Big Ten Weekend Preview Week #9

Wow, nine weeks sure do fly bye when your having fun.   When I previewed the season, I got a couple of things right like Iowa losing at Arizona and Wisconsin beating Ohio State.  I also go a lot wrong like saying MSU would go .500 this year.   I thought they would lose to Michigan and Wisconsin but they have gotten through both games. So how will they do this week?

Big Ten Game of Week:

Michigan State at Iowa:  The Hawkeyes had it's table set for a Big Ten Championship with it's win in Ann Arbor and home games against: Wisconsin, MSU, and OSU.  Well, something strange happened on the way to dinner table and Kirk Ferentz went Les Miles and miss managed the clock and cost his team at a shot at least overtime.  After the Michigan game, MSU has struggled against Illinois and Northwestern before pulling both games out late.  The BCS has MSU ranked #5 but some folks are still not buying the Spartans.  You can put "Vegas" in that category and has the Spartans all most a touchdown underdog (6.5) in this game.    This is a put up or shut up game for the Spartans.  If they win this game they will win the Big Ten and go un-defeated this year.  Could Sparty really play for the BCS Championship?  Nope.   Iowa 31  MSU 21


The other games:

Northwestern at Indiana:  I think Northwestern is a decent Big Ten football team and should of had a win over Sparty last week.  Every year Michigan makes IU look really good and then they fall apart.  I was very surprised how they laid down at Illinois last week.  I am off the IU band wagon. NW is a 3 point favorite.  Northwestern 42 IU 28

Purdue at Illinois:  At the beginning of the year, I expected Purdue to be playing pretty good football by now and Illinois heading for a last place finish in the Big Ten.  Well, they have reserved roles and Purdue doesn't have any healthy QB's and Ron Zook is saving his job at Illinois, who has been the surprise of the Big Ten this year (outside of Sparty).  Ron's boys are a 17 point favorite in this game.   This game won't be close either.  Illinois 28 Purdue 7

Ohio State at Minnesota:  How is this a prime time game?  The TV executives whiffed on this one.   This is a match up between the most talented team in the Big Ten vs the least talented team in the Big Ten.  It won't be close.  OSU is favored by 25 points.   OSU 42 Minnesota 10


Wisconsin has a bye week.

I will preview the Michigan at Penn State game on Friday.