#8 Texas Tech @ #23 Kansas (-1)
Victory Illinois Varsity: This may be on of the most entertaining games of the weekend, especially if you like the phrase, "Harrell to Crabtree." KU is 97th in pass defense in the country and Tech's explosive pass offense is well documented. I think KU might be the better overall team, but I think Tech is able to exploit their weakness. TAKE TECH.
bjl63: No rest for the weary in the Big XII as two more high-flying offenses match up yet again. Mark Mangino looks like a blueberry dressed up in KU blue, but he knows his offense and has shown thus far that last year's 12 win team is not a fluke. Tech's Graham Harrell lights up the stat sheet like a pinball machine, but KU's Todd Reesing can get it done just fine having heaved 17 TD passes thus far. If you like defense, stay away. Texas Tech 37, Kansas 33
Hector Villanueva: How "for real" is Texas Tech? Yes, their high powered offense always ranks near the top in the country. But, can they now go on the road and win a big conference game? That has been their M.O. in the past, can't win the big ones on the road. Kansas, though, is coming off of a hard fought, shoot out loss at Oklahoma. I fully expect the Jayhawks to bounce back and for this game to be every bit as high-scoring as last week's game. Pull up a chair, this gonna be a 4-hour game even despite the NCAA rule changes with the game clock! I like Kansas to rebound and win a big one at home. Take Kansas and the points. KANSAS
Brumby: Kansas has come off last season's surprising run and repeated a good solid season that has them back in the Top 25. While they will be at home, they are facing a team that plays directly into their weakness, passing defense. Look for Texas Tech to move the ball at will in the air, and win this game. TEXAS TECH.
#6 Oklahoma State @ #1 Texas (-13)
Victory Illinois Varsity: I really want to continue to doubt Texas. I really, really do. HOWEVUH, after the thrashing of Mizzou last week, a team I feel is better than the other OSU, it's mighty difficult. I can't see this being within 2 TDs unless I was off by a week and THIS is the week that Texas comes out flat. Hmmm... nah. TEXAS.
bjl63: It gets no easier for the Longhorns this week as they face their third top 10 opponent in as many weeks. They have aced the first two relatively easily, but the Cowboys showed they were legit by beating Mizzou on the road. OSU QB Zac Robinson completes over 70% of his throws but the Pokes rely on the running game, led by RB Kendall Hunter, more than most Big XII squads. You may think Robinson's completion percentage is outstanding, but then again you need to take a look at Colt McCoy's. He is more accurate than your average video game QB as his 81% rate is other-worldly. Another big performance and you might as well hand him the Heisman on Monday. Texas 45, OK State 31
Hector Villanueva: Wow, the Texas Express impressed again last week! 5 first half possessions, 5 first half touchdowns.....3 of which were drives of 80+ yards. That is what I would call DOMINANT! And, thanks for playing this year, Missourah....your national championship hopes were dashed before mid-October! Anyway, who would've thought about a month ago that this game would develop into a battle of Top 10 teams? Heck, many were saying Mike Gundy was on the hot seat before this season! This game will be tight as I expect a slight letdown from Texas this week after 2 big, emotional victories. But, I really do not think there is any stopping this Texas offense right now. Colt McCoy continues to lead the Heisman race and has another big day. But, the Pokes keep in close. Texas wins a tight game, but Oklahoma State covers the number. Take the Cowboys. OKLAHOMA STATE.
Brumby: Texas is the best team in the country this year, but they are facing their third straight high quality opponent. I think they win the football game, but it will be more like 10 points instead of the 13 needed to cover. Texas wins, but OKLAHOMA STATE covers.
#7 Georgia @ #13 LSU (-2.5)
Victory Illinois Varsity: Georgia is a tough team to figure out. If you look at their measurables, they should be destroying teams. Hell, if you look at their stats, they should be destroying teams. Go ahead, look at em. I'll wait....
Told ya. Case in point, last week vs. Vandy. Knowshon Moreno runs for 172 yards, AJ Green gets 132 through the air, the Dawgs outgain Vandy 425 to 245 and win at home.... 24-14. One of these weeks, the scoreboard is actually going to reflect the talent this team has. Let's say it's this one. TAKE GEORGIA TO WIN.
bjl63: The SEC is pretty much the antithesis of the Big XII as teams in the SEC actually play defense. It would be fun to see an LSU defense against the Texas offense, and for that to happen the Tigers need to hold serve this weekend at home. They rebounded nicely at South Carolina from the Florida debacle and now head back to the friendly confines to face the potent Bulldogs. In Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, the Dawgs probably have the two most potent offensive weapons in the conference and their defense can hold its own against an up and down LSU offense. It should be another thriller down in the Bayou. LSU 20, UGa 17
Hector Villanueva: I cannot put my finger on and get a gauge of both of these teams. Up, down, up, down. UGa, expectedly, squeaked out a tough home victory over a good Vanderbilt team. LSU competed, but never really had a chance to knock off Florida a few weeks ago. So, when will we see this Georgia team really turn it all on? The talent and experience is definitely there. LSU is in a "reloading" year, but Tiger Stadium is always a tough environment. However, this game is played during the DAY at Death Valley, so the Tiger advantage is not near what it is were this game at NIGHT (when Death Valley becomes a brewery!). Therefore, I gotta go with my guy, Mark Richt and the Bulldogs to win a close one. Take Georgia and the points. UGA.
Brumby: These two teams are tough to figure out, and when I come into that type of situation, I always take the home team to win the game, and since the spread is less than a field goal, take LSU to win and cover.
#3 Penn State (-2.5) @ #9 Ohio State
Victory Illinois Varsity: Going on gut, I have to take the #9 team in the nation +2.5 at home. Penn State has shown more over the course of the year, but I just have to. Ok, here's me justifying it. OSU was in the title game last year and returned a LOT of that same talent, but have been in the process of transitioning to a new style of offense. They're finally getting the kinks out. There. Better. TAKE OSU FOR MY 3RD UNDERDOG WIN OF THE WEEK (ugh, that's probably not gonna come through, is it?).
bjl63: This may be the best of many enticing matchups this weekend. Can Daryll Clark and the HD Spread solve tOSU's stingy defense? Can freshman phenom Terrelle Pryor beat his home-state U? The Nittany Lions have had their way with opponents pretty much all year and, have thrown both Michigan and Wisconsin aside like rag dolls the past two weeks. Beanie Wells is probably the key player here because if OSU can keep the ball away from Clark & Co.they win the game. That said, this PSU team is special and despite having little success in Columbus, I do not see them leaving town in a bad mood. PSU 27, OSU 22
Hector Villanueva: The premier game of the season for me. Penn State has been rolling through the season and just toying with opponents. Heck, Illinois has been their toughest test so far. Ohio State, though, impressed last week and demolished a very good Michigan State team. Terrelle Pryor continues to get better and better and playing on the home turf will make him even more confident. This is going to be an all out war, and it is too bad the Big Ten will be decided (not mathematically, of course) before the end of October (with the winner of this game). Illini fans who are still thinking Roses will need to root hard for Penn State. But, unfortunately for the Big Ten (and its BCS hopes), I think Ohio State wins a close game straight up. Take the Buckeyes and the points. OHIO STATE.
Brumby: JoePa has never beaten Ohio State in Columbus since Penn State joined the Big Ten, and this is probably going to be his best chance in the next thirty years of his career (yes, he will never retire, and they will just roll up his coffin to the side line to make decisions for them after his untimely death). Ohio State is looking to get back into the national championship picture while the rest of the country is hoping that Ohio State stays far, far away from the National Championship game. In Columbus, this will be a close game, but I just get the feeling this in Penn State's year, and they win this game by a field goal. PENN STATE.
Illinois (-1) @ Wisconsin
Victory Illinois Varsity: What the hell happened to Wisconsin? Anyone? Did the Michigan loss break them THAT badly? This week is a perfect time to make a stand against a better team that likes to make mistakes. Force turnovers and you win. Simple. But, do the Badgers even care anymore? They fought hard 3 weeks ago against tOSU, but have gotten absolutely hammered the last two weeks. Give em a standing 8 and take the ILLINI.
bjl63: This one's a tough call. Are the Badgers really THAT bad??? Aside from the choke job vs. Michigan, they have lost to three pretty good teams the last three weeks, and despite the PSU thumping Madison's still a tough trip despite the most overrated student section in college football. Since this is an early game and they are 0-4 in league play,expect a barren and unenthusiastic bunch of students. Sure, kids like to booze but even our students are showing up on time these days. But I digress. Despite the 0-4 record, Wisconsin is still a big name in Big Ten circles, so expect the Illini to be ready to play. I was skeptical they'd be up for IU but they came out with urgency and buried the Hoosiers early. If we can stop the Badger ground game, the game is ours and they have the worst batch of QBs in captivity. Lindquist, Liuget, and Brent hold the keys. If they dominate the line of scrimmage, the Illini win. There is blood in the water in Madison and the Illini need to be the shark this weekend. Me thinks they will. Illinois 30, Wisconsin 17
Hector Villanueva: The Illini finally turned up the heat last week and never looked back. It was a performance we were all looking for against a much inferior opponent. Too bad it came one week too late (ie. Illinois should've done the same thing to Minnesota!). Wisconsin, well, has just been bad. I mean real bad! They stunk up Kinnick Stadium (yes, it stunk even more than it already does!) and their QB play is just downright pathetic. Not to mention the injuries at RB and OLine are really starting to expose the recruiting misses of Brett Bielema. Weather forecasts are saying it could be a cold, windy, rainy, sloppy day in Madison so that is a bad, bad possibility for the Illini. Illinois is clearly the better team this year, but in these conditions and in desperate need for a win, the Badgers will be very, very tough to beat. A win here for Illinois erases the sting from the Minnesota loss and sets up a big home game next week with Iowa (I know I have now jinxed Illinois this week by talking my dad into buying a plane ticket from Texas to come to the Iowa game!)! But, in the true Illini way......when we hope for some of the stars to align......I think the Illini slip, our hopes get dashed, and the buzz for the 2:30 game next week gets thrown out the window. Unfortunately, Wisconsin wins the turnover battle and the Illini lose this game. Sorry, Detlef.....drown your sorrows at the Essen Haus......your wife will be the happy spouse today! Take the Badgers. WISCONSIN.
Brumby: If you told me before the season that Wisconsin would be looking to stop a four game losing streak when the Illini invaded Madison, I would have told you that you were speaking crazy talk. But, that is what the Badgers are doing. The Illini bounced back well from the loss to Minnesota by blowing out Indiana in Champaign last weekend, but now they have to travel to Madison, and winning there is never easy. The Illini should win, but I have dreams, okay nightmares, or Travis Beckhum finding the open space in the middle of the Illini defense all day, and Wisconsin breaks their losing streak. But, then I remember to what Juice Williams and Rejus Benn have done, and I think the Illini are going to have a pretty good shot up there. It will be a close game that comes down to the final possession, and I think Juice puts together the drive thanks to a lot of help from Benn, and the Illini end up winning by 3. ILLINOIS.