Big Ten Football Week 5 Picks, Predictions, Previews

Good morning and thank you to RMB for being a faithful shepherd of this column. I haven’t slept in 23 hours, so I would just like to offer these wo...

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What is the story about?

Good morning and thank you to RMB for being a faithful shepherd of this column.

I haven’t slept in 23 hours, so I would just like to offer these words of wisdom:

About Last Week

Look at Thump go 8-0 straight up!
misdreavus and RUready both go 5-3 ATS to remain atop the leaderboard.
Ooof, AlmaOtter. 1-7 ATS is so bad you managed to drag the whole group under .500 for the week. That’s impressive in its own way.

The Picks

All times CDT, because reasons.

Saturday, September 27

(21) Southern Cal Trojans @ (23) Illinois Fighting Illini

11AM | FOX | USC -5.5 | O/U 60.5
Straight Up: USC 8-3
Against the Spread: USC 6-5

misdreavus79: Bert, don’t make me look bad. I genuinely don’t think Illinois is as bad as Indiana made them look, and, while I think USC is legitimately much better than last season, the one time they traveled, they struggled with

a Purdue team that themselves are better than last season, but not as good as Illinois. Illinois 35, USC 31

BRT: I also think Illinois isn’t quite as terrible as recent events imply, but that was an ASS KICKING and I can’t in good faith pick them in this one right after that. USC gets my benefit of the doubt.

RockyMtnBlue: I’m torn. On the one hand I expect a Bert team to beat a glitzy USC at home. On the other hand, USC looks pretty good this year and last week for Illinois…oy vey. I guess I’ll go with USC because right now they would scare me more if my team were playing them (which they do in a few weeks). USC covers 34-27

Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Minnesota Golden Gophers

11AM | BTN | Minnesota -5.5 | O/U 51.5
Straight Up: Minnesota 11-0
Against the Spread: Minnesota 9-2

misdreavus79: Athan facing his former team, again. It will not go as well as 2024. Minnesota 31, Rutgers 20

BRT: I don’t know that there’s much reason to pick Minnesota, but I did. 2025 Rutgers is game, but don’t seem to be closers. Arguably, the Goofs don’t seem to be either, but I’ll give them home field advantage.

RockyMtnBlue: Rutgers offense appears to be legit. Rutgers defense appears to be 2024 Purdue levels of garbage. Minnesota, on the other hand looks pretty boring. Gimme the home team, but more confidently, the over. Minnesota 31-24

(1) Ohio State Buckeyes @ Washington Huskies

2:30PM | CBS / Paramount+ | OSU -10.5 | O/U 52.5
Straight Up: Ohio State 11-0
Against the Spread: Ohio State 8-3

misdreavus79: I genuinely don’t know what to expect here. It’s a west coast trip, it’s a Washington team that’s looking a lot better than last season, but it’s still Ohio State. I think the Huskies will do enough to stay within the number, but they can’t match Ohio State blow for blow. Ohio State 49, Washington 42

BRT: Midwestern teams don’t seem to be thriving when they travel to the West Coast lately, but OSU’s “not thriving” should still be enough to beat Washington.

RockyMtnBlue: We lock these lines in on Sunday so the writers can make picks at their convenience during the week. It’s moved to 8.5 as I type this on Thursday, which suggests the world doesn’t quite believe in Death Star. I’m not fooled. Death Star 38-24

(11) Indiana Hoosiers @ Iowa Hawkeyes

2:30PM | Peacock | Indiana -7.5 | O/U 50.5
Straight Up: Indiana 9-2
Against the Spread: Indiana 8-3

misdreavus79: Kinnick Stadium. Where ranked teams’ dreams come to die. Lucky for the Hoosiers, this isn’t a night game. Iowa 38, Indiana 31

BRT: Bold pick from misdreavus! Apparently Iowa can now field one half of offense, but I don’t think that will be enough against Indiana and Cignetti’s apparent bloodlust.

RockyMtnBlue: I agree with misdreavus and I agree with BRT, and you know how that makes me crazy! I’m not sure I’ve ever picked against Kinnick and been happy about it later. But then, I’m also pretty stupid and don’t learn. Indiana 27-14

UCLA Bruins @ Northwestern Wildcats

2:30PM | BTN | Northwestern -6.5 | O/U 46
Straight Up: Northwestern 9-2
Against the Spread: Northwestern 7-4

misdreavus79: This may very well be the battle for last place in the conference. Northwestern has looked like it can do things from time to time. Northwestern 23, UCLA 7

BRT: I am genuinely looking forward to this game. The B1G West’s eternal flame is carried ignominiously onward. Welcome, Bruins. Please make this one stupid.

RockyMtnBlue: Remember when Illinutgers was the game of the season? Awww yeah. This might be even better. Pour this sickos special directly into my veins! Northwestern 17-14

(6) Oregon Ducks @ (3) Penn State Nittany Lions

6:30PM | NBC / Peacock | Penn State -3.5 | O/U 52.5
Straight Up: Penn State 8-3
Against the Spread: Oregon 6-5

misdreavus79: Penn State and Oregon have largely played the same schedule, with the exception of Oregon having already played a Big Ten game. More people are commending Oregon for looking good against their weak schedule, but when looking deeper, Oregon State is 0-4, Oklahoma State just lost, at home, to Tulsa, and, in their only game against a team with a pulse, Northwestern was able to run all over them until the Wildcats stopped doing that for whatever god forsaken reason. Methinks the 69* points against one of the worst teams in FBS is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.

*nice

BRT: I am also looking forward to this game, but for opposite reasons to the game before it. I’m going with PSU because “Night Game in Happy Valley.” I hope this one is as good as it seems like it could be.

RockyMtnBlue: It’s a whiteout. And not like the last few years, I mean a real whiteout against a huge opponent with bigly conference title implications. Having been a fan on the wrong side of those games more than once, I respect it for the menace that it is. But here’s the thing: can Penn State pass the football? Maybe they simply haven’t needed to. It’s not like any of Penn State’s games against their doormat noncon schedule have been close, but last year they could only pass it to Tyler Warren, and so far it appears to still be true. Except Tyler Warren isn’t on the team anymore so that’s kind of an issue. Prove me wrong, nits. Oregon 27-21