#6 Penn State (-12) @ Purdue
Detlef: Well bjl63 & I survived our trip to Happy Valley and we were impressed with Penn State. Very good offense, good special teams. The run defense needs some work, but won't get tested this week against a very one-dimensional Purdue offense. Meantime, Purdue's defense got ran on consistently by a mediocre Notre Dame running game. This is Joe Tiller's last year and I hope it ends in misery. Penn State rolls here, even on the road. PENN STATE.
Hector Villanueva: Penn State
Victory Illinois Varsity: Penn State
UI Pike: Purdue
Brumby: When Joe Tiller came into the league, Joe Paterno thought Tiller ran a crazy offense that really wasn't football. Now? Paterno's team runs a similar offense better than Tiller's team could ever dream of doing. I look for Penn State to roll in this game. PENN STATE.
#12 Florida (-22) @ Arkansas
Detlef: Is the Legend of Urban Meyer really a myth? Frankly Florida's offense is as imaginative as stuff I saw at Joliet West High School, circa 1989. The shocking part of last week's home loss to Ole Miss is how Florida's defense got torched. My hero, Florida AD Jeremy Foley, cannot be happy. Meantime, Arkansas is experiencing growing pains with its carpetbagging new coach, Bobby Petrino. They barely beat Louisiana-Monroe and got pulverized by Texas. I say Florida wins here but goes through the motions, giving Arkansas the dreaded back door cover. ARKANSAS.
Hector Villanueva: Arkansas
Victory Illinois Varsity: Florida
UI Pike: Arkansas
Brumby: Florida is coming off of a brutal loss, and Arkansas is struggling to play like Bobby Petrino wants them to. I have a feeling Florida beats them, probably by about twenty, but they don't cover the 22. ARKANSAS.
#13 Auburn (-3.5) @ #19 Vanderbilt
Detlef: ESPN's GameDay is going to Nashville. Has Earth stopped revolving on its axis? Vanderbilt is not flashy but has a good defense and does not beat itself, sort of like Northwestern's Rose Bowl team. Meantime, Auburn has an identity crisis on offense. Is it trying to be a smash-mouth run game like last season? Or a run n gun offense? Given its offensive ineptitude, I say Vanderbilt wins and the Commodores fire a direct hit on the Good Ship Tuberville. VANDERBILT.
Hector Villanueva: Auburn
Victory Illinois Varsity: Vanderbilt
UI Pike: Vanderbilt
Brumby: Gameday is in Nashville for the first time ever in your weekly great SEC game. I think Auburn has too much. AUBURN.
#4 Missouri (-10) @ Nebraska
Detlef: While I am still not sold on Missouri's defense, its offense is too good for just about anyone in the Big 12 except Oklahoma or Texas. Nebraska will see better days under Bo Pellini but I envision Nebraska's Blackshirt defense getting torched by Chase Daniel & Jeremy Maclin. Will Pellini get another 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for yelling at officials. I say yes, and it won't make a difference. MISSOURI.
Hector Villanueva: Missouri
Victory Illinois Varsity: Nebraska
UI Pike: Missouri
Brumby: It is going to be interesting to see how Nebraska plays against the Missouri offense. The blackshirts didn't look too good last week against Virginia Tech, but this is a conference game and Nebraska is looking to get back on top of the Big XII North. I think Missouri wins a close one. NEBRASKA covers.
Illinois @ Michigan (-2)
Detlef: My Illini Mug remains half-full. The offense looked good against Penn State. Now the defense....fortunately Michigan is running a square peg offense with round hole talent. Michigan's defense will present a test for Illinois. Michigan is only giving up 88 yards rushing per game. If Illinois can run on Michigan, it should set up some slant patterns for Arrelious Benn and the occassional deep pass. Meantime, Illinois must tackle on defense. Oh, and can we see some solid kick coverage? I say Illinois wins on a late drive and beats Michigan for the first time since 1999. ILLINOIS.
Hector Villanueva: Illinois
Victory Illinois Varsity: Illinois
UI Pike: Illinois
Brumby: Well, I would not be shocked with any outcome in this game. I don't think Michigan is a better team than Illinois, but I also don't think Illinois is a better team than Michigan. Had Michigan not come back and beaten Wisconsin last week, I would have not even thought twice about this and had them beating Illinois. Now? I think Illinois is upset with its performance in Happy Valley, and Michigan may be a little happy after winning their Big Ten opener again. If Illinois doesn't win this game, the season could start to tailspin, so I think they are hyped up early for the game, but then it becomes close as the Illini simmer down. Look for Illinois to put the game away in the fourth quarter. ILLINOIS.