Week 2 of the college football season is almost upon us, and it figures to be much quieter than the opening weekend.
After a week that gave us Oklahoma vs. Houston, LSU vs. Wisconsin, Texas vs. Notre Dame and Florida State vs. Ole Miss, there isn't a single ranked matchup in college football this weekend.
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Luckily, there are a few very good nonconference games in the Big Ten. Here's a look at which Big Ten matchups you should be looking forward to this weekend.
14. Rutgers vs. Howard
Saturday is the only time this year you can turn on your TV and see Rutgers and Howard on the same football field. Fortunately, there are plenty of other games to spare you from doing so. Rutgers is one of the worst Power Five teams in the country, and Howard lost to Maryland by 39 points last week. Chris Ash should get his first win as a head coach.
13. Michigan State's bye week
Watching Michigan State not have a game would at least save you from watching the game above.
12. Minnesota vs. Indiana State
Minnesota had one of the conference's top games last week, holding on late to knock off Oregon State. This week, the Golden Gophers face an easier task against an Indiana State team that went 5-6 last season as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference.
11. Northwestern vs. Illinois State
Northwestern blew a chance to build off a 10-win 2015 season last weekend when Clayton Thorson fumbled on the 1-yard line and the Wildcats lost to Western Michigan. Now, with an FBS opponent visiting Ryan Field, Northwestern should get right back on track.
10. Nebraska vs. Wyoming
Nebraska will play its second straight game against a midlevel FBS team Saturday against Wyoming after dispatching Fresno State in Week 1. Tommy Armstrong Jr. attempted only 10 passes against Fresno State, but Nebraska rushed for 292 yards and five touchdowns. Look for that rushing attack to dominate against Wyoming.
9. Indiana vs. Ball State
This is an interesting matchup because Ball State is a decent MAC team and the Hoosiers have a tendency to play down to their competition. Indiana took care of business on the road last weekend, running away from Florida International after a slow first half.
The Hoosiers are always worth watching because of their high-powered offense and boom-or-bust defensive mentality. They shouldn't have a problem with Ball State, but it should be an impressive offensive showing.
8. Ohio State vs. Tulsa
The entertainment value in watching Ohio State last week didn't come in the form of a competitive football game. Starting quarterback J.T. Barrett put on a show, completing 21 of 31 passes for 349 yards and six touchdowns and adding another touchdown rushing.
Tulsa steamrolled San Jose State last week, but the Golden Hurricane is coming off a 6-7 season and faces a major talent disadvantage against Ohio State. The Buckeyes will roll once again.
7. Wisconsin vs. Akron
Last week's win over LSU added a ton of intrigue to the next few weeks of Wisconsin football. The Badgers jumped from unranked to top 10 with the upset and have a chance to solidify that ranking with a convincing win over a MAC opponent.
Is there a chance at a letdown after the emotional week? Absolutely. But the Big Ten will be rooting for Wisconsin to keep rolling in the early season to give the conference another top 10 team.
6. Michigan vs. UCF
This should not be a competitive game, but there are still plenty of reasons to watch Michigan take on a Central Florida team that didn't win a game in 2015.
First, can the Wolverines top their Week 1 dominance over Hawaii, when they won by 60 points and looked like a well-oiled machine on both sides of the ball? It's also worth remembering that Michigan doesn't like UCF coach Scott Frost, who spoke out against the Wolverines when his Nebraska team shared the national championship in 1997.
READ: Why don't Michigan fans like Scott Frost?
When Jim Harbaugh is at the helm, you never know what might happen, especially when a former Michigan championship team is involved. The Wolverines will try to build off of the impressive start to the season with another blowout win. It's also the defense's best chance to post a shutout this season.
5. Maryland at Florida International
How did Florida International get all these Big Ten teams to visit FIU Stadium? After falling short against Indiana in Week 1, FIU will try its luck with Maryland, which was much worse than the Hoosiers a year ago.
D.J. Durkin's crew got off to a nice start by crushing Howard, but this will be his first test against an FBS opponent. It helps that this is the only Friday night game in the conference, so Big Ten fans don't have much of a choice if they're hungry for football.
4. Purdue vs. Cincinnati
Markell Jones was a beast in Purdue's Week 1 win over Eastern Kentucky, but now he'll have to lead the offense against a much better team in Cincinnati. The Bearcats held UT Martin to just seven points last week and visit West Lafayette as near-touchdown favorites.
The Big Ten won 12 of 14 games to start the season, and wins over teams like Cincinnati go a long way toward strengthening the bottom half of the league. Purdue will try to lift itself from the Big Ten cellar with a win over an American Athletic Conference team.
3. Iowa vs. Iowa State
Even when one of the teams is having a down year, the Iowa-Iowa State rivalry game never seems to disappoint. The Cyclones are off to a rough start under former Toledo coach Matt Campbell after dropping their opener to Northern Iowa. But they can turn things around with a win in the biggest game of their season.
Iowa is playing for much more than a rivalry game. The Hawkeyes' schedule sets up nicely for a run at the College Football Playoff, but a loss to Iowa State would probably put an early end to that quest. Also, head coach Kirk Ferentz signed a 10-year extension, so dropping the following game would not be a good look.
2. Illinois vs. North Carolina
Much like Purdue is trying to turn the corner after years of limping near the bottom of the conference, Illinois is hoping to do the same under former Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith. Illinois won its opener in convincing fashion: 52-3 over Murray State. But the Fighting Illini have to improve on a blowout loss to North Carolina in Week 2 last season to prove they've made strides.
It won't be easy. North Carolina lost its season opener in heartbreaking fashion after blowing a two-possession lead over Georgia. The Harheels hoped to be one of the top teams in the ACC this season, so they'll be desperate not to begin the season with back-to-back losses.
1. Penn State at Pittsburgh
Penn State vs. Pittsburgh is one of the best matchups in the entire country this weekend. Former Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi has the Panthers heading in the right direction in year two of his regime. Pittsburgh is led by running back James Connor, who was shut down against Villanova last week and will look to jump-start his season against Penn State.
James Franklin's program, on the other hand, is looking to turn around the negative momentum from a disappointing 7-6 campaign in 2015. The Nittany Lions beat Kent State in Week 1, but Trace McSorley will have to be much better than 16 of 31 passing to beat Pittsburgh. Look for star running back Saquon Barkley to earn a bunch of carries in the team's first big game of the season.