The 22 points Iowa put up against Rutgers this week are the most they’ve had in a single game since Week 5. (Week 5 is also the last time Iowa topped the Ferentz Line.) Not only that, they almost matched the entire game total from the Maryland/Nebraska slobberknocker. Brian’s really letting loose now that he has nothing to lose!

Week Eleven:

We’re 5-9 against the line this week, which is not particularly surprising. But three of those five teams — including the top two — come from the B1G West, and that is a bit of a shock. Suck it, B1G East!

49 Purdue
48 Illinois
45 Indiana
38 Ohio State
30 Minnesota
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24 Michigan
24 Northwestern
22 Iowa
15 Penn State
13 Maryland
10 Nebraska
10 Wisconsin
3 Michigan State
0 Rutgers

Season:

Iowa dragged Rutgers below the season line, so we’re now at 4-10.

Michigan and Penn State entered the week above 40 PPG, but only scored a total of 39 when they faced off this week. Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan State are all below 20 PPG.

39.0 (390/10) Michigan
37.7 (377/10) Penn State
33.3 (333/10) Ohio State
28.9 (289/10) Maryland
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24.1 (241/10) Rutgers
23.8 (238/10) Illinois
23.7 (237/10) Purdue
22.5 (225/10) Minnesota
22.2 (222/10) Wisconsin
21.4 (214/10) Indiana
20.5 (205/10) Northwestern
18.9 (189/10) Nebraska
18.8 (188/10) Iowa
16.7 (167/10) Michigan State

Record Against the Line:

The Nittany Lions should be proud — they handed Michigan their first loss of the season. Against the Ferentz Line, anyway. No B1G squad has a perfect record. Michigan State and future B1G West Champion Iowa bring up the rear at 2-8.

9-1 Michigan
8-2 Penn State
6-4 Maryland
6-4 Minnesota
6-4 Ohio State
5-5 Rutgers
4-6 Illinois
4-6 Wisconsin
3-7 Indiana
3-7 Nebraska
3-7 Northwestern
3-7 Purdue
2-8 Michigan State
2-8 Iowa

Who's Safe?

To hit the 25 PPG mark, you need at least 300 points in a 12-game season, 325 in a 13-game season, 350 in a 14-game season, and 375 in a 15-game season.

Safe (15): Michigan (390), Penn State (377)
Safe (13): Ohio State (333)
Almost There: Maryland (289)

What Are the Ferentzi Really Up To?

After Week 7, I posited that perhaps the Ferentzi were trying to captain the lowest-scoring team to ever win the B1G West. After all, only one B1G West champion has ever made it to Indianapolis without crossing the Ferentz Line, and it wasn’t even Iowa — it was the 2018 Northwestern squad that lost every single non-con game, but still locked up the West with two games left to play! And who wants to be out-Ferentzed by Pat Fitzgerald?

That particular goal is still on the table. Iowa sits at 5-2 in conference play, while most of the West is knotted at 3-4. (Only Purdue, at 2-5, has decided to sit out of the logjam.) If they lose out, the worst Iowa could do is tie for the poisoned chalice, but it’s late and I’ve had too much to drink to think about all the potential tiebreakers.

2014 Wisconsin (450/12; 37.5 PPG)
2019 Wisconsin (429/12; 35.8 PPG)
2017 Wisconsin (418/12; 34.8 PPG)
2015 Iowa (404/12; 33.7 PPG)
2016 Wisconsin (342/12; 28.5 PPG)
2022 Purdue (341/12; 28.4 PPG)
2021 Iowa (308/12; 25.7 PPG)
2020 Northwestern (177/7; 25.3 PPG)
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2018 Northwestern (284/12; 23.7 PPG)