The bye week has ended and it's time to play for the bull. While Iowa took last week off to figure out what the hell happened against Purdue, Spread Awareness kept grinding and went 8-4 for our 4TH WINNING WEEK IN A ROW. This is no time to get cocky though, even though we totally could because we are 31-12-1 over the last four weeks but WE WILL NOT DO THAT. As the great philosophyzer Socrates once said, “Be humble, sit down.”
Since it is Halloween, we are going to do something very SPOOKY this week. How spooky? So spooky that it will have you hiding UNDER your covers. That is right, we are taking only UNDERS in the Big Ten this weekend. No OVERS allowed. Is it a risk? Sure. Will it pay off? Probably not, but we are currently 12-20 betting totals this year so things can’t get worse!
AND HERE. WE. GO.
BIG TEN GAMES OF THE WEEK OF THE CENTURY
#9 Iowa +3.5 @ Wisconsin (11:00 AM CST, ESPN)
Well, if you would have asked me about this game three weeks ago, I would have said I am not worried at all! Boy, how things have changed.
Iowa got blown out by Purdue. It has been talked about enough, so we will not go into details. It was ugly. It was awful, and for the love of all things holy let’s just hope it was a one-week thing and it's out of the system. This week, the Heartland Trophy is on the line. The 2nd best animal-based trophy in college football. And guess what? I like our chances.
I still believe in Iowa. The defense is still good, and nothing Wisconsin does on offense scares me. On the other hand, the offense is still pretty bad, and everything Wisconsin does on defense scares me.
Speaking of the Badgers, they have won three in a row and dominated Purdue last week by completely shutting down David Bell. How did they do it? Well, they did an incredibly innovative thing by putting TWO guys on him so that he simply could not get open. It was amazing, I had never seen anything like it before. I expect this new two-on-one (I need to workshop a name for this…maybe Double Man? Two Team?? No, those aren’t great...hmmm) method of defense to really take over once people see how well it worked for them.
Anyway, we are in for a barn burner. A slow barn burner. Like if the barn was made of metal and full of water balloons. Don’t let what happened against Purdue scare you, everything is going to be alright. Iowa 17 Wisconsin 10.
PICK: IOWA +3.5, UNDER 36.5
#6 Michigan -4 @ #8 Michigan State (11:00 AM CST, FOX)
Weird, I was told that even if there was a matchup between top 10 teams College GameDay and FOX would NEVER hold their shows at the same game. I AM NOT #MADONLINE, JUST MAKING A POINT.
This is a hell of a game though. Mel Tucker, in his second year at MSU (kind of his first, last year was #FAKE football) has the Spartans rolling. Jim Harbaugh has, for now at least, shut up the haters. The Wolverines appear to be the real deal.
So, how do we bet on this game? Well, we are going to stick with the thought process that has gotten us here. Michigan is not losing until Ohio State. This game will be close, but Michigan is going to end up winning by a touchdown or more.
PICK: Michigan -4, UNDER 50.5
Indiana +5.5 @ Maryland (11:00 AM CST, BTN)
So uhh…this is a game that is being played this weekend. Both teams come in on a three-game losing streak. Of their combined six losses, only one has been by fewer than 18 points. Not great!
I have absolutely no idea what to bet here. Most gambling bloggers would be scared to say that to their readers, but not me. I am comfortable enough in my own skin to say I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE WHAT I AM DOING (with this game….and life in general, I suppose…)
After much thought and 57 coin flips, I am taking Indiana. This is their one week against a team that isn’t ranked. Gotta take advantage. No under on this one, can't get crazy and ruin our win streak...
PICK: INDIANA +5.5
Purdue +7.5 @ Nebraska (2:30 PM CST, ESPN2)
As we correctly predicted, Purdue followed up their win over Iowa by getting dominated by Wisconsin, and hell, they could lose this game too!
Listen, we joke a lot about Scott Frost being a bad coach because he is, but this weekend is huge for him. If they lose there is a very good chance that they don’t win another game and end the season on a six-game losing streak. That means last place in the Big Ten. Could they pull off an upset over Wisconsin or Iowa, sure, but let’s be honest, nothing in Frost’s coaching career at Nebraska would lead you to believe that is possible. This is, officially, FROST'S LAST STAND. I really think Frost and the Skers can win this one, so I am absolutely not going to bet on them.
PICK: Purdue +7.5, UNDER 52.5
Minnesota -3 @ Northwestern (2:30 PM CST, BTN)
Don’t look now but Minnesota is hanging around in the race for the West. They are 5-2 and have played some pretty solid football minus their loss to Bowling Green. I still don’t know how that happened. Bowling Green is 2-6 and lost to AKRON by 15. If they would have won that game, they would probably be a top 20 team right now. OK, maybe not, but top 25 for sure?
Northwestern is gross. They have no chance in this game. The boat rows on.
PICK: Minnesota -3
#20 Penn State +18.5 @ #5 Ohio State (6:30 PM CST, ABC)
Ohio State is full throttle right now. Sure, they have played some not-great teams, but they have still managed to score 50+ points four games in a row. That includes scoring 54 points in a beatdown against Indiana where they scored 44 points in the first half during a monsoon. It was a bloodbath.
They will get to play a real defense this week in Penn State. Penn State, as I am sure you have all seen, lost to Illinois in 9 OTs. It was such a terrible game that, despite there being 9 OTs, the UNDER was never in doubt.
Their offense is broken. Clifford returned and he is definitely still hurt from the hit he took against Iowa. Will he be better this week? I doubt it. Mix that in with their coach being bombarded with questions about leaving for USC, in which he responded by talking about how he was just focused on Illinois, and this one could get out of hand.
My focus is completely on Illinois, James Franklin said, five days before playing Ohio State in the 'Shoe, which he also called "The Big House." https://t.co/3024U72VY4
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 26, 2021
PICK: OHIO STATE -18.5, UNDER 61
TOP 25 GAMES OF THE WEEK OF THE CENTURY
Texas +2.5 @ #16 Baylor – Baylor -2.5
The Longhorns' season ended when they blew it against Oklahoma. They are done. Baylor rolls.
Arizona State -16 vs Washington State - Arizona State -16
Not a top 25 game but ASU is a MUST BET because of these jerseys and this video.
Why so serious?
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) October 29, 2021
Introducing a little anarchy in Week 9.
@_lvbunkley pic.twitter.com/56HwgyKuGD
Duke +16.5 @ Wake Forest – OVER 70.5
We have to take at least one OVER this week, it might as well be the highest total for a Top 25 game. I am a bit worried that Wake used all of their touchdowns against Army last week but sometimes you just have to trust the system.
#19 SMU -1 @ Houston – SMU -1
Love the Stangs here. Houston has not beaten anyone all year. Please do not look at SMU’s schedule. Thanks.
#10 Ole Miss +2.5 @ #18 Auburn – Ole Miss +2.5
The Lane Train rolls. Ole Miss by two touchdowns!
PAC 12 AFTER DARK SPOOKTACULAR PARLAY OF THE WEEK
UCLA/UTAH – UCLA +5.5, OVER 60.5
WASHINGTON/STANFORD - Stanford -2.5, UNDER 48
Let’s get spooky.
2021 RECORD
Overall: 62-52-1
ATS: 50-32-1
OU: 12-20
