A five game slate in the Big Ten, headlined by the battle for the Old Brass Spittoon, greets us in week seven
It’s another light week in the conference, with only nine of the 14 schools scheduled to play this week. The headliners this week include #10 Michigan State and #2 Iowa, as they prepare for their rivals Indiana and Purdue respectively.
Just a though on Big Ten scheduling. The conference needs to make sure that in the future, at least one of their big brands is playing from the East. Having OSU, PSU and Michigan all off drives attention away from the conference, and I feel that is something that can’t happen in this age of media and digital landscape. No disrespect to Iowa or MSU, but the three brands above drive a lot of the Big Ten conversation nationally.
#10 Michigan State @ Indiana – Saturday, 12:00 PM EST
It’s always dangerous facing a team off the bye, and that can be compounded by looking ahead on the schedule. Michigan State fans better hope their team isn’t overlooking the Hoosiers and seeing that big October 30th date against Michigan.
Both teams are going to enter the game trying to contain the other’s offense, but for different reasons. IU needs to force MSU to try and put together long drives, as the Spartans have developed a quick strike capability this year that has completely flipped games they’ve played in.
On the other hand, if MSU can force IU to try and drive the field with long drives, IU QB Michael Penix Jr may gift wrap them the ball with a turnover, as he has been a turnover machine this season.
I have MSU here, as I think Mel Tucker will have his guys focused before their bye, and then Michigan.
MSU: 34 – 17
Nebraska @ Minnesota – Saturday, 12:00 PM EST
Coming off a disappointing result against Michigan, Nebraska still has plenty it can play for this year as they continue to grow. One area of growth Husker fans want to see, is consistency in effort and execution, no matter the opponent. So with that said, the game against Minnesota has an extra level of importance.
Minnesota has been a streaky team. Their defense is alright, but their offense is a Jack-In-The-Box. You just don’t know what’s going to pop out each weekend. Even though Nebraska has lost three of their last four games, they have played at a more consistent level than what the Gophers have shown all year.
I like Nebraska here, but wouldn’t be terribly surprised if they enter the fourth and it’s anyone’s ball game still.
Nebraska: 33 – 20
Rutgers @ Northwestern – Saturday, 12:00 PM EST
Rutgers has seen about as rough of a three game stretch as anyone in the country. After facing Michigan, OSU, and MSU, they finally enter a game where they are favored to win.
Northwestern is coming off a bye, and has had ample time to prepare for Rutgers. However, if Northwestern wants to have a chance in this game, they need to be able to attack a Scarlet Knight defense that has played fairly well all season. The Wildcats have not been consistent throwing all year, and their inability to move the ball outside of the ground game will haunt them all year long.
Rutgers: 30 – 7
Purdue @ #2 Iowa – Saturday, 3:30 PM EST
Coming off a huge week six victory over Penn State, don’t expect Iowa to look hungover against Purdue.
The Hawkeyes are playing for something more this season, their first shot at the college football playoff. That said, last year Purdue pulled off the upset in week one, 27-21, and will look to challenge Iowa once more through the air. Mainly because that is all Purdue can do currently.
This may be a low scoring game as Iowa possesses an elite defense, and Purdue’s defense has taken significant strides from 2020. Iowa should be able to string a few drives together though, and that may be enough for the victory.
Iowa: 20 -6
Army @ Wisconsin – Saturday, 8:00 PM EST
The Badgers host Army in their final non-conference game of the year. If the Badgers win, it’ll be back to .500 at least in a year that hasn’t gone according to plan.
Wisconsin has the number one rush defense in the country, but will face off against the triple-option offense that can cause problems for many teams. Still, Wisconsin should be able to use a similar game plan as the one used against Illinois. Use a heavy dose of the run. Rely on your strong defense. Grind out a victory.
Wisconsin: 28 – 7