BIG TEN FOOTBALL FTC WHAT HAPPENED WEEK 10

I went 0-1 last Saturday.  Maybe I’m wrong, but it seems to me that back in the day, when it rained they just kept playing football. My predictions and pre-game comments can be found on my previous post, dated 11-2 (ATS Predictions - Week 10).

My Current Overall Record:  4-8

THE PLAYS

Michigan St. 27  Penn St. 24

Closing Line: Penn St. -10

FTC Prediction: Penn St. 34 Michigan St. 17

My ATS Pick: Penn St. -10

Result: Loss

I should have done better handicapping this game. The conditions for an upset were all in place and I knew it. I just couldn’t get the common denominator out of my mind; Michigan St. had just lost to a Northwestern team that Penn St. had beaten by over three touchdowns. And I didn’t expect the “out of nowhere pin-point accuracy” show from Michigan St. QB Brian Lewerke to pick up where it left off the prior Saturday. Lewerke was fantastic, best QB on the field that day.

THE NON-PLAYS

Rutgers 31  Maryland 24

Closing Line: Maryland -3.5

FTC Prediction: Maryland 38 Rutgers 31

My ATS Pick: Pass

I had this type of game envisioned, and was close with the score, but picked the wrong team. Rutgers didn’t need Janarion Grant to win this one. Nice win for the Scarlet Knights.

Purdue 29  Illinois 10

Closing Line: Purdue -14

FTC Prediction: Purdue 24 Illinois 10

My ATS Pick: Pass

I was pretty close to exact with my prediction. Much needed win for Purdue. QB David Blough left the game late with an injury. The new Illini QB, Cam Thomas, showed much improvement in his passing game against a Purdue defense that was obviously good enough, but did seem a bit listless at times.

Wisconsin 45  Indiana 17

Closing Line: Wisconsin -11.5

FTC Prediction: Wisconsin 34 Indiana 17

My ATS Pick: Pass

I was a little light with the amount of points I thought Wisconsin would put up, but for the most part, this game went pretty much as I forecasted. Wisconsin QB Alex Hornibrook is playing ok, but I think he’ll have to play better than he did in this game if Wisconsin is to get through the rest of the season undefeated. I figured Indiana to put up a fight, and they did, they just couldn’t stop the Wisconsin rushing attack. There’re games ahead for the Hoosiers  that are more winnable.

Iowa 55  Ohio St. 24

Closing Line: Ohio St. -20

FTC Prediction: Ohio St. 27 Iowa 13

My ATS Pick: Pass

Off the top of my head, before I sat down to handicap this one, I figured Ohio St. by 3 points, which would have been a play and a win for me here. But when I got to working on this one, I just couldn’t see Iowa scoring much. Certainly not the 55 they hung on the Buckeyes here. Iowa RB Akrum Wadley was the big play guy in this game, the Ohio St. big play guys I expected to hear from were nowhere to be found after the first half. Still, this is another game where all the conditions for an upset were in place and I knew it. I don’t blame myself for not picking Iowa to win straight up, and no one could have called for a blowout, but I shoulda had this one. I’m guessing many of the coaches in the conference were pleased to see Iowa HC Kirk Ferentz run up the score a bit towards the end, “Urban Meyer” style.

Northwestern 31  Nebraska 24  OT

Closing Line: Northwestern  - 2.5

FTC Prediction: Northwestern 27 Nebraska 24

My ATS Pick: Pass

This game ended in regulation at 24-24, so I was very close with my prediction. Both QBs (Nebraska’s Tanner Lee and NW’s Clayton Thorson) kind of cancelled each other out. Neither played as well as they did last week as both threw yet another interception, but they’re both still much improved from earlier in the season. As a peculiar side note: Once again the Vegas Line swung dramatically towards Northwestern in a short amount of time, and once again Northwestern covered in OT. As of last Thursday, Nebraska was favored by 1 point, and Saturday morning Northwestern is favored by 2.5. I don’t recall ever seeing that kind of movement in only a couple of days involving a line that tight. If it’s a big number like 25 points or more, maybe, but not when it’s single digits. Same thing happened a few weeks back when Northwestern beat Iowa in OT. Maybe I shouldn’t say anything more about this.

Michigan 33  Minnesota 10

Closing Line: Michigan -15.5

FTC Prediction: Michigan 22 Minnesota 7

My ATS Pick: Pass

I’ll be honest. The weather delay left me with no football to watch for a while, which made me drowsy after a full day of food, beer, and football. I tried to get into this game once it finally started, but kept nodding off. All reports, and the final score, indicate this game went pretty much as I envisioned though.

Previous posts:

Predictions Week 10