It was a high-scoring week for the Big Ten, but unfortunately, the USC Trojans were the most disappointing team of the week. The Trojans beat Rutgers; however, they made Rutgers look like a big winner, giving the Scarlet Knights confidence. Penn State and Wisconsin both look like teams to take seriously following comfortable wins.
Here are the scores from this weekend in Big Ten football, plus my breakdown for each team:
Friday: Oregon 84-0 vs Portland State
The Oregon Ducks made it a priority to make a statement and head into their game against USC with nothing but confidence. An 84-0 might not show great sportsmanship, but it does show they mean business heading into a huge Big Ten game. The Trojans, however, did the exact opposite.
Saturday: Minnesota 41-7 vs Akron
The Gophers get back on the right track after a troubling
loss last week. Minnesota now heads into a tough slate of games with some momentum.
Penn State 55-13 vs Buffalo
Penn State continues to look like a freight train that has no plans on stopping. Quinton Martin Jr. only needed 10 carries to lead the Nittany Lions to a great offensive day with his 100 yards on the ground.
Ohio State 59-3 vs Kent State
Jeremiah Smith made history, etching himself as an Ohio State Buckeyes legend and leading the Buckeyes to another commanding victory.
Wisconsin 54-10 vs Eastern Michigan
Colton Joseph and the Badgers' offense are getting into their stride as they put together a dominant performance to take down Eastern Michigan in commanding fashion.
Illinois 48-10 vs Southern Illinois
The Fighting Illini moved past their in-town rival in this game. Illinois now sits at 2-1. However, it is hard to look at this win as impressive and have confidence that this team can handle business against top-tier teams. The Duke loss also put a wrinkle in this team's confidence.
Michigan 52-17 vs UTEP
UTEP showed some fight early in this game, but the better team prevailed. Not the best start for Michigan after a big victory, but this team still has time to prove itself further as a contender.
USC 42-35 vs Rutgers
This has to be the most disappointing performance of the week in the Big Ten. USC, heading into a big game instead of building confidence, gave confidence to the worst team in the Big Ten. The Trojans head into their game against Oregon with a ton of question marks.
Iowa 55-0 vs Northern Iowa
Hank Brown did not even need to show up in this one, as the Hawkeyes could not be stopped on the ground. Both Xavier Williams and Braeden Jackson led the way, with both eclipsing 100 yards.
Indiana 38-0 vs Western Kentucky
Charlie Becker showed he is one of the best receivers in the country against Western Kentucky. He and Hoover are quickly becoming a top connection in the country. Hoosiers cruise in commanding fashion.
Washington 48-16 vs Eastern Washington
Washington's offense finally showed up. Demond Williams put together an elite quarterback performance, and the Huskies look like they got their offensive rhythm back. Just in time as the schedule is heating up.
Nebraska 34-7 vs North Dakota
Nebraska takes care of business once again, and they show they are not a team to be taken lightly.
Northwestern 41-7 vs Colorado
Northwestern closed the door on a Colorado team that had some real juice coming into this week. Julian Lewis and the Buffaloes' offense could not find any type of success. Aidan Chiles shined in an elite passing game.
Virginia Tech 35-26 vs Maryland
James Franklin gets his revenge on Maryland in his first season at Virginia Tech. Malik Washington looked like a star in this game, but unfortunately, this is another game that builds the case for Mike Locksley to be fired.
Notre Dame 27-10 vs Michigan State
Michigan State hung in there against Notre Dame better than many expected. As I predicted, they put up a better fight in terms of the final score. The defense for the Spartans looked impressive, but the offense, on the other hand, is a long way from competing against the cream-of-the-crop teams in the country.
UCLA 52-38 vs Purdue
Both Nico Iamaleava and the rushing attack for the Bruins were clicking on all cylinders. Bob Chesney has found something special with this offense. The Bruins, for another week, look like a force to be reckoned with.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Big Ten football Week 3: USC football is a big loser despite win
