What unfolded at Camp Randall on Black Friday, a 24-7 Gophers beat down of the Badgers, was the culmination of two teams heading in completely opposite 2024 directions. Minnesota’s offense is starting to find its footing, with Brosmer at the helm, and their top 20 defense continues to get better week after week.

MINNESOTA IS BRINGING HOME PAUL BUNYAN'S AXE! pic.twitter.com/wYv4qFSoD7

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 29, 2024

Wisconsin, on the other hand, is not very good, and head coach Luke Fickell is struggling to keep his group together. After the rivalry week loss today, not only did they let Minnesota take Paul Bunyan’s Axe with them back to Dinkytown. But 2024 now marks the first time since 2001 that Wisconsin has finished below .500 (5-7), and outside of the NCAA bowl picture.

What We Learned: Minnesota Gophers vs Wisconsin Badgers

Brosmer looked sharp, Darius Taylor and the U of M offensive line was dominant and the defense didn’t allow the Badgers to do anything, through the air or on the ground. And of course, the Gophers were way better where it matters most, on the scoreboard.

So, here is what we learned in one of the most convincing Minnesota Golden Gopher football victories over a rival, in recent program history.

Max Brosmer is an NFL quarterback

Statistically speaking, Max Brosmer’s day does not stand out, compared to what he has stashed into box scores previously this season. He went 17-of-26 (65%) for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns. But those numbers do not do his performance any justice.

Max was in complete control all day, and his incompletions include some brutal dropped passes, that kept him out of the 200 yards club for rivalry week. But his PFF grades will say different, and so does the eye test. Max Brosmer digests the game like an NFL quarterback, and he’s getting better every day.

Daniel Jackson and Max Brosmer will both be drafted, come April. What a connection… #Gophers pic.twitter.com/jpBXSPs0qr

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) November 29, 2024

I do not know where he will go, but at this point, I’d be surprised if there isn’t an NFL team next April that takes a chance on Brosmer, especially if he impresses at the Hula Bowl, and especially if he can draw a spot at the NFL combine.

In the 2024 regular season, Max Brosmer totalled 2,617 passing yards, on 250-of-374 (67%), 17 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Brosmer’s 2024 season currently stands as the 7th most prolific passing season in school history, in terms of yardage.

If Max can throw for 203 yards in the Gophers’ bowl game, he will rise all the way to No. 3 on the list, behind just Adam Weber’s 2007 campaign (2,895 yds) and Tanner Morgan in 2019 (3,253 yds). He’s also tied for 9th in touchdowns and easily holds the best completion percentage of any season… ever. It’s too bad we don’t get more time with him.

Darius Taylor is still a really, really good running back

It hasn’t been the sophomore season that Darius Taylor was hoping for, when he agreed to come back to Dinkytown, following one of the most impressive true freshman seasons of any running back in the country in 2023. Entering the final week of the regular season, Taylor had totaled just 730 yards, on 4.8 yards per carry, surpassing 100 yards on the ground in just three games all year.

Compare that to 2023, when he won three-straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards and totalled 799 rushing yards (5.8 YPC), in just 6 healthy games. But a closer look tells a much different story. In 2024, Taylor has found paydirt 9 times on the ground, vs just 5 rushing touchdowns last year.

Related: Two Minnesota Gophers Seniors Accept Hula Bowl Invitations

And with Max Brosmer throwing him the football, the sophomore star also showed off his pass-catching ability, racking up 48 receptions (2nd most on the team), 320 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. As a freshman, Darius Taylor caught just 11 passes for a total of 98 yards and 0 touchdowns.

But Black Friday vs the Badgers was about showing the college football world that the Minnesota Gophers still know how to run the football down your throat, when the opportunity presents itself. Taylor totaled 143 yards on 32 carries vs Wisconsin. He grabbed two more receptions too, for 13 yards (11 YAC).

P.J. Fleck on Darius Taylor: He's one of the best people you'll ever meet in your entire life. His Auntie and Grandma deserve a lot of credit for that. https://t.co/dV2IHAN3UV #Gophers pic.twitter.com/ci1NpKaHtS

— Nadine Babu (@NadineBabu) November 29, 2024

Even without 1st round pick Aireontae Ersery, who exited the game midway through the 1st quarter, Darius & Co complete dominated the Wisconsin Badgers front seven, totalling 183 yards on the ground. Backup running back Marcus Major took his two carries for 43 yards.

Wisconsin never stood a chance vs Minnesota (especially on offense)

Not only does the final score of today’s game look one-sided, so does most of the final stat sheet. The Minnesota Gophers racked up 374 offensive yards to Wisconsin’s 166 and controlled the football for 36 minutes to 24.

Most of the damage was done in the first half, where the Golden Gophers jumped out to a 14-0 halftime lead. At that point in the game, Minnesota had asserted itself as far-and-away the superior team, on both sides of the ball.

Yes, the Golden Gophers played well on offense, especially in the first half on Friday’s game. But take a second to soak in those Wisconsin stats. Six rush yards in an entire half — only 37 pass yards — 1.6 yards per play. Those numbers are nearly impossible vs a Big Ten football team.

But there is a reason why the Minnesota Gophers defense was ranked 16th in points allowed (18.5) and 11th in yards allowed (302.3), both of which will get even better, after today’s win. It’s amazing that, even after Joe Rossi moved on, this might be the best defense since PJ arrived in Dinkytown.

The season that could have been…

This is a team that has felt on the cusp of a breakthrough, since the early weeks of the season. Anyone who has watched Minnesota Gophers football during the PJ Fleck era can easily see that Max Brosmer is the most talented quarterback he has had.

Related: Former Gophers Head Coach Tim Brewster Finally Gets His 2nd Chance

Unfortunately, an early-season hiccup vs North Carolina and devastating November loss vs Rutgers, ruined what should look like a step forward for this program. Combine those losses with Minnesota’s failure to close vs No. 4 Penn State and complete an epic comeback vs No. 12 Michigan (thanks refs), and the Gophers had to win a road rivalry game just to reach 7 wins in the regular season.

And that’s okay. They have legitimate reasons, that we’ll get into below. But one thing is for sure. When the Gophers, or other major local sports teams are playing well and need people to pack their stadium/arena, the fans show up every time. Apparently, the same cannot be said across the eastern border, in Madison, WI.

Unserious Wisconsin Badgers student section vs Alabama

On Saturday, the Wisconsin Badgers played against the No. 4 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, a massive game on their non-conference schedule. Both teams were 2-0, entering the contest.

Pull an upset, at home, and they would have skyrocketed up the CFB standings. It’s one of those games that, you’d think, would have been circled by Badger fans across the country. A can’t miss matchup at Camp Randall, right?

Well, maybe the late-night scene in Madison got a little too crazy on Friday, for an 11 AM kick… but the Wisconsin student section sure wasn’t in a hurry to claim their spot in the stands. It filled out eventually momentarily. More on that below. But it was a sad scene, leading upto, and even beyond kickoff in Madison this morning.

The Wisconsin student section right at 11:00 pic.twitter.com/0lx4QLQZOA

— Katie Windham (@katiewindham_) September 14, 2024

30 mins til kickoff and Wisconsin’s student section is maybe a 1/4 full pic.twitter.com/liaQNU5qxw

— Patrick Greenfield (@PCGreenfield) September 14, 2024

I know I am biased. But seriously, this should be impossible for a school that thinks it belongs in conversations with the helmet schools of the Big Ten, these days. An undefeated home game vs the No. 4 team in the country, and the best team in college football for most of the last two decades… and your student section is a no-show at kick?

They left early too…

But wait… it gets better. Not only did they show up late, but most of the Badger student section left early, too. Luckily, the Camp Randall student section filled up for their “Jump Around” tradition, which takes place between the 3rd and 4th quarters.

As soon as the music stopped and the cameras turned away, the entire endzone emptied. In their defense, the game was long over and the hangovers were probably at full force.

Hell of a student section Wisconsin. Roll Tide pic.twitter.com/TdT95sYI6E

— Waddler Warrior (@WaddlerWarrior) September 14, 2024

Wisconsin’s student section only shows up to sing that stupid ass song. They cleared out as soon as it was over. https://t.co/E6dYpF93CZ pic.twitter.com/Jb2N9SmIKg

— Gray Williams (@GWillBall) September 14, 2024

Again, Dinkytown isn’t Lincoln. It doesn’t pretend (or want) to be. Gopher football fans do not bleed maroon and gold like other fanbases. You know, the ride-or-die CFB blue bloods. The Nebraskas, Alabamas, Ohio States, Michigans, LSU and, Tennessees of the college football world. We’ll never claim to be that.

But at least we aren’t Wisconsin Badger kind of fair weather. Man, what a bad look. Even national websites like Barstool have picked up on how pathetic the effort was today, in Madison. And they aren’t even writing about the 42-10 beatdown.

Minnesota Gophers fans are far from perfect… but come one

For context purposes only, the Minnesota student section was mostly full on Saturday for a 2:30 kick vs group of 5 Nevada. A game the Gophers won 27-0. And when big time opponents come to town, especially a historic program like Bama, Huntington Bank Stadium would be absolutely cooking, no matter the time of game.

And our team has mostly sucked since the 1960s. Even if the Gophers student section was this pitiful, at least they’d have a plethora of excuses. Not only has there been little to no success, but unlike Madison and many of these other CFB towns, there’s other stuff to do here.

Related: What We Learned About the Gophers in Week 3 Stomping of Nevada

There are four major pro teams in the Twin Cities, not to mention the growing popularity of non-major pro sports teams. Oh, it’s also a massive urban metropolis with a million non-sports related things going on every day and night of the year.

But even with all of that said, Gopher fans — ESPECIALLY THEIR OWN STUDENT SECTION — would never leave their football team hanging in a massive game, like the Badger student section did on Saturday.

Source: College football's most-played rivalry is moving to Black Friday, as the battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe will take place on Nov. 29.

The Heroes Game will be in primetime for the first time, too.

🪓 Minnesota at Wisconsin, noon ET (CBS)
🇺🇸 Nebraska at Iowa, 7:30 ET (NBC)

— Matt Fortuna (@Matt_Fortuna) May 30, 2024

Minnesota vs Wisconsin is the oldest rivalry in college football going all the way back to 1890. It’s something I dove deep into a few years ago, when the rivalry was almost cancelled for the first time in over a century.

Related: How Good is New Gophers QB Max Brosmer?

The Badgers beat the Gophers last season, which allowed them to climb on top of the all-time matchup by one win. Wisconsin now holds the lead in the historic rivalry 63-62-8 so PJ Fleck and his new crew (led by QB Max Brosmer) will try to even the matchup back up and get the Axe into the trophy case where it rightfully belongs.

Related: U of M Plans to Renovate Williams Arena; New Gophers Basketball Venue Unlikely

Minnesota Gophers guard Elijah Hawkins tweets lol over no-call

Yeah, I said no-calls. The referees weren’t the sole reason Minnesota fell short tonight vs their border rival but, upon further review, it was absolutely part of the reason. Gophers point guard Elijah Hawkins feels the same way and expressed as much on Twitter after the game, along with a video to prove his point. He kept the caption short and sweet. “lol”.

lol pic.twitter.com/Ytyt5fexQB

— Elijah Hawkins 3 (@eslimee_) January 24, 2024

Elijah Hawkins returned from a one game absence vs Michigan State and the Minnesota offense was much more fluid with him on the floor. It’s become clear he is the straw that stirs the Minnesota Gophers drink offensively. The Howard transfer finished with 16 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.

Gophers need to start winning

Unfortunately, Elijah’s post isn’t going to put a W up in place of tonight’s L. Entering Tuesday night, the Gophers ranked #99 in the NET rankings. They are 12-7 on the season and 3-5 in conference play. The season is far from over and losing to a top 15 team in the country is nothing to be ashamed of.

Related: Future Gopher Isaac Asuma Nearly Posts Triple-Double in Star-Studded ‘Border Battle’ Showcase

But if Ben Johnson’s 2023-24 squad wants any chance at making the NCAA Tournament, come March, they need to start winning some of these close games, no matter how good or highly ranked the opponent is.

It also would have meant their third-straight win vs the Badgers, which would have been good for the best winning streak vs Wisconsin since the mid-80s. But most importantly, it would have meant Minnesota wins vs both Iowa and Wisconsin. Consolation prizes are disappointing but that would’ve been one hell of a moral victory.

Related: Wisconsin Canceled 1906 Football Rivalry with Minnesota, Not Roosevelt

Instead, after coming out of the gates hot, the Gophers crumbled under the 2nd-half spotlight in Dinkytown, failing to score a point in the final two quarters. The defense, even less impressive, allowing 28 points to one of the worst offensive teams in the country.

Here are 3 takeaways from the loss

I don’t want to beat a dead horse and I just wrote a feature about this earlier in the week, but it’s important enough to note, yet again. We have seen flashes of brilliance from Athan Kaliakmanis. He’s big, he can run and he is a great leader, not to mention tremendous human.

1. The Gophers need a better quarterback

But that’s not enough for a power-5 quarterback. Athan started pretty well on Saturday but then completely crumbled down the stretch. His final line, an underwhelming 16/28 for 167 yards, 1 INT and 1 TD. When Kaliakmanis threw his only touchdown of the game, he was 7/11 for 91 yards and a TD.

If PJ Fleck wants real improvement on offense next season, he must find a better quarterback in the transfer portal. I don’t care if he has to empty out the NIL bank account to get it done, but with divisions going away next season, it’ll be nearly impossible for the Gophers to keep up with the high powered Big Ten offenses they will now face more years than not, without a vastly improved passing game. To do that, they’ll need to vastly improve at QB.

Does Athan Kaliakmanis ever make the correct read, keep the ball, and pick up major yardage. It was there on 2nd and 5, instead he gives to Nubin for no gain. If AK keeps he has a lot of free space. Result? 3-and-Out.

— Zach Johnson (@ZachJohnsonGI) November 25, 2023

2. Joe Rossi has a lot of work to do

Injuries have been a problem, especially for a defense that was already expected to be younger than in years past. But when you play as poorly on that side of the ball as the Minnesota Gophers did for much of the 2023 season, there are no excuses that make things right.

Related: Mark Coyle Leaves No Doubt: PJ Fleck is Not on Hot Seat

Joe Rossi is known as one of the best defensive coaches in the country and one of the many future head coaches on the Minnesota staff, but he has a lot of work to do this offseason if he wants those conversations to return to prevalence.

The Gophers defense gave up over 30 points 6 times this season, by far the most since Rossi took over as DC in 2018. Granted they did play better teams in 2023, than in years past, but high point totals weren’t limited just to the Ohio States and Michigans of the world.

Minnesota gave up 49 to Purdue, 37 to Northwestern, and 35 to the University of Louisiana Ragin Cajuns… Obviously, Rossi’s defenses have always ranked near the top of the Big Ten and in the top-25 nationally. So, he gets one bad season. But what happened in 2023 cannot happen again in 2024.

3. Gophers bowl status still up in the air

Technically, the Gophers still have a chance to make one of the bottom feeder bowls of the season. While you need six wins to guarantee a bowl game, only five wins doesn’t mean you are eliminated from postseason eligibility.

Minnesota can still go bowling if the rest of the college football season plays out in their favor. As of now, only 77 teams across the country are bowl eligible. If that number doesn’t reach 79 by the end of the season, the Gophers are the first 5-win team to get a bid.

Minnesota loses to Wisconsin, so only 8 teams still alive to fill final 5 spots. Minnesota, however, is atop the APR rankings for 5-7 teams, so would still get a bid if there ends up being only 79 bowl eligible teams. We're currently at 77

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 25, 2023

But in all reality, a 5-7 bowl season is nothing to brag about. Bowl or no bowl, the 2023 Minnesota Gophers football season was a failure.

When Fleck was hired here in 2017, many fans only cared about one thing: can you beat Wisconsin? At the time, the Gophers hadn’t beaten the Badgers since 2003, 14 years prior to Fleck’s arrival.

PJ Fleck going for history vs Wisconsin

Now, Fleck has the Gophers set up to win three straight against the Badgers, which hasn’t been done since the Gophers won four in a row back in 1984-87, heck the Gophers won back to back games against the Badgers the last two seasons which hadn’t been done since the 93-94 seasons.

Related: Gophers Fly ‘Row The Boat’ Banner Over Koi Perich State Tournament Game

Saturday is a big opportunity for Fleck and company. The Gophers also have the chance to be bowl eligible for the third straight season and 5 of 7 years during PJ’s tenure.

PJ Fleck would join only Glen Mason as the only head coach to attend 5+ bowl games as the Gopher coach, this is a stat no matter how you look at Fleck these past few seasons, PJ Fleck’s ability to be consistent and win 6+ games almost every year is something the Gophers have not been blessed with in the recent history.

Disappointing season doesn’t mean disappointing tenure

Keep in mind, Fleck is only 42. He’s still considered a young mastermind of college football. Was this season a huge disappointment? Sure, the Gophers at many points during the season were pretty much handed the Big Ten West.

They just didn’t beat the teams that, well, you need to beat if you’re expecting to play for a conference championship. The loss to Northwestern was really bad. The loss to Illinois, in my opinion, was even worse, and well, getting blown out by a three-win Purdue team, is just unacceptable.

Things like that can’t continue to happen. But unfortunately, over the years of the PJ Fleck era, they have. The close games to non-power 5 teams, losses to the Bowling Greens of the world… gross.

Related: PJ Fleck Must Find Quarterback He Can Trust in Offseason

PJ Fleck does find ways to bounce back, he always has. And I’m fairly confident in his ability to continue to build this football program, he has set the standard high for himself. It’s all about the next step, beating teams you’re supposed to beat, beating rivals, and fighting for Big Ten Championships.

And all this starts tomorrow afternoon in Minneapolis. Can PJ Fleck bounce back once again, salvage the season, and get his Gopher squad The Axe for the third straight year?

Wisconsin is expected to hire Minnesota co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Paul Haynes, sources tell On3.

Matt Zenitz – On3Sports.com

Paul Haynes Lateral Move to Wisconsin

We do not yet know what position Haynes will be coaching but Fickell’s staff has already hired a defensive coordinator, which would signal a lateral move, not a promotion.

PJ Fleck talked just last week about embracing opportunities for his assistants to climb the coaching ladder, like Kenni Burns being hired as head coach at Kent State. Lateral moves to rival programs, however, are clearly frowned upon.

“I want to make sure that our people have the resources that they can have where if they do leave they go do something they’ve dreamed of. Position coaches to be coordinators, coordinators to be head coaches, position coaches going to be head coaches. I want to make sure that they continue to really elevate their life, their dreams, their hopes, their aspirations when they leave the University of Minnesota. And feel that they don’t have to go somewhere else to be a stepping stone to go to the next place.”

PJ Fleck – PJ Fleck Show on KFAN (21:30 mark)

Paul Haynes has coached for 30 years, according to GopherSports.com. His stops include a head coaching stint (2013-17) at Kent State. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator before last season and he’s been with the University of Minnesota since 2018. The Gophers now have openings at both CB and RB coach.

COACHING EXPERIENCE:

• 2022-present: Minnesota – Co-Defensive Coordinator / Cornerbacks
• 2020-2021: Minnesota – Cornerbacks
• 2018-19: Michigan State – Defensive Backs
• 2013-17: Kent State – Head Coach
• 2012: Arkansas – Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs 
• 2011: Ohio State – Co-Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
• 2005-10: Ohio State – Defensive Backs 
• 2003-04: Michigan State – Defensive Backs
• 2002: Louisville – Cornerbacks
• 2001: Jacksonville Jaguars – Defensive Quality Control
• 1999-2000: Kent State – Assistant Head Coach / Secondary Coach / Safeties
• 1997-98: Northern Iowa – Running backs / Secondary
• 1995-96: Ferris State – Secondary
• 1994: Bowling Green Graduate Assistant

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

That’s exactly what Markus would have brought to the table. But on Wednesday, he de-commited from Minnesota and announced his transfer portal recruitment as open. Then on Thursday, he re-committed to Wisconsin.

Markus Allen confirms he will play for the #Badgers in 2023.

UW gets its top four receivers back. https://t.co/M60DiYLBSt

— Evan Flood (@Evan_Flood) December 8, 2022

Markus Allen chose offense

Markus Allen’s midseason departure from Madison must’ve been greatly related to interim coach, Jim Leonard. Many thought Leonard would get the full time job this offseason but that’s not how it went.

Instead, the Badger athletic department had their sights set on Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell, who was announced as the new head coach at Wisconsin on November 28. A week later (yesterday), Fickell hired North Carolina offensive coordinator, Phil Longo, for the same position.

With Fickell and Longo in charge of the Badgers offense, it should look 300% more explosive than the power-run, control the clock, type football we’ve become accustomed to in the Big Ten West. And that, I’d imagine, is exactly why Markus Allen is heading back East to Madison.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

RTB…???? pic.twitter.com/AmXHkOeKAM

— Markus Allen☆ (@MarkusAllen19) November 28, 2022

Markus Allen Enters Transfer Portal Early

Allen comes in at 6-2, 190 lbs, according to 247Sports. The transfer portal doesn’t officially open for business until December 5. Markus was able to enter early because of a clause in portal rules allowing players whose coach has been fired mid-season to enter the portal immediately. Wisconsin head coach, Paul Chryst, was fired on October 2.

There’s no coincidence in the timing of this commitment. Clearly, Markus Allen wanted to make his commitment before the portal opened for everyone else. You can guarantee he saw PJ Fleck change his best offensively over the weekend when the Gophers rode QB Athan Kaliakmanis (319 yards, 2 TD) to a victory over Allen’s former teammates on national TV.

Who knows what will happen when the opening bell rings on the transfer portal next week but, as of now, the Gophers look like they’ll have some decent depth at wide receiver next season. Allen becomes the 2nd-highest recruit to enter the fold.

Gophers Wide Receiver Weapons

Dylan Wright is a former high-end 4-star and top-75 national recruit who transferred from Texas A&M. He and Daniel Jackson showed their potential vs Wisconsin. Both made phenomenal catches up, over and around defenders.

50/50 balls belong to Dylan Wright. ????@dylanwright_4 x @GopherFootball pic.twitter.com/zKlUqtzmUG

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 26, 2022

But the biggest boost to this passing attack could be the return of Chris Autman-Bell, who has already committed to returning for a 6th year, after being lost for the season with a leg injury in week 3 vs Colorado. Brevyn Spann-Ford appears more likely to stay, than not, as well.

We’ll see where Markus Allen slots into this receiving equation but he’ll clearly get every opportunity to contribute or he wouldn’t have committed to playing his college career out here. PJ had to convince him that he’d get target as well, meaning Athan will have to throw it around on a much more regular basis than what we’ve become accustomed to.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Because since then, Minnesota has won three-straight over Rutgers, Nebraska and Northwestern; and the Illini lost two of three in that same timeframe. Now suddenly, the Gophers find themselves in a four-way tie for first place atop the West.

Who is going to win the Big Ten West? pic.twitter.com/SRsa3VupVa

— 247Sports (@247Sports) November 13, 2022

Gophers Path to Big Ten West Supremacy

So the obvious questions must now be asked. What is the path for Minnesota? How likely is it that they actually come out on top of the division?

Well, the answer isn’t as complicated or unlikely as you might expect. PJ Fleck & Co do not hold their own destiny, yet. Still, their chances of playing in Indy in a few weeks are exponentially better and more plausible than before games kicked off yesterday.

First thing is first; the Gophers have to win out. That means victories over Iowa (home) and Wisconsin (away) to finish the season. Those wins, while simultaneously keeping Minnesota in the race, would eliminate the Hawkeyes and Badgers from contention.

That would leave Illinois and Purdue as the other two contenders. And both would have to find losses in one of their final two games, as well.

For you people looking for what has to happen for “X” Big Ten West team to win the West

Here’s all the scenarios with two weeks to go, courtesy of @WesleyJ_14 pic.twitter.com/dKCsinX3pK

— Ryan Burns (@RyanBurnsMN) November 13, 2022

Can That Happen?

To recap, Minnesota must win both of their final two games, while Purdue and Illinois both lose one of their final two. Should those three things happen, the Gophers are heading to Indy to play in their first-ever Big Ten Championship game.

How likely is that to happen, you ask? Well, losing shouldn’t be a problem for the Illini, who faces #3 Michigan at the Big House next week. If Illinois pulls that one out (they won’t), they deserve the West.

Purdue, on the other hand, has a much easier path. The Boilermakers’ remaining schedule features conference bottom feeders, Northwestern and Indiana. And on paper, those should be Boiler victories.

But, as we’ve learned many times throughout this season, nothing is guaranteed in the Big Ten West. And while it’s difficult to imagine a Purdue loss vs Northwestern next week, it’s easier to see them losing at in-state rival, Indiana, to close the season.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan