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Big Ten Update: Where The Teams Stand

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Big Ten Update: Where The Teams Stand

Indiana had to work for it against Purdue. Andy Marsh photo.

One more week remains in the Big Ten regular season and here's where we stand.

Michigan State beat Michigan on Friday—Michigan State Holds Off Michigan in Friday Night Rivalry Clash—and that puts the Spartans on the inside track for the 3rd-4th game with Illinois. MSU will make-up their previously-canceled fixture with Purdue this coming weekend, which also opens up for Purdue a window to slide into 4th with a bonus-point win and no bonus points for the Spartans. (No window for Purdue)

Meanwhile, Michigan is not on the inside track as the Wolverines will take on undefeated Indiana in the final weekend.

Indiana, for their part, beat Purdue 43-5. They did this despite a slow start; Head Coach Eddie Abel said "we couldn't quite stack positive phases to way we try to." 

Abel rested a few starters and it was those starters who identified adjustments for the IU players and what they needed to do to spark the attack.

Sal Cahoon, normally the captain of the IU B side, was superb at openside flanker for 80 minutes, while freshman outside center Sam Story was a constant attacking threat. Donovan McFarland, normally a scrumhalf, started at flyhalf and moved around the backline, playing effectively all over.

Ohio State beat Illinois 60-24. Going into the game the Buckeyes were conscious of last week's 45-42 squeaker over Penn State.

"We couldn't finish them off," said Head Coach Tom Rooney. "That's the thing we need to continue to work on. We let Indiana come back from 20 points down. Michigan State had a strong second half against us. We had Penn State by 17 at one point. We need to learn how to finish."

They kept Illinois at bay this time.

So with those results, Indiana is just barely ahead of Ohio State and can't effort to lose against Michigan. OSU, for their part, have, like Indiana, clinched a place in the Big Ten final, but the bragging rights of 1st in the regular season remain up for grabs.

The regular season for Illinois is done and they have the tiebreaker over Michigan, so should be secure in the 3rd-4th game.  

Big Ten W L T PF PA PD BT BL Pts
Indiana 5 0 0 204 36 168 4 0 24
Ohio State 4 1 0 231 98 133 5 1 22
Illinois 3 3 0 146 167 -21 2 1 15
Michigan State 3 2 0 90 82 8 2 0 14
Michigan 2 3 0 98 135 -37 2 0 10
Purdue 1 4 0 79 164 -85 1 0 5
Wisconsin 0 5 0 55 221 -166 1 0 1