Around the Big Ten

[froot loops]

Big game this week.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Big game this week.

Fruit .... what do you want your MSU thread to be titled?

[iam416]

Following up strong 6-2 opener with a nice 3-7 shitfest where I couldn't have more wrong about roughly 5 of the 10 games I picked.

Illinois (+3) vs Western Michigan. The number opened at -1 and has moved 4 to 4' points. If you get Illinois at 3 you're paying extra juice while 3' is even to slightly plus. I agree with the initial Vegas assessment. I think WMU is a little overvalued. I'll take the 3' at -115.

Penn State (-8') vs Temple. This line confuses me a bit. Penn State has beaten Temple by 9 or more 4 of the 5 times they've played since 2010 -- you know, since PSU has been mediocre and Temple has experienced a modest revival. Last year PSU won by 17 against a 10-4 Temple team. I think the number is based on preseason metrics. Temple was supposed to be better than getting beat by 2 scores by ARMY. I think Penn State found some mojo against Pitt, at least enough to be the rock-solid 7-5 type PSU team we've come to know and love. So, I say they win by at least 13 and I'll gladly lay the 8'.

Maryland (-8') at UCF. I continue to think Maryland is a little undervalued. They delivered in spades last week for me with an easy cover at FIU. Last year UCF lost to FIU (and everyone else). I think UCF and FIU remain relatively interchangeable, though UCF obviously hits harder. I'll continue to back the Genius of DJ and the Mighty Turtle.

Michigan (-20) at Colorado. This is one of my favorite plays. I think this is a remarkably easy cover for M. I think they will obliterate CU in the trenches. I'd lay 28, so the 20 is no-brainer.

Rutgers (-5') vs New Mexico. The line opened at 3' so BEHOLD THE RUTGERS STEAM!!!! Boy, this is an awful, awful game. The US ought to round up the 19 people who watch this game and send them to Guantanamo or Flint. Or just shoot them. So, UNM lost to New Mexico State on the road. I guess I'll go with Rutgers to win by a TD and cover, but we all lose by the very existence of this shitfest.

Wisconsin (-34) vs Georgia State. Recall from last week -- Wisconsin trucks bad nonconference opponents. Georgia State just lost by 34 to AFA. I'll give the 34.

Nebraska (-3') vs Oregon. The line opened at 1' and is trending Huskerz. Not for me, though. I trust UNL marginally less than I trust Brady Hoke. That's saying something. I'll take the 3' all day and back the Ducks.

Michigan State (+8 ) at Notre Dame. The line opened at 6' it's at 8 in a couple places and 7' in others. I'm on record as really liking the type of roster BK has assembled at ND. I think there's tons of talent and the coaching is, ummm, good enough. ND is never an easy out unless you're Ohio State. I love getting points with them. But I really don't like giving too many points. I think ND wins, but I'll take Sparty and the points coming off a scrimmage and a bye week.

Northwestern (-4) vs Duke. NW is coming off a loss to Illinois State. Duke is coming off a loss to Wake Forest. I'm not sure which is worse. I do feel pretty sure that 20 points will win this debacle and 13 very well may win it. With points a premium, I'll gladly back Duke and take the 4 knowing if they can score a TD they'll probably cover.

Ohio State (-1') at Oklahoma. So, 3 weeks ago this line would have been OU -6. How much stock do you put in two weeks of CFB? I have a hard time seeing such an inexperienced team winning in Norman. I think it's a close game and I would have taken the 6 if OU didn't shit the bed against Houston. But there's no way I can back OSU as a favorite in this spot. Sadly, OU and the points is my pick.

Other games:

North Dakota State at Iowa. Surely a much harder test than Iowa State. This is a game they could actually lose if they don't play well.

The Goofers, Hoosiers and Boilers all have byes. The viewing public weeps.

Other CFB games of note:

Houston (-7') at Cincinnati. Opened at 6. I don't have a feel for this one either way. I think people give UC way too much credit. But I think UH may be slightly overvalued, too. I'd probably back Herman here.

Florida State (-2) at Louisville. Opened at +1. This line ballooned up to 3' briefly. I'm not buying Louisville, though I'm not sold on FSU. I think it's FSU, though.

Texas A&M (+3') at Auburn. This is a fishy line. One would think the points are attractive with the hook and all. Aggies beat UCLA. Auburn lost to a Clemson squad that isn't quite right, yet. They're begging for bets on A&M.

Alabama (-11) at Mississippi. Opened at 8'. I dunno. I think I like the points in this one. Alabama Death Star might actually be overvalued. Unfortunately, it's impossible to undervalue Genius of Freeze.

USC (+9) at Stanford. Opened at 6'. Yeah, I'm with the line on this. I think USC sucks. Stanford does not. It'll be an Alabama-lite beating which is still way more than 9.

Texas (-8 ) at Cal. Opened at 4. Put this one up because if you believe in Texas this is fucking stealing.

[froot loops]

Fruit .... what do you want your MSU thread to be titled?

I don't care, just make sure that Dantonio's name is spelled incorrectly.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Nebraska (-3') vs Oregon. The line opened at 1' and is trending Huskerz. Not for me, though. I trust UNL marginally less than I trust Brady Hoke. That's saying something. I'll take the 3' all day and back the Ducks.

heh

[hack]

I don't care, just make sure that Dantonio's name is spelled incorrectly.

It's really not too much to ask.

[iam416]

Oregon +3' was one my 3 wins, Wiz!

[Cody_Russell]

Purdue (-6) vs Nevada is an easy one.
Book it now.

It will be a 9am start time for Nevada and Purdue has had two weeks to prepare.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Oregon +3' was one my 3 wins, Wiz!

A busted clock is right twice a day too dumbass

[hack]

Not if you're on military time.

[entropy]

http://deadspin.com/rutgers-student-tailgate-shut-down-after-ad-chugs-a-bee-1786876482?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_twitter&utm_source=deadspin_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

Rutgers AD chugs beer on stage

[WM Wolverine]

You picked Duke over a B1G team not named Purdue?

30+ points is really difficult for me to touch unless it's an offense that has scored 50+ a couple times...

Some here will disagree but M outplayed CU more than the 18 (?) points than they won by, they left some points on the field not executing when they really needed to and gave up 3 really big plays that did or allowed the Buffaloes to score TD's.

[iam416]

Well, M's ST saved them. I could pretty easily say that Colorado's inept ST play gave up 3 huge plays that directly created 21 points for M.

I thought the margin was fair. If CU's QB didn't go down there was no way M comes that close to covering, IMO. They still win, but they don't have the ball with a chance to cover.

In short, I missed that game.

[WM Wolverine]

Shit, forum ate my lengthy post...

In short, M played a better game imo on both offense and more so defensively than given credit for. Defense made critical mistakes at worst times that are hopefully correctable with coaching. Not to the same extent, same for offense after a second viewing. Much more optimistic about PSU after another viewing.

[The Oracle]

Still wanna see Speight hit some throws in tight windows. I know he was banged up last week, but so far this year, it's been just mostly making the right reads and someone has been pretty open.