Here’s a look around the conference at the biggest results and storylines from the opening weekend.
Week one of college football is complete, and the Big Ten did not cruise to victory in every game. Most teams took care of business, but one of the most controversial finishes in recent sports history happened in Ann Arbor. Let’s dive into week one around the conference.
UAB 23, Illinois 42
Illinois opened the season 1-0 with a Thursday night win over UAB. The Illini now have a three-game winning streak dating back to last season and could make a run at another high-level bowl game for the third straight year.
The defense left plenty to be desired, allowing 219 passing yards to Ryder Burton, but the offense shined behind transfer quarterback Katin Houser. Houser threw for three touchdowns and currently ranks No. 1 in college football in QBR.
Illinois will host Duke on Saturday in its only Power Four non-conference game, with a chance to start the season 2-0.
Western Michigan 12, Michigan 13
Michigan won Saturday in one of the most controversial finishes in college football history. The clock hit zero, but the referees gave the Wolverines one more play with one second remaining. Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood completed a Hail Mary, and Michigan escaped with a 13-12 victory.
The Wolverines should not have been awarded that final play and, in my opinion, should not have won their opener. Michigan has since fallen out of the Top 25 and is a 5.5-point home underdog against Oklahoma next week.
UMass 37, Rutgers 21
UMass pulled off the biggest upset of the week and one of the most surprising results college football has seen in years. The Minutemen were 28.5-point road underdogs against Rutgers but dominated from start to finish, earning their first win in 16 games.
Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns but struggled with turnovers, throwing three interceptions.
The Scarlet Knights were not expected to be great this season, but this loss was one of the worst in the program's recent history. Rutgers looked like it could be one of the worst teams in the Big Ten and now faces a challenging road game against Boston College.
Eastern Illinois 7, Minnesota 59
Minnesota did exactly what was expected against FCS opponent Eastern Illinois. The Golden Gophers jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead and never looked back. Quarterback Drake Lindsey threw for 264 yards and helped Minnesota score more points in one game than it did all of last season.
Minnesota could be a sneaky-good team in the Big Ten this year and can prove it by beating Mississippi State at home next week.
Fresno State 0, USC 39
USC is already 2-0 after beating San Jose State in Week Zero before blowing out Fresno State in Week One. The Trojans' defense suffocated Fresno State, and the game was essentially over by halftime with USC leading 30-0.
At 2-0, USC has appeared in several College Football Playoff projections. The Trojans should be 4-0 heading into a ranked matchup against Oregon, with Louisiana and Rutgers up next.
Indiana State 19, Purdue 44
Purdue is expected to be one of the worst teams in the Power Four, but the Boilermakers got off to a strong start with a blowout win over Indiana State.
The game was close in the first half, but Purdue pulled away by outscoring the Sycamores 21-0 in the third quarter. The Boilermakers will host Wake Forest on Saturday, where their winning streak could be put to the test. The Demon Deacons are three-point road favorites in what should be a close game.
Toledo 20, Michigan State 30
This matchup was close throughout, but Michigan State's 11 fourth-quarter points sealed the victory. The Spartans were expected to have a challenging season in Year One of the Pat Fitzgerald era.
Running back Cam Edwards carried the ball 27 times for 98 yards and a touchdown. Michigan State should be able to move to 2-0 next week against Eastern Michigan before traveling to Notre Dame for a much tougher matchup.
Ball State 3, Ohio State 56
Ohio State looked like one of the best teams in the country Saturday, cruising to an easy win over Ball State. The Cardinals had no answers for the Buckeyes, who dominated in every phase of the game.
The real test comes next week when Ohio State travels to Austin to take on No. 4 Texas. The Buckeyes won the first meeting between these teams in an ugly game last year but enter Saturday as slight underdogs. It should be one of the best games of the weekend.
Boise State 27, Oregon 34
This game was much closer than expected and featured one of the best finishes of the Saturday slate. It was a back-and-forth battle throughout, but Oregon's talent ultimately prevailed against a good Boise State team.
Boise State should be one of the best Group of Five teams in the country this season, but Oregon will need to play better if it wants to live up to its No. 2 ranking. The Ducks should win their next two games before traveling to USC for a ranked matchup.
North Texas 16, Indiana 52
Indiana defended its championship well in its opener, cruising to an easy win over North Texas. The Hoosiers might be underrated this season and should enter Big Ten play undefeated thanks to a favorable non-conference schedule.
Marshall 0, Penn State 45 | Northern Illinois 0, Iowa 40 | Hampton 0, Maryland 62
Penn State, Iowa and Maryland all shut out their buy-game opponents Saturday. All three defenses looked dominant from start to finish.
Ohio 21, Nebraska 49
The Nebraska women's volleyball game at Wrigley Field might have generated more hype than the football game, but the Cornhuskers took care of business nonetheless. Quarterback Anthony Calandrea threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns.
Nebraska is another middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team that should begin conference play undefeated thanks to a favorable schedule.
South Dakota State 18, Northwestern 34
Northwestern had its hands full against South Dakota State before outscoring the Jackrabbits 17-6 in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats allowed 285 passing yards to SDSU quarterback Chase Mason and were unable to pull away from the FCS opponent.
Northwestern did not look great in its opener and now hosts Colorado, which is coming off an impressive win at Georgia Tech.
Wisconsin 13, Notre Dame 41
This matchup showcased the downside of scheduling college football games years in advance. It was an uneven matchup between Notre Dame and Wisconsin in Green Bay.
The atmosphere inside Lambeau Field was cool, but the game lost much of its entertainment value once the second half began. Wisconsin should be a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten team this season and has a chance to get back on track against Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan.
Washington State 10, Washington 24 | UCLA 45, California 24
The former Pac-12 rivals faced off in Week One, and the new Big Ten went 2-0. Washington won a low-scoring affair Sunday night, holding Washington State scoreless until the fourth quarter.
UCLA also picked up a solid road win at California in Bob Chesney's first game as head coach. Both teams will stay out West in Week Two, hosting Utah State and San Diego State, respectively.
