Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

SEC Trash Week takes a lot of luster, but things are getting down to the nitty gritty

Noon

#9 PSU at #2 OSU, FOX: Gameday and Big Nude Saturday come to Columbus for this top ten matchup.  Winner goes to Indy.

#11 Minnesota at Northwestern, ABC: Minny can lose this game and still win the division but obviously losing to Northwestern wouldn't be ideal.

Illinois at #19 Iowa, BTN: Both teams are bowl eligible, so this can go a ways towards where these teams slot.

MSU at Rutgers, FS1: Sparty could really, and I mean really, use a little Rutgers therapy.

3:30

#12 Michigan at Indiana, ESPN: Indiana gave PSU all they wanted, and Michigan has traditionally made the Indiana game an adventure, so this might get us somewhere.

Nebraska at Maryland, BTN: Nebraska needs to wins for the magic bowl number, Maryland needs to end the season.

Texas A&M at #4 Georgia, CBS: A two loss Georgia team winning the SEC could really give us #chaos.

4 pm
Purdue at #14 Wisconsin, FOX, Purdue needs two wins to get to bowl eligibility, Wiscy needs this win to stay in the division race.

7:30
#6 Oregon at Arizona State, ABC: Oregon given some opportunity with the Tua injury, need to keep winning impressively. ASU has lost 4 straight and Herm could use a big win.

8 pm

TCU at #8 Oklahoma, FOX: Sooners having been living on the edge lately, and they have little room for error anyway. TCU is #31 by SP+ and tries to play defense.

10 pm

#7 Utah at Arizona, FS1: Utes also in playoff contention, also need to keep on winning. Arizona hasn't been within single digits of another team for five straight games.

I know it's not a game of any real significance, but I'm interested in how Alabama responds after getting banged up against Mississippi State last Saturday.  Western Carolina isn't North Dakota State, so there's no chance for an upset, but it gives Mac & Co. a badly-needed tuneup before a hyper-critical Iron Bowl that once again has a lot on the line.  A win for Auburn would be little more than a feather in the cap for the Tigers, as they've politely excused themselves from the playoff picture last weekend, but with Alabama limping towards the finish line, a loss to Auburn not only certainly ends their playoff streak, but also jeopardizes their NY6 bowl streak.  A win for Bama keeps their playoff hopes alive for at least another week, but could send Auburn tumbling out of the Top 25 (if it's a blowout, then it's probable) leaving the Tide without a single signature win for the season.

This week's B1G games by current Power Ranking.  

• #1 Ohio State vs #3 Penn State
• #2 Wisconsin vs #10 Purdue
• #4 Michigan at #7 Indiana
• #5 Minnesota at #13 Northwestern
• #6 Iowa vs #8 Illinois
• #9 MSU at #14 Rutgers
• #11 Nebraska at #12 Maryland

A slew of interesting games:

Ohio State / Penn State is (almost certainly) for the B1G-E slot in Indianapolis and has major national CFP implications.  

Wisconsin needs a win to keep pace in the B1G-W, Purdue needs a win to keep their bowl hopes alive.  

Michigan can't make it to Indianapolis but this game is still very important to determining Michigan's eventual bowl destination particularly if the Wolverines lose to Ohio State.  With a loss here and to Ohio State they are an 8-4 also-ran.  With a win here, even if they lose to Ohio State, they have a good shot at a high-end bowl.  Indiana is still looking for an upset of a high-end team and they always seem to come up just short.  

Minnesota needs a win over NU to keep their CFP hopes alive because they can't realistically get in as a 2-loss team with a loss to a sub .500 Northwestern.  

Illinois would like to add another big scalp to the Wisconsin scalp they collected earlier and this is their last chance.  Iowa needs a win to prop up their final bowl destination.  

MSU needs a win to keep their bowl hopes alive.  

Nebraska needs a win to keep their bowl hopes alive.