The Final Score - Your source for Big Ten Sports

Get Gamm - Week Nine
Here we go. Big game in the Big Ten this week... seems like there is one every week now, and that's a good thing. The media is talking about our conference and life is good.

I'll weigh in quick on the Rucker situation. He has paid his dues and I trust Coach Dantonio to get it right. If he plays in Iowa City, so be it. He won't be there difference between a win and a loss.

Northwestern at Indiana
Gamm says... Could be a lot of fireworks for this one. That said, IU was pretty horrible on offense at Illinois last weekend. Northwestern is stinging from two straight losses and hungry to get to bowl eligibility. Persa leads the 'cats to a nice road W. NU 37 - IU 24

mayo170 says... I really thought that Indiana might be able to get over a hump of sorts earlier this year. But the Hoosier defense has to be the only one that looks worse than Michigan this year. Northwestern on the other hand has been able to chug along as a very decent upper-middle-pack Big Ten team this year. Wildcats 41 – Hoosiers 24

Purdue at Illinois
Gamm says... I said it earlier this week, Illinois is the most improved team. That defense is nails and will tear up a beaten and battered Purdue squad. The Boilers will give it a run but don't have nearly enough. ILL-I-N-I 26 - Purdue 9

mayo170 says...Wow. I was seriously thinking at the beginning of the season that Zook would be gone before Brewster at Minnesota. The Illini defense is pretty solid this year and the offense has been okay. Purdue is a hard team to figure out, but they appear now to be falling for the remainder of the year. Illinois 27 – Purdue 21

Michigan State at Iowa
Gamm says... Not just my game of the week. Once again, everyone is picking against the Spartans. Vegas says MSU is fool's gold. I say let 'em talk. Iowa is still stung by the loss last week and is banged up and not playing as well defensively as projected. These teams have battled to marvelous games and finishes often the past several years and this will be no different. Dan Conroy hits a 44-yard field goal as time expires and MSU wins 27-24.

mayo170 says... In 16 years of marriage to a Spartan Family, I have never seen them so excited in the Fall. I really feel good for the University as a whole because this has been an exceptional year. Iowa, still a very dangerous team and certainly having home field advantage, could be as good a test for the Spartans as they’ll see until January. I see a slight advantage in the MSU balance over the Hawkeyes and a huge Spartan win. Michigan State 24 – Iowa 20

Michigan at Penn State
Gamm says... Let this be a lesson ABC/ESPN... don't ass-u-me that these traditional powers are going to deserve to put us to sleep on a Saturday night. Michigan has hit a wall of late. Penn State is young and struggling. The teams are actually pretty even and that will make it a good game. I'm going with the road team yet again, as D-Rob awakens the Heisman hype. Little Sister 31 - PSU 27.

mayo170 says... It sure doesn’t seem that long ago that this was a marquee Big Ten matchup. This year it’s more of a middle of the pack, who wants to avoid the Detroit Pizza Bowl game. Michigan 34 – Penn State 22

Ohio State at Minnesota
Gamm says... A bit of a head scratcher as to why this was selected as a regional night game for ABC too. Two weeks ago, we knew Iowa and MSU was meaningful. Certainly more so than this. And the way OSU crushed Purdue last weekend, whoa. The Bucks are going to steamroll a very inferior Minnesota squad. OSU 48 - Minnesota 7

mayo170 says... Hopefully the Minnesota equipment manager is bringing extra band aids and ice packs. This one is going to hurt. I really feel bad for Adam Weber, as he seems to be a solid quarterback who ended up in school at the wrong time. Ohio State is still the Big Ten reigning champion and Terrell Pryor will probably not see much play in the second half if it goes the way it should. Ohio State 47 – Minnesota 13

Missouri at Nebraska
Gamm says... I can't picture this game without thinking about the immaculate reception in 1997 that saved Nebraska's national title run. Missouri is good, real good. Nebraska is a lame 5-4 at home in Big Twelve conference games under Pelini. Still, the Cornhuskers are hungry to leave the Big Twelve as the ruler of the North and get it done here in a thriller. NEB 33 - Mizzou 31

mayo170 says... Perhaps a look at a future Big Ten matchup? Probably won’t know for a while, but this is Missouri’s chance to win on a huge stage. Winning at Nebraska is a tall order for anyone, except maybe Texas and Oklahoma, and Missouri seems to have a legit shot to win on paper. While I think this will be a good game, I don’t think the Tigers can pull it out this year. Nebraska 27 – Missouri 23