Page 23 - Jay Higgins News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

The Big Ten has long staked its reputation on a rough-and-tough brand of football. It's one reason NFL scouts still spend Saturday afternoons scouring the fields in places such as Iowa City, State College, Madison or Columbus. It's why almost anywhere they go, from Michigan to Northwestern to Purdue, they find guys who can shut down explosive plays alongside playmakers capable of turning close games into blowouts.

Cooper DeJean’s 70-yard punt return with less than four minutes to play helped give Iowa a 26-16 win over Michigan State on Saturday night. Iowa’s Ethan Hurkett recovered a fumble

Cooper DeJean’s 70-yard punt return with less than four minutes to play helped give Iowa a 26-16 win over Michigan State on Saturday night. Iowa’s Ethan Hurkett recovered a fumble by Michigan State wide receiver Tre Mosley on the Spartans’ next possession to help clinch the win for the Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten), who lost starting quarterback Cade McNamara to a left leg injury in the first quarter and trailed 16-10 early in the second half before rallying. “I feel like we learned a lot about our team today,” said linebacker Jay Higgins, who led the Hawkeye...

Hawkeyes lost starting quarterback Cade McNamara to a left leg injury in the first quarter.

These two blue-collar programs have had hard-fought battles over the years, none more memorable than in the 2015 Big Ten title game.