With a little advice from his lady-friend, Crone continues to shorten the distance between himself and Uncle Joey in the progs race. With two right picks, including Iowa over MSU, Crone improved to 8-9 on the year predicting games, while Uncle Joey - who went 1-2 over the weekend - dropped to 10-7. This week whoever wins the Red River Shootout could be the difference.
MSU vs. Illinois
Crone - So far so good with help from my girlfriend. She and I were surprised at how badly MSU (2-3 overall, 1-1 conference) got beat by Iowa (3-2, 1-1), but that's what happens when you have a chance to get touchdowns and you end up kicking field goals.
Illinois (2-3, 0-2) is not a good team, MSU is a decent team that played bad against Iowa. All MSU needs is some home cooking. My girlfriend is making something special - most points for MSU for the season.
MSU 31, Illinois 17
Uncle Joey - The Spartans burned me last weekend by losing so badly to Iowa. But I can't let one bad performance affect my prediction for this weekend's game against the lowly Fighting Illini, which only won one game last season, against intrastate rival Illinois St. Things haven't improved for head coach Ron Turner this season; his team is 2-3 overall, with an 0-2 Big Ten mark.
If the Spartans come to play with chips on their shoulders, this game should get them back to .500 and on track for a possible bowl berth.
MSU's defense last week was disappointing, especially since I expected a better effort after it shut out Indiana for an entire half the week before. Iowa quarterback Drew Tate, only a sophomore, had the best game of his career against MSU's soft pass coverage.
It's a new week for the Spartans and they say the emotional spark they played with so often in 2003 is back. Expect sophomore quarterback Drew Stanton to put up a third straight week of solid numbers and the defense to get back on track, for no better reason than Illinois is weak.
MSU 27, Illinois 20
No. 5 Texas vs. No. 2 Oklahoma
Crone - This is the year. Texas (4-0, 1-0) has the big time running back in Cedric Benson, who used Baylor as a warm up for the Sooners. Benson said he would rather win the Heisman than beat Oklahoma (4-0, 1-0). I think he can do both.
Oklahoma is overrated in my opinion. I don't like Jason White as quarterback and I think Texas will get enough pressure on him to force him to make plays with his legs, for once in his career. White won't be able to deal with the heat, but it will be close.
Hook'em Horns!
Texas 27, Oklahoma 24
Uncle Joey - Two words: Mack Brown. I've addressed this before, but this week it is especially relevant. Brown, Texas' head coach, has only beat the Sooners twice in six tries, his first two seasons at Texas. Oklahoma was unranked both times Texas won in 1998 and 1999.
On the opposite sideline, Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops practically owns the Longhorns. Stoops took over the Sooners' program in 1999 and has beat Texas every season but his first.
Eventually the John Cooper effect has to apply to Brown. Cooper coached Ohio State for 13 seasons but only beat Michigan, the Oklahoma to Brown's Texas, once in his final six seasons in Columbus.
Maybe the Texas brass will fire Brown after he loses to Oklahoma for the fifth straight time.
Oklahoma 56, Texas 10
No. 14 Michigan vs. No. 13 Minnesota
Crone - If Michigan (4-1, 2-0) is going to lose the Big Ten title, they usually get beat at home by the team who wins it. There are a lot of people out there that think the Golden Gophers (5-0, 2-0) can be that team.
But Michigan will have something to say about it. The Wolverines will have to get the ball to Braylon Edwards at least 10 times. I think it will be more like 15 and somehow, someway, U-M will neutralize the Minnesota running game.
U-M 31, Minnesota 30
Uncle Joey - On the field, the key to this game will be the performance of Minnesota's running backs. But the real question is the Gophers' mental state going into this game. Minnesota hasn't beat U-M since 1986, but the Gophers should have ended that streak last season, when it was on the wrong end of one of the greatest comebacks in 2003 college football.
Minnesota was leading U-M 28-7 at home going into the fourth quarter last season. The Gophers proceeded to give up 31 fourth-quarter points and lose to the Wolverines 38-35.
I'll give Minnesota the benefit of the doubt and say last year's loss to U-M is ancient history. Minnesota's running backs are too good and U-M's rush defense has been suspect. Here's to me enjoying a cold one at my favorite Ann Arbor bar, The Brown Jug, named after the trophy presented to the winner of this game, on Saturday night after U-M takes one to the gut. For real.
Minnesota 24, U-M 21
