Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, October 5, 2015

Lackluster. Is there any other way to describe Michigan State?s win over Purdue. How did the Boilermakers almost knock off the No. 2 team in the nation in East Lansing? Here is how. Thanks, Mike Griffith of Mlive.com.

The good news: Most of what ailed MSU was of its own doing. So, it?s correctable. No worries, Sparty. Carry on.

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If you didn?t see James Franklin?s post-game presser on Saturday, you missed Franklin at his Franklin best. I admire his positivity. I wish I had more of it.

No way is anyone gonna call the Nittany Lions? win over Army ?ugly.? And no way is anyone gonna say it felt like a loss. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

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Another week, another win for Ohio State. But, are changes needed to spark a sputtering juggernaut? The Buckeyes certainly haven?t looked like the No. 1 team in the nation. They haven?t even looked like the top team in the Big Ten.

Cleveland.com astutely points out that Ezekiel Elliott gives Ohio State edge on almost every team as long as the Buckeyes give him the ball. Closing in on the halfway point of the regular season, there isn't much else Ohio State can absolutely count on. That signals either a looming disaster … or a championship repeat.

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Well, it looks like Mitch Leidner will remain QB at Minnesota.

Gophers coach Jerry Kill on Sunday said he's not sure exactly how he's going to dole out playing time at quarterback at Purdue next week. But he gave hints that Leidner will remain the starter, with Demry Croft getting sprinkled in gradually.

"Mitch is not the reason we?re struggling so much," Kill said, one day after his team's 27-0 loss at Northwestern. "… There?s no controversy or any of that stuff, it?s just, we didn?t play very good.
"Everybody?s going to make a big deal out of [Croft replacing Leidner in the fourth quarter Saturday], but it?s not as big a deal as everybody will make out of it.?

I get it: Leidner probably still gives the Gophers the best chance to win, but ? golly.

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Rick Brown of HawkCentral.com nails it: Iowa is no longer a fad. It?s the real deal. I?m not gonna argue that notion. And the schedule offers the Hawks plenty of opportunity to keep thriving.

The Hawkeyes came to Camp Randall looking for validation. They got it in what was hardly a pretty game. It?s called ?winning ugly.? And, it?s OK.

"I think any win is a beautiful thing," Iowa senior center Austin Blythe said.

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This is good: Tom Shatel of Omaha.com has 31 reasons why Nebraska?s win turned into a loss at Illinois. Thirty-one? Really?

Shatel pleads with the Huskers to just line up and run the ball. It?s Nebraska, for crying out loud! Play to your heritage. Play to a personnel set you can lure to Lincoln. Nebraska has gotten away from the ground-pounding ever since Frank Solich was unceremoniously shown the door and Bill Callahan was brought it. Solich is still thriving at Ohio. Nebraska is on its third coach since Solich.

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What was bad for Mike Riley and Nebraska was great for Bill Cubit and Illinois on Saturday. In fact, that stunning 14-13 win helps Cubit build a case for keeping the Illini job. I?d be all for it.

Cubit is a smart and seasoned vet who can coach/teach. And, he knows the program in his third year in Champaign. Could Illinois really hire someone better? Think about it.

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Count the great Gregg Doyel of IndyStar.com among those impressed by Indiana?s effort vs. No. 1 Ohio State.

How great for the IU program would it have been if it had toppled the mighty Buckeyes? Now, I wanna see how the Hoosiers do emotionally next week at Penn State, a game Indiana has a good shot to win. And probably needs to win.

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As long as Northwestern redshirt freshman QB Clayton Thorson keeps playing it safe, the Wildcats could keep soaring.

How good is this kid gonna be in the future? Pair with RB Justin Jackson, look out!

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I will leave you with Kirk Herbstreit?s Final Four.

1. Baylor
2. Ohio State
3. Oklahoma
4. LSU

Where is TCU?

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