Big 10 Picks Week 10

Last Week 3-1 Season 56-12. This is the toughest week of the year so far to pick games as 5 of the 6 could go either way. There is only 1 lock on the docket. (watch me miss that game)

Nebraska 31 Northwestern 28
Minnesota 35 Indiana 31
Penn State 38 Illinois 21
Michigan 23 Michigan State 20
Ohio State 52 Purdue 7
Wisconsin 28 Iowa 17

Final Score

 
          34                                 23

Significant program loss. I like Bo. But the facts are these. There are 2 possible wins left on the schedule and 0 guarantees. They can't score enough to beat Michigan State and they won't win on the road against Michigan or Penn State. So best case scenario is they beat Northwestern and Iowa at home and finish 7-5. That won't be good enough nor should it be.

Gameday#7 Minnesota Edition

VS

It's hard to believe but historically Minnesota has an edge in this series 29-22-2. What makes that so hard to believe is Nebraska has won the last 16 contest between the teams dating back to 1960. And most of those games have not been close. Of course the most lopsided and maybe famous was played 30 years ago when Nebraska beat Minnesota 84-13 in the HHH Metrodome. For the first 3 or 4 decades of the last century Minnesota was THE football power in the Midwest those days are long gone.

The news is not entirely grim for the Golden Gophers. This is a better Minnesota team than many of the ones who have gone painfully down to defeat to Nebraska in the last 50 years. Last week they upset Northwestern and carry a 5-2 Record into the game. They are also playing for their coach Jerry Kill who has taken some time away from the game to deal with his on going battle with Epilepsy. Kill is one of the really good guys and everyone hopes he beats it and returns to the sidelines and more importantly that he gets well again.

2 Years ago when these teams played in Minneapolis it was about a 50/50 Crowd. This year Minnesota is hoping for more of a split though anything more than 60/40 for the Gophers seems unlikely. It is suppose to be a "cold" game with temps at kickoff around 40. It's not official but it seems that Taylor Martinez will be back at QB for Nebraska. This of course is causing much chagrin in Huskerdom because they hate Taylor Martinez because...well just because they don't need a reason they are the worlds greatest fans. Even if they secretly hope their QB gets hurt or loses the game because well...they hate him. That's what the worlds greatest fans do right?

This is a better Minnesota team than the last 2 and maybe the last several Nebraska has seen. This could very possibly be a close football game if Nebraska is as sloppy offensively as they were against Purdue. Still if Nebraska takes care of the football and doesn't beat itself it should win the football game. Especially against a Minnesota team that isn't a great offensive team and has questions of it's own at QB. Plus Nebraska's defense seems to be getting better every game.

Count's Krystal Bawl
Nebraska 38
Minnesota 17

BIG 10 Picks Week 9

7-2 the last 2 week 53-11 Season.

Nebraska 38 Minnesota 17
Michigan State 24 Illinois 10
Ohio State 38 Penn State 28
Iowa 24 Northwestern 20

The Iowa-Northwestern game is a case of when in doubt go with the home team. Northwestern is the better team but they are hurt and down in their own shit. The other 3 games could all be competitive but I feel pretty sure of the picks.

Final Score

         44                                   7

Gamday #6 Purdue Edition

VS

Well Purdue has history on their side.  Ok they've played once and that was in 1958 so take that for what it's worth. There are easier places to play than Ross-Aide Stadium (Just ask Ohio State) but outside of a spirited showing against Notre Dame Purdue has been dreadful. The used their bye week to move their starting QB to safety and are going with a True Freshman at QB Saturday. Nebraska's QB situation is also up in the air but if it's Tommy Armstrong again he's shown no signs of being overwhelmed by the atmosphere. Of course with tickets going for $3 on secondary ticket sites how overwhelming will the atmosphere be?

The Blackshirts showed some growth Saturday against Illinois and have only given up 22 points in the last 7 quarters. I suspect this gets ugly...

Counts Krystal Bawl

Nebraska 49
Purdue 17

Big 10 Picks Week 7 and 8

3-2 Last week 43-9 on the season. The Big surprise was Indiana beating Penn State easily. A mild surprise was Michigan State. Certainly not that they won but that they won a little bit of offense. With their Defense a little bit of offense might be all they need.


Week 7
Nebraska 49 Purdue 17
Michigan State 24 Indiana 14
Wisconsin 31 Northwestern 24
Michigan 27 Penn State 17.

Week 8.
Michigan 38 Indiana 17
Ohio State 31 Iowa 14
Wisconsin 41 Illinois 21
Northwestern 42 Minnesota 13
Michigan State 30 Purdue 3.

Final Score

  
                  39                                           19

Best game Nebraska has played all year. For 3 quarters at least. To paraphrase famous words of Johnny Dollar "no not that Johnny Dollar, the Johnny Dollar who sang country music and drank himself into suicide" in the 4th quarter the Wheels Kinda Fell Of Wagon.

Weather was a story. Early on walking around Lincoln with temps in the 40's and the wind blowing 30 miles and hour it was nippy to say the least. And seeing as how the temperature until today have been around 80 it really felt a shock to the system. In the first half the sun came out and it actually felt didn't feel too bad. Then at the end of the first half and for the rest of the game the sun went behind the clouds and the second half was nippy again. 

The Good...

Ameer Abudllah had the best game of his career and ran like a man possessed rushing for 225 yards.
Kenny Bell made an unhuman one handed catch for a touchdown in the second half.
The Defense gave up yards but also made plays. More than they've made in any game this season.
Nebraska pretty much shut down the Illinois passing game and actually made several plays behind the line of scrimmage.
Tommy Armstrong looked more like a Freshman today but still looked calm and smooth running the offense.
Even in the wind kickoffs and the one punt were outstanding again today. Nebraska also made both of their field goals.

The Not So Good...

The Defense had it's best game against a good offense but still got gashed at times in the running game.
You can not miss extra points let alone 2. Inexcusable.
Nebraska could have scored 3 more TD's in the 4th quarter and only got 3 points. Missing a wide open pass on 4th and goal at the 2 and fumbling at the 20 before making a 33 yard kick to conclude scoring.
What game was this officiating crew watching? Good Lord they were sorry. Holding might as well be legal on passing plays. A late hit on a play when Nebraska hit the QB in bounds. The no calls on the illegal pick plays. Not allowing Nebraska's defense to properly set up. B1G officials are awful.

 All an all it was a feel good day for Nebraska football. It wasn't perfect and you wish they would have closed the show a little better. Still as a Nebraska fan you have to feel better than you've felt after any game this year. And as for all the people who picked Illinois to win this game...go ahead and say it. You knew Illinois wasn't any good in the first place. Am I right? P.S. Time to cut back tickets to students. If they aren't going to show up and leave in the 2nd quarter give the tickets to people who will use them. Yes it was at times uncomfortably cool out with the wind blowing like a Fox News Blonde. But still it was 50 degrees not -5 If the kiddies don't want to use the tickets there are lots of other people who do.

Gameday #5 Illinois Edition

VS


The last time Nebraska played Illinois was on September 20th 1986 in Champaign, Illinois when on that date at halftime they retired the great hall of fame linebacker Dick Butkus' jersey. With Illinois behind 38-0 at half Butkus told the crowd to enjoy the rest of the game and rolled his eyes. Nebraska ended up winning 59-14. And for most a similar score seemed to be in order this season. But Illinois has seemingly been better than advertised with their one loss being in a spirited effort against a fine Washington team. Nebraska's defense is at least so far worse than it was feared they might be. And it was feared it might be pretty bad. Plus Redshirt Freshman Tommy Armstrong is getting his second start at QB this weekend. Add it all up and the Illini are a trendy pick to pull the upset.

On the weather front No rain or severe weather is in the forecast but it is suppose to be by far the coolest game of the year with temps topping out in the mid to low 50's. The temperature is expected to be about 48 or so at the 11 O'Clock kickoff.

For Bo Pelini's sake Nebraska needs to win this game. Win this game and beat Purdue and Minnesota and maybe the team picks up momentum for the tough, tough, tough November stretch. But lose this game and his tenuous grasp on the head coaching job at the University of Nebraska may begin to slip out of his control.

I am not sure what to expect tomorrow except both teams will score some points...Nebraska scores a couple of touchdowns more...

Count's Krystal Bawl...

Nebraska 38
Illinois 24

Big 10 Picks Week 6

4-0 Last week 43-7 on the season.

The conference schedule starts in earnest and this is an intriguing week of match-ups in the B1G. Ohio State @ Northwestern might be a B1G Championship game preview. Nebraska and Illinois figure to put up some points and Penn State @ Indiana might be fun as well although Indiana still oftentimes looks suspiciously like Indiana especially defensively.

The most intriguing game of the week might be Michigan State @ Iowa. Iowa has a very average offense. Michigan State has no offense. Iowa has a very good defense. Michigan State has a world class defense. For people like me who bemoan the death of defense in college football this might be the game to watch. 17 points will probably take this game.

Nebraska 38 Illinois 24
Iowa 17 Michigan State 14
Michigan 31 Minnesota 14
Ohio State 35 Northwestern 28
Penn State 37 Indiana 28