[NU Sports] PIGSKIN PICKS - Week 10

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Well, it was a fun visit to Evanston for three quarters at least – too bad Kafka had to get hurt. Now we’re in a mad scramble for November that could see a logjam of 6-6 teams in the Big Ten. We’ll have to see what happenes. Thankfully, Monday night ended better, though those evil F***ons made it close at the end. Gotta keep our focus sharp for the Panthers next week.

However, with the flights to Chicago and back and the usual fall rush of papers to grade, don't expect standings this week (maybe I'll get a chance when we're off for Veteran's Day).

We have two huge games in college football this week but boy does the slate drop after that. Oh well, maybe it will make for some interesting picks and upset specials.

No Thursday night game, so get the picks in by kickoff Saturday!

PIGSKIN PICKS – WEEK 10
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Name: 

BIG TEN
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GAME 1: Illinois @ Minnesota
WINNER: 

GAME 2: Wisconsin @ Indiana
WINNER: 

GAME 3: Purdue @ Michigan
WINNER: 

GAME 4: Western Michigan @ Michigan State
WINNER: 

GAME 5: Ohio State @ Penn State
WINNER: 

NATIONAL
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GAME 6: Louisiana State @ Alabama
WINNER: 

GAME 7: Florida State @ Clemson
WINNER: 

GAME 8: Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech
WINNER: 

GAME 9: Connecticut @ Cincinnati
WINNER: 

GAME 10: Oklahoma @ Nebraska
WINNER: 

MY PICKS
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* MINNESOTA 37, Illinois 28 – Tough call here … have the Illini woken up and are they ready to be a spoiler a second straight week? I’ll still go with the Gophers at home after last week’s emotional high.

* WISCONSIN 34, Indiana 17 – The Hoosiers need this for any bowl hopes, but the Badgers are closing out strong this year en route to Florida on January 1.

* MICHIGAN 42, Purdue 31 – A huge game for RichRod here as he needs to stop the bleeding in a hurry or he’ll find the goodwill from the Notre Dame victory gone before the last leaf falls. Purdue had been playing tough all year, but last week’s flop surprised me. Michigan hopes it continues.

* MICHIGAN STATE 30, Western Michigan 24 – Closer than the folks in East Lansing would like, but Sparty has no margin for error either and must win this to keep their postseason hopes alive.

* PENN STATE 20, Ohio State 10 – It’s a shame this one isn’t under the lights (why? So we can all see Cincy-UConn??? There better be a hoops game involved!) we COULD have had an epic couch day of the Saban Bowl in the afternoon and a full-effect White Out at night. You suck, ABC! That could help OSU as the fans won’t be as wound up. Still, PSU’s offense has a bit more to pull away late in this battle of great defenses as Iowa celebrates a virtual Big Ten title and PSU makes a great case for a BCS berth.

* ALABAMA 23, Louisiana State 9 – You know I always cheer for a BCS-mess, but not much hope here as LSU just doesn’t have an offense to go with that defense and Bama pulls away at home in the second half.

* CLEMSON 28, Florida State 23 – Always a toss-up in the ACC. Go Dookies!

* GEORGIA TECH 35, Wake Forest 14 – Again, going with the home team in the ACC, but it could easily be FSU and Wake winning and more of a clustermuck.

* CINCINNATI 42, Connecticut 17 – Yawn. Thanks ABC. Instead of a great OSU/PSU clash and 100,000+ fans screaming, we get a blowout and 3-hour promotion from John Saunders and company on why we should take Cincy and the Big Least seriously. Really, didn’t you guys do this a few years back and then Rutgers, Louisville and West Virginia all collapsed? And why no Big XII talk this year – oh yeah, THEY SUCK! So quit trying to hate on the Big Ten since they have their own network now and start putting the outrage where it REALLY belongs … WHY is Iowa not in the top 5 in the polls when they have wins AT Wisconsin, AT Penn State and AT Michigan State along with a win over Arizona? That’s more quality wins than Boise State, TCU and Cincy COMBINED. And WHY is Penn State not in the top 10?

*  NEBRASKA 28, Oklahoma 24 – Speaking of suck, what happened to this rivalry? I think it gets a bit of its luster back as the Huskers make up for their midyear tanking (that blew a BCS shot) and upset the lifeless Sooners.

And off the board …

First off, a bittersweet reminder of my pick last week …

* PENN STATE 34, Northwestern 17 – The Cats can’t dig an early hole this week, as the Lions are starting to click on offense. PSU might be looking ahead to OSU, but the Lions pull away after halftime.

… hopefully after being dead-on last week, I’ll be dead-wrong this week …

* IOWA 44, Northwestern 24 – Kinnick is a rough place to get your first start, Mr. Persa – especially with little help around you on offense. The NU defense, after playing so valiantly last week, keeps it close for awhile, but turnovers and woeful special teams lead to a bumblebee onslaught as they tune up for Columbus.

Picks in by Saturday kickoff!
GO CATS!!!
GEAUX SAINTS!!!_
-SjT



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