Michigan Thursday: Big Ten Preview Week 4

I thought this would be the first real weekend for head to head Big Ten match-ups.   Not so much!  The Big Ten only has 3 games where Big Ten teams play each other.


Big Ten Game of the Week


Penn State at Iowa:  We all know its tough to play at Iowa City at night.  We also know that Penn State has run through a pretty poor non-conference schedule.   Penn State is still a big favorite at -12.5.   Iowa won in overtime at Iowa State a couple weeks ago and 3-0 as well.   Is Penn State that good?  How good is Iowa?  These are answers we are going to find out on Saturday night.   Penn State 27 Iowa 21


ND at MSU:  This could have been considered the top game of the weekend as well.   ND has a close lost to Georgia at home but has seemly played better this year.   MSU is 2-0 with a depleted roster.    We know more about ND at this point then MSU even though the Spartans always seems to play Notre Dame close.   ND is -4.   ND 31 MSU 17


UNLV at OSU:  Ohio State is -40.   OSU 55 UNLV 10


UCF at Maryland:  UCF has only played one football game due to Irma.  Maryland has only played two and had a big win at Texas.   UCF is no joke and Maryland needs to be on upset alert this weekend.  Vegas thinks so as well and has Maryland only a 3.5 favorite.   UCF 31 Maryland 30


Georgia Sothern at IU: IU is favored by -24 over the winless Eagles.   IU 44 GSU 14


Rutgers at Nebraska:  Nebraska has lost two weeks in a row and reeling at the moment.   Rutgers is coming off a win.  Could there be a big upset?  I doubt it.  Nebraska is only a 11.5 favorite at home though.   Nebraska 41 Rutgers 21

• Tarik Black tweeted out his surgery yesterday went smooth. 

• Stephen Ross made another donation to Michigan, this time $50 Million. 

• Coach Chris Partridge believes in the kick off return team and thinks we will see bigger plays.  Personally, I would like to see McDoom back there taking returns and let Crawford work as a WR.  Crawford looks a bit tentative when running kick offs back.

• Don Brown is happy he doesn't have to prepare AF any longer and hasn't completely opened up the defense yet.  Meaning he has more formations and rush options he hasn't shown yet.   The defense will have their hands full this week with the new Purdue offense.  Don also said, the defense took 230 option snaps during the week to prepare for AF. 

• Jimmy said on the radio yesterday that Nico Collins and Oliver Martin might see time at WR on Saturday.   Martin has been a bit banged up, so we're not sure if he healthy enough to play at this point.