Link: http://collegefootballnews.com/2016/big-ten-rankings-recaps-week-4
1. Ohio State (3-0)
Up Next: Rutgers
2. Wisconsin (4-0)
Final Score: Wisconsin 30, Michigan State 6
Prediction: Michigan State 23, Wisconsin 20, MSU -5.5
Up Next: at Michigan
Quick Take: The crazy part about the blowout win was how Wisconsin did it with no real running game. There were a few short third down conversions to hit, and Alex Hornibrook held up well under the pressure of his first start, but this win is on the D. When the Badgers needed a stop, it got it. The Bucky defense pitched a near-perfect game – now do it again against Michigan.
3. Michigan (4-0)
Final Score: Michigan 49, Penn State 10
Prediction: Michigan 41, Penn State 20, Mich -18.5
Up Next: Wisconsin
Quick Take: Utter dominance. Penn State’s defensive front hasn’t been special, but it’s had a strong passing game so far – Michigan held Trace McSorley to 121 yards. Meanwhile, the offensive line destroyed the Nittany Lions with 326 rushing yards, six scores, and a relatively easy day for Wilton Speight. The Wolverines outgained Penn State 515 yards to 191, but now the offense has to try doing this against the Wisconsin defense.
4. Nebraska (4-0)
Final Score: Nebraska 24, Northwestern 13
Prediction: Nebraska 26, Northwestern 16, Nebraska -7.5
Up Next: Illinois
Quick Take: Tommy Armstrong is getting even better. He’s always been a great leader and a terrific baller, but against Northwestern he was deadly accurate when he needed to be, not giving up a pick and completing 18-of-29 passes for 246 yard and a touchdown – and the 132 rushing yards helped, too. How do you beat the Wildcats? Win on the lines, don’t get beat on turnovers – although there were two giveaways – and control the clock. The Huskers did that, and shhhhhhh – they’re 4-0.
5. Michigan State (3-1)
Final Score: Wisconsin 30, Michigan State 6
Prediction: Michigan State 23, Wisconsin 20, MSU -5.5
Up Next: at Indiana
Quick Take: Even Michigan State can’t out-Wisconsin, Wisconsin. The running game seemed to be okay early on, and Tyler O’Connor wasn’t awful until he had to press, but the field seemed tilted, the Badger D was always in the backfield, and there wasn’t enough pop to take control in the second half. Win out, though, MSU, and you’re in the CFP – there’s hope.
6. Minnesota (3-0)
Final Score: Minnesota 31, Colorado State 24
Prediction: Minnesota 34, Colorado State 20, Minn. -16.5
Up Next: at Penn State
Quick Take: Minnesota should’ve had a much easier time, but it never makes things easy on itself. Mitch Leidner was terrific, completing 16-of-20 passes for 174 yards and a pick with 50 rushing yards and a score, and the ground game was strong with the 1-2 punch of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks solid. However, this is a mediocre Colorado State team, and Minnesota let it hang around.
7. Iowa (3-1)
Final Score: Iowa 14, Rutgers 7
Prediction: Iowa 34, Rutgers 17, Iowa -13
Up Next: Northwestern
Quick Take: Way to inspire a whole lot of confidence that the North Dakota State game was an aberration. C.J. Beathard was just okay, but there weren’t any turnovers and the running game came up with enough gashes to settle things down a wee bit when the offense wasn’t moving. Considering the team isn’t looking like 2015, just take the win and move on.
8. Penn State (2-2)
Final Score: Michigan 49, Penn State 10
Prediction: Michigan 41, Penn State 20, Mich -18.5
Up Next: Minnesota
Quick Take: Ugh. Michigan is CFP-good, and it’s playing at home, but Penn State is supposed to be able to hang around with just about anyone with the passing game starting to improve. Instead, Michigan got up 28-0 in the first half, Trace McSorley didn’t have anywhere to go with the ball, and it turned out to be an embarrassing disaster. Considering the James Franklin hot seat talk, this didn’t help, and now the pressure is on with an unbeaten Minnesota coming up.
9. Maryland (3-0)
Up Next: Purdue
10. Indiana (2-1)
Final Score: Wake Forest 33, Indiana 28
Prediction: Indiana 23, Wake Forest 17, IU -7.5
Up Next: Michigan State
Quick Take: Oh Indiana, come on. The offense cranked up 611 yards with Richard Lagow throwing for almost 500 yards and three touchdown passes, but tossed five picks to let Wake Forest steal a win. Everything clicked for the passing attack, it was a special offensive show, and then came the interceptions. With Michigan State and Ohio State up next, the Hoosiers needed this win at home.
11. Rutgers (2-2)
Final Score: Iowa 14, Rutgers 7
Prediction: Iowa 34, Rutgers 17, Iowa -13
Up Next: at Ohio State
Quick Take: Everyone’s going to make a big thing about Iowa not being all that great – here included – but Rutgers isn’t all that bad defensively. The offense outgained the Hawkeyes with Robert Martin running for 106 yards, but the injury to Janarion Grant was a killer for an already mediocre passing game. Rutgers is proving, though, the it’s not going to be a speedbump.
12. Northwestern (1-3)
Final Score: Nebraska 24, Northwestern 13
Prediction: Nebraska 26, Northwestern 16, Nebraska -7.5
Up Next: at Iowa
Quick Take: Just when it seems like Northwestern might be ready to make a statement, the defensive front was shoved around, the offense couldn’t control the clock, and two turnovers turned out to be a killer for a team that needs all the little things to go its way. The passing game continues to be okay, but if NU is running for just 137 yards and Justin Jackson can’t get any room, it the Cats can’t beat teams like Nebraska.
13. Purdue (2-2)
Final Score: Purdue 24, Nevada 14
Prediction: Purdue 31, Nevada 23, Purdue -5.5
Up Next: at Maryland
Quick Take: Maybe this really is a different Purdue team. It got down, it had problems, and it looked like it could’ve been a nightmare of a day, but David Blough threw for 300 yards and two scores, and most impressively, the defense put the clamps down. Nevada was able to complete passes, but they didn’t go anywhere while the running defense came up with a gem.
14. Illinois (1-2)
Up Next: at Nebraska
1. Ohio State (3-0)
Up Next: Rutgers
2. Wisconsin (4-0)
Final Score: Wisconsin 30, Michigan State 6
Prediction: Michigan State 23, Wisconsin 20, MSU -5.5
Up Next: at Michigan
Quick Take: The crazy part about the blowout win was how Wisconsin did it with no real running game. There were a few short third down conversions to hit, and Alex Hornibrook held up well under the pressure of his first start, but this win is on the D. When the Badgers needed a stop, it got it. The Bucky defense pitched a near-perfect game – now do it again against Michigan.
3. Michigan (4-0)
Final Score: Michigan 49, Penn State 10
Prediction: Michigan 41, Penn State 20, Mich -18.5
Up Next: Wisconsin
Quick Take: Utter dominance. Penn State’s defensive front hasn’t been special, but it’s had a strong passing game so far – Michigan held Trace McSorley to 121 yards. Meanwhile, the offensive line destroyed the Nittany Lions with 326 rushing yards, six scores, and a relatively easy day for Wilton Speight. The Wolverines outgained Penn State 515 yards to 191, but now the offense has to try doing this against the Wisconsin defense.
4. Nebraska (4-0)
Final Score: Nebraska 24, Northwestern 13
Prediction: Nebraska 26, Northwestern 16, Nebraska -7.5
Up Next: Illinois
Quick Take: Tommy Armstrong is getting even better. He’s always been a great leader and a terrific baller, but against Northwestern he was deadly accurate when he needed to be, not giving up a pick and completing 18-of-29 passes for 246 yard and a touchdown – and the 132 rushing yards helped, too. How do you beat the Wildcats? Win on the lines, don’t get beat on turnovers – although there were two giveaways – and control the clock. The Huskers did that, and shhhhhhh – they’re 4-0.
5. Michigan State (3-1)
Final Score: Wisconsin 30, Michigan State 6
Prediction: Michigan State 23, Wisconsin 20, MSU -5.5
Up Next: at Indiana
Quick Take: Even Michigan State can’t out-Wisconsin, Wisconsin. The running game seemed to be okay early on, and Tyler O’Connor wasn’t awful until he had to press, but the field seemed tilted, the Badger D was always in the backfield, and there wasn’t enough pop to take control in the second half. Win out, though, MSU, and you’re in the CFP – there’s hope.
6. Minnesota (3-0)
Final Score: Minnesota 31, Colorado State 24
Prediction: Minnesota 34, Colorado State 20, Minn. -16.5
Up Next: at Penn State
Quick Take: Minnesota should’ve had a much easier time, but it never makes things easy on itself. Mitch Leidner was terrific, completing 16-of-20 passes for 174 yards and a pick with 50 rushing yards and a score, and the ground game was strong with the 1-2 punch of Rodney Smith and Shannon Brooks solid. However, this is a mediocre Colorado State team, and Minnesota let it hang around.
7. Iowa (3-1)
Final Score: Iowa 14, Rutgers 7
Prediction: Iowa 34, Rutgers 17, Iowa -13
Up Next: Northwestern
Quick Take: Way to inspire a whole lot of confidence that the North Dakota State game was an aberration. C.J. Beathard was just okay, but there weren’t any turnovers and the running game came up with enough gashes to settle things down a wee bit when the offense wasn’t moving. Considering the team isn’t looking like 2015, just take the win and move on.
8. Penn State (2-2)
Final Score: Michigan 49, Penn State 10
Prediction: Michigan 41, Penn State 20, Mich -18.5
Up Next: Minnesota
Quick Take: Ugh. Michigan is CFP-good, and it’s playing at home, but Penn State is supposed to be able to hang around with just about anyone with the passing game starting to improve. Instead, Michigan got up 28-0 in the first half, Trace McSorley didn’t have anywhere to go with the ball, and it turned out to be an embarrassing disaster. Considering the James Franklin hot seat talk, this didn’t help, and now the pressure is on with an unbeaten Minnesota coming up.
9. Maryland (3-0)
Up Next: Purdue
10. Indiana (2-1)
Final Score: Wake Forest 33, Indiana 28
Prediction: Indiana 23, Wake Forest 17, IU -7.5
Up Next: Michigan State
Quick Take: Oh Indiana, come on. The offense cranked up 611 yards with Richard Lagow throwing for almost 500 yards and three touchdown passes, but tossed five picks to let Wake Forest steal a win. Everything clicked for the passing attack, it was a special offensive show, and then came the interceptions. With Michigan State and Ohio State up next, the Hoosiers needed this win at home.
11. Rutgers (2-2)
Final Score: Iowa 14, Rutgers 7
Prediction: Iowa 34, Rutgers 17, Iowa -13
Up Next: at Ohio State
Quick Take: Everyone’s going to make a big thing about Iowa not being all that great – here included – but Rutgers isn’t all that bad defensively. The offense outgained the Hawkeyes with Robert Martin running for 106 yards, but the injury to Janarion Grant was a killer for an already mediocre passing game. Rutgers is proving, though, the it’s not going to be a speedbump.
12. Northwestern (1-3)
Final Score: Nebraska 24, Northwestern 13
Prediction: Nebraska 26, Northwestern 16, Nebraska -7.5
Up Next: at Iowa
Quick Take: Just when it seems like Northwestern might be ready to make a statement, the defensive front was shoved around, the offense couldn’t control the clock, and two turnovers turned out to be a killer for a team that needs all the little things to go its way. The passing game continues to be okay, but if NU is running for just 137 yards and Justin Jackson can’t get any room, it the Cats can’t beat teams like Nebraska.
13. Purdue (2-2)
Final Score: Purdue 24, Nevada 14
Prediction: Purdue 31, Nevada 23, Purdue -5.5
Up Next: at Maryland
Quick Take: Maybe this really is a different Purdue team. It got down, it had problems, and it looked like it could’ve been a nightmare of a day, but David Blough threw for 300 yards and two scores, and most impressively, the defense put the clamps down. Nevada was able to complete passes, but they didn’t go anywhere while the running defense came up with a gem.
14. Illinois (1-2)
Up Next: at Nebraska
