The Big Ten has a slate of pretty vanilla games on the week before conference play gets going, but there are still some interesting stories around the conference as we head into Saturday.
22 Michigan Wolverines vs. San Diego State Aztecs, 12:00 PM ET, Big Ten Network
Michigan is by no means an underdog in this game, but if any team can knock off the Wolverines it might be an offensive attack that includes Heisman hopeful Ronnie Hillman, the SDSU running back who has been dominant this season. SDSU also boasts one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the country in Ryan Lindley.
Still, Michigan is the Denard Robinson show, and unless SDSU has a perfect gameplan in place, this one should go to the Wolverines.
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Colorado Buffaloes, 3:30 PM ET, ABC/ESPN2
An early season Big Ten vs. Pac 12 matchup pits the Buckeyes and new starting quarterback Braxton Miller against a struggling Buffaloes squad. Colorado is allowing 28 points per game so far this season, a good sign for a struggling Buckeyes offense.
The Buckeyes will have their hands full with Colorado running back Rodney Stewart, who is a great receiver out of the backfield and deadly when he gets the ball in open space, as well as Paul Richardson, a sophomore wide receiver who is averaging 20 yards per reception with four touchdowns in 3 games.
24 Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Western Michigan Broncos, 3:30 PM ET, Big Ten Network
Illinois is very quietly 3-0 and has seemingly creeped into the top 25 without anyone noticing. This team is led by a true gamer in Nathan Scheelhaase, and has one of the toughest defensive units in the conference, only giving up 10.7 points per game so far this season.
Illinois has been a sleeper team for a lot of analysts and they are proving them right so far, and one of the biggest strengths of this team is their ability to run the ball. Jason Ford and Scheelhaase are hard for opposing teams to handle on the ground.
9 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Wyoming Cowboys, 7:30 PM ET, Versus Network
This game should be a blowout in favor of Nebraska, but it is significant because it is the first game of the season for Nebraska star cornerback Alfonzo Dennard who has been out since fall practices. Dennard is one of the most dominant corners in the country, and a projected first round NFL draft pick.
If you are a fan of the NFL Draft, keep an eye on number 15 in red--he has a chance to really be a star player some day.