Griffiths: Final regular-season Big Ten picks
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
One Big Ten game is already in the books this Thanksgiving weekend, a weekend that signals the end of the regular season in the conference.
With Iowa’s 21-point win at Nebraska yesterday, you have to wonder if Husker coach Bo Pelini’s days in Lincoln are officially numbered.
After the game, Pelini addressed being on the hot seat.
“If they want to fire me, go ahead,” he said. “… My record, our record since I’ve been here, speaks for itself. And this program is heading in a good direction.”
It would cost Nebraska a pretty penny to oust Pelini, who is under contract through 2017 and makes almost $3 million per year. Reports are Nebraska would have to pay him more than $7 million if it fired him.
Here’s Pelini going off, courtesy of ESPN:
In all honesty, that Iowa-Nebraska game meant very little in the grand scheme of things and the same can be said for most of the Big Ten games on Saturday’s docket.
Even the Ohio State-Michigan game, considered one of college football’s greatest rivalries, doesn’t have the luster this year that it normally has.
After all, the third-ranked Buckeyes are a 15-point favorite heading into Ann Arbor. When is the last time that happened?
Of course the game has huge significance for Ohio State, which wants to work its way into the BCS National Championship Game but needs to beat the Wolverines and Alabama or Florida State to falter in the next couple weeks.
Win or lose in Ann Arbor, Ohio State knows it will be playing next week in the Big Ten Championship Game in Indy.
The same is true for Michigan State. The Spartans, who host Minnesota Saturday, will meet the Buckeyes for the conference crown.
Michigan State and Ohio State are two of seven Big Ten teams who are bowl eligible. Penn State is bowl eligible, but due to NCAA sanctions is ineligible to participate.
The other four Big Ten teams – Indiana, Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois – have already been mathematically eliminated from being bowl eligible.
Last week I was anything but bowl worthy finishing 9-7. As a result of that so-so performance, my season record now stands at 143-51 (73.7 percent).
Following IndySportsLegends helps you decide which conference contests you’ll want to keep an eye on and which ones aren’t DVR worthy on Saturday.
We also give you some games around the country you’ll want to closely follow.
Big Ten Game-Of-The-Week
• #3 Ohio State (11-0 overall, 7-0 in the Big Ten) @ Michigan (7-4, 3-4)
Saturday
Noon
ABC
Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan Stadium 109,901)
One of college football’s greatest rivalries doesn’t pack the punch that it normally does, but it does have plenty of significance for the visiting Buckeyes who want to stay in the national championship hunt. When you look at Michigan’s body of work this season and compare it to Ohio State’s, it hard to make a case for the Wolverines keeping this one respectable. I know it’s a rivalry game and all that, but with the way Michigan turns the ball over and considering how Ohio State is playing, I like the Buckeyes to win and do so in convincing fashion, covering the spread. Too much Braxton Miller and Carlos Hyde for the Maize and Blue to hang. O-H-I-O 34-17.
Must-See TV
• Minnesota (8-3, 4-3) @ #11 Michigan State (10-1, 7-0)
Saturday
Noon
BTN
East Lansing, Mich. (Spartan Stadium 75,005)
The Spartans return home for the first time since winning the Legends Division and clinching a trip to their second Big Ten Championship Game. It’s been a season worth celebrating for MSU, one of the most memorable it has ever had. Facing a red-hot Spartan team in East Lansing, will be a tough task for the Golden Gophers, who have had a memorable season themselves. The problem for Minnesota is it’s shorthanded offensively without its leading receiver. That’s bad news for a Minnesota team that will be facing one of the nation’s best defenses. Spartans too much for visitors, 28-10.
May Be Worth A Look-see
• Penn State (6-5, 3-4) @ #14 Wisconsin (9-2, 6-1)
Saturday
3:30 p.m.
ESPN
Madison, Wis. (Camp Randall Stadium 80,321)
The Badgers look to put the finishing touches on yet another very good regular season. They won’t win another Big Ten championship, but a victory would give Wisconsin a 10-win season. That’s pretty darn good for a program that is under the leadership of first-year coach Gary Andersen. Penn State would love nothing better than to spoil the party in Mad-Town. However, the Nittany Lions are a much different team on the road than in Happy Valley. Remember Bill O’Brien suffered a lopsided loss at IU. Camp Randall will be rocking once again as another good day awaits the beloved Badgers. On Wisconsin, 35-14.
Blowout City
• Purdue (1-10, 0-7) @ Indiana (4-7, 2-5)
Saturday
3:30 p.m.
BTN
Bloomington, Ind. (Memorial Stadium 52,929)
The battle for the Old Oaken Bucket shouldn’t be much of a battle. With that said, if IU doesn’t beat Purdue this year, it may never. This is a series that has been dominated by the Boilermakers and recently has had few close games. This one shouldn’t be hotly contested either. IU’s offense is far superior to Purdue’s and neither team’s defense is good. The Hoosiers get the Bucket back, but won’t be overly giddy considering this season wasn’t supposed to end in November. IU, 40-13.
Who Cares?
Northwestern (4-7, 0-7) @ Illinois (4-7, 1-6)
Saturday
3:30 p.m.
BTN
Champaign, Ill. (Memorial Stadium 60,670)
The season can’t end soon enough for Pat Fitzgerald and his ‘Cats, who are one of college football’s most disappointing teams this season. On the other sideline, Tim Beckman probably doesn’t want the season to end because that could mean the end of his run as Illinois’ head coach. Beckman did finally notch a Big Ten victory beating hapless Purdue a week ago, but likely needs to beat Northwestern just to have any chance of returning for a third season in Champaign. Bye-bye Beckman, NU wins, 28-21.
Country Classics?
#1 Alabama (11-0, 7-0) @ #5 Auburn (10-1, 6-1) (3:30 p.m. CBS): The biggest Iron Bowl ever will have the nation closely following. Can rival Auburn spoil Bama’s quest to three-peat? Doubtful since the Tigers seem to be too one dimensional to believe they can have enough success running the football against a very stout defense. The Tide once again will survive another test in their business-like fashion. Bama, 30-13.
#6 Missouri (10-1, 6-1) @ #21 Texas A&M (8-3, 4-3) (7:45 p.m. ESPN): A&M can really spoil things for Mizzou, who has its sights on winning the SEC East. Go with A&M and Johnny Football to bounce back from last week’s disappointing loss at LSU. Aggies, 31-30.
Notre Dame (8-3) @ #10 Stanford (9-2, 7-2) (7 p.m. FOX): Don’t think the Cardinal have forgotten last year’s excruciating loss at Notre Dame. They haven’t and the Pac-12 Champion Game participants should physically dominate an inferior Irish team. Stanford, 35-20.
#4 Clemson (10-1, 7-1) @ #9 South Carolina (9-2, 6-2) (7 p.m. ESPN2): Clemson hopes to finally beat USC, something it hasn’t done in its last four tries. This game has plenty of significance for the Tigers when you consider a victory would clinch an at-large BCS berth. Clemson, 24-20.
#22 UCLA (8-3, 5-3) @ #23 USC (9-3, 6-2) (8 p.m. ABC): The Trojans are a totally different team under interim coach Ed Orgeron, who has led them to five straight victories. A win over the rival Bruins and Orgeron will be named SC’s permanent head coach and deservedly so. USC, 35-31.
Bonus Picks:
Arizona State 38, Arizona 31
Duke 21, North Carolina 20
Florida State 42, Florida 14
Georgia 33, Georgia Tech 21
Tennessee 27, Kentucky 17
(All times ET)
