September 21, 2023

(Cover photo courtesy Associated Press)

Better late than never!

While everyone else in the Big Ten is prepping for their 4th game of the season, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is planning for his 2023 debut.  The veteran coach missed the Wolverines' first three games while sitting out a self-imposed suspension and will be on the sidelines vs. Rutgers on Saturday (11am CT, BTN).

https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2023/09/michigan-has-its-head-coach-back-and-its-juice.html

It's a Top 25 showdown in State College as #7 Penn State hosts 25th ranked - and West Division favorite - Iowa, which will be without three key players on offense.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/penn-state-vs-iowa-hawkeyes-down-three-key-offensive-players-for-top-25-showdown-with-nittany-lions/

Big Ten fans will wear out the remote Saturday night.  At the same time that Iowa and Penn State collide on CBS, #6 Ohio State travels to 9th ranked Notre Dame on NBC.  It's the toughest test yet for both teams.  The Irish have kicked off the season with four straight 40-point games for the first time since 1900.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/gametracker/preview/NCAAF_20230923_OHIOST@ND/

Maryland has quietly gone 3-0 in the non-conference and now opens Big Ten play against Michigan State, which just gave up a whopping 713 yards in last Saturday's rout by 8th ranked Washington.  Terrapins QB Taulia Tagovailoa gets plenty of attention, but their running backs deserve some credit as well.

https://dbknews.com/2023/09/20/maryland-football-run-game-roman-hemby/

After back-to-back road losses to open the Matt Rhule era, Nebraska finally got on the good side of the ledger last week against Northern Illinois and now look to get back to .500 vs. Louisiana Tech before resuming Big Ten play.

https://huskercorner.com/2023/09/20/nebraska-football-louisiana-tech-week-4/