YES! No more cupcakes! Week four was the last of the cupcake portion of the B1G season and we finally get to the intriguing games of the season. Week four was mostly a yawner around the country, including the B1G (the Buckeyes destroyed some helpless high school team, causing non-Buckeye sports writers everywhere to spontaneously combust into thin air over it). Before we get to the good games though, let’s take one last look at what happened in week four:

Minnesota 43 San Jose State 24

This was a nice win for Minnesota, who kicks off the season 4-0 heading into conference play. It was a close game for one half (20-17 at the half), but then Minnesota came out firing in the third quarter and didn’t look bad. The Gophers scored 24 unanswered to start off the second half, putting the game out of reach before the Spartans finally answered with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Starting in place for the injured Phillip Nelson, backup quarterback Mitch Leidner shined not through the air, but on the ground. Leidner rushed for 151 yards and four touchdowns, while running back David Cobb also chipped in 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Minnesota appears to live and die by the running game, which is something for other B1G teams to be aware of when playing the Gophers.

Iowa 59 Western Michigan 3

This was a blowout on paper and it was a blowout on the field. It was never close at any point in this game. Iowa got plenty of playing time for its backups and kept its starters fresh for conference play. Hawkeye quarterback Jake Rudock continues to gain experience and become a more solid player, going 10 of 15 passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns against the Broncos. Rudock will be the key to Iowa’s success this season, as the Hawkeyes have shown they can run the ball.

Nebraska 59 South Dakota State 20

After a week of drama off the field and an embarrassing loss to UCLA, Nebraska was pretty happy to be back on the football field playing a game. This was a pretty easy victory for the Huskers, although South Dakota State gave them a run for one-quarter. The Huskers got a lot of players on the field for this game, which is especially important for their defense. Nebraska had a pretty balanced offensive attack, throwing for 310 yards (two touchdowns) and rushing for 335 yards (five touchdowns). The Jackrabbits did have one bright spot, running back Zach Zenner, who rushed for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Zenner rushed for over 2,000 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, so the Huskers shouldn’t be disappointed by their performance against a talented player like Zenner.

Penn State 34 Kent State 0

Another blowout win for Penn State. Kent State put up a valiant effort, but the strength of the depth charts clearly shined through in this game. The most notable aspect in this game was the dominant rushing attack by the Nittany Lions. The bulk of the 287 rushing yards came from the three-headed attack of Akeel Lynch, Bill Belton and Zack Zwinak. With a freshman quarterback still finding his way, I expect Penn State to continue to pound it out on the ground against teams.

#24 Wisconsin 41 Purdue 10

Wisconsin did Wisconsin things in this game, so everyone knew what the outcome was going to be. The Badgers ran the ball right down Purdue’s throat, ensuring the Boilermakers never had a shot. Once again Wisconsin got 300 yards rushing out of its running game. Melvin Gordon rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns, James White rushed for 145 yards and a touchdown and Corey Clement ran for 83 yards and a score. We’ll see what this running game does this weekend when they go against the Ohio State defense (I guarantee not as much).

#22 Notre Dame 17 Michigan State 13

Last week I said nice things about Michigan State and predicted they would win this game. Shame on me for saying nice things about the Spartans because they confirmed to me that they’re going to be a great defensive team, but mediocre at best offensively. It’s a shame because the defense is championship caliber. Of course I could say the same thing about Notre Dame too. Both teams will be held back by their offenses for the rest of the season. Michigan State finishes 3-1 in non-conference play and have a bye week now to try to figure out how to conjure up some sort of offense.

#18 Northwestern 35 Maine 21

This game was much closer than I expected. Northwestern appeared to be sleep walking through this game, most likely looking ahead to their biggest game of the year in two weeks. The Wildcats still pulled off victory though and now have two weeks of preparing for the Buckeyes. Both the quarterback and running back positions appear to be by committee at the moment, with the questionable health of Kain Colter and the absence of Venric Mark. Right now the Wildcats appear to be the second best team in the B1G and the favorite to win the Legends Division.

Missouri 45 Indiana 28

I said this game would be a shootout and I was right. Except Indiana didn’t do as much ‘shooting’ as I thought. Missouri actually took care of the Hoosiers rather easily and Indiana looked exposed against the Tigers. Indiana is another team in the B1G this season that is great on one side of the ball, but terrible on the other side. On defense they gave up 623 yards, including 343 passing yards to Missouri quarterback James Franklin. On the other side, Nate Sudfeld threw for over 200 yards, but also threw three interceptions. After this game, I’m not really sure what to make of Indiana.

#15 Michigan 24 Connecticut 21

If the pick machine, Devin Gardner, can keep it under control Michigan should win this game in easy fashion. But we said that last week too didn’t we?

This is what I said in my preview for this game. Let’s all take a moment to laugh at Michigan. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you to stop. Okay now that we got that out of our systems let’s talk about the game. Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner didn’t keep it under control again and as a result Michigan should have lost to the Huskies. Gardner threw zero touchdowns and two interceptions, with only 111 yards passing. I was expecting the ghost of Tom Harmon to show up and take his number off Gardner’s back. The savior for the Wolverines was running back Fitzgerald Toussaint, who rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns (and saved his sorry ass offense). UConn quarterback Cody Whitmer did his best to carry his team, having a solid day passing (159 yards and two touchdowns). Michigan fans sound worried about Gardner and the offense and rightly so. As someone on Twitter said, they’re basically running the Terrelle Pryor offense at the moment (quarterback runs around and prays he makes a play, relies on running backs heavily). Devin “Turnover Machine” Gardner better get it together quick, otherwise he’ll be riding the pine.

The Buckeyes had a great week two. Week three was a different story. While the conference went 7-5, it felt more like 5-7. There was some pretty disappointing wins for the conference (Michigan), with some embarrassing losses too (Nebraska). It was a perfect opportunity for the conference to shine and prove something to the college football world, but the conference fell flat again. The good news though is out of conference play is coming to a close soon. Let’s re-examine the week that was for the B1G:

Indiana 42 Bowling Green 10

I gave Bowling Green a decent chance for the upset, but the Hoosiers proved me dead wrong. Indiana’s offense steamrolled the Falcons defense using a balanced attack. Quarterback Nate Sudfeld had a good game, throwing for 335 yards and two touchdowns (one rush touchdown too). What took me by surprise was the dominant running game. Hoosier running back Tevin Coleman rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns and running back Stephen Houston rushed for 155 yards, proving Indiana also has a potent running game to go with their passing game. Indiana is a team to keep an eye on for sure. It wasn’t all bad for Bowling Green. They did give us one of the greatest blocked punts I’ve ever seen:

Minnesota 29 Western Illinois 12

Minnesota pulled off a ho-hum victory over Western Illinois, but nobody is talking about it. That’s because head coach Jerry Kill had another epileptic seizure on the sidelines near halftime and had to be be carted off the field. It once again raises the question of whether or not Kill can continue to perform his duties. I just don’t see how Kill can keep this up with his condition, despite his attempts to change his lifestyle in hopes of preventing these episodes. I wish Coach Kill the best of luck.

#16 UCLA 41 #23 Nebraska 21

After one half of play Nebraska led 21-10 and looked like they were in control of the game. The Husker defense was holding Bruins quarterback Brett Hundley and the offense in check. Then the second half started. And that’s when Nebraska completely fell apart at the seams. UCLA treated the Cornhuskers’ defense like a rag doll and silenced the Sea of Red. Hundley finished with 294 passing yards, along with 61 rushing yards, and three touchdown passes. It was an emotional victory for UCLA, who is mourning the tragic loss of wide receiver Nick Pasquale. As for Nebraska, well let’s just say Bo Pelini better watch his back walking around in Lincoln because The Sea of Red is angry.

Michigan State 55 Youngstown State 17

The Spartans have found an offense! They also have settled on a quarterback! Granted it was against Youngstown State, but still it has to be encouraging for the Michigan State faithful. After stumbling through their first two games, the offense was at full steam against the Penguins. Spartan quarterback Connor Cook passed for 202 yards and four touchdowns and Spartan running backs combined for 277 yards and three touchdowns. Now can they do they maintain this against higher quality competition? We’ll find out Saturday when they take on Notre Dame.

Akron 24 #11 Michigan 28

Well not all Michigan teams can deal with inferior Ohio teams. What a mess of a game! The Wolverines deserved to lose this game. And I’m not just saying this because of my team allegiance. Akron had Michigan on their knees and failed to deliver the winning blow. The Zips missed three straight opportunities inside the Michigan five yard line and missed having their Appalachian State moment. Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner threw three interceptions (one fumble too) and now has six on the season. While Gardner is a talented player, his turnover problems are going to cost Michigan some games this season.

Iowa 27 Iowa State 21

This wasn’t your typical rivalry game between these two teams. Normally it’s back and forth throughout. On Saturday, Iowa controlled the game for the first three and a half quarters. With 7:05 to go, the Hawkeyes led 27-7. Then Iowa State made a spirited comeback, scoring two touchdowns in five minutes. But it was too little, too late for the Cyclones. Mark Weisman had another good game for Iowa as he rushed for 145 yards and helped keep the Iowa State offense off the field (17 minute possession advantage for the Hawkeyes). Iowa won the Cy-Hawk Trophy for the first time in three years.

UCF 34 Penn State 31

This was a well fought out game between both teams and I wish I had watched more of it. UCF had the advantage throughout, but Penn State never fell out of striking distance. Both quarterbacks performed well for their respective teams. UCF quarterback Blake Bortles was 20 of 27 passing, throwing for 288 yards and three touchdowns. His counterpart, Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg has one of his most complete games yet. Hackenberg completed 21 of 28 passes for 262 yards, a touchdown and most importantly no turnovers. It was a great win for the Golden Knights and their program, who look to compete for a BCS bid in the American Conference against favorite Louisville.

#19 Washington 34 Illinois 24

They didn’t get the win, but you gotta give credit to Illinois for hanging tough with a talented team like Washington. The Illini knew they were the underdog heading into this match-up and still managed to make this game close, despite a poor game from star quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase. The Huskies’ defense gave him fits the entire game and holding him to 9 of 25 passing, 156 yards and one touchdown. Without a great game from Scheelhaase, the Illinois offense lost it’s potency and didn’t have enough to keep up with the dynamic offensive attack from Washington. Huskies quarterback Keith Price threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Bishop Sankey rushed for over 200 yards and a score. Watch out Oregon and Stanford because Washington looks like the real deal this season.

#21 Notre Dame 31 Purdue 24

Is Notre Dame overrated (as they are every season), or is Purdue better than expected? I’m going to go with both. While the Notre Dame offense struggling wasn’t really surprising, I’m surprised the defense looked so mediocre. Purdue quarterback Rob Henry, who no one will mistake for the second coming of Peyton Manning, threw for 256 yards and three touchdowns against a defense that’s supposed to be pretty good. The Fighting Irish lucked out as usual, scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter to avoid an embarrassing defeat. They won’t be able to have such a slow start next week when they take on Michigan State.

#17 Northwestern 38 Western Michigan 17

Northwestern got off to a slow start in this game, but eventually woke up and dominated this game as expected. The Wildcats featured several different running backs in this game with star Venric Mark still dealing with injuries. The standout was Treyvon Green who rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns. The Wildcats get another easy game against Maine next week before diving into B1G play.

Arizona State 32 #20 Wisconsin 30

This game lived up to expectations and was entertaining to watch throughout. It’s one of those most talked about games in the country right now. But only for the final 19 seconds. This was one of the most bizarre finishes I’ve seen in a college football game since LSU spiked the ball with no time left against Ole Miss in 2009. I’m sure you’ve seen it numerous times already, but here it is again below:

All I can say is this was just a a big cluster of awfulness. First, why did Wisconsin quarterback Joel Stave just lay the ball on the ground? He could have did anything but this and it would’ve turned out better for the Badgers. Second, what are the refs doing? Not only do they fail to reset the ball, but give zero explanation of what transpired and just ran off the field. I expect that referee crew to be suspended or possibly fired. As for a good explanation of what actually happened, here’s officiating guru Mike Pereira’s take on it:

About ASU last night, Wisconsin should have had another play. QB's knee was down. ASU laid on the ball – timeout should have been called.

— Mike Pereira (@MikePereira) September 15, 2013

Be sure to check back on Thursday for my B1G Preview for Week Four!

Well it was almost a perfect weekend for the B1G this past weekend, as the conference went 11-1 in their games. Who came up short? Who was the biggest surprise? Let’s take a look:

Penn State 45 Eastern Michigan 7

This game was actually still close at halftime, as Penn State only led 17-7. But Eastern Michigan really never had a chance and Penn State was in control the whole way. It was a great tune-up game for the Nittany Lions, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Freshman Christian Hackenberg threw for 311 yards and a touchdown, which was a 45 yard bomb to dynamic wide receiver Allen Robinson. The offense also rushed for 251 total yards, 216 which came from Akeel Lynch and Bill Belton.

Michigan State 21 South Florida 6

Well the Spartans were once again awful on offense. And it didn’t matter who they put at quarterback. Michigan State tried out three different quarterbacks in this game: Andrew Maxwell, Connor Cook and Tyler O’Conner. Combined they threw for only 94 yards and completed 12 of 24 passes. The running game wasn’t much better, as the Spartans only rushed for 171 yards total (a far cry from the Le’Veon Bell days). As horrible as the offense has been for Michigan State, that’s how good their defense has played. On Saturday, the player that stood out for the Spartan defense was Shilique Calhoun. Calhoun returned a fumble for a touchdown in the first quarter and had a 56 yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter. So I guess this makes Calhoun the biggest offensive threat on the team.

Iowa 28 Missouri State 14

The Hawkeyes got their first win of the season, although it probably didn’t feel like it at times. By no means it was a blowout, but Iowa pulled off a solid win. The offense had nearly 500 yards total and got a good game out of quarterback Jake Rudock (193 yards passing and two rush touchdowns). The real star for Iowa is running back Mark Weisman, who rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns. If Iowa wants to at least reach a bowl this season, it’s going to ride on the legs of Weisman.

Illinois 45 Cincinnati 17

I’m sorry Illinois. I was wrong! You proved everyone wrong on Saturday. I predicted this game was going to be a slaughter, but in favor of Cincinnati. Instead the Fighting Illini turned the tables and pretty much had their way with the Bearcats. The only time it was really close was early in the fourth when it appeared Cincinnati quarterback Munchie Legaux scored a rushing touchdown to bring the game within five. But as he crossed the goal line he was fumbling the ball. Officials reviewed it and controversially overturned the touchdown, giving Illinois the ball back. But don’t let that overshadow a great victory by Illinois. I also have to note the fantastic game by Nathan Scheelhaase. His stat line: 26 of 37, 312 passing yards, four touchdown and zero interceptions. Watch out B1G.

Purdue 20 Indiana State 14

Purdue played like Purdue. They got out to a solid lead, but then decided to let Indiana State comeback and almost win. That best sums up this game. I actually predicted the Sycamores would get the upset, but they fell just short as they tried to drive down the field late and score. Indiana State still out gained Purdue, despite the loss (295-284). I don’t see great things happening for Purdue in the B1G.

Wisconsin 48 Tennessee Tech 0

Congrats on beating another high school team, Wisconsin! I look forward to you playing a formidable foe, which comes this weekend. Not much to report here. Wisconsin had another game with three 100 yard rushers and Joel Stave threw for three touchdowns.

Indiana 35 Navy 41

Indiana was the only B1G team to taste defeat, costing the conference a perfect weekend. As I expected, this game was a shootout and came down to the very end. The Hoosiers though, didn’t have an answer for the Midshipmen’s high-octane triple option offense. Navy rushed for 444 yards, including 127 yards from quarterback Keenan Reynolds. Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld threw for 363 yards and four touchdowns in a losing effort. I think both teams can make it to bowls and I’ll be curious to see how these two teams play from here on out.

Nebraska 56 Southern Miss 13

Nebraska looked much better in this game. Granted the opponent was Southern Miss, who has now lost 14 straight games, but it’s a start for the Cornhuskers. The Black Shirts picked off Southern Miss quarterbacks four times and held their running game to 62 yards. The offense was good for them too, as Taylor Martinez had over 200 totals yards and three touchdowns. Ameer Abdullah added 114 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. It’s a good thing Nebraska played well against the Golden Eagles too because they have UCLA next weekend.

Northwestern 48 Syracuse 27

So much for this being a repeat of their 2012 match-up. Northwestern came out firing on all cylinders and made sure this game was never even close. The Wildcats looked great all-around. The defense forced Syracuse quarterback Drew Allen into throwing four interceptions. The offense had a balanced attack, with 375 passing yards and 206 rushing yards (despite the absence of Venric Mark). Senior quarterbacks Trevor Siemian (259 yards, 3 TD) and Kain Colter (203 total yards and 2 TD) paced the offense. Wide receiver Tony Jones also had a great game, catching nine passes for 185 yards and a touchdown.

Minnesota 44 New Mexico State 21

Out of all of the B1G games this past weekend, you were most likely to forget about this one. The Golden Gophers actually got an easy win. Shocking, right? Minnesota dealt with the Aggies easily, thanks to a stout rushing attack and another great defensive performance. Gophers’ running back Rodrick Williams Jr. carried the ball 16 times for 148 yards and a touchdown, while quarterback Philip Nelson rushed for 122 yards and a touchdown (127 passing yards).

Michigan 41 Notre Dame 30

There was a lot of hype surrounding this game coming in, as there is every year. And it was a typical UM-ND game. But it wasn’t as chaotic as I thought it would be. Michigan seemed in control for much of the game and kept the Fighting Irish in-check throughout. The Wolverine offense impressed me with their performance, especially quarterback Devin Gardner. Gardner was 21 of 33 for 294 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding 82 yards and a touchdown on the ground. (Side note: Gardner is now wearing #98 to honor Michigan legend Tom Harmon. It’s great to see a legendary player get honored, but I don’t know about that number. Only Michigan..) The other standout performer for Michigan was wide receiver Jeremy Gallon, who took his game to another level. Gallon caught eight passes for 184 yards and three touchdowns. For Notre Dame, Tommy Rees had a very similar game to the one he had two years ago against Michigan, throwing for over 300 yards and two touchdowns, but also two interceptions again. I said this game would come down to the better quarterback and Gardner was clearly better.

Be sure to check back Thursday as I take a look at the week three schedule!