Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, September 9, 2015

The Big Ten would like to forget about Week 1, which saw the league go 8-6, including 2-4 vs. "Power Five" schools. At least Ohio State closed things on a positive note with a convincing win at Virginia Tech.

[ MORE: Big Ten Mailbag | Q&A: Wes Lunt | Power rankings | Player rankings | Bowl projections | Best of Week 1 ]

On to Week 2, which lacks the pizzazz of the opening week but does have one headline act.

That, of course, is No. 6 Oregon at No. 5 Michigan State in a rematch that has playoff implications for the second consecutive season. A season ago, the Ducks came from behind to drop the Spartans behind eventual Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota

Get my quick Week 2 previews below:

Western Illinois (1-0) at Illinois (1-0) – noon ET, BTN/BTN2Go. Controversy? What controversy? The Fighting Illini debuted by buzzing Kent State, 52-3, one day later than expected due to a weather postponement Friday night. You know the backup long snapper could have scored if the coach had just put him in the dang game at running back. Oh, well. Maybe Illinois should fire its coach each week. Just kidding, Bill Cubit. You are doing a boffo job as interim head coach. Enjoy another blowout this week! Thank the FCS Leathernecks.

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Bowling Green (0-1) at Maryland (1-0) – noon ET, BTN/BTN2Go. Yes, the Terrapins turned some heads by burying FCS Richmond, 50-21, after a sluggish start in a game that will be remembered for William Likely breaking Nile Kinnick's Big Ten record for punt return yards (233). To this week: Bowling Green will be more formidable. This is one of the MAC?s top programs that features a go-go Oregon-style attack that vomits points. The Falcons opened with a 59-30 loss at Tennessee and will come off the bus in College Park scoring TDs. Buckle up, Testudo.

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Oregon State (1-0) at Michigan (0-1) – noon ET, ABC. Beavers coach Gary Andersen knows the Big Ten; he was Wisconsin's coach the last two seasons before abruptly splitting town without so much as a ?good-bye.? Doesn?t matter. He won?t be welcomed in Ann Arbor, either, where khaki-wearing Jim Harbaugh will be waiting to blow his whistle and make notes with his Sharpie. Michigan came THISCLOSE to winning at Utah last week, falling 24-17. (Is Jake Rudock still throwing picks?) If you believe the adage ?a team improves most from Week 1 to Week 2,? you can bet your bottom dollar the Wolverines will buzz the Beavers, 26-7 winners vs. Weber State last week.

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Buffalo (1-0) at Penn State (0-1) – noon ET, ESPN2. A full-scale panic has set in at Penn State after that horrifying 27-10 opening loss at Temple. How bad was it? The Nittany Lions ran 24 plays in the second half-and had 31 yards. The players have literally buried the DVD of this game. Now, James Franklin is evaluating everything. That?s good, because every game this season may be an adventure for a young and still-developing program-even vs. Buffalo. Fear the Bulls. I?m serious. Buffalo is coached by rising star Lance Leipold, who went 109-6 in eight seasons at Wisconsin-Whitewater with six Division III titles. And, he?s 1-0 with Buffalo, opening by crushing Albany, 51-14. Franklin is gonna have to dig deep into his library of Tony Robbins motivational tools this season.

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Indiana State (1-0) at Purdue (0-1) – noon ESPN News. Anyone who watched the Boilermakers open with a 41-31 loss at Marshall knows this program is better than the ones in Darrell Hazell's first two seasons. Now, Purdue can show an ability to bounce back from adversity? The Sycamores, a ranked FCS foe, are one of the four foes Hazell has beaten at Purdue. The others? Southern Illinois, Western Michigan and Illinois. You thinking what I?m thinking? You know, that if Austin Appleby can cut his ?pick sixes? from two to one, Purdue should win vs. Larry Bird?s alma mater, which opened with a win vs. Butler.

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Miami (Ohio) (1-0) at Wisconsin (0-1) – noon ET, ESPNU. Not long ago, the RedHawks were mired in a 21-game losing skid. So, last year?s 2-10 mark was reason to buy balloons and cake. And Miami is 1-0 this year after beating ? Presbyterian? Oh, well. It?s a win. But I?m not here to type about Miami. This is about a Wisconsin program that wants to regain its mojo after that very un-Wisconsin-like 35-17 loss to Alabama that felt more like 135-17. Here is hoping safety Michael Caputo and running back Corey Clement are OK.

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Hawaii (1-0) at Ohio State (1-0) – 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN/BTN2Go. If you can?t vacation in Hawaii, what?s the next best thing if you are the Buckeyes? Inviting the Rainbows to your place ? and pounding them! Norm Chow always wanted to be a head coach. Well, he has gotten his wish, going 9-29 in three-plus years. (Remember what Granny always said: Be careful what you wish for, you may get it.) Hawaii did open with a 28-20 win vs. visiting Colorado, one of the few programs in the galaxy worse than Hawaii. The sousaphone player who dots the ?I? may get into this game.

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Minnesota (0-1) at Colorado State (1-0) – 3:30 p.m. ET, CBS Sports. The Rams traditionally have one of the better non-Power Five programs. They are under new stewardship, with ex-Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo assuming command from Jim McElwain, who took the Florida gig. This is a dangerous game for Minnesota. Adding to the complexity is the fact the Gophers are coming off a rugged opener vs. TCU. This is really a no-win situation for Minnesota. Win, and few will be impressed. Lose, and, well ?

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Washington State (0-1) at Rutgers (1-0) – 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPNU. God bless Wazzu coach Mike Leach, one of the sporting world?s great characters. But, his swashbuckling Texas Tech act just isn?t transferring over on the Palouse. He opened Year Four with a numbing 24-17 defeat to Portland State. That makes Leach 12-26 at Washington State. Rutgers has been part of Leach?s misery, taking a 41-38 win last year in Seattle. Expect the Scarlet Knights to make Leach walk the plank again-no matter who is playing QB.

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Eastern Illinois (0-1) at Northwestern (1-0) – 4 p.m. ET, ESPN News. The Wildcats surely are feeling chesty after that 16-6 handcuffing of Stanford. With one swift win over the No. 21 team in the nation-why was the Cardinal ranked?–expectations have been altered in Evanston. Go ahead and keep dreaming big, Wildcats. But beating EIU won?t be a cakewalk. This traditionally is one of the best FCS programs in America. Pat Fitzgerald has spent the week kicking his team in the butt-not patting it on the back. Ol? No. 51 knows the drill.

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Iowa (1-0) at Iowa State (1-0) – 4:45 p.m. ET, FOX. Not many Big Ten teams looked more impressive in the opening week than the Hawkeyes. Iowa scrubbed any notion of being pantsed by Illinois State by pantsing the reigning FCS runner-up, 31-14. Now, the heavy-lifting starts with a visit to Ames. Don?t tell Kirk Ferentz this, but he?s 7-9 vs. the Cyclones. A win here, and Ferentz won?t have to wear his Ray-Bans anymore when he eats his Riblets at the Iowa City Applebee?s.

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Florida International (1-0) at Indiana (1-0) – 8 p.m. ET, BTN/BTN2Go. This is the last thing the Hoosiers need, a pesky foe that is coming off a huge win at Central Florida. The Panthers have talent. The Hoosiers will welcome back a gaggle of players who missed the opener for one reason or other. And, they missed a thriller, a harrowing 48-47 win vs. FCS Southern Illinois. If not for snuffing-out a SIU two-point conversion at the end, IU would have lost. Interesting factoid: FIU is coached by former Illinois boss Ron Turner.

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South Alabama (1-0) at Nebraska (0-1) – 8 p.m. ET, BTN/BTN2Go. A visit from a Sun Belt program like South Alabama-which beat a school called ?Gardner-Webb? last week–is just what the doctor ordered for a Nebraska team that may still be doubled-over in pain from that Hail Mary loss to BYU that snapped its nation's best 29-game winning streak in season openers. Someone has to pay for this. Sorry, Jaguars. This one will be decided with well more than one second left on the clock.

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Oregon (1-0) at Michigan State (1-0) – 8 p.m. ET, ABC. We all remember watching this meeting last year in Eugene. It went something like this: Spartans jump to a 27-18 third quarter lead ? then watch the Ducks lay four unanswered TDs onto Michigan State behind Heisman glory boy Marcus Mariota. What happened? Forget it. New year, and Mariota is gone. But this new QB, Vernon Adams, Jr.? He?s pretty good, hitting 19-of-25 passes for 246 yards and two TDs in his sleep during a 61 (yawn) to 42 (yawn) win vs. Eastern Washington last week. Is the famed Spartan ?No Fly Zone? ready?

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About Tom Dienhart BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men's basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section.

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