My guess is Notre Dame will be the one remaining winless.
As for the rest of the conference, they're still playing "Musical Ass-Kicking" with the same podunk teams. Iowa sends the pitiful Syracuse Orangemen home to play Illinois, while they stay home to beat up Iowa State. Ohio State lets Akron head to Indiana while they head out west to play Washington. Northwestern, Penn State, and Wisconsin will get their jollies by pummeling Duke, Buffalo, and The Citadel, respectively, and Minnesota will probably play another barnburner against Florida Atlantic since they are that one Big Ten team with a worse defense than Michigan.
Okay, maybe there's one more interesting game, but I have absolutely no clue what might go down between Pitt and Michigan State, considering the Spartan's unimpressive win against Bowling Green and Pitt's rather ho-hum games against Eastern Michigan and Grambling.
Winners: Michigan, Michigan State, Florida Atlantic, and every other team playing a scrub squad. And yes, I am picking against Minnesota all year until they prove they can have four good quarters in a row.
If I hadn’t made a third prediction on my site last week, my record against the spread would have been pretty pathetic at this point. Apparently believing in TCU and Miami last week was the wrong thing to do (although Fresno State did me right).
This week though, there is no doubt in my mind about the featured game in the Big XII. Nebraska is in trouble as they take on National Championship game favorite, USC.
Surprisingly, it is the defense that worries me. You may wonder how a defense which has given up less than 300 yards on average over the first two weeks could worry someone. However last week, I watched Wake Forest, whose offense is not USC’s caliber, drive consistently down the field against Nebraska. Then Nebraska’s defense would make a big stand inside the 10 yard line to keep control of the game.
Defensive coordinator Kevin Cosgrove attributed a lot of the problem to missed tackles, 12 by his count, against Wake Forest.
“We need to improve on our fundamental techniques,” Cosgrove said. “That’s the biggest thing.”
Improvement better be on the list. USC is not going to be as easily tamed as Wake was in the red zone. And USC is going to be a heck of a lot harder to bring down than Wake Forest.
No upset prediction this week. USC is going to win and cover(-10).
Article comments
1 - Jerkwheat
I have to disagree with the sentiment that Alabama is better top-to-bottom than Arkansas. This is probably Nutt's most talented overall team since he has been there. Dick wasn't quite as bad as his numbers indicated against Troy, but all he has to be is average. Overall though, these two teams are about as even as could be. I can't wait to watch it. I expect to be throwing things at my tv and cursing Nick Saban by 7:25.
Plus, simple math shows that 1 Darren McFadden>100 Everyone Elses
2 - Matthew T. Sussman
For whatever reason, I'm really intrigued by that Michigan State-Pittsburgh game.
Eastern Michigan will upset NIU, putting at least one Washtenaw County team in the win column.
3 - Jerkwheat
I agree on State-Pitt. I expect it to be one of the better matchups of the day. That said, while State and Pitt are playing, my tv will be focused on the Chippewas and Purdue. I don't imagine I'll get to see DAN (not David) LeFevour too many more times on tv this year.
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Prediction: Purdue 61, Central Michigan 55
5 - Chris McVetta
Cleveland State 55, Michigan 3
Like Lt. Frank Drebin: "I know a great place for Viking food."
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
A nice, hearty point for Geeves on seeing the FAU upset.
7 - El Bicho
"All that said, Notre Dame takes this one is a messy affair."
You were one three letters off.
8 - Evan
football and all the other sports suck
9 - Evan
there is only one sport that i do like and thats pinball