College Football returned with a great weekend of games. The Big ten did not disappoint this week. A majority of teams in the conference took care of business. Some teams this weekend look better than others, but all in all this was a good week in the Big Ten.
Ohio State showed Texas and the SEC that the Big Ten is the superior conference. The USC Trojans looked like the real deal and a team that will be dangerous in the Big Ten.
Here are the scores from this weekend in the Big Ten and some interesting storylines for each team:
Rutgers 34-31 vs Ohio
Athan Kaliakmanis and his connection with Ian Strong helped the Scarlet Knights get past Ohio by the skin of their teeth. Struggling against a MAC foe does not give you great confidence this team can compete in the Big Ten this season.
Minnesota 23-10 vs Buffalo
Running back Darius Taylor ran through the Buffalo defense for 141 yards on 30 carries. P.J. Fleck is still sticking to his bread and butter, pounding the rock. With a much improved defense and Darius Taylor, the Gophers should be an interesting team in the Big Ten.
Nebraska 20-17 vs Cincinnati
The Cornhuskers dominated the time of possession in the game had the ball 19 minutes more than their opponent, but this offense left much to be desired. Nebraska allowed its opponent to stay in this game until the game winning interception by Hartzog. With Patrick Mahomes in attendance the Cornhuskers disappointed albeit in a victory.
Wisconsin 17-0 vs Miami (OH)
Wisconsin’s defense dominated the day holding their MAC opponent to zero third down conversions and 117 total yards. Hopefully starting QB Billy Edwards Jr. can return to the lineup soon after a non-contact injury.
Michigan State 23-6 vs Western Michigan
Michigan State looks like a much improved football team this season. If Aidan Chiles can be more consistent with his accuracy the Spartans could have a very fun offense.
No. 12 Illinois 52-3 vs Western Illinois
Illinois’ offense showed off new toys as the Fighting Illini took care of business. Defensive player Gabe Jacas will be a problem this year. He had himself a day with two sacks and a forced fumble.
Northwestern lost 23-3 to Tulane
Northwestern had the most disappointing performance in the Big Ten Saturday. Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff ran all over the Wildcats’ defense, rushing for 113 yards. The Wildcats could be the worst team in the Big Ten this season.
Purdue 31-0 vs Ball State
Ryan Browne entered this season as the guy for the Boilermakers. He did not disappoint in his first start of the 2025 season. Browne threw for 311 yards and two touchdowns on an efficient 18/26 passing attempts. Purdue could be better than we anticipated.
Maryland 39-7 vs Florida Atlantic
True freshman Malik Washington shined in his first career start. He threw for 258 yards and 3 touchdowns on Saturday. He might be the key to saving the Terps this season.
No. 3 Ohio State 14-7 vs No. 1 Texas
The Buckeyes’ defense had highly touted quarterback Arch Manning seeing ghosts. No. 1 overall pick talk surrounding Manning has come to a halt, at least until further notice. The Buckeyes’ offense was not that much better than Texas’s but Julian Sayin made plays when he needed to.
Indiana 27-14 vs Old Dominion
The win could have been more convincing, but the Hoosiers still got the job done. Roman Hemby looked impressive with his 111 yards rushing. I still believe this Hoosier team will take a step back this season from last year’s great success.
No. 2 Penn State 46-11 vs Nevada
Penn State dominated versus Brock Purdy’s brother’s team. Drew Allar looks good and so does this offense, but will this be the team that knocks off Ohio State? I personally think not.
No. 7 Oregon 59-13 vs Montana State
Dante Moore Jr. balled out in his first Oregon start. Moore threw for 3 touchdowns and 213 yards. Dante Moore Jr. had the performance many people wanted to see out of other inexperienced quarterback Arch Manning. If Moore can be great this season Oregon will not miss a beat.
Iowa 34-7 vs University of Albany
True freshman Xavier Williams showed that Iowa will always have a guy at the running back position. Williams rushed for 122 yards on 11 carries for 1 touchdown. This passing attack was the biggest cause of excitement for this offense, but the run game being so dominant put the passing attack on pause.
USC 73-13 vs Missouri State
USC’s offense looked like the most dominant offense in college football this weekend. The present and future quarterbacks for the Trojans both showed great promise. The Trojans have everything they need to go on a playoff run and they looked like one of the most impressive teams in the Big Ten for Week 1.
No. 14 Michigan 34-17 vs New Mexico
Justice Hayes had a big day for the Wolverines, running for 159 yards and 3 touchdowns. It was an encouraging debut game for true freshman Bryce Underwood. Underwood threw for 251 yards and his first touchdown of his collegiate career. The Wolverines are a team that should be in the mix for the top teams in the Big Ten.
Washington 38-21 vs Colorado State
Sophomore phenom Demond Williams Jr. was extremely effective in both the passing game and the running game, displaying his dynamic ability. He shredded the Lobos for almost 300 total yards. The Huskies might have the best running back in college football. Jonah Coleman had 177 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Coleman and Desmond Williams will keep coaches in the Big Ten up all night.
UCLA lost 43-10 vs Utah
I bought into the hype for this UCLA team and was severely disappointed with Saturday night’s outcome. Nico Iamaleava had a stinker, getting sacked 4 times and throwing an interception. The Bruins looked outmatched. That could be a trending theme when they play the top teams in the Big Ten.
