Putting a bow on the Big Ten season

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The end result wasn't what most Big Ten fans had in mind, but 2008 still brought plenty of intrigue around the league. Before putting the season to bed, here are some moments that stick out in my mind.

Terrelle Pryor takes over — Pryor came to Ohio State with unparalleled hype as the nation's No. 1 recruit, but most expected him to sit out most of the season. Everything changed after the USC loss, and Jim Tressel's decision to start Pryor in Week 4 marked a significant shift for a program that usually sticks with its seniors. Pryor had some growing pains along the way, but he also showcased incredible talent and the potential to take Ohio State a long way in the years to come.

Joe Paterno keeps on winning — Despite a bum hip that needed to be surgically replaced in November, Paterno gutted his way through the season and proved once again that he knows exactly what he's doing. Despite spending the final nine games in the press box, including the Rose Bowl, Paterno helped Penn State to a co-Big Ten title and won Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. The 82-year-old signed a three-year contract after the season and will be back in 2009.

Holy Toledo — Michigan had never lost to a MAC team in 24 tries, but this season was anything but ordinary in Ann Arbor. The low point for Rich Rodriguez and the Wolverines undoubtedly arrived Oct. 11, when a subpar Toledo team came into the Big House and beat Michigan 13-10. Michigan went on to lose a school-record nine games, posted a losing season for the first time since 1967 and missed a bowl for the first time since 1974.

The collapse at the Coliseum — The most anticipated game of the season turned into a disaster for the Big Ten and Ohio State, which got steamrolled 35-3 by USC. Ohio State couldn't stop Mark Sanchez, committed uncharacteristic errors and didn't score a touchdown for the first time since 1996. The loss reinforced the perception that Ohio State struggles in big games, a reputation the Buckeyes helped restore in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Murray kicks Penn State out of title game — Penn State seemed destined for a date in the BCS Championship Game until it ran into an inspired Iowa team on Nov. 8 at Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes rallied from a 9-point fourth-quarter deficit and won the game in the final seconds on a 31-yard field goal by Daniel Murray, an Iowa City native who had lost his starting job seven weeks earlier. Head coach Kirk Ferentz went back to Murray in the clutch, a decision that paid off.

Coordinators take off — The Big Ten had no head-coaching changes this year, but several of the league's top assistants left following the season. Illinois offensive coordinator and chief recruiter Mike Locksley left to become New Mexico's head coach. Minnesota lost both of its coordinators, as Mike Dunbar stepped down and Ted Roof left for the defensive coordinator spot at Auburn. Michigan defensive coordinator Scott Shafer resigned after only one season.

Another bowl flop — The league needed a boost in the postseason after dropping four consecutive BCS games and four Rose Bowls. Instead, the Big Ten's national perception took another blow as the conference went 1-6 in bowl games. Despite a dominant Outback Bowl win by Iowa and encouraging performances from Ohio State and Northwestern, the Big Ten lost two more BCS games and another Rose Bowl.

Rodriguez sounds off — His comments were largely misrepresented, but Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez didn't do himself any favors during a Nov. 17 news conference. Speaking about outlandish comments on fan message boards, Rodriguez said, "You almost want to tell them, 'Get a life.' There's a whole lot bigger problems. Look at the economy." Though the comments weren't directed at Michigan's fan base, they made headlines around the Big Ten and added to the woes for the first-year coach.

Northwestern's Smith stuns Minnesota — No play symbolized Northwestern's renaissance on defense more than Brendan Smith's 48-yard interception return for a touchdown with 12 seconds left to beat Minnesota 24-17 on Nov. 1. Defense was the story for Northwestern during a 9-4 season, as first-year coordinator Mike Hankwitz revolutionized one of the conference's worst units. Smith's return also signaled the beginning of the end for Minnesota, which dropped its final five games after a 7-1 start.

Dantonio gets rewarded with new deal — Mark Dantonio's stock is on the rise at Michigan State, and the university rewarded him before the Capital One Bowl with a restructured contract. Dantonio's salary raise puts him on par with other Big Ten coaches, and he will receive a million bonus if he's still coaching Michigan State on Jan. 15, 2016. The Spartans have made upgrades in facilities and recruiting, and if they can keep Dantonio, they'll consistently be in the mix for league titles.

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Missouri to test Wildcats’ defensive aggresiveness

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

As a defensive coordinator for the last quarter-century, Northwestern’s Mike Hankwitz has a mad scientist quality about him.

If given enough time in the lab, he’ll probably concoct something pretty powerful.

Hankwitz has had several weeks to form a plan for the Missouri Tigers, who Northwestern will face Monday in the Valero Alamo Bowl (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET). But after spending hours watching Missouri’s innovative offense in the lab, er, film room, Hankwitz admits it isn’t easy to craft a formula for success.

“They do more than anybody we’ve played,” Hankwitz said. “They give you more exotic formations, trick plays. … There will be eight or 10 trick things or unique things [per game], and they don’t always give them a big play, but it’s just the threat of them.

“One or two of those things is not a big deal, but then you start adding that and this and this and this, pretty soon, it’s a whole bunch of other crap that you’re working on.”

Hankwitz and the Wildcats have fared decently against other versions of the spread this season, and Missouri’s offensive tempo won’t be completely foreign to them. But the combination of a huge playbook and first-class personnel — quarterback Chase Daniel, wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, tight end Chase Coffman, running back Derrick Washington — create some headaches.

“If we had to prepare for these guys in a week, holy cow,” Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “You can see why they’re able to put up the numbers they do.”

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The top five Big Ten games of 2008

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

With the regular season in the books, it’s time to look back at the best Big Ten games from the 2008 season. What puts a game on this list? Great endings certainly help, and short- and long-term significance also increases a game’s appeal.

My only condition was that the game occurred between Big Ten teams. It was a fairly forgettable nonconference slate for the Big Ten, so I decided to confine the list to conference play.

Here’s my top five (OK, six). Please feel free to send me your nominations. Remember, conference games only.

1. Penn State at Iowa, Nov. 8, Kinnick Stadium

Not only did the game impact the national title race, but it featured a fairly dramatic shift and a thrilling finish. After falling behind early, Penn State controlled the clock and the game for most of the way, taking a 23-14 lead into the fourth quarter. But Iowa came alive late behind quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who overcame some early mistakes to attack the Big Ten’s top defense. Stanzi led the game-winning scoring drive, setting up a 31-yard field goal by Daniel Murray, an Iowa City native who hadn’t attempted a field goal since Sept. 20. Though the game took Penn State out of the national title mix, it might have turned around an Iowa program that had fallen off the last three years.

2. Penn State at Ohio State, Oct. 25, Ohio Stadium

Much like the Big Ten itself, the Penn State-Ohio State clash lacked the sexy offensive numbers and defense-optional feel that seemed to dominate college football this season. But this was a smart, well-played football game. Both defenses came to play and showed things that might not impress the average college fan but certainly made an impression on NFL scouts. In the end, it came down to the first major mistake, a fourth-quarter fumble by Ohio State freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who had played a solid game until that point. Despite losing starting quarterback Daryll Clark to a concussion, Penn State capitalized for the win.

3. Northwestern at Minnesota, Nov. 1, Metrodome

It’s pretty rare when you see a walk-off interception, but Northwestern safety Brendan Smith essentially pulled one off against the surging Golden Gophers. After several deflections, Smith intercepted an Adam Weber pass and raced to the end zone with 12 seconds left to give Northwestern a 24-17 victory. The game featured another defensive touchdown — on a Traye Simmons interception return — and a Big Ten record for quarterback rushing, as Northwestern backup Mike Kafka racked up 217 yards on the ground.

4. Ohio State at Wisconsin, Oct. 4, Camp Randall Stadium

When Terrelle Pryor’s college career is over, many will look back to this night as the start of something special. After Wisconsin took a 17-13 lead with 6:31 left, Pryor led a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive. He converted two third downs and a second-and-15, and also benefited from two fumble recoveries. Pryor scored the game-winning touchdown on a Badgers defensive breakdown with 1:08 left. Ohio State running back Chris “Beanie” Wells turned in a big performance (168 rush yards), and the Buckeyes snapped Wisconsin’s 16-game home win streak.

T-5 . Wisconsin at Michigan, Sept. 27, Michigan Stadium

After covering this game, I figured it would end up much higher on the end-of-year list, but both teams ended up going downhill. Still, the greatest comeback in Michigan Stadium history deserves a place here. Wisconsin totally dominated the first half, building a 19-0 lead on a hapless Michigan team that got booed by its own fans at halftime. But Michigan transformed after the break and Wisconsin lost its edge on defense. A Wolverines defensive touchdown proved to be the game-winner, though Wisconsin had a chance to tie at the end.

T-5 Minnesota at Wisconsin, Nov. 15, Camp Randall Stadium

The Badgers were on the wrong end of several heartbreaking losses this year, but they rallied to beat rival Minnesota in dramatic fashion. After Minnesota dominated the first half, Wisconsin responded behind running back P.J. Hill (117 rush yards, 2 TDs). The Badgers broke a 24-24 tie with back-to-back safeties and scored another touchdown before Minnesota struck back late. But a Niles Brinkley interception sealed an emotional win for Wisconsin and kept Paul Bunyan’s Axe in Madison.

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Northwestern Wildcats season recap

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Northwestern didn’t make the big national splash this fall as it did in the mid-1990s, but the program quietly took some key steps on the path to consistent success.

It started with a 4-0 sweep of the nonconference slate, a feat Northwestern hadn’t accomplished since 1963. Even the school’s league title-winning teams in 1995, 1996 and 2000 stumbled in nonleague play. Had Northwestern swept the nonconference portion in 2007 or merely gone 2-2 or better in 2004, the program would have made bowls in four of the last five years.

An even bigger breakthrough occurred on defense. Led by first-year coordinator Mike Hankwitz, Northwestern led the Big Ten in sacks (33) and ranked 23rd nationally in scoring defense (19.3 ppg). A unit that had finished no better than 68th nationally since Northwestern installed the spread offense in 2000 improved to 53rd this season. The Wildcats defense allowed 17 points or fewer in seven of the team’s nine wins and made the nation’s fifth-largest improvement in points allowed.

The offense didn’t light up the scoreboard as it had in past seasons, and a young offensive line and erratic quarterback play hurt the team at times. But newfound depth helped Northwestern survive injuries to quarterback C.J. Bacher and running back Tyrell Sutton, and the Wildcats won three of their final four games after a potentially disastrous loss at Indiana.

An Alamo Bowl matchup against Missouri awaits Northwestern, but head coach Pat Fitzgerald has built some momentum for a program that has been very competitive in Big Ten play since 1995.

Offensive MVP — Wide receiver Eric Peterman
After a slow start, Peterman came on strong during Big Ten play to lead the Wildcats in receiving yards (654) for the second consecutive season. The senior had a team-high five touchdown catches and also threw a touchdown pass in a win against Purdue. Fellow wideout Ross Lane deserves a mention, and Sutton was very productive before suffering a dislocated wrist Oct. 25 at Indiana.

Defensive MVP — Defensive end Corey Wootton
Hankwitz’s system allowed Wootton to start reaching his enormous potential, and the junior earned All-Big Ten honors after anchoring the league’s top pass rush. Wootton finished fifth in the Big Ten in sacks (9) and seventh in tackles for loss (15). The 6-foot-7 end had seven quarterback hurries, a blocked kick, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Safety Brad Phillips also merits a mention.

Turning point — Nov. 1 at Minnesota
Northwestern limped into the Metrodome, having lost Sutton, Bacher and starting middle linebacker Malcolm Arrington to injuries in the previous two games. But backup quarterback Mike Kafka sizzled in his first start since 2006, setting a Big Ten quarterback rushing record with 217 yards. Kafka kept the offense afloat, and the defense sealed a dramatic win as Brendan Smith returned an interception for a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining.

What’s next
The Wildcats are heavy underdogs in the Alamo Bowl, but their first postseason win since the 1949 Rose Bowl would cap a very strong season. Northwestern must replace its starting offensive backfield, but Kafka appears to be a capable replacement at quarterback and a very young offensive line will be a year older. The core returns on defense, and Northwestern should be in position for another bowl game in 2009.

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Greene, Laurinaitis headline All-Big Ten teams

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

The All-Big Ten teams have been named by the league’s coaches and media members. My analysis will come later tonight.

Iowa running back Shonn Greene and Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis were selected as Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year by both the coaches and the media. Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor was the consensus choice for Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Penn State’s Joe Paterno was the media’s pick for Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Here’s the full list.

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Iowa stomps Gophers, Oregon State survives

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Penn State is headed to the Rose Bowl and Ohio State might be BCS bound as well, but the Big Ten might not have a hotter team than Iowa, which finished the regular season by winning five of six games. The Hawkeyes drilled Minnesota 55-0, storming out to a 27-0 halftime lead and pouring it on in the second half. They’re bringing home the bacon to Iowa City.

Shonn Greene had another big night (144 rush yards, 2 TDs), becoming the first back to eclipse 100 rushing yards in all eight Big Ten games since Penn State’s Curtis Enis in 1997. But he was somewhat eclipsed by the play of sophomore quarterback Ricky Stanzi, who is blossoming into a solid field general. Stanzi and Derrell Johnson-Koulianos hooked up seven times for 181 yards and a touchdown. DJK has come on strong the last few games.

Unfortunately for both Iowa and Ohio State, Oregon State rallied past Arizona and kept the Rose Bowl in the viewfinder. The Buckeyes likely need a Beavers loss next week against Oregon to earn a BCS at-large bid. If Ohio State reaches the BCS, it could open up a New Year’s Day bowl spot for Iowa or Northwestern. Should the Buckeyes slip to the Capital One bowl, Iowa and Northwestern likely would be competing for the Alamo and Champs Sports bowls.

Minnesota has a habit of collapsing late in the season, but this face plant is rather stunning. The Gophers just haven’t been the same team since Northwestern’s Brendan Smith scored on an interception return with 12 seconds left in a Nov. 1 game at the Metrodome. Quarterback Adam Weber really struggled tonight, but without any semblance of a rushing attack, he can only do so much.

Four consecutive losses to end the season likely puts Minnesota in the final Big Ten bowl spot (Insight or Motor City).

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Michigan Looks to Carry Momentum Against Northwestern

Northwestern Wildcats (7-3, 3-3) at Michigan Wolverines (3-7, 2-4)

Noon, Saturday at Michigan Stadium

Line: Michigan -4

This might quite possibly be the hardest game of the season to predict for Michigan, seeing how things have gone thus far.

After last week’s dominating win at Minnesota, what team can I possibly expect to show up on Saturday after the Wolverines have stunk for the better part of the season?

Will Michigan revert back to form, or will they answer the call and carry momentum from last week to give the 15 seniors on the team their last home win at the Big House?

I’m going with the latter. Why? Because there’s something different about Michigan that I noticed last week, and it was a sense of pride restored and urgency not seen all season.

Michigan players and coaches have for the most part been embarrassed with how the 2008 season has gone, and if there’s any saving this year, it’s going out on a high note.

Northwestern comes into the 69th meeting with the Wolverines a different team than in years past. The Wildcats have actually won a few games.

But look at who Northwestern has beaten to become bowl eligible. The likes of Syracuse, Duke, Southern Illinois, and Ohio were their non-conference competition.

The only team the Wildcats have beaten with a .500 record was Minnesota, and that came on a final minute pick six, not to add to the fact we all saw what a fraud the Gophers are anyway.

Let’s see how these two match up.

Michigan Pass Offense vs. Northwestern Pass Defense

Nick “The Human White Knight” Sheridan is back as your starting quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines.

Will he save the day and slay the mighty Wildcats, or will he wave the white flag once again?

All right, I’m getting out of hand with the analogies, but I can’t help it.

I’m happy he’s getting the nod over Steven Threet. I’ve always believed you have to go with the hot hand, and while Sheridan may have not been exactly on fire, he did play pretty good.

The passing offense altogether is starting to gel.

Pass blocking has improved, the wideouts are getting better each week, and Sheridan and Threet have been improving with every snap.

Martavious Odoms is quickly becoming a top weapon and Darryl Stonum is making strides. This unit with Greg Matthews could be really dangerous next season.

Northwestern is ranked 84th in the nation, giving up 228.9 yards per game, and Brendan Smith has been pretty good in coverage.

Smith has two interceptions and six pass breakups, but the Wildcats’ secondary only has eight picks this season. Northwestern’s pass rush is much more dangerous with 27 sacks, led by Corey Wootton’s 7.5.

If Michigan’s pass blocking can hold up and give Sheridan some time, then he might be able to pick apart the secondary.

Advantage: Michigan

Michigan Rush Offense vs. Northwestern Rush Defense

After being a major strength for the second half of the season, this unit might falter this weekend, especially if Brandon Minor doesn’t play.

Minor is averaging 5.2 yards per carry and has excelled in the zone read rushing attack, breaking multiple rushes for long runs.

Without that threat, Michigan might be in for a long day.

My only hope is that Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw are prepared to step up and make some plays. Shaw has shown the ability to break one, as has McGuffie, but far too often McGuffie goes down on first contact.

Northwestern is 44th in rush defense giving up just over 120 yards per game against mostly cupcakes.

Corey Wootton has 13.5 tackles for loss, showing his ability to get into the opponent’s backfield. In fact, Northwestern as a team has accumulated 69 tackles for loss.

Brad Phillips leads the Wildcats in tackles with 85 as the strong safety and has the tenacity that coach Pat Fitzgerald had as a player.

If there was ever an opportunity for McGuffie and Shaw to show that they’ll be significant factors in Michigan’s backfield for years to come, this is it.

Rich Rodriguez is bringing in a slew of running backs in next year’s recruiting class, and there have been rumors of McGuffie being homesick, signaling a possible transfer.

I hope that doesn’t happen and he actually pans out, but he has to become either more elusive or show some toughness and break some tackles.

Without Minor I’m giving the advantage to Northwestern, simply because Shaw and McGuffie haven’t proven to be every down backs yet. Flashes of it, but not quite sold.

Advantage: Northwestern

Northwestern Pass Offense vs. Michigan Pass Defense

Word is that C.J. Bacher will be back this week after being injured the past couple weeks.

Bacher is not what you expect out of a Northwestern quarterback. He’s actually pretty decent. He’s thrown for 1,700 yards, 10 touchdowns, a 59 percent completion percentage, and has a 109.8 efficiency rating.

But he has thrown 11 interceptions and his receivers are not that good. No one has outstanding stats, but maybe that’s because Bacher has shown an ability to throw the ball around and spread the wealth.

Eric Peterman has three touchdowns and averages 11.9 yards per catch, and that’s the best Northwestern has.

After last week, I’m not sure what secondary will show for Michigan on Saturday. Last week they shut down a pretty good quarterback and passing offense after being awful most of the year.

Until Stevie Brown, Brandon Harrison, and the rest of the secondary show they can put it together for consecutive games, I’m not holding out hope.

Advantage: Northwestern

Northwestern Rush Offense vs. Michigan Rush Defense

Northwestern running backs Tyrell Sutton and Mike Kafka are both averaging around five yards per carry, and Bacher is a sure threat to take off.

Northwestern averages 160.3 yards on the ground, while Michigan is giving up 135.2 to opponents.

Putting Will Johnson back on the line every down was the logical thing to do after the disaster that was the 3-3-5 Purdue experiment.

Going with the 4-2-5 last week worked out brilliantly, and hopefully the Wolverines and Scott Schafer stick with that and keep things simple.

Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber was never a threat to take off though, and Michigan is once again faced with a spread quarterback.

We all know how this has worked out before for the Wolverines. Not pretty at all.

But Bacher is coming off an injury and might not be as prone to take off as normal, especially if he watched tape of Michigan last week and saw how hard the hits were that Brandon Graham has been giving out.

Advantage: Michigan

Special Teams

Northwestern has no viable threat to take one all the way, and with Zoltan “Space Lord Emperor of the Universe” Mesko making it impossible for return men by putting balls into the outer atmosphere, it’s highly unlikely the Wildcats break one Saturday.

Michigan return men, on the other hand, have been getting better, but the fumbles are starting to resurface, and they need to get that solved right away.

K.C. Lopata is once again solid, and I’m not completely fearful of him blowing a game. He blew one this year, so I guess that fills Michigan’s kickers’ quota for giving up a game.

Northwestern kicker Amado Villarreal is 17-for-21 with a miss coming as close as 25 yards out and has missed two PATs this year.

Advantage: Michigan

Prediction

Northwestern has only won five games at Michigan Stadium, with the last coming in 1995, and have lost eight of the last nine against Michigan.

Am I going to follow the adage of 2008 of teams being due to beat Michigan? Not this time.

Northwestern is much like Minnesota: a team that padded its schedule with nobodies and a fraud as a bowl eligible team.

Michigan, on the other hand, has 15 seniors who do not want to lose their final home game and be remembered for being the team that only won two of seven home games in a season.

Prediction: Michigan 31, Northwestern 17

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Pryor Comes Roaring Back After Loss To Penn State

EVANSTON, Ill. – After the gut-wrenching loss to Penn State, Terrelle Pryor sat by himself on the Ohio State bench, his head bowed, his eyes red.

The loss, the quarterback told his teammates, was his fault. It was his fumble that led to Penn State’s go-ahead touchdown, and his interception that sealed the Nittany Lions’ victory. The mistakes – and what they cost the Buckeyes – would not be forgotten soon.

Admirable words, and yet another sign of how special Pryor is. But he is also just a freshman, and failure is a foreign concept to him. With two weeks to think, would the tough loss, his first as a starter, make him better? Or drive him further into despair?

Pryor gave a definitive answer on the Buckeyes’ very first possession against Northwestern on Saturday. Facing third-and-16 and a Northwestern blitz, Pryor stood in the pocket for what seemed like five minutes. He finally spotted Brian Hartline downfield and let fly, connecting on a 44-yard pass that could have been a touchdown had Hartline not toppled over.

On the next play, Chris “Beanie” Wells scored on a 2-yard run, and that Penn State loss was officially put to rest.

“Every time he is out there,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said, “he is going to get better.”

Ohio State’s 45-10 rout of Northwestern moved the Buckeyes (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) up two spots, to No. 12, in The Associated Press Top 25. The Buckeyes also got a boost in their bid for a share of a fourth straight conference title, thanks to Iowa’s upset of Penn State.

If any player deserves the label of “phenom,” it’s Pryor. He was USA Today’s national prep player of the year last year, and the country’s top quarterback recruit. He has a powerful arm and precise control, and he sees the field in ways that can’t be taught. But it’s his ability to scramble that makes him truly dangerous.

Time and again Northwestern thought it had finished the Buckeyes off, only to have Pryor escape. Most impressive – or vexing, if you were the Wildcats – was his poise on third-and-long. Of Ohio State’s seven scores, three were set up by Pryor’s third-down conversions.

“It’s frustrating that we as defenders didn’t play to our ability and let him get out of the pocket and let him scramble,” Northwestern safety Brendan Smith said. “We put them in third-down situations, and didn’t get off the field.”

The show-stopper in Pryor’s personal highlight reel came in the third quarter, with Ohio State already cruising 24-10. Chased from his own 32 all the way back to about the 20 on third-and-8, Pryor could have thrown the ball away or taken a sack without doing any damage.

But he wouldn’t have it. When Northwestern linebacker Quentin Davie got a hand on him, Pryor shucked him off and darted forward. After scrambling for a few yards, he lofted a pass to Hartline down the right sideline for a 46-yard gain, his longest throw of the day.

Three plays later, he hit Rory Nicol for a 6-yard touchdown.

“I felt really comfortable,” Pryor said. “They were sending blitzes and I was still standing in sometimes. I feel like I progressed a little from (two weeks ago), but there’s a lot more I want to accomplish and get better at to help this team win.”

Just the fact that Pryor didn’t implode after the Penn State loss says something. This is a guy who doesn’t know what it’s like to lose. As a senior, he led Jeannette (Pa.) High School to state titles in football and basketball. He won his first five games as a starter at Ohio State.

Losing that Penn State game was hard enough. Feeling it was his fault could have been devastating.

“I was so down on myself,” he said. “I needed this two-week break.”

If Pryor had any crises of confidence, he sure didn’t show it against the Wildcats, going 9-of-14 for 197 yards and three scores. He was sacked once, but didn’t come close to committing a turnover.

“Overall, our offense did a pretty good job,” Wells said. “Terrelle had a heck of a game.”

And he’ll need a few more if Ohio State is to play its way into a share of the Big Ten title.

The Buckeyes are now tied with No. 7 Penn State for second place in the conference, behind No. 18 Michigan State. But the Spartans and Nittany Lions play each other at Penn State in the regular-season finale. Ohio State plays at Illinois next week, then hosts Michigan for the latest installment of The Game.

“November decides where you go, point blank, period,” Pryor said. “OK, we lost to Penn State and it’s a big deal. Now if we lose to Illinois or Michigan, that’s going to tear our seniors apart and I don’t want that to happen.

“I won’t let that happen.”

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Northwestern restores reliability in the clutch

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

After a disappointing 6-6 season, Northwestern set out to restore two program pillars that had started to show cracks.

1. Winning close games
2. Performing well in the fourth quarter

Last fall, Northwestern went 4-1 in games decided by seven points or fewer, but the record was somewhat deceiving because the team had blown fourth-quarter leads in three other games and lost by wider margins. Opponents held a 90-79 edge in fourth-quarter scoring, which kept the Wildcats out of a bowl game.

Add a 59-24 fourth-quarter scoring deficit from 2006, and the Wildcats seemed to have lost the crunch-time confidence they displayed during former coach Randy Walker’s tenure.

“We put a huge emphasis on the fourth quarter, from the minute we got done last season, all the way until today, we’ve been talking about it,” head coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “Football games in the Big Ten are played for 60 minutes, and you’ve just got to hang around long enough to make the fourth quarter significant.

“We’ve done that enough times to put ourselves in position to have a special year.”

Northwestern can attribute its 7-2 record to much-improved play in the fourth quarter, particularly on the defensive side. The 24th-ranked Wildcats haven’t allowed a point in the fourth quarter seven times this season, including each of the last two weeks, and hold a 51-24 overall edge in fourth-quarter scoring.

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Video: Game-Changing Nominees, Week 10

Rece Davis looks at Saturday’s top four game-changing performances in college football.

• Brendan Smith’s 48-yards interception return for a touchdown with 12 seconds remaining lifted Northwestern over Minnesota.
• Greg Orton lateraled to Desmond Tardy after a catch for a touchdown with 23 seconds left in the Boilermakers’ 48-42 victory over Michigan.

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