Griffiths: Big Ten Picks – Week #7
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
Pardon me if I voice my displeasure at all these Big Ten teams enjoying bye weeks on the same Saturdays.
I’m sorry, but the second Saturday in October shouldn’t see eight Big Ten teams idle. There’s something seriously wrong with that.
If you’re keeping score at home, this will be the second Saturday in the last three where a great majority of the conference teams are kicking back and playing armchair quarterback like the rest of us.
I guess I shouldn’t complain much, however, as this is what the Big Ten wanted to stretch out its season and not leave as large of a gap between the end of the regular season and the league’s championship game, which it thought hurt its BCS chances.
Last week I struggled somewhat, going 11-4 on my picks and missing Indiana’s upset over Penn State, Michigan State beating Iowa in Iowa City, Notre Dame’s win over Arizona State and Auburn’s victory over Ole Miss.
As a result, my season record now stands at 76-15 (84 percent).
So with that said, here’s a look at Saturday’s limited slate of Big Ten action as IndySportsLegends helps you decide which conference contests you’ll want to keep an eye on and which ones aren’t DVR worthy.
We also give you some games around the country you’ll want to closely follow.
Big Ten Game-Of-The-Week
• No. 19 Northwestern (4-1 overall, 0-1) @ Wisconsin (3-2, 1-1)
Saturday
3:30 p.m.
ABC/ESPN2
Madison, Wis. (Camp Randall Stadium 80,321)
What has to concern you about this one if you’re a Northwestern fan is the ‘Cats put so much into the Ohio State game a week earlier only to come out on the short end of the scoreboard. Can Fitz’s crew recover mentally in seven days from such an emotional game? I don’t think so. Wisconsin enjoyed a bye week after it lost to the Buckeyes, so look for the Badgers to come out with a chip on their shoulders and really look to make a statement. When push came to shove, Northwestern just didn’t have enough horses to beat Ohio State. The same will be true against Wisconsin. Running backs James White and Melvin Gordon and Co. send NU to its second straight conference loss. Bucky Badger, 31-20.
Must-See TV
• Indiana (3-2, 1-0) @ Michigan State (4-1, 1-0)
Saturday
Noon
ESPN2
East Lansing, Mich. (Spartan Stadium 75,005)
This is a very intriguing matchup. Both teams are riding high after wins last week. The Spartans beat Iowa in Kinnick Stadium, while IU defeated Penn State for the first time in school history. We will really find out if Michigan State’s defense is as good as advertised because the Hoosiers’ passing game — especially their receivers — will test the Spartans’ stout cornerbacks. A win in East Lansing would make up for the home loss the Hoosiers suffered against Navy, but go with the Green and White. Quarterback Nate Sudfeld will be pressured all afternoon as MSU’s defense flexes its muscle once again. MSU, 27-17.
May Be Worth A Look-see
• No. 18 Michigan (5-0, 1-0) @ Penn State (3-2, 0-1)
Saturday
5 p.m.
ESPN
University Park, Pa. (Beaver Stadium 106,572)
Michigan hasn’t resembled the same team that was so impressive against Notre Dame. With that said, the Wolverines haven’t tripped up … yet. This appears to be a dangerous game for the Maize and Blue. Beaver Stadium is never an easy place to win, especially when Penn State is coming off an embarrassing loss at IU. Michigan will need to play better than it has in its last three wins and will. The Wolverines should enjoy a big offensive day against a defense that virtually had no answer for the Hoosiers. Michigan stays unbeaten in what should be an entertaining affair, 34-21.
Big-Time Blowouts
• Nebraska (4-1,1-0) @ Purdue (1-4, 0-1)
Saturday
Noon
Big Ten Network
West Lafayette, Ind. (Ross-Ade Stadium 62,500)
Well, the Boilermakers have had an extra week to lick their wounds sustained from a blowout home loss to Northern Illinois. At 1-4, Purdue is easily the worst team in the Big Ten and to be perfectly honest there doesn’t appear to be a winnable game left on the schedule. Now, Nebraska comes to town. Can you say another blowout? The Huskers are one of the best rushing teams in America, while Purdue struggles mightily stopping the run. You’ll see a steady diet of Ameer Abdullah in this one and it won’t be pretty. The Big Red rolls in front of thousands of Nebraska fans, 40-14.
Country Classics?
No. 17 Florida (4-1, 3-0) @ No. 11 LSU (5-1, 2-1) (3:30 p.m. CBS): The Gators’ only slip-up this season came at Miami, while the Tigers’ only blemish was in Athens, Ga. It’s Florida’s tough defense against LSU’s high-powered offense. Baton Rouge is a very tough place to play and that’s why the Gators will go home disappointed. Tigers in another SEC classic, 28-24.
No. 2 Oregon (5-0, 2-0) @ No. 19 Washington (4-1, 1-1) (4 p.m. FOX Sports): The Pac-12 is second only to the SEC and these are two of the three best teams the Pac-12 has to offer. The Huskies gave Stanford all it could handle last week and know a repeat performance could deliver them a big upset. The problem is Oregon’s offense is second to none – having scored more then 50 points in every game this season. Good luck slowing down the Ducks. Oregon wins again, 38-28.
No. 10 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0) vs. Texas (3-2, 2-0) (Noon ABC): One of college football’s best rivalries is renewed Saturday in Dallas, but the Red River Rivalry has been pretty much one-sided recently with the Sooners having their way against the Longhorns, winning nine of the last 13, including three in a row. Last week Texas barely survived a very average Iowa State team. Meanwhile, Oklahoma really seems to be hitting its groove and was impressive in a win at Notre Dame. Sooners turn up the heat even more on Mack Brown with 30-10 win.
Missouri (5-0, 1-0) @ No. 7 Georgia (4-1, 3-0) (Noon ESPN): This could be the signature win Mizzou is looking for. Georgia barely escaped Knoxville with a win last week and is hurting with its two talented running backs injured. However, the Dawgs are very tough at home and are just a very talented team even when their short-handed. Aaron Murray and Co. remain unbeaten in the SEC, 35-17.
No. 9 Texas A&M (4-1, 1-1) @ Ole Miss (3-2, 1-2) (8:30 p.m. ESPN): The Rebels’ talented young team seems to have hit the wall losing two in a row. Now, Johnny Manziel comes to town. Manziel might well be on his way to winning a second straight Heisman. After all, through five games he’s completing 71.4 percent of his passes for nearly 1,500 yards with 14 touchdowns and just four interceptions. This game will be closer than most might expect, but A&M survives, 33-28.
Bonus Picks:
No. 13 UCLA 40, California 20
Utah State 42, Boise State 35
Oregon State 37, Washington State 30
South Carolina 24, Arkansas 10
Virginia Tech 28, Pittsburgh 21
(All times ET)
