Mike: Prepare for an overload of the Rolling Stones on Saturday night.
Jarek: I want to hear “Back in Black” as the Blackshirts come out and the place to go nuts like it was against Colorado last year.
Penn State (+19.5) at Ohio State
Mike: This isn’t the game that Fox planned to inflict Big 11 am on. Bucknuts 45, Nitts 17
Jarek: Remember when Penn State was a CFP contender and had a head coach? Peppridge Farm remembers. Ohio State should roll in this one. Ohio State 41 Penn State 21
Jon: This was going to be tough for Penn State even before the whole season fell apart and imploded and exploded all over their faces. I don’t hate Penn State. I actually feel bad for them, and I wish they were at least decent so that the Big Ten would have another top performer. I know that probably sounds weird. Ohio State 42, Penn State 17
Rutgers (+11.5) at Illinois
Mike: This probably is going to be the better Big 11 am game, to be honest. Extra bonus for watching NBC: no Gus Johnson. Illini 34, Buttgers 20
Jarek: It will be the better game overall at 11, but honestly not by a lot. Rutgers just really isn’t that good. The Illini should be able to move the ball pretty easily. Illinois 37 Rutgers 17
Jon: One would hope that Illinois would win this game easily and cover the spread. Illinois’ defense is a huge issue here but Rutgers isn’t that scary. Illinois 38, Rutgers 17
Michigan State (+3.5) at Minnesota
Mike: The Goofers bounce back from doing their best impression of I-35 road kill last week in Iowa City. Home Pajamas 27, Sparty NOOOOOOO! 13.
Jarek: Peej will make sure the boat is back on the water after being stuck in a sand bar the week before. Michigan State is going full Maryland as the season progresses. Minnesota 24 Michigan State 20
Jon: It’s at Minnesota. Michigan State seems to be stuck in mud. This is a game Minnesota should add to their resume. Minnesota 28, Sparty 17
Indiana (-21.5) at Maryland
Mike: What a craptastic week of football to go up against the Disney/ESPN lockout of YouTube TV. Millions of people can’t watch SEC games this weekend… and we get games like this. Uggggh. Hoosiers 49, Terps 17
Jarek: I mean, Maryland has a good QB. The rest of the turtles…well…you get the idea. Indiana looks even better this year, just Google it. Indiana 48 Maryland 24
Jon: Oh, Indiana 62, Maryland 7.
Southern Cal (-4.5) at Nebraska
Mike: I’ve got a really bad feeling about this one, mostly because the Trojans can break out to a large lead before “Fourth Quarter Dylan” ever leaves his dorm for the stadium. Nebraska needs to seize control early, much like last year’s Colorado game. Problem is that 2025 Southern Cal is a MUCH better team than 2024 Colorado was. (Even in the eyes of Deion.) Oh, and then there’s the little detail that Nebraska has NEVER beaten Southern Cal. Next complication: we’ve talked about Nebraska’s poor record in the “surrender whites”…well, Nebraska is even worse (0-4) wearing black. Uh oh. Trojans 34, Huskers 20
PROVE ME WRONG!!!!!
Jarek: The bad feeling about this is shared by me too. I want to believe, I really do. Everything about this week outside of the game has gone right. Rhule’s contract extension, the black out, the cold weather. All of it suggests we ride that to an upset. However, my heart of hearts is saying not quite. USC 31 Nebraska 28
Jon: The PTSD is strong. Nebraska has hyped this game like no game I can remember. The blackout of everything. The signing of the extension. The 60 recruits or however many people are gonna fill up the sidelines. The nightiness of it all. It’s kind of terrifying about how much has been put on the line on this game. It’s a chance for Nebraska to get past that unranked, beaten team streak, whatever the hell that is.
Come on you sons of bitches Have some faith. You have to choose between whether Matt Rhule can’t beat an unranked team or Lincoln Riley can get a team to perform on the road. I’m choosing Matt Rhule and my beloved Huskers. Nebraska 33, USC 30
