Week 12: Plenty O' Nuttin'

Standings
1. Draper (39-15, 2-9 upset)
2. Seeberg (36-18, 5-6 upset)
3. Schweinfurth (35-19, 0-11 upset)
4. Hoying (33-21, 1-10 upset)

We hope you enjoyed the last two earth-shattering weeks across the college football landscape, which saw our beloved Buckeyes' playoff hopes unceremoniously dashed and then resurrected as the world crumbled around them. Because you're not going to enjoy this week. There's a total of one ranked matchup, so that's all you're going to get (along with going through the motions of picking Ohio State to disintegrate Illinois).

Michigan Wolverines @ Wisconsin Badgers
Draper: So does Michigan have anything left? This has been a year of wild swinging Wolverine emotions that has settled down to: maybe losing our entire defense to the NFL might hurt our team this year.  Enter Brandon Peters who has looked decent in relief (although White Goodman with the chicken legs would have been an upgrade), but the Badgers D has turned up the heat.  I'm still not 100% sold on Wisconsin (yes, they trashed Iowa who trashed OSU, but you'll see in last weeks picks that I totally expected that), but I think they'll be able to handle a mediocre young QB in their house.  Michigan does still have a pretty good defense (even though PSU took care of them in the whiteout, but the slow and steady Badgers just sit on them with their 500 lb fat guys.  The inexorable Bucky moves on.  UM: 10 -- UW: 19
Hoying: Finally we'll get to see if these overrated hacks can get a win over a team ranked in the top 50 or so. But enough about Michigan...Wisconsin has played very steady all year, not having to sweat a game in the 4th quarter (except mayyybe Northwestern). Can the Wolverines turn the heat up in Camp Randall? I don't think they'll be able to match the Badgers from a motivation factor. This is practically a one-game season for the Badgers, while Michigan may have other upcoming battles to worry about. Peters has looked OK replacing O'Korn, but he hasn't really had to do anything yet. This week he'll have to chase down DBs after throwing picks all over the field in a vain attempt to lead the Wolverines back against a punishing Badger D. Michigan's late season slide starts...now. UM: 13--UW: 20
Schweinfurth: Does anyone really think this game will be competitive? I don't. Michigan has been thrashing teams they are supposed to whip. Wisconsin has been steadily rolling along. Johnathan Taylor has looked like a beast behind the Badgers' large mammals. No Jazz Peavy could make it interesting, but Wisconsin just grinds the Harboogers down for the Bucks next week. UM: 10--UW: 35
Seeberg:  Well the Wolverines are back in the rankings.  Anybody think they'd see the day when a 3-loss MSU team would be 7 spots ahead of a 2-loss UM team?  Further proof that times have changed...but wait!  Isn't the Khaki-nator going to bring UM back to prominence?  Well it's season three and so far, not so much.  Conference relevance (barely) and that's about it thus far.  Meanwhile, Wisconsin's defense allowed a big fat goose egg to Iowa last week (you know, the same team that somehow hung 48 offensive points on our Buckeyes the week before), as the Hawkeyes managed only two pick-sixes to get on the scoreboard.  In any event, a good defense going up against what the Wolverines trot out as a purported offense is not a good recipe for a victory.  Enjoy returning to the ranks of the unranked, maize and blue.  UM: 10--UW: 21

Illinois Fighting Illini @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: Let's be honest, this game should be about one thing and one thing only: sending JT Barrett out of the Shoe on a high note. He has been here for his 123 years and in true Aaron Craftinan manner, caused fits for all the Buckeye foes.  He deserves to be sent out on a high note, as does all time starts king Billy Price.  These seniors have been involved in a fantastic four (five) years) and deserve the praise and accolades coming to them.  There is a game this week, but Illinois just plain sucks...they're the suckiest bunch of sucks who ever sucked (sorry, Buttgers).  There is absolutely no reason for this to be close after the first quarter (it better not be).  Don't take it lightly because I remember another Senior Day vs. Illinois as my last home game in the band (psst...it didn't go well).  This should be a shellacking and the crowd should give these seniors (especially JT) their warmest thanks.  We are lucky to have had them represent the school.  Keep rocking and hope for more chaos! Ill: 9 -- OSU: 52
Hoying: I don't even know what to say about this game. You saw Ohio State play the likes of Rutgers, and Maryland, and Nebraska earlier this year. Well, Illinois is worse than those teams. By a lot. Booker and Baker (and Candlestick Maker) should be back to roam the field again this week for the Silver Bullets, and it'll be interesting to see if last week's phenomenally successful LB shakeup will continue now that the regular guys are back. Other than that, just don't lose. It would be bad. Ill: 6--OSU: 45
Schweinfurth: I did not see that coming. Seriously, I picked OSU 17-10 last week. THAT was the Buckeye team that needed to show up all year and did against Penn State. The zone read and down field passing have their place in the Bucks offense but this is a power running team. This game will be nothing but ground and pound from Dobbins and Weber (that forecast tomorrow is all rain). Nothing more is needed. Illinois is B. A. D. BAD. Keep the offense and defense rolling and on to everyone's favorite week of the year. The Bullets get the shutout for the seniors. Ill: 0--OSU: 45
Seeberg: I officially cannot figure this team out.  The only thing I know to be true- and I'm far from the only one- is that this team is virtually unstoppable on offense when the RBs get enough carries.  Remember, Zeke had 696 by himself rushing the ball in the last 3 games of 2014 and we all know how that season ended.  We may not have a transcendent talent at RB (though Dobbins is pushing to be just that), but the two-headed beast of Weber and Dobbins is every bit as formidable.  None of this should matter against Illinois, of course, but hopefully Urban, Kevin and Co. finally learned their lesson.  It's almost Xichigan week kids!  Ill: 3--OSU: 49

Upset Special
Draper: UVA over da U
Hoying: UCLA over USC
Schweinfurth: Minnesota over Northwestern
Seeberg:  Texas Tech over TCU