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Top 5 Big Ten Schools 10-15-14

By: Brian Chapman

1. Michigan State (5-1, 2-0, last week No. 1)… For the second straight week, the Spartans have failed to completely close the casket and, more importantly, run up the score on an inferior opponent. When you're trying to make the College Football Playoff "a win is a win" most likely doesn't apply. This is not the NFL and style points could matter when comparing Michigan State to other teams with one loss. Allowing a pair of 4th quarter touchdowns and leading the bottom feeding Boilermakers by just one touchdown with less than two minutes to go suggests Michigan State is not one of the top four teams in America.

2. Ohio State (4-1, 1-0, last week No. 2)… The Deep South Buckeyes don't have Braxton Miller and are still fifth highest scoring team in the country at 44.6ppg. I know they haven't played any strong teams so far, but that's still very impressive. Right now it looks like the only two things that can stop Urban Meyer's boys are the Michigan State Spartans and another NCAA investigation. They're overdue for the latter.

3. Nebraska (5-1, 1-1, last week No. 3)… Last week I wrote that with road trips to Northwestern and Wisconsin left on the schedule, the Corn Huskers could go finish 6-2 in the conference. Then Northwestern lost and Wisconsin had way too much trouble with Illinois. Now it's looking more likely that they could finish 7-1. However, we all know Bo Pelini's teams always find a way of pushing their fan base to the ledge with a puzzling loss or two for the ages. Perhaps that will come next weekend when they host Rutgers. Perhaps a 45-21 loss?

4. Wisconsin (4-2, 1-1, last week No. 5) … On one hand, the Fighting Illini scored 14pts in the final nine minutes of the game when the outcome had already been decided. On the other hand, the Badgers gave up 28pts in Madison to Illinois! Illinois just lost to Purdue. The Fighting Illini are the worst team in the conference and they came within 10pts of a road win in against the Badgers! This is back to back unimpressive wins for the Wisconsin and when you consider that their major non-conference foe LSU isn't looking so great, the Badgers appear to be just a notch above the B1G's impoverished middle class. It's a good thing they can still run.

5. Minnesota (5-1, 2-0, last week No. 7)… How do you win a B1G game in 2014 at home when you rack up only 274yds of total offense, complete only ten passes, lose the time of possession battle and give up 28 first downs? Special teams. Jalen Myrick's 100yd kickoff return in the 4th quarter put the Golden Gophers atop the B1G West's standings. Minnesota is only one win away from bowl eligibility again and with Purdue and Illinois on the schedule next, they'll certainly play a 13th game, just don't expect it to be in the conference championship game. Their record will make a sharp adjustment to the mean in their final three games against Ohio State, Nebraska and Wisconsin.

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