[NU Sports] PIGSKIN PICKS - Week 5

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Sorry they're late - all Saturday games so picks are
due by kickoff. Some big games this week, especially
the battle of the "eyes" in Iowa City and an all-Tech
war for ACC supremacy in Blacksburg.

PIGSKIN PICKS - WEEK 5
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Name: 

Big Ten
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GAME  1: Illinois @ Michigan State
WINNER: 

GAME  2: Wisconsin @ Indiana
WINNER: 

GAME  3: Ohio State @ Iowa
WINNER: 

GAME  4: Michigan @ Minnesota
WINNER: 

GAME  5: Purdue @ Notre Dame
WINNER: 

NATIONAL
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GAME  6: Alabama @ Florida
WINNER: 

GAME  7: Oregon @ Arizona State
WINNER: 

GAME  8: Texas Tech @ Texas A&M
WINNER: 

GAME  9: Georgia Tech @ Virginia Tech
WINNER: 

GAME 10: California @ Oregon State
WINNER: 

MY PICKS
========
* MICHIGAN STATE 31, Illinois 21 - Even in their state
of shock and ND hangover, Sparty should still have
enough to beat the Illini.

* WISCONSIN 24, Indiana 10 - The Badger D is shoring
up nicely, but the O still needs to find a rhythm. The
Hoosier D should help with that.

* OHIO STATE 21, Iowa 17 - A classic struggle under
the lights in Kinnick - two great quarterbacks, two
great coaches ... the Bucks won at Texas and survived
a scare against PSU. This will be their toughest test
until Big Blue, but Troy Smith shines under the lights
and rallies Sloopy late to hang on.

* MICHIGAN 38, Minnesota 16 - Previous Michigan teams
might struggle here, but this Michigan team is on a
mission and they want that little brown jug back.

* NOTRE DAME 41, Purdue 14 - Have the vomit bags ready
for the "Notre Dame is BACK BABY!" hype machine.

* FLORIDA 17, Alabama 6 - The Gators D is too tough at
home and Leak is starting to find his groove.

* OREGON 45, Arizona State 35 - You gotta think that
if the Devils are gonna win one in this brutal 3-game
stretch, this is it. But the Quack-attack should shred
the ASU D and score enough to win a shootout.

* TEXAS A&M 28, Texas Tech 17 - The winner gets to
hang on to that false hope that they're in the Big XII
race until OU or UT smacks them around.

* GEORGIA TECH 23, Virginia Tech 21 - I smell a minor
upset here as the Hokies are a tad overrated and the
Jackets get the advantage of NOT having to play a
night game at Lane Stadium.

* CALIFORNIA 49, Oregon State 20 - The Bears have
really rebounded nicely from the opening drubbing in
Rocky Top.

And off the board ...

* PENN STATE 27, Northwestern 17 - These two teams
really aren't far away from what they were last year
when the Lions rallied for a thriller in Evanston -
but there is one BIG difference ... each is missing
their all-everything senior quarterback. And the
freshman mistakes of Morelli and Kafka have probably
cost their teams 1 or 2 games so far this year. So
expect a lot of turnovers here, with wily ole JoePa
pulling out a few tricks to teach the kid Fitzgerald a
lesson or two and the Lions pulling away in Happy
Valley.

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

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

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