Big Ten Football Week Ten Recap
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Shoelace came untied on Saturday, but his Wolverines showed that they could beat the basketball team. Photo courtesy of Bill Marklevits.
(16) Iowa (7-2, 4-1 Big Ten) @ Indiana (4-5, 0-5 Big Ten)
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Iowa 18 Â Â Indiana 13
One week after playing arguably their best game of the season, Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa Hawkeye’s barely made it out of Bloomington with a victory over the last place (Big Ten) Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday. Hoosier receiver Damarlo Belcher nearly caught, but instead dropped, a TD pass with 28 seconds remaining in the game on fourth-and-ten, and in-so-doing gave Ferentz his 100th career victory. Despite the tough loss for the Hoosiers, their QB, Ben Chappell, became Indiana’s career leader in pass completions at 590, with his 27 of 46 for 222 yard passing performance. Despite the momentous occasion in his career, Chappell could not account for a TD against the stingy Iowa defense, but was intercepted once in the game. Iowa QB, Ricky Stanzi, also threw a pick, but was able to account for a TD, which proved to be the difference maker when he hooked up with Receiver Marvin McNutt on a 52 yard pass with 2:50 left to go in the contest. The ensuing two-point conversion failed however, leaving the final margin at five. Despite this being a low scoring affair, Iowa was able to put up some big yardage numbers, posting 445 yards of offense. They were often ineffective in the redzone however, having to settle for field goal tries in four red zone trips, with one of those FG’s missed. The stalling Hawkeye offense in the redzone is what made this one uncertain for much of the game, but it was Damarlo Belcher’s uncertain hand at the very end of regulation that sealed the Hoosiers fate. The Hoosiers are now 2-19 in Big Ten games going back to the 2008 season. Ouch.
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTERÂ Â Â Â IOWAÂ Â Â Â Â IND
               FG          10:21      Michael Meyer 23 Yd             3             0
               FG          07:00      Mitch Ewald 37 Yd 3             3
SECOND QUARTERIOWAÂ Â Â Â Â IND
               FG          12:45      Michael Meyer 27 Yd             6             3
               FG          08:20      Mitch Ewald 28 Yd 6             6
THIRD QUARTERÂ Â Â IOWAÂ Â Â Â Â IND
               FG          05:33      Michael Meyer 27 Yd             9             6
               TD           00:42      Ben Chappell 1 Yd Run (Mitch Ewald Kick)           9             13
FOURTH QUARTERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â IOWAÂ Â Â Â Â IND
               FG          08:33      Michael Meyer 42 Yd             12           13
               TD           02:50      Marvin McNutt 52 Yd Pass From Ricky Stanzi (Two-Point Conversion Failed)    18           13
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(9) Wisconsin (8-1, 4-1 Big Ten) @ Purdue (4-5, 2-3 Big Ten)
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Wisconsin 34Â Â Purdue 13
It’s no secret that the Boilermakers have struggled mightily this season with various injuries and inexperience. A win against a one loss Wisconsin team at home could have afforded them a season’s worth of optimism to go with their scrap and determination in the face of adversity. When the Boilers jumped out early on Wisconsin in West Lafayette this Saturday, all was going as hoped for this Danny Hope led squad. But, Bielema and his Badgers had been in this situation before, down at halftime 10-6, and had no intention of rolling over for the remaining two quarters. Instead the Badgers posted two straight TD’s in the third quarter before a single Boiler field goal to begin the fourth. From that point it was all Bucky, with the final two remaining TD’s going the way of the away team and turning the Boilermaker hopes for an upset on its head, and into a Wisconsin-dominate rout. Monte Ball rushed for a career record 127 yards on the day accounting for two of the Badger TD’s. Wisconsin QB Scott Tolzien went 13 of 19 passing for 130 yards, including one TD and one interception. Total offensive output for the two teams was even, right down to the yard, each posting 303 total yards. Close too was the division amongst the two opponents rushing and receiving games: Wisconsin had 173 yards rushing, Purdue 162; and passing games yielded 130 and 141 yards respectively. Purdue’s QB, Sean Robinson, a third stringer, posted the 141 yards passing in his first career start starting ahead of second stringer Rob Henry (cut finger). Receiver Antavian Edison led the Boilers in catches and scored the only Boilermaker TD of the game, a 23 yard reception from Robinson in the first quarter; and finished the day with 73 yards on his six grabs. Dan Dierking led the Boilermaker rushing attack with only 55 yards on his 16 carries.
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTERÂ Â Â Â WISÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PUR
               TD           00:25      Antavian Edison 23 Yd Pass From Sean Robinson (Carson Wiggs Kick)               0             7
SECOND QUARTERWISÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PUR
               FG          08:08      Philip Welch 44 Yd 3             7
               FG          01:00      Carson Wiggs 37 Yd               3             10
               FG          00:00      Philip Welch 38 Yd 6             10
THIRD QUARTERÂ Â Â WISÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PUR
               TD           11:49      Jared Abbrederis 7 Yd Pass From Scott Tolzien (Philip Welch Kick)    13           10
               TD           06:20      Montee Ball 31 Yd Run (Philip Welch Kick)          20           10
FOURTH QUARTERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â WISÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PUR
               FG          13:35      Carson Wiggs 35 Yd               20           13
               TD           08:54      Montee Ball 15 Yd Run (Philip Welch Kick)          27           13
               TD           08:31      Antonio Fenelus 36 Yd Interception Return (Philip Welch Kick)           34           13
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Northwestern (6-3, 2-3 Big Ten) @ Penn St (6-3, 3-2 Big Ten)
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Penn State 35Â Northwestern 21
The legend that is Joe Paterno actually found a way to grow larger this weekend as he was carried off the football field in State College upon the shoulders of two Nittany Lion’s as they celebrated a remarkable come from behind victory, which just so happened to be Paterno’s 400th W. Pat Fitzgerald’s often scrappy Wildcat squad made a Paterno victory seem extremely doubtful as they jumped out to a 21-0 lead by the second quarter. But, with only 3 seconds remaining in the first half of play a Brett Brackett seven yard reception from third string and former walk-on Nittany QB, Matt McGloin, gave Paterno and his boys new life, and a foreshadowing of what was to come. The second half of play belonged exclusively to the home team as they posted three TD’s in the third quarter, and another for good measure, later in the fourth. McGloin finished with 225 yards on 18 of 29 passing, which included four TD’s and zero interceptions. RB Evan Royster, who has so far had a season of inconsistency for Penn State, gave a good performance with a 134 yard day on 25 carries. Meanwhile, Northwestern’s Dan Persa, who has proved himself to be amongst the most proficient passing QB’s in all the Big Ten this season, had another very decent performance, but the Nittany Lions ultimately couldn’t be denied. Persa went for 201 yards on 16 of 25 passing including one TD through the air.  The first two TD’s of the game came by way of Persa’s legs, the first a six yard jaunt in the first quarter and the second a four yarder near the top of the second quarter of action. The only other TD for the Wildcats came on a nine yard reception by Drake Dunsmore thrown by Persa in the second quarter. Once the initial Northwestern offensive onslaught was endured and the Nittany Lion defense dug their heels in during the second half, the Nittany Lion scoring trend was by committee, with all five ensuing TD’s from a different roster-man. The storyline was a near perfect ovation to a historic coach, attaining a remarkable summit unsurpassed on the FBS coaching level, on a day not soon to be forgotten in Happy Valley.
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTERÂ Â Â Â NWÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PSU
               TD           12:07      Dan Persa 6 Yd Run (Stefan Demos Kick)             7             0
SECOND QUARTERNWÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PSU
               TD           09:25      Dan Persa 4 Yd Run (Stefan Demos Kick)             14           0
               TD           00:56      Drake Dunsmore 9 Yd Pass From Dan Persa (Stefan Demos Kick)       21           0
               TD           00:03      Brett Brackett 7 Yd Pass From Matthew McGloin (Collin Wagner Kick)             21           7
THIRD QUARTERÂ Â Â NWÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PSU
               TD           09:03      Nate Cadogan 3 Yd Pass From Matthew McGloin (Collin Wagner Kick)             21           14
               TD           05:43      Derek Moye 36 Yd Pass From Matthew McGloin (Collin Wagner Kick)               21           21
               TD           01:31      Silas Redd 4 Yd Run (Collin Wagner Kick)             21           28
FOURTH QUARTERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NWÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PSU
               TD           11:38      Evan Royster 13 Yd Pass From Matthew McGloin (Collin Wagner Kick)             21           35
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Illinois (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) @ Michigan (6-3, 2-3 Big Ten)
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Michigan 67Â Illinois 65
One way of looking at what occurred in Ann Arbor this Saturday would be to laud the offensive prowess of two Big Ten teams; another way of looking at it would be to say this game was almost entirely devoid of any semblance of defensive ability at all. However you wish to look at it, something remarkable happened in the Big House this weekend when a football game, or what was supposed to be a football game anyway, ended with 132 points of offensive production in the third overtime.  That’s a record point production for the entire 131 year history of Michigan football. It’s a Big Ten record. The game was finally won when Illinois Freshman QB Nathan Scheelhaase threw a hurried pass incomplete on a do-or-die two point conversion play, which if completed, would have led to a fourth overtime. Instead it led to a Wolverine victory, Michigan’s sixth of season, and thus making them bowl eligible-- Rodriguez’s first such season as the Michigan head-man. Adding even more to a day replete with “firsts,†was Michigan receiver Roy Roundtree’s record setting performance in which he had 192 yards in the first half alone, on his way to a remarkable 246 yard performance. That tally mark proved to be the most single game yards of any Michigan receiver in history. Roundtree’s performance is followed most closely in the record books now, by former Wolverine Jack Clancy’s 1966 performance against Oregon State in which Clancy compiled 197 receiving yards.
So, an altogether remarkable day for the Wolverine offense, and an altogether atrocious one for its defense, which allowed a freshman QB, the Illini’s Nathan Scheelhaase, orchestrate a basketball level point output.But, however bad Michigan’s defense was, Illinois, whose defense had formerly made a name for itself as one of the most competent in the Big Ten this season, performed even worse and ultimately failed to stop either Denard Robinson or Tate Forcier. Michigan back-up QB Forcier led the Wolverines to victory after starting QB Denard Robinson was injured late in regulation (possible concussion). Before leaving the game Robinson threw for 305 yards on 10 of 20 passing which included three TD’s and two interceptions; and rushed for 62 yards on 19 carries. Tate Forcier in his fill-in capacity went 12 of 19 passing for 114 yards, two TD’s and one interception near the end of regulation. The Fighting Illini offense led by QB  Nathan Scheelhaase’s 14 of 25 passing for 211 yards and three TD’s and zero interceptions, performed remarkably well for much of the day against a now, notoriously lax, Michigan defense. Mikel Leshoure led the Illinois rushing attack with 120 yards on 24 carries, scoring three TD’s. If ever there was a scoring summary that told a remarkable tale, this is the one. Enjoy.
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTERÂ Â Â Â ILLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MICH
               TD           14:46      Roy Roundtree 75 Yd Pass From Denard Robinson. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick)      0             7
               FG          08:56      Derek Dimke 44 Yd                3             7
               FG          02:57      Derek Dimke 43 Yd                6             7
SECOND QUARTERILLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MICH
               TD           14:57      Nathan Scheelhaase 2 Yd Run. (Nathan Scheelhaase Pass To Ryan Lankford For Two-Point Conversion)        14           7
               TD           12:36      Roy Roundtree 33 Yd Pass From Denard Robinson. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick)      14           14
               TD           11:55      Jason Ford 62 Yd Run. (Derek Dimke Kick)            21           14
               TD           06:56      Stephen Hopkins 4 Yd Run. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick)            21           21
               TD      ��    03:01      Junior Hemingway 45 Yd Pass From Denard Robinson. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick)                21           28
               TD           01:11      Ryan Lankford 33 Yd Pass From Nathan Scheelhaase. (Derek Dimke Kick)         28           28
               FG          00:37      Seth Broekhuizen 35 Yd         28           31
               FG          00:03      Derek Dimke 43 Yd                31           31
THIRD QUARTERÂ Â Â ILLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MICH
               TD           07:36      Michael Shaw 18 Yd Run. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick)              31           38
FOURTH QUARTERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ILLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MICH
               TD           14:55      Mikel Leshoure 27 Yd Pass From Nathan Scheelhaase. (Derek Dimke Kick)       38           38
               TD           11:35      Mikel Leshoure 1 Yd Run. (Derek Dimke Kick)      45           38
               TD           01:47      Darryl Stonum 9 Yd Pass From Tate Forcier. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick) 45           45
OVERTIMEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ILLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MICH
               TD                           Michael Shaw 5 Yd Run. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick)                45           52
               TD                           Mikel Leshoure 1 Yd Run. (Derek Dimke Kick)      52           52
2ND OVERTIMEÂ Â Â Â Â ILLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MICH
               TD                           Mikel Leshoure 25 Yd Pass From Nathan Scheelhaase. (Derek Dimke Kick)       59           52
               TD                           Junior Hemingway 9 Yd Pass From Tate Forcier. (Seth Broekhuizen Kick)          59           59
3RD OVERTIMEÂ Â Â Â Â Â ILLÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MICH
               TD                           Michael Shaw 1 Yd Run. (Tate Forcier Pass To Junior Hemingway For Two-Point Conversion)         59           67
               TD                           Mikel Leshoure 3 Yd Run. (Two-Point Conversion Failed)    65           67
