The lines:
Spread: Northwestern -5.5 @ Minnesota
Moneyline: NU -220/UM +180
Over/Under: 53.5
This means Vegas sees a 29-24 win for the Wildcats
The Pick: Northwestern -5.5
Persa has NU off to a 4-0 start.
What you’ve got here is the most underrated team of the last two decades, facing a team who has lost to Northern Illinois and an FCS team. I don’t think the favored team will mind being on the road – a comfortable five hour trip to the least intimidating road environment in the Big Ten Conference (except for the Wildcats’ own Ryan Field).
When I looked at this matchup I fully expected the line to be between Northwestern -9 and -11. You’ve got to figure, the Wildcats are a touchdown better than the Gophers, then tack on a few points because Pat Fitzgerald will out coach Tim Brewster.
Maybe Vegas knows something I don’t. On stats alone, Northwestern QB Dan Persa is the national media’s biggest omission from the early season Heisman race. Already this season, NU has gone into Rice and Vanderbilt and come away with victories, plus the team dispatched a good Central Michigan squad at home (being a Michigan State fan, I know how good Central is).
It’s the 12 ET game on ESPN, so start your Saturday off with a winner, Northwestern -5.5 is the pick.
You’re lucky that my wife was gone this weekend and didn’t see the big money I blew on your pick of the week…
Ah… as I said. Can’t win ‘em all. Who you got this weekend?
I like your Spartans this week. Michigan is overrated, and as good as Robinson is, he can be stopped (or at least contained) by disciplined football. I’m taking MSU 27-21.
Robinson is going to get his yards. We can win if we make him pass over us. I feel like our D proved how solid we can be against ‘Sconsin. If Indiana can put up 25 against UM and we can up up 34 against Wisconsin… we should be close to 50 points.
Not to look ahead but we have Illinois next, want to do a preview for T&C?
Yeah, Michigan’s defense can’t stop anyone. That’s a certainty
Sure, we’ll do something on the game. Let me talk to our college football guy first and see if he’d like to run with it. He’s a much better college football writer than I. Send me an e-mail with what you want (i.e. number of words, due date etc.) and we’ll get something to you.
I always say that if you choose to bet on someone’s pick, then that’s your own doing.
I liked the pick of Northwestern and that’s exactly why I don’t gamble. Never will.
Tyler, that’s why you don’t make bets you can’t cover. I would never pick a team based solely on another man’s predictions.