Big Ten Preview Week 11

With some of the top teams in the nation on a bye week, this is a big weekend for the Big Ten with a number of high profile games. 

Without further adieu lets get right to it!

Big Ten Game of the Week:

OSU at Iowa:  This game would have been off-the-hype-charts if Iowa didn't get tripped up at Northwestern last week.   Ohio State has been one of the most quiet  one-loss teams in the nation.  After their Wisconsin loss they have played pretty much the worst teams in the Big Ten and really haven't been making nation news.  I guess the media are pretty bored of just another Tressel year.  Lose a high-profile game early and then run the table the rest of the year.   Iowa has been up and down at home this year.  They have a loss to Wisconsin but took MSU to the woodshed.   So which Iowa team will show up on Saturday.  Ohio State has struggled a bit on the road as well with the loss to Wisconsin and a close game against Illinois.   The "vest" is favored by three points.   This will be a close game and look for the weather to be the difference on the field.  Iowa 24 Ohio State 20


Illinois vs Northwestern at Wrigley Field:  ESPN Gameday will be at this historic game.  It will be fun to see football at Wrigley for the first time in my lifetime.   I hope nobody gets hurt with the lack of room at the back of the end zones.   Michigan beat Illinois twice after it's 3 OT game.   Meaning they lost to Michigan and then the next weekend had a hang over and lost to the one-win Minnesota Gophers (who now have two).   Northwestern on the other hand finally finished a game (were way ahead of MSU and PSU and lost) and beat a highly ranked Iowa team.  I think Northwestern is the better team right now, even if Illinois is the better team on paper.  Zook and Company are eight-point favorites, which is a bit shocking to me.  I think Northwestern wins this game.   NW 31 ILL 28  (a 3-run home run in the 9th for the win)

Purdue at Michigan State:  MSU has a very nice schedule and this week they host the Boilermakers.  MSU had a bye last week and Purdue got beat at home in a rainstorm against Michigan.   Purdue is just too injured and banged to be real competitive in this game.  MSU will win another easy one and is favored by 19.5 points.  If it's a quick track look for a blow-out.  MSU 41 Purdue 14

Penn State vs IU at FedEx Field:  Indiana sold their home game to FedEx Field so they are playing at another neutral field.   IU also gave up 83 points last week after having Iowa beat on a last second pass play the week before but it slipped through their fingers.  IU won't get their first win of the Big Ten season in this one.  Penn State is a questionable 10-point favorite which is strange because it's almost like a home game for them.   PSU 41 IU 7


Minnesota has a bye this week and I will preview the Michigan - Wisconsin game on Friday.


On a side note:  Fox Sports has won the bid on the Big Ten Championship Game.  This is not a big surprise since Fox Sports is already a partner with the Big Ten Network.   Fox will air the first 6 Championship games in prime time.