Saturday’s other big ten games

No. 22 Michigan 31, Illinois 14

CHAMPAIGN, ILL.

Liberty High graduate Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for 192 yards and a touchdown and backup quarterback Devin Gardner threw a key TD pass to lead Michigan. Denard Robinson didn’t play after a big third-quarter hit. Details about his injury weren’t available. In relief Gardner hit Martavious Odoms for a fourth quarter touchdown that gave Michigan (8-2, 4-2 Big Ten) a 24-7 lead after Illinois scored. The Illini (6-4, 2-4) finished with 214 yards of offense but had just 30 at halftime. For the fourth week in a row they didn’t score in the first half and they’ve lost four straight. Illinois trailed 17-7 after quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase’s 14-yard third-quarter touchdown run. But he was intercepted by J.T Floyd on the next Illinois possession to set up Odoms’ TD.

No. 13 Michigan State 37, Iowa 21

IOWA CITY, IOWA

Kirk Cousins threw for 260 yards and three touchdowns and Michigan State took control of the Big Ten’s Legends Division. B.J. Cunningham caught a pair of TD passes for the Spartans, who snapped a seven-game losing streak at Iowa dating back to 1989. Michigan State (8-2, 5-1 Big Ten) took a commanding 31-7 lead with two touchdowns in a 36-second stretch late in the second quarter. Cunningham followed Le’Veon Bell’s 25-yard TD run with a 22-yard touchdown catch to put Michigan State up by 24 at the break. The Spartans can now earn a spot in the Big Ten title game with wins over Indiana and Northwestern in the next two weeks. James Vandenberg threw for 262 yards and two touchdowns for Iowa (6-4, 3-3), which lost its first home game of the season.

No. 16 Wisconsin 42, Minnesota 13

MINNEAPOLIS

Montee Ball broke the Big Ten’s single-season touchdown record and Wisconsin trampled Minnesota to keep Paul Bunyan’s Axe for the eighth straight year — and stay in the conference title chase. Russell Wilson had a season-high four touchdown passes. He was on target with every throw and every decision, connecting on all but his last throw.

Northwestern 28, Rice 6

EVANSTON, ILL.

Dan Persa threw for a career-high 372 yards, Jeremy Ebert set a personal best with 208 receiving yards and Northwestern beat Rice. Persa also matched a career high with four touchdown passes.

Associated Press