Things to watch for this week in the Big Ten Conference’s slate of games:
Game of the week
No. 16 Southern California (8-2, 6-1 Big Ten, No. 15 CFP) at No. 6 Oregon (9-1, 6-1, No. 7 CFP), 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
Oregon has won five of its last six meetings with USC, including three straight. USC can keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive and could put Oregon’s playoff chances in some jeopardy with a victory. This is also an unstoppable force against an immovable object matchup: USC ranks sixth among all Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense (488.9). Oregon is third in total defense (235.4).
The undercard
No. 18 Michigan (8-2, 6-1, No. 18 CFP) at Maryland (4-6, 1-6), 4 p.m. ET (Big Ten Network)
Michigan still has a potential path to the playoff if it knocks off Maryland and then beats No. 1 Ohio State (No. 1 CFP) for a fifth consecutive season. Maryland has lost six straight, but Michigan can’t take anything for granted after needing a Dominic Zvada field goal as time expired to beat Northwestern 24-22 last week. Michigan will be without Justice Haynes against Maryland, as head coach Sherrone Moore revealed earlier this week that he might miss the rest of the regular season.
Impact players
— Penn State RB Kaytron Allen’s 181-yard performance in a 28-10 victory over Michigan State marked the Nittany Lions’ highest single-game rushing total since Journey Brown ran for 202 yards in a Cotton Bowl win capping the 2019 season. Allen’s 3,794 career yards rushing rank him third in school history, behind Evan Royster’s 3,932 from 2007-10 and Saquon Barkley’s 3,843 from 2015-17.
— Ohio State’s Julian Sayin has completed 80.1% of his passes, putting him on pace to break the FBS record owned by Bo Nix, who completed 77.5% of his attempts for Oregon in 2023.
— Minnesota DL Anthony Smith has recorded five sacks over his last four games to improve his season total to a Big Ten-leading 9 1/2. He’s attempting to become the first Minnesota player to have at least 10 sacks in a season since Willie VanDeSteeg had 10 1/2 in 2008.
Inside the numbers
No. 1 Ohio State (No. 1 CFP) has allowed fewer than 100 yards rushing in each of its last nine games, tying a school record. … Illinois (7-3, 4-3) can match its highest victory total over a two-year stretch by winning one of its final two games. … Wisconsin (3-7, 1-6) is at risk of losing at least eight games for the first time since a 1-10 finish in 1990. … Andrew Marsh’s 12 catches and 189 yards against Northwestern represented the highest single-game totals in both categories by a Michigan freshman since at least 1979.
Get to know him
Michigan RB Bryson Kuzdal, who began his college career as a walk-on, got pressed into duty against Northwestern and responded by rushing for 53 yards on 15 carries. Kuzdal, who now is on scholarship, may be needed again this weekend as Michigan deals with injuries to Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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