[NU Sports] PIGSKIN PICKS - Week 12

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Another week of repeating pigskin for me – on Saturday the Cats get a comfortable lead over a team they should beat in Illinois and then do their best to blow it at the end … then the Saints do the same with the Lambs on Sunday. But at least the end result was a win for both. Let’s hope they can duplicate the feat this week as the Big Ten season draws to a close (always a bittersweet weekend … though the NFL is just starting to heat up – what a game Sunday night with the Colts and Pats!)

One quick aside -- while the high school season ended with a too-early exit out here in Arizona, I was browsing the hometown Journal-Sentinel and saw that my alma mater, Menomonee Falls, has advanced to the Wisconsin state finals! I’m sure the whole town will be closed on Friday for the journey to Camp Randall and after coming within a game right before I was there and again a couple times right after I left (I know, bad luck J ), it’s good to see the Falls back to state. Go Indians! Beat Marquette! 

Anyway … no Thursday night game this week, so enjoy the pre-holiday rush and get set for a fun day of football on Saturday. No big mega-game (thanks Arizona for blowing it!), but some great rivalries and full tradition on display. Picks due by kickoff in the Big House for the greatest rivalry in college football. 

GO CATS!!! BEAT THE BADGERS!!!

PIGSKIN PICKS – WEEK 12
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Name: 

BIG TEN
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GAME 1: Purdue @ Indiana
WINNER: 

GAME 2: Minnesota @ Iowa
WINNER: 

GAME 3: Ohio State @ Michigan
WINNER: 

GAME 4: Penn State @ Michigan State
WINNER: 

NATIONAL
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GAME 5: Oregon @ Arizona
WINNER: 

GAME 6: California @ Stanford
WINNER: 

GAME 7: Oklahoma @ Texas Tech
WINNER: 

GAME 8: Kansas State @ Nebraska
WINNER: 

GAME 9: Louisiana State @ Mississippi
WINNER: 

GAME 10: North Carolina @ Boston College
WINNER: 

MY PICKS
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* PURDUE 34, Indiana 28 – This game was this/close to meaning more than just a bucket this year, but instead it’s the “coulda been” bowl with the Boilers coming off all those heartbreaking nailbiters early and the Hoosiers getting the “apology award” this year from Big Ten officials. I like the Boilers to win close and wrap up a pretty good start to the era of Hope.

* IOWA 23, Minnesota 0 – I was impressed with the Hawkeyes and the freshman QB last week in the Shoe – heckuva coaching job by Ferentz and one helluva game! Who needs a title game when you have such a fantastic finish in the regular season? There’s a chance of a letdown for the Hawks here, but thankfully for them they’re playing the Gophers, who stopped playing football at Halloween. The pig stays in the cornfields and Iowa heads west to the B(C)S in Arizona. Fire up the RVs!

* OHIO STATE 17, Michigan 12 – I reeeeeally want to pick the upset here, as Michigan needs this one and OSU has little to play for … but then I remember who’s coaching the Wolverines and how they have no defense. But it’ll be close and enough to keep RichRod on the sidelines in Ann Arbor longer than Charlie Weis in South Bend … but the Buckeyes keep the lead and celebrate with roses.

* MICHIGAN STATE 27, Penn State 24 – Here I do like the upset, as Sparty has been playing well lately and is at home, while the Nits haven’t really put more than one quarter of good football together in a few weeks. Sparty wants another Florida bowl trip and gets the big win they need to leapfrog Northwestern (win or lose) in bowl pecking order.

* OREGON 47, Arizona 27 – Sadly, this one won’t be close. The Ducks can feel Jim Harbaugh’s juggernaut nipping at their heels and after thanking Zona for beating Stanford earlier in the year, the Quack Attack will run over the Cats to hang on to their lead … at least until the Civil War, where Oregon State would love to return the favor for Oregon knocking the Beavers out of Pasadena last year.

* STANFORD 42, California 34 – It’s been a long time since both teams came into “The Big Game” with this much momentum. Usually it’s a Pac 10 team from southern California bemoaning the lack of a playoff system, but this year it might be the Treez who everyone would be fearing if they had to play them in the postseason. Great game and the Cardinal outscore their rivals.

* OKLAHOMA 30, Texas Tech 20 – My how the Big XII has fallen. Last year this was a top 5 clash … this year, the league can barely keep two teams in the polls during the season. Still, this is an important game for bowl position, as the Sooners could still wind up in Dallas if they win here and win at Bedlam next week.

* NEBRASKA 16, Kansas State 10 – Again, this was a mega-game for awhile there in the late 1990s, but now it’s just two unranked teams playing for the honor of being Texas’ sacrificial lamb at the Big XII title game. The Huskers D is juuuust enough to outfox Bill Snyder and make up for their horrible O at home. Bring on the Horns!

* MISSISSIPPI 24, Louisiana State 10 – Speaking of hard times, only THREE ranked teams from the SEC?! What is the world coming to? Though some things haven’t changed, as LSU may be the most overrated team in the nation. Sure the Tigers have a great D, but they just can’t score. I’ll crow once more about sniffing out Ole Miss’ overratedness in the preseason, but now it’s the Tigers who smell ripe for the upset.

* BOSTON COLLEGE 17, North Carolina 14 – Running out of quality games, so we’ll throw in this hardcourt classic that also should be close on the football field – UNC looks to move up in the ACC’s bowl pecking order, but I like the Eagles to get the upset at home and keep the status quo of ACC mediocrity alive.

And off the board …

* NORTHWESTERN 34, Wisconsin 30 – Total heart-over-head pick here, as the Badgers come in on a roll and could be playing for the Citrus or maybe even the B(C)S if Iowa falters. But Bucky also hasn’t been tested in awhile and the Cats have a secret weapon in ex-Badger Coach Hank and a finally-somewhat-healthy defense. Secret weapon #2? My Dairyland friend and Badger backer Reid will be at the game, and he is usually better luck than a purple leprechaun at NU-UW games. Keep the streak alive, Reid, and GO CATS!!! I hope ... I hope ... I hope ...

Picks due by Saturday’s kickoff!
GO CATS!!!
GEAUX SAINTS!!!_
-SjT



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