Big Ten Football Predictions: Michigan Beats Notre Dame and the Week 2 Forecast

It's a stadium and a big bowl. It's so huge that you cannot fit the entire stadium into the opening picture for this story.

It's the home stadium for the University of Michigan and the site of week No. 2's biggest surprise.

So without further ado, here's the:

• Big Ten College Football Game of the Week (CFGotW)
• Chillers (sometimes called "trap" games)
• Snoozers (games you couldn't get me to watch)
• Big Ten Player to Watch

Big Ten CFGotW: Michigan Will Beat Notre Dame, Leaving the Irish at 0-2

Some call it "karma."

On Broadway it's called "kismet."

Others call it "fate."

Regardless of the hyperbole delivered by Michigan head coach Brady Hoke, I believe he's got the Wolverines prepped and ready to bring down the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in Week 2.

I am so convinced of the outcome that this Michigan State grad is not selecting the contest between Penn State and Alabama in Happy Valley as the CFGotW, but is picking the Saturday evening special broadcast featuring Michigan and Notre Dame.

You can start with the colors. There is the Michigan maize and blue, plus those winged helmets.  There is the solid gold helmet of the Irish and the colorful language of their head coach.

There's plenty of talent on the field and questions of how to use it properly.

One reason to favor Michigan is their gifted quarterback, Denard Robinson, seemed to handle the Wolverines' new offense pretty well against Western Michigan in Week 1.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame is trying a new quarterback to steer their offense in Week 2.

Michigan's defense has not done a complete about-face, but linebacker Brandon Herron has scored twice by running an interception and a fumble for touchdowns. (It never hurts to have someone from your defense among your leading scorers.) Notre Dame's defense against South Florida was OK, which sounds unpleasant to Irish faithful fans.

It's in Ann Arbor.

Hoke has ties back to the late Bo Schembechler. 

Wolverine fans will be celebrating into Sunday morning as Michigan will beat Notre Dame, 28-22.

Chillers: Alabama-Penn State and Purdue-Rice

There have been debates about who should start at quarterback at Alabama and Penn State, but that's where the similarities end between the two football teams.

Alabama is simply loaded with too much talent to lose to Penn State in Week 2. As I leafed through pictures of Crimson Tide players to select for this article, I couldn't settle on just one.

I suppose Penn State could pull an upset and beat Alabama in Happy Valley. They do have one of the better defenses in the Big Ten, but their weakness is in the line, and the Crimson Tide can run the football.

Head coach Joe Paterno will watch the Nittany Lions fall to Alabama, 44-21.

The other "chiller" game is Purdue traveling down south to play Rice. The Boilermakers may have found a quarterback in Caleb TerBush, but they barely escaped with a victory over Tennessee State at home in Week 1.

Michigan fans may be interested in this game because former Wolverine Sam McGuffie plays for Rice.  McGuffie led his new team in rushing last year and finished third in Conference USA in 2010 with an average of 73.6 yards per game.

Purdue falters and loses to Rice, 21-19.

Snoozers: Cannot Watch Illinois, MSU or Northwestern

I like to watch quarterbacks Nathan Scheelhaase of Illinois (see picture), Kirk Cousins of Michigan State and (hopefully) Dan Persa of Northwestern play football. They bring different skill sets to the game and are big-time producers for their teams.

However, Week 2 is the perfect time to direct attention elsewhere, because the Fighting Illini, Spartans and Wildcats should crush their opponents. 

Does anyone know the college football ranking for South Dakota State, Florida Atlantic or Eastern Illinois?

Predictions:

• Illinois 37, South Dakota State 3
• Michigan State 32, Florida Atlantic 6
• Northwestern 34, Eastern Illinois 13

Big Ten Player to Watch: Russell Wilson, QB (Wisconsin)

Can Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson come close to duplicating his Week 1 performance the second game of the season?

Oregon State should be a tougher opponent than UNLV, but Wilson's great start and talented teammates may push him to another 200-plus quarterback rating. I suspect he'll throw more than 13 passes this week, but you also have to account for his running ability.

It wouldn't be surprising if Wilson has a 175-plus QB rating after the Badgers beat OSU.

Prediction:

Wisconsin 36, Oregon Sate 16

The Rest of the Big Ten: Four Winners and One Losing Team

Nebraska and the Big Ten's leading rusher may be on the ground in the picture, but quarterback Taylor Martinez should run effectively against Fresno State.  

Here is how the rest of the "etc." games stack up for Week 2:

Predictions:

• Iowa 66, Iowa State 24
• Minnesota 28, New Mexico State 24
• Nebraska 31, Fresno State 17
• Ohio State 35, Toledo 7
• Virginia 27, Indiana 21