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Ohio State has officially clinched their spot in the Big Ten Championship Game, but the West is still ripe for the taking. Let’s see what week 14 brings us! I’ll be making weekly picks straight up, so read on, make your own picks, and see if you know better than me!
#17 Iowa (8-3, 5-3) at Nebraska (5-6, 3-5)
Lincoln, NE
Friday, November 29th, 2:30 PM
Line: IOWA -6
FARMAGEDDON! The annual battle to determine whose corn is superior should be decided pretty decisively, as Iowa simply has the better team this year. Until next year, Cornhuskers!
Iowa 27, Nebraska 14
#2 Ohio State (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) at #13 Michigan (9-2, 6-2)
Ann Arbor, MI
Saturday, November 30th, 12:00 PM
Line: OSU -9
The Buckeyes have secured their spot in the B1G championship game, but they still want to make the playoffs, and a 12-1 B1G champ has been left out before. OSU leaves no doubt in the run up to Indianapolis.
Ohio State 35, Michigan 17
Northwestern (2-9, 0-8) at Illinois (6-5, 4-4)
Champaign, IL
Saturday, November 30th, 12:00 PM
Line: ILL -10.5
Northwestern may as well not show up, as there isn’t anything that this game could reasonably accomplish for them. They can’t keep Illinois from the postseason, nor can they make it themselves.
Illinois 28, Northwestern 10
Indiana (7-4, 4-4) at Purdue (4-7, 3-5)
West Lafayette, IN
Saturday, November 30th, 12:00 PM
Line: IND -7
It’d be very Indiana to lose this game, but I think the Hoosiers are actually good this year. Gimme #8Windiana, with an eye on #9Windiana after the bowls, please and thank you!
Indiana 21, Rutgers 13
#12 Wisconsin (9-2, 6-2) at #10 Minnesota (10-1, 7-1)
Minneapolis, MN
Saturday, November 30th, 3:30 PM
Line: WIS -2.5
This is the game I’m most interested in. Not just because I’ll be curious to see who ends up being sacrificed to playing Ohio State in Indianapolis, but because this game will most likely have direct ramifications on Penn State’s postseason destination. If Minnesota wins, and then ends the season at 11-2, they may end up ahead of Penn State in the rankings and head to Pasadena; if Wisconsin wins, the West will have no team better than 10-2, and the West champ will most likely end the season at 10-3. As much as I’d like to think Penn State has a New Year’s Six bowl locked up, let’s not take any chances, shall we? Besides, I’d like to go out and get a nice bouquet of roses, they go well with my interior decor.
Wisconsin 27, Minnesota 21
Maryland (3-8, 1-7) at Michigan State (5-6, 3-5)
East Lansing, MI
Saturday, November 30th, 3:30 PM
Line: MSU -21
Unlike Northwestern, Maryland could actually play spoiler to Michigan State making the postseason. Like Northwestern, I don’t think Maryland could stop Sparty even if they wanted to (and they don’t).
Michigan State 31, Maryland 14
Yet another perfect week by yours truly, let’s see if I can close out the season strong!
Week 13: 6-0
Season: 70-11
So, who ya got in week 14?