Mitch's Week 10 College Football Picks: Part Two

While this week's schedule might not be loaded with marquee matchups like we saw last weekend, there are still plenty of great games to be played.

Sure, we're still sprinkled with the Georgia-Florida game and Texas-Texas Tech, but in general this is meat and potatoes conference play. While some people find these slugfests not as exciting as some of the out of conference battles we saw earlier, this is all of the tradition that makes college football the wonderful sport it is.

We have a huge slate of games, and I'm still poring through the stacks of data. Last night I sent out the entries for the free picking contest to the many who signed up. For those who haven't, you still have time and you are more than welcome to join us. It's all free and it's a lot of fun. I know I enjoy just looking through other people's picks, and I am thinking of making a change to the reporting of picks and will note this in the forum.

What it comes down to is everyone likes talking about their picks, but I don't post them until the games have started. I do this in fairness to those who submit their picks early. I am thinking of giving the password out as a reply after I receive the picks and I'll post the picks as I get them. Hit the forum and let me know what you think.

In any event, here are some more games that I have been looking at.

Minnesota -6 1/2 Vs. Northwestern (Saturday, Nov. 1, 12 EST): 7 out of 10

These are two of the most improved teams in the Big Ten. Minnesota comes in at 7-1 and Northwestern is at 6-2. This is miles ahead of where these two teams stood at this point last season.

Minnesota's lone loss came in Columbus to Ohio State, and there really isn't much shame in that. Northwestern has had a common denominator in both of their losses: bad turnovers in their own territory. They are going to have to hold on to the ball to have any chance of beating the Gophers.

Statistically it looks pretty even, except Northwestern appears to have problems against the pass and Minnesota has proved to be efficient throwing the ball.

Minnesota has covered four of the past five in this series, but the series overall has been dominated by the road team, who has covered in eight of the past nine. The Wildcats, however, have covered in just one of their past five road games. Minnesota has covered in their last six conference games while Northwestern has gone 2-2 against the spread in their last four.

I look for Minnesota to continue their covering ways and to win this one going away.

See the rest of Mitch's Week 10, Part Two college football picks against the spread.