Big Ten play is officially in season with a full slate of conference action on tap for Week 5. The headliner is Penn State’s home game against Oregon in a Big Ten championship game rematch, but the rest of the Big Ten slate is pretty solid as well. A top-25 showdown between Illinois and USC, Indiana traveling to Iowa, and Ohio State heading to the West Coast hoping to avoid an upset against Washington are all worth paying close attention to this week.
Our staff has shared our final score predictions for the primetime showdown between Penn State and Oregon, so be sure to check that out for our thoughts on that game. But we also put our reputations on the line with some straight-up picks for this weekend’s other Big Ten action.
Here are our picks for the Big Ten’s week 5.
| Kevin | Christopher | Sam | Andrew | |
| Illinois vs.USC | USC | USC | USC | Illinois |
| Minnesota vs.Rutgers | Minnesota | Rutgers | Minnesota | Rutgers |
| Washington vs.Ohio State | OhioState | OhioState | OhioState | OhioState |
| Iowa vs.Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | Indiana | Indiana |
| Northwesternvs. UCLA | Northwestern | Northwestern | Northwestern | Northwestern |
Sam on Illinois vs. USC: Talk about two teams on different trajectories. Illinois just got embarrassed by Illinois, while USC has looked great through four games. I certainly think this will be closer than 63-10, but I don’t think Illinois will be able to stop Jayden Maiava and the Trojans’ offense.
Andrew on Illinois vs. USC: Illinois enters the game with a sour taste in its mouth after last week’s blowout loss to Indiana. The Fighting Illini get a major response behind quarterback Luke Altmyer, and Bret Bielema outcoaches Lincoln Riley, proving the Trojans still can’t get over the hump and are still on the outside looking in.
Christopher on Minnesota vs. Rutgers: Many Big Ten fans will be surprised to know that out of all the stellar QBs in the conference, it is Rutgers’ own Athan Kaliakmanis that ranks second. With a new-look offense that preaches speed at the WR position instead of relying on the physicality of their run game, Rutgers looks like a completely new team. In a tough schedule, look for this semi-revenge game for Kaliakmanis to be a potential saving grace for the Scarlet Knights ahead of a brutal gauntlet to end their season. Give me the men from Piscataway in a mini-upset with Kaliakmanis delivering another stellar performance through the air.
Andrew on Iowa vs. Indiana: Indiana proved its legitimacy after last week’s blowout victory over Illinois. The Hoosiers stay on a roll, and Fernando Mendoza has another big game, putting him in a strong position for the Heisman Trophy. Despite Iowa’s defense consistently being a top unit, the offensive power that Indiana has shown will be too much for the Hawkeyes.
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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Staff picks for Big Ten football in Week 5
