Big Ten Weekend Preview and Picks: Final Season Edition
November 21, 2008
How time flies by. It seems like yesterday we were previewing the season. Now it’s the final weekend of the Big Ten season, and a couple teams have played well, but most of the Big Ten has been a disappointment.
So without further adieu, here is this week’s Big Ten Matchup and Picks (I know you all will miss this regular feature)…
Both team are pretty bad and have an identical record at 3-8. This will be Joe Tiller’s last game as head mustache at Purdue. Hopefully the Purdue fans will pack the stadium and give him one last “Boiler Up” cheer as he walks off the field for the last time. Purdue is a 12-point favorite in this one. I think it’s a bit closer then that.
Purdue 21, IU 13
Cal Poly at Wisconsin
Are you kidding me? Is this August or November? I’m sure the boys from Cal Poly will love the late November weather in Madison. I had to look up Cal Poly to see how they are doing this year. They are 8-1 (!) with their only loss coming at the hands of Montana by two points. The Badgers better be on upset alert on this one.
I can’t find a line on this one, so if Vegas doesn’t have a clue, how can I? Wisconsin got its sixth win last weekend but wants seven to secure a Bowl.
Wisconsin 24, Cal Poly 21
What happened to Juice and Zook? They were in the Rose Bowl last year and were making preseason noise like they were going to compete against Penn State and Ohio State for the Big Ten Championship. They are 5-6 and coming off losses against Western Michigan and Ohio State. They need one more win just to qualify for a Bowl.
On the other hand, Northwestern snuck out of Ann Arbor with a snowy win last weekend 21-14, where they didn’t play very well but got the W anyway. I think this will be a very cold snowy Chicago game, where there will be lots of running and not much throwing.
Vegas has NW favored by three. I think Juice can win this game by himself.
Illinois 14, Northwestern 6
Iowa is riding high after beating No. 3-ranked Penn State and Purdue the last two weeks. Minnesota is riding low with three losses in a row to Northwestern, Michigan, and Wisconsin. I guess the turnaround in Gopher land is not yet complete, but Kirk Ferentz might have turned the corner with his Hawkeyes.
Iowa is playing the much better football at this point in the season in this matchup of Big Ten bowl eligible teams. Iowa is favored by six in this one.
The Big Ten Game of the Week
No. 15 Michigan State vs. No. 8 Penn State
Sparty has been reading their press clippings on how good they are. Their coach is rumored to be a candidate for the Tennessee and Clemson openings. Mark Dantonio even said this week he is rooting for Ohio State to beat Michigan—which makes zero sense, because if Michigan beat OSU and Michigan State beat Penn State, his Spartans would be going to the Rose Bowl.
Again, it amazes me how stupid some people can be when it comes to a rival. I hope he stays at MSU, because you can see he is not very bright.
Penn State shook off the loss to Iowa and beat Indiana last week, which is good for Penn State and not so good for Sparty. Michigan State had a better chance to upset JoePa and the boys after their Iowa hangover, but they were off last week resting for this matchup.
If Penn State wins, they go to the Rose Bowl.
Michigan State is way overrated, and Penn State has a lot on the line with a Rose Bowl bid and potentially JoePa’s final home game. Vegas has Penn State a two-touchdown favorite (14.5). So Vegas isn’t buying Sparty either.
Penn State 41, Michigan State 14
The Michigan-Ohio State game will be previewed on Friday.
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