Purdue -7 @ Northwestern
12:00, ESPN Plus
Give the 7 points and run. Predictably, NU has never fully recovered from the death of head coach Randy Walker this summer. Offensively, NU is a team in flux. Mike Kafka started the season at quarterback, but when he hasn’t been sidelined with injuries, his play is very inconsistent. Tyrell Sutton, the #1 overall pick in my Big Ten fantasy league and the Big Ten’s leading rusher last season, is losing rushing attempts because both Kafka and backup Andrew Brewer are running quarterbacks. Brewer has been designated the starter for this game with Kafka and C.J. Brewer available backups.
Purdue looks to bounce back from a tough loss to Iowa. With both Ohio State and Michigan off of their schedule, Purdue was set up with an ideal schedule to lay claim to the Big Ten crown. Any chance at claiming at least a share in the Big Ten looks over. It appears almost certain that the Big Ten winner will run the table. The major question with this match up is whether or not PU will approach the game with the proverbial hangover. With NU’s weak defense (allowing 536 Total Net Yards to Wisconsin last weekend), look for PU’s Curtis Painter (QB), Kory Sheets (RB), and Dorien Bryant (WR) to have huge games.
Selwyn Lymon (21 rec, 422 yards, 2 TDs) is questionable for this week’s game. According to Yahoo! Sports, he was involved in an off-field incident, where he was shot in the eye with an air gun when he and his teammates were shooting air guns. According to the report, Lymon was wearing protective goggles.
#25 Wisconsin -10 ½ vs. Minnesota
12:00, ESPN
The Paul Bunyan’s Axe is at stake in this match up. Minnesota has lost three games in a row, including an overtime heartbreaker to Penn State last Saturday. UW rushed for over 300 yards in a rout over NU last weekend. With freshman tailback sensation P.J. Hill Jr. (second in the nation in rushing to Garrett Wolfe) having a remarkable season, look for the Badgers to rout the Gophers. Give the 10 and smile all the way to the bank.
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Article comments
1 - Uncle Kevin Sandwasher
I can't shake the feeling that OSU is going down. Windy day...Tressel will be very conservative for the two quarters going into the wind...I smell a couple of INTs for Troy Smith...Jehuu Caulcrick is going to run over guys...Drew Stanton will be scrambling around like crazy...I'll be very happy when this game is over.
I wanted to pick MSU on the ESPN's College pick 'em game but I chickened out. I only have a 4 or 5 vote of confidence out of 10 on OSU though. I wanted to use my 1, but I couldn't get lower that 4 on it.
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
Ya never know. Sometimes local TV will pick up a game like that. I know they do it with ESPN+ but I don't know about ESPNU.
Having said that. Indiana: What ... the ...
3 - M.D. Sandwasher
I don't think local TV will be allowed to pick up the game. I think ESPN will lock this game onto the ESPNU channel so local television cable companies, like Time Warner and Adephia for example, will pay the extra money to pick up ESPNU.
The IU game will go down in its football lore for years to come. The last time the Hoosiers beat a ranked team was 1987 against #9 ranked Ohio State.
When I said Drew Tate only chokes in big games, I was slightly off. He is capable of chocking in any game, big or small.
4 - sal m
ron zook, bringing his magic to champaign....now leave....