CFB-FBS: Big Ten Conference Week 13 Release and Previews

WEEK 13 GAME SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2024

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS at MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS

8 p.m. | FOX

SERIES AT A GLANCE

Record: 29-36-3 In West Lafayette: 17-14-3 In East Lansing: 12-22 Neutral: 0-0 Streak: Purdue – 1 Last Win: Purdue 40, #3 Michigan State 29 – 11/6/2021 Last Meeting: Purdue 40, #3 Michigan State 29 – 11/6/2021 First Meeting: Purdue 14, Michigan State 6 – Away – 11/9/1918 Walters vs. Smith: 0-0 Walters vs. Michigan State: 0-0 Purdue vs. Smith: 1-0

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS Notes

STORY LINES

• Purdue Football wraps up the 2024 season with a pair of road contests, starting with a Friday night matchup at Michigan State. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on FOX. • Meeting for the 69th time in program history, this is the latest date in the calendar year that the Boilermakers and Spartans have battled on the gridiron. • The last time these two met, Purdue handed No. 3 Michigan State its first loss of the season, 40-29 (Nov. 6, 2021). • Purdue’s schedule ends with back-to-back road games for the first time since 2003. • The matchup is the second Friday game of the year for the Boilermakers, the first time Purdue has ever played two Friday games in a season. • Three of the Boilermakers’ past four games have been against teams ranked in the CFP’s Top 5 (No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Penn State). • Four of Purdue’s final six games of the season are against teams currently ranked in the AP’s Top 5. The Boilermakers are the only team in the country to have five of the Top 6 on their schedule. • Starting center Gus Hartwig has a 84.4 pass blocking grade from PFF, the best in the Big Ten and 13th nationally among centers, while not giving up a sack and allowing only one hit on the quarterback. • One of the nation’s leading tacklers as an All-American a season ago, sophomore Dillon Thieneman ranks second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally in solo tackles (5.6 per game) this year. The 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year has recorded 56 solo tackles, ranking second nationally among defensive backs. • Thieneman’s 83 total tackles are 20 more than the next Big Ten defensive back. • Senior linebacker Kydran Jenkins is the conference leader in sacks wearing a Big Ten uniform, recording 22.0 throughout his career to also rank sixth in Purdue history. • Freshmen and sophomores have accounted for 64 starts for Purdue this season. • Tight end Max Klare leads the Boilermakers in receptions (39), receiving yards (566) and receiving touchdowns (3), ranking second among Big Ten tight ends in receiving yards and third in receptions. Klare is on pace to become the first Purdue tight end to lead the team in receptions since current tight ends coach Justin Sinz hauled in 41 receptions (240 yards, four touchdowns) during the 2013 season. • Purdue has rushed for at least 200 yards in three games this year, the most 200-yard games in a season since 2018. • Kyndrich Breedlove has recorded three of Purdue’s four interceptions this season, ranking fourth in the Big Ten and 29th nationally. • In his first season as a Boilermaker, Keelan Crimmins is on pace for the second-best punting average (45.0 yards per punt) in program history, behind only 2001 Ray Guy Award winner Travis Dorsch (48.1 yards per punt). • Crimmins’ punting average ranks third in the Big Ten and 16th nationally.

A WIN WOULD..

• Be Purdue’s first on a Friday since a 44-21 victory against Ohio on Sept. 8, 2017. • Be Purdue’s first at Spartan Stadium since a 17-15 win in 2007. • Give Purdue back-to-back wins in the series for the first time since four-straight from 2001-06.

THE TOUGHEST SCHEDULE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL

• Purdue entered the 2024 season as one of only two teams (Florida) in the country to have four preseason Top 10 teams on its schedule. Turns out, the slate proved to be even harder, perhaps one of the most difficult in college football history. • The Boilermakers are the only team in the country to have five of the nation’s Top 6 on their schedule (No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Indiana, No. 6 Notre Dame). • Purdue has played four of those teams already, having just ended a stretch of playing three ranked in the Top 4. • Four of the Boilermakers’ final six games on the schedule feature Top 5 teams. Three of the final four games are against Top 5 opponents.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

• In 136 seasons of Purdue Football, the Boilermakers have played on Fridays 14 times throughout history, recording a 5-8-1 record. Seven of those games have been night games and only three have been in Ross-Ade Stadium. • For the first time in program history, the Boilermakers have two Friday games on the schedule. • The Boilermakers hosted top-ranked Oregon earlier this season on a Friday night.

ABOUT THE MATCHUP

• The Spartans hold a 33-26-2 series record in Big Ten Conference matchups. • Two Purdue quarterbacks have thrown for over 500 yards against the Spartans. Aidan O’Connell recorded the third most passing yards in a game at Purdue with 536 in the 2021 upset win, while Drew Brees tallied the third 500-yard game in Purdue history with a 509-yard effort in 1999. • Chris Daniels caught 21 of Brees’ passes for a school record 309 yards in that 1999 clash. • Prior to the eight-game skid against the Spartans, Purdue won seven of the previous eight contests between 1997-2006.

OUR LAST MATCHUP VS. MICHIGAN STATE

PURDUE 40, NO. 3 MICHIGAN STATE 29 – WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. – NOV. 6, 2021

• The Boilermakers upended No. 3/5 Michigan State 40-29 at Ross-Ade Stadium. • It was Purdue’s second Top-3 win of the season and marked the first time Purdue beat two AP Top 5 teams since 1960, when it defeated No. 3 Ohio State and No. 1 Minnesota. • Aidan O’Connell threw for 536 yards – the third-highest total in Purdue history, and David Bell became the school-record holder for 100-yard receiving games with 15 as he totaled 11 catches for 217 yards. • The Boilermakers totaled 594 yards of offense. • Meanwhile, the Purdue defense recorded a pair of takeaways including a key goal line interception by Dedrick Mackey in the fourth quarter to preserve a 34-21 advantage. • In the past 50 years, there have been four instances of a team beating two Top 5 teams in the same season while unranked for both games (2021 Purdue, 2007 Illinois, 1983 Penn State, 1978 Missouri).

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS Notes

• Michigan State plays host to Purdue on Friday, Nov. 22 at 8:05 p.m. in Spartan Stadium. The game will be televised nationally on FOX with Connor Onion (play-by-play), Mark Helfrich (analyst) and Josh Sims (sidelines) on the call. • MSU fell to 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the Big Ten following its 38-16 loss at Illinois last Saturday in Champaign. Purdue (1-9, 0-7 Big Ten) is coming off a 49-10 loss at home to No. 4 Penn State. • MSU’s schedule currently ranks tied for the 18th-toughest in the FBS, according to the NCAA (opponents with a .630 winning percentage at 58-34). The Spartans have played four teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25 (No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 5 Indiana, No. 24 Illinois). • The Spartans opened the season 3-0 with wins over Florida Atlantic, Maryland and Prairie View A&M. In Week 4, Michigan State lost at Boston College, 23-19, on a late fourth-quarter touchdown before falling to No. 3/3 Ohio State on Sept. 28 and at No. 6/6 Oregon on Oct. 4. Michigan State bounced back after its first bye week with a 32-20 win over Iowa on Homecoming on Oct. 19, but has dropped its last three games. • Friday’s game marks the 69th meeting between Michigan State and Purdue. The Spartans lead the all-time series 36-29-3, including wins in eight of the last nine games. In the last matchup at Purdue in 2021, MSU entered the game 8-0 and No. 3 in the CFP rankings, but fell to the Boilermakers, 40-29. The two teams haven’t met in Spartan Stadium since a 23-13 MSU victory on Oct. 27, 2018. Michigan State has won five straight against Purdue at home and is 22-12 against the Boilermakers all-time in East Lansing. • Michigan State will be playing in its school-record seventh night of the game of the season, and fourth in East Lansing. MSU is 2-1 in night games in Spartan Stadium this season (wins over Florida Atlantic and Iowa; loss to Ohio State). • Friday marks the 32nd night game in Spartan Stadium history but just the second in November (Nov. 8, 2014, vs. Ohio State). MSU is 22-9 all-time in night games in Spartan Stadium. • True freshman wide receiver Nick Marsh ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 67.9 receiving yards per game; that mark also ranks third among FBS freshmen and tied for 61st overall in the FBS. The Detroit native leads the team in receiving yards (611) and ranks second in receptions (37). He also ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 16.5 yards per catch. Marsh’s 611 receiving yards are the most ever by a Spartan true freshman (previous: Cody White with 490 in 2017).

TEAM NOTES: OFFENSE

SOPHOMORE AIDAN CHILES IN HIS FIRST YEAR AS STARTING QUARTERBACK FOR MSU

• Sophomore Aidan Chiles has completed 61 percent of his passes (164-of-269) for 2,106 yards (210.6 ypg), 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in his first year as the starting quarterback for the Spartans. The Long Beach, California, native is in his first season in East Lansing after playing in a back-up role as a true freshman at Oregon State in 2023. He ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 37th in the FBS in passing yards per completion (12.8). Chiles is also tied for the team lead with three rushing touchdowns; he has a net of 210 rushing yards on 85 carries (21.0 ypg) but has gained a total of 384 yards on the ground. • Chiles is just the sixth Spartan sophomore quarterback to pass for more than 2,000 yards in a single season (Payton Thorne with 3,233 in 2021; Brian Lewerke with 2,793 in 2017; Connor Cook with 2,755 in 2013; Kirk Cousins with 2,680 in 2009; Jeff Smoker with 2,579 in 2001). Thorne, Lewerke, Cook and Cousins all took a redshirt year, and those totals came in their redshirt sophomore season; Smoker was a true sophomore in 2001. • Chiles has thrown for 250-plus yards in three games this season, including a career-high 363 in the win at Maryland on Sept. 7, which was the eighth-highest total in MSU history. He threw for 256 yards both in the win over Iowa on Oct. 19 and at Illinois on Nov. 16.

SPARTANS FEATURE A PAIR OF 2,000-YARD CAREER RUSHERS IN THE BACKFIELD

• Michigan State features two running backs – sixth-year graduate transfer Kay’ron Lynch-Adams and redshirt junior Nathan Carter – who have both rushed for more than 2,000 career yards. Carter (2,218) and Lynch-Adams (2,383) are one of 10 duos on the same team in the FBS to have more than 2,000 career rushing yards (Missouri, Ohio State, UCF, Ole Miss, Penn State, Michigan State, Auburn, South Carolina, Texas State, Boston College). • Lynch-Adams and Carter have combined for 62 percent of the team’s overall rushing attempts (206 of 332) and 94 percent from the running back room (206 of 219).

MONTORIE FOSTER JR. ECLIPSES CENTURY MARK FOR CAREER RECEPTIONS

• Fifth-year senior wide receiver Montorie Foster Jr. had a team-high six catches for 76 yards to surpass the century mark for career receptions. He leads all active Spartans with 104 career catches for 1,367 yards and seven TDs in 52 games, including 26 starts. Foster is the 34th Spartan in school history with at least 100 career catches. He leads the team in 2024 with 42 receptions for 529 yards and two TDs and has caught at least one pass in 23 consecutive games.

TEAM NOTES: DEFENSE

SPARTANS RANK 35TH IN FBS IN TOTAL DEFENSE

• Michigan State ranks 35th in the FBS in total defense, allowing 328.1 yards per game. The Spartans have held five opponents under 300 yards of total offense this season (Florida Atlantic, 248; Prairie View A&M, 140; Boston College, 292; Iowa, 283; Michigan, 265).

LINEBACKER CAL HALADAY EXTENDS STARTING STREAK TO 33 STRAIGHT GAMES

• Fifth-year graduate senior linebacker Cal Haladay has started 33 consecutive games, the longest active streak on the team. He is currently second on the Spartan defense with 49 tackles; his 356 career tackles rank ninth most in MSU history and seventh among active players in the FBS.

TEAM NOTES: SPECIAL TEAMS

SPARTANS EXCEL IN KICKING GAME

• Michigan State features one of the best kicking duos in all of college football with sixth-year graduate placekicker Jonathan Kim and redshirt sophomore punter Ryan Eckley. Kim is 18-of-20 (.900) on field goals for the season to rank first in the Big Ten and tied for 11th in the FBS in made field goals; he has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award. Eckley, who was on the Ray Guy Award Watch List, ranks second in the Big Ten with his 48.5-yard punting average; 18 of his 35 punts this season (51 percent) have been for 50-plus yards. • Kim earned Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors and was named one of the Lou Groza Award three stars of the week after setting a school record with six field goals in the win over Iowa on Oct. 19. A native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Kim connected on six of his seven field-goal attempts, including a season-long 55-yarder in the fourth quarter. He also was good from 42, 43, 36, 29 and 46 yards out. It also tied a modern-day Big Ten record, matching Jake Moody of Michigan with six field goals vs. Indiana (11/17/18); E.C. Robertson of Purdue owns the overall record with seven field goals on Oct. 27, 1900, vs. Rose Poly. With 20 points overall against Iowa, including two PATs, Kim also set a top scoring mark in modern-day Big Ten history by a kicker, bettering the 19 points by Moody in 2018 vs. Indiana.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2024

IOWA HAWKEYES at MARYLAND TERRAPINS

12 p.m. | Big Ten Network

IOWA HAWKEYES Notes

HAWKEYES | 1st & 10

• The Hawkeyes have won 19 of their last 22 games in the month of November, dating back to 2019. • Iowa is bowl eligible for the 12th straight year and for the 23rd time in the last 24 seasons. • The Hawkeyes won their 700th game in program history in Week 10 against Wisconsin, becoming the 35th school to reach the milestone. • Senior LB Jay Higgins is a semifinalist for the Butkus, Lombardi and Bednarik Awards and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. He is the only Power 4 linebacker with 90+ tackles and three interceptions. • Ferentz has 202 career victories as Iowa’s head coach — second-most in Big Ten history. He trails only Ohio State’s Woody Hayes (205) for the most overall wins in league history. • Senior WR Jacob Gill became the first Hawkeye to have a 100-yard receiving game since 2022 and the first Iowa wideout to achieve the feat since 2021 when he had six receptions for 138 yards in Week 11 at UCLA. • Brian Ferentz, son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, is an analyst on the Maryland coaching staff. • Junior RB Kaleb Johnson, a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, has scored at least one rushing touchdown in every game – the longest stretch in program history. He has three touchdowns in four games. • Johnson found the end zone for his 20th rushing touchdown (tying Shonn Greene’s school record) and 21st overall TD in Week 11 at UCLA to become the program’s all-time single season scoring leader with 126 points. • The Hawkeyes are 16-for-16 in red zone scoring opportunities (14 TDs, 2 FG) with QB Brendan Sullivan under center. • Iowa has scored 40 points in three straight home games for the first time since 2011. Iowa is 31-0 when scoring 21+ points since 2020. • Johnson, who has 1,328 yards — the seventh-most in program history – is second in total touchdowns (21), third in the nation in rushing yards (1,328), rushing yards per game (132.8) and total points (126), fourth in rushing touchdowns (20) and sixth in yards per carry (7.06). • Big play KJ… Johnson has 20 rushes of 20+ yards, six 40+ yard runs and nine touchdown runs of 25+ yards this season. Iowa has 23 20+ yard rushes in 2024. • Iowa’s rushing attack has churned out 200+ yards in seven games — the most for the program since 2015. The team’s 208.1 yards per game ranks first in the Big Ten and 15th nationally. The Hawkeye offensive line is a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award. • Senior LB Jay Higgins is second in the Big Ten in tackles (11th nationally), making 98 tackles (9.8 per game). He has led the team in tackles in nine games, including a season-high 14 tackles in Weeks 6, 7 and 8 against Ohio State, Washington and Michigan State. He also has three interceptions (29th nationally) and two forced fumbles. • Higgins, who has 315 career tackles, has five double-digit tackle games this season and 16 in his career. • Graduate LB Nick Jackson made his 500th career tackle against Washington. He is currently second in FBS history with 540 career tackles and his 7.6 tackles per game this season are eighth in the Big Ten. • TOs — The Hawkeyes have forced 20 turnovers in 10 games — 14 interceptions, six fumble recoveries. The 20 takeaways are leading the Big Ten and rank 10th nationally. • DB Jermari Harris had his first career pick-six, returning an interception 28-yards for a touchdown in Week 3 against Troy. It extended Iowa’s pick-six streak to 17 straight years, the longest active streak nationally. Harris ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 29th nationally with three interceptions. • Iowa’s rushing defense has allowed fewer than 100 yards in five games, including just 24 yards in Week 3 against Troy and 43 yards in Week 9 vs. Northwestern. The unit allows 116.8 rushing yards per game, 32nd-fewest in the nation, and it has allowed two touchdowns on the ground – the fewest in the nation. • Don’t beat yourself! Iowa didn’t commit a penalty in Week 3 against Troy and was flagged for only one penalty in road games at Minnesota and Ohio State. Iowa leads the nation in fewest penalties (31), fewest penalties per game (3.10), fewest penalty yards per game (29.70) and fewest penalty yards (297). • Since the start of the 2015 season, Iowa is 77-4 when leading by eight points at any point in a game.

MARYLAND TERRAPINS Notes

THE OPENING KICK

TREMENDOUS TAI X

Through 10 games, senior WR Tai Felton has 86 receptions,1,040 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. With his first of six catches against Rutgers on Saturday, he officially passed D.J. Moore (80 in 2017) and set the program record for the most catches in a single season. In the same game, Felton became the fourth wide receiver in program history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. He accomplished the feat with his 12-yard TD catch at 4:37 in the second quarter. • Felton, who was named one of 11 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award this week, leads the Big Ten in receptions and receiving yards and is sixth in receiving touchdowns. His 86 receptions are the most among power conference players and second in all of FBS. His 1,040 receiving yards rank second in the Power Four and fourth in FBS. Felton has 174 more receiving yards than the next closest Big Ten receiver, Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith. Similarly, Felton has 18 more receptions than the next closest Big Ten receiver, Washington’s Giles Jackson. • Felton is one of five Big Ten players since 2020 with 1,000 or more receiving yards through 10 games, joining Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba (2021) and Marvin Harrison Jr. (2023) and Purdue’s David Bell (2021) and Charlie Jones (2022). • Felton now stands exactly 200 yards away from the school record for receiving yards in a single season (1,240 receiving yards by Marcus Badgett in 1992). Against Oregon on Nov. 9, Felton surpassed the 2,000-yard mark for his career, becoming just the ninth Terp to accomplish this in program history. • Six of Felton’s receiving touchdowns this season have come at home. The only Maryland player this century with more TD catches in home games in a single season was Torrey Smith with eight in 2010. • Felton started the season with four consecutive 100+ receiving yard games, the first Terp in program history to accomplish this feat. He became just the third Big Ten player since 1996 to start a season with 100 receiving yards in each of the first four games. Felton is one of just five power conference players this season with five 100+ receiving-yard games total (Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Ole Miss’ Tre Harris, Louisville’s Ja’Corey Brooks and Miami’s Xavier Restrepo).

GOING BOWLING

• The Terps have won a bowl game in three straight seasons for the first time in program history. In the past three seasons, Maryland has beaten Auburn in the 2023 TransPerfect Music City Bowl, NC State in the 2022 Duke’s Mayo Bowl and Virginia Tech in the 2021 New Era Pinstripe Bowl. • Maryland is one of only four Power Five schools to win Bowl Games in each of the last three seasons (Maryland, Georgia, Texas Tech and Minnesota)

INDIANA HOOSIERS at OHIO STATE BUCKEYES

12 p.m. | FOX

SERIES HISTORY

All-Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ohio State leads, 80-12-5

In Bloomington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ohio State leads, 28-3-1

In Columbus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Ohio State leads, 50-9-4

Neutral Site Ohio State leads, 2-0

Longest Indiana Win Streak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 (1903-1913)

Longest Ohio State Win Streak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 (1991-2023)

Largest Margin of Victory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 (41-7) – 1988

Largest Margin of Defeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 (56-0) – 1957

Most Points Scored . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 – (2012)

Most Points Allowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 – (1957, 1983, 2022)

INDIANA HOOSIERS Notes

SETTING THE SCENE

• Indiana will travel to Columbus, Ohio, for a road game on Saturday at noon in Ohio Stadium on FOX. The network’s Big Noon Kickoff and ESPN’s College GameDay pregame shows will be there leading into the top-5 matchup. • It will be the second time this season that Indiana has had Big Noon Kickoff as well as the second time having College GameDay. Big Noon came to Bloomington in Week 8 against Nebraska (10/19) and College GameDay was at Memorial Stadium in Week 9 against Washington (10/26). • This will be the 98th all-time meeting between the two programs with Ohio State leading the series, 80-12-5. Indiana is seeking its first win over Ohio State since 1988, when it won, 41-7. • Indiana and Ohio State each enter the game with a top-10 ranking in the AP and Coaches Polls as well as the College Football Playoff Top 25.

NEWS & NOTES

• Indiana enters the game with a 10-0 record after defeating Michigan (11/9), 20-15, in Week 11. This is Indiana’s first time in program history starting a season 10-0 and it is the most wins in a single season in program history. • Curt Cignetti is the only Indiana head coach to start his head coaching tenure with a 10-0 record. He is the first-ever Division I head coach to start 10-0 in consecutive seasons at different schools (James Madison, 10-0, 2023; Indiana, 9-0, 2024). • The 20-15 win over Michigan marked Indiana’s first win of the season by one score. Cignetti is 27-18 in his career in one-score games. He has won seven of his last nine and is 21-9 in his last 30 one-score games. • Indiana improved to 7-0 at home to mark the most home wins in program history. • Against Michigan, senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke passed for 206 yards and two touchdowns. His performance moved him to No. 17 in IU’s single-season charts for total offense (2,427), No. 13 in season passing yardage (2,410), tied for No. 5 in passing touchdowns in a season (21) and No. 7 in 200-yard passing games in a season (7). • Junior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt moved his consecutive games with a catch streak to 35-straight games with a 36-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter to put Indiana up 14-3. • Junior linebacker Aiden Fisher had 14 stops for his eighth-career double-digit tackle game and fourth as a Hoosier. The last time was in Week 8 against Nebraska (10/19). • Redshirt junior defensive lineman Mikail Kamara owns at least one tackle in all 33 career appearances and at least a half tackle for loss in 29 of 33 career games. He had his third fumble recovery of the season when he picked up an Alex Orji fumble that was forced by Terry Jones Jr. in the second quarter. • Redshirt senior defensive lineman CJ West had a career-high nine tackles and 1.0 tackles for loss in the win over Michigan. • Sophomore kicker Nicolas Radicic extended his single-season record for extra points made with 59 on the year with his 2-for-2 effort against the Wolverines. He also moved into a tie for No. 8 on the program’s consecutive field goals made list at nine-straight tries to open his career. • With just 69 yards rushing allowed to Michigan, IU posted its seventh game holding the opponent under 100-yards rushing in 2024, which broke a tie with the 1990 squad (6) for the most such games in a single season since at least 1950.

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES Notes

FIRST AND TEN

ƒ Ohio State, 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the Big Ten Conference, hosts No. 5 and unbeaten Indiana (10-0 and 7-0) in a Top 5 showdown at Ohio Stadium. Kickoff on FOX is set for 12 noon. ƒ This is the fourth time in the 98-game series that both teams are ranked in the national Top 25, the first since the 2020 season when Ohio State was No. 3 and Indiana was No. 9, and the first Top 5 matchup. ƒ The seven-point Ohio State win in 2020 (42-35 at Ohio Stadium) was the closest game in this series in 11 years, or since Ohio State hung on for a 52- 49 win over the Hoosiers in Bloomington in 2012. ƒ Both teams’ defenses are stout … staunch … steadfast … strong! The two units are Nos. 1-2 in the Big Ten in rushing and total defense, Nos. 1-3 in scoring and Nos. 1-5 against the pass. Nationally, they are Nos. 2-3 in total defense with Ohio State allowing 250.8 yards per game and Indiana allowing 255.5 yards per game. ƒ Ohio State and Indiana opened the 2023 season in Bloomington with Ohio State winning, 23-3. ƒ This is the 16th consecutive season the teams are meeting, but the regular season streak will pause after this game as the two teams aren’t scheduled to play again until 2026.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Regardless what the all-time series record between Ohio State and Indiana states over 97 prior

games since Game 1 in 1901, this Ohio State team and this Indiana team have an all-time series record of 0-0

20-4 Ohio State has won 83.3 pct. of its FOX Big Noon Saturday games (20-4) since 2019, the year FOX started broadcasting its featured game at that time. Ohio State is 14-2 on Big Noon Saturdays at home.

31^st Ohio State is seeking the 31st 10-or-more-win season in school history, fourth-most in major college football history. Head coach Ryan Day is seeking his fifth such season in this, his sixth season as coach.

75th The game against Indiana will be Ryan Day’s 75th as Ohio State head coach (including the three interim games in 2018) and it will be the 65th game that his Buckeyes have been ranked Top 5 or higher.

OHIO STATE DEFENSIVELY …

The starting linebackers – Sonny Styles and Cody Simon – lead the team in tackles with 63 and 55, respectively. Styles recorded seven tackles, two quarterback sacks for losses totaling 16 yards and two pass break-ups in the win over Northwestern. Both Styles and Simon have 5.5 TFLs to rank third on the team. Thorpe, Bednarik and Lott IMPACT award semifinalist Caleb Downs continues to establish himself as one of the best defensive players in America in addition to best defensive backs in America. Downs’ 46 tackles rank third on the team and his 28 solo stops lead the team. He is 2nd with 6.5 tackles-for-loss and fourth with three pass break ups. SAF Lathan Ransom – 44 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, one INT, PBU, QB hurry and FR plus two FFs – and DE Jack Sawyer – 38 tackles to lead all down linemen – and three QB sacks, five QB hurries, 2 FFs and 2 FRs – know how to fill a stats line as well. ƒ DE JT Tuimoloau leads the team in TFLs (10.5-48) and QB sacks (5.0).

AND ON OFFENSE …

QB Will Howard, 248.2 passing yards per game with 24 TD throws and six rushing TDs for 30 total TDs, powers and leads the Ohio State offense. He throws to a trio of talented receivers in Emeka Egbuka (49-612-8 TDs), Jeremiah Smith (49-865-9 TDs) and Carnell Tate (31- 457-4 TDs). RBs Quinshon Judkins (723 yards and eight TDs) and TreVeyon Henderson (662 yards and five TDs) combine for right at 140 yards per game. The offensive line, led by C Seth McLaughlin and OT Donovan Jackson, has had four different starting lineups but is settling in nicely after back-to-back games with LT injuries.

ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI at RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS

12 p.m. | Peacock

SERIES HISTORY

All-Time: Illinois leads, 5-3 In Piscataway: Illinois leads, 3-1 Last Meeting: Oct. 30, 2021 Rutgers 20, Illinois 14 (Champaign)

ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI Notes

#24 Illinois Returns to the Top 25, Travels to Rutgers

• Illinois makes the trip to Rutgers on Saturday for an 11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET kickoff on Peacock. • Illinois is back in the AP Top 25 for the eighth time this season. • Illinois’ eight AP Poll appearances this season are the program’s most since 2001, when the Illini appeared in 10 polls.

Illinois Coming Off Home Win Against Michigan State

• The defense had five sacks, RB Josh McCray scored three touchdowns, and WR Pat Bryant had 135 receiving yards to lead Illinois to a dominant 38-16 win over Michigan State last week at Memorial Stadium. • Illinois finished 6-1 at home this season. The Illini won six games at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 2001, when Illinois finished 6-0 at home on its way to the Big Ten title and 2002 Sugar Bowl. • Illinois moved to 6-1 coming off of bye weeks since Bret Bielema’s arrival in 2021, including 5-0 over the last three seasons. • Illinois moved to 14-5 in games with more than six days prep since Bielema’s arrival in 2021, including 12-3 over the last three seasons and a 4-1 record this season. • Illinois finished its home schedule averaging 54,750 fans over seven home games, the highest average in a single season since 2009 (59,544).

Bowl-Eligible Illini

• Illinois is bowl eligible for the second time in the last three seasons. The Illini last went to a bowl following the 2022 season, when the Illini played in the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium. • Illinois will play in two bowls over a three-year stretch for the first time since back-to-back bowl seasons in 2010 and 2011. • Bret Bielema is the first Illini coach to go to two bowl games in his first four seasons since Lou Tepper from 1991-94. • Illinois has 20 wins over the last three seasons, the program’s most in a three-year span since 2000-02 (also 20 wins).

Tough, Smart, Dependable

• Illinois is fifth in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+0.40 per game) and sixth in turnovers forced (14). • Illinois ranks 8th-best in the nation in fewest penalty yards per game (36.4). Rutgers ranks 7th-best in the nation (34.6). • Illinois’ three interceptions thrown as a team are the fewest in the Big Ten and tied for the fewest in Power 4 with Vanderbilt. Only Army (1), South Alabama (2), and James Madison (2) have thrown fewer interceptions than Illinois this season.

The Illinois Offense

• QB Luke Altmyer’s 18/3 TD/interception ratio is the best in the Big Ten and second-best in Power 4 behind only Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (26/4) (min. 10 TDs). • Altmyer is 39th in the nation in passing efficiency. His 144.6 passing efficiency would be second-best in a single season in Illinois football history. • Altmyer is fourth in the Big Ten in passing touchdowns (18) and 30th in the nation. • Altmyer in Illinois wins: 123-for-189 passing (65.1%), 16 touchdown passes, 0 interceptions, 49 rushes, 186 rushing yards (3.8 yards/rush), two rushing touchdowns • Altmyer joined an impressive list of Illini QBs who have led the team to three Top 25 wins in a single season over the last 50 years: Jack Trudeau (1983), Jason Verduzco (1990), Kurt Kittner (2001), Juice Williams (2007), and Altmyer (2024). • WR Pat Bryant is third in the Big Ten in receiving touchdowns (8) and tied for 15th in the nation. • Bryant set the Memorial Stadium records for single-season receiving TDs (6) and career receiving TDs (13). • Bryant has two game-winning touchdown catches in overtime, both coming from Altmyer (at Nebraska, vs. Purdue). • Bryant has the No. 2 run-blocking grade in the nation among wide receivers (82.4) according to PFF, behind only Virginia Tech’s Da’Quan Felton (88.3). (minimum 100 run blocking snaps)

The Illinois Defense

• In Aaron Henry’s second season as defensive coordinator, Illinois ranks 32nd in the nation in scoring defense (20.6), an improvement of 61 spots in the national rankings year-over-year (93rd, 29.4). • Illinois’ 10 forced fumbles are tied with Oregon for the most in the Big Ten and tied for 22nd in the nation. • Illini OLB Gabe Jacas ranks in the top 15 nationally in forced fumbles (t-8th, 3) and sacks (t-13th, 8.0). Jacas leads the Big Ten in forced fumbles and is second in sacks. • Jacas is tied with Penn State DE Abdul Carter for the most sacks in Big Ten games (7.0). • Xavier Scott is one of 15 semifinalists for the Paycom Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s best defensive back. Scott is the No. 22-graded cornerback in Power 4 and No. 7 in the Big Ten (78.1) according to PFF. He has the No. 2 tackling grade in the nation and No. 1 among Power 4 cornerbacks (90.0) according to PFF. (min. 400 snaps) • Illinois has three defensive backs with multiple interceptions: Xavier Scott (3), Miles Scott (2), and Torrie Cox Jr. (2) • Illinois is seventh in the Big Ten in interceptions (9).

The Illinois Special Teams

• Kicker David Olano is 15-for-18 on field goals, including 14-for-16 inside of 50 yards and 10-for-10 inside of 40 yards. • Kicker Ethan Moczulski’s 59-yard field goal vs. Central Michigan, the first attempt of his career, set an Illinois program record and is tied for the sixth-longest field goal in the nation and longest in the Big Ten this season. • Punter Hugh Robertson has landed 60.0% (18/30) of his punts inside the 20, which is on pace for an Illinois record. • Hank Beatty leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth in the nation with 13.8 yards per punt return. • Beatty’s 13.8 punt return average is the second-best in Illinois single-season history for players that have returned 16 or more punts, behind only Gary Windy’s 14.8 mark in 1970 (17 returns for 252 yards). • Beatty’s 220 punt return yards are only 30 yards away from cracking Illinois’ single-season top 10 list.

Three Ranked Wins

• Illinois is 3-2 against AP Top 25 teams this season. From the 2008 Rose Bowl game through the 2023 season, Illinois went 3-40 against AP Top 25 teams. • Illinois, #3 Texas, #6 Notre Dame, #7 Alabama, #8 Georgia, and #10 Tennessee are the only teams in the nation with three AP Top 25 wins this season. • Illinois is the only Big Ten team with three AP Top 25 wins this season. • Illinois has three AP Top 25 wins in a single season for the first time since 2007. Only two teams in Illinois history have more ranked wins than this year’s Illini squad: the 1946 and 1983 teams that went 4-0 against AP Top 25 teams. • Illinois had two AP Top 25 wins during September for the first time in program history. • Against Michigan, Illinois won a ranked vs. ranked game at Memorial Stadium for the first time since 1991 when #20 Illinois defeated #11 Ohio State, 10-7 (Oct. 12, 1991). • Illinois has won two ranked vs. ranked games in a single season for the first time since 2001 (Nebraska, Michigan). • The Sept. 15 AP Top 25 poll marked the earliest in a season that Illinois has been voted into the top 25 since 2008.

Illinois Among Nation’s Youngest Teams

• Illinois has 14 players on its 2024 roster in their final season of eligibility, tied for the lowest in Power-4 with Iowa State. • In all of FBS football, only Troy (12) has fewer players in their final season of eligibility than Illinois. • During the team’s last road trip (at Oregon), Illinois carried only 11 players in their final year of eligibility.

RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS Notes

NOTABLE

• Rutgers closes out the home schedule hosting Illinois Saturday at SHI Stadium for the annual Senior Day/Thank You Fans game. It will be the first meeting between the Scarlet Knights and Fighting Illini since 2021. • Rutgers is 9-4 at home since 2023. • Rutgers is bowl eligible for the eighth time under head coach Greg Schiano and is poised to earn the 13th bowl invitation in program history. The Scarlet Knights last earned bowl eligibility in consecutive seasons from 2011-14. • Rutgers seeks to win seven games in the regular season for the first time since 2014. • Rutgers has matched the program high with three Big Ten wins in a season, also done in 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2023. • Rutgers seeks to win three consecutive Big Ten games for the first time since joining the conference. • Rutgers is 16-2 since 2020 when not committing a turnover in a game. • Rutgers has won back-to-back November games for the first time since 2012 and won multiple games in the month for the first time since 2014. The Scarlet Knights last won three straight November games in 2011. • Rutgers ranks first nationally in fewest fumbles lost (1), fourth in blocked punts (2), eighth in fewest turnovers surrendered (7) and 19th in red zone defense (75 percent). • Rutgers has scored 63 non-offensive touchdowns under head coach Greg Schiano, including 12 since 2020. • Rutgers has blocked 73 kicks (43 punts, 17 field goals, 13 extra points) under Schiano. • Rutgers has eight players ruled out for the season: DL Wesley Bailey, RB Samuel Brown V, OL Bryan Felter, TE Kenny Fletcher, TE Victor Konopka, OL Tyler Needham, LB Mohamed Toure and LB Abram Wright. • Rutgers, “The Birthplace of College Football,” has played 1,419 games in program history on record dating back to 1869, the most in the sport.

LAST TIME OUT

• Rutgers picked up its sixth win of the season and secured bowl eligibility with a 31-17 road victory over Maryland at SECU Stadium. The 17 points against were the fewest permitted in 11 Big Ten meetings versus the Terrapins, allowing no points in the fourth quarter

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS at MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

3:30 p.m. | FS1

NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS Notes

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

Northwestern heads to Ann Arbor this weekend for its penultimate game of the regular season, as the Wildcats take on the Michigan Wolverines with the George Jewett Trophy up for grabs. George Jewett, who played for Michigan during the 1890 and 1892 seasons before transferring to Northwestern for the 1893 and 1894 seasons, was the first African American to play football at each institution. Established in 2021, the Jewett Trophy is the first rivalry game trophy named for an African American player in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history (more info on pg.7) The Wildcats are in search of their first win over Michigan, and first win in Ann Arbor, since 2008. Four of the last six meetings between these programs have been decided by one score. In their last time out taking on No. 2 Ohio State at Wrigley Field, Northwestern jumped out to an early lead over the Buckeyes but could not keep pace in a 31-7 setback. Jack Lausch tallied his second rushing touchdown of the season to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead midway through the second quarter to cap off a 13-play, 92-yard scoring drive. Lausch led the way for the NU offense on the afternoon, finishing 21-of-35 through the air for 201 yards. Bryce Kirtz returned to the Wildcats’ lineup after missing the last two games and hauled in seven receptions for 92 yards against OSU. It marked the fourth game this season for Kirtz with 90+ receiving yards, the most by an NU wideout since Austin Carr during his 2016 campaign when he finished as a Bilentikoff Trophy finalist. AJ Henning also recorded five catches for 42 yards against OSU. Henning, who played at Michigan from 2020-22 before transferring to Northwestern, is just one catch away from setting a single-season career high (46). Northwestern’s defense is allowing just 114.6 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks 28th in the nation and seventh in the Big Ten. Since 2000, it marks the second-fewest rushing yards allowed by the ‘Cats defense through the first 10 games of the season (2017; 109.8 ypg)

CAT SACKS

Through 10 games this season, Northwestern has recorded 20 sacks (8th in Big Ten), equaling its total over 10 games from last season. 11 different players have recorded at least 0.5 sacks, including seven defensive linemen. DL Aidan Hubbard leads the team with 4.0 sacks, with DLs Anto Saka and Michael Kilbane ranking second with 2.5 sacks each.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

Northwestern’s defense is surrendering 114.6 yards per game on the ground this season, which ranks seventh in the Big Ten and 28th nationally. Since at least 2000, Northwestern’s 1,146 total rushing yards allowed this season is the second-fewest over a season’s first 10 games.

SPECIAL TEAMS, SPECIAL PLAYS

NU’s kickoff return unit has been outstanding this year, averaging 25.0 yards per return, which ranks third in the Big Ten and 14th in the country. Joseph Himon II leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth nationally averaging 26.9 yards per return on his 14 kick returns this season (376 total yards). Against Washington (Sept. 21) he returned three kicks for 150 yards, including a 96-yard return. He was tackled two yards shy of Northwestern’s first kickoff return touchdown since Solomon Vault’s 95-yard kickoff return touchdown against Michigan State in 2016. Himon’s 96-yard return ranks tied for the sixth-longest in school history. Himon’s 150 kickoff return yards against the Huskies rank as the sixth-most by a Wildcat in a game since 2000.

MICHIGAN WOLVERIINES Notes

Game notes not available.

PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS at MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS

3:30 p.m. | CBS

PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS Notes

NO. 4 PENN STATE TRAVELS TO MINNESOTA FOR BIG TEN BATTLE

• OPENING KICK: No. 4 Penn State visits Minneapolis to meet Minnesota at Huntington Bank Stadium on Saturday, November 23. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on CBS.

• NITTANY LIONS ON CBS: Penn State will play its 30th game on CBS on Saturday. The Nittany Lions are 19-10 all-time on CBS, including their 33-30 overtime win at USC on October 12 and a 49-10 win at Purdue last Saturday.

• SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Minnesota for the 17th time in program history. The Nittany Lions own a 10-6 record in the series. Penn State has won four road games against the Golden Gophers. In 2022, Penn State earned a 45-17 win in Beaver Stadium. Sean Clifford threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns. Nicholas Singleton rushed for 79 yards and two scores. Curtis Jacobs led PSU with 14 tackles, including two tackles for loss. Ji’Ayir Brown had an interception, which he returned 35 yards.

• MOST VERSATILE PLAYER: Tyler Warren once again showed off his versatility in Penn State’s win at Purdue. Warren hauled in eight receptions for 127 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown, while adding three rushes for 63 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown rush. Warren ranks second among FBS tight ends in receiving yards (808), receiving yards per game (80.8) and yards per reception (12.1, min. 60 catches), while leading FBS tight ends in rushing touchdowns (4) and tying for first in total touchdowns (9). Among Warren’s 16 rush attempts this season, he has gained 13 first downs and scored four times.

• CARTER CONTINUES TO DOMINATE: Abdul Carter notched two tackles for loss and led PSU with five tackles against Purdue. It was his third-straight game with multiple tackles for loss (2 vs. Ohio State; 4 vs. Washington; 2 vs. Purdue). He ranks second in the FBS with 17.5 tackles for loss and seventh with eight sacks this season.

• THE OPPOSITION: Minnesota is 6-4 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten play. The Golden Gophers fell 26-19 at Rutgers on November 9. Max Brosmer threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, while Jameson Geers had eight receptions for 73 yards and Daniel Jackson made seven grabs for 70 yards. Cody Lindenberg led the Gophers with 14 tackles, including one tackle for loss.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GOPHERS

• The Gophers are 6-4 this season, including a 4-3 mark in Big Ten play. Minnesota fell 26-19 at Rutgers on November 9. • QB Max Brosmer threw for 262 yards and a touchdown, while TE Jameson Geers had eight catches for 73 yards and WR Daniel Jackson had seven receptions for 70 yards. • On offense, the Gophers rank eighth in the Big Ten in scoring offense (26.7), 14th in total offense (333.3), 10th in passing offense (228.6) and 17th in rushing offense (104.7). Minnesota is 18th in the country in third down conversion percentage (46.6). • Brosmer has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,251 yards, 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, while adding four rushing touchdowns. • RB Darius Taylor is averaging 74.7 rushing yards per game, while scoring nine times on the ground. • Jackson leads the receivers with 63 catches for 712 yards and has three touchdown grabs. • On defense, Minnesota ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring defense (17.7) and total defense (296.4), sixth in pass defense (176.6) and 11th in rushing defense (119.8). • Minnesota is fourth in the nation with 16 interceptions. • DB Koi Perich holds second in the country with five interceptions, while DB Ethan Robinson is 29th in the nation with three interceptions. • Perich ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th in the country averaging 12.9 yards per punt return. • K Dragan Kesich has made 15 field goals this season, including three from 50+ yards.

IN THE CFP RANKINGS

• Penn State opened the 2024 College Football Playoff rankings at No. 6 and ranked No. 4 in the November 12 poll. • Penn State is one of eight FBS teams who have appeared in each of the last 14 CFP rankings. • With appearances in the last 14 CFP rankings, Penn State is tied for the fifth-longest active streak among FBS teams. • The Nittany Lions have appeared in the CFP rankings 38 times since the College Football Playoff was introduced in 2014. • Penn State has ranked among the CFP Top 10 on 22 occasions. • Penn State has finished in the CFP Top 12 six times, ranking sixth-most among FBS teams and second among Big Ten teams.

MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS Notes

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1 – Playing its final home game of the regular season, Minnesota (6-4, 4-3) welcomes in No. 4/4 Penn State (9-1, 6-1) to Huntington Bank Stadium Saturday. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on CBS and the Gopher Radio Network. The game will mark Minnesota’s sixth all-time appearance on CBS and just the second home game (1982 vs. Illinois). It’s the first time the team is appearing on the network since winning the 2003 Sun Bowl, while the last regular season game on CBS came on Nov. 15, 1986 with an upset at No. 2 Michigan.

2 – Saturday marks the 17th battle for the Governor’s Victory Bell, a full history of which can be found on Page 52. First played for in 1993 in recognition of Penn State’s first Big Ten game, the all-time series record for the Bell is tilted in the Nittany Lions’ favor at 10-6. The Bell is currently in Penn State’s possession following a 45-17 victory in 2022. The Gophers are looking to avoid consecutive losses in the series for the first time since dropping four straight from 2005-10.

3 – Minnesota is facing an AP Top-25 team for the fourth time this season as it takes on the fourth-ranked Nittany Lions. The Gophers fell at then-No. 12 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Sept. 28 but bounced back to upset then-No. 11 USC the following week and won at then-No. 24 Illinois on Nov. 2. This is the seventh time in program history that the Gophers have posted two wins over AP top-25 teams in the regular season. They’ve never had three top-25 wins in one year. A win would also be the seventh top-25 win for the Gophers under P.J. Fleck, which would break a tie with Bernie Bierman and Murray Warmath for the most in program history (see chart bottom right). The last top-4 win for Minnesota came at Penn State in 1999 as the Gophers won 24-23 when the Nittany Lions were ranked second, while the last such win at home for Minnesota was in 1977 over a No. 1 Michigan team.

4 – Max Brosmer has been excellent in 2024, completing 218- of-325 passes for 2,251 yards and 14 touchdowns with four interceptions for a rating of 137.0. He’s also scored four rushing touchdowns. Pro Football Focus ranks Brosmer 11th among FBS QBs with a passer grade of 86.5 this year, while his overall offensive grade of 86.8 ranks tied for 19th at the position. He’s fifth in the Big Ten in both passing grade and overall grade. Brosmer’s completion percentage of 67.1 percent is on pace to be the best in both Minnesota single-season history (min. 100 attempts) and career (300 att.). In addition, Brosmer’s TD:INT ratio of 3.50 is second in Minnesota history. He has gone five straight games (and 199 passes) without an interception, the longest streak at Minnesota since Mitch Leidner went five games without a pick over the final three games of 2014 and first two of 2015.

5 – The 2024 campaign is the eighth for P.J. Fleck at Minnesota, where his record stands at 56-38. He is fourth in program history in Big Ten wins (33) and is fifth in overall wins and games coached (94). Fleck’s .596 win percentage is third best among Minnesota coaches with at least 45 games under their helm behind only Henry L. Williams (.786, 1900-21) and Bernie Bierman (.716, 1932-41, ‘45-50). In his 12th season overall as a college head coach, Fleck is 86-60 (.589)

FACING PENN STATE

• Minnesota and Penn State meet for the 17th time on Saturday with the Golden Gophers trailing in the all-time series 10-6. • The teams have alternated wins over the last four meetings with the home team holding serve in each game. Minnesota won at home in 2013 and 2019 and Penn State prevailed at Beaver Stadium in 2016 and 2022. • In Minneapolis, the all-time series is tied at 4-4. The Gophers have won their last two home contests in the series, while the Nittany Lions are seeking their first win at Huntington Bank Stadium since 2010. That’s also the last time the road team won in the series. • Due to scheduling quirks, it’ll be the first time in five seasons that the teams will be playing in Minneapolis. Excluding the four recent Big Ten expansion teams, the only conference school that has not played more recently at Huntington Bank Stadium is Indiana, which last played there in 2018. Minnesota has two Pennsylvania natives on its roster in redshirt sophomore DL Anthony Smith (Shippensburg, Shippensburg HS) and true freshman RB Fame Ijeboi (Folcroft, William Penn Charter). • Penn State has no Minnesotans on its roster. • Gophers redshirt sophomore wide receiver Cristian Driver spent his first two seasons at Penn State, playing in 10 games (mostly on special teams) and catching two passes for 16 yards. • Minnesota special teams coordinator Bob Ligashesky’s hometown is McKees Rocks, Pa., and he graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. • Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki is from Litchfield, Minn., about 1.5 hours west of Huntington Bank Stadium. • Minnesota co-defensive coordinator/cornerbacks coach Nick Monroe overlapped on Syracuse’s staff for four seasons with Penn State special teams coordinator/outside linebackes/nickels coach Justin Lustig. Monroe mostly coached safeties for the Orange during that time, while Lustig was the special teams coordinator and also oversaw running backs and outside receivers. • The Nittany Lions enter the game with a 9-1 record overall and 6-1 mark in league play that ties them with Ohio State for third in the league. Their only loss on the year was a 20-13 setback against the Buckeyes on Nov. 2. • Minnesota and Penn State have three common opponents so far this year in Illinois, UCLA and USC, and both the Gophers and Nittany Lions have gone 3-0 against those teams. Penn State outscored the trio, 81-48, while Minnesota’s scoring edge was 70-51. • Quarterback Drew Allar is 166-of-231 for 2,253 yards and 16 touchdowns and five interceptions for an efficiency rating of 172.3 this season. He is fifth in the country and third in the Big Ten in both completion percentage (71.9) and passer rating. Allar is also second in the conference in yards per completion (13.57) and yards per attempt (9.75). • Penn State’s passing attack is led by Tyler Warren, who leads the team in receptions (67), receiving yards (808), TD receptions (5) and receiving yards per game (80.8). Warren is third in the Big Ten in receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receptions per game (6.7). • Penn State has one of the top running back duos in the league in Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Allen leads the team in rushes (139), rushing yards (654), rushing touchdowns (5) and rushing yards per game (65.4), while Singleton is right behind him with 95 carries for 583 yards, four touchdowns and 64.8 yards per game. Singleton’s 6.14 yards per rush rank second in the Big Ten, and his 115.56 all-purpose yards per game rank fourth. • Abdul Carter is one of the most disruptive players in the country with 17.5 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks. His TFL total leads the Big Ten and is second in the nation, while his sack total is third in the B1G. • Defensively, Jaylen Reed has the team lead with 60 tackles and three interceptions. Elliot Washington II has five pass breakups to lead the Nittany Lions. • Ryan Barker is 8-of-9 on field goals with a long of 44 yards, ranking third in the conference in field goal percentage (.889). Riley Thompson is punting at a 42.7 yard clip. u Zion Tracy is averaging 5.3 yards per punt return, while Singleton has returned 11 kicks for 219 yards, an average of 19.9 yards per return that ranks fourth in the league.

LAST TIME VS. THE NITTANY LIONS

• With assistance from the AP: Sean Clifford threw four touchdown passes, Penn State’s defense forced seven punts and the No. 16 Nittany Lions beat Minnesota 45-17 when the teams last met at Beaver Stadium in 2022. • Clifford threw darts over the middle to tight ends Tyler Warren and Theo Johnson on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter to put Penn State up for good. A 17-10 halftime lead for the Nittany Lions expanded when he lofted a deep ball to Parker Washington for a 35-yard score on Penn State’s first possession of the second half. • Nick Singleton added two touchdown runs and Mitchell Tinsley caught another Clifford TD pass. • Starting quarterback Tanner Morgan was ruled out with a head injury and was replaced in the starting lineup by redshirt freshman Athan Kaliakmanis, who completed 9 of 22 passes for 175 yards. • Kaliakmanis threw a short touchdown pass to Brevyn Spann-Ford in the fourth quarter, but an interception by Ji’Ayir Brown in the third spoiled a good looking drive. • Clifford threw a deep ball into double coverage where it was picked off by Justin Walley and returned deep into Penn State’s territory. The Gophers had to settle for a 35-yard field goal from Matthew Trickett for their only lead. • Penn State responded with a 41-yard Jake Pinegar field goal, then its defense started pushing Minnesota back. The Gophers lost yardage on each of their next two possessions. The Nittany Lions turned both of theirs into touchdowns thanks to Clifford. • Minnesota closed the deficit to 17-10 by halftime as Kaliakmanis scrambled to keep a nine-play, 90-yard drive going. It ended with Mohamed Ibrahim lunging in from 3 yards out.

PREVIOUSLY IN MINNEAPOLIS

• With assistance from the AP: Jordan Howden picked off Sean Clifford in the end zone with 1:01 left, the third interception thrown by Penn State’s quarterback, and the 13th-ranked Gophers held on for a 31-26 victory over the fifth-ranked Nittany Lions for their first win over a top-five team in 20 years in 2019. • Tanner Morgan passed for 339 yards and three touchdowns to direct a dismantling of Penn State’s defense. • Rashod Bateman got the Gophers going with a 66-yard score on their first possession and finished with seven catches for 203 yards, the second-most in program history. Tyler Johnson had seven receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown, too, as Minnesota made enough early gains to hold up during the late rally by Penn State. • Journey Brown’s second rushing touchdown of the game with 3:49 to go cut the lead to five points, and the Gophers promptly went three and out. K.J. Hamler muffed the punt when a teammate backed into him, and though the Nittany Lions recovered, they were pushed back to their 28-yard line. • Clifford, who went 23 for 43 for 340 yards and one score, connected with Jahan Dotson for 49 yards to get Penn State to the 11. Two plays later, however, came the drive killer for Penn State. Daniel George was called for offensive pass interference during an over-the-middle catch by Brown that reached the 2. Clifford, who was off target for most of the day, overthrew George on the next play before the game-sealing pick by Howden. • Antoine Winfield Jr. had the first two picks in the first half, setting the all-time Minnesota record with seven on the season. Both were inside the 10-yard line. • The Gophers had 321 yards and a 24-13 lead at halftime, but a fumble near midfield at the end of a run on the first play after a punt sapped some momentum. • Penn State went the other way for a touchdown pass from Clifford to backup tight end Nick Bowers, but Bateman broke open again for a 36-yard gain on the next drive to set up a scoring plunge by Seth Green. • Chris Williamson batted down Clifford’s fourth-down throw into the end zone on the next drive by Penn State, giving the Gophers another chance to drain the clock.

WISCONSIN BADGERS at NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS

3:30 p.m. | Big Ten Network

SERIES HISTORY: NEBRASKA VS. WISCONSIN

• Nebraska and Wisconsin are meeting for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. Aside from a COVID cancellation in 2020, the teams have met each season since 2014, and Wisconsin carries a 10-game win streak in the series into Saturday’s contest. Overall, Wisconsin holds a 13-4 edge in the series, including winning 11 of 12 since Nebraska joined the Big Ten. • Nebraska and Wisconsin play for the Freedom Trophy each season, a trophy that debuted for the 2014 game. • Following this week’s meeting, Nebraska and Wisconsin are not scheduled to meet in the 2025 or 2026 seasons. • Nebraska’s last victory was in the 2012 regular season when Nebraska rallied from a 17-point deficit for a 30-27 victory in Lincoln. The teams had a rematch in the 2012 Big Ten Championship Game with Wisconsin coming out on top. • This will mark the third straight meeting in the series pitting unranked teams, after one of two teams was ranked in 13 of the previous 14 meetings. • Nebraska’s victories in 1965 and 1966 featured linebacker Barry Alvarez who went on to be Wisconsin’s head coach and athletic director.

WISCONSIN BADGERS Notes

BADGERS BATTLE NEBRASKA FOR FREEDOM TROPHY

• The Wisconsin Badgers hit the road to take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m., broadcast live on BTN. • With a win, Wisconsin could become bowl eligible. Wisconsin would extend it’s active bowl streak to 22 seasons, the 3rd-longest streak in the nation. Wisconsin has earned bowl eligibility with wins over Nebraska in each of the last 2 seasons. • Wisconsin has won 10 straight meetings with Nebraska, including all 9 since the Freedom Trophy was introduced in 2014. UW is 11-1 against Nebraska since the Cornhuskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. The Badgers have won 4 straight meetings in Lincoln.

KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER

• Nation’s most consistent program… Wisconsin has totaled 22 straight winning seasons since 2002. That streak is the longest among Power 4 teams. • This is how we bowl… Looking to extend it’s 22-year bowl streak, Wisconsin could earn its 6th win Saturday versus Nebraska. The Badgers and Cornhuskers battled for bowl-eligibility last season, and the Badgers prevailed in OT at Camp Randall, 24-17. • Back in Lincoln… The Badgers are looking for their 5th-straight win in Lincoln over the Cornhuskers. The Badgers last lost at Memorial Stadium in 2012 – Nebraska’s last win in the series. • Wisconsin’s 4-game win streak in Lincoln is its 2nd longest active win streak on the road against a Big Ten opponent (at Purdue, 9). • Getting back on track… Wisconsin has dropped 3 straight games after a 3-game winning streak to begin the month of October. Last Saturday night, Wisconsin fell in a heartbreaker to No. 1 Oregon, 13-16. • The Badgers held the Ducks to 16 points, their lowest output of the season. Oregon’s 354 total yards were their 2nd fewest in a game this season. • Defensively… Nebraska has thrown for only 2 TDs over the last 5 games. UW will look to keep the Cornhusker passing attack under wraps. The Badgers have allowed 3 passing TDs since the end of September, tied for the fewest in the Big Ten (Ohio State). • The Badgers have allowed 164.8 passing yards/ game (3rd Big Ten/8th FBS). The last time the UW defense allowed

NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS Notes

Nebraska completes its 2024 home schedule on Saturday afternoon when the Huskers play host to the Wisconsin Badgers at Memorial Stadium. The game will kick off shortly after 2:30 p.m. CT in Lincoln with BTN providing the television coverage. The contest can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App. In addition to completing its home schedule, Nebraska will also pay tribute to more than 20 players in pre-game Senior Day festivities. The 2024 senior class is highlighted by eight players who are in either their fifth or sixth season at Nebraska, including five players completing their sixth season in the Nebraska program. The Huskers stand at 5-5 on the season and 2-5 in Big Ten play after a third consecutive one-score loss last Saturday at USC. The Huskers battled the Trojans for four quarters at the Coliseum, with a late USC touchdown giving the Trojans a 28-20 lead. Nebraska drove deep into USC territory in the game’s final seconds before an interception in the end zone on the game’s final play ended the Huskers’ chances. Wisconsin comes to Lincoln with a 5-5 record and 3-4 mark in Big Ten Conference action. The Badgers dropped a hard-fought contest to top-ranked Oregon on Saturday night in Madison, falling 16-13. Wisconsin led the game 10-6 at the half and had an opportunity to win until the game’s final two minutes. Coach Luke Fickell’s squad has faced one of the nation’s most demanding schedules with three of their losses coming against teams currently ranked in the nation’s top 10. The Badgers feature a tough defense, allowing 326.5 yards per game. Wisconsin is also among the nation’s least penalized teams, ranking in the top 10 nationally in fewest penalty yards per game. Nebraska’s early-season success was largely a result of fast starts. Nebraska out-scored its first six opponents in the second quarter by a total of 65-3. For the season, Nebraska has an 92-48 edge in the second quarter. In 2023, Nebraska was out-scored 81-66 in the second quarter. • Nebraska has pitched three first-half shutouts (Colorado, Purdue, Rutgers), and has allowed just 33 first-half points in six home games. Dating back to 2023, Nebraska has allowed just five firstquarter touchdowns in its past 16 games. • Nebraska was ranked in both national polls for two consecutive weeks (Sept. 8, Sept. 15). Nebraska rose as high as 22nd in both polls. The No. 22 AP ranking was Nebraska’s highest since being ranked 17th entering the 2016 regular-season finale at Iowa. • The Sept. 20 game with Illinois was the first matchup of two AP ranked teams at Memorial Stadium since 2013 (vs. UCLA) and the first Big Ten games between two ranked teams since 2011 when 13th-ranked Nebraska defeated No. 9 Michigan State.

USC TROJANS at UCLA BRUINS

10:30 p.m. | NBC

THE SERIES

• USC leads the series with crosstown rival UCLA, 50-34-7 (dating back to 1929, a 76-0 Trojan win), not including Troy’s 2004 and 2005 victories that were vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record: 52-34- 7). • UCLA only has been victorious 7 times in the last 25 meetings dating back to 1999.

USC TROJANS Notes

CROSSTOWN SHOWDOWN

• The nation will be watching, but this is a local feud. USC and UCLA meet this Saturday at the Rose Bowl for the 94th version of the nation’s most famous crosstown rivalry. It will be shown live nationally on NBC. • UCLA has won just 7 of the last 25 meetings in the series with USC, but the Trojans fell to the Bruins last season 20-38 in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. • City dominance will be determined in this game as well as the Victory Bell and Crosstown Cup points. • Sticking to tradition, both teams will wear their home jerseys. • Neither USC or UCLA are ranked in the AP Poll or in the USA Today Coaches Poll. • The Rose Bowl stadium is USC’s home away from home, as Troy has played more than 50 games there. • USC has won 11 national championships, UCLA 1. • USC has appeared in an unprecedented 33 Rose Bowls where it has a 25-8 mark (.758) (not including 1 appearance and 1 loss later vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 34 Rose Bowls, 25-9, .735). That is not only the most Rose Bowl wins of any team, but also the most wins by a school in a single bowl. UCLA has been in the Rose Bowl 11 times and is 5-6. • Both schools have produced Heisman Trophy winners (USC has 8 [the most of any college football program], UCLA 1). • The Trojans claim 176 All-American first teamers, while the Bruins have 98. • USC has 880 all-time wins with a .694 winning percentage, while UCLA boasts 597 all-time wins with a .593 winning percentage. (Not including USC’s 14 wins and 1 loss vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 894, .697.)

MAKING HIS MARK

• Redshirt senior RB Woody Marks continues to prove why he is one of the best and most versatile backs in the nation. • In USC’s 28-20 win over Nebraska, Marks tallied 19 carries for a career-high 146 yards against Nebraska’s No. 12 ranked rushing defense to mark his sixth 100-yard rushing game of the season and the eighth of his career. • His six 100-yard rushing games are the most for any USC running back in the Lincoln Riley Era. • Marks also eclipsed 1,000 yards for the first time in his career recording 1,065 yards in 2024. • He currently ranks No. 29 in USC’s all-time single-season rushing leaders. • Marks is USC’s first 1,000-yard rusher since Ronald Jones II rushed for 1,550 yards in 2017. • Since Reggie Bush and LenDale White were 1,000-yard rushers in 2005, just five USC RBs have been 1,000-yard season rushers: Joe McKnight (2009), Curtis McNeal (2011), Javorius Allen (2014), Ronald Jones II (2016 & 2017) and now Woody Marks. • Marks, the ultimate playmaker, had 6 catches for 36 yards to extend his streak of consecutive games with at least one catch to 55, which is the longest active streak in the nation. • He is the first Trojan RB with 40+ catches in a single season since Javorius Allen recorded 41 in 2014. Marks has collected 43 receptions with at least 2 games remaining. • Marks’ 146 rushing yards were the most recorded by an individual player in the Big Ten in week 12. • Per PFF, he also had the most explosive runs (10+ yards) in the Big Ten among all players in week 12 with 5 and the most yards before contact with 98 (the player in the No. 2 position had 54). • He leads the Power 4 among all positions with 30 explosive runs over the last 9 weeks. • Marks is averaging 132 all-purpose yards per game, which ranks 14th in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten. • His 1,024 rushing yards are 18th in the nation and No. 4 in the Big Ten, and his rushing yards per game (102.4) rank 18th in the nation and No. 3 in the Big Ten.

USC VERSUS UNRANKED UCLA

• USC is 29-15-5 against unranked UCLA teams (not including 1 win vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record 30-15-5). • When neither team was ranked by AP (like this season), USC is 13-9-4 against UCLA, with the wins in 1937-40-43 twice-48-49-56-63-64-99-2000-10-19, the losses in 1950-57-61-70-83-96- 2018-21-23 and the ties in 1936-41-44-58. SERIES • USC leads the series with crosstown rival UCLA, 50-34-7 (dating back to 1929, a 76-0 Trojan win), not including Troy’s 2004 and 2005 victories that were vacated due to NCAA penalty (original record: 52-34- 7). • UCLA only has been victorious 7 times in the last 25 meetings dating back to 1999.

IN ROSE BOWL STADIUM

• USC is 36-20 in regular and post-season games it has played in the Rose Bowl, including 25-8 in the Rose Bowl Game, 9-11 versus UCLA and 2-1 in the 1922 regular season (not including 1 win over UCLA and 1 Rose Bowl loss vacated due to NCAA penalty; original records 37-21 overall, 25-9 in Rose Bowl Game and 10-11 versus UCLA). • Incidentally, USC played the first-ever official football game in the Rose Bowl stadium, a 12-0 loss to California on Oct. 28, 1922.

HOME JERSEYS

• For the first time since 1982, both USC and UCLA wore their home jerseys in the 2008 game (a UCLA home game in the Rose Bowl) and the teams have continued to do so since (except for 2011 when the visiting Bruins chose to wear white jerseys). • Per an NCAA football-playing rule (no longer in effect beginning in 2009), because the 2008 Trojans were not in their white road jerseys, they were charged with a timeout at the opening kickoff. UCLA responded by calling a timeout immediately after to even things up. • The tradition of USC in its cardinal jerseys and UCLA in its blue jerseys, regardless of whose home game it was, went from 1949 to 1951 and then 1957 through 1982 before an NCAA football rule change required the visiting team to wear white.

VICTORY BELL

• The winner of the annual USC-UCLA football game gets year-long possession of the Victory Bell, a 295-pound bell off a freight locomotive. • Originally given to UCLA in 1939 as a gift from the UCLA Alumni Association, several USC students took the bell in 1941 and hid it in a variety of locations for more than a year. • A controversy ensued and school administrators had to intercede. • In 1942, the bell resurfaced and, by agreement, became the trophy given to the game’s winner. • However, tradition calls for the Victory Bell to spend most of the year in storage…or, rather appropriately, in hiding. • Since the bell became a trophy, its carriage has been painted cardinal 45 times while in USC’s possession and blue 34 times while in UCLA’s custody (there were 4 ties) (not including 2 USC wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 47).

CROSSTOWN CUP

• The winner of the USC-UCLA football game scores 10 points toward the Crosstown Cup, a trophy awarded annually to the school with the most successful athletic year against the other. • The competition was formerly known as the Crosstown Gauntlet. Points are awarded to the winner of each Trojan-Bruin head-to-head contest and the Crosstown Cup will be awarded to the school with the most points at year’s end (100 points is the magic number). • USC has won the Crosstown Cup 13 times in the competition’s 21 years, including a span of 5 consecutive years: 2001-02, 2003-04, 2005-06, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015- 16, 2018-19, 2020-21 and 2022-23. (The 2019-20 competition was suspended in the spring when collegiate athletic events were cancelled due to COVID-19.)

BIG TEN COMPETITION

• USC has won 38 of its last 54 games (.702) against Big Ten foes.

IN NOVEMBER

• USC has a 271-141-20 (.651) all-time record while playing in the month of November (not including 3 wins vacated due to NCAA penalty; original record: 274-141-20, .653).

UCLA BRUINS Notes

THE MATCHUP

The UCLA football team (4-6, 3-5 Big Ten) hosts crosstown rival USC (5-5, 3-5 Big Ten) in the Battle for LA at Rose Bowl Stadium, starting this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PT. The first-ever Big Ten Conference meeting between the two long-time rivals will be televised on NBC. The UCLA Sports Network will broadcast the contest, which will also be aired over SiriusXM. The Bruins and Trojans have split the past 12 meetings. Saturday will mark the 94th edition of the rivalry (USC’s wins in the 2004 and 2005 seasons were vacated due to NCAA penalty and are not counted in the series record of 34-50-7). Last year, UCLA prevailed over USC at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum by a score of 38-20, marking the first time winning backto-back road meetings since taking four straight from 1991-97. The teams have met at least once each year since 1936. The first game in the series was played in 1929. UCLA leads in games played at the Rose Bowl by an 11-9 count. The last time a home team won in the rivalry was in 2018 when the Bruins defeated the Trojans at the Rose Bowl, 34-27, behind a memorable 289-yard, two-TD rushing performance by UCLA ball carrier Joshua Kelley. UCLA is coming off a 31-19 setback at Washington last Friday. Quarterback Ethan Garbers completed 27 of his season-high 44 passing attempts for 267 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. Linebacker Carson Schwesinger eclipsed the 100-tackle mark this season with a career-high 17 stops to bring his total to 109. It is a year of change for UCLA football, as head coach DeShaun Foster took the reins at his alma mater Feb. 12, 2024. A member of the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame for his prowess in the Bruin offensive backfield from 1998-2001, Foster spent seven seasons in the National Football League. He piled up more that 4,500 total yards and 16 touchdowns, including a 33-yard scoring dash in Super Bowl XXXVIII as a member of the Carolina Panthers. Foster spent the previous 11 seasons — including 10 at UCLA — in the collegiate coaching ranks before being promoted from associate head coach and running backs coach.

UCLA OFFICIALLY JOINS BIG TEN CONFERENCE

UCLA officially joined the Big Ten Conference Aug. 2, ushering in a new era in the Bruins’ storied and illustrious athletic tradition. UCLA, along with previous conference foes Oregon, USC and Washington, have moved to an 18-team Big Ten Conference with a footprint spanning from the Pacific to the Atlantic. UCLA’s Big Ten membership was initially announced on June 30, 2022. “The day has finally come,” said Martin Jarmond, The Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics. “After two years of planning and preparation, UCLA is proud and excited to join the Big Ten Conference. I am grateful for the energy and effort that has been put into shaping this pivotal move by our hard-working staff members, as well as our coaches and student-athletes. The investments we have made into our programs and student-athletes over the past 24 months have set us up to continue to compete at the elite level that defines UCLA Athletics.”

QUICK HITS

• LB Carson Schwesinger, a semifinalist for the Butkus Award and the Burlsworth Trophy, is the Big Ten Conference leader in total tackles (109), total tackles per game (10.9), solo tackles (69), solo tackles per game (6.9) and double-digit tackle performances (seven). Nationally, he ranks first in solo tackles and solo tackles per game and is fourth in total tackles. • Schwesinger led the Bruins with a career-high 17 tackles at Washington (Nov. 15), which were the most by a Bruin since Jayon Brown in 2016 (19 versus Colorado on Nov. 3, 2016). • Schwesinger eclipsed 100 tackles for the season at Washington (109), becoming the first Bruin to accomplish that feat since S Adarius Pickett in 2018 (123) and first UCLA linebacker since Kenny Young in 2017 (110). Schwesinger saw his streak of six straight double-digit tackle performances come to an end against Iowa (Nov. 8). That streak is good for the longest by a Bruin defender since Eric Kendricks in 2014, who went on to win the Butkus Award that season. Schwesinger has led UCLA in tackles in eight of 10 games in 2024. • Schwesinger was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after notching the first two interceptions of his career in UCLA’s 20-17 win over Iowa. • UCLA’s rushing defense ranks seventh in the nation with 100.6 yards allowed on the ground per game. Last year, the Bruins finished second in the nation in rushing defense, giving up 80.8 rushing yards per game to opponents. • RB T.J. Harden became the first Bruin this year to top the 100-yard rushing mark, toting the ball for 125 yards on 20 carries against Iowa. It was his fourth career game with 100-plus rushing yards. • QB Ethan Garbers threw for two touchdowns and no interceptions on 27-of-44 passing at Washington last week. He’s now thrown a touchdown pass in five straight games and multiple touchdown passes in four consecutive contests, both the longest streaks of his career. His 10 TDs since Oct. 19 are his most in a four-game span in his college career. The last Bruin QB with four straight multi-TD-pass games was Dorian Thompson-Robinson in 2022 (12 TDs in four games from Sept. 17-Oct. 8). • WR Kwazi Gilmer was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after having the most impactful game of his freshman campaign thus far at Nebraska (Nov. 2). The Sierra Canyon School product posted a season-high 88 receiving yards while reeling in his first career TD reception on a 48-yard grab. • Garbers added a career-long 57-yard rush at Nebraska. Garbers has the Bruins’ two-longest runs by any player this season (57 yards, 49 yards). It was also the longest run by a UCLA QB since Dorian Thompson-Robinson had a 68-yard gain at home against Bowling Green on Sept. 3, 2022. • Garbers was awarded UCLA’s first-ever Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award after leading the Bruins to their first conference win in a 35-32 decision at Rutgers (Oct. 19). Garbers recorded the best statistical game of his career, setting single-game career highs in passing yards (383), passing touchdowns (four) and completion percentage (32-38, 84%). He also completed the longest pass of his career (67 yards) and made the then-longest rush of his career (49 yards), both for touchdowns.

BYE: Oregon, Washington

All times Eastern

BIG TEN. BIG NEWS.

• Entering Week 13, three teams remain in contention for berths into the 2024 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game: Indiana, Ohio State and Penn State. Action begins on Friday as Purdue travels to Michigan State at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. Oregon and Washington will enjoy byes this week, with the complete schedule appearing to the right. • • Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers and Washington have all secured bowl eligibility by reaching six wins this season, while Michigan, Nebraska, UCLA, USC and Wisconsin need just one more win to become eligible. The Big Ten will continue to feature the largest bowl lineup in conference history. • Five Big Ten teams appear in the AP Poll this week, highlighted by four of the top five. Oregon leads the conference at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Indiana and No. 24 Illinois. • The Big Ten had five teams included in the College Football Playoff’s third rankings of the season on Nov. 19: No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Penn State, No. 5 Indiana and No. 25 Illinois. The CFP will release its next top 25 rankings on Tuesday, Nov. 26. • There are just three undefeated teams remaining in the FBS, including two Big Ten teams: Indiana (10-0) and Oregon (11-0). The Ducks have a bye this weekend, while the Hoosiers travel to Ohio State. • On Monday, the Big Ten announced its Football Players of the Week, presented by IFS.ai. Penn State’s Tyler Warren earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after tallying eight receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown, while adding three rushes for 63 yards and a score in Penn State’s win against Purdue. • Oregon’s Matayo Uiagalelei and Washington’s Russell Davis II shared Defensive Player of the Week accolades. Uiagalelei helped No. 1 Oregon improve to 11-0 for the second time in program history with a 16-13 win at Wisconsin, finishing with five total tackles, a sack and a game-sealing interception late in the fourth quarter. Davis II led Washington to a 31-19 win over UCLA, as the Huskies finished their home season 6-0, extending their home win streak to 20 games, longest in modern school history. The junior finished with three quarterback sacks and three tackles. • Special Teams Player of the Week honors went to Oregon’s Atticus Sappington. Sappington helped the Ducks improve to 11-0 for the second time in program history, scoring all six of Oregon’s points in the first quarter. The kicker matched his career-high with three made field goals, converting all three attempts to account for nine of Oregon’s 16 points. • Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. was named Freshmen of the Week after leading three second-half, game-securing scoring drives to help Washington beat UCLA, 31-19, to become bowl eligible. The freshman quarterback helped the Huskies to a field goal and two touchdowns, including a two-yard touchdown pass to Decker DeGraaf with 5:44 left in the game to seal the victory over the Bruins. • Indiana and Ohio State currently rank among the top 15 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense. The Buckeyes lead the nation in scoring defense (10.3 points per game), while ranking 12th in scoring offense (37.8 points per game). The Hoosiers rank second nationally in scoring offense (43.9 points per game), while ranking seventh in scoring defense (13.8 points per game). • Five additional Big Ten teams rank in the top 25 in terms of scoring defense: Penn State (6th, 13.6 points per game), Oregon (9th, 15.7 points per game), Minnesota (12th, 17.7 points per game), Iowa (15th, 18.2 points per game) and Nebraska (25th, 20.0 points per game). • The University of Oregon has secured a berth in the 2024 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game. The 14th annual title game will be played on Saturday, December 7, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and will feature the top two teams in the standings for the first time. A list of the remaining scenarios can be found here. The contest will be broadcast on CBS with kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET. Media can apply for credentials by visiting bigten.org/about/media.