By ERIC OLSON AP College Football Writer
Things to watch during Week 13 of play in the Big Ten Conference:
GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 2 Ohio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) at No. 3 Michigan (11-0, 8-0), Saturday, 11 CDT (Fox)
It’s the Big Ten East title game, with the winner is all but assured a spot in the College Football Playoff if it takes care of business as a heavy favorite against Iowa in the conference championship game next week.
Michigan has won two straight against the Buckeyes, and the scores weren’t close. The Wolverines played their closest game of the season last week at Maryland, and they won’t have Jim Harbaugh on the sideline as he completes his three-game suspension.
Ohio State has key players back from injuries and outscored overmatched Michigan State and Minnesota 75-6 the last two weeks.
The Wolverines are 3 1/2-point favorites, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
THE UNDERCARD
No. 20 Iowa (9-2, 6-2) at Nebraska (5-6, 3-5), Friday, 11 CDT (CBS)
Nebraska won in Iowa City last year to end a seven-game losing streak in the series. The Cornhuskers need to win in Lincoln in the annual Black Friday game to qualify for a bowl.
The West Division-champion Hawkeyes are trying to win a fourth game in a row to carry momentum into next week’s Big Ten championship game. They also are going for a 10-win season.
The Huskers haven’t gone to a bowl since 2016 and come into the game off three straight losses.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Indiana’s Brendan Sorsby heads to Purdue for the Battle for the Old Oaken Bucket having accounted for 14 touchdowns the last five weeks. … Purdue has two 300-yard rushing games in the same season for the first time since 2002. … Maryland has beaten Rutgers by a combined 77-16 the last two seasons, 37-0 last year in College Park and 40-16 the year prior in Piscataway. … Wisconsin enters the Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe against Minnesota with 27 wins in its last 34 games with a traveling trophy on the line. … Northwestern is 6-0 when going over 300 yards in total offense. Illinois, the Wildcats’ opponent in Champaign, has allowed at least 300 in all but two games.
LONG SHOT
FanDuel Sportsbook lists Michigan State as a 21-point underdog to Penn State at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday night. Things didn’t turn out well for the Spartans when they last played in prime time on NBC (38-3 loss to Ohio State).
The Land Grant Trophy rivalry game, contrived in 1993, will be Michigan State’s bowl game following a tumultuous season that saw Mel Tucker fired for alleged sexual harassment and Harlon Barnett named interim coach. The Spartans have won two of their last three. Penn State QB Drew Allar was knocked out of last week’s game against Rutgers but is expected to play.
IMPACT PLAYER
Minnesota QB Athan Kaliakmanis was a hero in last year’s win over Wisconsin, and he will need to be at his best again for the Gophers to guarantee bowl eligibility and end a three-game losing streak.
Minnesota, even if it loses at home to the Badgers, would have a strong chance to go to a bowl because it is first in line among five-win teams to fill open slots based on its Academic Progress Rate. Kaliakmanis threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s 23-16 win, including the tiebreaking 45-yarder to Le’Meke Brockington.
