Friday, November 16, 2007

Get Gamm - Week 12 ...
It's here. The Big Ten season is full of rivalry games but there is no week as packed with them as this one. And the big one - Michigan vs. Ohio State - is for all the Big Ten marbles. It's been a tough week to find a minute to get these picks in, but that's given me plenty of time to think them over. Bowl lives and who goes where is at stake, so let's get right to it...

Schedule:
Ohio State at Michigan (Tiebreaker)
Northwestern at Illinois
Wisconsin at Minnesota
Purdue at Indiana
Penn State at Michigan State
Western Michigan at Iowa

Ohio State at Michigan
Let's get right down to it. This game - big shocker - is for the whole kit and caboodle. Winner smells the Roses. Loser is relegated to second run to the rival for a year. Ohio State has flat out owned the Wolverines since "The Vest" took over. He embraced this rivalry from day one and it has shown. Michigan is lucky at this point to have eight wins. Injuries have hurt, but so has the underachieving defense. Ohio State comes in stung by the loss to Illinois and is hungry to make it another happy ending. Hart and Henne are dinged, and even if they go, they'll be targets. I just don't see Michigan getting the win, even though it will be close. Ohio State 23 - Michigan 16.

Northwestern at Illinois
The 101st meeting for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk is at stake and there is more than a trophy to be played for. Northwestern is bowl eligible but needs a win to guarantee a trip - or at least near guarantee one. Illinois is a win from playing on New Year's Day. A loss isn't a big killer but it would be a downer after the big upset win in C-bus. It'll be tight because Illinois might not yet know how to handle success like that earned last week. Illinois 31 - Northwestern 27.

Wisconsin at Minnesota
The battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe ensues in the Homer Dome. Minnesota can't close this season fast enough. Wisconsin is very much in the mix for a New Year's Day trip and wants to keep double digit wins (including a bowl game) in sight. Minnesota will be fired up to end on a positive but just doesn't have enough in the tank. Wisconsin 34 - Minnesota 23.

Purdue at Indiana
Another game, another trophy at stake. This one is the battle for the Old Oaken Bucket. Purdue has lost two straight and is teetering on the edge of an also ran bowl after coming into November on the cusp of a big, meaningful bowl. Indiana lost a heart-breaker at Northwestern and really needs a win to ensure a bowl berth. These teams can put up points and it should be a barn burner. I think IU gets the win that eluded them last week and puts Purdue in a precarious position. Indiana 37 - Purdue 35.

Penn State at Michigan State
The battle for the ugliest trophy in the Big Ten - The Land Grant Trophy - kicks off in East Lansing at 3:30 on Saturday. Penn State is like Wisconsin and Illinois - in the mix for a New Year's Day trip. Michigan State is like Indiana and Northwestern, as well as Iowa - in need of another win to feel safe. The Spartans have been oh so close all season long and finally got it done at Purdue last weekend, State's first road win over an opponent with a winning record in November since 1998. Penn State is riding high but leaves some troubled defenders at home. MSU takes back the trophy. Michigan State 30 - Penn State 26.

Western Michigan at Iowa
Boring. Iowa closes out a great season ending run, nails down a bowl berth and finishes strong. Iowa 28 - Western Michigan 8.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The Monday Morning QB must still be hung-over from winning the Land Grant Trophy!