Big Ten Weekend Preview

We now get into a full Big Ten schedule for the first time this season with 5 Big Ten games and 10 Big ten teams.  It should be some interesting games with maybe the best match-up in the country with the ABC primetime game. 


Big Ten Game of the Week

OSU at Northwestern:  OSU will be playing 8:00 game 3 out of 4 weeks and just came off a nice win over Wisconsin at the shoe last week.   Northwestern has played well so far this season and gets to host the Buckeyes in Primetime.   Northwestern has some playmakers but the key will be can their defense stop Ohio State's offense with Braxton Miller back playing well.   I believe this is a shoot-out waiting to happen as both defenses will struggle to stop the other team from scoring.   Ohio State is a TD favorite in this one.   Urban Meyer has to lose at some point but will it be this week?  After this game, the Buckeyes have pretty much a cake walk until they hit A2.   OSU 42 Northwestern 31


The rest of the games:

Penn State at Indiana:  Penn State is 16-0 against IU.   The last time the Nittnay Lions were due to play in Bloomington, Indiana sold the game to JFK (do they still call it that?) in Washington D.C. so they could make a few extra dollars on the Penn State fans close by.    I think Penn State is a solid football team with limited talent and depth.   I expect they will give the Wolverines fits next weekend.   PSU is only a 3.5 favorite in this one.  I guess we will see how explosive IU's offense really is, Penn State did struggle with Central Florida a few weeks ago.    Penn State 28 IU 17

Iowa at Michigan State:  This should be a pretty good game.  Iowa looks like they are finally on the way back of being a respectable Big Ten team again and MSU still doesn't have many answers on offense but has one of the nations best defenses.   I'm not sure if either team can score in this one. 
This game is close to a "pick em" as MSU is a -1.     Michigan State 10 Iowa 7


Illinois at Nebraska:  This is another interesting one for you.  I'm not sure what either one of these teams are yet.   They both have losses to PAC 12 teams that made each team look pretty bad.    Illinois is on their way back, but really hasn't beaten a good team yet.  Which makes them either Iowa or Minnesota.   Nebraska has been struggling on defense and Bo Pelini has been struggling on and off the field.  If Nebraska starts to nose dive, look for Bo Pelini to get the Lane Kiffin treatment.   The line is higher then I expected with Nebraska a -8.5 favorite.   Which mean Vegas thinks Illinois just played a poor schedule and isn't quite back yet.  I think this game will be a bit closer then 8.5.   Nebraska 28 Illinois 23


Wisconsin and Purdue are off.   As you know, The battle for the Little Brown Jug will be previewed Friday morning.