It's tradition around these parts once the Ohio State football season starts. Every year (and every week of the season), we have a little friendly competition among our writers for world domination in picking the Big Ten football games and some of the bigger college football contests once conference play gets into full swing.
Though we never really know, Ohio State, Oregon, and defending College Football Playoff national champion Indiana are getting a lot of national notoriety and were picked by media members to be the three teams contending for league superiority. You can't count out other teams like Michigan, Penn State, and USC, but those three and others will have to prove themselves to be taken seriously.
So, just how will Week 1 play out
in the Big Ten as the season gets underway? Our writers take turns picking all the games in the conference straight up and against the spread for your wagering and reading consumption — do with it as you wish.
As a reminder, if there’s an asterisk next to the pick, that means the team will win, but not cover. If there is a tie, rather than have a cage match or old-fashioned duel, we’ll settle it with less violence and go with the tried-and-true coin flip, where George Washington has the say.
EXAMPLE: If Ohio State is favored -3.5 over Michigan:
If you think Ohio State will win outright and cover: OSU
If you think Ohio State will win, but NOT cover: OSU*
If you think Ohio State will lose: Michigan
Here are our expert picks for Week 1 focusing on the Big Ten games only. As the conference season gets underway, we'll throw in five of the best non-Big Ten games, but that'll come a few weeks from now.
Big Ten football picks and predictions for Week 1
Results So Far
Follow Phil Harrison: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Follow MarkRussell: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Follow Sunny Verma: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
Follow Alec Lasley: 0-0 SU, 0-0 ATS
CONSENSUS PICK: 69-13 SU, 50-32 ATS
UMass at Rutgers
Thursday, Sept. 3
6 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Rutgers -29
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Rutgers
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Rutgers
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Rutgers
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Rutgers
CONSENSUS PICK | Rutgers
Eastern Illinois at Minnesota
Thursday, Sept. 3
8 p.m. ET | Peacock
Betting Line | Minnesota -42.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Minnesota*
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Minnesota*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Minnesota*
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Minnesota*
CONSENSUS PICK | Minnesota*
UAB at Illinois
Thursday, Sept. 5
9 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Illinois -27.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Illinois
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Illinois*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Illinois*
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Illinois
CONSENSUS PICK: Illinois
Indiana State at Purdue
Friday, Sept. 4
7 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Purdue -35.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Purdue
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Purdue*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Purdue*
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Purdue*
CONSENSUS PICK | Purdue*
Toledo at Michigan State
Friday, Sept. 4
8 p.m. ET | FS1 (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Michigan State -9.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Michigan State
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Michigan State
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Michigan State
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Michigan State
CONSENSUS PICK | Michigan State
Fresno State at USC
Friday, Sept. 4
9 p.m. ET | Fox (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | USC -22.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | USC
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | USC
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | USC*
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | USC
CONSENSUS PICK | USC
North Texas at Indiana
Saturday, Sept. 5
Noon. ET | Fox (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Indiana -40.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Indiana
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Indiana
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Indiana
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Indiana*
CONSENSUS PICK | Indiana
Ohio at Nebraska
Saturday, Sept. 5
Noon ET | FS1 (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Nebraska -24.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Nebraska*
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Nebraska*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Nebraska*
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Nebraska*
CONSENSUS PICK | Nebraska*
Ball State at Ohio State
Saturday, Sept. 5
12:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Ohio State -50.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Ohio State*
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Ohio State*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Ohio State
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Ohio State*
CONSENSUS PICK | Ohio State*
Boise State at Oregon
Saturday, Sept. 5
3:30 p.m. ET | CBS (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Oregon -24.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Oregon
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Oregon*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Oregon
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Oregon
CONSENSUS PICK | Oregon
Marshall at Penn State
Saturday, Sept. 5
3:30 p.m. ET | FS1 (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Penn State -24.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Penn State
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Penn State
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Penn State
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Penn State
CONSENSUS PICK | Penn State
Northern Illinois at Iowa
Saturday, Sept. 5
4:15 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Iowa -31.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Iowa*
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Iowa*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Iowa*
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Iowa*
CONSENSUS PICK | Iowa*
Western Michigan at Michigan
Saturday, Sept. 5
7:30 p.m. ET | NBC (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Michigan -27.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Michigan*
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Michigan*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Michigan
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Michigan
CONSENSUS PICK | Michigan
Hampton at Maryland
Saturday, Sept. 5
8 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Maryland -45.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Maryland
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Maryland
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Maryland
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Maryland*
CONSENSUS PICK | Maryland
South Dakota State at Northwestern
Saturday, Sept. 5
8 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | Northwestern -12.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | Northwestern
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | Northwestern*
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | Northwestern
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | Northwestern
CONSENSUS PICK | Northwestern
UCLA at California
Saturday, Sept. 5
10:30 p.m. ET | ESPN (Stream fuboTV (watch here))
Betting Line | UCLA -1.5
The Picks:
Phil Harrison (@PhilHarrisonBW) | UCLA
Mark Russell (@MarkRussell1975) | UCLA
Sunny Verma (@thesunnyv) | UCLA
Alec Lasley (@allasley) | UCLA
CONSENSUS PICK | UCLA
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Big Ten football expert picks and predictions for Week 1 of CFB season
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