CFB: Big Ten Week 2 Recap: The Mighty Falls

The Big Ten went 12-2 in week two after a great week of college football. We witnessed some dominant victories and a particularly surprising upset. I will be recapping the weekend going over each game discussing what went well and what went wrong for the Big Ten opponent. Let’s dive in. 

Illinois 14, Virginia 42

After starting the year with a big win against Nebraska, Illinois has dropped the past two games putting the Fighting Illini at 1-2. Illinois got blown out in almost every category statistically this game which is representative of the score. Illinois had 337-yards compared to Virginia’s 558-yards, Virginia also had 11 more first downs. The Illini gave up five touchdowns in the air, the secondary needs to improve to compete in the conference. Head coach Bret Bielema needs to get more dynamic in his offense too if he wants his team to have a chance. In week three, Illinois should have their hands full as they face a solid Maryland team.

Michigan State 42, Youngstown State 14

The Spartans have started 2021 on the right foot, however, I am not ready to say they have turned the corner. They handled a Youngstown State team with ease as they were supposed to, getting a dominant win is always great for the momentum of a program. The number that stands out to me is 595-yards of offense. I know the opponent is Youngstown State, but in recent years, the Spartans haven’t been known to have a dynamic offense. Payton Thorne had four touchdowns and 280-yards throwing while Jordon Simmons had 121-yards rushing. Next week is the real test as they go down south to face Miami. 

Northwestern 24, Indiana State 6

The Wildcats got back on track in week two but I still have my worries about this 2021 Northwestern football team. They took care of Indiana State, something they were supposed to do as they held Indiana State to 169-yards of total offense. The Wildcats dominated in the run game with 209-yards rushing and two touchdowns. The problem is the quarterback play. Hunter Johnson went 9-16 throwing for 66-yards and one touchdown. It seems as if the trust in the quarterback is lacking and the Wildcats will need to change that if they want to repeat as Big Ten West champs. Next week, Northwestern faces Duke in a game that they have should be able to win.

 

Ohio State 28, Oregon 35

This game was one of the most highly anticipated games of the 2021 season and it didn’t fail to live up to the hype. Ohio State’s defense was the reason they lost this game. They gave up almost 270-yards rushing and three touchdowns, Ohio State’s defensive coordinator Kerry Combs got outcoached and failed to make adjustments as Oregon’s running game was finding the edge almost every play. C.J. Stroud looked really good, you could easily point to his interception late in the fourth quarter that sealed the win for Oregon but he had 484-yards passing and three touchdowns. His one bad throw wasn’t the reason the Buckeyes lost the game. Ohio State lost this game at the line of scrimmage as they failed to get to Oregon’s quarterback and the Buckeyes were getting run all over. Ohio State has Tulsa and Akron the next two weeks, they should be able to get their footing again and the Buckeyes will be fine going forward. 

Minnesota 31, Miami (OH) 26

The Golden Gophers won this game but is an uncomfortable fashion for Minnesota fans. The Golden Gophers were favored by 18.5 points and had a 21-3 lead but let Miami hang around. Tanner Morgan’s play seemed limited as he threw for only 112-yards and one touchdown as the offense relied on the running game. With the absence of Mohammed Ibrahim due to an injury, sophomore running back Treyson Potts didn’t skip a beat as he had two touchdowns for 178-yards. Minnesota looks to keep the ball rolling next week against Colorado.

Rutgers 17, Syracuse 7

Rutgers has opened up the season with a 2-0 record under 2nd-year head coach Greg Schiano. It wasn’t the prettiest win for Rutgers but they were able to pull out the victory. The Scarlet Knights lost the total yards battle but capitalized on Syracuse’s three turnovers. Rutger’s quarterback Noah Verdal showed up and played a solid game throwing for one touchdown and 145-yards. The Scarlet Knights have Delaware next week, another game they can win potentially making them 3-0.

Purdue 49, Connecticut 0

The Boilermakers had one of the most dominant performances by a Big Ten member in week two. They dominated in all facets of the game and showed up on both sides of the football. The game was over at halftime after Purdue was up 35-0 just two quarters in. Jack Plummer was 16-20 for 245-yards and four touchdowns as Purdue had 563-yards of total offense. This game was a rout from the start and puts Purdue at 2-0 giving them a great start to the year. Next week, the Boilermakers play a tough Norte Dame opponent and they will need to play a perfect game to pull off the upset. 

Nebraska 28, Buffalo 3

After a week zero loss to Illinois, the Cornhuskers have bounced to put themselves at a 2-1 record after Nebraksa handled Buffalo in week two. Nebraska’s Adrian Martinez was magnificent as he had 354-total yards and two touchdowns. Nebraska had 516-total yards compared to Buffalo’s 359-yards. Nebraska’s defense put the clamps on Buffalo in the red zone holding them to only one field goal. The Cornhuskers had nine penalties for 71-yards which is concerning. Nebraska will need to clean the penalties up next week as they face Oklahoma in a game that will be very difficult to win. 

Penn State 44, Ball State 13

Penn State took care of what they needed too in week two as they had a convincing win against Ball State. The Penn State running game was efficient as Noah Cain, Sean Clifford, and Keyvone Lee all had over 60-yards rushing. Penn State’s offense was balanced as they had 240-yards rushing and 253-yards passing. The defense was as efficient and played similar to the Nittany Lion’s week one victory against Wisconsin as they forced two turnovers including a pick-six from linebacker Jesse Luketa. Next week, Penn State will be in a battle against a good Auburn team, luckily it is a home game for the Nittany Lions. 

Iowa 27, Iowa State 17

If you didn’t believe in Iowa after they demolished Indiana in week one, well you should now. This team is one of the most physical units in the country and they beat a legit Iowa State team in Iowa State’s house. Iowa’s style of football is not the most electric and their offense doesn’t hit home runs but they take care of the football. Iowa’s grit and grind type of offense led to one rushing touchdown from Tyler Goodson and Spencer Petras threw for one touchdown through the air. The Hawkeyes had four takeaways which was the difference in the game, Jack Campbell had a six-yard fumble return for a touchdown which swung the momentum. Iowa should be 3-0 after next week when they face a lesser opponent in Kent State.

Wisconsin 34, Eastern Michigan 7

After losing a tough week one matchup to Penn State, Wisconsin bounced back with a solid victory against Eastern Michigan. The Badger’s defense was all over the field and this unit is Wisconsin’s strength. They held Eastern Michigan to 92-total yards which is an absolute assertive performance. On the offensive side of the football, Wisconsin’s passing game was solid as Graham Mertz was 14-17 but they relied on their bruising running game. The Badgers rushed for 352-yards and four touchdowns, leading the charge was Chez Mellusi as he had 144-yards and one touchdown. In week three, the Badgers have a bye week but they will prepare to face a great Notre Dame team in week four. 

Maryland 62, Howard University 0

Maryland had the most commanding win in the Big Ten in week two winning by the biggest margin. The Terrapins won in all facets of the game, they had 574-total yards. Maryland had 227-yards rushing totaling four touchdowns while they had 347-yards throwing finishing with four touchdowns too. Taulia Tagovailoa was 22-27 for 274-yards and he controlled the pace of the game. The receivers for Maryland looked elite as Dontay Demus had 128-yards receiving. The Terrapins are hitting their stride and play an Illinois team that they should beat next week. 

Michigan 31, Washington 10

Michigan football fans can confidently be excited about their team after the start they have had in this 2021 season. The Wolverines took care of a Washington team that has talent even after the Huskies lost in week one. While Michigan’s passing game isn’t all too pretty as Cade McNamara had only 44-yards throwing, the rushing game looks to be physical. Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum combined for 326-yards and four touchdowns giving the Wolverines a week two victory. Michigan’s defense played well holding the Huskies to 50-yards rushing and they forced a turnover. In week three, the Wolverines take on Northern Illinois as they look to move to 3-0.

Indiana 56, Idaho 14

Indiana looked more like the Hoosier team we were expecting to see this year after they dismantled Idaho. After a tough week one loss to Iowa, Indiana put points on the board as their special teams had a great day. The Hoosiers special teams had a punt block that was returned for a touchdown along with an 81-yard punt return by D.J. Matthews. Michael Penix Jr. only threw for 68-yards and two touchdowns which is slightly concerning but the rushing game for Indiana looked good. The Hoosiers had 179-yards on the ground for three touchdowns showing the balance that their offense possesses. They have another tough opponent next week in Cincinnati and we should get a better understanding of what this Hoosier team is made of. 

References: https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/

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-By: Justin Howard