Week 6: Big Ten Football Stock Report

Well, that was quite the week. An Alabama vs. FCS level blowout leveled on a conference opponent, a surprisingly convincing victory in State College, and most of the west is still lol ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Here is how everyones stock is doing:

Stock Up

Michigan Wolverines - That was just...brutal. Who is the last conference opponent to beat another conference opponent by at least 78 points? Rutgers is bad but I never thought they were that bad. It’s not even like you passed all over them, you rushed it for 481 and 9 TDs. Next up: bye.

Penn State Nittany Lions - There is the run game. As a Maryland fan, this is what I was most afraid of. Maryland has not played a good rushing team all year and it has hidden the really lackluster DL. Penn State took advantage of it and knocked out some huge runs en route to 300+ yards on the ground. Next up: bye.

Purdue Boilermakers - Purdue won a conference game! It took overtime but you did it! Nine different receivers got in on the action and you rushed for 5.6ypc, not bad at all. Three TO’s to ice the kicker be damned, you won the game. Next up: Iowa.

Stock Holding

Ohio State Buckeyes - Solid win over an improved Indiana defense that kept them in the game going into the 3rd quarter. You’d like to see J.T. Barrett run the ball a bit less but the zone read and designed QB runs were working. Next up: at #11 Wisconsin.

Iowa Hawkeyes - I think most Iowa fans would prefer I put you in stock down after a 14-7 win over Minnesota that needed a big 54 yard run late in the 4th quarter to win it. It certainly feels like you are in stock down given the expectations coming into this year when compared to the lackluster play on offense. You ran for 209 yards, sure, but almost half of them came on two runs. Next up: at Purdue.

Stock Down

Maryland Terrapins - That is why you don’t blow your load over betting lines, Terp fans. The DL has always had a question mark on it going into this season and the first time a good RB is faced they gave up 300+ rushing yards. The entire defense was bad as McSorley frequently broke contain for large chunks. Hills was hurt yet again on offense and the OL looked awful in pass protection. Maryland failed to impose their will in the rushing game and they lost the game. Awful all around. For you Penn State fans reading, this is what DJ Durkin said on the late hit:

“He would have not played another snap of that game in any phase,” Durkin said following Maryland’s 38-14 loss in Happy Valley. “That is not our program. We will not -- we will not -- do that. Obviously, I had not done a good job getting that conveyed. That message had been made clear and it will be made even clearer now. That is not us, I don’t believe in that, that was a bad play.”

Next up: Minnesota.

Minnesota Golden Gophers - Nothing was clicking on offense on Saturday, nothing. There are conflicting reports that Leitner had a concussion and played through it, which is awful if true, but either way the passing and running game were not doing anything against the Iowa defense. Thankfully, the defense was clicking and outside of two runs they held their own. Unfortunately the second of those two long runs led to the game winning TD and Floyd traveled back to Iowa. Next up: at Maryland.

Indiana Hoosiers - I almost put you in stock holding for staying with Ohio State well into the second half but at the end of the day J.T. Barrett was too much to contain and the story of the year continues that the offense couldn’t get it going. Next up: #12 Nebraska.

Illinois Fighting Illini - Offense looked great, defense not so much. I mean, let’s be real here when we are having measuring sticks: Maryland beat Purdue 50-7 and held them to 30 yards rushing. This is the same Maryland team that just gave up 300+ this weekend. The defense needs to get it together because it just gave up everyone elses guaranteed win of the year. Next up: at Rutgers. Don’t lose to Rutgers.

Michigan State Spartans - No bueno Sparty. You have definitely fallen. D’Antonio’s post game interview was terribly depressing on how he thought he had built the program over the past five years and where he thought it should be compared to where it is. At the same time he told the players that and I’m not sure throwing that blame on them is going to help. O’Connor was benched halfway through the game and things didn’t improve either. The search for Connor Cook’s replacement continues. Next up: Northwestern.

Stock No Longer Traded on Public Market

Rutgers Scarlet Knights - 78 points given up. 39 yards gained. Absolutely embarrassed and embarrassing. You sure you guys are ready for FBS sports? This is almost as bad, ok no definitely worse, than your basketball team. Don’t worry Nebraska fans, now we have Michigan scored again. Next up: Illinois.