Northwestern Playing Role of the Contender

Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez played part of his freshman year with a broken leg. Last season, he struggled because of a shoulder injury.

The senior is relatively healthy this season. And it showed Saturday as he led surging Northwestern to a 49-14 victory over No. 22 Michigan State at East Lansing, Mich.

Basanez passed for 331 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more scores to lead the Wildcats, 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten Conference, to their third consecutive victory.

The game was billed as a meeting between two of the nation’s best offenses, but miscues by the Spartans (4-3, 1-3) turned it into a rout. Michigan State has lost three in a row and Northwestern remains in the thick of the conference title race.

“I think I’ve learned a lot in my career here,” said Basanez, Northwestern’s all-time passing yardage leader. “I’m kind of at a point now where I know what it is like. You come in and you kind of think you know, but now I know what this team needs and what this offense needs as far as leadership style.”

Michigan State entered third in the nation and first in the Big Ten in offense. Northwestern ranked fourth in the nation and second in the conference.

“They played harder than we did,” Michigan State Coach John L. Smith said.

No. 12 Penn State 63, Illinois 10 -- Michael Robinson threw for four touchdowns and ran for two more -- in the first half -- at Champaign, Ill., and the Nittany Lions gave Coach Joe Paterno his 350th victory.

The Penn State victory was so decisive that Robinson and most of his fellow starters did not play after the Nittany Lions built a 56-3 halftime lead to spoil Illinois’ homecoming.

The win keeps Penn State (7-1, 4-1) in a tie with Wisconsin atop the Big Ten standings.

Penn State set a school record for scoring in a half, breaking the mark of 55 set on Oct. 11, 1947, in the first half of a 70-0 victory over Fordham.

It was the worst defeat for Illinois (2-5, 0-4) since a 69-13 loss to Michigan on Nov. 1, 1986.

No. 14 Ohio State 41, Indiana 10 -- Troy Smith ran for two touchdowns and threw for another at Bloomington, Ind., and the Buckeyes stayed close in the muddled Big Ten title chase.

It was only the second Big Ten road victory for the Buckeyes (5-2, 3-1) since November 2003, a span of seven games.

The Hoosiers (4-3, 1-3) had more punts (10) than first downs (eight).

Ohio State’s Antonio Pittman carried 26 times for 133 yards.

No. 19 Wisconsin 31, Purdue 20 -- Roderick Rogers’ 84-yard interception return for a touchdown ignited the Badgers (7-1, 4-1) to victory at Madison, Wis.

Purdue (2-5, 0-4) has lost five in a row.