Short takes

• The Big Ten West looked a lot less wide open last week, with Nebraska and Wisconsin establishing themselves as the two teams to beat. They will meet Nov. 15 in Madison. The premier Big Ten East showdown comes one week earlier, when Ohio State travels to Michigan State.

• Iowa was tied atop the West with the Gophers before getting beat by Maryland 38-31. The Hawkeyes had a bye to hit the reset button before facing Northwestern this week, followed by the Gophers on Nov. 8. Iowa linebacker Reggie Spearman drew a two-game suspension for a drunken driving charge, and promising freshman wide receiver Derrick Willies is transferring.

• The Butkus Award committee named 15 semifinalists for the nation's top linebacker award and left Penn State's Mike Hull off the list. Hull leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth in the nation with 11.9 tackles per game. "I think we're able to write some guys in so I'll definitely be writing him in," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said. A strong case also could be made for the Gophers' Damien Wilson, the Big Ten's second-leading tackler with 10.8 per game.

JOE CHRISTENSEN