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Week 7 Big Ten Football Recap: Illinois Shows Grit and Resilience

It was a wild weekend of Big Ten action, with four games being decided by four points or less

Rich Cirminiello

Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) scores a touchdown catch over Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Botros Alisandro (19) in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) scores a touchdown catch over Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Botros Alisandro (19) in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
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Week 7 in the Big Ten began with lopsided games but ended with edge-of-the-seat thrillers that shined a spotlight on the league's top teams.

Purdue at Illinois was the microcosm: The Illini built a 27-3 lead, squandered it, forced overtime as regulation ended and then preserved a 50-49 win on a stuffed two-point conversion attempt.

It was bonkers and much harder than expected. But Illinois snapped a four-game losing streak against Purdue, remained in the Top 25 and proved it can survive and advance even when things go south.

Week 7 in the Big Ten: What We Learned

6. Wisconsin Goes Old-School

The Badgers tapped into their ground-and-pound roots, running the ball 47 times in a 42-7 win at Rutgers. Wisconsin has now answered consecutive losses to Alabama and USC with routs of Purdue and Rutgers by a combined score of 94-13.

5. Aaron Graves Is Iowa's Next Great D-Lineman

The Hawkeyes have a history of coaching up linemen on both sides of the ball. Graves is next up, highlighted by Saturday's two-sack, two-forced-fumble performance in the 40-16 defeat of Washington.

4. Luke Altmyer Keeps Raising the Bar

Illinois proved it can win on a day when the defense struggles. That's a huge development in Champaign.

Altmyer was the star of the Purdue thriller, accounting for 439 yards and four touchdowns. He has been a revelation this season, with 14 TD passes and just one pick.

3. Tyler Warren Might Be College Football's Best Tight End

With all due respect to Michigan's Colston Loveland, who is fantastic, no tight end in the conference is playing better than Penn State's Warren. In Saturday's USC win, he had a record-setting day with 17 catches for 224 yards and a spectacular TD catch.

2. Lincoln Riley is Regressing

After blowing a big lead at home to Penn State, USC is now 0-3 in Big Ten play, having blown fourth-quarter leads in all three of those games. Riley is 22-11 midway through his third season in Troy, and there are genuine concerns if he can get this team to a point where it consistently plays for titles.

1. Dillon Gabriel Delivered

Oregon got exactly what it needed when it plucked Gabriel out of the portal to replace Bo Nix. In Saturday's showdown with Ohio State, Gabriel played at a Heisman level with 370 total yards and three TDs, engineering the game-winning drive late in the fourth.

Big Ten Football Week 8 Power Rankings: Is 5-1 Illinois Moving Up?

Illinois Football Climbs to No. 22 in Week 8 AP Top 25 Rankings

Watch: Illinois WR Pat Bryant Calls His Own Shot in OT to Beat Purdue

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Rich Cirminiello
RICH CIRMINIELLO

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