The Michigan Daily - Thursday, October 22, 1998 -17A
l3uckeyes have company in run for Big
Ten title
Wisconsin also unbeaten, eyeing conference crown
By David Mosse
For the Daily
-leading into the second half of the
college football season, the Big Ten
race is heating up. Four teams possess
a realistic chance of capturing the Big
Ten crown.
To nobody's surprise, Ohio State,
Michigan and Penn State are vying
for the conference title. The shock is
the emergence of Wisconsin.
The Badgers have risen from the
middle of the
gck to chal- AROUND TI
ge the confer-
ence's big boys.
A 4-0 record has Wisconsin atop
the Big Ten, followed by Ohio State
and Michigan, each at 3-0. Penn State
is a game back at 2-1.
Behind the top four teams, there
exists a clump of schools who have
mastered the art of beating each other
just enough to prevent any one of
from challenging for the title.
"Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana and
Purdue are all on the bubble for a
bowl game, and will need to finish
the season strong to play in the post-
season.
Illinois and Minnesota have simply
not been good enough for the Big Ten
this year.
And Northwestern is a fine acade-
mic school.
This week, Penn State will sit and
ch. Michigan and Indiana will
phy in the Big House, and four other
games will hopefully serve to clear
up the Big Ten race.
No. 1 OHIO STATE (3-0 BIG TEN, 6-
,0 OVERALL) VS. NORTHWESTERN (0-4,
2-5)
In a season that has seen many of
the heavyweights stumble, Ohio State
has proven to be worthy of a No. I
ranking. The Buckeyes are clearly the
best team in the country, and appear
to be headed for the Fiesta Bowl.
And Northwestern is a fine acade-
mic school.
The surprise in this game will be if
Northwestern scores a point. What
many fail to realize about Ohio State
is that they
possess the
'E best defense
CONFERENCE in the coun-
try. The
Buckeyes are No. I in the nation in
points allowed.
Northwestern does feature one of
the most exciting players in the Big
Ten in wide receiver D'Wayne Bates.
Bates leads the conference with 49
receptions.
Bates is also fifth in the conference
with 695 rushing yards. He displayed
his versatility in the other mud bowl
by playing a series at quarterback
against Michigan last week.
This over-reliance, however, also
highlights the Wildcats' lack of
options beyond Bates.
Whichever way they choose to
attack, the Buckeyes will have an
answer.
If Bates lines up at receiver, the
Buckeyes can call on All-America
cornerback Antoine Winfield to shad-
ow him.
If he tries to run, Prof.
Katzenmoyer will be waiting for him.
Expect Joe Germaine to play a
game of catch with receivers David
Boston and Dee Miller.
And when his arm needs a rest,
Big Ten Standings
IUm nL 21Overall
Wisconsin 4-0 7-0
Ohio State 30 6-0
Michigan 3-0 4-2
Penn State 2-1 5-1
Iowa 2-2 3-4
Michigan State 1-1 3-3
Indiana 1-2 3-3
Purdue 1-2 3-4
Illinois 1-3 2-5
Minnesota 0-3 33
Northwestern 0-4 2-5
Saturday's games:
Indiana at Michigan
Wisconsin at Iowa
Ohio St. at Northwestern
MichiganSt. at Minnesota
Illinois at Purdue
Michael Wiley, the second-leading
rusher in the conference, will carry
the offense.
Northwestern has disguised itself
as a football school for long enough.
Its true passion was revealed recently
when former great Darnell Autry
retired from the NFL after two years
to pursue an acting career.
The Buckeyes will roll to 7-0,
assuming Ohio State coach John
Cooper has mercy.
OHIO STATE 45, NORTHWESTERN
0.
No. 9 WISCONSIN (4-0, 7-0) vs.
IOWA (2-2, 3-4)
The most important game for
Wisconsin this season is the one it
won't play. Ohio State is not on the
Badgers' schedule.
This fact alone gives Wisconsin a
chance to win at least a share of the
Big Ten title. And should Ohio State
stumble against you-know-who,
Wisconsin may win the whole thing.
But the Badgers are simply not
good enough to take anyone for
granted. They face a tricky trip to
Iowa city as they hope to stay unbeat-
en.
On the surface, they appear headed
for another win.
Much like Ohio State, Wisconsin is
fueled by its defense, ranked sixth in
the nation in points allowed.
The Hawkeyes, who possess the
93rd best rushing offense in the coun-
try, will have to figure out some way
to put points on the board.
On offense, the Badgers will look
to Ron Dayne, the leading candidate
for conference player of the year.
Dayne leads the Big Ten in rushing
yards (845) and touchdowns (9).
Quarterback Mike Samuel has
mastered the option and is second in
the conference with seven rushing
touchdowns.
Wisconsin also features offensive
tackle Aaron Gibson, weighing in at
380 lbs.
Gibson will one day play in the
NFL, and could go up against Packers
lineman Gilbert Brown.
The Hawkeyes possess a young
squad, and Hayden Fry has called this
his toughest challenge.
But there are signs of progress for
Iowa.
Last week the Hawkeyes didn't run
a punt back into their own end zone
AP PnoYO
Joe Germaine and the Buckeyes are going to have to put away Northwestern if they want to keep pace with the Badgers, Who
are leading the Big Ten with a 4-0 conference record. 4tf
for a safety.
Against Wisconsin, they may need
to run punts all the way to the other
end zone if they are to outscore the
Badgers.
Behind another 100-yard perfor-
mance by Dayne, the Badgers will
remain unbeaten.
WiSCoNSIN 28, IOWA 7
MICHIGAN STATE (1-1, 3-3) AT
MINNESOTA (0-3, 3-3)
Which Michigan State team will
show up? The one that trounced Notre
Dame or the one that actually made
the Michigan offense look good?
It may not matter, unless the
Minnesota team that features Chris
Carter and Randy Moss decides to
play a day early.
Minnesota started the season 3-0.
But a closer look reveals their record
was as much of a fraud as a golf class.
The Big Ten schedule has brought
the Gophers back to reality. After
three straight losses, including a
demolition at the hands of Ohio State,
the Gophers are in desperate need of
a win.
At 3-3, the Spartans have under-
achieved, but they do possess talent.
Tailback Sedric Irvin, nephew of
Michael Irvin, is fourth in the Big Ten
in rushing.
Quarterback Bill Burke is second
in the Big Ten in touchdown passes.
If the Spartans are to finish their
season strong, they will need this
one. With this sense of urgency,
Michigan St. will play a big game and
come out on top.
MICHIGAN ST. 31, MINNESOTA 17
ILLINOIS (1-3, 2-5) AT PURDUE (1-
2, 3-4)
This game features a matchup of
two of the dumbest nicknames in col-
lege sports.
The Boilermakers and the Fighting
Illini.
The over/under on this game is 70.
No, not the points scored. That's
Drew Brees' passing attempts.
The Purdue quarterback leads the
Big Ten in passing touchdowns (17)
and passing yards (2,359). Of course,
Scott Mitchell would be leading the
conference in passing if he threw the
ball as often as Brees.
Brees attempted more thait-80
passes in a loss to Wisconsin-'tNo
weeks back.
Not surprisingly, the Boilermalkrs
also feature two of the leading
receivers in the Big Ten. Randall
Lane and Isaac Jones are second and
third, respectively, in the Big Ten.
The second over/under in this game
is 5. This represents the number of
Illinois defensive linemen who will
collapse from rushing Brees all game.
As for the Illinois offense, 93yd :In
the nation in average yards per ganre,
it will not be able to keep up with
Purdue.
Purdue will move to .500 irn1ie
Conference.
PURDUE 35, ILLINoIs 14.
t
When the dust settles on another
week of play in the Big Ten, Oh o
State and Wisconsin will rema n
unbeaten.
Michigan State and Purdue will
move closer to a bowl game, aid
Northwestern will still be a fine aca-
demic school.
1.
i
AP PHOTO
obody's surprise, Wisconsin running back Ron Dayne has been trampling
posing defenses all season long. The real surprise in Madison is that the
afters are still in the running for the Big Ten title.
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