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Big Ten Football Week 12 Picks, Predictions, Previews: TROPHIES GALORE

Grab your spittoon, grab your pig, grab...whatever the hell that thing is. IT’S A RIVALRY WEEKEND!

NCAA Football: Nebraska at Wisconsin Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Seven conference games this week. Your “writers” have picked five of them 11-0 and one 10-1. Saturday might be a nice day to go bowling or something.

The Picks

(all times CT)

Saturday, Nov 19

Wisconsin Badgers @ Nebraska Cornhuskers

11:00am | ESPN | Wisconsin -13.5 | O/U 40.5

Straight-Up: Wisconsin 11-0
Against the Spread: Nebraska 6-5

My God, the red. It looks like Carrot Top stayed in the sun for 4 hours and then exploded.

misdreavus79: I’m not going to let the Michigan game cloud my judgment too much, but Nebraska’s defense certainly isn’t Iowa either. Wisconsin 27, Nebraska 17

MaximumSam: Nebraska is bad enough to make Wisconsin look good. Wisconsin 35, Nebraska 10.

Buffkomodo: Nebraska is too banged up to win this. Badgers roll.

RockyMtnBlue: I hear Casey Thompson is back this week. That should make a huge difference to Nebraska. But maybe not enough. Wisconsin 20, Nebraska 17

MNW: Can Nebraska stop the run yet? No? wisconsin, 28-14.

Poll

cheese on corn action

This poll is closed

  • 48%
    Wisconsin wins big. The cheese stands alone!
    (119 votes)
  • 38%
    Nebraska with a close loss. When have we seen that before?
    (96 votes)
  • 12%
    Nebraska wins. 13 fanbases celebrate.
    (32 votes)
247 votes total Vote Now

Northwestern Wildcats @ Purdue Boilermakers

11:00am | FS1 | Purdue -19.5 | O/U 47.5

Straight-Up: Purdue 11-0
Against the Spread: Purdue 6-5

Thumpasaurus: what kind of shit-ass team would lose at home as a three-score favorite while leading the big ten west race?

BoilerUp89: Boiler bot 89 will be returning to West Lafayette for the first time since COVID. While part of me assumes that Purdue will naturally lose as a result, I’m reminded that our opponent is Northwestern.

misdreavus79: I spent a whole minute coming up with something witty to say and came up short. Purdue 35, Northwestern 10

MaximumSam: A real shootout, which in this case means Northwestern scores two touchdowns and Purdue scores 5. Purdue 38, Northwestern 14.

Buffkomodo: Purdue wins this but the score is WAY closer than BU89 likes.

RockyMtnBlue: Purdue is Team Chaos these days, but Northwestern is just so damned bad, ya know? Purdue 31, Northwestern 6

MNW: Could Brendan Sullivan run around and do some weird shit against the Boilers? Maybe, but it doesn’t matter if Northwestern literally cannot stop opposing teams from throwing the ball all over the place unless there’s a rainstorm. Purdue, 45-7

Poll

Purple vs gold. ewww.

This poll is closed

  • 56%
    Purdue covers a 3 score spread. Northwestern is terrible.
    (137 votes)
  • 33%
    Northwestern keeps it close. Purdue is terrible.
    (82 votes)
  • 10%
    Northwestern wins. We have reached peak Brohm.
    (25 votes)
244 votes total Vote Now

Indiana Hoosiers @ Michigan State Spartans

11:00am | BTN | Michigan State -10.5 | O/U 47.5

Straight-Up: Michigan State 10-1
Against the Spread: Michigan State 8-3

misdreavus79: Looks like it’s Michigan State’s turn on the Indiana train. Michigan State 28, Indiana 14

MaximumSam: I believe in Tom Allen’s ability to will this team to cover the spread. MSU 21, Indiana 17.

Buffkomodo: What’d MaxSam say? Cover the spread? HAHAHAHAHAHAH YOU FOOLS! BET THE HOUSE ON PRECEDENT! Spartans Massacre the Hoosiers. Also read my thing.

RockyMtnBlue: Just one of those seasons for Indiana. It can’t end soon enough. Sparty, on the other hand, has really turned their season a round. Dammit. Michigan State 28, Indiana 7

MNW: HOCHHHHHHHH-PTOOOOOOO Sparty, 27-14.

Poll

Ah. It’s one of those ‘rivalries’ from the Legends and Leaders days

This poll is closed

  • 57%
    Michigan State covers. Couches cower in fear in East Lansing.
    (122 votes)
  • 30%
    Indiana keeps it close. Literally no one is satisfied with this outcome.
    (65 votes)
  • 12%
    Indiana with the road upset!
    (27 votes)
214 votes total Vote Now

Illinois Fighting Illini @ (3) Michigan Wolverines

11:00am | ABC | Michigan -17.5 | O/U 42.5

Straight-Up: Michigan 11-0
Against the Spread: Illinois 6-5

misdreavus79: Man Illinois really did pick the wrong time to start sucking, huh? Michigan 27, Illinois 10

MaximumSam: Hard to see how Illinois scores without Chase Brown. Michigan 28, Illinois 7.

Thumpasaurus:

38-0 ‘rines. if there were any adjustments illinois could make on offense that would stop opponents from loading the box, they would have done those things against purdue when it mattered

Buffkomodo: Michigan wins, Illinois covers, and Thump is left dreaming about what could have been.

RockyMtnBlue: Michigan’s run offense is pretty damned good, but that’s all they’ve got. Illinois defense is good enough to hold down anybody who’s one-dimensional. Unfortunately, with Chase Brown out, there just aren’t enough points out there for them to get the road upset. Michigan 27, Illinois 17

MNW: No Chase Brown, no bueno. Michigan, 31-10.

Poll

A showdown between teams that might win their divisions, but won’t.

This poll is closed

  • 75%
    Turns out Chase Brown was important. Michigan wins big.
    (182 votes)
  • 17%
    Michigan squeaks by. Damn. Chase Brown might have won that game.
    (43 votes)
  • 7%
    Who needs Chase Brown? Illinois is back in the drivers seat!
    (17 votes)
242 votes total Vote Now

(2) Ohio State Buckeyes @ Maryland Terrapins

2:30pm | ABC | Ohio State -27.5 | O/U 64.5

Straight-Up: Ohio State 11-0
Against the Spread: Ohio State 10-1

That is a lonely, lonely M.

misdreavus79: Maybe it’ll be a repeat of 2018. Maybe it’s Maybelline. Ohio State 63, Maryland 10

MaximumSam: Hard to put much faith in Maryland after watching them the past two weeks. Ohio State 45, Maryland 14.

Buffkomodo: Ohio State, over 27.5, Under 64.5. Lock it in.

RockyMtnBlue: This is just mean. Ohio State 49, Maryland 3

MNW: hahahahahahahahahahahaha Buckeyes 45-17.

Poll

Oh sure. THEY get November Maryland.

This poll is closed

  • 77%
    The Mongol, er, scarlet hoard pillages and burns. We’re kinda used to it.
    (175 votes)
  • 17%
    Maryland keeps it close. Moral victory!
    (40 votes)
  • 4%
    Maryland wins!
    (10 votes)
225 votes total Vote Now

(11) Penn State Nittany Lions @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights

2:30pm | BTN | Penn State -19.5 | O/U 44.5

Straight-Up: Penn State 11-0
Against the Spread: Penn State 8-3

Hey Greg. When only 3 of 11 writers think you can stay within 20 of the third best team in the division, that’s probably not good.

misdreavus79: Rutgers showed signs of life last week, so it’s time we suffocate that right out of them. Penn State 49, Rutgers 3

MaximumSam: Rutgers seems to manufacture a few more points than you might expect, but Penn State is really playing well. PSU 38, Rutgers 14

Buffkomodo: I actually thing Rutgers covers for no reason other than Penn State hasn’t melted down recently.

RockyMtnBlue: Penn State is in that part of the schedule that makes some of their fans think they’re the best team in the conference. They’re not. But they’re a hell of a lot better than Rutgers. Penn State 35, Rutgers 6

MNW: What? No. Why. Ew. Penn State, 38-0.

Poll

At East Division game that will take place whether we want it to or not

This poll is closed

  • 78%
    Penn State rolls. Poor Zuzu.
    (193 votes)
  • 16%
    Rutgers keeps it close (like 17)
    (41 votes)
  • 4%
    Rutgers wins. You got a rival NOW, Nits.
    (11 votes)
245 votes total Vote Now

Iowa Hawkeyes @ Minnesota Golden Gophers

3:00pm | FOX | Minnesota -2.5 | O/U 32.5

Straight-Up: Iowa 8-3
Against the Spread: No middles.

Ummm. Minnesota is favored in this game, right?

GopherUp89: Obviously I’ve always been a huge PJ Fleck fan and have a tremendous amount of respect for the culture and winning ways he has established at Minnesota. Go Gophers! Free Floyd!

misdreavus79: What he said. Minnesota 123456789, Iowa 0

MaximumSam: Who could bet against Brian Ferentz in a late season game with the conference on the line. Not this guy. Iowa 12, Minnesota 10.

Buffkomodo: Iowa wins and this site takes a big bite out of its left foot.

RockyMtnBlue: I didn’t really expect my Iowa pick to be so far in the majority. Winning late in seasons is what Iowa does. They suck out loud, then figure some stuff out so they still look like they suck but somehow win anyway. The Wheel of Time turns. Ages come and go. Iowa 13, Minnesota 10

MNW: With everything else—I will believe Minnesota can beat Iowa when they actually do it. Has Iowa found its stride? Perhaps. Is it a terribly long stride? No. But it’s stride enough. Hawkeyes, 17-10.

Poll

A QoH game with division crown implications.

This poll is closed

  • 31%
    Minnesota covers (which basically means they win)
    (92 votes)
  • 21%
    Minnesota somehow wins by a safety or less. How hilariously ironic would it be if it were by an actual safety?
    (64 votes)
  • 47%
    Iowa with the "upset"
    (139 votes)
295 votes total Vote Now

Poll

Bonus Poll: What is this fucking garbage? - er, I mean, What would be the biggest upset this week?

This poll is closed

  • 10%
    Northwestern over Purdue (HAHAHAHA)
    (34 votes)
  • 23%
    Maryland over Ohio State (HAHAHAHA)
    (74 votes)
  • 7%
    Rutgers over Penn State (HAHAHAHA)
    (25 votes)
  • 5%
    Yes
    (17 votes)
  • 2%
    You’re a dick, RMB. Quit picking on the down-trodden.
    (7 votes)
  • 27%
    Fuck Notre Dame
    (88 votes)
  • 15%
    Both 5 and 6
    (48 votes)
  • 8%
    Wait, which ones were 5 and 6? Is this a poll or a Tolstoy novel?
    (26 votes)
319 votes total Vote Now