Ohio State Buckeyes

Preview of Big Ten Games Week 6

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Oct 24, 2015; Piscataway, NJ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes running back Curtis Samuel (4) hauls in TD reception during the third quarter against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at High Points Solutions Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O

How many ‘Big’ games are on tap in the Big Ten Conference week 6?

It seems like yesterday we were just getting ready for the 2016 college football season. But it’s week 6 now, and we are well underway into the Big Ten conference season.

Three Big Ten teams have a bye this week, (Wisconsin, Nebraska, Northwestern) but here we will preview a few (kind of) interesting match-ups. (Hint: These games probably won’t be breaking any TV rating records.)

Game 1: Maryland at Penn State

October 8, 2016 – 12:00 PM ET

Simply based off of their recent reputations, this game sounds like it is going to be painful to watch. And it very well may be. But the Terps have quietly gotten off to a 4-0 start. Something they’ve only done two times in the last 20 years.

Led by a good rushing attack (6th in the nation in YPG), D.J. Durkin’s squad has a legitimate chance of starting the 2016 season 6-0. The only way to get to 6-0 is to get to 5-0, and Penn State could stand in the way of that.

The Nittany Lions very well could be the most boring team to watch in the history of sports. I mean, the most entertaining thing about this team is James Franklin’s job security. RB Saquon Barkley is pretty good too.

If you’re Penn State, your goal should just be to make it to a bowl game this season. A loss to the Terps would severely hurt those chances. Am I being a little tough on Penn State? Probably, the Nittany Lions currently sit at 3-2 and still have games vs lousy opponents like Rutgers and Purdue.

All jokes aside, this game could actually be an entertaining one once it gets to the last five minutes. The spread has Maryland by a field goal, but I have it the other way around. I’m taking the Nittany Lions by a field goal due to their home field advantage.

Prediction: Penn State: 30, Maryland: 27.

Game 2: Iowa at Minnesota

October 8, 2016 – 12:00 PM ET

When Iowa vs Minnesota is arguably the best Big Ten game on a Saturday, something weird is going on. That is the case this week as the CJ Beathard led Hawkeyes head up north to play Mitch Leidner and the Golden Gophers.

Both squads average over 30 points per game, but both teams are coming off of close losses to Big Ten opponents. In 2015 Iowa (somehow) made it into the Big Ten championship, but that’s near impossible in 2016.

Both of these teams are on track for a lousy 7-5 or 8-4 season so this game is nothing to get too excited about – still better than most games in the B1G this week. By the way, did you know this was a rivalry game?

Minnesota leads the rivalry 62-45-2. This will be the game that I choose to watch during the 12:00 PM window, as these teams duke it out for the Floyd of Rosedale trophy.

Prediction: Minnesota 34, Iowa 27.

Game 3: BYU at Michigan State

October 8 2016 – 3:30 PM ET

I love this match-up. It seems like a pretty even game to me, both are underachieving teams with two losses in their last three games. Neither team is above .500, but they both should be.

BYU lost games to Utah, UCLA, and West Virginia by a combined 7 points. They could very well be a 5-0 team if they had luck on their side. MSU on the other hand had an embarassing loss at Indiana last week in OT and is not looking so hot. They are DESPERATE for a win.

If MSU is going to win this one, they’re going to have to contain Cougars QB Taysom Hill. (Hasn’t that guy been there for like 20 years now?) Overall, I think the Spartans are the more talented team, plus they get the home field advantage. Vegas likes Sparty by 6, but I like Sparty by 10.

Prediction: Michigan State 30, BYU: 20.

Game 4: Indiana at Ohio State

October 8, 2016 – 3:30 PM ET

Kevin Wilson and Indiana have earned respect from Urban Meyer. They seem to be able to play the Buckeyes well every year. Indiana is coming off a big-time win against Michigan State, and the Buckeyes coming off a practice. Or was that a football game?

Oh, I guess technically it was a game against Rutgers which they won 58-0. JT Barrett and the OSU offense is way too good for the Indiana defense, and the Silver Bullets are simply too much for the Indiana offense.

Most watchers are going to fall asleep by the 4th quarter in this one. Although not everybody seems to agree with me there.

Prediction: Good Guys 56, Indiana 14.

Game 5: Purdue at Illinois

October 8, 2016 – 3:30 PM ET

Former NFL Coach Lovie Smith tries to bring a three game losing streak to a halt for the Illinois Fighting Illini. Getting handedly beaten 3 consecutive weeks, it looks like Illinois finally has a chance to end it.

QB Wes Lunt and co. get to face an opponent that shouldn’t even be allowed to play football. Purdue is an embarrassment to the Big Ten. Coming off a 50-7 loss to Maryland, (Yes, Maryland beat a team 50-7.) the Boilermakers are at rock bottom.

They managed to muster up a grand total of 10 rushing yards last week. AGAINST MARYLAND. Purdue is 8-32 under coach Darrell Hazell, and the program has virtually no direction.

I think I have more exciting things to watch than this game, for example watching my grass grow, but for those of you that enjoy pain and will watch this game – have at it. Tickets to this game aren’t even $10, but if you paid me $10 to watch this game, I wouldn’t do it.

I feel like this match-up doesn’t even deserve my prediction but I’ll give it anyway because if I’m wrong, nobody will even know… Because who is going to actually watch this game?

Prediction: Illinois 31, Purdue 14.

Game 6: Michigan at Rutgers

October 8, 2016 – 7:00 PM ET

Ohio State and Michigan are always competing no matter what. Even if they aren’t even playing each other. So we’ve established that Rutgers is pretty much  practice squad, but that was for Ohio State. What will Michigan do against them?

It’s obviously a safe bet to pick the Wolverines to win this one, but by how much? Not more than 58. The Wolverines are good, don’t get me wrong, but the offense isn’t stellar.

Jim Harbaugh’s team is coming off of their toughest test yet, a home game vs Wisconsin, in which they only scored 14 points. Even if they have a hangover here, they will still be able to run through this game. It will be over by halftime.

The spread in this one is Michigan by 31, but I think it’ll be more than that. More importantly, it won’t be more than 58. Buckeyes win, kind of.

Prediction: Michigan 41, Rutgers 3.

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