Nebraska vs. Rutgers: CornNation Predictions

Mike: After last week, how many of us REALLY want to predict this week’s game against Rutgers.

Joe: Not me. For the record this is my last year doing the “Five reasons we lose” articles.

Nate M: Sigh........

Jill: I’ll predict it, but do I have to watch it?

Brian: Week of suck galore.

Patrick G: 46 days until Nebrasketball is back. Then we can start the Tim Miles countdown, if need be....

Andy: It’s Rutgers weekend, baby!! Whooooo!!

........

Ah, flip it. I tried.

Michigan (-9.5) at Purdue

Joe: I’m first? Ok. Purdue seems to be better this year and Michigan seems to be the same. Isn’t Harbaugh supposed to be good with quarterbacks? (Isn’t Riley?) I am going to pick the outcome I want and give Purdue the upset 31-30.

Nate M: Purdue is going to straight up beat Michigan by double digits. Michigan has an inept offense just like Nebraska. Purdue is playing really well and is going to surprise Michigan.

Jill: OK, so we have reached a place where CN writers are picking Purdue over Michigan and we are worried about playing Rutgers (with good reason). What the hell, the sooner we loosen our grip on reality, the more we’ll enjoy this season. All aboard the Purdue hype train! (Did you see what I did there?) Boilers 27 Wolverines 17

Brian: Well, I don’t think Purdue is necessarily bad. That being said, Michigan’s D ain’t no bullshit. Wolverines cover this one because I don’t think that the Boilers O is that good.

Patrick G: I want Purdue to win but I think the Wolverines win and cover. Michigan will not allow a loss like this on their resume no matter how bad their offense is. The Purdue hype train will start to derail after this loss but the team will continue to have a decent season. University of Michigan 23 Purdue University 12

Mike: I wonder if Purdue’s Mike Bobinski will be on Nebraska’s short list for athletic director candidates? He certainly seems to know a thing or two about hiring football coaches. Jeff Brohm isn’t going to get the upset this week, though he’s made incredible strides with the Boilers. Weasels 31, Boilers 20

Andy: I know we should be talking about bringing Gameday to West Lafayette, but the Boilermakers aren’t quite there yet. Good enough to beat us? Sure. Not quite good enough to take out the Fightin’ Harbaughs. Michigan 30 Purdue 17. ESPN Gameday crew declares Harbaugh has just passed Bear Bryant in imaginary All-Time Greatest Coaches Ever rankings.

Huskrboneyard: I am already on team chaos, and we haven’t even played a conference game yet. I would love for Michigan to lose to Purdue. Purdue 38 Michigan 31

Notre Dame (-3.5) at Michigan State

Joe C: This game would have been great three or four years ago. Now? Two coaches on the hot seats. Brian Kelly seems to be the bigger jerk of the two, so lets root against him. I actually feel like this could be an exciting game played by two shitty teams. Mich St. 42- Notre Dame 39 somehow.

Nate M: Michigan State is the perfect example of how much the QB means to a program. They had a good streak of good QB play and they were really good. Now? Not so much. Notre Dame 33 - Michigan State -24

Jill: So, where do you get one of those quarterback things? (asking for a friend) I know absolutely nothing about either team, so will default to the “go with the home team” pick. Sparty 35 Leprechauns 27

Brian: Interesting game for both teams, due to the fact that the loser’s HC may be on a heated cushion on the way home. Not sure what to make of Sparty here, they’ve won games but haven’t really looked great. ND, again, not sure. /flips coin.. Sparty. Cause sure.

Patrick G: Holy cow, I don’t care. University of Notre Dame 9 Michigan State 7

Mike: You could make a solid argument that Mark Dantonio was better when he wasn’t getting four star recruits. (Of course, Pat Narduzzi being at Pitt probably is a much bigger factor.) Sparty 27, Farting Amish 20

Andy: So the Spartans have established dominance over the MAC and the Irish over that college football hotbed northeastern seaboard. Oh, and a 1-point loss to Georgia that propbably should have been 21. Just because Rudy is still really, really annoying - Mich St. 24 The Buttnuts 21

Huskrboneyard: Team Chaos would root for Michigan St to win right? This will probably be a pretty close affair. Michigan St 20 Notre Dame 17

Penn State (-12.5) at Iowa

Joe C: This is a lot of points for a home team to be getting. Penn State wins, but doesn’t cover 31-24

Nate M: Penn State is going to blow the doors off of Iowa. Please. PSU - 42 Iowa - 17

Jill: I’ll split the difference. PSU 36 Iowegia 20

Brian: Gonna find out how good that Penn State offense & Iowa defense really is. The Hawkeyes D could be good, but then again how many points did they give up to the Cyclones? Nittany Loins don’t cover but they win.

Patrick G: Iowa has looked fairly decent against mediocre teams. Penn State is, well Penn State and their superior athletes are going to run circles around the Hawkeyes. I agree with Nate though my score will be a little more open. Pennsylvania State University 47 Iowa 9

Mike: Every so often, Iowa pulls off the shocker. Like nine years ago when a highly ranked Penn State team traveled to Kinnick. So I can see it...just not this year. State Penn 34, Squawkeyes 17

Andy: Iowa is just scraping by the dreck of their schedule this year and last year Penn St did to the Hawkeyes what they did to us. As much as I’d like Iowa to send the Ninny Lions and their creepy as all shit fans back to their deadend miserable rape town, it’s not going to happen. Unregistered Sex Offenders 38 Iowegians 17

Huskrboneyard: This is the time of the year where Iowa becomes Iowa again. Last year it was NDSU. This year it will be losing to Penn State by four touchdowns. Penn St 52 Iowa 24

Texas A&M (-2.5) vs. Arkansas (at JerryWorld)

Joe C: A coach who is going to get fired against...another coach who is going to get fired (just not this year). This is what happens when you are in the SEC west. A&M will get way out in front and then continue snapping the ball with 32 seconds on the play clock until they exhaust themselves and fade in the end. Again. Hogs 45- Aggies 42

Nate M: Texas A&M is more talented than Arkansas, and I remember when the rumor was that Nebraska tried to hire Bret Bielema. Texas A&M 28 - Arkansas State 20

Jill: That rumor started by Bielema’s agent? That was a good one. A&M 41 Arky St 38

Brian: Holy shit, this game is gonna have a firing by the end of the presser either way. I think Arkansas is better, but then again they haven’t really done well in this game. Observe:

Sumlin has a lot more to lose in this game. Bert could get fired, but that’s a big buyout. Arkansas in this one.

Patrick G: I would plan on watching this game in the 4th and stay for the post game presser. I’ll pick Arkansas but I think it could go either way. University of Arkansas 23 Texas A&M 17

Mike: Pick your dumpster fire. Bert’s is on a slow burn, perfect for smoking ribs. Sumlin’s is hot, perfect for a nice juicy porterhouse. Pig Sooie 34, Gaggies 24

Andy: 11am on ESPN. Did the head of programming drop a Gatorade cooler on his own head? Future roadside jelly salesmen against nobheads playin’ army. I’ll regret it but I’m taking Sumlin over Bert. The aTm 43 Arky 37

Huskrboneyard: What am I supposed to think about this game? We beat Arkansas St and we’re bad. Soo A&M 38 Arkansas 28

Rutgers (+12) at Nebraska

Joe C: Is anyone taking Nebraska -12? No. And that is why we get our blow out. A week too late. Huskers 55- Rutgers 20

Nate M: I am willing to fall on the grenade. Nebraska 10 - Rutgers 14

Jill: Ouch Nate. That’s why we keep Cobby around. Rutgers is blocking a lot of kicks. They don’t allow offenses to convert many 3rd downs. They also like to grab interceptions. Their defense is ranked surprisingly well in quite a few places. Their offense appears to be much better running than passing. Which of course means their QB is going to look All-conference this week. Nebraska 27 Rutgers 22

Brian: Homecoming, vs a team you should curbstomp, and an offense that needs to be pissed off.

/sees injury report.

Take Rutgers here. Nebraska should, should, SHOULD WIN RIGHT? But they won’t cover.

Patrick G: I have no clue and have transferred my Nebrasketball statement from last year to football this year.

With that said....University of Nebraska 42 Queens College 31

Mike: The only injury that has me worried is Stanley Morgan’s, but maybe that will force Mike Riley to finally deal with Danny Langsdorf’s 40-passes-each-week fetish. I actually think the offensive line COULD be better this week; I’ve heard good things about Brendan Jaimes, and Michael Decker was an upgrade at center last week when he spelled Cole Conrad briefly. Give Mikale Wilbon 25 carries and Devine Ozigbo 15 more, which puts Tanner Lee into more manageable situations. He goes back under 30 attempts this week, and Nebraska bounces back nicely. Diaco’s Blackshirts are rounding into form, and this one is a welcome relief. Huskers 34, Rutgers 13.

Andy: Well, Rutgers DID lose to Eastern Michigan. And their offense does seem primed to make Handsome Bob’s corps of 37 LB’s look good again. (Will they look as good as Bob? Of course not! He’s George Clooney dreamy, you haters! And don’t be asking him any questions and pissing him off either. He does NOT have to talk to you. Or anyone else.!)

The Scralet Knights D is sorta salty so far, though, and that’s not good news for a line that couldn’t block Wahoo’s front four right now. Rutgers is coming in with the attitude that this is their best chance to take down Nebraska...like, ever. Injuries, a dead coaching staff walking and a crowd that will turn surly fast the minute things go south - this doesn’t exactly sound like the atmosphere for a cover does it? Huskers 19 Rotgut 15

Huskrboneyard: This a must win for Riley in order to bring his likelihood of coaching here next year from 0% to 1%. Also JUST WIN BABY. Nebraska 28 Rutgers 14