BIG TEN

* at No. 1 Ohio State 38, Wisconsin 17: The defense stiffened and Chris Wells ran for three second-half scores to help the Buckeyes (10-0, 6-0) overcome a third-quarter deficit and beat the Badgers (7-3, 3-3) at Columbus. Wells, who finished with 169 yards in 21 carries, capped a methodical 80-yard drive by cutting back to his left on a run up the middle for a 31-yard touchdown to tie the score, 17-17, late in the third quarter. After a punt by Wisconsin gave Ohio State the ball back near midfield, Wells did it again on an almost identical run. Slashing up the middle, he cut back to his left and was untouched, again, as he raced 30 yards to the left corner of the end zone for a 24-17 lead.

* No. 15 Michigan 28, at Michigan State 24: Chad Henne’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham with 2:28 left lifted the Wolverines (8-2, 6-0) over the Spartans (5-5, 1-5) at East Lansing. The Spartans, who overcame an 11-point deficit at halftime to lead by 10 midway through the final quarter, drove to the Wolverines’ 34 on the final drive before losing the ball on downs.

* at Penn State 26, Purdue 19: Derrick Williams scored on a 12-yard end-around and a five-yard reception, and Dan Connor and Maurice Evans led a beleaguered defense that held the Boilermakers (7-3, 3-3) in check late as the Nittany Lions (7-3, 4-3) held on at State College.

* Iowa 28, at Northwestern 17: Jake Christensen threw for 299 yards and Damian Sims ran for a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, leading the Hawkeyes (5-5, 3-4) to a comeback win over the Wildcats (5-5, 2-4) at Evanston, Ill.

* Illinois 44, at Minnesota 17: Rashard Mendenhall ran for 201 yards, quarterback “Juice” Williams had his best all-around game of the season, and the Fighting Illini (7-3, 4-2) routed the Golden Gophers (1-9, 0-6) at Minneapolis.

* at Indiana 38, Ball State 20: Quarterback Kellen Lewis had career highs with 406 yards of total offense and 354 yards passing, and the Hoosiers (6-4) became bowl-eligible for the first time since 1994 with a victory over the Cardinals (5-5) at Bloomington.