By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports activities
This week, 17 of the 18 Large Ten groups are in motion throughout eight convention video games.
USC steps out of league play for the intersectional rivalry with Notre Dame, and Illinois has the week off following its reasonably robust exhibiting towards Ohio State. (The turtle—the Illi-Buck Trophy—stayed with the crew clad in Scarlet and Grey).
Nearer to dwelling, the Huskies look to make a press release towards Michigan, the Bruins hope to remain scorching, and the Geese search to rebound from an oh-so-rare defeat in Eugene.
Every week on this column, we take a look at the 4 West Coast Large Ten groups and the opposite Large Ten video games of essentially the most curiosity for a preview of six contests.
Along with the area’s 4 groups this weekend, we spotlight the Friday night time battle between Minnesota and Nebraska and the trophy matchup between Indiana and Michigan State.
Among the many three Large Ten video games we don’t preview this week, I believe Northwestern barely avoids the upset at dwelling vs Purdue. And in Iowa Metropolis, it is going to be a brand new coach, however the identical end result as Penn State loses once more.
Lastly, Ohio State will beat Wisconsin so badly that you’ll marvel if Luke Fickell survives the weekend.
With that, right here is my tackle the six Large Ten video games we’re that includes.
No. 25 Nebraska at Minnesota 
Friday, October 17
5:00 PM PT, FOX
Line: Nebraska –7.5
Over/Beneath: 50.5
Minnesota is unbeaten in 4 dwelling video games this season. Nebraska is unbeaten on the highway, although the pattern measurement is kind of small. One thing has to provide.
The Huskers have solely performed one true highway recreation, and it was final week at Maryland. In that one, Nebraska rallied within the fourth quarter, scoring the sport’s closing 10 factors within the final eight minutes to safe a three-point win.
The Gophers have been excellent towards the run this season, however bought torched on the bottom final week of their win over Purdue, giving up 253 yards.
The Huskers had a great deal of success on the bottom towards the Terps final week, however it’s Dylan Raiola making performs within the passing recreation that can make the offense hum.
The Gophers have been lit up by the air of their two losses. Ohio State threw for 341 towards them whereas Cal went for 279.
Search for Nebraska to benefit from the Minnesota secondary and go away the Twin Cities with a win—and possibly a late cowl.
Towards the unfold: Nebraska
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: Nebraska
Washington at Michigan 
Saturday, October 18
9:00 AM PT, FOX
Line: Michigan –5.5
Over/Beneath: 50.5
Washington is sneaking up on some folks.
We knew the Huskies have been going to be a strong crew coming into the season, however with the 5-1 begin and strong exhibiting towards Ohio State, they’re beginning to make some people across the nation take discover.
Demond Williams can be beginning to present the remainder of the world simply how good he’s.
And the Huskies are getting it executed within the first half of the season, with Jonah Coleman being comparatively quiet, regardless of main the nation in speeding touchdowns. As soon as he will get going, the Huskies might be lights out.
That is one which the Huskies may want the star again to step up in. The Wolverines are all the time good on protection and particularly good towards the run.
That’s once more the case this season, however the Maize and Blue should not almost as dominant at stuffing the run as they’ve been in current seasons.
They at the moment rank twentieth in defending the bottom assault, giving up simply over 100 yards per recreation, they usually gave up 224 on the bottom to USC final week.
Within the 4 wins, they’ve allowed 61.8 whereas getting torched on the bottom within the losses to the tune of 181 per recreation.
Oklahoma and USC each punished the Wolverines on the bottom, and you’d suppose the Huskies ought to discover success as nicely.
On the opposite facet of the ball, Bryce Underwood has been excellent below heart for Michigan. The true freshman has thrown for simply over 200 yards per recreation whereas additionally operating for 177 yards on the season.
As strong as he has been, Michigan must run the ball to search out success. Michigan is 0-2 this season after they fail to succeed in not less than 175 speeding yards.
Washington has the seventh-best run protection within the nation, permitting simply 82.8 yards per outing. Probably the most the Huskies have allowed on the bottom this season is 149 to Ohio State.
Washington will rating the upset within the Large Home and keep within the hunt for the Large Ten and Playoff competition.
Towards the unfold: Washington
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: Washington
Michigan State at No. 3 Indiana
Saturday, October 18
12:30 PM PT, Peacock
Line: Indiana –27.5
Over/Beneath: 52.5
Curt Cignetti is 17-2 since taking on the Indiana job, and people 17 wins over the past two seasons are essentially the most in any two-year span in Hoosier program historical past—and the crew nonetheless has not less than seven video games to play in 2025.
The turnaround in Bloomington has been a gargantuan feat. Per week after ending Oregon’s nation-leading dwelling successful streak, the Hoosiers will welcome Michigan State to city for the battle of the Previous Brass Spittoon.
Whereas IU is experiencing a degree of successful below its second-year head coach that it has by no means seen earlier than, the Spartans are struggling by Yr Two below Jonathan Smith.
MSU is 0-3 in convention play and, courting to final season, has gone 1-7 in its final eight Large Ten video games with a 20.4-point common margin of defeat over these seven losses.
So, how does MSU keep on this one? Run the soccer; the Spartans are 3-0 after they run for not less than 150 yards this season.
Indiana has allowed greater than 93 yards on the bottom in only one recreation —ODU ran for 218 within the opener, and 159 of them got here on two performs. The Hoosiers restricted Oregon to 81 on the bottom.
Indiana could also be gassed and maybe due for a letdown, nevertheless it gained’t be this week towards a banged-up Michigan State crew.
Indiana has the nation’s third-longest home-field successful streak at 12 video games, they usually gained’t see it finish on Saturday.
The Spitter stays in Bloomington for not less than yet one more season.
Towards the unfold: Indiana
Factors Complete: Over
Outright winner: Indiana
No. 8 Oregon at Rutgers
Saturday, October 18
3:30 PM PT, Large Ten Community
Line: Oregon –17
Over/Beneath: 60.5
Oregon ran right into a protection that was able to play final week. The Geese solely managed 15 yards of offense within the fourth quarter towards Indiana and have been held to simply 64 yards of offense after halftime.
Dante Moore was sacked six instances, and the outing was about as un-Oregon-like as you may get. Now we return to our often scheduled broadcast.
Rutgers goes to be the elixir to erase final week’s efficiency. The Scarlet Knights opened the season with three straight wins however are nonetheless searching for their first little bit of success in convention play.
The Knights had a 10-0 lead on Washington on the finish of the primary quarter final week, however noticed it evaporate within the second quarter. The second half in Seattle will not be something the Knights will look again fondly on as they bought outscored 28-6 following the break.
Rutgers has allowed 13 sacks of their three Large Ten video games this season, with Minnesota attending to Athan Kaliakmanis seven instances. The Geese ought to have the ability to ratchet up the stress on RU and dominate the road of scrimmage.
Search for Matayo Uiagalelei to feast on this one.
When the Geese have the ball, they are going to be going through the 114th-ranked cross protection within the nation. Dante Moore and the offense could have a bounce-back recreation in a giant means.
Towards the unfold: Oregon
Factors Complete: Over
Outright winner: Oregon
Maryland at UCLA
Saturday, October 18
4:00 PM PT, FS1
Line: UCLA –3.5
Over/Beneath: 52.5
Can the Bruins hold this factor rolling?
Nicely, issues are going to begin to toughen up on the UCLA’s schedule with a visit to OSU, IU, and USC nonetheless forward, together with visits from Washington and Nebraska.
However it actually begins with the Terps coming to Pasadena.
Whereas UCLA opened the season 0-4 solely to win its final two, Maryland opened the season 4-0 and suffered a pair of powerful losses. Make no mistake, regardless of the current defeats, it is a very strong Maryland crew.
This UCLA offense has regarded fully completely different the final two weeks, scoring 80 factors with 10 touchdowns and 426.5 yards of complete offense per recreation with zero turnovers.
The final quantity could be the most important because the Bruins turned it over 4 instances within the first 4 video games of the season. Maryland, nevertheless, leads the nation in turnover margin at +1.67 per recreation. The Terps’ protection has picked off an FBS-leading 12 passes this season.
Staying clear with the soccer might be simpler mentioned than executed this week and might be pivotal if UCLA desires to make it three in a row.
Malik Washington has stepped in at QB for Maryland as a real freshman and at the moment ranks thirtieth within the nation, throwing for 251 yards per recreation, however he has solely accomplished 62.3% of his passes.
This has rather a lot to do along with his receivers having a ton of drops, but when UCLA can get the Terps in long-yardage conditions, they may have success on protection. UCLA will not be a straightforward crew to throw towards, permitting simply 173.7 passing yards per recreation, twenty fifth within the nation.
And whereas UCLA has been horrible towards the run, Maryland has not been capable of run the ball successfully all season.
It will likely be energy on energy, and whichever unit performs higher, and maybe covers up their deficiencies higher, will succeed.
I believe the Bruins will once more appear to be a crew able to make noise this season, however I believe the actual key on this one might be turnovers.
For that cause, I just like the Terps to finish the Bruins’ win streak as they power some errors.
Towards the unfold: Maryland
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: Maryland
No. 20 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame
Saturday, October 18
4:30 PM PT, NBC
Line: Notre Dame –9.5
Over/Beneath: 61.5
For the second straight week, we get a primetime NBC matchup with a pair of massive manufacturers, and for the second straight week, a kind of squads is USC.
Now, can the Trojans replicate the outcomes from every week in the past in South Bend this Saturday and head again to LA with the Shillelagh?
Sure, sure, they’ll. And so they can if they’ll transfer the ball on the bottom like they did towards Michigan. The Preventing Irish have allowed simply 75.5 yards on the bottom within the final two video games and have allowed solely 106.2 per recreation this season.
That makes this Notre Dame protection the twenty fifth finest within the land at shutting down the run. That’s stout. who else is stout towards the run? Michigan!
They’re nonetheless permitting simply 101.5 per recreation, and previous to USC operating throughout them have been permitting 77.5 per recreation. There isn’t any cause USC won’t be able to run the ball once more this week.
Offensively, the Trojans have been almost good apart from a collapse towards Illinois. If USC doe not implode in that one we’re taking a look at an unbeaten Trojan crew heading to Notre Dame as a favourite.
That loss has solid some doubt, however the Irish haven’t fared nicely towards reasonably first rate groups this season.
Not solely is the Trojan offense good however the protection is loaded with athletes, particularly within the center. The SC linebackers might be in for a giant recreation this week.
This one might be a de facto playoff elimination recreation.
I believe the Irish will hold issues shut and it may come right down to the wire, however with SC getting 9,5 factors, give me the unfold all day lengthy. Not solely do they cowl, the Trojans come again with the Jeweled Shillelagh!
Towards the unfold: USC
Factors Complete: Beneath
Outright winner: USC
writes about varied subjects for SuperWest sports activities, together with stats and information, school sports activities, and motorsports. He additionally based and runs the Sports activities and Leisure Analysis Heart (SERC).
