Trey Burke and Mitch McGary celebrate Michigan's win over Michigan State (MGoBlue.com)

From the beginning of this afternoon’s rivalry matchup, something felt different. This game would not end in a 23-point blowout like it did three weeks ago in East Lansing. No, this game would be war.

Michigan State came out hot in the first half, making five of 11 shots from downtown and rebounding exactly half of their own misses. But Michigan, not to be embarrassed at home, hung tight.

Adreian Payne and Gary Harris were the cogs for Izzo’s offense, combining for 19 points on 14 shots, including 3-of-5 from deep, but Trey Burke teamed up with Glenn Robinson III and Tim Hardaway, Jr. to put up 23 points on just 14 shots of their own in the opening stanza.

There was one difference though.

While Michigan State made it rain from deep, leading to a 31-28 halftime advantage, Michigan did work inside, throwing down four dunks while missing all six of their three-point looks, the exact opposite of what anyone could expect from these two teams.

Presumably the biggest reason for that disparity was the loss of Nik Stauskas for Michigan. Stauskas, the Wolverines’ best three-point shooter, got an inadvertent elbow to the eye and started gushing blood while Michigan successfully ran a fast-break before the refs noticed. He was immediately taken to the locker room and returned the bench briefly in the first half, but did not come back out for the second half, playing only four minutes total.

The game had to go on, though, and Caris LeVert was called upon to replace most of the Canadian’s minutes, which would include a defensive assignment on Michigan State’s freshman sharpshooter Gary Harris.

Throughout the first half, no team could pull away, but the Spartans held a comfortable five- to seven-point lead for the majority of the 20 minutes before a huge 4-0 run for Michigan to go into halftime.

After the break, it was again Trey Burke getting it done for Michigan, as the Wolverines took a slight lead early and played lock-down defense, allowing fewer than 10 points 13 minutes into the half. Jordan Morgan and Mitch McGary were also huge, combining for 14 points, all in the post, early on, to pad the lead.

Michigan’s offense never hit full speed, making only 42 percent of their shots (and zero three-pointers), but their defense, led by Morgan’s staunch play down low and a few big charges drawn in the first five minutes of the half, was the unexpected upside for the Wolverines.

Slowly but surely, the Maize and Blue built a lead – five points, then seven points, then double digits – as the game went on, and the crowd became louder and louder.

Michigan dominated the paint against the Spartans (MGoBlue.com)

But Michigan State was not going down without a fight. Late in the second half, as Michigan’s lead reached a high of 10 points, the Spartans needed a boost in a big way. They got it in a crazy sequence that saw the Spartans score seven straight points in under one minute to cut the lead to three, and a Gary Harris three with 1:51 remaining cut Michigan’s lead to two. Just as Michigan seemed to have the game locked down, it started to fall through their hands.

In the furious final minute then, Michigan State ended up tying the game at the free throw line and gaining possession with about 40 seconds left and the score knotted at 56. All of a sudden, Michigan’s lead was gone and a huge win seemed unlikely with the momentum swing.

Then Trey Burke showed once again why he is perhaps the best player in the country, picking Keith Appling’s pocket clean with 26 seconds on the clock and throwing down a breakaway dunk to give Michigan the lead with 22 seconds to go.

On Michigan State’s next possession, Derrick Nix collected the ball in the post and was fouled by Hardaway with eight seconds left. With the arena blaring, however, the usually-reliable Nix missed the first free throw but made the second to cut the lead to one. LeVert then inbounded the ball to McGary, who was promptly fouled for a one-and-one opportunity.

McGary, despite making two clutch free throws earlier in the second half, missed the front end, and Adreian Payne got the rebound out of a scrum and called a timeout to give Michigan State the last look with five seconds remaining.

Keith Appling, whose shooting woes continued today, inbounded to Gary Harris, who was hounded by Hardaway and threw the ball to the wing.

Burke was there for the steal. Game over.

There was no denying who the best player on the floor was, as superstar sophomore point guard Trey Burke put up a routine 21 points, eight assists, and five steals to just two turnovers. His free throw shooting (5-of-6) was huge again, and despite going 0-for-3 from downtown, he always seemed to make the right pass in the clutch, play tough defense on Michigan State’s talented guards, and draw fouls at key times.

Unlike in past losses though, Burke got some help today from some unlikely faces, and just about every Wolverine contributed in some way.

McGary dominated fellow freshman Matt Costello in the paint over a short stretch midway through the second half, and Morgan played tough defense all day in the post and provided a vocal presence, slapping the floor on one occasion after a big bucket in response to the Spartans’ doing the same a number of times. Perhaps the biggest unsung hero of the game, though, was Caris LeVert, who played a whopping 30 minutes and scored eight big points while playing strong defense on Harris throughout. LeVert’s two steals were also huge, and even though Harris scored 16 points total, it took him 16 shots to get there, due in large part to LeVert’s efforts.

Nothing seemed to go as scripted today, and no one expects to have a key scorer miss the majority of a game from injury, but Michigan seemed to have just enough answers to get it done. And even though the defense has been average at best throughout Big Ten play, the Wolverines got it done on that end of the court and will certainly keep this tape for future reference.

Despite allowing Izzo’s big, tough squad to rebound nearly half of their misses, Michigan got it done by holding onto the ball (with only seven turnovers) and capitalizing on the Spartans’ 18 cough-ups. It was a different story from the debacle three weeks ago, and a win that Michigan will certainly look to build upon as they fight for seeding in the Big Ten and Big Dance after sending MSU to their third straight loss.

In the end, home court rules in college basketball, and nowhere bigger than at the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. Today, Michigan showed you why.

#4 Michigan vs #9 Michigan State
Sunday, Mar. 3 | 4pm ET | CBS
23-5 (10-5)	Record	22-6 (11-4)
Slippery Rock 100-62 IUPUI 91-54 Cleveland State 77-47 Pittsburgh 67-62 Kansas State 71-57 NC State 79-72 Bradley 74-66 W. Michigan 73-41 Arkansas 80-67 Binghamton 67-39 West Virginia 81-66 E. Michigan 93-54 C. Michigan 88-73 Northwestern 94-66 Iowa 95-67 Nebraska 62-47 #9 Minnesota 83-75 Purdue 68-53 Illinois 74-60 Northwestern 68-46 #10 Ohio State 76-74 OT Penn State 79-71 Illinois 71-58	Wins	#7 Kansas 67-64 Texas Southern 69-41 Boise State 74-70 Oakland 70-52 Louisiana-Lafayette 63-60 Nicholls State 84-39 Arkansas-Pine Bluff 76-44 Loyola (IL) 73-61 Tuskeegee 92-56 Bowling Green 64-53 Texas 67-56 Purdue 84-61 Iowa 62-59 Nebraska 66-56 Penn State 81-72 #11 Ohio State 59-56 Wisconsin 49-47 Illinois 80-75 #18 Minnesota 61-50 Purdue 78-65 #4 Michigan 75-52 Nebraska 73-65
#15 Ohio State 56-53 #3 Indiana 73-81 Wisconsin 62-65 OT #8 Michigan State 52-75 Penn State 78-84	Losses	#23 Connecticut 62-66 Miami 59-67 #9 Minnesota 63-76 #7 Indiana 70-75 #1 Indiana 68-72 #18 Ohio State 60-68
76.0	Points Per Game	69.6
62.1	Scoring Defense	59.9
794-for-1,605 (49.5%)	Field Goal %	698-for-1,492 (46.8%)
657-for-1,567 (41.9%)	Def. Field Goal %	592-for-1,509 (39.2%)
221-for-562 (39.3%)	3-point %	140-for-404 (34.7%)
187-for-571 (32.7%)	Def. 3-point %	157-for-494 (31.8%)
320-for-454 (70.5%)	Free Throw %	413-for-581 (71.1%)
11.4	FT Made/Game	14.8
35.6	Rebounds Per Game	37.5
30.5	Opp. Reb. Per Game	30.5
14.8	Assists Per Game	13.6
9.7	Turnovers Per Game	13.5
5.8	Steals Per Game	8.3
2.6	Blocks Per Game	4.0
G – Trey Burke (18.8) G – Tim Hardaway Jr. (15.2)	Leading Scorer	G – Keith Appling (13.4) G – Gary Harris (13.2)
F – Mitch McGary (5.6) F – Glenn Robinson III (5.5)	Leading Rebounder	F – Adreian Payne (7.3) F – Derrick Nix (6.4)

Three weeks ago, the Michigan Wolverines travelled to East Lansing for what was supposed to be the biggest game in the history of this in-state rivalry. Both teams were in a battle for first place in the Big Ten, bragging rights were on the line, and the winner would certainly gain all the more traction when it comes to seeding for the Big Dance. Unfortunately, viewers tuning in from around the country in the hopes of a scintillating matchup were left wondering if they had watched the right game after Michigan State took Michigan to the woodshed, dominating the Wolverines in all facets of the game.

Since then, both teams have had their hiccups, however, with Michigan losing to Penn State last Wednesday and the Spartans coming off consecutive losses for the first time all season. If any game could be more important than that blowout in East Lansing, it’s today’s showdown (4pm on CBS) at the Crisler Center. The Big Ten title might be out of reach for both teams now, but seeding for both the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament are vastly important. Here are three keys for Michigan if they hope to bounce back:

1. Mix it up on D: In the first tussle between these teams, Michigan State scored at will from anywhere on the floor, with Gary Harris pouring in five threes and the rest of the team combining to shoot nearly 55 percent from inside the arc. For Michigan, the defense has been lacking all season long, and it certainly has not improved recently, as Penn State put up a ridiculous 84 points on the Wolverines on Wednesday. Michigan State is going to try to bully around Michigan’s smaller lineup in the post again and will start both Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne.
2. To counter, watch for Michigan to throw a variety of looks at Tom Izzo’s squad in the hopes of causing some confusion and perhaps turning Michigan State over, which they are susceptible to at times. At this point, Michigan would be hard-pressed to play worse defense than their man-to-man outfit has been recently, and I expect to see some 1-3-1 and 2-3 zone series. Against Illinois, Michigan was decently successful playing a hyper-aggressive trapping man defense on certain possessions, forcing the Illini out to half court a number of times with double teams, so that is an option to throw out as well. In the post, the Wolverines would again be wise to double team Nix and Payne, particularly forcing Nix over his left shoulder, and rotate when the ball is passed out to the perimeter. Overall, Michigan simply needs to move their feet quickly, cut off the drive, and cover the open man. Easier said than done, but doable.

1. Protect the Rock: Uncharacteristically for a John Beilein-coached team, Michigan has had some turnover issues of their own in recent losses, coughing the ball up a combined 31 times in the losses to MSU and PSU. Both teams feasted off the Wolverines’ sloppy play and were able to control the flow of the game throughout. Today, Michigan needs to run their offense and make smart decisions at all times. At times, it seems that Michigan is rushing everything too much, especially on the road, and needs to calm down. If a look isn’t there, give the ball to Trey Burke and set the offense back up. When the fast break is open, run, but when the Spartans are back on defense and playing physical, protect the ball, drive, kick to the open man, or draw a foul.

1. Get Everyone Involved: Michigan is at its best when Trey Burke is not the only player who shows up, as evidenced by the first game in this series. Tim Hardaway, Jr. has been in a bit of a funk lately, and all of the freshmen have hit bumps in the road at one time or another. Burke can and will score his points, but if shots aren’t falling for the wings and the posts aren’t mixing it up inside, it could be a very long day again for the Maize and Blue. The freshmen are young, but they need to play composed in huge games like this if Michigan is going to make a run at any point in the postseason. Look for Burke to get it going early on but then drop some dimes to Hardaway and Stauskas from downtown and Robinson III over the top of the defense. If three or four Wolverines reach double digits, they should win the game. The good news for Michigan is that Michigan State is struggling with the same issue, as Keith Appling has gone ice cold lately and the surrounding cast has been inconsistent at best. The team with more double digit scorers today wins.

Prediction: Much like the first matchup between these rivals, I really don’t know which way this game will fall, and that could be a very bad indication today. For some reason though, I think Michigan will turn the bad publicity into positive energy and stay undefeated at home. Winning on the road is very difficult in the Big Ten, and both these teams are well aware of that this year. The Wolverines need to protect home court today if they want to stay in the mix for a top seed in both postseason tournaments, and I expect them to do that today. Burke leads the way with 20 and 10 assists while Mitch McGary bounces back in a big way on the glass and four Wolverines reach double figures in a 71-62 win.

Michigan State took it right to Michigan's big men last night (MGoBlue.com)

Michigan traveled to East Lansing on Tuesday night to complete a brutal four-game stretch and look to steal a win on the road from hated rival Michigan State. Instead, the Spartans came out on fire in the electric Breslin Center and put the game away within the first 14 minutes.

Michigan looked lethargic from the get-go, making sloppy passes and coming up a step too slow on rebounds and loose balls. It resulted in a season worst 16 turnovers and a humiliating 23-point loss.

Michigan State scored the first four before Trey Burke got Michigan on the board. The Spartans’ strategy was clear: feed the ball to Brendan Dawson and Derrick Nix inside and make Michigan’s undersized big men try to stop them. Dawson scored six of State’s first 10 points by the first media time out and Nix had two.

MSU freshman Gary Harris got in on the action with a three to put State ahead 13-7, but Nik Stauskas answered with a three of his own. A jumper by Nix, another three by Harris, and a layup by Denzel Valentine precipitated the under-12 time out and gave Michigan State a seven point lead.

Out of the time out, Caris LeVert hit a jumper, but from there, Michigan went on a five minute scoring drought that allowed the Spartans to build a 29-17 lead. They kept pouring it on the remainder of the half and by the time the buzzer mercifully came, Michigan trailed 38-24. It was the most first half points Michigan had allowed all season and the second fewest first half points the Wolverines had scored all season, resulting in the largest halftime deficit of the season.

In the second, Tim Hardaway Jr. got his first – and only – bucket of the night on a drive through the lane, but Harris answered right back with another three. A three-point play by Burke was answered by a Keith Appling jumper and a frustrated Burke picked up his third foul. That led to a three minute scoring drought that all but sealed the game for the Spartans. By the time Max Bielfeldt tipped in a shot at the 15:27 mark, Michigan trailed by 19. And the lead only grew the rest of the way until both teams pulled their starters for the final minutes.

In the end, Michigan lost 75-52, but it wasn’t even as close as that. On this night, Michigan State couldn’t miss and Michigan couldn’t do anything right. The Wolverines looked as if they had run out of gas, as if the previous three-game stretch – at Indiana, home against Ohio State, at Wisconsin – had taken a toll, both mentally and physically. The latter two of those went to overtime.

Burke managed to score 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting, but was largely ineffective due to foul trouble. Stauskas was the only other Michigan player in double digits with 10, while Mitch McGary, who got the start for the still-injured Jordan Morgan, scored four points and grabbed four rebounds. He also committed four turnovers. Tim Hardaway Jr. managed only two points on 1-of-11 shooting. By comparison, Corey Person scored three and Eso Akunne scored two in garbage time.

As a team, Michigan shot just 39.6 percent from the field and 31.6 percent from three. Michigan State shot 48.4 percent – a number that would have been over 50 percent if you remove the garbage time threes from the end of the bench. Michigan was out-rebounded 41-30, and gave up 14 offensive rebounds.

The loss drops Michigan two games behind Michigan State and Indiana in the Big Ten standings. Both still have to come to Ann Arbor in the final two weeks of the season, but every game remaining on the schedule is a must win if Michigan is to have any chance of sharing the Big Ten title.

The Wolverines return home to host Penn State (8-15, 0-11) at noon on Saturday and then get a much needed week off before Illinois comes to town. Michigan will wear all white retro uniforms on Saturday to pay tribute to the 1968 Wolverine team that opened Crisler Arena.

#4 Michigan vs #8 Michigan State
Tuesday, Feb. 12 | 9pm ET | ESPN
21-3 (8-3)	Record	20-4 (9-2)
Slippery Rock 100-62 IUPUI 91-54 Cleveland State 77-47 Pittsburgh 67-62 Kansas State 71-57 NC State 79-72 Bradley 74-66 W. Michigan 73-41 Arkansas 80-67 Binghamton 67-39 West Virginia 81-66 E. Michigan 93-54 C. Michigan 88-73 Northwestern 94-66 Iowa 95-67 Nebraska 62-47 #9 Minnesota 83-75 Purdue 68-53 Illinois 74-60 Northwestern 68-46 #10 Ohio State 76-74 OT	Wins	#7 Kansas 67-64 Texas Southern 69-41 Boise State 74-70 Oakland 70-52 La.-Lafayette 63-60 Nicholls State 84-39 Ark.-Pine Bluff 76-44 Loyola (IL) 73-61 Tuskeegee 92-56 Bowling Green 64-53 Texas 67-56 Purdue 84-61 Iowa 62-59 Nebraska 66-56 Penn State 81-72 #11 Ohio State 59-56 Wisconsin 49-47 Illinois 80-75 #18 Minnesota 61-50 Purdue 78-65
#15 Ohio State 56-53 #3 Indiana 73-81 Wisconsin 62-65 OT	Losses	#23 Connecticut 62-66 Miami 59-67 #9 Minnesota 63-76 #7 Indiana 70-75
77.0	Points Per Game	69.7
60.4	Scoring Defense	59.2
695-for-1,396 (49.8%)	Field Goal %	600-for-1,283 (46.8%)
554-for-1,340 (41.3%)	Def. Field Goal %	500-for-1,283 (39.0%)
198-for-487 (40.7%)	3-point %	123-for-345 (35.7%)
157-for-491 (32.0%)	Def. 3-point %	130-for-415 (31.3%)
261-for-372 (70.2%)	Free Throw %	350-for-490 (71.4%)
10.9	FT Made/Game	14.6
36.3	Rebounds Per Game	37.4
30.0	Opp. Reb. Per Game	30.8
15.3	Assists Per Game	13.8
9.3	Turnovers Per Game	13.7
5.7	Steals Per Game	8.6
2.8	Blocks Per Game	3.7
G – Trey Burke (18.2) G – Tim Hardaway Jr. (16.0)	Leading Scorer	G – Keith Appling (14.1) G – Gary Harris (12.7)
F – Mitch McGary (6.1) F – Glenn Robinson III (5.5)	Leading Rebounder	F – Adreian Payne (6.8) F – Branden Dawson (6.5)

In the Big Ten, there’s simply no rest for the weary – or for the wounded. After dropping two of three supremely difficult challenges over the past week and a half, a stretch that included two road games and two top-10 matchups, Michigan takes to the road once again tonight (9pm on ESPN) to close out a brutal four-game stretch in East Lansing, where they face the surging Spartans.

Time and time again, it seems Tom Izzo’s hard-nosed squads project to finish in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten throughout the non-conference season, then inevitably rebound by the time January rolls around to be right in the thick of things. This year is no different, as Michigan State actually leads the conference outright with a 9-2 mark after dropping two of their first eight games of the season.

For the first time since Magic Johnson was a freshman in this matchup, both teams enter the game ranked in the top 10 in the country. Who will have what it takes to pull it out? Here are a few keys to the game if Michigan is to have the answer:

1. Battle Down Low: Since Jordan Morgan injured his ankle early on in Columbus nearly one full month ago, Michigan has simply not been the same team on either end of the floor. The redshirt junior has never been one to put up big numbers, but his presence on the court, especially against big, physical teams down low, cannot go understated. Morgan, when healthy, is one of this team’s best rebounders and one-on-one defenders, and even though Mitch McGary has admirably boosted his level of play recently, Michigan needs Morgan to be healthy tonight. The fact of the matter is that all three of the Wolverines’ losses have come when Morgan played four or fewer minutes.

If Morgan is not healthy, which is still in question, Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne could spell doom for Michigan. Those two big men combine to score nearly 19 points a game and grab 14 rebounds as well, and even though neither is incredibly consistent, Glenn Robinson III simply cannot match up defensively with either of them.

Perhaps most impressive about Izzo’s talented front court this year is the way in which they shoot free throws. Nix gets to the line more than any other Spartan besides Keith Appling and is making 73.6 percent of his attempts there while Payne leads the team in shooting 78.8 percent from the charity stripe. This could be the night where we see a starting lineup change for Michigan. McGary has to be almost a lock to start tonight, and Morgan would be a huge commodity if he can give John Beilein 20 minutes or so. With Branden Dawson also presenting a huge matchup problem for the Maize and Blue, Robinson III could be taken out of the starting lineup in favor of a true big man, whether that’s Morgan or Jon Horford.

2. Get the Freshmen Involved: Michigan’s tough stretch over the past three games has been well-documented, and while no team wants to play at Indiana, versus Ohio State, and at Wisconsin back-to-back-to-back, Michigan is simply experiencing the nature of the conference this season. Every Big Ten team is going through the meat grinder at some point, and if Michigan can pull out two of these four games, they will be in excellent position to compete for the conference title. If that is to happen, though, Michigan’s freshmen, particularly Nik Stauskas and Glenn Robinson III, need to elevate their games.

Whether Jordan Morgan plays or not, Michigan will have its hands full down low with Derrick Nix and Adreian Payne

That duo was dynamite for Beilein throughout the non-conference portion of the schedule, but over the past two weeks, they have combined to average 14 points per game while shooting an ugly 33.3 percent from the floor. To put those numbers in perspective, on the season Stauskas and Robinson III both average more than 11 points per game and shoot better than 48 percent from the field. Yes, these two are freshmen, but they are key members of a nationally-contending team. When the going gets rough, no one gets a pass, whether veterans or newbies. Look for Trey Burke to get these two involved early and often by driving and kicking and utilizing the pick-and-roll to find open teammates. If Stauskas and Robinson III reach their season average, Michigan State has no chance of winning. If they struggle to put the ball in the hoop again, Michigan could get run out of East Lansing.

3. Exploit the Weakness: Tom Izzo’s teams usually have a general blueprint from year to year. They never shoot the ball extremely well but never shoot poorly enough to be a bottom-dweller, they always play solid, physical defense, and they rebound the ball. They also turn the ball over a lot. This year, the Spartans are turning the ball over a whopping 14 times per game, and all seven guys that see more than 20 minutes cough it up more than once a night. Michigan never forces turnovers at a high clip, but if they simply take advantage of the times Michigan State will hand the ball over, the fast break will be huge. Burke and Tim Hardaway, Jr. are lethally efficient running the floor, and a hot Stauskas could torch the Spartans with wide open shots from the outside. Michigan absolutely needs to run when presented the opportunity.

Furthermore, if there is one game to use the 1-3-1 defense in, it is tonight. Obviously this obscure zone has not been seen often since Beilein’s early years in Ann Arbor, but Michigan has the athletes to use the zone effectively, and with some of the matchup problems Michigan is facing, it wouldn’t be a bad time to try it to both slow Michigan State down on offense and force turnovers. Appling and freshman Gary Harris are the only major threats to score from downtown with Travis Trice out tonight, so if Michigan can stick on those guys in the zone, the home team could have difficulties generating offense against the 1-3-1.

Prediction: It seems that every game Michigan plays these days is vastly important, and with the huge rivalry piled on top of a top-10 battle tonight, this primetime matchup is no different. The winner of this game will be in tremendous fighting position for the conference championship, and with four of Michigan’s final six games coming at home, where they have lost just once since 2011, the Wolverines need to be ready. Tim Hardaway, Jr. has been rock solid for Michigan lately and needs to lead the way alongside Burke and company, and I think he will do just that. With Zack Novak reportedly scheduled to be in the house, look for Hardaway to drop 20 while Stauskas does his best Chesterton impression with four threes as Michigan grinds out a 70-66 win.

Michigan took a major hit to its Big Ten title hopes with a heartbreaking overtime loss at Wisconsin on Saturday. With a 8-3 conference record and seven games remaining, do the Wolverines still have a chance to win at least a share of the title for the second straight season? The short answer is yes. But let’s examine the remaining schedule of each of the contenders.

Remaining Schedule
Nebraska	Michigan	Northwestern	@ Minnesota	@ Michigan State
Purdue	@ Nebraska	@ Wisconsin	Ohio State	Penn State
@ Michigan State	Indiana	Minnesota	@ Northwestern	Illinois
@ Minnesota	@ Ohio State	Michigan State	Nebraska	@ Penn State
Iowa	@ Michigan	@ Northwestern	Purdue	Michigan State
Ohio State	Wisconsin	@ Indiana	@ Michigan State	@ Purdue
@ Michigan	Northwestern	Illinois	@ Penn State	Indiana

Indiana (9-2) is widely considered the main challenger and pulled off a big road win in Columbus on Sunday afternoon. The Hoosiers still have trips to Michigan State, Minnesota and Michigan remaining, with home tilts with Nebraska, Purdue, Iowa, and Ohio State. It’s probably a safe bet to assume IU will lose at least one of those games leading into the final game of the season in Ann Arbor.

Michigan State (9-2) has perhaps the toughest remaining schedule of the top contenders, beginning with tomorrow’s matchup with Michigan. The Spartans get a breather with Nebraska before hosting Indiana, traveling to Ohio State and Michigan, then hosting Wisconsin before finishing with Northwestern.

Ohio State (7-4) has the most ground to make up following its loss to Indiana. After failing to hold court at home, the Buckeyes will probably need to win out to secure at least a share of the title. But it’s not an easy road. Trips to Wisconsin, Northwestern and Indiana loom and home bouts with Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan State and Illinois won’t be easy.

Michigan needs to steal a win in the Breslin Center

The surprise team of the conference has been Wisconsin (8-3), the team that beat Michigan on Saturday and also has a road win over Indiana. The Badgers have perhaps the easiest road of all of Michigan’s challengers the rest of the way as long as they can get through the next two games, a road trip to Minnesota on Thursday and a home battle with Ohio State. From there, they visit Northwestern, Michigan State and Penn State, and host Nebraska and Purdue.

Michigan (8-3) still has to survive a home and home with Michigan State and the season ender against Indiana, but the Wolverines also still get two games against Penn State, a home game against Illinois and a trip to Purdue.

If both Michigan and Indiana both win their next six games, it will all come down to the March 10 showdown in Ann Arbor with Michigan needing to win to share the title and Indiana needing to win to take the title outright. Winning seven straight would be a tall task for the Wolverines, but if they can come out of East Lansing with a win tomorrow night, the chances will improve drastically.

A loss on Tuesday would mean Michigan has to rely on help. Both Michigan State and Indiana would need to lose twice. Michigan could help out with one of those for each team, but would then need each to lose again. That’s certainly not out of the question – remember last season when Michigan lost its last home game to Purdue, but ended up sharing the Big Ten title – but it’s a lot to ask for.

That being said, tomorrow’s battle in East Lansing is extremely important. It’s pretty safe to assume that Michigan will win its next three games after that one, so by that time, the Feb. 19 Indiana-Michigan State game will have either all but knocked the Spartans out of the race or dropped the Hoosiers into a tie with both MSU and Michigan with three games remaining.

Michigan has won three of the last four over the Spartans and would love to continue that trend. So far this season, Indiana (at Ohio State), Michigan State (at Wisconsin), and Wisconsin (at Indiana) each have road wins over title contenders. Michigan will need to follow suit and steal one on the road. Regardless, it’s safe to say the conference title race is going to come down to the very last weekend and will set up an epic Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.

The 2013 Big Ten season started just two weeks ago, but we have already learned so much about a number of teams in college basketball’s indisputable king of conferences. With as many as eight or nine teams looking to make a push for the Big Dance at the end of the year, it certainly has the makings of a special year. Here is a special Big Ten preview edition looking at the conference championship contenders. These power rankings will be occasionally updated throughout the remainder of the season.

___________________________________________________________________________________

1. Michigan Wolverines: 16-0 (3-0)

Projected Record in Conference Play: 16-2
Best Win: vs. Pittsburgh
Worst Loss: None
Star: Trey Burke, 18.2 ppg, 7.3 apg, 53.3 FG%, 39.2 3p%
X-Factor: Nik Stauskas, 13.5 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 52.3 3p%

Ranking Reasoning: While I am writing this preview post with a Michigan basketball shirt on, it is simply impossible to rank any Big Ten team higher than Michigan so far, and I think they will continue to prove their superiority by taking home their second straight Big Ten title, this time individually. Trey Burke is indisputably the best point guard in the country right now, Mitch McGary and Jordan Morgan have been solid in the post and controlling on the glass, and the team shoots 41.1 percent from behind the arc, where five guys demand significant attention. In three Big Ten games so far (Iowa, Northwestern, Nebraska), Michigan has not been significantly challenged, winning by an average of almost 24 points per game. A huge week looms, however, as Michigan travels to Columbus on Sunday and Minneapolis on Thursday in two games that will say a lot about how the Big Ten will shake out.

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2. Indiana Hoosiers: 14-1 (2-0)

Projected Record in Conference Play: 14-4
Best Win: @ Iowa
Worst Loss: vs. Butler
Star: Cody Zeller, 16.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 62.7 FG%
X-Factor: Will Sheehey, 12.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 39.4 3p%

Ranking Reasoning: Indiana came into the season ranked in just about everyone’s top two in the country, and they have hardly disappointed up until now. Yes, they lost to Butler in overtime, but the Bulldogs have a very solid squad that will win its fair share of games this year and probably earn a 4-seed or so in the NCAA Tournament. Like Michigan, Indiana is incredibly scary because of their dynamite offense that boasts five double digit scorers and a handful of secondary players that can step up on any given night as well. Zeller is still one of the best big men in the country, Victor Oladipo is using his athleticism to help him shoot 67.2 percent from the floor (including a ridiculous 47.8 percent from downtown), and Christian Watford is a matchup nightmare for opposing fours. Taking a quick glance at their stats is not advised for anyone who is not an Indiana fan, as the Hoosiers average the most points in the country (87), are the sixth best shooting team in the land (51.1 percent), and have four players that shoot better than 45 percent from three-point land on at least 20 attempts, including Jordan Hulls at 52 percent and Remy Abell at 60 percent. The only way to beat IU right now is to outscore them, and that is no easy task. The Hoosiers welcome a solid Minnesota team to Bloomington today in what will be a high-powered matchup.

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3. Minnesota Golden Gophers: 15-1 (3-0)

Projected Finish in Conference Play: 13-5
Best Win: @ #12 Illinois
Worst Loss: vs. #5 Duke
Star: Trevor Mbakwe, 9.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 1.4 bpg, 58.6 FG%
X-Factor: Austin Hollins, 10.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.8 apg, 2.1 spg, 38 3p%, 81.1 FT%

Ranking Reasoning: Tubby Smith has disappointed a little bit in his tenure in Minneapolis, but after a solid run in the NIT last season he was given a questionable contract extension. This year’s edition of the Golden Gophers has made that move look brilliant so far. Trevor Mbakwe is a terror down low coming off a season-ending injury last season and slowly but surely working his way back into the 30 minutes per game range (he is averaging just over 20 right now). Mbakwe and senior 6’7″ forward Rodney Williams play as if they both have invisible springs attached to the soles of their shoes, and put that athleticism to good use in combining to average nearly 14 boards per game. The one area that holds Minnesota back slightly is their distance shooting – Andre Hollins is the only Gopher shooting better than 40 percent behind the arc and only two or three others are worth challenging from deep. Tubby’s inside play has been great thus far, though, and should keep them in the discussion for a Big Ten championship until the last couple games.

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4. Ohio State: 12-3 (2-1)

Projected Record in Conference Play: 12-6
Best Win: @ Purdue
Worst Loss: @ #11 Illinois
Star: Deshaun Thomas, 20.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 40.4 3p%
X-Factor: LaQuinton Ross, 8.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 77.1 FT%

Ranking Reasoning: The Buckeyes entered the season looking to win at least a share of a fourth straight Big Ten title, but their opening game against Marquette perhaps proved to be an omen so far after it was cancelled because of a wet court (I’ll never understand playing real games outside). Thad Matta’s team has largely beaten the teams they were supposed to beat and has lost to those they were supposed to lose to, but that is precisely the problem. If a team is to live up to lofty preseason billings, it must turn heads at some point. Losses to Duke, Illinois, and Kansas are explainable, but wins over the likes of Winthrop, Purdue, Washington, and a handful of no-names are not turning any heads. Thomas has been outstanding for the Scarlet and Gray, pouring in points from all over the floor, but he has yet to find a Robin to take some pressure off. Lenzelle Smith, Jr. is the only other Buckeye to average double digits in the scoring column (with only 10.7 per night), and his inconsistent shooting has plagued the team thus far, though his 43.5 percent mark from deep leads the team. Junior point guard and leader Aaron Craft continues to play lock-down D, but he has really struggled to put the ball in the hoop. Matta needs to find someone to provide a legitimate scoring threat if they are going to come close to keeping their streak alive.

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5. Michigan State: 13-3 (2-1)

Projected Record in Conference Play: 12-6
Best Win: vs. #7 Kansas
Worst Loss: vs. #23 Connecticut
Star: Keith Appling, 14.2 ppg, 4.4 apg, 3.4 rpg, 1.7 spg
X-Factor: Derrick Nix, 8.9 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 50.5 FG%

Ranking Reasoning: Tom Izzo’s squads are notoriously slow-starting, and this season has been no exception after an opening game loss to Connecticut followed by a loss at Miami in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge a few weeks later. The Spartans did manage to beat Kansas, who has really come on lately, in their second game and have shown some good signs since then. Turnovers and shooting have hampered Michigan State though, and they appear to be problems that Izzo is going to have a hard time solving. Appling, Branden Dawson, and freshman Denzel Valentine have all turned the ball over nearly two and a half times per game and five others cough it up at least once a night to combine for 15 per game. Sophomore Travis Trice has shot well from deep (44.7 percent), but freshman Gary Harris is the only other Spartan who makes more than 35 percent of his downtown looks. Depth has also been a bit of an issue thus far, and Brandan Kearney’s surprising departure has not helped in that department. Michigan State’s defense will keep them in a lot of games, but Izzo needs to find a way to cut down on the turnovers and squeeze out some points to make a run in March.

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6. Illinois: 14-3 (1-2)

Projected Record in Conference Play: 9-9
Best Win: @ #10 Gonzaga
Worst Loss: @ Purdue
Star: Brandon Paul, 18.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.3 apg, 1.4 spg, 36.5 3p%
X-Factor: Tyler Griffey, 8.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 40.0 3p%

Ranking Reasoning: Illinois was easily the biggest mystery to me entering the 2012-13 season, and the mystery has not died yet. John Groce left Ohio after leading his 2011-12 edition of the Bobcats to a first (or second depending on how you look at it) round upset of Michigan in the NCAA Tournament to replace Bruce Weber as head man in Champaign. The Fighting Illini have responded to Groce’s fiery leadership with some huge wins over Butler, Ohio State, and at Gonzaga but have also taken two big losses at Purdue and at home against Minnesota. Brandon Paul is still the high-volume shooter he has always been, but he’s making threes at a respectable 36.5 percent clip and is always the man to keep an eye on. Senior sidekick D.J. Richardson is another guard capable of putting the ball in the hoop, but he is really struggling this year, making just 30.9 percent of his threes and 34.3 percent of his total looks while averaging just over 10 points a game. Sophomore Tracy Abrams is coming into his own this year, scoring 12.2 points per game while dishing out 3.4 assists and grabbing 3.9 rebounds, but his 29.8 percent shooting from deep needs to improve if Illinois is to contend. Griffey has been up and down this year after developing a nice outside shot, but his inconsistency and Illinois’s overall lack of a strong post presence will keep them from cracking the upper echelon of the league. There are simply too many “buts” for Groce to win the Big Ten in his first season.

Now that Michigan’s season has drawn to a close, the second season has ramped up  to full steam. Recruiting is pretty much non-stop these days, but now that the coaching staff is able to devote the vast majority of its time to pulling in the best class possible, it’s a frantic race for the Feb. 6 finish line. That’s the day of National Signing Day, when all letters of intent have to be signed and submitted and become binding. But before we get there, several All-American games exist to showcase the top talent on the national stage. Some of the players are already committed, while some choose to make their announcements live on national television during the game. Still others opt to wait until National Signing Day to pledge their commitments. Here’s a look at the games and the current Michigan commitments that will be playing in them, as well as the targets that Brady Hoke’s staff hopes to lock in within the next month.

Friday, Jan. 4, 2013 | 5pm EST
Under Armour All-America Game | St. Petersburg, Fla. | ESPN

The Under Armour All-America Game is ESPN’s version and features the Black (Highlight) team and the White (Nitro) team. Team Highlight is coached by former NFL head coach Herm Edwards, while Team Nitro is coached by Steve Mariucci.

Current Michigan commits:

#9 – LB – Mike McCray II (White)
#12 – QB – Shane Morris (White)
#17 – DT – Henry Poggi (White)*
#55 – OG – David Dawson (White)*
#57 – OG – Patrick Kugler (White)*
#72 – OT – Logan Tulley-Tillman (White)

*denotes starters

Michigan targets:

#22 – S – Leon McQuay III (Black)
#1 – WR – Sebastian LaRue (White)
#4 – WR – Laquon Treadwell (White)
#78 – OT – Cameron Hunt (White)

Other notables:

#3 – WR – Alvin Bailey (Black) – Former Michigan target, committed to Florida
#32 – RB – Ty Isaac (White) – Former Michigan target, USC commit

Rivals:

#6 – CB – Cam Burrows (White) – Ohio State commit
#7 – ATH – Jalin Marshall (White) – Ohio State commit
#7 – CB – Gareon Conley (White) – Ohio State commit, former Michigan commit
#8 – TE – Marcus Baugh (White) – Ohio State commit
#97 – DT –  Joey Bosa (White) – Ohio State commit
#34 – LB – Alex Anzalone (Black) – Notre Dame commit, former Ohio State commit
#60 – OT – Colin McGovern (Black) – Notre Dame commit
#70 – OT – Hunter Bivin (Black) – Notre Dame commit
#32 – LB – Trey Johnson (White) – Announcing commitment to either Ohio State, Florida, or Tennessee

As you can see, Team Nitro (White) has the majority of the players relevant to Michigan, so that’s the team to pay the most attention to. Of the uncommitted targets, Michigan isn’t in great position for any of them. McQuay was at the Wolverines’ Outback Bowl practice, but had this to say about where Michigan stands. He will make his decision known during the game. LaRue is an interesting one since he was committed to USC, but just decommitted. He reportedly wants to hear more from Michigan and has formed a bond with current Michigan commit Mike McCray. Hunt, a Cal commit, recently announced that he’s re-opening his recruitment and was offered by Michigan, but that was before David Dawson re-committed to the Wolverines, so it’s unclear as to whether the staff would take another offensive lineman. Treadwell seems extremely unlikely at this point. He favors Ole Miss, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State, but with recruiting, you never know.

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Friday, Jan. 4, 2013 | 9pm EST
Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl | Carson, Ca. | NFL Network

The Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl is considered the third-best of this weekend’s All-America games and is the Marine Corps’ version of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Current Michigan commits:

CB – Ross Douglass (East)
DT – Maurice Hurst, Jr. (East)
* Kyle Bosch and Taco Charlton chose not to play due to enrolling early at Michigan

Rivals:

DB – Devin Butler (East) – Notre Dame
WR – William Fuller (East) – Notre Dame
OT – Mike McGlinchey (East) – Notre Dame
QB – Malik Zaire (East) – Notre Dame
CB – Cole Luke (West) – Notre Dame
RB – Khalfani Muhammad (West) – Notre Dame

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Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013 | 1pm EST
U.S. Army All-American Bowl | San Antonio, Texas | NBC

The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is traditionally considered the nation’s premier high school all-star game and is in its 13th year. It has featured eventual Heisman Trophy winners and more than 200 eventual NFL players. This year, the West team will wear yellow and the East team will wear black.

Current Michigan commits:

#87 – TE – Jake Butt (East)
#73 – OL – Chris Fox (West)
#27 – DB – Jourdan Lewis (West)
#14 – DB – Dymonte Thomas (East)

Michigan targets:

#27 – RB – Derrick Green (East)

Other notables:

#5 – DB – Kendall Fuller – Former Michigan target, Virginia Tech commit
#10 – LB – E.J. Levenberry – Former Michigan target, Florida State commit
#21 – S – Su’a Cravens – Former Michigan target, USC commit

Rivals:

#24 – RB – Ezekiel Elliott – Ohio State commit
#9 – CB – Eli Apple (East) – Ohio State commit
#35 – K – Johnny Townsend (East) – Ohio State commit
#69 – OT – Evan Lisle (East) – Ohio State commit
#76 – DT – Michael Hill (East) – Ohio State commit
#72 – OT – Steve Elmer (West) – Notre Dame commit
#1 – RB – Greg Bryant (East) – Notre Dame commit
#74 – OL – John Montelus (East) – Notre Dame commit
#26 – LB – Doug Randolph (East) – Notre Dame commit
#88 – WR – Corey Robinson (West) – Notre Dame commit
#9 – LB – Jaylon Smith (West) – Notre Dame commit
#44 – LB – Mike Mitchell (West) – Announcing commitment to either Ohio State, Oregon, or Texas A&M
#17 – WR – James Quick (East) – Announcing commitment to either Ohio State or Louisville

Unlike the Under Armour game, Michigan’s four commits playing in this one are split between the two teams. Derrick Green is the big one to watch since he is reportedly leaning towards Michigan. He fueled speculation on Wednesday by posing for a photo with the four Michigan commits and then went on a Rivals chat and said Michigan does hold a slight lead. Ohio State and Notre Dame both have a number of commits playing in the game as well, and there are a couple that are making their announcements live during the game and have Ohio State among their finalists.

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Another thing you may notice is the complete lack of Michigan State prospects on the rosters for these three games. Of the Spartans’ 15 current commits, only two are rated four stars by Rivals and the rest are three stars.

Michigan has the unique position of having three big rivals. Most teams only have one rival to get up for, but year-in and year-out, Michigan has three. While we, as fans, hate each of these teams, we carry some respect for them. Michigan State and Ohio State carry conference affiliation ties while Notre Dame, well, we all just put up with them. All season long, it’s fun to keep track of how each of them is doing, but there’s only so much time on Saturday to watch games. More often than not, they play at the same time Michigan does so you don’t get a chance to do your “advanced scouting.” Well, don’t fret because we’ve got you covered. This weekly feature will give you an overview of Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State’s games the previous weekend and a look ahead to the upcoming one.

#1 Notre Dame 22 – USC 13
Record: 12-0
This Week: Regular season over

Notre Dame took the final step towards the BCS title game by downing USC in its season finale. Despite the Trojans missing their record setting quarterback, Matt Barkley, and replacing him with a freshman, I may be ready to change my tune on the Irish. All season long I have been reluctant, to say the least, to give Notre Dame full credit for being a top team. The rankings may say they are the No. 1 team in the land, but my football knowledge says they are far from the top team in the land. They struggled against Purdue, BYU and Pitt – none of whom are good teams. They barely beat Michigan despite being given the ball six times on turnovers. On Saturday night they beat a USC team with two future NFL receivers on offense (possibly the best receiver tandem in college football no less); but they did it against a freshman quarterback making his first start.

Theo Riddick celebrates the undefeated season (Danny Moloshok, AP)

However, Notre Dame has beaten all comers and I will not take anything away from their defense. They’ve held strong when they needed to and when it matters the most, like in the red zone. They have finally found their coach in Brian Kelly and he is poised to become yet another Irish head coach to win a national title in his third season.

Charlie Weiss may have recruited these seniors but Brian Kelly has turned them into winners. This Notre Dame team is good and given what they’ve done they deserve to play in the BCS title game. I will not concede they are the best team in all the land, yet. Nor will I proclaim they are back; I need to see consistency, not just one magical season. Regardless, they will be a worthy opponent for the SEC in the BCS title game, unlike Ohio State has proven to be against them in title games.

And now on to the game. The Irish took their opening drive and went straight into the heart of Trojan territory. However, they were held off inside the 10-yard line and held to just three points. USC and its redshirt freshman took the field and ran the ball four straight times with Curtis McNeill. With the “pressure” off their young QB, Lane Kiffin let the kid air it out. He missed on three straight attempts and USC was forced to punt. Notre Dame used a heavy dose of Theo Riddick through the air and on the ground as they made way for a Cierre Wood 2-yard touchdown run.

Up 10-0 ten minutes into the game and it looked like the Irish might run away with it. But as Lee Corso likes to say, not so fast my friend. Max Wittek regained his composure and went 5-of-5 for 48 yards and a touchdown to Robert Woods to get the Trojans back within three points. Notre Dame mounted another long drive but managed only a field goal. USC added another field goal their next time out, and then forced the Irish into a three-and-out to get the ball back with just over a minute and a half remaining and a chance to take the lead before halftime. The Irish defense had other ideas as they picked off Wittek’s first pass attempt; ultimately setting up Kyle Brindza for a career long 52-yard field goal, which he nailed. The Irish led 16-10 at the half, but it was far from over.

Max Wittek’s first pass of the second half was also picked off, but this time the Irish could not capitalize. It went back and forth until about the six minute mark in the third when Brindza hit his fourth field goal of the day to give Notre Dame a two possession lead at 19-10. USC added a field goal on their next drive to cut the lead back to six but that would be as close as they got.

Aided by a 60-yard kick return by George Atkinson III, the Irish were set up in great field position and used it to their advantage. They quickly marched inside the Trojan 10-yard line but were held out of the end zone. It didn’t matter because Kyle Brindza’s fifth field goal of the night proved to be the nail in USC’s coffin.

Next:

At 12-0 and the No. 1 team in the BCS rankings, Notre Dame is set up for the BCS title game against the winner of this weekend’s SEC Championship game, Georgia or Alabama. Both teams sport stout defenses and good quarterbacks. I’d give Georgia the edge in the passing attack (which could cause ND fits if they cannot get pressure) and Alabama the edge in the rushing attack. Regardless of which team emerges out of Atlanta we should have a great title game on our hands.

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Michigan State 26 – Minnesota 10

Dan Conroy's four FGs clinched a bowl bid for MSU (Paul Battaglia, AP)

Record: 6-6, 3-5 Big Ten
This Week: Regular season over

Michigan State was looking to get bowl eligible against a Minnesota team that just cannot catch a break. Le’Veon Bell made sure the Spartan offense did its part, rushing for 266 yards and a touchdown, while Dan Conroy made four field goals.

On defense, they looked like the Sparty of last year, holding the Golden Gophers to a mere 96 yards of total offense, 92 of which came through the air.

The Gophers took the lead 7-3 in the first on the heels of a pick six by Aaron Hill but that would be the only time they found the end zone. Conroy added a field goal, then Andrew Maxwell found Bennie Fowler for a 41-yard touchdown pass less than three minutes later to go up 13-7. Sparty picked off four passes and made the most of them as they held off a Gopher team without its head coach in the second half.

Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill suffered yet another seizure during halftime and did not return. Our thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

Next:

With the win Michigan State became bowl eligible. It wasn’t quite what they expected but they should be thankful to be going bowling at all. At this point we don’t know for sure who they’ll play but it won’t be a New Year’s day bowl, we know that much. We will find out the matchup on Sunday evening.

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Ohio State 26 – Michigan 21
Record: 12-0
This Week: Season over

We won’t rehash the tragedy that struck on Saturday, but Ohio State’s season ends before December due to NCAA sanctions. In true Buckeye fashion, they honored the man who put them on probation during the first quarter of Saturday’s game, giving him a standing ovation and lifting him onto their shoulders. That’s all you need to know about our rivals to the south.

A thousand words (Jay LaPrete, AP)

Michigan has the unique position of having three big rivals. Most teams only have one rival to get up for, but year-in and year-out, Michigan has three. While we, as fans, hate each of these teams, we carry some respect for them. Michigan State and Ohio State carry conference affiliation ties while Notre Dame, well, we all just put up with them. All season long, it’s fun to keep track of how each of them is doing, but there’s only so much time on Saturday to watch games. More often than not, they play at the same time Michigan does so you don’t get a chance to do your “advanced scouting.” Well, don’t fret because we’ve got you covered. This weekly feature will give you an overview of Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State’s games the previous weekend and a look ahead to the upcoming one.

#3 Notre Dame 38 – Wake Forest 0
Record: 11-0
This Week: at USC (7-4, 5-4 Pac 12) | 8pm | ABC

For the first time this season Notre Dame actually looked like a top ranked team should against an inferior opponent as they pounded Wake Forest 38-0. The Irish scored on their first three drives, all in the first quarter, and never looked back. Everett Golson had quite a day going 20-of-30 for 346 yards and three touchdowns. Cierre Wood added 150 on the ground and a TD.

Notre Dame is one win away from playing for a national title (Jonathan Daniel, Getty Images)

Notre Dame opened the scoring on a 68-yard touchdown run by Wood. Wake proceeded to cough up the ball on its first possession and the Irish took advantage as Golson got his first touchdown pass of the day, a two-yarder to Tyler Eifert. Eifert’s six catches gives him 130 for his career, a Notre Dame record. Wake couldn’t get anything going, they only managed barely more than 200 yards, but it wasn’t expected that they would put up much of a fight.

The Irish defense held Wake Forest to a paltry 209 yards total and kept them to 4-of-15 on third downs. Despite looking lackluster against inferior opponents earlier in the year, the Irish really came out strong and asserted themselves as a legit title contender.

With the top two teams both losing Notre Dame is the de facto No. 1 team, in the rankings anyway. Whether they are the best team is very debatable.

This Week:

Notre Dame heads to Los Angeles to take on the USC Trojans on Saturday night, sans Matt Barkley, and it is unlikely they do not take care of business. If Barkley was playing I’d give the edge to USC, especially given Notre Dame’s struggles in the secondary, but with a back up quarterback I feel confident that the Irish will finish the season 12-0 for the first time since…well, in a long time.

Prediction: Notre Dame 21 – USC 16

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Michigan State 20 – Northwestern 23
Record: 5-6, 2-5 Big Ten
This Week: at Minnesota (6-5, 2-5 Big Ten) | 3:30pm | Big Ten Network

Michigan State must beat Minnesota to become bowl eligible (Al Goldis, AP)

Michigan State lost…again. This time to a good Northwestern team. This is obviously not the season the Spartans and their fans had envisioned. MSU never led but did keep it close throughout. In the end, the Wildcats held off Sparty, who coughed up the ball four times. Michigan State now needs a win next week to become bowl eligible.

Northwestern opened the scoring with a field goal in the first quarter and led 6-5 after one. The momentum swung in the Wildcats’ favor moments into the second quarter when David Nwabusi returned a pick 43 yards for a touchdown. Michigan State was not ready to lay down and die quite yet, however. Andrew Maxwell found outstanding freshman receiver Aaron Burbridge for a 15-yard score only minutes later. But Northwestern added another touchdown before the half to go up 20-13. Standout running back Venric Mark did not play in the second half for the Wildcats with an upper extremity injury.

Northwestern showed MSU a mix of both Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian to stymie the Spartan defense. Each threw a touchdown pass.

This Week:

Michigan State travels to Minnesota looking to become bowl eligible on Saturday. The Gophers are not a very good team and this Spartan team will be playing as if their lives depend on it. They probably thought they’d be heading to at least the Rose Bowl in the beginning of the season, and now they’ll be lucky to even get to one.

Prediction: Michigan State 24 – Minnesota 14

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Ohio State 21 – Wisconsin 14 OT
Record: 11-0, 7-0 Big Ten
This Week: Home vs #19 Michigan (8-3, 6-1 Big Ten) | 12pm | ABC

Were it not for TatGate we might be talking about Ohio State being in the BCS title game. But sadly, for them anyway, they are still reeling from their NCAA sanctions. Nonetheless, these Buckeyes are a good team and they are playing some great football right now. It pains me to say that.

Wisconsin bottled up the OSU offense, perhaps providing the blueprint for Michigan (Andy Manis, AP)

For once, Braxton Miller did not amaze with his stats; 10-of-18 for 97 yards passing and 23 rushes for 48 yards. He did not find the end zone. However, the Buckeyes held off the Wisconsin Badgers in overtime to move to 11-0. Wisconsin will be playing for the Big Ten title despite a lackluster 4-3 conference record, due to the ineligibility of both OSU and PSU in the Leaders division.

Ohio State did not play a great game and I’d say they didn’t even play a good game. Montee Ball ran for 191 yards and added his NCAA record-tying 78th career touchdown in the process against the Buckeye defense. However, he fumbled what would have been the record-breaker, and potential game winner, with just under three inutes to go in the fourth as he attempted to stretch the ball over the goal line. Wisconsin eventually scored with eight seconds remaining to tie the game.

The Badgers held the Buckeyes’ prolific offense to just 236 yards, and they only crossed midfield ONCE after halftime. Overall, Wisconsin bottled up Braxton Miller and kept the whole offense in check. Now I know we throw out the records when it comes to The Game, but what Michigan did last week with Devin Gardner at quarterback and Denard at running back/receiver, and what Wisconsin did to OSU’s offense does make the story lines a bit more intriguing.

If you remember correctly, in our preseason predictions I picked the OSU game as a loss. Much has happened since then – for both teams – and recent events are beginning to erode my original inclinations. I’ll save my prediction for our weekly staff picks, so make sure to check back on Friday.

Michigan has the unique position of having three big rivals. Most teams only have one rival to get up for, but year-in and year-out, Michigan has three. While we, as fans, hate each of these teams, we carry some respect for them. Michigan State and Ohio State carry conference affiliation ties while Notre Dame, well, we all just put up with them. All season long, it’s fun to keep track of how each of them is doing, but there’s only so much time on Saturday to watch games. More often than not, they play at the same time Michigan does so you don’t get a chance to do your “advanced scouting.” Well, don’t fret because we’ve got you covered. This weekly feature will give you an overview of Notre Dame, Michigan State, and Ohio State’s games the previous weekend and a look ahead to the upcoming one.

#4 Notre Dame 21 – Boston College 6
Record: 10-0
This Week: Home vs Wake Forest (5-5, 3-5 ACC) | 3:30pm | NBC

Boston College has traditionally been a thorn in the side of the Fighting Irish but not this year as Notre Dame trounced them 21-6.

Notre Dame is 10-0 for the first time since 1993. The year widely regarded as the last time the Irish have been relevant on the football scene.

Tyler Eifert helped ND stay unbeaten (photo by Jared Wickerham, Getty Images)

Everett Golson was 16-of-24 through the air for 200 yards and two scores and added another score on the ground. Golson has been improving as the season has progressed and the Irish fans have a lot to look forward to in the future if he stays healthy. Theo Riddick added 104 on the ground and caught a whopping six passes for 67 yards. Manti Te’o's sixth interception of the season sealed the game in the fourth quarter. Prior to this season Te’o had not notched a single turnover, he know has a school record six picks (for linebackers) to go along with one fumble recovery.

This game was never in question as Notre Dame dominated from start to finish. The Irish went on two long drives, a 95-yarder to open the game and an 87-yarder right before the end of the first half. Notre Dame converted their first ten third down attempts and were 11-of-14 overall, an impressive stat against anyone. Somewhat concerning were the two lost fumbles, both inside BC territory, and the eight penalties for 65 yards.

With the upset of Alabama by Texas A&M, Notre Dame moves that much closer in their bid for the BCS National Championship game. They have a lot of ground to make up, either Oregon or Kansas State will need to lose. Anything is possible, but the way Oregon and Kansas State have been playing I’d be surprised if those two teams didn’t meet in the BCS title game. Barring a complete collapse in the next two weeks ND will still end up in a major BCS bowl for the first time since 2007. They have yet to win a BCS bowl in their three attempts.

This Week:

The Irish take on the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest in what should be a cake walk against an anemic offense and a less than stellar defense. It will be a good tuneup before the season finale at USC. We’ll talk more about the USC match up next week though.

Prediction: Notre Dame 24 – Wake 13

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Ohio State (Bye)
Record: 10-0, 6-0 Big Ten
This Week: at Wisconsin (7-3, 4-2 Big Ten) | 3:30pm | ABC

Ohio State was off last week after an impressive 10-0 run to start the season. Urban Meyer is still unbeaten in Columbus and the final two weeks will be the toughest tests yet. The Bucks head to Madison on Saturday to face a Wisconsin squad that has all but wrapped up a spot in the Big Ten Championship game. However, the Badgers could still win a share of the Leaders Division title with a win and an Ohio State loss to Michigan next week. Ohio State would wrap up the title with a win on Saturday. The Buckeyes can win the division title but can’t participate in the championship game as part of the NCAA sanctions.

Ohio State is the better team and should win this one, but it is on the road and Michigan is looming, so Meyer will have to keep his crew focused and not looking ahead.

Prediction: Ohio State 37 – Wisconsin 31

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Michigan State (Bye)
Record: 5-5, 2-4 Big Ten
This Week:  Home vs Northwestern (7-3, 3-3 Big Ten) | 12pm | ESPN2

Michigan State was off last week after getting hosed against Nebraska two weeks ago. The Spartans host Northwestern, needing a win in one of the final two games to assure a non-losing season and a bowl bid. Who thought prior to the season starting that we would be saying that? Northwestern is coming off a tough overtime loss to Michigan in a game the Wildcats should have won. Bug that seems to be the theme of the season for Pat Fitzgerald’s squad.

Prediction: Northwestern 24 – Michigan State 16