First and Ten – Week Four

Ten takeaways from the third weekend of Big Ten Football. You can follow along all season on SiriusXM Big Ten Radio (Ch. 372).

PREDICTABLY UNPREDICTABLE

Not much has gone the way of chalk in the early going in this Big Ten Football season and for some fans that’s a good thing. Sure, Indiana is still undefeated and the National Champs look good, but after not much else has gone completely as predicted way back in the preseason.

NORTHWESTERN NO PUSHOVER

As the Hoosiers learned last Friday night, Northwestern is a very good football team. Aidan Chiles is playing much better than he did at Michigan State and the Chip Kelly offense looked very strong against Indiana. The schedule does the Wildcats no favors, but Northwestern looks like a team that will be tough to beat.

PAGING PENN STATE

Northwestern’s rise couldn’t come at a worst time for Penn State. The Nittany Lions’ upset loss at home last week gets to be followed up by a trip to Evanston this Friday night to take on the Wildcats, a game that will christen the brand new Ryan Field. The place will be rocking and Matt Campbell’s team will get another test less than a week after losing to the Badgers.

ON WISCONSIN

The Badgers victory over Penn State was by far the signature win during the Luke Fickell era at Wisconsin. The comeback win showed what the Badgers are capable of doing on both sides of the ball. Now comes the question of sustainability and if the win can catapult them in a positive direction the next few weeks.

HAWKEYES SOARING

Iowa’s very impressive win over Michigan has the Hawkeyes soaring up the conference standings at 4-0 as well as the AP Poll at No. 14. Now comes center stage and a huge spotlight with Ohio State coming to Iowa City this weekend along with “College Game Day,” the first time that show has been in campus in 20 years.

UCLA CONTIUES TURNAROUND

Sure Maryland has its issues but still, UCLA going on the road and running (and passing) all over the Terps was impressive. Bob Chesney has nearly overnight changed the complexion and dynamic of a Bruin squad that could serious be a contender in the conference.

HAIL THE HUSKERS

Let’s not forget that along with Indiana, Iowa and UCLA the other unbeaten team in the conference is Nebraska. Things get decidedly tougher for the Huskers after Maryland comes to Lincoln this week with Indiana and Oregon back-to-back on the schedule, but “Big Red” has shown some very solid play in its opening quartet of games that has definitely energized its fan base.

OREGON MAKES A STATEMENT

When the Ducks stumbled against Oklahoma State, there were some ready to write them off for the whole season. That’d be a mistake. Oregon might not be in the echelon of Indiana and Ohio State, but they are still a very good football team and even the Dante Moore injury wasn’t enough to slow them down on the road at USC.

ROAD WOES

Going back on the road is not going to be a picnic for USC. The Trojans battled hard to beat Rutgers in Piscataway a couple weeks ago and now face a trip to Madison to take on the improved Badgers with a visit to Penn State and the raucous “White Out” game also down the road.

LOOKING AT LOCKSLEY

Can the embattled Maryland head coach Mike Locksley last the season at the helm of the Terps? There was more than just some speculation the UCLA loss would be the last game for Locksley, It wasn’t, but a team that has had just three winning seasons in the eight years Locksley’s been at the helm needs something to change fast.