Around the Big Ten

[WingsFan]

Big Ten Network upset of the year (trap game) is MSU @ ASU -- something about tough to play in different time zones ?

[Cody_Russell]

[AlabamAlum]

Good lord, Big Ten, this is embarrassing:

[Dr. Strangelove]

Many summers ago in Chicago I remember the White Sox had a promotion with either Pizza Hut or Dominos (forget which) where if you bought a large pepperoni, boom, two free White Sox tickets.

This is even more embarrassing that that. But it's the Goofers. Their home schedule is pretty rough this year.

[AlabamAlum]

Free tickets when you buy frozen puzzas is UABesque.

[Cody_Russell]

[WingsFan]

Frozen Pizza? Not in my life time!

[Dr. Strangelove]

"Red Baron is among the best of frozen pizza"

Jesu Christo...Michigan man right here, folks

It's a slight notch above the $1.35 frozen Totino's cardboard, dude

[froot loops]

It wasn't that long ago that Michigan was giving away tickets if you bought two 2 liters of Coke to keep the streak of 100s alive.

[iam416]

Friends, family, countrymen, Alabam"Alum" -- rest easy kind souls for The Talent's Big Ten picks are back for Year Three!!!!! After an opening season at 50-34-2, I dropped back to reality with a 52-48-1 run. Still, 102-82-3 isn't terrible when it comes to picking mostly shitass teams against the number. So I shall continue and endeavor to bring you many winners with heaping side of my trademark insightful wit.

Northwestern (+1') at Purdue. The Big Ten has apparently opted to follow Slive's lead and open with a conference game of almost no consequence. In the SEC it was always South Carolina against someone and since South Carolina is always inconsequential the game was as well. Unless the SEC is WAR!!! media was using it to prop up the likes of Texas A&M. There is no risk of anyone propping up the winner of this spectacle. Neither team is a top 25 caliber or even close to it. However, both seem to have QBs with "NFL arms" in the form of Clayton Thorson and Elijah Sindelar. Of course, Sindelar will likely share snaps with David Blough, who doesn't even have a CFL arm. The Mildcats are coming off of a 10-win season, which is cause for celebration both in Evanston and Ann Arbor, and dispatched the Boliers last season. But nFw isn't a consistent 10-win program and I expect them to fall back to .500, as they did two years ago coming off a 10-win season. Purdue seems a like at team on the gentle rise. Brohm probably knows what he's doing. He has the potential for good QB play and some decent skill players. So, I think Purdue ends up at 7-5 or better. To get there they have to win this game and I think they will. I'll back the Boilers to claim first place in the West with a win and cover over nFw.

Utah State (+23') at Michigan State^rdWestern Kentucky (+36) at Wisconsin^ndTexas State (+16) at Rutgers^ndrd and 4^th. This is, unbelievably, the 2^ndAkron (+26) at Nebraska

[Hannibal]

Who did Northwestern lose coming into this year? I like them quite a lot and usually I am a NfW skeptic.

[iam416]

Well, first, Thorson is a bit of question mark. But, they lost most of their really bad secondary. I think Purdue will WCO all day on them. I really like Herdeman as causing problems.

nFw actually should have good line play on both sides. If Thorson is good then they should be solid, but they're going to have to defend the pass.

[iam416]

Shit, I forgot a game:

New Mexico State (+18) at Minnesota. Rodney Smith will have a huge day because the Goofer can't pass. But NMS is bad enough that it shouldn't matter. Goofers to cover and win something like 30-10.

[Hannibal]

I like Akron to cover against Neb. Frost has a pretty significant rebuilding job there. First year B1G coaches always have some really ugly ass wins.

[iam416]

That's the rational play. In fact, that's the VERY rational play.