The Iowa football team got back into the mix this past weekend and B1G conference play is in full force. Here’s a recap of the standings after week 5.
Conference play is in full swing, and we are finally starting to learn a few things about which teams could be in the class for the Big Ten race and who is going to be down this year. After week 5, the Big Ten is the only power five conference that has five undefeated teams, which includes our very own Iowa football team.
East Standings
Ohio State: 5-0 (2-0) @ Michigan State
Michigan State: 4-1 (2-0) vs. Ohio State
Penn State: 4-0 (1-0) vs. Purdue
Michigan: 3-1 (1-1) vs. Iowa
Maryland: 2-2 (0-1) @ Rutgers
Indiana: 3-2 (0-2) Bye
Rutgers: 1-3 (0-2) vs. Maryland
If I had to choose an early team that I think could win the national championship, it would be Ohio State. The Buckeyes went on the road to Lincoln, Nebraska and were on another level as they got off to a fast start and didn’t look back. Ohio State went on to win 48-7 versus the Huskers. Penn State and Maryland played a rare Friday night game, and I was really surprised by how this game went. I for sure thought this would be a back and forth affair but that wasn’t the case. The Nittany Lions ran all over the Terripans winning 59-0.
The Michigan Wolverines bounced back in a big-time way versus Rutgers. Michigan shut out the Scarlet Knights as they won 52-0. Despite battling back in the second half, the Spartans knocked out the Indiana Hoosiers 40-31.
West Standings
Wisconsin: 4-0 (2-0) vs. Kent State
Iowa: 4-0 (1-0) @ Michigan
Minnesota: 4-0 (1-0) vs. Illinois
Nebraska: 3-2 (1-1) vs. Northwestern
Illinois: 2-2 (0-1) @ Minnesota
Purdue: 1-3 (0-1) @ Penn State
Northwestern: (0-2) @ Nebraska
Wisconsin and Northwestern squared off in a division battle and it was a tightly contested game until about the fourth quarter when the wheels came off for the Wildcats. They ultimately fell to the Badgers 24-15. The Boilermakers and Gophers battled in another divisional game. Minnesota got out to a big lead on the road leading 28-10 at the half but Purdue came back in the second. In the end, it wasn’t enough as Minnesota held on with a 38-31 win.
The Iowa football team stepped out of conference play and took on Middle Tennesse State, which they had no trouble doing. Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa football squad had over 600 yards on offense and put up 48 points in an easy route of the Blue Raiders.
As always, it was an exciting week of Big Ten football as this upcoming week 6 will likely be as well. With another round of conference games, we are likely to see some movement in the Big Ten standings.