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Football season is back, y’all! The season gets underway in earnest tonight with a cornucopia of games across the country. This includes a pair of games involving Purdue opponents tonight. Since there are 14 Big Ten games to look at this week let’s get to it.
Thursday
Indiana at Florida International 7:30pm, ESPNU
If you’re looking for one of the more entertaining games to watch this weekend this could be it. Indiana is, admittedly, kind of fun to watch because of their offensive prowess and tendency to not even play a modicum of defense. There is a reason they are called the #CHAOSTEAM. Last season alone they needed a stop on a 2-point conversion to beat their FCS opponent, but were within 5 yards of beating Ohio State. Playing at FIU should be interesting, The Golden Panthers were driving to tie last year in Bloomington when they threw a 90+ yard pick-six. It should be entertaining, at least. Indiana 45, Florida International 35
Oregon State at Minnesota 9pm, BTN
Minnesota is apparently going back to is Lawrence Maroney/Marion Barber roots this year with a strong power run game. The staff at the Daily Gopher is certainly high on the team, predicting a 9-10 win season. I think we can pump the brakes a little on that, but tonight’s game against a Power 5 conference team will be telling. Oregon State was not good last year. In fact, they might have been worse than Purdue as they went 0-fer in the Pac-12. Only one loss wasn’t a double-digit loss too as they lost to Colorado 17-13. Minnesota should win this pretty easily if they really are a good team. Minnesota 31, Oregon State 14
Friday
Furman at No. 12 Michigan State 7pm, BTN
There is no damn way Michigan State should lose this game. Michigan State 38, Furman 10
Saturday
Eastern Kentucky at Purdue Noon, ESPNNews
Saturday is going to be telling. Most of the outside media has Purdue winning, but they still expect the Boilers to struggle. That’s because they aren’t very high on Purdue overall. ESPN even has us on upset watch.
Obviously, a loss would be disastrous. It put the 0-12 nightmare as a possibility if not a likelihood. A close win shows that Purdue is probably as good as outsiders think (re: not very). If Purdue wins in a blowout it will be a mild surprise and at least turn a few heads. With EKU yet to select a quarterback and under a new coach we have no idea what to expect. I will go with cautiously optimistic. For one Saturday at least, Purdue fans will be happy with a comfortable win, but not a complete blowout. Purdue 34, Eastern Kentucky 17
Howard at Maryland Noon, BTN
In about a month Purdue and Maryland will open the Big Ten season with both teams trying to get that critical early season win. For now, the Terps get their own FCS opponent, a lousy 1-10 team they should blowout. Maryland 52, Howard 10
Western Michigan at Northwestern Noon, ESPNU
Let’s keep an eye on this one, as Western Michigan’s P.J. Fleck will be one of the top coaching rumor candidates in America if Western Michigan wins the MAC. I know what you’re thinking. We don’t want another MAC coach. Fleck, however, would come in with more sustained success than Hazell. He went from 1-11 in year 1 to 8-5 each of the last two seasons. Western is favored to end Northern Illinois’ stranglehold on the MAC West this year with him. He has out-recruited Hazell in two of the last three seasons too. I am not saying he should be Hazell’s replacement, but he is on the radar, and will gain more attention if Western wins this. Northwestern 21, Western Michigan 17
Hawaii (0-1) at No. 7 Michigan Noon, ESPN
Hawaii played last Friday night in Sydney, went back to Honolulu for some classes, then flew to Ann Arbor for a noon Saturday game. That’s rough even if they were a good team. Michigan 48, Hawaii 7
Bowling Green at Ohio State Noon, BTN
If this was last year’s Bowling Green team playing this year’s Ohio State we might have an interesting game. That would have an experienced high-powered Falcon offense taking on a talented, but inexperienced Ohio State. As it is, the Buckeyes will roll because they never lose to in-state teams. Ohio State 38, Bowling Green 14
Rutgers at No. 14 Washington 2pm, Pac-12 Network
Yes, Rutgers is still in the Big Ten. That still won’t make me pay attention to them. Washington 31, Rutgers 17
No. 5 LSU vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field 3:30pm, ABC
I thought we lived in America! The NCAA is not going to let players do the Lambeau Leap because that is something fun and we can’t have spontaneous fun in something super serious like football. Let me organize the next parade in Red Square now. LSU 28, Wisconsin 17
Kent State at Penn State 3:30pm BTN
I used to respect Penn State, but the more that comes out about the Sandusky scandal the more sickened I am that they are even associated with Purdue by them being in the Big Ten. I now hope they lose every game by 50, but that won’t happen this weekend because we gave Darrell Hazell $12 million on the one time Kent State has been good at football in the last half century. Penn State 24, Kent State 3
Miami (OH) at No. 17 Iowa 3:30pm, ESPNU
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Remember when Miami (OH) was really good and would scare the bejesus out of Big Ten teams regularly? That isn’t this year. They were 3-9 last year and they won’t be a winner in this year’s MAC-Big Ten challenge. Iowa 41, Miami 10
Murray State at Illinois 3:30pm, BTN
Another FCS team that the Big Ten team should easily beat. Illinois 45, Murray State 10
Fresno State at Nebraska 8pm, BTN
Nebraska wants to prove that last season was a fluke and Fresno State is not a good team. Find another game to watch in your primetime slot. Nebraska 38, Fresno State 13