Week 10 was a bye week for Oregon — or as head coach Dan Lanning would put it, a work week. For many other teams in the Big Ten, it was another game week. Saturday brought a variety of down-to-the-wire nail biters and blowouts that were decided before the fourth quarter.

Minnesota hangs on to become bowl eligible with 23-20 overtime win over Michigan State

A first half defensive battle favored Minnesota (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten), which took a 10-0 lead into the locker room. Michigan State (3-6, 0-6 Big Ten) came storming out of the break, scoring a 71-yard touchdown on a pass from Alessio Milivojevic to Rodney Bullard Jr. on the third play of the half. This was the start of a 17-point period for the Spartans to force overtime. MSU got a field goal on the first possession of overtime, but the defense could not hold up. A quarterback draw on third-and-goal by Drake Lindsey got to the end zone to win the game for the Golden Gophers.

No. 23 USC comes from behind to take down Nebraska 21-17 on the road

Nebraska (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) had the better hand in the first half, holding USC (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) out of the end zone until late in the third quarter. That 16-yard touchdown run by Jayden Maiava was exactly the spark the ranked Trojans needed to turn the game around. They took the lead on a six-yard rushing score from King Miller and the Cornhuskers never saw the end zone again.

Purdue battles, but falls short to No. 21 Michigan, 21-16

Not much has gone right on the football field as of late for the Boilermakers (2-7, 0-6 Big Ten). Many expected Michigan (7-2, 5-1 Big Ten) to dominate this game, but Purdue gave it a test. The Wolverines never led by more than a touchdown and the Boilermakers answered each time Michigan scored. The difference in the game was Michigan’s defense holding Purdue to a field goal in the third quarter, and the Boilermakers’ defense failing to stop the Wolverines from getting a first down in the final minutes to run out the clock.

Penn State’s downfall continues in 38-14 beatdown by No. 1 Ohio State

Nothing has gone right for the Nittany Lions (3-5, 0-5 Big Ten) since Oregon’s double overtime win in Happy Valley. They’ve already seen their coach fired and their quarterback suffer a season-ending injury. This week’s nightmare was one their fans are more used to as their losing streak to Ohio State (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) extended to nine games. Penn State put up a fight in the second quarter, but the Buckeyes scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to remain the “big brothers” in this rivalry.

Around the Big Ten: Scoreboard

Illinois (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten) earned bowl eligibility with a 35-13 win at home over Rutgers (4-5, 1-5 Big Ten) in a game with 235 passing yards and four touchdowns for Luke Altmyer.

No. 2 Indiana (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten) remained unstoppable in a 55-10 slaughtering of Maryland (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) following 35 unanswered points in the second half.