Week 3 was the Big Ten's showcase week on the national stage, and it started off disastrously, as West Division contenders Iowa and Wisconsin struggled. The Hawkeyes fell to FCS foe North Dakota State 23-21, while the Badgers barely squeaked past a winless Georgia State team, needing a fourth-quarter rally to earn a 23-17 victory.
But the conference made a lasting impression on Saturday evening, as Michigan beat a peskier-than-it-looks Colorado team, Nebraska bested Oregon in an upset at home and heavyweights Ohio State and Michigan State notched huge road wins over Oklahoma and Notre Dame, respectively.
It was a "statement Saturday" that propelled the Big Ten into the same conversation as the SEC for conference supremacy. The league has four teams inside the top 11 of the AP Poll (No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Michigan, No. 8 Michigan State and No. 11 Wisconsin), while Nebraska checks in at No. 20.
Four of the Big Ten's ranked teams will be in action this week while Ohio State enjoys its bye week. With most teams wrapping up their nonconference slates last Saturday, league play officially kicks off for the Big Ten this weekend.
Here are the Big Ten's top matchups for Week 4.