Predictions: Huskers vs. Boilermakers – Corn Nation

Jarek: This is a good game to hopefully get right back on track, and a good way to ease into the road schedule for Nebraska. Having said that, this game breaks the current 50/50-win ratio, so we better be on the correct side of it after Saturday.

Mike: Either we get the wheels back on the road in this game…or our seven year stretch in football purgatory is going to become eight.

Jill: The close games are the ones that trip up the Huskers. This isn’t supposed to be a close game, right? Right?!?

Andy: Purdue’s RB’s are both averaging over 6ypc, so that might be a nice challenge even if their defense couldn’t stop Burke. Tonight, we have Georgia-Bama and also Illinois-Penn State which might tell us more about last Saturday’s loss – a Penn State blowout would not be good.

Minnesota (+10) at Michigan

Jarek: Peej and Co have got to get some wins soon, or else I feel like his seat is going to get hot quickly. The great news is I was totally off on what Michigan is capable of last week. This could be won by who throws for less than 50 yards, which Michigan has already proven they can do it. Boat Rowers 13 Meeechigan 31

Mike: First half last week, I thought Minnesota might be back on track. Second half shows that PJ’s Goofers have major boat troubles. And a big storm is brewing on Lake Michigan this weekend. Weasels 38, Goofs 10

Jill: What is going on in the Twin Cities? Has PJ decided he isn’t getting good enough job offers by coaching a competent team and has to fail upward? Bold strategy cotton! Michigan 30 Minny 12

Jon: Gopher fans are getting tired of PJs undead offense. This will be more one nail in his Minnesota coffin. Michigan 31, Minnesota 10

Andy: I’m actually going to say Minnesota covers this one. Michigan won with Orji, but the passing game was non-existent and his 3.3 ypc didn’t exactly pop eyeballs. These picks have Michigan scoring 30 points or more – and they only hit 30 against Fresno this season & haven’t surpassed it once. The Goofs won’t win, but this will be a PJ-type game. Michigan 22 Minnesota 17

Wisconsin (+15.5) at Southern Cal

Jarek: Wisconsin losing their starting QB for the season while getting trounced by Bama was not a pretty sight. USC going into the Big House and getting ran over proved that their defense isn’t quite B1G ready. Wisconsin will unfortunately feed into that by throwing more than they should. Badger Badger 14 Trojan Man 37

Mike: Southern Cal gets their first B1G home conference game against a bunch of now-leaderless Badgers who got run over by Alabama two weeks ago. They’ve had a couple of weeks to regroup and refashion their offense, but I’m not sure it’ll do much good. The Trojans are smarting after their last-minute loss to Michigan last week. Condoms 31, Stinkin’ Badgers 10

Jill: Wiscy’s backup QB was pretty bad last weekend. I’m sure he has practiced lots of handoffs these two weeks. And, how does Luke Fickell keep finding Joe Bauserman? Trojans 38 Wiscy 12

Jon: Wisconsin is not doing well. Their offense is dysfunctional, their defense okay. Like others have mentioned, USC will come into this game wanting to prove something. That’s not good for Luke Fickell. USC 38, Wisconsin 10

Andy: Again, here’s a USC offense which hasn’t been lighting up the skies against…another offense which hasn’t been impressive. I thought the accolades dropped after the Trojans edged LSU were a bit of an overreaction, and their loss to a thus unimpressive Michigan may be a wake-up call. If Fickell watched last week’s tape, you can bet Wiscy will RUN THE DAMN BALL. (And probably would anyway down to their backup QB) USC 26 Wiscy 20

Ohio State (-23.5) at Michigan State

Jarek: Welcome to the Ryan Day juggernaut experience. Next stop, Spartacus. Michigan State looked relatively impressive against Maryland, but this is the cream of the crop. This one will get ugly early. Buck Nuts 44 Sparty 10

Mike: Another week for the aOSU machine. Bucknuts 49, Sparty NOOOOO 14

Jill: A bought-and-paid-for (legally) championship roster vs the home team. I will pick the same score as my other two guesses. OSU 38 MSU 12

Jon: Ohio State 634, Sparty No 3

Andy: Sparty has actually been a little better than the shit show everyone was expecting. And they will definitely be an upgrade in competition to a Buckeye squad whose non-conference schedule resembled the march of pattycakes Bill Snyder used to throw together for K-State when he was trying to jump-start that program. OK, that’s as competitive as I can make this sound. Bucknuts 44 MSU 10

Illinois (+19.5) at Penn State

Jarek: I think Illinois has proven last week this line is WAY TOO HIGH!! Penn State has looked decent enough in its opening games, but much like last week with Nebraska favored at home, this could be a trap game…almost. Big Bert 24 State of PA 27

Mike: While Nebraska made their share of mistakes, I thought Illinois played well enough to win, and frankly, they seem to be a team with momentum. I’m suspecting that Penn State, even with a night game, might be about to drop another Franklin on the field. Fighting Berts 28, Nitts 24

Jill: I think Illinois is better than this line but I don’t think they have enough to win at Happy Valley. Lions 30 Illini 24

Jon: Everyone has said what I would have said. Perhaps the most interesting game of the weekend. Whether Illinois is decent, well, this game will tell. It’s going to be a matter of whether Penn State’s offense can play efficient, successful football. They’ll do just enough. Penn State 28, Illinois 27

Andy: Well, the bookies seem wholly unimpressed by last week’s Illinois win, don’t they? +19 ¹⁄₂ ? Especially considering the Nittany’s haven’t been too scary so far. The Huskers did expose Illinois’ defense – they left some points off the board and the Illini D was probably best aided by an offense which kept them on the sideline by giving up no 3 & outs. Penn State had trouble with Bowling Green but so did the aTm. I guess bottom line, I don’t think they cover, but I also don’t think Illinois drives at will again. Perverts 33 Illinois 20

Nebraska (-10) at Purdue

Jarek: This should be comfortable in my eyes. Purdue hasn’t created a single turnover, has a wretched run defense (sound familiar…ish?) and Hudson Card could be forced to throw the ball a lot. Huskers 34 Purdue 17

Mike: This seems like the week where Nebraska should get everything back on track. Nebraska needs to play a full four quarters of football this week. They didn’t need to the first three weeks, but last week, yeeeesh. Purdue is reeling this season, and Nebraska should make it even more so on the Boilers’ homecoming. Huskers 49, Boilers 10

Jill: Get right games make me nervous. Nebraska hasn’t been right for a while but I think they have enough to put this one away. We get to see Heinrich in the fourth. Huskers 32 Boilermakers 15

Jon: We squish them. Nebraska 38, Purdue 13

Andy: The best-case scenario is the defense holding their ground early and letting the Huskers get a quick lead and force Purdue to the air. Because if it stays close early and Purdue can lean on their ground game – suddenly a bit of an Achilles heel for us – then they have Devin Mockobee (7.7 ypc and gashed the Huskers for 178 yards in 43-37 win in 2022) and Reggie Love (Illinois transfer averaging 6.1 ypc). If they take the game deep, whatever early season Husker fan goodwill will once go swirling as therapists and bartenders will again be recalled from their furloughs.

The second part is the worst-case scenario.

Fortunately, the Boilermaker defense is brutal which probably means another big halftime lead followed by another ground it out second half – which might be more watchable since Purdue’s run defense is so bad. We’ll see. Huskers 44 Shot & a Beer 17