Standings:
1.) Draper 38-13 (1-9 upset)
1.) Schweinfurth 38-13 (1-9 upset)
3.) Seeberg 35-16 (3-7 upset)
4.) Hoying 34-17 (2-8 upset)
Both Big Ten teams from That State Up North are on the road today, each with its scumbag coach left in the dust (at least on gameday (maybe)). And who are we to judge which one brought more disgrace to his program? Actually, wait, it's Mel Tucker, like, by a lot. But what's been happening east of East Lansing has been way funnier and sent a much more deserving fanbase into a death spiral of total denial, desperate blamecasting, and overall meltdown mode going on three weeks now. Who knows what fever pitch it will reach if their beloved Cheat Weasels actually drop a game?
Michigan Wolverines @ Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions
Draper: Short posts from me as I'm facing down COVID Round 2. This game is being billed as the meeting of the powers of the B1G, but, while this is UM's first real game, I don't expect it to be the barnburner everyone else thinks. Being in Happy Valley is a huge plus for PSU, but their skill players simply aren't up to snuff. Drew Allar ain't it and the other pieces on offense shouldn't overwhelm the Wolverine defense. The PSU defense will frustrate the UM offense, but it won't be enough. JJ McCarthy make some key plays and UM goes 1-0 in the 2 game season. On a side note, I feel the suspension of Jim Harbaugh will galvanize this team rather than punish it. Harbaugh will be far more effective as a martyr than a sideline general. I'm just enjoying the insanity circling the program. UM: 23--PSU:13
Hoying: Remember all the talk through last season and into, oh, mid-October of this season about how 2023 was finally going to be Penn State's year? I remember when Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton were being held up as the anchors of the next elite running back unit in the Big Ten, even though Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards carved up the PSU defense just last season for 339 yards, and neither Michigan RB went anywhere over the last 12 months. At least, I think they didn't, although Blake doesn't seem to have his pop from last year. Perhaps too much tread was worn off the tires last season when he had to carry the entire offense on his back. Or perhaps the pressures of co-owning a vacuum repair business have proved too much for him this season. And Edwards just flat-out stinks this year. JJ McCarthy has looked the part, following up a sneaky-good 2022 campaign with a masterful effort this season, but the Wolverines haven't really needed him to be great so far. McCarthy has attempted all of 9 4th-quarter passes this season, not a one when the game was still in doubt. Penn State is good enough to stifle Michigan's nerfed ground game this year if they have a mind to; the outcome of this game will track whether JJ can produce under pressure. And whether Penn State can get anything going against what might be the nation's top defense. We've already seen them turn in a 15-straight-missed-3rd-downs clunker in Ohio Stadium; Michigan will be more than satisfied to win this game 6-3 and leap out of the frying pan. I look at this game and I see two very good teams, the one being slightly better at everything the other excels at. That should be enough to overcome home field advantage. Sadly, we won't get White Out levels of discomfort for JJ in this one. UM: 20--PSU: 10
Hoying: Remember all the talk through last season and into, oh, mid-October of this season about how 2023 was finally going to be Penn State's year? I remember when Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton were being held up as the anchors of the next elite running back unit in the Big Ten, even though Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards carved up the PSU defense just last season for 339 yards, and neither Michigan RB went anywhere over the last 12 months. At least, I think they didn't, although Blake doesn't seem to have his pop from last year. Perhaps too much tread was worn off the tires last season when he had to carry the entire offense on his back. Or perhaps the pressures of co-owning a vacuum repair business have proved too much for him this season. And Edwards just flat-out stinks this year. JJ McCarthy has looked the part, following up a sneaky-good 2022 campaign with a masterful effort this season, but the Wolverines haven't really needed him to be great so far. McCarthy has attempted all of 9 4th-quarter passes this season, not a one when the game was still in doubt. Penn State is good enough to stifle Michigan's nerfed ground game this year if they have a mind to; the outcome of this game will track whether JJ can produce under pressure. And whether Penn State can get anything going against what might be the nation's top defense. We've already seen them turn in a 15-straight-missed-3rd-downs clunker in Ohio Stadium; Michigan will be more than satisfied to win this game 6-3 and leap out of the frying pan. I look at this game and I see two very good teams, the one being slightly better at everything the other excels at. That should be enough to overcome home field advantage. Sadly, we won't get White Out levels of discomfort for JJ in this one. UM: 20--PSU: 10
Schweinfurth: I was hyped for this one in the preseason. Penn State finally had a quarterback to go along with a stout defense. Then the Ohio State game happened and Drew Allar was totally out of his element. The third and fourth quarters had some of the worst QB play I've seen since Joe Bauserman was throwing Bauserboms all over Lincoln. That's a bit troubling. Especially when you consider the Wolverines have found a rallying cry (even if it seems self serving to ask "why us"). I'm not going to dive too deep into the Harbooger stuff, other than to say it should be interesting to see what they look like without having precognition of the other team's play calls. Ultimately, Michigan wins because they have the better QB. I do think the cracks start to show, however. UM: 17--PSU:14
Seeberg: Here we are again folks, it's "Is This The Year James Franklin FINALLY beats UM/OSU" part II. Sadly, despite the absolute mind-boggling hilarity of the sh_tstorm ensuing in that state up north, the answer will still be "no". Why? Because it's James Franklin. A man who coaches big games with the bemused, aloof demeanor usually reserved for CEO's wives in luxury boxes wondering why yellow handkerchiefs are tossed so disdainfully on the ground and not in the pockets of suits. He acts consistently as if he literally has no say in the outcome- and given the nonexistent adjustments, coaches like it too. No white out this time to help either. Sorry, Buckeye Nation, the cheatin' train keeps rolling. UM: 20--PSU: 13
Mississippi Rebels @ Georgia Bulldogs
Draper: UGA has looked vulnerable against the <checks notes> 1 currently ranked team on the schedule. It's hard to pick against the dogs against a Lane Kiffin squad that fails in every big spot. I actually think there's a decent upset possibility here, but between the hedges should tilt this in favor of the Dawgs. Miss: 24--UGA: 27
Hoying: Everything I said about Georgia last week applies equally here, with the possible caveat that they may be a bit fatigued after a 4-quarter battle with Missouri. You're still not going to beat them without a great running game, and Ole Miss's is...fine. Better than Missouri's, at least, and the Tigers had the puck on the stick with a chance to take the lead late before a masterful big man interception. Of course, that was also due in part to a great defensive performance by Mizzou, helped in part by the Dawgs missing star TE Brock Bowers for the second straight week. With Bowers likely out this weekend as well, the door is open for the Rebs to grab a rare marquee win, but their defense always seems to let them down in against opponents of the Dawgs' caliber. Lane's usually good for 9-10 wins a year but he crumbles in the biggest games (accordingly, watch out for the Rebel-vanquished LSU to faceplant down the stretch). Much like the game above, pick the coach that actually wins these. Miss: 24--UGA: 31
Hoying: Everything I said about Georgia last week applies equally here, with the possible caveat that they may be a bit fatigued after a 4-quarter battle with Missouri. You're still not going to beat them without a great running game, and Ole Miss's is...fine. Better than Missouri's, at least, and the Tigers had the puck on the stick with a chance to take the lead late before a masterful big man interception. Of course, that was also due in part to a great defensive performance by Mizzou, helped in part by the Dawgs missing star TE Brock Bowers for the second straight week. With Bowers likely out this weekend as well, the door is open for the Rebs to grab a rare marquee win, but their defense always seems to let them down in against opponents of the Dawgs' caliber. Lane's usually good for 9-10 wins a year but he crumbles in the biggest games (accordingly, watch out for the Rebel-vanquished LSU to faceplant down the stretch). Much like the game above, pick the coach that actually wins these. Miss: 24--UGA: 31
Schweinfurth: Georgia has looked anything but like the world beaters everyone claims they are. Yes, injuries and title hangovers happen, but they are still a juggernaut. Ole Miss put a pretty good scare in to Bama, and they could again. This is the one game that could knock Georgia down a peg...but it won't happen. Miss: 21--UGA: 35
Seeberg: This could be a fun one. Mizzou hung with UGA last week; however, Mizzou is constructed much differently, with a solid D and passable offense. Never the case with a Lane Kiffin squad. The Rebels can score it, but I don't expect them to get enough stops to stay in it for four quarters. Bulldogs pull away late. Miss: 27--UGA: 38
Utah Utes @ Washington Huskies
Draper: Utah loves these type of games in which no one gives them a chance. Washington found super success on the ground vs. the hapless Trojan D, but Utah will provide a stiffer test. Penix needs to return to his earlier season form to run them out of the building. Utah will hang around, but they just don't have the offense to get it done. Utah: 17--UW: 27
Hoying: Offense, meet defense. Except Washington also has a defense. And Oregon, the team most similar to Washington, already faced Utah a couple weeks ago and the Duck offense didn't even pause to take a breath before running the Utes up and down the field. The Husky defense didn't look terrific last week against USC, but facing Caleb Williams is a bit different from Utah's anemic passing attack. This shouldn't be close. Utah: 17--UW: 34
Hoying: Offense, meet defense. Except Washington also has a defense. And Oregon, the team most similar to Washington, already faced Utah a couple weeks ago and the Duck offense didn't even pause to take a breath before running the Utes up and down the field. The Husky defense didn't look terrific last week against USC, but facing Caleb Williams is a bit different from Utah's anemic passing attack. This shouldn't be close. Utah: 17--UW: 34
Schweinfurth: I'll make this quick. Utah is scrappy, but they just don't have the offensive fire power. To me, the only hope the Utes have here is if the Huskies have a let down from the USC game. Utah: 13--UW: 42
Seeberg: As the other Steven has put it, this one is likely to look a lot like Oregon against the Utes. I would argue Oregon's D is maybe a touch better, but regardless, the Utes just can't move the ball much against a competent D, which the Huskies certainly possess. Honestly the 34 points the Utes scored against USC was stronger grounds for Alex Grinch's firing than 52 to Washington. Either way, Penix and Co. win comfortably. Utah: 10--UW: 31
Tennessee Volunteers @ Missouri Tigers
Draper: No clue what to do with these SEC East also-rans. Tennessee hasn't looked the part this year and Mizzou has been a fun little engine that could. I'll lean on the home side in the coin flips, but the Tigers laid it on the line coming up short against the Dawgs last week. Bobby Hill takes another L for the Vols. UT: 21--Mizz: 24
Hoying: Tennessee is ranked ahead of Missouri by the College Football Playoff Committee. Tennessee is favored to win this game on the road. I do not understand why. As stated above, Missouri lost a close matchup to Georgia last week, but that's as acceptable loss as you can cook up. Tennessee was dominated by the terrible Florida Gators back in September, and since then, they haven't accomplished anything the Tigers haven't. The Vols have a potent ground game, but so does Georgia, and Missouri was able to do an acceptable job bottling them up last week. I can see this one being a heartbreaker that goes down to the wire, but the memo has gone out: you're last year's feel-good story, Tennessee. Make way for the new team of (near-)destiny. UT: 20--Mizz: 24
Hoying: Tennessee is ranked ahead of Missouri by the College Football Playoff Committee. Tennessee is favored to win this game on the road. I do not understand why. As stated above, Missouri lost a close matchup to Georgia last week, but that's as acceptable loss as you can cook up. Tennessee was dominated by the terrible Florida Gators back in September, and since then, they haven't accomplished anything the Tigers haven't. The Vols have a potent ground game, but so does Georgia, and Missouri was able to do an acceptable job bottling them up last week. I can see this one being a heartbreaker that goes down to the wire, but the memo has gone out: you're last year's feel-good story, Tennessee. Make way for the new team of (near-)destiny. UT: 20--Mizz: 24
Schweinfurth: Missouri has been sneaky good this year. Tennessee still has several question marks on defense and the Joe Milton led offense can be stopped. This isn't 2022 anymore for the Vols. UT: 14--Mizz: 31
Seeberg: Are either of these teams good? Both of them looked like it for a half against the elite of the SEC before eventually losing by 2 scores. Then again, Mizzou gave up nearly half a hundred to LSU and Tennessee lost to the Gators. Whether either squad is legitimately good is still up for debate in November. The Vols are mistake-prone on offense, but the TIgers have forced only 8 turnovers all season. Joe Milton does just enough (I swear someone needs to do a show on Big 10 castoff QBs leading SEC squads) to get the win on the road. UT: 27--Mizz: 23
Michigan State Spartans @ THE Ohio State University Buckeyes
Draper: MSU is done....D-U-N. DONE. They will be a nothing-burger for years after the latest set of scandals. This is not the spot for MSU to rise from the ashes. I can't imagine a way this game is close without OSU completely folding. It would be nice to get Cade back on the field (why was he out last week?), but this should be business as usual for the Scarlet and Gray. If there's anything for OSU to focus on, it would be on starting sharper. First halves have been sloppy for the offense. The next two weeks should focus on getting McCord back in a groove, feeding Marv and Trey, and staying healthy. The defense will be thinking shutout, but that's a lot to ask. Eh, why not. MSU: 0--OSU: 45
Hoying: Ah, good to see CJ Stroud's favorite shooting gallery again. Time and change will surely show how MSU is once again horribly overmatched in this game. Only this year, it's because of their abysmal offense; the days of the nation's worst secondary sporting green and white are long gone. No, that doesn't mean that this game is going to look like the 2015 slugfest (still the last time Ohio State lost in this series). I expect it to look more like the Buckeyes' games over the last two weeks, other than the fact that it's at home and the Spartan offense is nowhere near as competent as either Rutgers' or Wisconsin's. It's tempting to think that the Ohio State passing game has regressed a bit the past couple weeks while the running game is finally getting its mojo back, but I think this is more a result of the defenses they've faced picking their poison in these matchups. Rutgers was doing everything they could to keep everything in front of them, which worked well until the Buckeyes figured that dumping off to Tre every play was just as good as having an elite running game, only even better because now you're getting free chances to get your speedy shifty back out in space. MSU is a bit better at stopping the run, so it may be up to McCord to do his best to replicate the air raid that CJ rained down the last two years (and the 50 yard TD he ripped off the year before that). Just don't force it; the defense really doesn't need that much help this week. On to OSU's third hapless Big Ten West opponent next week. MSU: 3--OSU: 38
Hoying: Ah, good to see CJ Stroud's favorite shooting gallery again. Time and change will surely show how MSU is once again horribly overmatched in this game. Only this year, it's because of their abysmal offense; the days of the nation's worst secondary sporting green and white are long gone. No, that doesn't mean that this game is going to look like the 2015 slugfest (still the last time Ohio State lost in this series). I expect it to look more like the Buckeyes' games over the last two weeks, other than the fact that it's at home and the Spartan offense is nowhere near as competent as either Rutgers' or Wisconsin's. It's tempting to think that the Ohio State passing game has regressed a bit the past couple weeks while the running game is finally getting its mojo back, but I think this is more a result of the defenses they've faced picking their poison in these matchups. Rutgers was doing everything they could to keep everything in front of them, which worked well until the Buckeyes figured that dumping off to Tre every play was just as good as having an elite running game, only even better because now you're getting free chances to get your speedy shifty back out in space. MSU is a bit better at stopping the run, so it may be up to McCord to do his best to replicate the air raid that CJ rained down the last two years (and the 50 yard TD he ripped off the year before that). Just don't force it; the defense really doesn't need that much help this week. On to OSU's third hapless Big Ten West opponent next week. MSU: 3--OSU: 38
Schweinfurth: Guys, the Spartans are bad. I mean, really bad. That's enough about them. This is a huge get right game for the Buckeye offense. McCord needs to get into a rhythm again and stop forcing balls. Henderson has his burst back but this is about the passing game. Hyper-targeting Marv is acceptable in this game and I'm here for the stat accumulation. Hopefully Egbuka and Farmer Gronk are back. I really want to see a fully loaded Buckeye offense execute the next two games and show everyone that this offense still has it. I believe it's there. To this point, the wins have looked pretty meh on the offensive side, and that's fine. But now, a fully armed and operational battle station is being built. And it is building toward the doom of the state up north. MSU: 6--OSU: 45
Seeberg: Rant time. MAN I'm tired of all these "he's available, he's not available" conversations every week. I just have no clue who's playing week in and week out, which I'm sure is the point. Still frustrating. Regardless, the Bucks shouldn't need to be at full strength to win this one. The Spartans were the biggest dumpster fire in that state up north until a couple weeks ago. That program may have permanently peaked with Dantonio. Meanwhile, for some reason we only targeted Marvin Harrison 5 times last week (albeit two for touchdowns). He would literally be a legit #1 WR on a majority of NFL teams right now. Let's make sure Cade and Emeka are OK, keep feeding a healthy Treveyon for balance, and start finding a good rhythm now that we're in the money month of college football. MSU: 10--OSU: 38
Seeberg: Rant time. MAN I'm tired of all these "he's available, he's not available" conversations every week. I just have no clue who's playing week in and week out, which I'm sure is the point. Still frustrating. Regardless, the Bucks shouldn't need to be at full strength to win this one. The Spartans were the biggest dumpster fire in that state up north until a couple weeks ago. That program may have permanently peaked with Dantonio. Meanwhile, for some reason we only targeted Marvin Harrison 5 times last week (albeit two for touchdowns). He would literally be a legit #1 WR on a majority of NFL teams right now. Let's make sure Cade and Emeka are OK, keep feeding a healthy Treveyon for balance, and start finding a good rhythm now that we're in the money month of college football. MSU: 10--OSU: 38
Upset Special
Draper: West Virginia over Oklahoma
Hoying: Florida over LSU
Schweinfurth: Colorado over Arizona
Seeberg: Stanford over Oregon State
