Micah's takeaways from the Big Ten in Week 13

Big Ten football has produced many competitive teams this season, but two blue bloods in the Big Ten that endure down years this season could get back in the thick of things next season with the momentum they are building. Where does that put USC? The Trojans should also build on the success of this season. This past week might have had little impact on the Big Ten minus USC versus Oregon, but it showed the future of the Big Ten can be even better than this season.

Here are my takeaways for Big Ten football after Week 13:

Wisconsin made the right decision to keep Luke Fickell

Things were looking like they were going to get worse before they got better for the Wisconsin Badgers. Fans were booing consistently, and the Badgers got blown out at homecoming and in front of alumni. Coaches have gotten fired for less, and the Badgers, in all the heat, decided to retain Fickell. After three straight shutouts, the Badgers gave the Oregon Ducks a game. The Badgers then followed that up with winning two of the last three games, one of which was upsetting a ranked Illinois football team. It definitely has been more ugly than anything, but Luke Fickell and this team have handled adversity perfectly. This team has been resilient, and they have responded well to Fickell being retained. There will be no bowl game for the Badgers, but there is a great amount of momentum heading into next year. It appears Wisconsin made the right decision.

Terry Smith deserves to keep his job

Penn State has always been a talented football team, even with its struggles this season under Franklin. But now it is clear this team wants Terry Smith to be their coach. This team blew out Nebraska; it was not even close. This was the type of game you would expect to see with James Franklin as head coach prior to the Oregon loss. Penn State, after how things played out with Franklin, now has an opportunity to get a bowl game. Terry Smith has done a phenomenal job; he is getting the most out of his players, this team is molding into his identity, and there is now success on the football field. You cannot move on from Terry Smith after this. To make things even more in Terry Smith's favor, who is going to take this job from him? All the top and rumored candidates have already been extended to stay at their current jobs. This magic that Terry Smith has created at Penn State feels more sustainable than the run UCLA went on. In fact, it is evident now officially that the run was not sustainable at UCLA, with them resorting back to the bottom of the Big Ten. It is more important than ever to listen to your players, and right now, the consensus is that they want Terry Smith.

Penn State and Wisconsin will be competitive again next season

Both Penn State and Wisconsin have had as bad a start to the season as a team could have. James Franklin got fired as a result of it at Penn State, and all hope looked just about lost for the Nittany Lions. Terry Smith brought life back to this team, and it has been a 360 switch. This team will now be headed towards a possible bowl bid. Penn State might not contend for much else this season, but next year, watch out for a full season of Terry Smith if they decide to keep him. The energy and the passion that the team plays with under Smith is truly a sight to see. Wisconsin is trending right in the same direction. Just after they agreed to keep Luke Fickell, the Badgers have played their best football all season. This is a team with a great defense, and if they can upgrade their quarterback, the Badgers can get back to relevancy. In the Big Ten. Both teams should be back to playing good football in 2026.

P.J. Fleck is overrated

If it were not for the fact that the Gophers might not be able to find better than P.J. Fleck, PJ should be out of a job. Minnesota had an 11-2 season in 2019, and as special as that season was, the Gophers have not come close to that since. Fleck has given this team a ceiling of 8-4, but with the lack of talent this team gets year after year, and new competitive teams coming in, the results aren't going to be any better. They might get worse. This season, the Gophers are 6-5, and all their losses have come on the road, the majority of them resulting in blowouts. The wins, on the other hand, have been as close as it gets. I think Fleck is a good coach, and he is probably the best Minnesota can do, but he is not in that elite tier of coaches that many put him in.

Michigan heads into its game versus Ohio State with a great shot

Michigan has all the talent in the world to give the Buckeyes their toughest challenge of the season. Bryce Underwood is a dual-threat nightmare for defenses. He has a wide receiver, Andrew Marsh, who is a reliable weapon, and it does not matter what string running back it is, they will run for 100 yards rushing. The Wolverines will look to win their 5th straight victory over the Buckeyes, and this game will feature as much intensity as possible. This is the game that many Big Ten football fans have marked on their calendar, and the Wolverines have as much of a chance to take down Ohio State as they have had. If Michigan wins, it gets into the College Football Playoff. Just another millionth reason to make the stakes even higher in this game.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: USC football punctuates the week in Big Ten play with a tough loss