Spread Em: College Football Week 12

During the college football season I'll be taking a look at each game on the Big Ten schedule, along with Notre Dame and any other national matchups of my choosing. I will then do my best to pretend I have any inkling what I'm doing, as I pick which team will cover the spread and why. So let's just get to the losses!



#23 Michigan vs. #7 Ohio State (-4.5) - Did you know that these two were playing this weekend? It's a pretty big game. Whoever wins is going to the Rose Bowl. The Buckeyes may have faltered last week against the Illini (which was awesome, by the way) but I don't see it happening again this week. Jim Tressel has owned Michigan since coming to Columbus, and I don't recall the last time Ohio State lost back to back games. I just don't see the Wolverines pulling this one out, but in this game, anything's possible.

#18 Illinois (-13.5) vs. Northwestern - This game scares me a little bit. I worry that the Illini may be in for a letdown game after beating the Buckeyes last week. Let's not forget the egg the Illini laid against Iowa after impressive wins against Penn State and Wisconsin earlier this season. Still, I think Juice Williams is finally becoming a real quarterback, and with so much on the line for the program, I think Ron Zook will have his team ready to roll this weekend. Oh and let's not forget that a win in this game could set up a Zook Bowl. Illinois vs. Florida in the Capital One Bowl looks more and more likely, though there's still an outside shot the Illini could get a BCS at-large berth thanks to their win at Ohio State.

Iowa (-14) vs. Western Michigan - The Hawkeyes have completely turned their season around, starting with that win against Illinois, and I don't see the Broncos providing much resistance this weekend.

Michigan State (+3) vs. Penn State - Ah, yes. The "rivalry" game between Penn State and Michigan State. I'm not sure exactly how this "rivalry" came to be, but the Big Ten forces these two teams to finish their season against one another every season. The Nittany Lions just don't impress me much when they play on the road this season, and Michigan State doesn't seem to get blown out by anybody. So even though PSU is 11-3 in this "rivalry" I'm going to take Sparty and the points this weekend.

Indiana (+3) vs. Purdue - Who is the greatest college football team in the state of Indiana? We know it isn't Notre Dame, so this weekend Purdue and Indiana fight for the crown. The Hoosiers need another win to lock up a bowl berth, so I think they have more on the line this weekend against Purdue. So since I'd like to see the Hoosiers get to a bowl game, I'm going to pick them this week in hopes I can help out.

Minnesota vs. #24 Wisconsin (-14) - Minnesota sucks.

Notre Dame vs. Duke (+6) - Touchdown Jesus, kill me now.

Last Week: 4-3

Overall: 57-43-2

Spreads are courtesy of Bodog, and Rankings are from the Blogpoll.