Big 10 Weekend Previews and Picks

Time for your favorite feature of the week! Ok, but is it in your top 10?

What does the Big 11 have in store for us this week? Last week highlights include a lot of yards by a "Beverage in the Big House", "Pryor's Punch Out" of the declining Badgers , and "Ferentz Follies" as he blows a chance for Iowa to upset MSU in East Lansing.

So what does this week have in store for us? Is it excting games like The Red River Shoot Out or LSU vs Florida. Not exactly. But hey this is Big Ten Country and we like it this way!


Iowa at Indiana: A classic Big Ten Network Television event (what would we do if we didn't see this game? I guess watch Michigan Game during the same time..my bad). Both teams are coming off road losses. Iowa stopped Javon Ringer all day and had a chance to win the game, when they called a sweep on 4th and 1 that went for -5 yards. Indiana went to Minnesota and lost a thrilling 16-7 game. So what does this showdown have in store for us? Iowa is a 5+ favorite on the road and is the better team. Iowa 17 IU 10

Minnesota at Illinois: The poor Gophers have had some tough road games this year in Big Ten play, first they go to Columbus and now to Champlain. Illinois might have a let down after the Juice ran wild against Michigan, but Zook and company will wake them up soon enough to sneak away with a victory. Minnesota is getting 11 points in this one and will need everyone of those. Juice 31 Minnesota 14

Purdue at #12 Ohio State: This is Joe Tiller's last trip to Columbus and his team is just like every other Joe Tiller Purdue team. Their "Heisman Candidate" got benched last week in a loss to Penn State. (I'm pretty sure you have to be a starter to win the Heisman - someone wake Geno Torretta and ask him!). Ohio State came off a nice win in Madison where TP ran for a last minute touchdown. Vegas thinks Purdue is a joke by giving them 18.5 points. I happened to agree. OSU 34 Purdue 13

#6 Penn State at Wisconsin: Back to Back night games in Madison for Wisconsin with back to back top 15 opponents. Wisconsin must love the people in the Big Ten office who put the schedule out for Michigan, OSU, and PSU all back to back to back. Will Wisconsin go 0-3 in these games? The answer is yes. Part of me wants to say no and talk about things like Penn State hasn't had a difficult road game yet and Wisconsin will play hard and hand PSU a road upset but I just don't see it happening with the vanilla Wisconsin game plan. PSU is a 6 point favorite in this one. PSU 20 Wisconsin 17


Big Ten Game of the Week:

#23 Michigan State at Northwestern: Some of you might be surprised that I didn't pick PSU vs Wisky? Well, this match up is much more important since both teams are un-defeated in Big Ten Play. In fact, Northwestern hasn't lost a game all year! MSU is not going to fool anyone with their game plan: Run Ringer and Play Tough D. Northwestern is going to have to mix the pass and the run to keep the Michigan State D off balance. MSU does not want an shoot out, Northwestern does. Vegas has MSU favored by a field goal. This could be a close game. MSU 27 Northwestern 21


Michigan's match up vs Toledo will be previewed on Friday.