Big Ten football preview - Week #11

The Big Ten Football season continues this weekend with the standard 5 conference match-ups and a single non-conference game. This weekend features Indiana @ Northwestern, Minnesota @ Iowa, Michigan State @ Purdue, #12 Michigan @ Wisconsin, Illinois @ #1 Ohio State and Penn State @ Temple. Both Ohio State and Michigan look to go 7-0 with wins heading into their showdown in Ann Arbor next week.

As always, look to Big Ten Fans for your updated Big Ten football scores andstandings throughout the weekend and for you basketball fans, check out our 2007-2008 Big Ten basketball preview.

Indiana @ Northwestern

Indiana Hoosiers 6-4 (2-4 Big Ten) @ Northwestern Wildcats 5-5 (2-4 Big Ten) - 12 pm - ESPN Classic

The Hoosiers look to basically guarantee themselves a bowl game in 2007 with a win while Northwestern looks for their 6th win of the season to make them bowl eligible. IU is led by Sophomore QB Kellen Lewis who has 23 TD passes on the season and is also the team's leading rusher. Lewis will look often to leading receiver James Hardy. The junior WR is already has a career-high 13 TDs on the season. Despite not having an offense ranked in the Top 40 in rushing, passing or total yards, the IU offense is 33rd in the nation in scoring at 32.4 ppg. Northwestern, on the other hand, is scoring just 25.7 ppg compared to allowing 30.3 ppg on defense. Junior QB C.J. Bacher has been inconsistent all season and has thrown 6 INTs in the past two games against Purdue and Iowa; both Northwestern losses.

If this game were @ Indiana it would be easier to pick the Hoosiers. Northwestern is 3-3 at home and IU is 2-2 on the road. In the end, the Lewis to Hardy connection and IU's stronger defense should prevail over the inconsistent Northwestern offense.

Indiana 31 - Northwestern 23

#23 Penn State @ Temple

Penn State Nittany Lions 7-3 (4-3 Big Ten) @ Temple Owls 3-6 (3-3 Big Ten) - 12 pm - ESPNU

Penn State won last year's match-up 47-0 and is a 25-point favorite, but the 2007 Temple Owls are finally beginning to get it together. Temple comes off a 23-7 loss @ Ohio that broke their 3-game winning streak, while Penn State has won 4 of 5 with their lone loss to #1 Ohio State. Temple's defense is good enough to keep the Owls in the game for a half, maybe a little longer, provided the offense does not turn the ball over. But look for Anthony Morelli and the Penn State running game to control this game throughout.

Penn State 37 - Temple 13

#12 Michigan @ Wisconsin

Michigan Wolverines 8-2 (6-0 Big Ten) @ Wisconsin Badgers 7-3 (3-3 Big Ten) - 12 pm - ESPN

Michigan has bounced back with 8 straight wins after the disappointing start to the 2007 campaign. While a loss @ Wisconsin does not hurt their Big Ten title chances, everyone knows that the Wolverines will be ready for this big match-up with one of the top programs in the Big Ten. Injuries are the real story in this game as Michigan QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart have both been in and out of games throughout the season and Wisconsin RB P.J. Hill is uncertain for Saturday's game with a injured leg. If Hill cannot go the rushing game will have to perform for Wisconsin to pull out a win. If Chad Henne and Mike Hart are healthy look for Michigan to have the offense to pull out a road win, but if not I expect to see Wisconsin stop the Michigan offense. Wisconsin is undefeated at home this season at 6-0, but they have not faced a team at home with the talent of Michigan in 2007.

Michigan 27 - Wisconsin 23

Illinois @ #1 Ohio State

Illinois Fighting Illini 7-3 (4-2 Big Ten) @ Ohio State Buckeyes 10-0 (6-0 Big Ten) - 3:30 pm - ABC

After a fantastic 5-1 start to the season the Fighting Illini have since come back to Earth splitting their last 4 games. Sophomore QB Juice Williams leads a inconsistent passing offense as well as a solid ground game that ranks 6th in the nation with 261.3 ypg. The Ohio State offense has been solid all season and the running game seems to be getting better, but it's OSU's defense that deserves the real credit allowing just 9.7 ppg this season. In fact, the 17 points scored by each of the past 3 of the Buckeyes' opponents is the most scored by any Ohio State opponent this season.

Expect more of the same for the Buckeyes as they should be able to slow down the Illini ground game and control the game.

Ohio State 34 - Illinois 13

Minnesota @ Iowa

Minnesota Golden Gophers 1-9 (0-6 Big Ten) @ Iowa Hawkeyes 5-5 (3-4 Big Ten) - 1 pm - Big Ten Network

Iowa has won 3 of their past 4 games and looks to complete a 4-4 Big Ten season as they host cellar-dwelling Minnesota. The Golden Gophers, the lone Big Ten team eliminated from bowl competition in 2007, comes in at 1-9 on the season and 0-6 in Big Ten play with their lone victory being a non-conference game with Miami (OH) in September. While Iowa has been solid on defense all season, their offense has failed to put up the points as they rank 114th in the nation in scoring. Minnesota's offense ranks near the middle of the 119 Division I-A (FBS) teams in 2007, but their defense is allowing nearly 38 ppg.

Look for Minnesota to keep this game close, but knowing bowl eligibility is on the line, the Hawkeyes will get an important home victory.

Iowa 23 - Minnesota 20

Michigan State @ Purdue

Michigan State Spartans 5-5 (1-5 Big Ten) @ Purdue Boilermakers 7-3 (3-3 Big Ten) - 12 pm - Big Ten Network

The struggling Spartans, losers of 5 of their last 6, travel to face Purdue, a team looking to bounce back from a 26-19 road loss @ Penn State last week. Purdue has been solid again this season losing only to the Big Ten's elite programs, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State, and beating everyone else on their schedule. Look for Curtis Painter to add to his impressive 2007 numbers and lead the Boilermakers to the victory at home over the feisty Spartans.

Purdue 34 - Michigan State 27