Setting the table for an afternoon of Big Ten football. Feel free to fill up then, because it will all be gone by dinner time. Noon ET
Penn State (5-3, 2-2) at Minnesota (7-2, 3-2), ESPN2: There’s more than a Victory Bell on the line for the Gophers, as arguably the most surprising team in the league remains alive for a division title despite all the adversity that has come its way this season. Jerry Kill, the entire coaching staff and a resilient roster deserve every bit of praise that has accompanied an unexpected push into contention. And should Minnesota come up with another victory at home, it can expect many more compliments by remaining a factor in the Legends Division.
Iowa (4-5, 2-3) at Purdue (1-7, 0-4), Big Ten Network: A short, miserable October gave way to a November that didn’t start any better for the Boilermakers, who haven’t scored a touchdown since September. Granted, Purdue has only played three games in that span, but that’s still an embarrassingly long drought, and Iowa is certainly capable of extending it with a hard-nosed, aggressive defense. The Hawkeyes also need a victory to clinch a bowl bid, so they won’t be lacking for motivation.
3:30 ET
Illinois (3-5, 0-4) at Indiana (3-5, 1-3), BTN: Both programs had designs on getting back to a bowl game before the season and encouraging starts in nonconference play, but the odds are starting to look long for each of them now. The loser this afternoon will have no margin for error from here on out, and the Hoosiers and Illini both have a date with No. 4 Ohio State coming up in the next two weeks. The winner will still have work to do, so it’s not exactly a play-in game. But there probably won’t be any need to worry about the postseason without a victory at Memorial Stadium.
Nebraska (6-2, 3-1) at Michigan (6-2, 2-2), ABC: The matchup between two of the most decorated programs in the history of college football was always tabbed as a crucial one in the Legends Division, but the stakes are certainly a bit smaller than might have been anticipated. The Wolverines are on the ropes after losing a potential head-to-head tiebreaker with first-place Michigan State with their loss in East Lansing last week, and while the Huskers survived on a Hail Mary against Northwestern, they can’t afford another loss, either, if they hope to stay in the race. Can Michigan’s offense rebound against a still suspect group of Blackshirts, or will Nebraska finally right the ship against an attack that has been prone to turnovers and has problems with their running game…
Continue reading this article at ESPN: Big Ten Week 11 primer
