Big Ten football picks - Shull's Selections Week #8

The Big Ten Football season continues this weekend with 5 more conference match-ups and a single non-conference game. This weekend features Michigan State @ Northwestern, Indiana @ #1 Ohio State, Illinois @ Penn State, #21 Wisconsin @ Purdue, and Iowa @ #2 Michigan, and Division I-AA North Dakota State @ Minnesota. As always, look to Big Ten Fans for your updated Big Ten football scores andstandings throughout the weekend.

Michigan State @ Northwestern

Michigan State Spartans 3-4 (0-3) @ Northwestern Wildcats 2-5 (0-3) - 12 pm

The disappointment bowl kicks off at noon as two teams hoping to reach .500 and be bowl eligible in 2006 will square off in the Big Ten. Northwestern needs to get some more consistent play from the QB position where they have just one passing TD on the season against 8 INTs. If they can open up the offense and have some success throwing the ball it will make RB Tyrell Sutton even more productive. Michigan State needs to get their offense back on track as they averaged 38.5 ppg in the frist 4 games of the season compared to just 13.3 ppg in the past 3 games. Ever since the amazing Notre Dame comback victory on September 23rd, the Spartans have seemed to roll over. While I expect that Stanton will lead his team to victory in this one, it could go either way as the winner of this game will snap a 4-game losing streak.

Shull's Selection: Michigan State 27 - Northwestern 13

Indiana @ #1 Ohio State

Indiana Hoosiers 4-3 (2-1) @ Ohio State Buckeyes 7-0 (3-0) - 12 pm

The Hoosiers pulled off the upset of the year in the Big Ten last weekend (for conference games at least) as they knocked off then #15 Iowa 31-28. This week the task is much larger and there will be no upset. While I do expect we will see a TD or two from IU's outstanding WR James Hardy, Ohio State will once again win easily.

Shull's Selection: Ohio State 41 - Indiana 14

Illinois @ Penn State

Illinois Fighting Illini 2-5 (1-2) @ Penn State Nittany Lions 4-3 (2-2) - 12 pm

Earlier this season the Fighting Illini looked completely helpless @ Rutgers in a 33-0 pummeling. I didn't think they would win another game this season. But the emergence of QB Juice Williams seemed to spark the Illini offense as the dual-threat QB led Illinois to an upset victory over Michigan State. Last week the dual-threat QB was not enough to overcome a late turnover as the Ohio Bobcats out of the MAC defeated Illinois 20-17.

The Illini's opponent is another team, that lead many to ask "just how good is Penn State?" While I think time will indeed tell on that question (they face Purdue and Wisconsin the next two weekends), this week is not the week to find out. I expect Illinois to come out fired up and play a tough first half, but Penn State's talent will be too much for the Illini.

Shull's Selection: Penn State 26 - Illinois 13

#21 Wisconsin @ Purdue

Wisconsin Badgers 6-1 (3-1) @ Purdue Boilermakers 5-2 (2-1) - 12 pm

Just how good is Wisconsin? The Badgers are 6-1 and their only loss is @ #2 Michigan. But their 6 wins have been over Bowling Green, San Diego State, a I-AA school, Indiana, Northwestern & Minnesota. The combined record of the teams they beat? 15-25. But the same can be said for the Purdue Boilermakers. They come in at 5-2 and their two losses were to ranked opponents (Notre Dame & Iowa), but the combined record of the teams they beat is 7-28. This game could go either way, but I am leaning towards the balanced attack of the Wisconsin offense being the difference.

Shull's Selection: Wisconsin 34 - Purdue 27

Iowa @ #2 Michigan

Iowa Hawkeyes 5-2 (2-2) @ Michigan Wolverines 7-0 (4-0) - 3:30 pm

Many may say that Iowa is not as good as we thought after last week's upset by Indiana over the Hawkeyes. I am not one to agree with that thinking. I believe we will see an inspired Iowa team come out and give Michigan all they can handle for the first three quarters before Michigan pulls away. The Hawkeyes want to move into position to be one of the Big Ten's elite teams, but I just do not see it happening this year.

Shull's Selection: Michigan 23 - Iowa 14

North Dakota State @ Minnesota

ND St. Bison 6-0 (0-0 Great West) @ Minnesota Golden Gophers 2-5 (0-4) - 3:30 pm

Hopefully the Golden Gophers are smart enough not to take Division I-AA North Dakota State lightly. The Bison come in 6-0 overall and 1-0 against Division I-A teams as they knocked off Ball State 29-24 in September. In that game ND State QB Steve Walker threw for 451 yards and 3 TDs. Minnesota comes in with a balanced attack of Brian Cupito at QB, Amir Pinnix at RB and some solid receivers. While twice this season we have seen Big Ten teams fall to I-AA programs (Indiana and Northwestern) I do not expect we will see the same in this one. ND State will keep it fairly close, but the Gopers will prevail.

Shull's Selection: Minnesota 34 - North Dakota State 20

Shull's Selections Bonus Pick:

Buffalo @ Ohio

Buffalo Bulls 1-5 (0-4 MAC) @ Ohio Bobcats 4-3 (2-1 MAC) - 2 pm

In the first ever Cornhusker East Bowl, former Nebraska head coach Frank Solich matches up with former Nebraska star Turner Gill. Solich is in his second season as head coach at Ohio and is coming off a 20-17 upset of Illinois. Gill is in his first season as head coach at Buffalo and his team has shown great improvement this season. This game will come down to the fact that Ohio is at home, they should have a strong crowd since it is Homecoming, and Solich's team has more talent that Buffalo. While the line is 18 points on this game, I think that is a bit high as Ohio's offense is not strong enough to blow out opponents.

Shull's Selection: Ohio 27 - Buffalo 13