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I apologize if this entry is seems a little distracted. I am pretty much in OMG COLLEGE BASKETBALL IS BACK mode today. As for a bold prediction to add to Andrew's post yesterday I have this: Purdue will win 20 games this season and reach the NCAA Tournament. It's just going to happen, so folks should deal with it.
In the meantime, there are seven Big Ten games this week thanks to a pair of non-conference games:
Temple (5-4) at Penn State (5-4) Noon, ESPN2
Penn State has already blown one of the longest winning streaks in college football when Maryland beat them a few years ago. Can they blow a second? The Nittany Lions haven't lost to Temple since the U.S.S. Arizona was still afloat in Pearl Harbor. Seriously! The last Temple victory was on October 18, 1941 and Penn State is 38-3-1 all-time against the Owls. Temple starter the series with a 3-1 advantage, but Penn State is 37-0-1 since that 1941 game. The last few games have been close, but Penn State has won 24-13, 14-10, and 22-13 since 2010. I think that is what happens again. Penn State 24, Temple 17
Iowa (6-3, 3-2) at Illinois (4-5, 1-4) Noon, BTN
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Am I crazy to think Illinois can win this and, because they still have Penn State and Northwestern on the schedule, reach a bowl game? Wes Lunt is back, but the Fighting Illini just beat Minnesota, who completely dismantled Iowa last week. Either that was one of the bigger anomalies of the Big Ten season or the Illini made a major turnaround. I don't know what to think of Iowa, either, except that they may not be as good as we once thought. For now, I will still go with Illinois sucks, but I may change my mind next week. Iowa 27, Illinois 21
Ohio State (8-1, 5-0) at Minnesota (7-2, 4-1) Noon, ABC
I really, really don't know what happened to Minnesota in that Illinois game, but they were impressive last week. Ohio State was too, and I know they need to go full murderball the rest of the season to overcome the Virginia Tech loss in order to reach the playoff. The funny thing is that both of these teams have an equally bad loss because that VaTech loss looks like an anchor right now. The difference is that OSU went on the road and beat Michigan State, while Minnesota lost at TCU. I feel an upset coming on though, and the Gophers are completely disrespected by being a 14 point dog at home. I just have a feeling with this pick. Minnesota 30, Ohio State 28
Nebraska (8-1, 4-1) at Wisconsin (7-2, 4-1) 3:30pm, ABC
It's Ameer Abdullah vs. Melvin Gordon in this one. Purdue's last two opponents and a Nebraska team that has some faint playoff hopes, but a backloaded schedule of potentially three ranked opponents (Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio State in the B1G title game) to help them climb the ladder. A road win at a good Wisconsin team could vault the Cornhuskers into the top 10. The winner will be in the driver's seat for the West crown with a tough Minnesota team still coming to town. I think Nebraska is the more complete team, but not by a lot. Nebraska 24, Wisconsin 21
Northwestern (3-6) at Notre Dame (7-2) 3:30pm, NBC
Last week Arizona State did the Lord's work with the double whammy of ending Notre Dame's playoff hopes and Everett Golson's Heisman Campaign. Now the Irish get Northwestern and all the nostalgia of 1995, when the Wildcats began Notre Dame's downfall and started their own ascendance. The Wildcats made the Rose Bowl that year, and it started the long downfall to ND's glorious 2007 season. Northwestern isn't going to the Rose Bowl this year, and ND has recovered and is much, much better now. Notre Dame 45, Northwestern 17
Indiana (3-6, 0-5) at Rutgers (5-4, 1-4) 3:30pm, BTN
Rutgers needs a single victory to be bowl eligible and this is their best chance at it with Maryland and Michigan State both on the road to close the season. They should get it, because Indiana's offense has become complete atrocious now. All you have to do is tackle Tevin Coleman and you stop Indiana. The sad thing is that their defense has actually improved enough to the point where the Hoosiers would likely have been 8-4 last year with this year's defense. Rutgers 21, Indiana 6
Michigan State (7-2, 4-1) at Maryland (6-3, 3-2) 8pm, BTN
How does Michigan State respond to what is now a lost rest of the season? Yeah, they can win out and get to a good New Year's Day bowl against an SEC team, but unless Ohio State loses two of three to Minnesota, Indiana, and Michigan the Spartans can't return to the Big Ten title game. That was the goal all along. They should win this one over a good, but not great Maryland team, but you never know. If they are demoralized from last week it could be interesting. Michigan State 31, Maryland 21