Big Ten football: No. 23 USC visits Nebraska — and No. 1 Ohio State hosts slumping Penn State this weekend

Here’s what to watch for this week in the Big Ten Conference, including the game of the week and key players.

Game of the week

No. 23 Southern California (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) at Nebraska (6-2, 3-2), Saturday, 6:30 p.m. (NBC)

Each of these teams has at least a remote chance of earning a College Football Playoff berth by avoiding any more regular-season losses. This is Nebraska’s last remaining game against a current Top 25 team. USC’s lone upcoming matchup with a Top 25 team is Nov. 22 at No. 6 Oregon.

USC is throwing for a Bowl Subdivision-leading 326.1 yards per game, while Nebraska is allowing the second-fewest passing yards per game (127.5) of any FBS team. Nebraska has lost its last 28 games against Top 25 teams.

BetMGM Sportsbook has USC as a 6 1/2-point road favorite.

The undercard

Penn State (3-4, 0-4) at No. 1 Ohio State (7-0, 4-0), Saturday, 11 a.m. (Fox)

What figured at one time to be one of the biggest regular-season games of the season now looks like a mismatch in the wake of Penn State’s four-game skid that included the firing of coach James Franklin.

Ohio State has a Bowl Subdivision-leading 11-game winning streak and has won its last eight meetings with Penn State. The Buckeyes are favored by 20 1/2 points, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Ohio State isn’t the only Big Ten team with a wealth of depth at wide receiver

Impact players

Washington WR Denzel Boston had a touchdown catch and a 12-yard touchdown pass in the Huskies’ 42-25 triumph over then-No. 23 Illinois. Boston caught 10 passes for 153 yards.

Rutgers WR KJ Duff had six catches for 241 yards – including a 72-yard touchdown – in the Scarlet Knights’ 27-24 victory over Purdue.

Michigan RB Justice Haynes leads all Power Four players and ranks third in the Bowl Subdivision with 122.4 yards rushing per game.

Inside the numbers

No. 2 Indiana has won two Big Ten games by at least 50 points – a 63-10 blowout of Illinois and a 56-6 rout of UCLA. Indiana is the first Power Four team since Clemson in its 2018 national championshiop season to win multiple conference games by at least 50 points in the same year. … Washington’s Jonah Coleman has an FBS-leading 13 touchdown runs. … Ohio State is allowing the fewest points per game (5.9), yards per game (216.9) and yards per play (3.81) of any FBS team. … Four of the top six FBS teams in total defense are from the Big Ten. Ohio State ranks first, Iowa (234.9) is second, Oregon (239.4) is fourth and Indiana (242.8) sixth.

Get to know him

Oregon freshman Jordon Davison has rushed for at least 100 yards in each of his last two games. Davison ran for 100 yards on just four carries – including a 67-yard touchdown – in a 56-10 blowout of Rutgers. He followed that up by rushing for 102 yards and two scores on 26 carries in a 21-7 win over Wisconsin. He has scored touchdowns on 10 of his 51 carries this season.

Davison and the sixth-ranked Ducks have this week off before a Nov. 8 trip to Iowa, which ranks fourth in the FBS in run defense. The Hawkeyes allow 83.9 yards rushing per game and 2.64 yards per carry.