Supposedly, the ACC / Big Ten Challenge ended last November. However, a few schools' football teams didn't get the memo as this week features 6 games featuring nonconference opposition provided by the All Carolina Conference.

Four folks have gone all-September Maryland with their picks, leading the pack after two weeks. Then there's me, who's feeling a bit like a Nebraska fan two weeks into the season.

Back to not getting the memo, here's my picks:

Friday September 15 (Kicking Off the ACC / Big Ten Challenge):

Virginia at Maryland (-13.5): my pick - Maryland. Kicking off ACC play, Maryland and Virginia meet in College Park for the 71st time... Umm, Maryland's much improved and has a higher KenPom ranking than Virginia... Err, September Maryland keeps on rolling with a win and cover.

Saturday September 16 (Continuing the ACC / Big Ten Challenge):

Louisville versus Indiana (+9.5) in Indianapolis: my pick - Indiana. IU's 2022 went south after getting smoked by a decent non-conference opponent (Cincinnati). These aren't the Lamar Jackson-led Cardinals, and the thought is that these aren't the 2022 Hoosiers. IU won't get smoked this time around.

Syracuse at Purdue (+2.5): my pick - The 'Cuse. After going to Blacksburg and getting a prime time win in a game that kicked off at noon, Purdue gets a payback game against Syracuse. The Orange have outscored Colgate and Western Michigan by a combined 113 - 7, and the thought here is that they'll outscore the Boilermakers by at least a field goal.

Minnesota at North Carolina (-6.5): my pick - Row Row Row Your Boat. Minnesota should be able to dispatch an opponent who thinks football is nothing more than something to kill time until basketball practice begins. The Gophers should win this thing straight-up. Run the ball, play stingy defense, and don't fuck up. The thought here is that they'll at least beat the spread.

Virginia Tech at Rutgers (-3.5): my pick - Buttgers. What in the name of Woody Hayes am I thinking? Rutgers has lost 12 straight to VPI, and went an underwhelming 1-11 versus the Hokies in Big East conference play. The thinking (or lack, thereof) is that Tech isn't good at football this season. Prepare for Buttgers, as the Scarlet Knights will be 3-0 heading into Ann Arbor next week.

Northwestern at Duke (-19.5): my pick - jTarpwestern. Can a team beat Clemson and lose to Northwestern? Why not! At the very least, jTarpwestern beats the spread.

Saturday September 16 (Everything Else):

Penn State at Illinois (+15.5): my pick - Penn State. Illinois offense is all Ferentzed up, and Penn State's not the opponent to figure out what's wrong. I'm taking Penn State to win and cover going away; which of course means that Illinois will figure things out this week and beat Penn State in 9 overtimes.

Washington at Michigan State (+16.5): my pick - U-Dub. Before Mel Tucker made the news for all the wrong reasons, I was going to take MAMU to win this thing straight-up. My new-and-improved pick has Michael Penix, Jr. leading the Dogs to a going-away win that might be as bad as Sparty's COVID-year 24-0 shutout loss against the Penix-led Hoosiers.

Bowling Green at Michigan (-39.5): my pick - Bowling Green. The only significance in play here is that the Wolverines are playing the team where Urban Meyer began his head coaching career. Even with Bennie Oosterbaan's skeleton coaching Michigan the outcome won't be in doubt, but the Falcons will eek out an ATS win.

Western Kentucky at Ohio State (-27.5): my pick - Directional Kentucky. The thought here is that Ryan Day calls off the dogs in preparation for next week's trip to South Bend. The Buckeyes beat the Hilltoppers. The Hilltoppers beat the spread.

Georgia Southern at Wisconsin (-16.5): my pick - Wisconsin. This is the game where the Badgers work out the kinks in the Dairy Raid offense. The Badgers win this one easily.

Western Michigan at Iowa (-26.5): my pick - Directional Michigan. The Hawkeyes actually won and covered last week in Ames, while PJ Fleck's old school got smoked at Syracuse 48-7. So of course, this will be game where Iowa struggles to put away a middling MAC team. This game's spread is greater than the Ferentz line; so Directional Michigan covers.

Northern Illinois at Nebraska (-13.5): my pick - Nebby. FINALLY, the Children of the Corn play their home opener! FINALLY, Matt Rhule gets his first win as Cornhuskers' head coach. Northern Illinois this week and Louisiana Tech next week stop Nebraska's bleeding... until Michigan comes to Lincoln in 2 weeks.