Week 11 Predictions: Huskers vs. Wolverines

Mike: I dunno about this week. Is there a basketball game we can focus on instead? Maybe we should just wait until Sunday’s volleyball game against Ohio State.

Jill: Is it track season yet?

Bri: I don’t know what you guys are talking about. This is the game of the century. But yeah Volleyball on Sunday sounds nice.

Nate M: Is it even worth watching today?

Jon: I will probably be worth watching the first half. Maybe.

Patrick: I woke up to snow flurries today. I love this time of year!

Andy: What’s wrong with people? We hired Mickey Joseph last Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues!! (Based on one of the 24-48 hour projections) Matt Rhule was announced as well!! Deion’s on board any day!! And it will all happen again Wisconsin week! LFG!!!!!

Wisconsin (-1) at Iowa

Jill: The B1Ggest game of the weekend. Iowa seems to have figured out some stuff on offense. That is not ideal for their late season opponents. Wisconsin is still Wisconsin. I’m going with Iowa’s defense still being lockdown and their offense doing just enough. Hawkeyes by 3.

Mike: Iowa has figured out how to not have a putrid offense...but Wisconsin has quietly become a solid team. This one actually looks kind of interesting. Bucky 27, Squawkeyes 23

Bri: Iowa falters on offense and again and Wisconsin is able to run past their defense. Wisconsin wins it 17-6.

Nate M: This could be a truth game for Iowa’s offense. If they can score 20+ against Wisconsin then they might have figured some things out. Though I think Wisconsin wins by 10 plus.

Jon: It’s at Iowa. It’d be just like them to get better before we play them. Both of these teams are about which team shows up. Wisconsin 13 - Iowa 12

Patrick: University of Iowa 3 University of Wisconsin 2

Andy: Iowa’s offense is still awful - they, like the rest of the conference, owe the Huskers a huge thanks for showing them even Gretna could throw downfield on Purdue’s horrid secondary. Their defense is still excellent however, so on a cold, gray day, two non-creative Big 10 offenses should produce a classic low scoring snooze-fest. Break out the black & white TV’s for a true 60’s era clash. Wiscy 16 Iowa 8

Purdue (+6.5) at Illinois

Jill: Illinois is a grinder of a team. They are really figuring out their identity and will ride Chase Brown to a soul-sucking win. Illinois 24 Purdue 18

Mike: Other than playing Penn State close to open the season, is Purdue any good? I mean, letting Iowa score 24, my goodness. Illini 28, Boilers 17

Bri: Illinois bounces back from last week’s loss and wins it 35-21.

Nate M: I think Illinois wins by 10. Like 24-14 or something like that.

Jon: There are certain teams in the Big Ten who own other teams, such as Wisconsin beating Purdue 16 years in a row. Purdue and Illinois are nearly tied in their series together, which Purdue leads 46-45. I have no idea what I’m getting at here other than typing words. Chase Brown, that Devito dude put the hurt on the Boilers. Illinois 35, Purdue 21

Patrick: University of Illinois 31 University of Purdue 17

Andy: The curse of Nebraska is back for Purdue although the real curse is the aforementioned Purdue secondary which the Huskers exposed. To make matters worse, the offense has cooled as well and after scoring only 3 on Iowa and it gets no easier in Champaign. Tommy Devito, get ready for your game of the year. Illinois 33 Purdue 17

Rutgers (+9.5) at Michigan State

Jill: Sparty has faltered a bit of late, but should still handle the Scarlet Knights. MSU 30 Rutgers 18

Mike: Sparty rebounded nicely last week and handled Illinois surprisingly well. But Rutgers was competitive with Michigan for ... two quarters. Gimme Sparty in this one. Sparty 38, Buttgers 10

Bri: Michigan State will build off of their win over Illinois and will easily beat Rutgers. Michigan State 28-Rutgers 14.

Nate M: Rutgers with the win.

Jon: Sparty. It’s at home. It’s getting cold. Sparty 17 - Rutgers 9

Patrick: Michigan State University 28 Queens College 21

Andy: After spending the season mostly stinking, Sparty has rebounded in the last three weeks to defeat Wisconsin, Illinois and a stray Wolverine in the Michigan tunnel. (What? Too soon?) Rutgers, on the other hand, after showing some early grittiness has dropped their last two contests by the 1983 Nebraska-ish score of 83-17. Sparty’s not going to do that, but they’re at home and can sniff a bowl bid. MSU 35 Rutgers 20

Maryland (+10.5) at Penn State

Jill: I’ll take the Nittany Lions by two touchdowns Alex.

Mike: Maryland is perhaps the most inconsistent team in the Big Ten, and you never know which one is going to show up. I could see Maryland with the upset this week...or losing by four scores. Ehhh... Nitts 35, Turtles 10.

Bri: Penn State wins this one 30-10.

Nate M: I”m going with Jill. Penn State by 14.

Jon: Penn State should beat the hell out of Maryland. They’ll probably wait until the fourth quarter to do it, which will drive my friend Bill insane. This is fine with me. Penn State 35 - Maryland 17

Patrick: Pennsylvania State University 38 University of Maryland 34

Andy: Thanks to a little improvement and a generous schedule, Maryland delayed their annual Big 10 collapse by a few weeks. However, this game will be middle slot of a 3-game losing streak. While it should be closer than normal, as Sean Connery once said? “Alex! I’ll take The Rapists for $600!” Penn State 34 Maryland 29
(“That’s ‘Therapists’ Mr. Connery!”)

Nebraska (+31) at Michigan

Jill: How about them Jackrabbits?!? The #1 FCS team in the country is riding a nice winning streak and faces an Illinois State team that is just over .500. Give me SDSU by 21.

Mike: UNO hockey is trying for the sweep against Minnesota-Duluth. They’ve actually been playing a lot better the last two games, as it’s been a really rough start to the season for the Mavs. But a road sweep? That’s asking too much. Bulldogs 5, Mavericks 2

Bri: Did you know that 1997 was 25 years ago? We know who the real National Champions in 1997 were. 1997 Huskers 28-1997 Wolverines 17.

Nate M: As a Lebron apologist and a life long Lakers hater his move to Los Angeles destroyed my fandom. He could have gone back to Cleveland (for the third time) to a really good Cleveland team but instead decided to stay in Los Angeles for non-basketball reasons. So the fact that they are so so so so so so bad is actually fine with me. I almost wonder if he even cares. So that’s my prediction. My prediction is that Lebron James doesn’t care about winning anymore.

Jon: Woooooo the hell with Lebron. Otherwise... I’m gonna predict the obvious and say that people freaking out about someone announcing they know who the next coach is is going to get much worse this week. The rumors, the bullshit, will ascend to new all time highs. It will be fun if you let it. Michigan 45, Nebraska 17

Patrick: University of Michigan 42 University of Nebraska 17

Andy: Did Mark Whipple’s stubborn insistence on Chubba Purdy over what anyone else’s eyes can tell them torpedo the Huskers’ bowl chances? Casey himself couldn’t save this, but I’ll say a scrappy Husker defense will keep it in reach early. Then the price of constant three and outs combined with an opponent who has simply been lethal in the second half?

Yeah, go ahead and pick the score.

So - Georgia vs. The Dred Pirate Leach in Starkville in a possible Bulldog Battle letdown game for the Junkyard Dawgs? Probably not. While Mississippi State actually has a decent defense, the offense has gone cold in back-to-back losses to Kentucky and Alabama. Georgia’s not the team one sparks it back on track against. Dawgs 33 Bulldogs 13