Friday, October 9, 2009

Big Ten Football - Week 3 Predictions

Rather than subject you folks to my weekly Gopher football take, I’ll spare you the boring details I’ll just give my quick take on the B-10 matchups for the week. For those who want their still want their Golden Gopher fix (and I’m fairly certain that’s no one), feel free to check my own Gopher football blog, “Give ‘Em Hell Goldy

Only 4 conference matchups this week, as PSU takes on mighty Eastern Illinois, Northwestern battles with the Miami of Ohio, and Indiana goes to UVA.
Here’s my two cents and prediction on each of the games:

Michigan State @ Illinois (11:00 am CT)
Is Illinois really as bad as it seems? I think we’ll finally know the answer to this question after this week. The Illini are having a nightmare season, culminated this week with the benching of QB Juice Williams. Wow. No one really seems to know what State is all about either yet, but we know that their secondary is dreadful. I look for Arrelious Benn to finally find the endzone this week, a couple times, with backup Eddie McGee slinging him the ball. Always tough to win on the road in the Big Ten, but MSU is coming off an emotional win over their rival. I think Illinois pulls this one out due to their sheer desperation and homefield advantage.
Illinois 30, Michigan State 27

Purdue @ Minnesota (11:00 am CT)
A cliched ‘must-win’ game for both teams, but the Boilers are the worst defense in the Big Ten in almost every category. I look for the Gopher offense to find its groove, and I have absolutely no reason to believe that Purdue can stop Weber-to-Decker. Bolden will have a few big plays, but the Gopher defense will slow him enough to win. The best news for Gopher defenders? Bolden weighs 62 lbs less than John Clay, so they might actually be able to bring him down to the turf.
Minnesota 35, Purdue 23

Wisconsin @ Ohio State (2:30 pm CT)
The Badgers looked solid against Minnesota last week, and the running game got a head of steam going, while OSU demolished a hapless IU on the road, and Terrelle Pryor looked all-conference. I like the OSU defense to slow Clay enough to keep the ball in Pryor’s hands and limit Wisconsin’s TOP control efforts. Buckeyes in a close one at the 'Shoe.
Ohio State 20, Wisconsin 17

Michigan @ Iowa (7:05 pm CT)
Cocksure QB Tate Forcier (and if you don’t think so check out his ‘family website’) has looked pretty damn good as a frosh this year in Rich Rod’s system. That all ends this week with a visit to Iowa City. Iowa’s defense is stellar, and they will harass QBs Forcier and Robinson all evening. Iowa’s offense won’t roll it up on Michigan but they’ll do enough to win the B-10 nitecap.
Iowa 24, Michigan 16

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