Luck be a Lady Lion

I've had this idea for a while now, and I'm finally going to do it.  Each week (assuming anyone cares) I'll post the lines for every game involving a Big Ten team and pick a winner against the spread.   At my discretion, I also may throw a couple of other games into the mix that I think are intriguing.

I've always been much better at gambling on the NFL than on college, mostly because the college games are so diverse.  I always tell myself that if I just focus on the Big Ten, I should be ahead of the curve, but it still hasn't happened.  Maybe this year. 

I'm using Danny Sheridan's line from the Friday USA Today; if for whatever reason the paper doesn't have the line for a big ten game, I'll grab it from sundaystrategy.com (because I don't want to check my online gambling account at work.)

Michigan +3.5 at MSU

This line seems crazy to me, even though I do think Sparty's going to show up this week and look a hell of a lot more like the team that should have beat ND than the team that lost to Wiscy and directional Michigan.  Still, you can't define it, but Tate Forcier has IT. I'll probably not even bother with the points and just take the Whore +145 on the moneyline.  But for the purposes of this exercise, give me the Wolverines +3.5.

Arkansas State +21.5 at Iowa.

Iowa's good, but I don't have a clue about Arkansas State. The Hawkeyes host Michigan next week in what's shaping up to be a pretty major game in the early big ten season.  They sleepwalk through this one. I'm taking the Red Wolves and the points. Arkansas St. +21.5

Wisconsin +2.5 at Minnesota

My sense of these teams so far is that Wiscy's about as bas as expected and Minnesota's better than expected. The Gophers hand the Badgers their first lost and win by a field goal in that beautiful new stadium. MIN -2.5.

Penn State -7 at Illinois

An interesting game this week.  I think we find out a lot more about this team after this weekend. If we put up a strong effort, maybe we've got a top 15 team after all. If we don't, well....well, let's worry about that when we get there.  I predicted a push earlier, but I think this is the game where the Nits finally get off the donut in their ATS record and we take down the injuns from Champaign. Penn State -7

Ohio State -17.5 at Indiana

What if we get the Ohio State team that shellacked Illinois last week and the Indiana that was one bad call away from having a legit chance to win in Ann Arbor?  Indiana covers.  Well, I don't know about the #uckeyes, but I think the Hoosiers are for real, whatever that means for them.  It might not be as close as last week against Michigan, but Indiana's going to hold their own in Bloomington.  This is the last week you'll be able to get easy odds on the Hoosiers; don't say I didn't warn you.  IND +17.5

Northwestern +7.5 at Purdue (from Sunday Strategy)

Purdue's a good football team. They're the classic big ten team that's gonna end up .500 but could have won any game they played. I don't know jack about the Wildcats, but my wife's fascination with Wilbon's sartorial choices makes it easy to bet against them. PURDUE -7.5

Other games of interest

Washington +13 at Notre Dame

Vegas continues to disrespect the Huskies. Charlie Weis loves snatching defeat from the jaws of victory like he loves all you can eat buffets. Even if the Irish dominate this game, Washington will get a late score for the cover.  I think I'll end up taking the spakajewia special (parlaying penn state with whatever team's playing against Notre Dame; not always a wise bet, but always great fun).  Washington +13

Oklahoma State +7.5 at Miami

The U is for real, even though they looked awful in that first half monsoon last week in Blacksburg. This game features two teams I wish were on Penn State's out of conference schedule. (Seriously, wouldn't college football thank us for signing a four year deal with Miami?)  Miami could very well win this one straight up, but I'll take the touchdown and the hook.  Miami +7.5