All 14 teams play this weekend and the league schedulers avoided the SB on Sunday by scheduling five games on Saturday and only two on Sunday. This weekend's games:
Wisconsin at Rutgers, Saturday at noon on BTN:
When the Badgers completed a season sweep of the Spartans on January 26 they were flying high at 16-4/8-1 and projected to win the league. They haven't won since. The first loss was to Nebraska at Pinnacle Bank Arena and in OT so that isn't too bad. The second was at home but it was a a Purdue team that projects as the #1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament so that isn't too bad either. The most recent loss was on the road but it was to last place Michigan so that is concerning. Rutgers is coming off of back-to-back road wins in Ann Arbor and College Park. Rutgers projects to finish on the wrong side of the bubble but they aren't all that far away and a win over the Badgers would go a long way toward closing that gap.
Can Rutgers keep this winning streak going? Can Wisconsin get back to their winning ways?
Illinois at Michigan State, Saturday at 2pm on CBS:
These two teams project to finish tied for 2nd/3rd and tied for 4th/5th so this is one of the bigger B1G games of the year.
Maryland at Ohio State, Saturday at 4pm on FS1:
This is fortuitous timing for the Terps. They need a "get-right" game after back-to-back losses including at home to Rutgers so playing the comically awful Buckeyes is just what the doctor ordered.
Michigan at Nebraska, Saturday at 6:30 on BTN:
The Wolverines lost 10 of 11 from mid-December through early February with the lone win being at home against the reeling Buckeyes then out of nowhere they managed to beat Wisconsin. So now what?
Nebraska has lost two straight and three out of four but those losses were all on the road (where Nebraska is BAD) and this is in Pinnacle Bank Arena (where Nebraska is GOOD).
Indiana at Purdue, Saturday at 8pm on Fox:
Despite how good Purdue was last year, the Hoosiers managed to sweep them. Unfortunately for Indiana, that was last year and in the earlier game this year Indiana lost badly at home so it is hard to see them walking out of Mackey with a win but this is a rivalry game so you never know.
Penn State at Northwestern, Sunday at 1pm on BTN:
I just can't see the Nittany Lions pulling this off.
Minnesota at Iowa, Sunday at 3pm on BTN:
The Gophers have won three straight and two of those were unexpected. That is enough to get them at least into the bubble conversation but they still have plenty of work to do. A win in Iowa City would help!
Iowa won in Minneapolis back in mid-January but in the month since then they are 2-4 with the two wins coming against the worst two teams in the league. These appear to be two teams headed in opposite directions.
