[NU Sports] PIGSKIN PICKS - Week 8

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Standings will be out shortly, but first we get the lineup for next week. When's the last time we had two huge Big Ten games with nary a Buckeye, Wolverine or Nittany Lion involved? That's right folks, the league is DEEP - and the games in Iowa City and Evanston this weekend (combined records of 23-3) should help shake out the race a bit ... or make it even more of a mess.

Add to that a showdown of the last two SEC unbeatens (and neither one is the Gators or Tide!) and a couple "are they for real?" matchups in the soon-to-be Little XII and you have one heck of a weekend for pigskin!

The new #1 probably won't slip up for a third straight week on Thursday night in Eugene, though UCLA did win at Tejas earlier. Still, we'll skip that game and go with a regular Saturday slate. Picks due by kickoff on Saturday!

PIGSKIN PICKS - WEEK 8
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Name: 

BIG TEN
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Game 1: Indiana @ Illinois
Winner: 

Game 2: Wisconsin @ Iowa
Winner: 

Game 3: Penn State @ Minnesota
Winner: 

Game 4: Purdue @ Ohio State
Winner: 

NATIONAL
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Game 5: Louisiana State @ Auburn
Winner: 

Game 6: Nebraska @ Oklahoma State
Winner: 

Game 7: North Carolina @ Miami
Winner: 

Game 8: Alabama @ Tennessee
Winner: 

Game 9: Oklahoma @ Missouri
Winner: 

Game10: Washington @ Arizona
Winner: 

MY PICKS
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* ILLINOIS 34, Indiana 30 - Two better-than-expected teams should light up the scoreboard, but Illini are at home

* IOWA 24, Wisconsin 21 - Great game with both coming off big wins, but Iowa knows they can take control of the Big Ten with a win and are at home

* PENN STATE 38, Minnesota 17 - Both teams are in desperate need of a win, but Lions had an extra week to prepare and Minny has a new coach

* OHIO STATE 45, Purdue 0 - Were Bucks looking ahead to this revenge game? Nah, but an angry OSU will swarm Purdue's QB and without him, they have no offense - or hope in the Horseshoe

* AUBURN 45, Louisiana State 24 - Tigers have no D, but that won't matter as the Mad Hatter's been using smoke and mirrors to win and luck's run out

* NEBRASKA 23, Oklahoma State 14 - Huskers stinging after loss, but they still control their road to Dallas, and the Cowpokes aren't quite legit

* NORTH CAROLINA 24, Miami 21 - Who let the Canes back in the top 25? The ACC drive to mediocrity continues with an upset here

* ALABAMA 27, Tennessee 6 - Tide still sneaking around title hunt and about to restore order with LSU and Auburn left on schedule

* OKLAHOMA 45, Missouri 27 - Sooners won't run the table (but a title game vs. Boise State would be a fun flashback for Stoops!), but won't lose here

* ARIZONA 26, Washington 22 - Late-night Pac 10 football is always fun and this shootout in Tucson should be no different, even with UA's injuries

And off the board ...

* NORTHWESTERN 35, Michigan State 31 - The Cats have had two weeks to stew over the Purdue collapse while Sparty's head has been filled with dreams of Pasadena or better ... we owe these guys and I smell a small upset coming as Persa comes out on fire, the D gets some turnovers and we never, never, EVER even attempt a field goal. Goin' for it on fourth the rest of the year, right Fitz? :) Sparty's annual slide begins with a happy homecoming upset in Evanston! I hope ...

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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