After another victory predicting games, No. 1 (Jon Styf) is making a push to close out this matchup.
At 27-7, No. 1 keeps racking up the wins. Strong performances from the University of Michigan, Oklahoma, MSU and Wisconsin propelled him to a 4-1 record last week.
The only problem is that college football reality is changing. If Michigan can score 31 points in the fourth quarter, then anything can happen. So, No. 2 (Jon Malavolti) can hold onto the hopes of making a miracle comeback of his own from his 18-16 whirlwind of a season.
He's staring a .500 record in the eye, and unlike baseball or the NFL, a .500 record just doesn't cut it as a prognosticator.
No. 25 Minnesota vs. No. 15 MSU
No. 1 - The Spartans have been playing out of their minds and have really only been challenged by one good team, No. 9 Iowa, this season.
The problem here is that the Spartans, who will likely be without defensive star Greg Taplin, are playing on the road, in a dome and against a team that can run the football as well as any other.
This Spartans team has surprised almost everyone so far this season, with the same players (minus Charles Rogers) that went 4-8 last year. But, the magical tour will hit a bump in the road Saturday at the Metrodome.
Minnesota 39, MSU 30
No. 2 - Minnesota has won the past two meetings between the schools. It began this season 6-0 and was looking forward to continuing both streaks this Saturday. But the Gophers didn't count on a Michigan drive late in the game, led by John Navarre, to put an end to their perfect season.
How does a team that was just beginning to get the national attention it deserves just blow it like that? Simple. All you have to do is check out the nonconference schedule of the Gophers, which included such powerhouses as Troy State and Louisiana-Lafayette, and you'll figure out why the Gophers were completely unprepared for Big Ten play. Glen Mason will not get his 100th career win this weekend.
MSU 31, Minnesota 21
No. 17 Michigan vs. Illinois
No. 1 - This is a laughable matchup. With the Illini down and nearly out for the count and U-M still in a must-win situation to remain in the conference title race, there will be plenty of encouragement for the Wolverines to run it up in this one. This is almost too easy.
U-M 45, Illinois 2
No. 2 - Comparing my record to baseball I can handle, but Michigan's comeback? That's low. But back to predictions, as crazy as mine might seem.
The Wolverines won't need to come back from any deficits this game. They will jump on top of the Illini from the get-go and never look back. Good-bye, Ron Turner; hello, Wolverines avoiding their worst start in, well, a while.
U-M 38, Illinois 10
No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Iowa
No. 1 - One team that might be overrated more than any other this season is the Iowa Hawkeyes. And I'm not just saying that because the Spartans beat up on the Hawks on their trip to East Lansing.
The fact that Iowa is considered so much better than Minnesota and Wisconsin in the polls is questionable. So, for one writer, this is again an easy pick. Although the Buckeyes are struggling to find any sort of offense this season, they have the strongest rushing defense in the country.
With talk of dirty play brewing all week, Ohio State has something to prove, which is always a dangerous thing.
OSU 28, Iowa 16
No. 2 - The Buckeyes are mad. They're mad about losing. They're mad about their snapped 19-game winning streak. But the Hawkeyes are mad, too. They tied Ohio State for the conference title last season, yet got shafted by the BCS.
Choke artist Robert Reynolds won't be ringside, er, on the sidelines for this brutal Big Ten match, but this game will be intense enough without the suspended Buckeyes linebacker.
The Buckeyes boast the No. 1 rush defense in the country, so it's doubtful Hawkeyes running back Fred Russell will find any holes, except the ones in his own defense after Craig Krenzel and the defending champs are done with them.
OSU 24, Iowa 14
No. 23 Oklahoma State vs. Texas Tech
No. 2 - This Big 12 matchup will be a nail-biter, and I'm not talking about fingernails; I mean genuine steel nails. The Big 12 is that tough.
Red Raiders quarterback B.J. Symons is putting up some flu-season (sick) numbers. He averages just fewer than 500 yards a game (492.3) this season.
The Cowboys' defense will be the toughest test for the trigger-happy Texans because its allowing only 14.5 points a game. If Oklahoma State can contain Symons, it will win.
OSU 31, Texas Tech 24
No. 1 - Symons has put up the numbers this season, but then again, so has Oklahoma superstar Rashaun Woods, the second best receiver in the country behind Pitt's Larry Fitzgerald.
Tatum Bell of Oklahoma State is the better running back, because, let's be honest, the Red Raiders don't have a running game. Either way, the Cowboys are on a roll and it won't even be a good game here.
OSU 42, Texas Tech 21
Army vs. East Carolina
No. 2 - Multiply the win total of these teams by any number you want, and I'm no math major, but I'm pretty sure you'll end up with a big fat zero. That's because neither of these teams have won a game all season.
This game might not affect the BCS standings, but it will mean a lot to the winning team, because it will probably be the only chance for a W these teams have all season, maybe all millennium.
Army 3, East Carolina 0 (2 0T)
No. 1 - With East Carolina star David Garrard gone and playing behind Byron Leftwich and Mark Brunell in Jacksonville, the Pirates have struggled. But they have stayed close to decent teams such as Houston, Wake Forest and North Carolina.
They are nowhere near as bad as Army, which starts a sophomore quarterback, running back and wide receiver, so maybe they'll be good someday. Their version of Aaron Alexander, a junior wide receiver, might be the team's only hope.
East Carolina 34, Army 21
