ESPN College Football

The final full week of Big Ten action kicks off Friday in Lincoln, and, with the Thanksgiving holiday arriving Thursday, the predictions are coming at you early. Hope you're ready.

Bennett reclaimed the top spot in the season standings with a 5-1 performance in Week 12. Rittenberg is only a game behind, and there are several intriguing matchups on the slate this week.

It's pick time.

IOWA at NO. 21 NEBRASKA (FRIDAY)

Brian Bennett: Nebraska needs a hero in the Heroes Game to avoid a dispiriting finish to the season, and I think it will be the guy who gets called Superman. Rex Burkhead goes off for 150 yards and a couple of TDs as the Huskers stalk it to their neighbors. ... Nebraska 28, Iowa 20

Adam Rittenberg: Nebraska plays better with a chip on its shoulder, and the edge is back after last week's humiliating loss at Michigan. Iowa's high-powered offense makes this very interesting as RB Marcus Coker racks up two touchdowns, but Huskers QB Taylor Martinez has been very good at home this season and comes up with four touchdowns (2 rush, 2 pass) as the Huskers prevail. ... Nebraska 31, Iowa 24

NO. 14 MICHIGAN STATE at NORTHWESTERN

Adam Rittenberg: It's tough to know how Michigan State will respond after clinching the division last week. I like Mark Dantonio's approach, though, and although Northwestern will be geared up, the Spartans match up well with the Wildcats. Spartans WR B.J. Cunningham scores a late touchdown as Michigan State wins in Evanston. ... Michigan State 27, Northwestern 21

Brian Bennett: This isn't baseball, so the Spartans won't rest their starters. I sense that it's really important to this team to get to 10 wins, and Dantonio's offense is playing with a lot of confidence. Northwestern keeps it close, but Michigan State is a little too physical for the Wildcats. ... Michigan State 34, Northwestern 27

OHIO STATE at NO. 15 MICHIGAN

Brian Bennett: The streak ends. These two teams are trending in vastly different directions, and Ohio State's offense does not match up well with a Michigan defense that's playing lights-out right now. The Wolverines get off to a quick start behind two Denard Robinson touchdowns and start dreaming about the Sugar Bowl. ... Michigan 24, Ohio State 14

Adam Rittenberg: Sorry, Luke Fickell, but it is about talent, and Michigan, for the first time in a while, has more this season. It's also about motivation, and the Wolverines seniors want this game real bad after being embarrassed against their archrival. Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen lead a strong defensive effort, and Fitzgerald Toussaint turns in another 100-yard rushing performance. ... Michigan 27, Ohio State 13

PURDUE at INDIANA

Adam Rittenberg: It wouldn't shock me if Indiana pulled off the upset in the Bucket game, as Purdue has been maddeningly inconsistent. But the Boilers seniors will step up in this one as they finally become bowl-eligible. The defense forces two second-half turnovers and Antavian Edison records a breakaway touchdown as Purdue prevails. ... Purdue 34, Indiana 24

Brian Bennett: If Purdue can't win this game, even on the road in a rivalry game, maybe it should be considered Hope-less. But the Boilers are much better than the 1-10 Hoosiers and will ride Ralph Bolden and a bunch of screen passes to the Bucket and bowl eligibility. ... Purdue 35, Indiana 17

ILLINOIS at MINNESOTA

Brian Bennett: Upset special. Illinois has lost five straight and has no confidence right now, and Minnesota has nothing to lose while playing at home on Senior Day. MarQueis Gray and Duane Bennett have big days as the Gophers notch their second Big Ten win. ... Minnesota 21, Illinois 17

Adam Rittenberg: This wouldn't be that much of an upset, considering the way Illinois has performed recently. This one certainly could go either way, but Ron Zook is correctly making it about the players, not himself, this week as Illinois tries to end on a good note. The Illini have faced some pretty good teams during their losing streak, and Minnesota is not a good team. A.J. Jenkins turns in a big performance against a vulnerable Gophers secondary as Illinois ends its slide. ... Illinois 24, Minnesota 20

NO. 19 PENN STATE at NO. 16 WISCONSIN

Adam Rittenberg: Wisconsin averages 52.3 points at Camp Randall Stadium, but it hasn't faced a defense nearly as good as Penn State's. Devon Still and the front four make the Badgers work for their points, but I just don't have enough confidence in the Penn State offense, even with the Wild-Lion, to reach the end zone enough. Russell Wilson throws two second-half touchdowns as Wisconsin wins the Leaders Division. ... Wisconsin 31, Penn State 20

Brian Bennett: If only Penn State could have saved its offensive surprise for this week. I'm not sure what else Tom Bradley and his staff can concoct to manufacture points, which any team going to Madison needs plenty of to have a chance. The Penn State defense does as well as can be expected, but Matthew McGloin throws a costly interception to turn the tide. ... Wisconsin 28, Penn State 17

SEASON RECORDS

Brian Bennett: 67-24 (.736)

Adam Rittenberg: 66-25 (.725)

Northwestern is bowl eligible, and the Wildcats might be the hottest team in the Big Ten.

Pat Fitzgerald's crew won its fourth consecutive game to get above .500 (6-5) for the first time since Oct. 1. The Wildcats can secure a bowl berth by beating Michigan State next week, but they're in good shape after a 28-13 win against Minnesota.

Once again, Northwestern's defense triggered the effort and bought enough time for the offense to get going in the fourth quarter. Minnesota moved the ball against the Wildcats -- quarterback MarQueis Gray (147 rush yards) and running back Duane Bennett (127 rush yards) because the first Minnesota quarterback-running back pair to eclipse 100 rush yards in the same game since 2003 -- but Northwestern kept the Gophers out of the end zone and made big plays. The biggest came from safety Brian Peters, who caught a deflected Gray pass in the end zone for an interception. Gray showed he can be dangerous on his feet but still has a long way to go as a passer (9 of 21 for 124 yards and an interception).

Northwestern's offense scored three touchdowns in the first 12:31 but disappeared in the second and third quarters, as Minnesota took the unit out of its rhythm. The Wildcats recovered late with an impressive 15-play, 80-yard scoring drive capped by a Jacob Schmidt run. Schmidt (13 carries, 69 yards, TD) had a very nice fourth quarter, and Persa, while not playing his best game, had two touchdown strikes and 216 pass yards.

The bigger story is a defense that has rebounded nicely the past three weeks after a miserable start to Big Ten play.

It wasn't the prettiest win, but Northwestern will take it and move on. After starting the season 2-5, Northwestern is in position to go bowling again.

After a blistering start by Northwestern's offense, this game has settled down a bit as Minnesota regained momentum late in the half.

Northwestern looked unstoppable in the first quarter, scoring touchdowns on each of its first three possessions. Wildcats quarterback Dan Persa fired touchdown passes to Demetrius Fields and Kain Colter, and Treyvon Green added a touchdown run as Northwestern's offensive line dominated play. But Minnesota turned things around when safety Kim Royston intercepted a Persa pass early in the second quarter.

The Gophers' defense seemed to get Northwestern out of its rhythm a bit, and Northwestern failed to score in the second quarter despite having the wind at its back. Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray is struggling to throw the ball for the second straight week, although he has found some running room. Duane Bennett turned in a nice half for the Gophers with 34 rush yards on seven carries. If Gray can limit turnovers and Bennett continues to run the ball well, this could be a close one down the stretch. Northwestern's defense is settling down a bit, as cornerback Jordan Mabin had a nice pass breakup in the end zone.

Meet me at the stock hop.

Stock up

Fitzgerald Toussaint: Michigan coach Brady Hoke finally named a starting running back on Monday, not that there was any doubt left after the Purdue win. Fitzgerald Toussaint's name sounds like a 19th-century French impressionist, and his 59-yard touchdown run Saturday was a work of art. He tallied 170 yards and two scores in all last week, and it looks like the Wolverines have finally found a consistent complement to Denard Robinson.

Tim Marlowe: The Nebraska junior receiver has been getting a lot more playing time and nearly took a 39-yard reverse to the house against Michigan State. He's slight -- just 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds -- but has drawn praise from his coaches for the way he plays the game. Marlowe is getting more run right now than highly-regarded freshman receiver Jamal Turner.

Braxton Miller: The Ohio State freshman quarterback is growing up quickly. His unwavering confidence at the end of the Wisconsin game was truly remarkable for a guy his age, and he appears to be getting better each week. If he can become a more polished passer, Miller will be a terror on opposing Big Ten defenses for the next three-plus years.

Silas Redd: We've written a lot of nice things about Redd in the blog lately, but what he did in October can't be said enough. He had 703 rushing yards in the month and continued his workhorse ways the past two games while dealing with a stinger in his shoulder. If anybody earned a bye week this week, it's the Penn State rising star tailback.

Duane Bennett: Inspired by the Iowa rivalry, the Minnesota tailback ran for 101 yards in last week's win. It was his first 100-yard day since the second game of last season and the first by a Gophers tailback this season. Bennett overcame a costly early fumble and minor knee injury to help Minnesota keep the pig.

Stock down


Big Ten teams on the road: Road teams are just 8-18 on the road in conference play, and some teams seem to be completely different outfits away from home. Michigan State has scored just 26 points total in three road games, while the Spartans are averaging more than 36 per game at home. Iowa has lost five straight road games, and it would be six if not for a dropped Indiana touchdown pass last year. Purdue has fallen six straight times on the road. Do we need coach Norman Dale to break out the measuring tape and show these guys that a football field is still a football field, no matter where it is?

Damarlo Belcher: Belcher should be celebrating his achievement of setting the all-time Indiana receptions record right about now. Instead, the senior who skipped on a chance to enter the NFL draft last year got himself dismissed from the team, just two catches short of the record.

Wisconsin special teams: That's two straight weeks now that the Badgers have had a punt blocked that either resulted or directly led to a touchdown. Bret Bielema says there have been breakdowns in punt protection that he will try to fix. Wisconsin also had a field goal blocked at Michigan State and gave up a long kickoff return to Ohio State that helped set up the winning touchdown. Those mistakes were just as big as the long passes that got the Badgers beat.

Illinois special teams: Wisconsin isn't the only team struggling in the kicking game. The Illini have also had punts blocked in each of the past two weeks. And in the Penn State game they lost by three, they botched one field goal attempt and had another hit off the upright. That's no way to stop a three-game losing streak.

Iowa's defensive front: Not that much has gone right anywhere for the Hawkeyes defense, but the lack of stoutness up front was truly telling in the Minnesota loss. The Gophers came in as one of the worst rushing teams in the Big Ten but were able to gash Iowa in the fourth quarter. Kirk Ferentz's defense isn't getting many tackles for loss (99th in the country) or sacks (83rd), which are signs of weakness up front. Losing three defensive linemen from last year's team to the NFL has taken a heavy toll.

At 60 yards long, 25 yards wide and shaped like a football, the home locker room at TCF Bank Stadium is one of the largest and nicest in all of college football.

In other words, it's not a bad spot for a party.

The Minnesota Golden Gophers held quite the bash there early Saturday night.

"It was like a huge nightclub," Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray told ESPN.com on Monday. "Guys were running around, screaming, taking pictures with the pig. We just couldn't believe it would be there another year."

The Gophers weren't the only ones. Other than a handful of positive-thinking Minnesota fans, no one outside the locker room gave the Gophers any chance to keep the pig, which, for those who don't know, is the Floyd of Rosedale trophy.

Minnesota hadn't merely lost its first three Big Ten games. The Gophers weren't competitive, getting outscored 144-31. Opponents outscored Minnesota 48-0 in the first quarters of those games, each of which was essentially over at halftime.

It's why Saturday's 22-21 victory against Iowa was so special to the Minnesota players, coaches and fans. The Gophers had endured one of the more miserable two-month stretches in team history. They had been labeled -- by this blog and other outlets -- as the worst major-conference team in America, with little evidence to the contrary.

But after hanging around in the first half, the Gophers rallied from an 11-point, fourth-quarter deficit to win. Gray's fourth-down touchdown run with 2:48 proved to be the game-winner.

Not long after, Gray posted a picture of himself and Floyd on his Twitter page.

"It was a great win for us," Gray said. "Very positive. Couldn't have happened at a better time. Hopefully, it can turn around our season."

The first sign that Saturday's game would be different came at the end of the first quarter. Minnesota hadn't scored (not unusual this year) but wasn't trailing (very unusual).

"I knew then," Gray said, "that we had a shot."

Minnesota's defense continued to keep Iowa off of the scoreboard, despite a huge performance from Hawkeyes running back Marcus Coker. But the Gophers' offense wasn't doing anything, either.

After Minnesota running back Duane Bennett fumbled in Iowa territory early in the second quarter, Gray gathered the offense. The mild-mannered junior, who prefers to lead by example, spoke up.

"I started expressing my feelings to them," Gray said. "I can't say exactly what I was saying. It wasn't the best choice of words. I felt like the defense was playing their hearts out and the offense, we were just shooting ourselves in the foot."

Gray led a touchdown drive late in the half and came alive in the fourth quarter. He finished with 193 pass yards, 61 rush yards and two touchdowns.

The Gophers' sideline erupted with every big play in the second half. Someone tuning into the action might have thought Minnesota had won the game several times, judging by how players reacted to each positive moment.

This had been a long time coming. Especially for coach Jerry Kill.

Kill not only had endured the bad losses but twice was hospitalized for seizures in the first month of the season. He has been tough on his players and candid about the long road to respectability ahead for Minnesota.

But for one night at least, he could enjoy himself.

"He's still a hard-nosed guy, but you could tell he's very excited we won that game," Gray said. "He expressed a joyful sense of humor with us. His family was in there. Everyone was just so happy about bringing back the pig."

The celebration won't last long as Minnesota faces ranked opponents the next two weeks (No. 17 Michigan State and No. 20 Wisconsin).

But the Gophers hope Saturday's win is the starting point for bigger and better things.

"It makes us feel great," Gray said. "Having that win, it lets us know we can beat anybody on any given day."

» Power Rankings: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-12 | SEC

After an absolutely wild Week 9 in the Big Ten, we have a new No. 1 team for the third consecutive Monday. Nebraska rises to the top of the rankings after its impressive win against previous No. 1 Michigan State. Penn State, the only unbeaten team in Big Ten play, also makes a move as it prepares for the schedule to get much tougher in November.

In an effort to avoid confusion, these rankings match how both of us will vote in the ESPN.com Top 25, so season performance is taken more into consideration.

Let's get to it ...

1. Nebraska (7-1, 3-1): Bo Pelini's team delivered its most complete performance of the season and sent a message to the rest of the Legends division by beating up surging Michigan State. Nebraska's defense finally looked worthy of the Blackshirt label, flustering Kirk Cousins and a going-nowhere Spartans attack. Junior I-back Rex Burkhead continued to enhance his legend with one of the gutsiest performances of the Big Ten season.

2. Penn State (8-1, 5-0): Style points they lack, but these Lions know how to win this season. Thanks to stout defense, blossoming running back Silas Redd, a mistake-prone Illinois team and a heroic drive led by junior quarterback Matthew McGloin, Penn State improved to 8-1 entering the bye week, with its only loss to No. 2 Alabama. How much longer can the Lions keep this up? We'll learn much more during a daunting November stretch (Nebraska, Ohio State, Wisconsin).

3. Michigan (7-1, 3-1): There won't be a second-half slide this season in Ann Arbor. Could there be a push for a Legends division title? We'll find out in the coming weeks as Michigan starts a challenging November schedule (Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio State). The Wolverines figured out their running back against Purdue as Fitzgerald Toussaint went for 170 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Denard Robinson had his ups and downs, but Mike Martin and the defense performed very well following the bye week.

4. Michigan State (6-2, 3-1): What had been an incredible month for Mark Dantonio's squad ended with a thud in Lincoln. Michigan State was unable to put a stranglehold on the Legends division and created a wild race during the month of November. The Spartans haven't been overly impressive on the road this season, and Cousins and the offense must bounce back this week against Minnesota before visiting Kinnick Stadium, where Michigan State lost 37-6 last season.

5. Wisconsin (6-2, 2-2): What looked like a dream season for Bret Bielema's team has turned into a nightmare. For the second consecutive week, Wisconsin suffered a heartbreaking loss on the road after making a dramatic comeback. For the second consecutive week, Wisconsin endured a crucial breakdown in the kicking game and couldn't stop a long pass in the final minutes. Wisconsin might still be the Big Ten's most talented team, but it simply isn't the same squad away from Madison. The Badgers now must win out and get some help just to make it to Indianapolis.

6. Ohio State (5-3, 2-2): The Buckeyes had so much on the line Saturday night, and they came through in all three phases. A physical defense held Wisconsin to 10 first-half rushing yards and just 89 for the game. Ohio State received several huge plays on special teams, including a Ryan Shazier blocked punt that set up a touchdown. And freshman quarterback Braxton Miller came of age in the clutch, making the biggest throw of his young career -- and Ohio State's season. The Buckeyes have no margin for error the rest of the way, but they also enter November with plenty of momentum. Although they just beat the team ahead of them in these rankings, we still like Wisconsin's overall body of work a little better.

7. Illinois (6-3, 2-3): After a 6-0 start, Illinois is headed in the wrong direction. The Illini leaned on their defense against Penn State and nearly got a huge win, but they failed to get one final stop and suffered a heart-wrenching loss. Talent isn't the problem for the Fighting Illini, but a slow-starting offense and repeated problems in the kicking game have cost Ron Zook's team dearly. A bye comes at a good time before Illinois plays two tough home games against Michigan and Wisconsin.

8. Purdue (4-4, 2-2): The Boilers backslide after a beat-down in Ann Arbor. After three decent-to-good performances to begin Big Ten play, Purdue struggled mightily in the final 58 minutes. Although quarterback Caleb TerBush was OK, the offense wasted opportunities and failed to make Michigan pay for turnovers. The defense, meanwhile, missed countless tackles and had no answer for Toussaint, Robinson and the Wolverines' rushing attack. Things don't get much easier this week as Purdue travels to Madison.

9. Iowa (5-3, 2-2): Saturday's loss seemed to defy general football law. Iowa had 269 rushing yards (252 by Marcus Coker alone), 21 first downs and 446 total yards. And yet the Hawkeyes couldn't beat Minnesota, a team many regarded as the worst major-conference squad in the country. Iowa dropped its second consecutive game to the Gophers, and this loss could sting for a while. The schedule gets much harder in November for Kirk Ferentz's crew, which needs to rebound badly.

10. Northwestern (3-5, 1-4): Who needs a defense when the offense can't be stopped? Northwestern turned in one of the most efficient offensive performances in team history at Indiana, reaching the end zone on eight of its first 10 possessions and racking up 616 yards (317 rush, 299 pass). Led by quarterback Dan Persa, quarterback/receiver Kain Colter and tight end Drake Dunsmore, Northwestern recorded its highest point total since 2000 (59). The problem: The Wildcats struggled to slow down Indiana and now must travel to Nebraska.

11. Minnesota (2-6, 1-3): No one's questioning the timing of Jerry Kill's new contract anymore. After three noncompetitive performances in Big Ten play, Minnesota took its play up several notches to beat Iowa and retain the beloved Floyd of Rosedale. The Gophers received terrific performances from quarterback MarQueis Gray and running back Duane Bennett, and while their defense surrendered yards, it came up with critical plays, including a sack and a forced fumble that turned momentum in the third quarter.

12. Indiana (1-8, 0-5): The Hoosiers discovered their offensive backfield in quarterback Tre Roberson and running back Stephen Houston, who combined for 272 rush yards and three touchdowns against Northwestern. Now, as for the defense? Indiana has been looking for one for more than a decade, and the search continues this season. The young and undermanned Hoosiers had no answer for Persa and the Northwestern offense, which had its way Saturday. Things don't get easier in the coming weeks as Indiana visits Ohio State and Michigan State.

The pig stays put.

Minnesota beat Iowa 22-21 in what has to be considered the biggest upset in the Big Ten this season. In fact, it probably rates as the biggest upset during conference play in any major league.

The Golden Gophers came into the game 1-6, having been outscored 144-31 in three Big Ten games. They looked like the worst BCS AQ team in America.

But crazy things happen in rivalry games. None crazier than this.

Minnesota scored two touchdowns in the final 8:22 and came up with a big defensive stop on fourth down to kill Iowa's last chance. Jerry Kill, who signed a seven-year contract this week, held nothing back as he went for the onsides kick after the first fourth-quarter touchdown, and the recovery led to the winning score.

MarQueis Gray had perhaps his best game at quarterback, throwing for 193 yards and a touchdown and running for 62 yards. He scored the winning TD on a three-yard run on third and goal, moments after a touchdown had been called back for an illegal motion penalty. Duane Bennett added 101 yards on 20 carries, plus a score.

How in the world did this happen? Well, Kill certainly used the Floyd of Rosedale as motivation all week. Minnesota upset Iowa last year to win the pig and approached this rematch as its Super Bowl. Even though Iowa outgained the Gophers, Kill's team made fewer mistakes and just plain wanted it more.

You have to feel good for the Gophers, who have been through an awful lot this year. Unless, of course, you're a Hawkeyes fan.

This is a tremendously embarrassing loss by Iowa. Marcus Coker ran for a whopping 252 yards on 32 carries, but somehow the Hawkeyes managed only three scores against one of the worst defenses in the country. And their season-long defensive shortcomings ended up costing big time today, as they just couldn't get a stop to slow Minnesota's momentum.

Iowa was actually in pretty good position in the Big Ten Legends Division race with Michigan State losing today. A win over Minnesota would have created a four-way tie for first place, and the Hawkeyes get both Michigan and Michigan State at home in November.

Instead, you have to wonder now where Iowa's season is going. Kirk Ferentz is going to hear some major criticism this week, which will be even louder than the carping that took place after the Iowa State loss in Week 2. The Hawkeyes are 0-2 in rivalry games and still must go to Nebraska to end the year.

But for now, raise a toast to the Gophers. Might as well make it a bacon-infused cocktail.

Maybe the pig won't be going back to Iowa City after all.

Minnesota is hanging in with Iowa following three noncompetitive performances to begin Big Ten play. Coach Jerry Kill's team kept the high-powered Iowa offense off the scoreboard for nearly 25 minutes. Then, after a Marvin McNutt touchdown catch, Minnesota answered right back with a 7-play, 81-yard scoring drive of its own.

You've got to credit Minnesota for not giving up on the season and giving one of its rivals all it can handle, at least for the first 30 minutes. Quarterback MarQueis Gray has been solid against a poor Iowa defense, completing 5 of 6 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown and adding 17 rushing yards. Running back Duane Bennett also had a productive half (6 carries, 44 yards).

OK, you ready for an incredible statistic? Iowa running back Marcus Coker racked up 187 rush yards on 19 carries in the half, including a 50-yarder. And his team only has seven points. How does that happen?!?! Iowa reached Minnesota territory on each of its first five possessions, but missed two field goals, turned it over on downs and punted.

Iowa has to be extremely frustrated heading to the locker room tied. Coker has been great and quarterback James Vandenberg has been solid (10-for-14 passing, 81 yards, TD). The Hawkeyes have three times as many first downs as Minnesota (12-4) and held the ball for 19:19.

Minnesota has to hold the ball more in the second half, and the Gophers need a break or two to go their way. But for the first time in Big Ten play, they head to the locker room with a chance to win.

Let's use our third eye to look back on Week 3 in the Big Ten (and hope that third eye is not blind):

Team of the week: Illinois. Ron Zook is back, and so are the Illini. After beating a ranked team -- Arizona State -- for the first time since it upset No. 1 Ohio State in 2007, Illinois finds itself back in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2008. What was most impressive about Saturday's effort was the defense led the charge, showing this team is more than just a high-powered offense.

Best game: Iowa's 31-27 win against Pittsburgh. I'm a sucker for comebacks, and this was the largest comeback in Hawkeyes history. They trailed 24-3 late in the third quarter, and people were already writing this season's obituary. One frenzied fourth quarter (and a typical Pitt meltdown) later, and Iowa is suddenly feeling much better about itself.

Biggest play: Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti made a terrific, diving interception at the Temple 44-yard line with his team trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter. His takeaway set up the Nittany Lions' winning score. Speaking of which ...

Best call: Joe Paterno's decision to go for it at 4th and 1 from the Temple 3-yard line. Perhaps this was an easy call (even from the press box) because Penn State has been so bad on field goals this year. But if the plan didn't work, the Nittany Lions could have suffered a historic defeat that would have raised the criticism level of the coaching staff considerably. Instead, Brandon Beachum powered ahead two yards for the first down, leading to the winning touchdown on the next play.

Most questionable call: Mark Dantonio's decision to try a fake field goal at the Notre Dame 2-yard line late in the first half. After "Little Giants" last year, everyone in the stadium was on high alert for fakes, which raised the degree of difficulty of that play to ridiculous heights and led, predictably, to its demise. Michigan State probably wasn't going to win this game anyway. But if the Spartans kick the field goal there, they cut the lead to 21-13 while getting the ball to start the second half, putting a little more pressure on a desperate Irish team. Of course, if the fake had worked, everyone would be praising Dantonio as a riverboat gambler with magic up his sleeves. That's coaching for you.

Big Man on Campus (Offense): Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg. For the second straight week, this honor goes to a guy who struggled for most of three quarters before leading a huge comeback. Vandenberg scored on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter to cut the Pitt lead to 24-10. Then he led three touchdown drives in the final 10 minutes, throwing for each score. He finished with a career-high 399 passing yards.

Big Man on Campus (Defense): Illinois linebacker Jonathan Brown. The Illini dialed up a heavy blitz scheme against Arizona State, and Brown helped lead the charge by moving all over the field. The sophomore had seven tackles, including 3.5 for loss and 1.5 sacks. He caused an interception by hitting Sun Devils quarterback Brock Osweiler as he threw, and later Brown grabbed his own interception to stop a promising Arizona State drive.

Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Duane Bennett, Minnesota. Normally the Gophers starting running back, Bennett made his biggest contribution on special teams this week. He blocked a Miami of Ohio punt and returned it for a touchdown to give his team a 29-16 lead. That proved the difference in Minnesota's first win of the season.

Worst hangover: Plenty of people wake up feeling bad after a night in Miami, but maybe not quite like Ohio State felt Sunday morning. The Buckeyes were thoroughly exposed in their 24-6 shellacking against the Hurricanes, and their feeble offense looked like some sort of pre-World War II design. Any outside hopes of a national title are gone, and serious changes will be needed for this team to compete against the best in the Big Ten.

Strangest stat: Indiana committed 20 penalties for 176 yards on Saturday and still won (thank goodness for South Carolina State). Eleven of the 20 penalties were false starts, and on two occasions the Hoosiers committed false starts on back-to-back snaps. Remember, they were playing at home, not in a deafening road environment. Kevin Wilson wants his team to play fast, but head starts still aren't allowed.

Coach Jerry Kill returned to the sideline as saw his Minnesota team notch its first win of the season.

Minnesota 29, Miami (Ohio) 23: Kill will undoubtedly point to the areas that need fixing, and there are plenty. But he had to be pleased with junior quarterback Marqueis Gray, who racked up 334 offensive yards (171 rush, 163 pass) and led five scoring drives. Minnesota received a huge play on special teams from Duane Bennett and got just enough from its defense, which still struggles mightily against the pass (325 yards allowed). The Gophers must do a better job of pressuring the quarterback and getting off of the field, but they found a way to rebound after a very discouraging loss last week to New Mexico State. You have to feel good for Kill, who spent most of the week in the hospital after suffering a seizure on the sideline in the New Mexico State game.

The kicking game has produced its share of problems for Minnesota in recent years.

But the Gophers have been very solid in the all-important third phase today against Miami (Ohio).

In addition to converting three field goals, Minnesota extended its lead to 29-16 after running back Duane Bennett blocked a punt and ran in the ball for a 2-yard touchdown.

After Miami couldn't convert a PAT attempt to take the lead, the Gophers have been in control and are in position to give Jerry Kill a very meaningful first win as Minnesota coach.

Marqueis Gray continues to have a very big day at quarterback. Let's see if the defense can make enough stops.

Minnesota briefly interrupted the Matt Barkley-Robert Woods show and has put itself right back into the game.

The Gophers turned a USC special-teams gaffe into a touchdown as Duane Bennett scooted into the end zone from nine yards out, cutting the deficit to 19-10. Minnesota's defense still looks leaky against Barkley, who has been extremely sharp at the start of his third season, but the unit recorded a big fourth-down stop. The Gophers have been very good against the run today, but they need to start pressuring Barkley.

Minnesota's offense hasn't done much so far, and it's critical for quarterback MarQueis Gray to attack downfield more in the second half. Top wideout Da'Jon McKnight must get more involved after making only one catch so far.

Jerry Kill is in the middle of another reclamation project. After bolstering programs at Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois and other stops along the way, Kill has brought his turnaround tactics to the Twin Cities. He takes over a Minnesota program that went 3-9 last year and has suffered some roster attrition. Most project the Gophers to finish at the bottom of the Legends division this season.

Unlike his predecessor, Tim Brewster, Kill isn't one to make bold preseason predictions. He's trying to build a program "on concrete, not sand," and the process could take some time.

I checked in with the first-year Gophers coach Tuesday to get his thoughts on preseason prep.

What has been your top priority in camp?

Jerry Kill: The biggest thing is when you take over a new team, you go through spring ball, but they haven't been through two-a-day camp with you. They're not familiar with what you do and how you do things. So getting everybody into a routine and familiar with the way we approach things, it's been a challenge but the kids have handled it pretty well.

Do you feel like you're still starting over?

JK: It's a new coaching staff, and we haven't been through it. Until we go through a full year, people aren't going to understand what you expect or what you want. You can't get to know somebody in three or four months. It takes time, and trials and errors, so we are starting over. It is what it is. We've never been through two-a-day camp together, we've never been through the first game together, we've never been through a season together. Once you go through it for a year, you can get all the things figured out. That's just the way it is. And you hope you win some games along the way.

You've had quite a few open practices and scrimmages this month. What has the atmosphere been like?

JK: I remember asking Bobby Ross, back when I was coaching Saginaw Valley State and the Detroit Lions were having training camp and Coach Ross was in charge. They had the open practices. I asked him why he did that and he said because players will practice harder. I don't think there's any question about that. So we opened up our first two weeks, it's closed now, but we had 200 people at probably every practice at least. So it's a good atmosphere for the kids to practice. They don't want to be embarrassed when there's people around, so I thought it was a good deal.

You were pleased with MarQueis Gray coming out of the spring. How has he looked to you so far this camp?

JK: He's still going through the learning process, and he will for a while. He's never been in a game at quarterback. He has played some Wildcat or whatever, but he has never been a true quarterback in a game. There's learning going on every game, and it's certainly different from spring ball to two-a-day camp because we're getting closer to game day, and there's a lot more to do at that position. But he's working his tail end off to do something that's pretty darn near impossible, to go from a wide receiver to a quarterback.

He's worked hard at it, we're making progress. Will we be real complicated early in the year? We can't be. We've basically got four freshmen quarterbacks. So we'll have to simplify things. He's athletic enough to do some special things once we get him in the right position. He's what you look for in a quarterback and he's got the skill set to do it, but the other people around him have got to do a good job also.

How many young players do you anticipate playing, true freshmen and redshirt freshmen?

JK: Too many. It is what it is. We've got a situation where we've got one recruiting class that only has five players left. There's a reason things are open. We've got one senior running back [Duane Bennett] and four freshmen, whether they're redshirt or true freshmen. We've got one senior wide receiver [Da'Jon McKnight] and the rest are freshmen and a junior college player. Offensive line, we've got three seniors and the rest of them are freshmen and redshirt freshmen, a couple sophomores sprinkled in there. So it's a young football team.

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Beginning today, we're going to start ranking each position group in the Big Ten. These rankings will reflect the overall strength at each position, so depth matters as well as individual star power. Following each group ranking, we'll also give out our list of the top individual players at that position.

Let's start out with a look at the running back groups across the Big Ten.

1. Wisconsin: No surprise at the top. Even with John Clay gone and Zach Brown transferring, the Badgers are loaded at tailback. They've still got junior Montee Ball, who finished four yards shy of 1,000 last season with 18 touchdowns, along with reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year James White, who ran for 1,052 yards and 14 touchdowns. Throw in senior fullback Bradie Ewing and redshirt freshman Jeff Lewis, and the Badgers should be powerful on the ground yet again in 2011.

2. Michigan State: Other than Wisconsin, the Spartans have the best collection of experience and talent in the backfield. First-team All-Big Ten performer Edwin Baker ran for 1,201 yards and 13 scores last year. Le'Veon Bell, a 237-pound bruiser, complemented him as a true freshman with 605 yards and eight scores. Larry Caper is a capable veteran, and fifth-year senior Todd Anderson starts at fullback. The Spartans are deep and versatile in their rushing attack.

3. Ohio State: The Buckeyes might have earned a higher ranking if Dan Herron were eligible to play a full season. But with Herron (1,155 yards and 16 scores in '10) suspended for the first five games, Ohio State will need some youngsters to fill his shoes. The good news is that there are plenty of talented candidates. Jaamal Berry is the leading returning rusher outside of Herron, and he averaged 8.3 yards per carry in a limited role last season. Jordan Hall and Carlos Hyde will also battle for more playing time, while redshirt freshman Rod Smith could emerge as the No. 1 tailback after an impressive offseason. Zach Boren is back at fullback. Things may be in flux in Columbus, but you can almost always count on a good running game from the Buckeyes.

4. Nebraska: The Cornhuskers led the Big 12 in rushing last season with 247.6 yards per game on the ground, good for ninth in the FBS. Leading rusher Roy Helu Jr. is gone, but junior Rex Burkhead returns after a 951-yard campaign. He will occasionally line up at receiver or take snaps in the Wildcat. The Cornhuskers lack experience behind him but are expecting big contributions from incoming freshmen Aaron Green and Amer Abdullah. ESPN Recruiting ranked Green as the No. 11 player overall in the Class of 2011.

5. Penn State: Yes, the school's all-time leading rusher has moved on, as Evan Royster graduated. But the Nittany Lions still feel confident about their running game, which should be led by sophomore Silas Redd. He ran for 461 yards and 5.7 yards per carry as a true freshman, showing a physical style. Senior Stephfon Green will be asked to take on a larger role, and Brandon Beachum is back after missing last season with a knee injury. Joe Suhey and Michael Zordich are productive players at the fullback spot.

6. Purdue: The Boilermakers' stock in this chart could go up if Ralph Bolden successfully returns from injury. So far, so good for Bolden, who was a second-team All-Big Ten performer in 2009. Rob Henry led the team in rushing last year with 547 yards, but fullback Dan Dierking graduated. Junior college transfer Akeem Shavers got a lot of carries this spring and should contribute, and Reggie Pegram also is in the mix.

7. Iowa: Running back depth is a serious issue for Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes. Adam Robinson, who would have been the leading returning running back in the Big Ten in terms of yards per game, was dismissed from the team following a December arrest. Marcus Coker could emerge as a superstar, however, after starting four of Iowa's final five games as a true freshman. He was the offensive MVP of the Insight Bowl with 219 rushing yards on 33 carries and has drawn comparisons to former Doak Walker Award winner Shonn Greene. There's virtually no proven experience behind him, though, and three-year starting fullback Brett Morse is no longer around.

8. Michigan: If only we could count Denard Robinson as a running back. Brady Hoke plans to cut down on Shoelace's carries, which means the Wolverines' tailbacks will get more of a chance to shine. The question is who will step up. Senior Michael Shaw and junior Vincent Smith split time as starters last season, while Stephen Hopkins and Michael Cox are in the mix for more carries. Can celebrated recruit Justice Hayes contribute right away?

9. Illinois: Mikel Leshoure's dash to the NFL left the Illini with uncertainty at running back. Senior Jason Ford, the most likely successor, sat out much of spring ball with a hurt knee, while Troy Pollard's promising spring was cut short by a concussion. Incoming freshman Donovonn Young will get a look this fall.

10. Northwestern: Like Nebraska and Michigan, Northwestern relied on its quarterback -- in this case Dan Persa-- for a heavy chunk of the rushing yards. Mike Trumpy came on late in the year as a freshman and solidified his starting spot with a strong spring. Sophomore Adonis Smith, senior Jacob Schmidt and junior Tyris Jones will fight for carries behind him.

11. Minnesota: There was healthy competition at tailback this spring with a mixture of veterans and fresh faces. DeLeon Eskridge led the team last year with 698 rushing yards, while Duane Bennett added 529. They're being pushed by redshirt freshmen Donnell Kirkwood and Lamonte Edwards. New coach Jerry Kill will look to improve on the Gophers' paltry 3.6 yards per carry average last season. This is a group that could make a major move up the rankings.

12. Indiana: New Hoosiers coach Kevin Wilson has a challenge in figuring out this group. Three of the top candidates for the starting tailback job, Darius Willis, Antonio Banks and Xavier Whitaker, all suffered season-ending knee injuries in 2010 and missed spring practice. IU's leading rusher last season finished with just 352 yards. Nick Turner and Matt Perez got the bulk of the reps in the spring. Perhaps Wilson's high-tempo offense will improve the stats for Indiana ball carriers.

Jeff Horton won't win Big Ten Coach of the Year. That honor will deservedly go to Michigan State's Mark Dantonio or Wisconsin's Bret Bielema.

But Horton deserves a ton of credit for keeping Minnesota on track through a very tough time. And today, the Gophers got a big reward.

The Floyd of Rosedale.

Minnesota's 27-24 upset of No. 24 Iowa allowed the Gophers to hoist a rivalry trophy for the first time since 2006. And you could tell how excited the Minnesota players were as they raced over to grab the bronze pig on Iowa's sideline.

Those of us who know Gophers quarterback Adam Weber are happy for him Saturday. He has endured a ton of losing in his college career, and to win a rivalry trophy in his final game is something he'll never forget. Weber had a so-so day passing the ball, but he got plenty of help from running backs DeLeon Eskridge (95 rush yards, TD) and Duane Bennett (63 rush yards, TD).

Backup quarterback MarQueis Gray also provided a lift with 39 rush yards and a score, including a huge third-down conversion to set up the winning touchdown.

What a letdown for Iowa, which dropped its final three Big Ten games by a total of 10 points. The Hawkeyes once again seemed to wear down on defense and recorded only 218 offensive yards against the nation's No. 88 defense.

I expected a lot more from a senior-laden Iowa team that needs to refocus itself for a bowl game.