The talk around Dinkytown following the Gophers 38-31 road victory over Purdue is centered around Minnesota's talented wide receiver group. Minnesota gashed the Boilermakers secondary as Tanner Morgan threw for 396 yards on 21-22 passing and four touchdowns. Sophomore Rashod Bateman caught six passes for 177 yards, and two touchdowns, star senior Tyler Johnson had eight catches for 73 yards and a touchdown, and redshirt sophomore Chris Autman-Bell chipped in for three catches 97 yards and a touchdown.

With how well the Gophers trio of receivers are playing, we wanted to take a look at how they stack up with other groups in the division. TGR takes a deep dive into the stats and analytics from Rivals partner Pro Football Focus. From seven down to one, TGR ranks the Big Ten West's receiver corps based on the top three statistical pass-catchers from each team.

The Wildcats have struggled offensively this season, to say the least. No wideout on their team averages more than 50 yards per game. Between their top three targeted receivers, they have two total touchdowns, both to JJ Jefferson. The average PFF receiving grade of this group is 57.9 so far this season, by far last in the Big Ten West. The collective statistics of this group falls short of 350 yards through 11 collective games. With top WR Bennett Skowronek out for the foreseeable future, the worst pass-catching group in the Big Ten West gets even worse.

Nebraska has some serious talent at wideout in J.D. Spielman and Wan'dale Robinson. There's no disputing that. The fact of the matter is, they have two receivers they can depend on, and that's it. After the two playmakers, Kanawai Noa is the next top WR target for Scott Frost's Cornhuskers, and he hasn't exactly been a formidable number three option. His 29.4% reception rate is the lowest by far of listed Big Ten West wideouts and the only one here that's below 50%. Spielman and Robinson should propel them higher on this list, but their production and low PFF receiver grades thus far to go along with no third-wheel land them 6th in my rankings.

Illinois' wide receiver group has spread the wealth amongst their top three targets pretty well throughout the season. Ricky Smalling has been the go-to guy for quarterback Brandon Peters so far this season, racking up 20 receptions on 36 targets. When the Illini have needed some explosion, they've gone to former four-star and USC transfer Josh Imatorbhebhe. He has four touchdowns and a 6.1 YAC/Rec average on 11 catches. The trio of juniors have been a solid core for Lovie's team and take some pressure out of the box for star running back Reggie Corbin.

The return of Quintez Cephus has proven huge for the Wisconsin Badger offense. He's a physical receiver with good size, speed, and the ball skills to compete for any jump ball. After Cephus, however, there is a noticeable drop-off. A.J. Taylor and Danny Davis are used sparingly in the passing game, but when their number is called they usually deliver. Both have caught 80%+ of their targets this season. In Wisconsin's run-heavy offense, they've both put up solid production for what they've been asked to provide. Their second and third receivers not at the talent level of others in the West, but, like always, Wisconsin gets the most out of the guys they put on the field.

Iowa would not have been this high on my preseason list, but the way they have performed thus far earned them this spot. Like Wisconsin above, their receivers aren't asked to do more than they're capable of. Iowa's wideouts have the third-highest PFF receiving grade average in the West, and the 2nd highest overall ranking among their position group. Imhir Smith-Marsette can make something happen every time he touches the ball, Brandon Smith has shown he can find the endzone, and although he only has 8 receptions, Tyrone Tracey has been explosive with 9.5 YAC/Rec and all his catches have resulted in a first down or touchdown. They need to stop dropping passes (8 is most among Big Ten West trios), but they've earned this spot by being efficient, making the most of their targets, and providing to more than just pass catching.

Jeff Brohm's Boilermakers are 1-3 to start the season, but the poor starting record has nothing to do with wide receiver play. Prior to Injury, All-American Rondale Moore was on his way to another exciting season. Amad Anderson Jr. has had 67% of his receptions go for first downs or a touchdown, and David Bell is a true freshman four-star that has shown he could develop into a star wideout in West Lafayette. This group likely falls to fourth in my rankings if Rondale Moore is hurt for the season, but Brohm said he'll be back this year, and he's good enough alone to climb them up the ladder.

The Minnesota Gophers have the best receiving corps in the Big Ten West, and it's not particularly close. Their 79.7 average PFF receiving grade is nine full points better than Iowa, who's in second, and their 80.1 overall grade is tops by just about as much. Tyler Johnson is likely to be selected in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft and is on pace for over 1,200 yards and double-digit touchdowns again, Rashod Bateman has been named to the PFF National Team of the Week two times in four games and is on pace for just under 1,400 yards, and not to be forgotten is Chris Autman-Bell who's 9.7 YAC/Rec is the most explosive in the Big Ten West. None of their reception rates dip below 64%, and they have combined yardage that no other team comes close to when looking at their top three targets. Even when Rondale Moore is fully healthy, it's hard to dispute that this Gopher wide receiver group has turned it up a notch and has taken the pass-catching crown in the West.