Big Ten Buzz: Scores plus the best, worst of Week 11

Wisconsin RB Montee Ball rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns in a 62-14 win at Indiana on Saturday. (US Presswire)

Big Ten Scoreboard:

Nebraska 32, Penn State 23: The Huskers (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit and overcame a Taylor Martinez fumble inside the Penn State (6-4, 4-2 Big Ten) 5-yard line to maintain their lead in the Legends Division race. Nebraska was the beneficiary of a questionable fumble from Penn State TE Matt Lehmana as he dove into the endzone, but after reviewing the play, the referees upheld the call and awarded the Huskers the ball. Martinez and RB Ameer Abdullah combined for 220 yards rushing and backup RB Imani Cross had two big touchdown runs. (For more on the game, check out CBSSports.com's Eye on College Football blog)

Minnesota 17, Illinois 3: The Gophers (6-4, 2-4 Big Ten) defeated Illinois (2-8, 0-6 Big Ten) behind a season-high 152 rushing yards from Donnell Kirkwood, who scored the game's only two touchdowns. A fourth-quarter fumble by Fighting Illini QB Nathan Scheelhaase with 3:18 remaining cemented the Gophers' first six-win season since 2009 and gave Minnesota bowl eligibility in coach Jerry Kill's second season. The Gophers had just three wins last season.

Wisconsin 62, Indiana 14: The Badgers (7-3, 4-2 Big Ten) raced to 17 first-quarter points and were never challenged. Wisconsin clinched a spot in the Big Ten championship game by rushing for 564 yards and seven touchdowns on 64 carries. The Hoosiers (4-6, 2-4 Big Ten) struggled on offense and finished with 294 total yards and three turnovers. (For more on the game, check out CBSSports.com's Eye on College Football blog)

Michigan 38, Northwestern 31 (OT): The Wolverines (7-3, 5-1 Big Ten) rallied from a double-digit second-half deficit behind QB Devin Gardner, who was 16 of 29 for 286 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 47 yards and two scores. The Wildcats (7-3, 3-3 Big Ten) wore down late, as QB Kain Colter was 8 of 14 for 86 yards and a touchdown. Colter also rushed for 82 yards but couldn't convert on fourth-down in overtime.

Purdue 27, Iowa 24: The Boilermakers (4-6, 1-5 Big Ten) kept their slim hopes of a bowl berth alive on a 48-yard field goal by Paul Griggs as time expired in Iowa City. Purdue was led by QB Robert Marve, who threw for 266 yards and two touchdowns, and RB Ralph Bolden, who rushed for 102 yards. Iowa (4-6, 2-4 Big Ten) was held to 264 yards and 16 first downs.

(Video courtesy Big Ten Network)

Play of the day: Michigan appeared headed for a fourth defeat, but Gardner's 53-yard completion to WR Roy Roundtree with eight seconds left set up the tying field goal. Gardner slid around in the pocket to buy time before heaving the ball as far as he could. Roundtree actually ran past the ball, batted it into the air with his right hand and twisted back under it at the Northwestern 9-yard line for the crucial catch.

He said what? "We're not gonna get that call here. We're not gonna get that call anywhere. Write what you wanna write," Penn State QB Matt McGloin said regarding Matt Lehman's questionable fumble in the fourth quarter of Saturday's loss to Nebraska.

RapidReports defensive star of the day: CB Micah Hyde, Iowa. The senior helped spark the Hawkeyes in the third quarter when he scooped up a fumble and returned it nine yards for a touchdown. The team's top cover man had 11 tackles, including eight solo, in the loss.

RapidReports offensive star of the day: RB Montee Ball, Wisconsin. The star has slowly been regaining his elite form and shredded Indiana for 198 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. Ball is a touchdown short of the NCAA career record of 78 set by former Miami (Ohio) RB Travis Prentice.

His seat is getting uncomfortable: Kirk Ferentz, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have lost four straight and failed to score more than 24 points in any of the defeats. Iowa's attack has gone from conservative to anemic. First-year offensive coordinator Greg Davis could soon become a sacrificial lamb.

A possible spot on the bench for: Wisconsin QB Danny O'Brien. The highly touted transfer lost the open QB competition during the Badgers bye week to Curt Phillips and the fifth-year senior seized his opportunity against Indiana. Although the majority of Phillips' day consisted of handing off to Ball and White, Phillips threw for a touchdown and showed great mobility on seven rushes for 68 yards, including a 52-yarder. He should be Wisconsin's starter heading into the final two regular-season games vs. Ohio State and Penn State.

Why you should care about these three stats:

• Wisconsin sets record: The Badgers rushed for a school-record 564 yards as it clinched their second-straight Big Ten championship berth. Ball was aided by James White, who finished with 161 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. In total, the Badgers had four players combine for seven rushing touchdowns.
• Nine consecutive 100-yard rushers for Huskers: Nebraska has had at least one running back top 100-yards rushing in all nine games this season, the longest such streak since a 20-game stretch from 1999-2000. Over this year's streak, Abdullah, Martinez, and Rex Burkhead have reached the mark.
• Northwestern blows second-half lead, again: The Wildcats have blown second-half, double-digit leads in all three of their losses, including a 10-point lead with 3:57 left in the third quarter of Saturday's game vs. Michigan.

Key number: 31. Consecutive games with a catch for Purdue WR Antavian Edison. The senior had five catches for 50 yards in the win over the Hawkeyes, including a 20-yarder with five seconds left to set up the game-winning field goal.

For more up-to-the-minute news and analysis from Big Ten bloggers Dave Carey and Mike Singer, follow @CBSSportsBigTen.