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Key Conference Battles Set For Play
Oct. 12, 2007
No. 18/19/19 ILLINOIS (5-1, 3-0) at IOWA (2-4, 0-3) LAST TIME OUT THE SERIES STAT SPEAK Illinois enters Saturday's matchup with Iowa ranked for the first time since 2001 and is looking for its sixth straight win. Iowa, which has fallen the past three games and has yet to win a Big Ten contest in the last eight games, is hoping to reverse its misfortune this weekend. The Fighting Illini have not won in Iowa City since 1999, and a victory this year would make the team bowl eligible for the first time since the 2002 season. Despite a few uncharacteristic performances over the past few games, Iowa's defense could be the solution to stopping the potent Illinois offense. Iowa has the third-best scoring defense in the conference, giving up only 16.7 points per game. With Illinois entering Saturday with a scoring offense average of 30.2, the Hawkeyes could find the win they have been looking for. Iowa allows 113.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Iowa leads the league with a plus-8 turnover margin and will look to Mike Humpal (9.2 tackles per game), Matt Kroul (6.5) and Mitch King (6.2) to help stop the Illini. In last week's upset over No. 5 Wisconsin, Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall used 19 carries to rush for 160 yards and two touchdowns. On the season, Mendenhall ranks second in the conference with 128.7 rushing yards per game and leads the league with three other running backs with 10 rushing touchdowns on the year. The ground attack is where Illinois chooses to get it done on offense, ranking first in the Big Ten with 261.2 yards per game on the ground. The Illini, however, rank 11th in passing offense, racking up only 151.3 yards per outing. Quarterback Juice Williams and backup signal caller Eddie McGee both tend to opt for the run instead of the pass. Last week at Wisconsin, Williams rushed for a season-high 92 yards on 14 attempts, while McGee scored a touchdown on the ground from five yards out.
The Hawkeyes' primary concern is their offense, which ranks 10th in the conference in pass offense (194.0 ypg) and 11th in rushing (118.3 ypg) and scoring (17.3 ppg). Quarterback Jake Christensen rates ninth in the conference with 192.0 passing yards per contest, but has thrown the fewest amount of interceptions (2) in the league. Protecting Christensen has plagued the Hawkeyes this season as the offensive line has allowed 25 sacks so far. Running back Albert Young carried 13 times for only 44 yards last week, but has history with the Illini. In the past two games against Illinois, he has rushed for 159 yards on 27 attempts. Awaiting Young and Christensen will be the Illini's J Leman, the conference's leading tackler with 11.8 stops per game. No. -/24/24 PURDUE (5-1, 1-1) at MICHIGAN (4-2, 2-0) LAST TIME OUT THE SERIES STAT SPEAK The Michigan-Purdue series is renewed after a two-year break, and the Boilermakers are eager to snap a four-game losing streak to the Wolverines. They are also looking to win in Michigan Stadium for the first time since 1966 - a span of 17 games. Saturday's battle will pit the conference's top passer in Purdue's Curtis Painter with the league's top rusher in Michigan's Mike Hart. The Wolverines have worked their way back following two straight losses to open the season. Michigan disposed of Eastern Michigan last week and turns its focus to topping the Boilermakers and improving to 3-0 in conference play. Purdue is the Big Ten's top point producers, averaging 39.0 per game, while Michigan ranks ninth at 25.3. In scoring defense, both teams are virtually the same with Michigan (20.0 ppg) and Purdue (20.8) allowing under three touchdowns per contest. The Boilermakers and Painter lead the conference in nearly all passing categories, including attempts (268), completions (168), percentage (62.7), yards (1817, touchdowns (19) and yards per game (302.8). Michigan is allowing almost 100 yards fewer in the air than Purdue's average and has nine interceptions on the year, which ranks second-best in the conference. The Wolverines boast a plus-7 turnover margin, which is also second in the league, and rank fourth in pass defense (205.3) and total defense (346.8). Their 19 forced turnovers on the year are the country's third-highest amount. Shawn Crable leads the U-M defenders and the rest of the conference with 16.0 tackles for loss, which is second in the nation, while also registering 4.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He will surely be one the Boilermakers will have to reckon with on Saturday, although Painter has proven to be one of the most accurate passers in the conference and has been sacked only seven times this season. Michigan's Brandon Graham has recorded seven sacks on the year, which puts him fourth in the country. U-M wll have to stop Purdue's top-two wideout playmakers in Dorien Bryant, who is averaging 74.3 yards per game and 10.6 per catch, while Dustin Keller hauls in 15.6 yards per grab and 70.0 per game. Hart, who last week became Michigan's all-time leading rusher, is averaging 162.7 yards on the ground this year with a league-high 10 touchdowns. His efforts have helped Michigan to the fourth-best rushing offense (203.3 ypg) in the conference, although the Wolverines still rank 10th in total offense (399.7). Quarterback Chad Henne is 66-of-113 on the season and is 207 passing yards shy of 1,000 for the year. He currently averages 198.2 yards per game, with 80.4 yards of that average heading to wideout Mario Manningham.
MINNESOTA (1-5, 0-3) at NORTHWESTERN (3-3, 1-2) LAST TIME OUT THE SERIES STAT SPEAK Saturday's contest between Northwestern and Minnesota feature the Big Ten's 10th and 11th-ranked teams in total defense, respectively. The two teams are allowing a combined 908.3 yards per game, however Minnesota's offense ranks fourth with 436.5 yards per game, while Northwestern is sixth in the conference with an average of 417.0. Those totals amount to 853.5 yards per game, so needless to say, there should be an impressive amount of yardage displayed on the scoreboard at game's end. And lest we forget, Northwestern racked up 611 yards of total offense and upended Michigan State in overtime last week, 48-41. Leading the way for the Wildcats offense is quarterback C.J. Bacher. The reigning Walter Camp National and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week threw for a school-record 520 yards and five touchdowns last week in the win. He boasted the fifth-best passing effort in conference history, completing 38 of his 48 attempts. His efforts rocketed him near the top of the conference passers, ranking second with 294.5 yards per game. Bacher has been venerable this season however, throwing for just nine touchdowns on the year - the league's second-fewest - and seven interceptions, which rate as the Big Ten's second-highest total. But Minnesota's pass defense ranks last in the conference, having allowed 345.8 yards per game and 17 total touchdowns, while registering only four interceptions - the third-fewest in the league. Northwestern's D ranks sixth in defending the pass, giving up 232.2 yards through the air, allowing the second-most passing touchdowns (13) and posting just two interceptions on the season, which ranks last among conference defenses. That could be key for Minnesota's new spread offense. Freshman quarterback Adam Weber ranks just behind NU's Bacher in third with 257.2 passing yards per game. His favorite target is Eric Decker, who is first in the conference with 7.33 catches per contest and second with 93.3 receiving yards per outing. Ernie Wheelwright is seventh in the conference with 4.83 receptions per game. Saturday will feature two potent spread offenses that get it done in the air. Interestingly enough though, both Northwestern (160.3 rpg) and Minnesota (170.0) rank 10th and 11th, respectively, in conference rush defense. Could the winning factor be the Gophers' ground combo of Amir Pennix (78.2 ypg) and Duane Bennett (36.8 ypg) or the Wildcats' Brandon Robertson (48.8 ypg) and Omar Conteh (39.0 ypg)? Kent State (3-3) at No. 3/3/3 OHIO STATE (6-0, 3-0) LAST TIME OUT THE SERIES STAT SPEAK One of only six teams in the nation that is already bowl eligible, Ohio State looks for its school-record 25th regular-season win in a row at home this weekend against non-conference foe Kent State. It will prove a tough matchup for the Golden Flashes as Ohio State enters Saturday leading the nation in scoring defense (7.17 ppg), second in total defense (210.0 ypg) and rushing defense (46.5 ypg), and third in pass efficiency defense (88.6 rating). Offensively the Buckeyes are a dual-threat with its running and passing game. Recently, OSU has been raising eyebrows with its consistent aerial attack as quarterback Todd Boeckman leads the Big Ten in passing efficiency (155.81), while Brian Robiskie leads the conference with 99 receiving yards per game. Robiskie also hauls in 5.17 catches per game, good for fifth in the league. On the ground, sophomore tailback Chris "Beanie" Wells ranks fifth in the conference with 104.2 rushing yards per game. For Kent State, the Golden Flashes are scoring 24.5 points per game due in part to a balanced offensive attack. Kent State averages 230.5 yards on the ground, which ranks first in the Mid-American Conference, and 190.2 in the air per game. Eugene Jarvis leads the MAC with 141.8 yards rushing per outing this year, while quarterback Julian Edelman ranks fifth in the league with 242.7 yards of total offense each contest. The similarities between the two teams are on defense. The Buckeyes dominance on the country is mentioned above, but KSU leads the MAC in scoring defense (24.8 ppg) and rushing defense (143.8 ypg), and is second in defending the pass, allowing 188.8 yards through the air each time out. Individually, Kent State boasts three tacklers with an average of 7.0 or better stops per game. Linebacker Cedrick Maxwell (7.8 tpg) leads the team, followed by defensive backs Jack Williams (7.5) and Brian Lainhart (7.0). OSU is led on defense by linebacker James Laurinaitis with 8.0 tackles per game. No. 19/15/15 WISCONSIN (5-1, 2-1) at PENN STATE (4-2, 1-2) LAST TIME OUT THE SERIES STAT SPEAK Last week Wisconsin suffered its first loss in more than a year, while Penn State earned its first conference win in three tries. Both teams will be without key offensive starters as the Badger wide receiver Luke Swan suffered a season-ending injury last week against Illinois and PSU running back Austin Scott has been suspended by head coach Joe Paterno. Without Swan, Wisconsin will look for a new target in the passing game, led by quarterback Tyler Donovan, one of the conference's most accurate passers. Donovan ranks second in Big Ten pass efficiency with a 144.4 rating, although he was just 27-of-49 with two interceptions last week. He did pass for 392 yards against the Illini and is fifth among the conference passers with 233.3 yards per contest. He also still has his primary target in Travis Beckum, who is third in the league with 6.83 receptions per game for a total of 90.3 yards per outing. Swan contributed more than 75 receiving yards per game, but he was the Badgers' big-play threat, averaging 18.0 yards per catch. Wisconsin also has a solid ground game to lean on as well, with sophomore tailback P.J. Hill third in the Big Ten with 125.0 yards per game and 10 touchdowns. The Badgers and Nittany Lions are each putting up 31 points per game, but Penn State is allowing its opponents only 13.7 per game, with Wisconsin giving up close to 24 an outing. PSU ranks second in the Big Ten in total defense (253.2 ypg), but ninth in total offense (403.8 ypg). Wisconsin is fifth in the category at 430.2 yards per game, yet is eighth with its defense, allowing 368.8 yards each time out. Last week, UW posted a season-high 519 total yards, but gave up a season-high 289 yards on the ground. Penn State posted similar numbers last week in a win over Iowa. The Nittany Lions racked up 489 total yards and ran for - not allowed - a season-high 256 yards. Quarterback Anthony Morelli averages 221.3 yards in the air each game and threw for 233 yards and a score last week. Saturday's contest could come down to a turnover battle. Both teams boast not-so-impressive turnover margins as Penn State is eighth in the conference at minus-4, while Wisconsin is ninth at minus-5. The Nittany Lions have struggled to hold on to the ball this season, coughing up a conference-high 10 fumbles. The Badgers have lost four fumbles on the year and been picked off five times. PSU still boasts two of the Big Ten's top three tacklers in the Sean Lee (10.5 tpg) and Dan Connor (9.7 tpg). Wisconsin is led by Jonathan Casillas with 7.2 stops per game. INDIANA (5-1, 2-1) at MICHIGAN STATE (4-2, 0-2) LAST TIME OUT THE SERIES STAT SPEAK Saturday marks the battle for the Old Brass Spittoon, which has been awarded to the winner between Indiana and Michigan State annually since 1950. The Hoosiers are coming off a pair of consecutive conference victories, while the Spartans have faltered in their last two. A win would give the Spartans their first win in conference play after beginning the season with four straight victories. For Indiana, a win on the road would be the program's third straight away from Bloomington, a feat that hasn't been done since 1982, but most importantly it would make IU bowl eligible for the first time since 1994. The week's battle features two of the top three scoring offenses in the conference with Indiana's 37.5 points per game ranking second ahead of Michigan State's average of 34.3, while both teams are each giving up just more than 20 points per contest. MSU hinges its offensive attack on the run game, which is second in the Big Ten at 221.8 yards per game, led by the conference's fourth-best rusher in Javon Ringer (121.5 ypg). Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis is not far behind in ninth at 74.5 yards, but for the Hoosiers, their focus as been on the emergence of sophomore tailback Bryan Payton. Last week he set career highs with 13 rushes, 90 yards and three scores, making him the first Hoosier to score three rushing TDs since 2003. Both squads rank toward the middle of the pack in the Big Ten in rushing defense, with Michigan State fifth (114.7 ypg) and Indiana in sixth (119.3 ypg). Last week the Spartans had difficulty stopping Northwestern and the spread passing attack of C.J. Bacher. MSU allowed 611 total yards of offense, including 520 yards and five touchdowns through the air. Lewis, a dual threat for Indiana, has done most of his damage in the air this season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten with 243.8 yards per game. Two weeks ago against Iowa, he threw for a career-high 300 yards and just last Saturday went for 235 on 24-of-36 passing. MSU must stop 6-7 wideout James Hardy and his 80.8 receiving yards per game, but special attention must be paid to sophomore wide receiver Ray Fisher, who last week matched his career best with nine catches and 106 yards receiving. Don't be surprised if defense is the story of the game, however. In addition to both teams allowing eerily similar totals in total defense (MSU - 355.8 ypg, IND - 356.0 ypg), both are also incredible pass rushing teams. Indiana leads the nation with 29 sacks, while Michigan State is tied for fourth in the country with 24. The Hoosiers are led by Greg Middleton and the nation's second-best average of 8.5 sacks per game, while MSU's Jonal Saint-Dic follows at 7.0. Saint-Dic also leads the conference with six forced fumbles in six games. MSU quarterback Brian Hoyer ranks fourth in Big Ten passing efficiency (139.4) with only three interceptions - the same amount Indiana's Tracy Porter has pulled in alone this season. His teammate Mitchell Evans has picked off two. |
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