Michigan State went up 13-9 on a Kirk Cousins-to-Blair White pass that went right down the middle for 30 yards. The pass came just two plays after an unbelievable hook-and-ladder involving White and tight end Brian Linthicum.
After the kickoff Iowa had just 1:32 to find the end zone.
Every Thursday, Pickin' on the Big Ten answers the questions, questions the answers, and looks ahead to Saturday's games.
It's now indisputably late October. The leaves here in Wisconsin went from being Monet-like things of beauty to being a soggy ground-based nuisance in less time than it takes for a new Jim Tressel criticism to appear on the internet. It feels like the season just started but after this weekend it's two-thirds over.
There are so many questions yet to answer, however. I've already explored the various Big Ten title scenarios, so let's look at some of the other burning issues.
Every Thursday, Pickin' on the Big Ten gives you the bottom line on the upcoming weekend's games.
Every team now has six games on the books. Well, Illinois doesn't, which is good news/bad news. Illinois fans have only had to watch five games so far; that's good news. They have seven games left to watch, which is not such good news.
This would be a perfect time for mid-term report cards, but letter grades are so one-dimensional, don't you think? There are more meaningful comparisons to be made. Make the jump and see every Big Ten team compared to ... well, just go and look.
Back to the old drawing board. Ron Zook's plan to spark the Illinois offense by benching quarterback Juice Williams in favor of backup Eddie McGee didn't exactly yield the desired results Saturday as the Illini fell to Michigan State, 24-14.
McGee was ineffective, going 2-for-11 for just 32 yards and an interception before being pulled in the third quarter. Williams came in to relieve McGee. He wasn't a world-beater, but Williams was just enough better to get the Illini on the board.
As for Michigan State, for the first time all season, it played just one quarterback until garbage time.
Every Thursday, Pickin' On the Big Ten previews the weekend's action, settling the scores before the scores are settled.
Penn State has declared that Saturday night's game with Iowa will be a "whiteout" game. That distinction is usually reserved for games of the utmost importance, and if you don't know why this game is so important to the Nittany Lions, you must not remember what happened last year in Iowa City. A Daniel Murray field goal put the Hawkeyes on top and ended any hopes Penn State had of getting blown out by Florida playing in the BCS National Championship Game. It's time for revenge.
Penn State, however, is not the only Big Ten team with a little revenge on its mind this weekend.
More loose ends from Ann Arbor to tie up. First, on Sunday Charlie Weis briefly alluded to players being punched during Saturday's game. No one quite followed up on it. But in the text/Twitter/YouTube age, you cannot hide anything.
Earlier this week someone sent this video into the South Bend Tribune, which anyone who DVR'd the game has at their disposal. Watch the end of the 2nd-quarter play, lower left on the screen, as Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton (8) gets up off the ground and appears to take a swing at Irish center Eric Olsen (55).
While Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio State were struggling with their opening day opponents, three Big Ten schools were making short work of theirs. Penn State had little trouble with Akron, beating the Zips 31-7. Michigan State likewise found Montana State easy pickings, rolling over the Bobcats 44-3. And, in Evanston, Northwestern flattened Towson, 47-14.
For Michigan State, quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol had big days, with Cousins throwing for three touchdowns and Nichol adding two more. The Spartan rushing game seemed to take its predicted step backwards, though that could just be because the passing game was clicking so well. The MSU defense held Montana State to just 171 yards of total offense; after their opening three-and-out drive, the Bobcats only entered Spartan territory once.
Michigan State wasn't the only school to put up unexpected passing numbers today, however.
Iowa and Michigan State decided to save all the excitement for the last three minutes of their game Saturday.
Every Thursday, 
Every Thursday, 
Back to the old drawing board. 
Every Thursday, 
More loose ends from Ann Arbor to tie up. First, on Sunday Charlie Weis briefly alluded to players being punched during Saturday's game. No one quite followed up on it. But in the text/Twitter/YouTube age, you cannot hide anything. 
While 
