Last week, I broke down the three Big Ten games for Oregon fans to watch with the Ducks on bye. This week, the Ducks are back in action with a visit to UCLA at the Rose Bowl. With kickoff set for 8 PM, let's take a look at three Big Ten games to watch this weekend while waiting for the Ducks.
1. No. 13 USC (2-1, 0-1) vs. Wisconsin (2-1) - 12:30 PM on CBS
USC enters this game after a heartbreaking loss at Michigan. The Trojans saw their 24-20 fourth quarter lead slip away on Kalel Mullings' heroic 63-yard and the subsequent touchdown. It wasn't the Big Ten start that the Trojans were hoping for but there were still plenty of positives to take away from last weekend. USC held Michigan's offense to just 32 total passing yards and largely prevented the Wolverines from being able to put together any sustained drives. Besides the game-winning touchdown, Michigan's three other scores came on a 53-yard run by Mullings, a 41-yard run by Donovan Edwards, and a pick-six by Will Johnson. Yes, USC conceded three explosive runs of over 40 yards, but if you look at Michigan's nine other drives, they were never able to move the ball past midfield, a positive sign for the Trojans' defense. Wisconsin enters this game coming off their bye week, recovering from a 42-10 thumping in week three when they played host to Alabama. In that game, Badger quarterback Tyler Van Dyke's season ended with a torn ACL, forcing backup Braedyn Locke into an impossible situation against college football's premier program. While Van Dyke's season may be done, Luke Fickell is still one of the best coaches in the Big Ten, having previously led Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff appearance back in 2021. This will be a good opportunity for USC to bounce back with a win at home and for Wisconsin to prove that they can still compete without Van Dyke. Oregon misses the Trojans this season and will visit the Badgers on November 16 in Madison.
2. Michigan State (3-1, 1-0) vs. No. 3 Ohio State (3-0) - 4 PM on Peacock
This one is a contest between Oregon's next two opponents following their clash with UCLA on Saturday. Oregon will host Michigan State on Oct. 4 for the Ducks' first Big Ten home game and the first home game of the season with school back in session. While the Spartans may be new conference foes for the Ducks, their head coach Jonathan Smith is a familiar face after departing from Oregon State in the offseason. He brought quarterback Aidan Chiles east, who has been off to a rocky start this year, throwing eight interceptions to only four touchdowns through the Spartans' first four games. Michigan State is already 1-0 in conference play after a 27-24 win over Maryland back in week two but is currently coming off their first loss of the season, a 23-19 defeat at the hands of Boston College. After the Ducks defend their home turf from the Spartans, Ohio State will visit Eugene on Oct. 12 for one of the most anticipated games of the season. The Buckeyes are off to a blistering start with only one goal in mind — a national championship. They have defeated their first three opponents by an average margin of 45.7 points per game, but those three opponents have been Akron, Western Michigan, and Marshall, not exactly the cream of the college football crop. Ohio State is led by their frightening rushing attack that features the nation's top running back duo, Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Through the Buckeyes' first three contests, the pair have combined for 543 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground while holding down the conference's top two spots in yards per carry. Michigan State likely projects to finish towards the middle of the pack in the Big Ten, but compared to Ohio State's first three opponents will present the Buckeyes with their toughest challenge yet.
3. No. 9 Penn State (3-0) vs. No. 19 Illinois (4-0, 1-0) - 4:30 PM on NBC
Penn State's first taste of Big Ten action this year will come against one of the conference's hottest teams, the Illinois Fighting Illini. Illinois is coming off a thrilling overtime win last Friday at then-ranked Nebraska and is looking to prove that Bret Bielema's squad is legit in one of the nation's toughest places to play. Penn State started their season off with a quality win over West Virginia before a scare against Bowling Green sent a shiver down the Nittany Lions' spines. They bounced back with a 56-0 evisceration of Kent State but are now facing a conference opener against an Illinois team that looks a lot more intimidating than it did just a month ago. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer has been one of the Big Ten's best signal-callers through the first four weeks of the season, leading the conference with 10 touchdowns and no picks. Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has been no slouch either, posting an 8-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio while leading the conference with an efficient 12.4 yards per attempt. This game will be an interesting test for both teams. Penn State is looking for its first ranked win of the season and Illinois looking to prove that its not a team to be taken lightly. Oregon does not play Penn State this year but will host Illinois on Oct. 26.
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