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Indiana beat Michigan State, as you may have heard, but what else happened? TO THE CARNAGE REPORT.
CARNAGE REPORT:
- Michigan collected their finest win to date, an extremely B1G win over Wisconsin in the Big House by a score of 14-7. Jim Harbaugh likes to dress things up with crazy formations but that was 60 minutes of brutal offensive football on both sides and made for a game that didn't really live up to the hype.
- Ohio State and Maryland dispatched of Rutger and Purdue, respectively, by hilariously large margins. You typically don't even beat paycheck opponents that badly, and credit the Buckeyes and Terps for picking up a couple conference wins without spending a dime.
- Nebraska used a 21-point 4th quarter to speed past Illinois. The Huskers might be the biggest mystery in the conference while the Illini could stake their claim as the worst team in the conference when they play Purdue and Rutger in the next two weeks.
- Northwestern beat Iowa! I desperately wanted to try and find four more wins on the Wildcats' schedule but it's probably not happening. Iowa staking a claim as the conference's biggest disappointment relative to preseason expectations.
- Penn State required overtime to dispatch of Minnesota in Happy Valley in a battle that I believe contractually ties the winner to the Quick Lane Bowl.
B1G in the CFP?
THE FAVORITE: Ohio State
BEAT THE FAVORITE, BECOME THE FAVORITE: Michigan, Wisconsin
THE DARK HORSE: Nebraska, any other team without a conference loss
Wisconsin had a chance to really put themselves into the forefront of the "team most likely to represent the B1G in the CFP (non-Ohio State division)" but couldn't find any real offense in the Big House and while their defense remains among the best in the country, it wasn't enough on Saturday. They probably remain the favorite to head to the Big Ten Championship game and if they get there with just this loss, beat OSU next week, and win a rematch with Michigan? Things could get interesting in Madison.
Obviously, anyone without a conference loss is still alive for the playoff so HEY GUYS INDIANA CAN GO TO THE CFP ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS BEAT OHIO STATE AND MICHIGAN ON THE ROAD AND THEN NEBRASKA OR WISCONSIN IN INDY BUY TICKETS NOW.
MY TOP FOUR: 1. Alabama 2. Ohio State 3. Washington* 4. Clemson**
* Had them in here before they walloped Stanford. So consider that before you laugh at me for the next paragraph.
** I so badly wanted to put Miami here because I think the final spot in the CFP is going to go to the ACC Champion, and there's a good case for the Canes. Miami avoids Louisville and Clemson in the regular season and then would theoretically one of them (likely Clemson, given Saturday's result) in Orlando for the relocated ACC Championship if they can finally win the Coastal. A brutal month awaits the Canes but if they can get through FSU and UNC at home and Notre Dame and VaTech on the road, with no more than one loss, it's smooth sailing from there.
Bowl Projections:
Ohio State: CFP Semifinal vs. Washington
Michigan: Rose Bowl vs. Stanford
Wisconsin: Orange Bowl vs. Miami
Nebraska: Outback Bowl vs. Tennessee
Minnesota: Holiday Bowl vs. Colorado
Maryland: Pinstripe Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
Indiana: Music City Bowl vs. Arkansas
Penn State: Foster Farms Bowl vs. Utah
Iowa: Quick Lane Bowl vs. Georgia Tech
Michigan State: Heart of Dallas Bowl vs. Western Kentucky
LOL NAH: Illinois, Purdue, Rutgers, Northwestern