It looks like a Ohio State/Indiana chase to the top of the Big 10 after both teams won games this weekend, and Michigan State faltered.

Ohio State defeated Michigan 57-14 on Friday.

Ohio State Defeats Michigan

That win put the Buckeyes at 3-1 with 16 points in the standings. The top two in the Big 10 play-off for the conference championship and a place in the D1A playoffs.

Indiana, meanwhile, slammed defending conference champs Wisconsin 44-3. The influx of young high school talent from the Midwest, especially the state of Indiana, is paying off for IU. Mike Nettleton (Fishers HS) opened the scoring with a try and added nine points with his boot. Freshman center Will Chevalier (Neuqua HS, Ill.) scored a try, as did hooker Gabe Yeoman (Penn HS, Ind.) as IU led 19-0 after 26 minutes.

Scrumhalf Iason Terezis (Penn HS), and freshman No. 8 Russell Lemaster (Royal Irish, Ind.) added tries to make it 29-0 at the break. Indiana ran in the subs and cruised from there to go to 3-0.

IU has already beaten Ohio State this season. Indiana Holds Off Ohio State In Lansing

Hoping to keep pace was 2-1 Michigan State, and it looked like the Spartans would do exactly that as they ran out to a 19-0 lead over Minnesota Saturday. But that 19-0 lead frittered away and the teams ended the game tied 19-19.

"In the second half penalties killed us," said MSU's Samy Shelbaya. MSU was down a player for almost the entire second half with a red card and also yellow cards shown.

"For the first 30 minutes of the second half we let them back in, but the last 10 minutes, even being one man down, we dominated," added Shelbaya. "But, again, penalties stopped our momentum."

Shelbaya said it was a game his team should have won, and certainly had Michigan State managed a lone try in those final ten minutes the Spartans would be 3-1, with a bonus point, and tied with Indiana on standings points.

As it is, it all comes down to the next two weeks anyway, with Michigan State playing Indiana and then Ohio State. If the Spartans win those, they deserve to be at the top.

Chasing hard further down the standings is Illinois. After a bit of an upset win over Wisconsin, the Illini got three tries and three conversions from center Luka Pavlakis, and rolled up Purdue 36-20.

Wing Ethan Wrigley torched Purdue for two tries and the other wing, Ryan Smith accounted for the sixth Illinois try. With that victory, Illinois is 2-2, and might not chase down anyone for a top-two spot, but could certainly beat out Wisconsin for a place in the 3rd-4th game. 

It won't be easy, though, as Illinois has Ohio State and Minnesota left on the schedule.