With one week to go in the regular season, both divisions are set. Wisconsin beat Michigan, 24 - 10, to lock up the Big Ten West and with the Wolverines losing, Ohio State sealed the Big Ten East. The Buckeyes beat Illinois 56 - 14 to set up the meeting with the Badgers in the championship game.
Elsewhere in Week 12, Indiana shut out Rutgers 41 - 0. Northwestern won their sixth game in a row by crushing Minnesota, 39 - 0. Behind Saquon Barkley’s three touchdowns, Penn State rolled Nebraska 56 - 44. Michigan State slides by Maryland 17 - 7 and Purdue upset the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, 24 - 14.
Although both divisions are locked up, there still are some meaningful games for the last week of the year. The headliner is the Ohio State vs. Michigan game. The Buckeyes need to win to have any chance of making the BCS Playoffs and the Wolverines, you know, will be ready to play their biggest rival. Wisconsin looks to stay perfect on the road against Minnesota. The Gophers need a win to become bowl eligible. The biggest game of the week could be in the state of Indiana where the Boilermakers host the Hoosiers. Both squads are 5 - 6 and need a win to see the bowl season.
It’s been an enjoyable year in the Big Ten Conference and sadly, it’s over after this week. Enjoy the games.
Let’s take a look at all the Week 13 Big Ten ballgames.
Big 10 Game of the Week
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Ohio State Buckeyes -11 at Michigan Wolverines +11, Total 50.5
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan - Noon, ET - FOX
One of the biggest rivalries in college football gets renewed this week in Ann Arbor, Michigan when the Buckeyes square off against the Wolverines. The game lost some of it’s luster when Michigan lost to Wisconsin last week to be eliminated from the Big 10 East and hand Ohio State the title. The Buckeyes need a win this week and another win versus Wisconsin in the Big 10 Championship game to have a chance to sneak in the backdoor of the BCS Playoffs. Anything can and often happens in this rivalry. You can throw out all the rankings. Home field is about the only advantage the Wolverines have. Their defense is tough but often times gets worn out late in the fourth quarter. Buckeyes win, but Wolverines cover.
All-time series record: Michigan 58-48-6
Other Big 10 Games for Week 13
Friday, November 24, 2017
Iowa Hawkeyes -3 at Nebraska Cornhuskers +3, Total 54
Memorial Stadium Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska - 4:00 p.m., ET - FS1
Both teams are struggling big time. Nebraska can’t beat anyone and this will be the last game for head coach Mike Riley. After beating Ohio State three weeks ago, Iowa has lost two straight games to fall to 6 - 4 on the year and in search of some steady play. This game will come down to a turnover and the Cornhuskers turn it over all the time. The Hawks squeeze out a 6-point win.
All-time series record: Nebraska 29-15-3
Saturday, November 25, 2017
Penn State Nittany Lions -21 at Maryland Terrapins +21, Total 57
Capital One Field, College Park, Maryland - 3:30 p.m., ET - BTN
Saquon Barkley left, right, up the middle. Thats’ got to be the gameplan for the Nittany Lions against the undersized Terps. Barkley will score at least three touchdowns as Penn State improves to 10 -2 by crushing Maryland, 42 - 17.
All-time series record: Penn State 37-2-1
Wisconsin Badgers -17 at Minnesota Gophers +17, Total 43
TCF Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota - 3:30 p.m., ET - ESPN2
The Badgers have one more hurdle to jump to remain unbeaten and it’s against the Minnesota Gophers who need a win to become bowl eligible. Wisconsin has too many athletes and too much depth for the Gophers to keep up with. Wisconsin rolls to a 34 - 14 win.
All-time series record: Tied 59-59-8
Northwestern Wildcats -16 at Illinois Fighting Illini +16, Total 45.5
Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois - 4:00 p.m., ET - FS1
Northwestern is on a roll winning their last six games and Illinois is winless in Big Ten competition. The Wildcats are well balanced on both sides of the ball. The Illini is flat out a horrible team. Northwestern wins, 31 - 13.
All-time series record: Illinois 55-50-5
Indiana Hoosiers +2.5 at Purdue Boilermakers -2.5, Total 47
Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, Indiana - Noon, ET - ESPN2
This is a huge game for both schools. Both teams are 5 - 6 on the year and need a win to become bowl eligible. The winner gets to go bowling, the loser has to wait until next year. This is going to be a defensive battle from start to finish. The weather also could be a factor. Both teams will play it close to the vest until the other makes a mistake. I see a 20 -17 or 17 -14 final. I love the UNDER!
All-time series record: Purdue 72-41-6
Michigan State Spartans -13 at Rutgers Scarlet Knights +13, Total 40
High Point Solutions Stadium, Piscataway, New Jersey - 4:00 p.m., ET - FOX
Michigan State plays boring football. Sure, they win games, but it is boring to watch. I see another boring game, low scoring affair, that the Spartans pull out. Michigan State wins 20 - 8.
All-time series record: Michigan State 5-3-0
Make sure you check out all the great sportsbooks to ensure you get the best lines available.
The College Football betting odds and props for this week’s games were first available at BookMaker Sportsbook. Live wagering during commercials offers adjusted moneylines, totals and spreads. Log in and start gambling during the game now! The Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Michigan Wolverines, Saturday, November 25, 2017 at Noon, ET. FOX will televise the game live.
