Game Day Predictions

For many, this weekend is the calm before the storm before the last two weeks of College football.  Ranked matchups are few and far between and an upset of a top ten team this weekend seemed to be unlikely (Hey Cyclones!).  Even the College Gameday crew travels to Houston for the first time ever, as a pair of Conference USA teams battle and the Cougars try to keep their BCS hopes alive.  However with what just went down in Ames, who knows what this weekend will hold for CFB fans. 

Wisconsin @ Illinois:  Six weeks ago, this looked to be the Badgers toughest test on their schedule.  Yet the season took a turn for the worse for both these teams and only one has been able to right the ship since.   Illinois’s offense has completely fallen off the map in their four game losing streak averaging about 10 points a game.  Even if they put up 20, I do not see them being able to contain the Badgers.  Russell is in complete command at the helm of the 4^th ranked offense in the country.  I expect to see Montee pass the 30 TD mark tomorrow with both 16 and 28 getting more Heisman love after Weeden’s loss tonight.  Wisconsin 38 Illinois 10

Nebraska @ Michigan: If either of these teams has any hope of going to a BCS bowl, they must win to stay in the hunt.  Both teams have very similar offenses with a quarterback who can be magical on the ground but will make you cringe when they go to the air.   This will be a typical Big Ten game that is decided by the little things such as turnovers and penalties.  Denard has been a little bit more reckless with the football this season throwing six more interceptions than Martinez.  Expect Robinson to be flushed from the pocket forcing the ball and throwing a few late game turnovers.  This will allow Nebraska Back, Rex Burkhead, a chance to pack on the yards and close the game out for the Huskers.  Nebraska 24 – Michigan 17

Penn State @ Ohio State: The game of scandals!  The loser of this one will be officially eliminated from the Legends division race.  I personally do not think it will matter because Wisconsin will take care of business yet it could give the Badgers a little breathing room if the Buckeyes pull off a victory. I would be surprised to see more than 40 points in this one as Ohio State’s offense is 74^th in the country and Penn State’s is 102^nd.  Herron will bounce back from his performance last week and eclipse 100 yards for the fourth time in five weeks and get two scores to help lead OSU to the victory.  Ohio State 20 – Penn State 14

Kansas State @ Texas:  How Texas is still a ranked team is a mystery to me but then again so is Baylor.  The BCS computers seem to love these Big 12 teams but maybe that will change after this weekend.  That being said, I also don’t understand how Kansas State is getting 9.5 points in this game.  Apparently most of America has not been watching Colin Klein the past couple of weeks.  If I had not been making a case for Russell and Montee for Heisman over the past few weeks it would have been most certainly for Klein.  He leads the nation in rushing TDs so expect him to scurry in the end zone for at least a pair tomorrow.  Yes, you heard me right, Kansas State’s QUATERBACK leads the nation in rushing touchdowns and he is not too bad at throwing the ball either.  He is a hell of a leader and will be the X factor in the game tomorrow. Kansas State 34 – Texas 28

SMU @ Houston: College Gameday’s crew heads down to Houston for the first time in the show’s history. It just happens to be a historic time for the Cougars as well as they are on pace to attend their first ever bowl game.  This would be a huge boost for the football program in Houston as they have only won one bowl win in the past 30 years.  In fact, they have only attended 20 bowl games in school history.  The Cougars are led by Heisman hopeful Case Keenum who is shattering every record possible for quarterbacks.  It will be just another day in the office for Case tomorrow as the Mustangs an offensive weapon like Keenum.  The Cougars continue their undefeated run with a C-USA championship looming in the future with Southern Mississippi.  Houston 58 – SMU 27   

**On a side note, I also expect Iowa to lose tomorrow at Purdue.