[NU Sports] PIGSKIN PICKS - Week 12

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Standings will be out soon, but first let's get to the
big weekend of picks ahead. It's rivalry weekend with
the Tomahawk, Bucket, Pig and Land-Grant Trophy (let's
see, one of these things does not belong here, c'mon
can you tell me which one?:) ) in the Big Ten ... and
the Iron Bowl ... and the NoCal/SoCal Rose Bowl
showdown ... and a couple interesting ACC games. And
not much more.

Oh yeah, and the game of the friggin' century! The
Biggest Big Game of 'em all. Maize and Blue vs.
Scarlet and Gray. Script Ohio vs. The Victors. Bo vs.
Woody. 1 vs. 2. Should be one heck of a battle down in
Columbus.

Picks due by kickoff Saturday.

PIGSKIN PICKS - WEEK 12
#######################
Name: 

BIG TEN
=======
Game  1: Indiana @ Purdue
Winner: 

Game  2: Iowa @ Minnesota
Winner: 

Game  3: Michigan @ Ohio State
Winner: 

Game  4: Michigan State @ Penn State
Winner: 

Game  5: Buffalo @ Wisconsin
Winner: 

NATIONAL
========
Game  6: Auburn @ Alabama
Winner: 

Game  7: California @ Southern Cal
Winner: 

Game  8: Virginia Tech @ Wake Forest
Winner: 

Game  9: Maryland @ Boston College
Winner: 

Game 10: UCLA @ Arizona State
Winner: 

MY PICKS
========
* INDIANA 24, Purdue 20
C: The Hoosiers are due to win the bucket, and they
need this one for a bowl to cap a pretty nice season.
Purdue's bowl eligible, but playing awfully sloppy.
Tiller owns IU, but Hoeppner has Big Red playing tough
and they win this one thanks to better special teams.

* MINNESOTA 33, Iowa 20
C: The Gophers had some bad bounces earlier in the
year, but if they win the pig, they're bowl bound
again. Iowa's in a tailspin and in the Dome, Minny
handily wins here.

* MICHIGAN 16, Ohio State 14
C: I continue to go against the trends this week and
pick the mild upset here. Carr's been focused all year
on breaking the bad trends last year and really wants
this one. Michigan has the better D and better special
teams. Troy Smith is a heck of a QB, but Michigan
faced a solid QB on the road to start the year and won
handily and they'll finish the year doing the same
with a big, HUGE win in Columbus. Lloyd really wants
this one, and the new, focused Lloyd gets it. But be
careful what you wish for - the win will be close and
OSU will get a rematch in Arizona (one they probably
win) - meaning that it'll be six weeks of the old
Lloyd whining about how they already beat OSU once.

* PENN STATE 48, Michigan State 14
C: John L. heads off with a whimper and JoePa's boys
win the home finale for coach to get in a January 1
bowl. They may have problems on O, but that D is
solid! And remember, PSU's four losses are to teams
that are a combined 41-2 this year.

* WISCONSIN 49, Buffalo 0
C: Best argument against a 12th game? This clunker.
After ending a successful year with big wins over PSU
and rival Iowa, the Badgers end on a ho-hum drubbing
of Buffalo that makes it seem more like September
again instead of a season finale.

* AUBURN 20, Alabama 10
C: Tough call here - will the Tigers tank it after
last week's debacle? There's a chance, especially at
Bama ... but more likely they'll come back and fight
against their rival and earn their way back into a
Jan. 1 bowl.

* CALIFORNIA 35, Southern Cal 31
C: Opposite week continues - yeah the Trojans are up
to #3 and have a ton to play for, but last week's loss
by Cal may have 'em overlooking the Bears to focus on
the Irish game. I think they'll beat Notre Dame. I
haven't thought they'd beat Cal all year. The Bears
aren't intimidated by the SC mystique and they get
that long awaited Rose Bowl berth with a huge win.

* WAKE FOREST 28, Virginia Tech 24
C: I've given up trying to figure out the ACC. Tech's
tough, but if Wake can win -- by a resounding shutout
no less! -- in Tallahassee, they can survive here.

* BOSTON COLLEGE 23, Maryland 21
C: Another close call, but the Terps have been living
a charmed life lately and may be looking ahead to
Wake, while BC's still tough at home and get the
upset.

* ARIZONA STATE 45, UCLA 27
C: The Devil better win this one to impress bowl
scouts because I don't think they get by their rivals
in Tuscon the following weekend.

And off the board ...
* NORTHWESTERN 41, Illinois 34
C: It'll be cold, but there'll be plenty of offensive
explosions to warm fans up at Ryan Field with Bacher
and Sutton against Juice and Pierre and little defense
in between. It'll come down to turnovers and I think
NU got all theirs out of their system last week (I
hope!) and this time the Cats get the pick by McManis
to hold off a late Illini rally and keep Sweet Sioux.

Picks in by Saturday.
GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


 
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