Sam McKewon's Big Ten football rankings, Week 8

Here are the latest Big Ten football rankings from Sam McKewon: Last game: Beat Ohio State 32-31 Next game: at Purdue, Friday at 7 p.m., Fox Sam's take: Instant classic kind of game and win over the Buckeyes that was ultimately defined by the Ducks repeated ability to burn OSUs best defensive back, Denzel Burke, over the top with deep passes.

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel now the Heisman frontrunner? hit the short throws, too.

Piling up 496 yards on that defense? Wowza.

Last game: Beat USC 33-30 Next game: Bye week People are also reading...

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5, 2024 Amie Just: Javin Wright's battle with blood clots, and his journey back to playing football 'We got better:' Nebraska football feeling refreshed, ready to go after bye week A celebration of giving: Checks distributed from Big Give Gage Orangemen runners win conference title Sam's take: PSU, coordinated by Andy Kotelnicki, is Americas fun offense.

The center-eligible play which Ive seen often in flag football helped tight end Tyler Warren catch 17 passes for 224 yards.

The Nittany Lions needed every catch and yard, too.

That defense? Woof.

Last game: Lost to Oregon 32-31 Next game: Bye week Sam's take: Its bound to be a very long two weeks in Columbus, all because of a one-point loss that has little bearing on OSUs College Football Playoff seeding.

Quarterback Will Howard made a dozen good plays, and a few costly mistakes: Dropping a snap on a third quarter drive, and mismanaging the clock at games end.

The Buckeyes defense faltered again in a big game.

Last game: Bye week Next game: vs.

Nebraska, 11 a.m., Fox Sam's take: Here ...

we ...

go.

Giant week for the Hoosiers, who have landed comfortably in the national spotlight after boat racing six pretty stinky teams.

IU coach Curt Cignetti will get the lions share of attention, as he should, but make room for Ohio transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke, the man completing 74% of his passes for 292 yards per game.

Last game: Beat Purdue 50-49 Next game: vs.

Michigan, 2:30 p.m., CBS Sam's take: The Illini pretty much play one of these games every year last season, it was a 48-45 win over Indiana and, if they can win em, great.

Allowing 40 points over the final 23 minutes in regulation seems less than ideal.

Last game: Beat Washington 40-16 Next game: at Michigan State, 6:30 p.m., NBC Sam's take: Vintage Hawkeye pummeling of a good team.

Stingy red zone defense, timely passing, strong special teams.

Trap game alert for East Lansing.

A 17-10 win could be in Iowas future.

Last game: Bye Week Next game: at Indiana, 11 a.m., Fox Sam's take: The Huskers have played just one road game this season, at moribund Purdue, and now head back into a wild scene at Indiana, where the stadium will be sold out and fired up.

NU didnt handle trips to Minnesota and Colorado so well in 2023.

Last game: Bye week Next game: at Illinois, 2:30 p.m., CBS Sam's take: The Wolverines creeped back up in the rankings this week, to my surprise.

Perhaps somebody told coaches poll voters that Michigan found a passing game during its week off.

Last game: Lost to Penn State 33-30 Next game: at Maryland, 3 p.m., FS1 Sam's take: The Trojans could easily be a top ten team, and in fact often play like it.

Its fourth quarter defense, though, is faltering.

When USC absolutely needed stops against Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State, it could not deliver.

Last game: Lost to Iowa 40-16 Next game: Bye Week Sam's take: The Huskies have made 28 trips to the opponents red zone and scored just 14 touchdowns.

Among Big Ten teams, only Michigan State and UCLA have worse touchdown conversion rates.

It cost UW two wins and a much closer game in Iowa City.

Last game: Beat Rutgers 42-7 Next game: at Northwestern, 11 a.m., BTN Sam's take: The Badgers have recommitted to the run game over the last two weeks, plowing out 228 yards vs.

Purdue and a whopping 309 against Rutgers.

Wisconsins schedule is gnarly a Northwestern team it struggles to beat, followed by Iowa, Penn State, Oregon, Nebraska and Minnesota.

Last game: Beat UCLA 21-17 Next game: Bye week Sam's take: The Gophers found a way in the Rose Bowl, getting an assist from the Minnesota fans who packed one end of the stadium.

P.J.

Flecks crew got a late first bye, so itll be one of the Big Tens most-rested teams in November.

Last game: Lost to Wisconsin 42-7 Next game: vs.

UCLA, 11 a.m., FS1 Sam's take: The Scarlet Knights looked from the opening snaps absolutely spent on defense, perhaps from the fatigue of playing Washington and Nebraska in previous weeks.

Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis is completing 44.1% of his passes in Big Ten play.

Thats ...

bad.

Last game: Beat Maryland 37-10 Next game: vs.

Wisconsin, 11 a.m., BTN Sam's take: Just when you thought Northwestern was all the way out, the Wildcats reel in at struggling Maryland team with an avalanche of fourth quarter points.

Its still going to be a long season, but Northwestern could spoil someones day, too.

Last game: Bye week Next game: vs.

Iowa, 6:30 p.m., NBC Sam's take: Im sure the Spartans are as surprised as anyone that theyve landed so often in primetime kickoffs.

For a second straight year in fact, MSU vs.

Iowa gets a national audience for what should be a pretty mind-numbing game.

Last game: Lost to Northwestern 37-10 Next game: vs.

USC, 3 p.m., FS1 Sam's take: Head coach Mike Locksley took playcalling duties for himself and away from offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.

Four turnovers including one on a kickoff nullified what might have been a decent performance.

Last game: Lost to Minnesota 21-17 Next game: at Rutgers, 11 a.m., FS1 Sam's take: The Bruins are progressively improving, and took a 17-14 lead late in Saturday nights game, but the offense remains plodding, complex and unwieldy.

Last game: Lost to Illinois 50-49 Next game: vs.

Oregon, Friday at 7 p.m., Fox Sam's take: Ryan Walters team showed some fight, and with backup quarterback Ryan Browne, a decent run game that featured QB runs.

Browne might keep the job even after Hudson Card is healthy.

Purdue will do well to stay within four touchdowns of the Ducks, mind you.

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