Friday

Illinois Fighting Illini at #22 South Florida Bulls (-18)

6pm || ESPN

SU: South Florida, 18-2 || ATS: Illinois, 14-6

BigRedTwice: The Cinderella run of 2-0 comes to a screeching halt for Illinois, as being as bad as they've looked finally matters in a game.

Dead Read: The Illini have not been world beaters, but USF hasn't practiced. Another week of raising Thump's hopes before they come crashing down. I'll take Illinois straight up.

87townie: I'll take USF by 2 tds.

Karol Wojtyla: Give me the points; USF was fortunate to escape Stony Brook to open the season.

Thumpasaurus: An underprepared USF team looks sloppy and the Illini defense gives the offense enough opportunities to win the game.

But they don't because they keep getting stuffed for -4 yards on first down. Illinois covers.

Thomas Speth: It's hard to win when you don't practice. Illinois in an upset.

MNW: Thump’s got the bead on it here. I’m impressed that Illinois held off Riley Neal and whatever is the Western Kentucky QB, but Quinton Flowers has some legit shit going on. Force him into passing downs and maybe we’re talking about an Illinois upset...until proven otherwise, USF, 34-24.

Saturday

#7 Michigan Wolverines (-24.5) vs Air Force Falcons

11am || BTN

SU: Michigan, 20-0 || ATS: Michigan, 11-9

BRT: LET'S GO FALCONS! Ok, Michigan will win this, probably pretty handily, but here's hoping AF can at least make Michigan nervous for a bit. Also, AF's blue is better than Michigan's blue. Yes it is.

KW: Michigan covers the spread against the Zoomies, but the over/under for leg injuries in the front seven is going to be an interesting line.

Thump: If Harbaugh knows what's best for him he'll play it safe here and escape with as few injuries as possible. AFA barely covers.

TS: Hmmmmm Michigan has a great defense but the option is tricky. Also their offense isn't great. Air Force covers.

MNW: Seriously...who is the best quarterback in the Big Ten? Michigan, 33-10.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (-14) vs Northern Illinois Huskies

11am || FS1

SU: Nebraska, 20-0 || ATS: Nebraska, 16-4

BRT: Nebraska finds a way to win this, preferably without surrendering 42 points in the first half. It's going to be hot on Saturday, so please Huskers--let's let the only sweating be weather-induced.

DR: Nebraska covers this week, based purely on the unseen. This is the third straight week of facing spread attacks, and hopefully last week's second half shutout is a harbinger of things to come. Fingers crossed.

87townie: Can Nebraska beat anyone by 2 scores? Yes, Nebraska.

KW: Give me NIU for the points but not the upset.

Thump: This is not the NIU of five years ago. Nebraska covers.

TS: I have not watched a single second of Northern Illinois. I have no idea who they even played. Nebraska's defense is extremely bad though. I guess I'll take Nebby to cover just because I assume they'll score 50 if they give up 30.

MNW: This’ll be the first real FBS clock for the NIU QB Daniel Santacaterina, no? Even the Blackshirts D should be able to get to this guy. Nebraska, 45-24.

#10 wisconsin badgers (-14.5) at BYU Cougars

2:30pm || ABC

SU: wisconsin, 19-1 || ATS: wisconsin, 14-6

BRT: Wisconsin wins, BYU gets three more gifs of them playing like jerks circulating on the internet. Pretty routine.

87townie: BYU made Sparty cry last year. I'll take them and the points at home.

KW: Something feels a bit off about wisco this year, give me the points.

TS: I mean the real winner is me for not being a Mormon and being able to drink alcohol. Wisconsin wins and covers, although the spread burned me last week.

MNW: just kill everyone and everything. This’ll be a regular Mountain Meadows. 20-3.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (-10.5) vs Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders

2:30pm || BTN

SU: Minnesota, 19-1 || ATS: Minnesota, 14-6

BRT: So far, Minny has only really shined when playing at like 1 am, so I expect an underwhelming, but winning, performance.

JPII: ROWROWROWROWROWROWROWROWROWROWROWROWROW.

Thump: MTSU just beat Syracuse, but we'll see what happens when they face a team with a defense. Minnesota covers only because I think that spread's a bit low.

TS: Big Ten schools do horribly against Middle Tennessee. No, it isn't the same sport. No I don't care. MTSU sinks the row boats.

MNW: The Rhoda Era gets off to a rocky start, but Rodney Brooks and Shannon Dunn whip out their ol’ guitars and play Slingin’ Brent Stockstill back down I-24 to the Smokies. Gophers, 27-17.

Iowa Hawkeyes (-21.5) vs North Texas Mean Green

2:30pm || ESPN2

SU: Iowa, 20-0 || ATS: Iowa, 12-8

BRT: North Texas is no Iowa State, so Iowa should have no problem here.

87townie: that's a big spread. I'll take N. Texas and the points.

KW: Ferentz rarely voluntarily scores 21 points total in a game, and Iowa's D should make that kind of extravagance unnecessary. Points.

Thump: UNT has a strong running game...for a whatever-conference-they're-in team. Iowa neutralizes it and covers. Ferentz is extra aggressive this game because UNT has a legendary jazz program and Iowegians don't care for that crass, sexually-explicit, rump-shaking "music".

TS: Iowa managed to win El Assico. I'm surprised he didn't get extended again. Since, he didn't I'll take Iowa to cover.

MNW: Sure, this will happen. I’m sorry if I insulted the mother of Nate Stanley. Fuck Iowa. 30-7.

rutger Scarlet Knights vs Morgan State Manbearpigs

2:30pm || BTN || rutger, 20-0

BRT: I don't even know, Rutgers. You should win this. But you also should have beaten EMU. Let's give you the benefit of the doubt. It's too depressing not to.

DR: This is a chance to win. It is also your only chance to win big. I am guessing something like 31-14, Rutgers.

TS: if this was an actually good FCS team I'd pull the trigger. Morgan State isn't though. You're still terribadawfulshitty though. Rutgers wins their only game this season.

Purdue Boilermakers at Missouri Tigers (-7)

3pm || SECN

SU: Purdue, 15-5 || ATS: Purdue, 18-2

BRT: I'm onboard the Purdue Train. Also, I hate Mizzou. Let's go, Boilermakers. They s'posed to be SEC, but they pretty bad.

DR: Beat Missouri. Please. For humanity.

87townie: gimme the fighting Brohms and the points baby!

KW: CHOO CHOO MOTHERFUCKERS all aboard the Purdue train (this wellspring of support will dry up real quick when they beat someone they aren't supposed to, presumably one of the Quadrangle). PU strait up.

Thump: Missouri's defense is very very bad, but their offense was supposed to make up for it. Whoops, Muschamp'd in week 2. Head coach Barry Odom reacted to this by firing the defensive coordinator even though HE HIMSELF CALLS THE DEFENSIVE STRATEGY/PLAYS. Purdue, meanwhile, just put a hurting on a respectable MAC team. One of these organizations is much more stable than the other. Purdue straight up. Maybe it's time to bring back the Arch Rivalry.

TS: This will be a shootout. Missouri has absolutely nothing resembling a defense. Purdue wins and I troll Team Speed Kills on Twitter for a couple of days.

MNW: Jesus, a win against MAC bridesmaid and P5 whipping boy Ohio, and suddenly Purdue is going on the road and beating Mizzou? We know that Drew Lock is still the Mizzou QB, right? This is the moment where we remember that Darrell Hazell left the cupboard pretty bare in West Lafayette. I’d give Purdue this at home, but on the road...no. Mizzou, 38-30.

#8 Ohio State Buckeyes (-30) vs Army Black Knights

3:30pm || FOX

SU: Ohio State, 20-0 || ATS: PUSH, 10-10

BRT: Army is probably going to have some pent-up frustration unleashed upon it, but 30 is still a big spread, one that I'm not sure OSU will cover. This will either be uncomfortably close causing further teeth-gnashing from OSU fans, or they'll win like 80-6.

87townie: this is the game JT Barrett tries to redeem himself. He fails. I'll take Army and the points.

KW: Big spread, but there's enough of a talent differential that OSU almost can't help but cover.

Thump: If this spread were like 24 I'd take OSU, but at 30...I think it's possible that Army covers, especially if OSU makes unforced errors.

TS: OSU covers. This could be a bloodbath.

MNW: Have a good time with your buddy, GF3. Buckeyes, 48-10.

#5 Penn State Nittany Lions (-38) vs Akron Panthers

6:30pm || BTN

SU: Penn State, 20-0 || ATS: Penn State, 15-5

BRT: Another week, and playing Akron again. PSU just refuses to challenge themselves.

AK: Uffda an even bigger spread, but I'll take PSU to cover.

Thump: Georgia State is much worse than the Akron team PSU blanked 52-0, and Saquon's stats aren't gonna pad themselves.

TS: 38 points? That's a massive spread. PSU wins easily like 45-10 but doesn't cover.

MNW: Turns out I’m not talented enough to make a good photoshop of a Kangaroo-Panther baby. Nits, 49-3.

Northwestern Wildcats (-22) vs Bowling Green Falcons

6:30pm || BTN

SU: Northwestern, 20-0 || ATS: Bowling Green, 14-6

BRT: That seems like a mighty big spread for a team that just got rocked by DUKE.

KW: Points, Purplecats aren't inspiring much confidence right meow.

Thump: thwest gonna march down the field and look brilliant in scoring on their opening drive, then look shitty the rest of the game. bgsu covers.

TS: Well Bowling Green lost to directional Dakota (the south one) last week. So Bowling Green is obviously clearly in no uncertain terms a shitty team/program because that's the only type of team/program that does that (HI MINNESOTA AND IOWA). Northwestern wins and covers.

MNW: All but 6 of you were listening, I see. Good to know. Maybe this is the game where Justin Jackson the Ball Carrier finally lives up to his name. Maybe not. But it better be if the ‘Cats want any chance going into Big Ten play. Northwestern, 38-20.

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