Breaking down: Illini, NIU, NU and ND

Illinois (4-3, 2-2) at Wisconsin (3-4, 0-4)

When: 11:02 a.m. at Camp Randall Stadium

TV: ESPN2

Radio: WIND 560-AM

Series: Illinois leads 35-33-7.

Coaches: Bret Bielema (24-9, third year); Ron Zook (17-26, fourth year at Illinois; 39-39 in seventh year overall)

Players to watch: Junior workhorse P.J. Hill expects to play despite injuring his foot last week, but look for bruising redshirt freshman RB John Clay to play a big role. He posted career-highs in carries (16) and yards (89) last week against Iowa. Junior QB Dustin Sherer makes his second career start despite a middling effort against the Hawks (17 of 34, 161 yards, 2 INT). Watch for Fremd grad Scott Tolzien, a redshirt soph who threw his first career passes last week, to spell Sherer at some point.

Illinois QB Juice Williams leads the Big Ten in total yards (346.1 ypg) and passing efficiency (158.7 rating). WR Arrelious Benn has averaged 7.3 catches and 135.8 yards over the last four games. True freshman RB Jason Ford, fresh from a 172-yard, 3-TD effort, figures to split carries with junior Dan Dufrene.

The skinny: When the season began, this looked like Illinois' toughest task - perhaps even bigger than the neutral game with Missouri and the upcoming home game with Ohio State. Now, of course, the Badgers look like red meat as they're on their first four-game losing streak since 1996. While the offense has struggled due to quarterback issues and injury problems (LT Gabe Carimi and RG Kraig Urbik figure to be out again with knee woes), the defense has surrendered 9 rushing touchdowns in the last two weeks. Expect both teams to try to pound the ball and pound the stuffing out of each other.

Bowling Green (3-4, 1-2) at Northern Illinois (4-3, 3-1)

When: 3 p.m. at Huskie Stadium

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

Series: Bowling Green leads 10-5.

Coaches: Gregg Brandon (41-28, sixth year at BGSU); Jerry Kill (4-3 at NIU; 108-60 in 15th year overall).

Players to watch: Bowling Green junior QB Tyler Sheehan averages 240 yards and 1.5 touchdown passes per game for an air-oriented attack. His favorite target is WR Corey Partridge (36 catches, 376 yards, 4 TDs). Senior DL Diyral Briggs owns 6 of his 22 career sacks this year.

NIU redshirt freshman QB Chandler Harnish makes his fourth start of the year after a strong showing against Toledo. Senior Dan Nicholson (shoulder) can play if necessary after getting reps this week. MLB Tim McCarthy might also be back this week, though T.J. Griffin (Wheaton North) played well in his stead. RB Chad Spann had career-highs for carries (15) and yards (82) last week as well as 2 TDs.

The skinny: The Huskies are gunning for a sweep of their three-game home stand, which would set up a huge trip to No. 20 Ball State on Nov. 5. NIU's offense broke out last week with 38 points and still has room to improve as injured players return. NIU's defense, meanwhile, has allowed just TWO touchdowns over the last five games. Coordinator Tracy Claeys' unit is experienced, deep and opportunistic.

Who can figure out preseason MAC East favorite Bowling Green? The Falcons have lost all three of their home games, including a 42-17 spanking from Minnesota the week after NIU nearly won in the Twin Cities, but they've won at Pittsburgh, at Wyoming and at Akron.

Northwestern (6-1, 2-1) at Indiana (2-5, 0-4)

When: 11:03 a.m. at Memorial Stadium

TV: Big Ten Network

Radio: WGN 720-AM, WNUR 89.3-FM

Series: Northwestern leads 42-33-1.

Coaches: Pat Fitzgerald (16-15, third year at NU); Bill Lynch (9-11, second year at IU; 46-64 in 10th FBS season overall).

Players to watch: Northwestern senior RB Tyrell Sutton continues to climb the school's all-time charts. He needs 99 yards to replace Darnell Autry (3,793 yards) as the No. 2 rusher, needs 3 TDs to replace Damien Anderson (38 TDs) as the No. 1 TD producer and needs 368 all-purpose to break Anderson's record there, too. And here's a stat unearthed by the NU PR machine: Seniors Eric Peterman, Rasheed Ward, Ross Lane and Sutton each have at least 100 catches and at least 1,000 receiving yards - the only such active quartet in Div. I-A.

Indiana hopes to get junior QB Kellen Lewis (high ankle sprain) back after he missed last week's 42-point loss at Illinois, but it seems more likely that soph Ben Chappell will make his second start. He went 12 of 29 for 172 yards against the Illini. RB/KR Marcus Thigpen ranks third in the Big Ten with 161.0 all-purpose yards per game.

The skinny: The Wildcats essentially clinch a bowl berth with a win. More important, though, they regain control of their BCS destiny if they win and Ohio State topples Penn State. While this might look like an easy win, seeing as how the Hoosiers have lost five in a row and surrendered at least 42 points in four of those losses, it's important to note Indiana played Michigan State tougher (and in East Lansing, too) than Northwestern did. This could be a huge game for Wildcats QB C.J. Bacher, who could benefit from Indiana's insistence on trying to stop the run.

Notre Dame (4-2) at Washington (0-6)

When: 7 p.m. at Husky Stadium

TV: ESPN2

Radio: WLS 890-AM

Series: Notre Dame leads 6-0.

Coaches: Charlie Weis (26-17, fourth year at Notre Dame); Tyrone Willingham (11-31, fourth year at Washington, 76-82-1, 14th year overall).

Players to watch: While he threw for a career-high 383 yards two weeks ago at North Carolina, Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen took a step back with 2 key interceptions. With WR David Grimes out this week, that puts more of the focus on Golden Tate (28 catches, 518 yards, 4 TDs) and Michael Floyd (27-426-4). And check this out: K David Ruffer could solve some problems after walking on to the team last week. The William and Mary transfer practiced for the first time in pads on Wednesday, according to Scout.com.

With stud QB Jake Locker out with a broken thumb on his throwing hand, redshirt freshman Ronnie Fouch has taken over (54 of 107, 782 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INT). True freshman RB Terrance Dailey rushed for 102 yards last week against Oregon State in his first start. Soph LB Mason Foster ranks second in the Pac-10 with 8.3 tackles per game.

The skinny: After a week off to nurse injuries and lick the wounds from the Oct. 11 loss at North Carolina, the Irish get to feast in what figures to be the second and final meeting between Charlie Weis and Tyrone Willingham. It should be a particular profitable day for Jimmy Clausen, seeing as how the Huskies possess the nation's worst pass efficiency defense. Then again, the Huskies also have the nation's fifth-worst rushing defense, too.