BIG TEN ROUNDUP
No. 3 Notre Dame 31, Northwestern 21: Ian Book threw for threw two touchdown passes and ran 23 yards for a score in the closing minutes to lead visiting Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish (9-0, No. 4 CFP) remained in line for a playoff spot and continued to build on their best start since the 2012 team went undefeated before losing to Alabama in the BCS championship game. The Wildcats (5-4) had won four in a row to grab the Big Ten West lead and they stayed in this one when it looked like Notre Dame was ready to pull away.
No. 5 Michigan 42, No. 14 Penn State 7: Shea Patterson accounted for three touchdowns and host Michigan put together a dominant performance on defense. The Wolverines (8-1, 6-0 Big Ten, No. 5 CFP) moved a step closer toward their goals of winning a conference championship for the first time since 2004 and earning their first spot in the College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions (6-3, 3-3, No. 14 CFP) scored with 1:59 left, avoiding getting shut out for the first time since 2001 against Michigan.
No. 8 Ohio State 36, Nebraska 31: J.K. Dobbins ran for three touchdowns and Dwayne Haskins Jr. passed for two more as host Ohio State rallied in the second half and held off Nebraska. After Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to JD Spielman to pull within five with 3 minutes left, Dobbins pounded away for two first downs to run out the clock.
Purdue 38, No. 19 Iowa 36: Spencer Evans made a 25-yard field goal with 8 seconds left, giving host Purdue an upset and putting the Boilermakers back in the Big Ten’s West Division title hunt. David Blough threw three touchdown passes to Terry Wright and topped the 300-yard mark for the fifth time this season. The Boilermakers (5-4, 4-2 Big Ten) have won five of their last six and beat their third ranked team this season – the first time they’ve achieved that feat since 2003 – to move within one game of division leader Northwestern.
Wisconsin 31, Rutgers 17: Jonathan Taylor rushed for 208 yards and three touchdowns, and host Wisconsin played smash-mouth football in the second half to run away from Rutgers. Ryan Connelly led a strong effort from the front seven with eight tackles, while Andrew Van Ginkel blocked a fieldgoal attempt for the Badgers (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten).
Michigan State 24, Maryland 3: Michigan State capped a rough week for the unsettled Maryland football program, using a stout defensive performance to defeat the host Terrapins.
Illinois 55, Minnesota 31: Reggie Corbin rushed for 213 yards and two touchdowns – both coming on runs of more than 70 yards – as host Illinois defeated Minnesota.