Matt Leinhart assesses Big Ten championship race through Week 5
FOX college football analyst Matt Leinhart took to Twitter on Saturday to asses the Big Ten. Through Week 5, the race to the Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis seems wide open.
Ohio State is up big on Rutgers in the second half, Michigan picked up a win at Wisconsin and Iowa pounded Maryland. Penn State could be the team to beat in the Big Ten East, too. The Nittany Lions host Indiana on Saturday night.
Leinart would know how open the Big Ten is. As a member of FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, he has seen Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State play in person. The crew will be in Iowa City next week when Iowa and Penn State clash.
Breaking down four Big Ten contenders
Ohio State: The Buckeyes are starting to look like the team many expected them to be. C.J. Stroud took last week off against Akron but returned this week for Big Ten play. With Stroud at starting quarterback, Ohio State’s passing game seems to be clicking again. And the Buckeyes defense is making progress after a disappointing start to the season.
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Penn State: In his first year working under offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich, Nittany Lions quarterback Sean Clifford has newfound confidence. They picked up a huge win over Auburn and look like a complete team. Penn State secondary has played as expected, too, as the Nittany Lions defense is allowing just 15 points per game through four games, best for 13th in the country.
Iowa: If there was any lingering doubt about Iowa being the favorite to win the Big Ten West, it was erased Friday night when the fifth-ranked Hawkeyes blasted host Maryland. The question now shifts to this: Are the Hawkeyes the Big Ten’s best chance for a College Football Playoff team?
Michigan: The Wolverines are not going to change what is working. Behind running backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum, Michigan is off to a 5-0 start with wins over Washington and Wisconsin. And while the Wolverines have not been truly tested yet, they look like a complete team that can actually go toe-to-toe with other teams in the Big Ten.