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Last week's game of the week (Michigan at Iowa) did not exactly live up to the billing, but there were plenty of great games including tight ones in Madison (MSU at Wisconsin) and a late Sunday battle between Illinois and Penn State that was more entertaining than many thought. The conference race is still tied at the top, but teams like Iowa, Ohio State, and Wisconsin have started to edge closer. With that, let's look at the game of the week:
Game Of The Week:
Michigan at Ohio State: The Game of the Week will take place on Tuesday night between the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes. Everybody knows this is a rivalry, but it has really added intensity on the hardwood. In Matta's early years, they dominated Michigan, but the Wolverines have evened it up and they have split 2-2 during the regular season the last two years. This will be the lone faceoff this year (curse you Big Ten scheduling!), but the importance of this game cannot be understated. Ohio State is trying to reassert itself at the top of the Big Ten and Michigan is trying to keep pace with MSU. If the Wolverines can pull this one off, they do not have any major challenges awaiting on the road for the rest of Big Ten play, which would be huge. For OSU, a win would mean a year of bragging rights and put them in a great spot to make a late season run. This is the Michigan's 4th appearance in BTP's Game of the Week this season and Ohio State's first appearance.
Honorable Mention:
Minnesota at Wisconsin: This is just the first game with major implications on the line for the Badgers this week. Minnesota and Wisconsin both picked up big wins last weekend (Indiana & MSU) and are both making a push toward the top end of the conference. The Gophers won the first matchup of the season and the Badgers are surely looking for revenge against their rival.
Wisconsin at Michigan: This was a very close runner-up for the Game of the Week. The only thing that knocked this one down was that the "favorite" was playing at home. Michigan beat Wisconsin on the road earlier this season and now the return game heads to Ann Arbor. The Badgers certainly have a chance at pulling this one off, but beating Michigan on the road is never easy. This game could be huge for Michigan's Big Ten title chances and could propel Wisconsin potentially up to 3rd in the Big Ten if they have a big week.