UNDATED (AP) — The first month of the college football season has produced plenty of surprises. Teams with high expectations have fallen from the rankings. Not so much in the Southeastern Conference. This weekend could see that change. No. 1 Alabama hosts No. 12 Mississippi and No. 8 Arkansas visits No. 2 Georgia. Those are two of the four games matching ranked teams on the schedule this week.
UNDATED (AP) — Fifth-ranked Iowa visits Maryland on Friday night in the Big Ten football game of the week. Both teams are unbeaten. Iowa has relied on one of the country’s better defenses to get to 4-0. The Hawkeyes will get tested by Taulia Tagovailoa. He’s thrown for 10 touchdowns against one interception and is among the national leaders with 335 yards passing per game. Michigan visits Wisconsin Saturday in a matchup of the nation’s top rushing offense against the top run defense. Northwestern is a double-digit underdog at Nebraska. Those teams split the last 10 meetings with eight decided by one score.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — The No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions know a run to their first College Football Playoff appearance won’t be possible unless they can run the football, and they’ll look to make progress when Big Ten foe Indiana visits Beaver Stadium on Saturday night. Even with a 48-carry, 240-yard effort last week against Ball State, the Nittany Lions are ranked 111th in rushing offense. The team’s offensive line coach has noticed defenders have been able to successfully plug holes at the line and keep Penn State’s linemen from developing their second-level blocks.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — No. 11 Ohio State has never had much of a problem beating Rutgers on the football field. In seven games since the Scarlet Knights joined the Big Ten Conference, the Buckeyes have won every one by no fewer than 22 points and have scored at least 49 points in each game. This year’s game at SHI Stadium has a chance to be closer. Ohio State is 3-1 overall. Rutgers has the same record. The Scarlet Knights raised eyebrows last weekend in a 20-13 loss to now-No. 14 Michigan. They blanked the Wolverines in a dominant second half.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Maryland hasn’t been a major factor in the Big Ten football standings since joining the conference. The Terrapins can gain some real relevance with a win over No. 5 Iowa on Friday night. Maryland has a chance to start Big Ten play 2-0 for the first time. The unbeaten Terps also have a chance to start the season 5-0 overall for the first time since 2001. Iowa has already beaten two ranked opponents this season, and Maryland is just outside the Top 25.
UNDATED (AP) — Wisconsin has lost its last seven games against Top 25 teams and is 0-2 against them this season. Michigan has not beaten Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium since 2001. One of those streaks will end Saturday when the 14th-ranked Wolverines visit Wisconsin. Michigan suffered blowout losses to Wisconsin each of the last two years but has opened this season with four straight wins. This game features Blake Corum leading Michigan’s high-powered rushing attack against Wisconsin’s top-ranked run defense.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — No. 17 Michigan State has already doubled its win total from coach Mel Tucker’s debut season. The Spartans are 4-0 going into Saturday’s home game against Western Kentucky. Everyone will believe the Spartans hired the right man lif Tucker’s team can have success on the back end of the schedule. Michigan State hosts No. 14 Michigan and No. 4 Penn State and plays at No. 11 Ohio State over the last five games of the regular season. Western Kentucky is 1-2 so far this season.
