for outlasting Wisconsin and Michigan State on the road and holding off Indiana and Michigan at home. Average margin of victory during the month: seven points. Does it get any more exciting than that?
Offensive MVP -- Penn State QB Daryll Clark
Clark rebounded from the Iowa loss with a dominant performance during October. He has clearly established himself as the Big Ten's top quarterback and the frontrunner for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors. He finished the month with 1,200 pass yards, nine touchdowns and only one interception to go along with five rushing touchdowns. A strong November should gain Clark some national award consideration.
Defensive MVP -- Michigan DE Brandon Graham
It was a close call between Graham and Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan, who also turned in a terrific month, but No. 55 gets my vote. Michigan's overall defense might be a mess, but Graham pulled his weight and then some in October. He finished the month with 12.5 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks, to go along with two blocked kicks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Surprise team -- Purdue
The month ended on a very down note for the Boilermakers, but they showed obvious improvement and notched the biggest upset in recent team history against Ohio State on Oct. 17. Purdue head coach Danny Hope won his first two Big Ten games and could have had a third if not for a blown lead against Northwestern. The Boilers offense received strong production from quarterback Joey Elliott and wideout Keith Smith until the Wisconsin disaster.
Biggest disappointment -- Michigan
The Wolverines dropped all four of their Big Ten games during October, the last two in lopsided fashion to Penn State and Illinois. Michigan's only win came against lowly Delaware State, though it broke several team records in crushing the Hornets. Quarterback Tate Forcier failed to record a touchdown (passing or rushing) in the final four games of the month and completed just 50 percent of his passes (53-for-106). The defense endured multiple breakdowns and backslid aside from Graham.
Hard-luck team -- Indiana
The Hoosiers easily could have finished the month 3-2 but instead wound up 1-4 after blowing big leads against Northwestern and Iowa. Indiana build a 28-3 lead at Northwestern before the Wildcats mounted the biggest comeback in team history. The Hoosiers controlled the first three quarters against No. 4 Iowa and took a 24-14 lead into the fourth quarter before caving for 28 points.
Hard-luck player -- Minnesota WR Eric Decker
After a scintillating September, Decker cooled off considerably in October as defenses found ways to take him out of the game. He recorded just 15 receptions in the month -- the senior had 35 in September -- before suffering a season-ending foot injury against Ohio State. Decker will undergo surgery Wednesday but finishes his career as the most decorated wide receiver in Minnesota history. It's too bad we won't get to see more of him at the college level. A truly special talent.
Best game -- Iowa at Michigan State
This one had it all, from bone-crushing hits to goal line stands to creative play-calling to fourth-quarter drama. You might have cringed after watching both defenses deliver big blows, but you didn't think twice about turning off your TV. There wasn't much offense until the closing minutes, but the teams made up for it as Michigan State connected on a hook-and-lateral play to Blair White before Iowa's Ricky Stanzi led the game-winning scoring drive. Fittingly, the game came down to the final play, as Stanzi found Marvin McNutt in the end zone to lift Iowa to another win.
Before the Big Ten begins the home stretch, it's time to look back at a jam-packed October that featured five weekends of games.
The envelope, please ...
Team of the month -- Iowa
The Hawkeyes kept us interested throughout the month, as they continued to win games in dramatic fashion. Though they still take heat for a lackluster win against Arkansas State on Oct. 3, they deserve credit for outlasting Wisconsin and Michigan State on the road and holding off Indiana and Michigan at home. Average margin of victory during the month: seven points. Does it get any more exciting than that?
Offensive MVP -- Penn State QB Daryll Clark
Clark rebounded from the Iowa loss with a dominant performance during October. He has clearly established himself as the Big Ten's top quarterback and the frontrunner for Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors. He finished the month with 1,200 pass yards, nine touchdowns and only one interception to go along with five rushing touchdowns. A strong November should gain Clark some national award consideration.
Defensive MVP -- Michigan DE Brandon Graham
It was a close call between Graham and Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan, who also turned in a terrific month, but No. 55 gets my vote. Michigan's overall defense might be a mess, but Graham pulled his weight and then some in October. He finished the month with 12.5 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks, to go along with two blocked kicks and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Surprise team -- Purdue
The month ended on a very down note for the Boilermakers, but they showed obvious improvement and notched the biggest upset in recent team history against Ohio State on Oct. 17. Purdue head coach Danny Hope won his first two Big Ten games and could have had a third if not for a blown lead against Northwestern. The Boilers offense received strong production from quarterback Joey Elliott and wideout Keith Smith until the Wisconsin disaster.
Biggest disappointment -- Michigan
The Wolverines dropped all four of their Big Ten games during October, the last two in lopsided fashion to Penn State and Illinois. Michigan's only win came against lowly Delaware State, though it broke several team records in crushing the Hornets. Quarterback Tate Forcier failed to record a touchdown (passing or rushing) in the final four games of the month and completed just 50 percent of his passes (53-for-106). The defense endured multiple breakdowns and backslid aside from Graham.
Hard-luck team -- Indiana
The Hoosiers easily could have finished the month 3-2 but instead wound up 1-4 after blowing big leads against Northwestern and Iowa. Indiana build a 28-3 lead at Northwestern before the Wildcats mounted the biggest comeback in team history. The Hoosiers controlled the first three quarters against No. 4 Iowa and took a 24-14 lead into the fourth quarter before caving for 28 points.
Hard-luck player -- Minnesota WR Eric Decker
After a scintillating September, Decker cooled off considerably in October as defenses found ways to take him out of the game. He recorded just 15 receptions in the month -- the senior had 35 in September -- before suffering a season-ending foot injury against Ohio State. Decker will undergo surgery Wednesday but finishes his career as the most decorated wide receiver in Minnesota history. It's too bad we won't get to see more of him at the college level. A truly special talent.
Best game -- Iowa at Michigan State
This one had it all, from bone-crushing hits to goal line stands to creative play-calling to fourth-quarter drama. You might have cringed after watching both defenses deliver big blows, but you didn't think twice about turning off your TV. There wasn't much offense until the closing minutes, but the teams made up for it as Michigan State connected on a hook-and-lateral play to Blair White before Iowa's Ricky Stanzi led the game-winning scoring drive. Fittingly, the game came down to the final play, as Stanzi found Marvin McNutt in the end zone to lift Iowa to another win.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.
