The Spartans will be looking for a little "Magic" to beat Ohio State, so the prognosticators decided to look to Earvin for some help. After all, head coach John L. Smith did say that he has used "magic" all season to turn the Spartans' fortunes around.
At 25-18, No. 2 will have a tough time catching up to No. 18, who, at 34-9, has seen twice the success of his counter-Jon this season. Unless No. 2 wins out, he won't have a shot at the crown.
No. 7 Ohio State vs. No. 14 MSU
No. 18 - I bragged after starting the season 4-0 picking the Spartans, but have paid the price since, going 2-2 in the past four. This week will be different, with MSU having the advantage of playing against a weak offense that they can attack. Ohio State is primed to be upset again.
This will be a low-scoring battle the whole way, with the Buckeyes' defense playing awesome, while their offense tends to sputter. Last weekend, the Spartans dressed a new No. 18, John Van Dam. It has become the team's number, with Dave Lesmeister and Jason Daily sharing the number, so all I can say to John L. Smith is that he should suit me up, because I'm ready to go. MSU is pumped after the loss, and this one looks like an upset in the making.
MSU 19, Ohio St. 10
No. 2 - It's tempting to recall the 1998 clash between these two clubs, but this year, MSU enters the game with just as much on the line as the Buckeyes - the Big Ten title and a BCS bowl-game bid. The last time MSU went on the road and defeated a ranked conference opponent? This was it, a 28-24 upset win for MSU against then-No. 1 Ohio State.
The Spartans will be more than ready for this game. Greg Taplin will be at full strength and the rest of the team is hungry to bounce back after the tough loss to their rivals.
No Maurice Clarett means no offense for the Buckeyes. No. 13 doomed them back in August.
MSU 28, Ohio St. 24 (Just for kicks)
No. 10 Iowa vs. No. 16 Purdue
No. 2 - The Hawkeyes have struggled on the road this season in the Big Ten and this game will be no different for Iowa, as Purdue's spread offense will stretch out the score and their secondary.
BCS bids are on the line for both schools as they battle it out. Who'll get the all-important 'W' and "quality win" The Hawkeyes.
Iowa 20, Purdue 17
No. 18 - Although Iowa had a dream season last year, clearly this is a different Hawkeyes team. Nathan Chandler is not a good enough quarterback to beat an attacking defense like Purdue's.
Purdue coach Joe Tiller failed to adjust to the blitz against Michigan two weeks ago, but his team decided to take it out on Northwestern with a 34-14 win last week. This should be one of the best games of this Big Ten season, but the Boilermakers will come away with a victory.
Purdue 28, Iowa 20
No. 5 Virginia Tech vs. No. 25 Pittsburgh
No. 2 - How did the Hokies respond to losing their undefeated status? By stealing Miami's.
Many will concentrate on the two Heisman hopefuls -Kevin Jones and Larry Fitzgerald. But the Hokies will shut down the NCAA touchdown reception leader, Fitzgerald, and Pitt will fall out of the rankings as they learn that one player doesn't make a team.
Va. Tech 28, Pitt 20
No. 18 - Fitzgerald is all the hype, but his counterpart, Virginia Tech cornerback DeAngelo Hall, will have to wait for his chance to stop the wideout. He is suspended for the first half of this weekend's game after being involved in a fight against Miami last weekend.
Pittsburgh has talent, but the Panthers don't have enough to beat the surging Hokies.
Va. Tech 32, Pitt 30
No. 6 Miami vs. No. 18 Tennessee
No. 18 - The Hurricanes are mad, and they have plenty to prove after being demolished by Virginia Tech last weekend.
Not only is the team enraged by the loss, it also is upset about a play that coach Larry Coker said was more malicious than Ohio State linebacker Robert Reynolds' choking of Wisconsin quarterback Jim Sorgi. During the play, backup defensive lineman Santonio Thomas was blocked from behind, nearly 10 yards from the play, by Hokies center Jake Grove. The situation is being reviewed by the Big East. Either way, Miami is upset and it should be.
Miami 38, Tennessee 14
No. 2 - The Miami team that showed up at Virginia Tech last weekend wasn't the team we all know.
The team had a hiccup against a solid Hokies squad last weekend, and it won't happen again. Tennessee is in trouble, 'nuff said.
Miami 34, Tennessee 17
No. 11 Texas vs. No. 21 Oklahoma State
No. 2 - Poor Texas, they could be conference champs anywhere in the nation except the Big 12, where a loss to South rival Oklahoma ended the team's dreams of going to New Orleans.
Or maybe it's poor Oklahoma State. The Cowboys host the Longhorns one week after the Sooners tossed them around like their little brother last week, 52-9. Texas will clean up and pick up on the road in this one.
Texas 42, Oklahoma St. 27
No. 18 - Oklahoma State is dangerous coming off last weekend's loss. As far as Texas being a conference champion anywhere else, that is wrong. The SEC and Big Ten are two more conferences they couldn't win. Time will show that claim is wrong. Texas will win, but the game will be close.
Texas 38, Oklahoma St. 32
