Ranking the Week 4 Big Ten football games

Michigan, MSU kick off Big Ten play

Nonconference play is almost over, and we've got four Big Ten matchups coming up Saturday. That means Big Ten fans don't have to watch Furman or UCF or Georgia State. The race to earn a trip to Indianapolis begins this weekend.

READ: Week 3 Big Ten power rankings

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Here's a look at the much shorter list of Big Ten matchups.

7. Purdue vs. Nevada

Game details: Saturday at noon

Purdue took a week off after getting pounded at home by Cincinnati. Now, the Boilermakers will try to avoid a losing nonconference season as they welcome Nevada into West Lafayette. Nevada has a couple of wins this season but got stomped in its only true test against Notre Dame. There's a chance Purdue will lose this game, but Nevada shouldn't be leaving Big Ten stadiums with a win.

6. Minnesota vs. Colorado State

Game details: Saturday at noon

This game shouldn't be closer than the Purdue vs. Nevada contest, but if it's anything like last year's meeting in Colorado, you won't want to miss it. Minnesota beat Colorado State in overtime last September and enters this year's meeting with a perfect 2-0 record. Mitch Leidner has had two weeks to prepare for the Rams' defense, so look out.

5. Indiana vs. Wake Forest

Game details: Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Indiana has a surprisingly tough game on its hands this weekend as Wake Forest visits Bloomington. The Demon Deacons are 3-0 after rolling past Delaware but enter this game as touchdown underdogs. Indiana can earn its second straight undefeated nonconference season with a win.

4. Nebraska at Northwestern

Game details: Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Northwestern is off to a terrible start this season, but it did knock off Duke to get things moving in the right direction. The Wildcats lost their first two games by a combined three points, so there's no reason to think they can't at least keep Nebraska close for awhile. As for the Cornhuskers, a win in Evanston would open up the possibility of starting the season 7-0 before a huge late-October showdown in Wisconsin.

3. Iowa at Rutgers

Game details: Saturday at noon

The formerly ranked Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off a brutal loss to FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, and now, they have to go on the road for the first time. Luckily, the Big Ten season starts out with Rutgers, which shouldn't pose much of a threat to the conference's top teams. But if Janarion Grant can get going -- he already has touchdowns as a running back, kick returner, punt returner and quarterback this season -- the Hawkeyes better watch out. There's no time for Kirk Ferentz's team to dwell on its vanquished playoff hopes.

2. Penn State at Michigan

Game details: Saturday at 3:30

Penn State is playing decent football this season, but playing in Ann Arbor is a tough start to the Big Ten season. Since falling behind 28-7 at Pittsburgh, Penn State has outscored Pitt and Temple 66-41. For a team that lost its starting quarterback and began the season with major concerns on offense, Saquon Barkley and Tracy McSorley have done a nice job leading the way. But if Michigan gets Jourdan Lewis and Taco Charlton back by Saturday, it could be a long afternoon for the first-year starting quarterback. Oh yeah, they'll have to look out for that Jabrill Peppers guy, too.

1. Wisconsin at Michigan State

Game details: Saturday at noon

Why is the best game of the week at noon? Nobody knows. But it shouldn't take away from a near top-10 matchup in East Lansing. Michigan State is coming off a huge win over Notre Dame that propelled it to No. 8 in the AP poll. On the other hand, Wisconsin nearly dropped a terrible home game to Georgia State and had to call on redshirt freshman quarterback Alex Hornibrook to save the day. Hornibrook looks like a solid future quarterback for the Badgers, but making a road start in East Lansing is very different from tearing up Georgia State in front of the home fans. Wisconsin might be running into a buzz saw this weekend, especially if it plays like it did a week ago.

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Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.