BIG TEN WEEK 2: RIVALS GALORE!

Last Week: 6-3
Overall: 20-20-1
Win/Loss: + $2.34

TIME TO KEEP CHOPPING AWAY!

With a nice 6-3 record last week, I’m back at the .500 mark. Considering the wager amounts with hitting a Minnesota money line and a large 2-team teaser, I’m back in the positive money flow. A good recovery, I think. But as Mike Holmgren would constantly say after a playoff win, “But we’re NOT DONE YET!”

Which brings us to week 2 of the Big Ten season. A huge swing game for Minnesota & Wisconsin, a much needed game for Northwestern if they want to think bowl game, Illinois wanting to get going in the right direction before all hell breaks loose on the Zooker train, and big brother plays little brother in East Lansing.

Onto the picks:

Penn State (-6.5) over ILLINOIS: Nothing like having Pliers have to shove it. I told him that Iowa doesn’t get blown out. He had Paterno love going, and the results speak for themselves. Iowa dominated that game for the final 3 quarters and I should have been hammering the +340 that the Hawkeyes were carrying. I just settled on the spread.

Which brings us to two teams that are at a crossroads. Penn State’s O-Line got exposed for what I thought they were (copyright Denny Green). But Illinois is in Baloo Tail Spin mode right now. Two games against D-I foes and getting shellacked in both outings? Penn State continues the slide. Scoops says “lay the points, bitches!”
FINAL SCORE: PENN STATE 31, ILLINOIS 17

MICHIGAN STATE (PK) over Michigan: Michigan State got somewhat dominated at Madison last week, and their defense is not exactly up to the challenge. They do have a good passing attack going and the problem is NOT Kirk Cousins. Michigan, meanwhile, had to scratch & claw over Indiana at home, which is usually not a good conference tone setter. I think Michigan comes back to earth a bit and MSU finally gets a desperate win.
FINAL SCORE: MICHIGAN STATE 34, MICHIGAN 31

Northwestern (+6.5) over PURDUE: Northwestern’s defense is shady, particularly their run defense as shown with Minnesota getting good yards on the ground, which may play right into Purdue’s hands. But Northwestern does have a good passing attack to keep them in games. I like the Cats to maintain the cover.
FINAL SCORE: PURDUE 27, NORTHWESTERN 24

Ohio State (-16.5) over INDIANA: Poor, Indiana. So close to getting a road win at Michigan. And now they get an Ohio State team that seems to be cranking it up on D, with them giving up 18 to USC and tossing 2 shut outs in a row. Indiana is 3-0 against the spread thus far, but 3-1 ATS Ohio State should cruise here.
FINAL SCORE: OHIO STATE 31, INDIANA 10

IOWA (-20.5) over Arkansas State: Letdown city for Iowa? Not with that defense. Their DL is way too quick & their offensive line way too experienced & mature. Iowa continues their hot hand.
FINAL SCORE: IOWA 38, ARKANSAS STATE 7

Washington (+13.5) over NOTRE DAME: Washington predictably took it on the chin at Stanford last week. Don’t let that fool you though. Their offense can score & 13.5 is way too much for Jake Locker against a Notre Dame team that easily could be 0-3 against the Big Ten.
FINAL SCORE: NOTRE DAME 30, WASHINGTON 24

[**] Washintgon/Penn State/Houston 6.5 teaser: I think Washington should easily keep it within 19, Penn State should beat Illinois outright, and Houston to beat UTEP by 11. [$5 wager to win 9]

MINNESOTA (-3) over Wisconsin: Boy, oh boy! The freaking Badgers. Undefeated freaking Badgers. Oh how I hate the freaking Badgers, Bielema, the Kollege Klub, Mike Eaves, Bo Ryan & their freaking band & people that say “Let’s go, Bucky!”

Is Wisconsin good? They seem to have a bit more balance, for sure. And their quarterback seems to be a bit different than the classic “insert QB’s name” that simply hands off. Where I think they are disgusting is the back 7 on defense, which Minnesota can hammer. The key for Minnesota, once again as it will be every week, is the OL play. If they can protect and give a bit of a running game (not much is needed, but just some), I think Minnesota should have some success.

Defensively, I like this team, despite Kafka going for 300+ yards passing last week. The Gophers pretty much made Northwestern one-dimensional, and they’ll eventually stop that. I like the LB’s, and the DT’s should be good against Wisconsin’s run offense. The key will once again be the safety play.

I like Minnesota jump out quickly as Wisconsin is on the road for the first time, and then it to go to the wire with Minnesota’s special teams being the difference.
FINAL SCORE: MINNESOTA 27, WISCONSIN 20