[NU Sports] PIGSKIN PICKS - Week 5

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Tough game for the Cats to start the Big Ten slate – two weeks in a row with the lead going into the fourth and a final drive to win, but a turnover each time doomed us. Hopefully we can get off the slide and not “pull a Sparty.”

Things are going much better in the pros, where the Saints found a way to make me both furious (I have Brees in all fantasy leagues), and thrilled (a running game and defense!) at the same time. Just as long as they find a way to beat those two teams from New York in the next two games. Ugh – there’s a tall order.

No Thursday game again this week (Colorado and West Virginia just ain’t who they used to be!), so picks due by kickoff Saturday. And for those of you playing the pro version, don’t forget to get those picks in!

PIGSKIN PICKS – WEEK 5
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Name: 

BIG TEN
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GAME 1: Penn State @ Illinois
WINNER: 

GAME 2: Ohio State @ Indiana
WINNER: 

GAME 3: Arkansas State @ Iowa
WINNER: 

GAME 4: Michigan @ Michigan State
WINNER: 

GAME 5: Wisconsin @ Minnesota
WINNER: 

NATIONAL
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GAME 6: Oklahoma @ Miami (FL)
WINNER: 

GAME 7: Southern Cal @ California
WINNER: 

GAME 8: Louisiana State @ Georgia
WINNER: 

GAME 9: Auburn @ Tennessee
WINNER: 

GAME 10: Washington @ Notre Dame
WINNER: 

MY PICKS
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* PENN STATE 30, Illinois 10 – The Lions had a great first quarter last week and a terrible final three … but that was Iowa. They play defense and play well as a team – two things the Illini do not do well.

* OHIO STATE 35, Indiana 3 – After putting up a tough fight against Michigan, the Hoosiers get crushed under the lights as OSU’s defense is on a mission this year.

* IOWA 42, Arkansas State 10 – The Hawkeyes won’t have a letdown, will they?

* MICHIGAN 48, Michigan State 45 – Something tells me this one will be one of those wild scorefests, as Sparty is literally fighting for their postseason lives after a rough three-game stretch … but the Spartans don’t have Forcier.

* MINNESOTA 28, Wisconsin 23 – Another great rivalry game for the Axe … and on the same weekend as Packers-Vikings?!?! That’s scheduling GENIUS! Should be a fun weekend in the Twin Cities for these border “buddies” – but the Gophers are on a physical streak and ready to send Bucky back to earth after their charmed start.

* OKLAHOMA 37, Miami 27 – Tough call here as a lot depends on whether Bradford’s back or not. Still, the Sooners should have just enough offense to outscore the Canes.

* USC 24, California 17 – The Bears may have been looking ahead last week, but they still laid a colossal egg at Oregon … SC had their hiccup and play well for games under the lights, so they put away the Bears yet again.

* LSU 42, Georgia 38 – Big danger here of the Mad Hatter looking ahead to St. Urban’s Sanctimonious School of the Insufferables … and no one in the SEC seems to play defense anymore, so it should be a fun shootout, but still can’t quite pull the trigger on the upset.

* TENNESSEE 33, Auburn 30 – Lane Kiffin is the perfect coach for the SEC – he won’t shut up, he’s mostly full of crap and every once and awhile he just gets lucky … like here.

* WASHINGTON 45, Notre Dame 35 – Speaking of not playing defense, maybe Charlie Weis should reunite with Romeo Cornell? The Irish barely survived shootouts with Purdoooo and MSU but drop this home game because they just can’t corral Jake Locker. Plus, if UDub is the new SC, they just had their hiccup and should rebound now to save us from a B(C)S bid for the Irish and two weeks of nonstop yapping about Notre Dame being “back” before they get crushed by SC again.

And off the board …

* NORTHWESTERN 34, Purdue 29 – Two teams that have been close in recent weeks but just haven’t been able to close the deal. Hopefully it’s the Cats who put it together in the fourth quarter this time (maybe we can convince Kafka that it’s still the third quarter because he’s having a great season aside from the final two minutes!) … or maybe someone will play some defense??? Nah – Cats outscore ‘em (hopefully).

Have a great weekend and get those picks in by kickoff!

GO CATS!!!
GEAUX SAINTS!!!
-SjT

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