Alright, so I totally missed on the Northwestern pick which gave me another week of being 1 more loss than ESPN’s pro Adam Rittenberg. Ah well. At least on the spread picks I was 4-2, so over the last two weeks I am 7-4-1. I’m up, I’m up!

(Now, if I could only have the cahones to actually put up the stakes…)

This next week gives a few more tough games to pick, especially with the spreads, but I am man enough to do ‘em (well, on paper that is :)))

Iowa vs Indiana: Iowa -5

Iowa’s defense has given up 11.2 pts per game this year…Indiana has yet to win ATS this year…Indiana has given up average of 431 ypg on offense last three…The over has hit the last 3 games played between these teams…Iowa has lost 3 in a row by a combined 9 points…Indiana has lost last three by an average of 2 TDs per game…

Michigan vs. Toledo: Michigan -16.5

Illinois vs. Minnesota: Minnesota +12.5

• Golden Gophers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 conference games.
• Golden Gophers are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall.
• Golden Gophers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a S.U. win.
• Golden Gophers are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a ATS win.
• Golden Gophers are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 road games.
• Fighting Illini are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 conference games.
• Fighting Illini are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 100 yards rushing in their previous game.
• Fighting Illini are 6-2 ATS in their last 8 games following a ATS win.
• Fighting Illini are 11-4 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.

Purdue vs. Ohio St.: Purdue +19

• Boilermakers are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games after accumulating less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
• Boilermakers are 8-20-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
• Boilermakers are 5-17-1 ATS in their last 23 games following a S.U. loss.
• Buckeyes are 7-1 ATS in their last 8 games in October.
• Buckeyes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a losing road record.
• Buckeyes are 23-8 ATS in their last 31 conference games.
• Buckeyes are 15-7 ATS in their last 22 games following a ATS win.

Michigan St. vs. Northwestern: Northwestern +1

• Spartans are 6-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
• Spartans are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
• Spartans are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games following a ATS loss.
• Spartans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring less than 20 points in their previous game.
• Spartans are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
• Wildcats are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a bye week.
• Wildcats are 6-21 ATS in their last 27 games following a S.U. win.

Penn St. vs. Wisconsin: Penn St. -6

• Nittany Lions are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games on turf.
• Nittany Lions are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
• Badgers are 16-5-1 ATS in their last 22 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
• Badgers are 17-8 ATS in their last 25 home games.
• Badgers are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 games overall.

Yeah, yeah, let the ribbing begin.

Thanks to a last minute drive by upstart freshman Terrelle Pryor and a Buckeyes team that was not to be denied, it allowed for Ohio State to defeat Wisconsin in Madison, and in the process, give my picks the only blemish for the week. It was enough to provide my match up with ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg, the prolific sports site Big Ten guru, a perfect mark and week one win over the Big Tenet.

Oh my, what ever will I do? Now my record stands at 21-4, while Rittenberg’s overall is 43-7.  So he has a slight edge, ok?? So now we begin…right?

(Hey, anything to ease the pain of the oh-so-close loss.) Ah well….

At least in the betting category I stayed on the up side, winning 3 of 5 ATS bets. Again, that darn Pryor kept me going 4-1, but oh well. I’ll take +100 for the week

Indiana (2-2) at Minnesota (4-1): Minnesota -7

Betting Statistics: Gophers are 3-1 against the spread this year…Indiana has yet to win against the spread in 2008…Over Under is 58-combined this year both teams are 5-2 for the over….both teams have given up more than 350 yards per game on defense for the last three games…First road game for Indiana this year…Gophers are 3-0 this year at home.

The Big Tenet’s Bet: Take the Gophers with confidence. The over is a good bet as well.

Penn State (5-0) at Purdue (2-1): Penn State -13

Nittany Lions are 3-1 ATS this year…Boilermakers are 1-2…Penn State is averaging 49.8 points a game…Boilermakers are giving up nearly 27 a game, Nittany Lions giving up 13…Penn State is 3-1 in the Over/Under…57 is the over/under for this game…Purdue has given up nearly 440 yards per game this year after playing high octane offenses Oregon, Central Michigan, and Notre Dame…The under has won the last six games of this series

The Big Tenet’s Bet: Penn State is on a roll and Purdue is spinning out of control. The under may have won the last six, but I’ll take the over as Penn State could easily score 40 on these guys.

Illinois (2-2) at Michigan (2-2): Illinois +2.5

Both teams are a combined 2-5 ATS…Illinois’ losses this year have come to teams ranked in the top 10…Michigan’s win last week at home was biggest comeback in Ann Arbor ever…Over under is 52.5…Combined, teams are 5-2 for the over…Michigan has given up 325 yards per game at home, 285 total for year…Illinois has averaged 415 yards per game on offense for last three…Michigan has given up average of 89 ypg on ground this year…Illinois averages 33 per game, Michigan 20

The Big Tenet’s Bet: Illinois took Penn State deep into the fourth quarter but their special teams failed them once again. Michigan had no business winning against Wisconsin and with Illinois trying to gain respect, look for Arrelious Benn to own the Wolverines’ secondary. I’m staying away from the O/U, but if you put a gun to my head, I’d take the under.

Iowa (3-2) at Michigan St (4-1): Michigan St -8

After losing first game, Michigan State has won 4 straight by an average of nearly 20 ppg…Iowa is 2-2 ATS this year, Michigan State 3-2…Over/Under is 44…All Iowa’s games have hit the under this year…MSU is 2-3 for the over this year…Michigan state has averaged nearly 400 ypg this year on offense–200 on the ground…Iowa has given up only average of 10 ppg…Iowa has given up nearly 325 ypg over last three…Home team has won the last 8 games…Favored team has won the last four…

The Big Tenet’s Bet: Michigan State has looked like an offensive juggernaut over the last few weeks. Javon Ringer doesn’t seem to be able to be stopped, and after Iowa had the wind taken out of their sails against Northwestern, the Spartans will take advantage. The Over/Under seems to scream under, but with MSU’s offensive capability, I’m staying away from this one.

Ohio State (4-1) at Wisconsin (3-1): Wisconsin +1.5

Ohio State is 0-4 ATS…Wisconsin is 2-2…Over/Under is 44…combined, teams are 4-4 O/U this season…Wisconsin is 2-7 over last 9 conference games ATS…Underdog is 7-1 ATS over last 8….Wisconsin has averaged 72 ypg on the ground at home this year, Ohio State averages 71 ypg on the road…Wisconsin averages 413 ypg on offense for the year, 391 over last three…

The Big Tenet’s Bet: Wisconsin should not have lost at Michigan, that’s a given. Ohio State has talent with Terrelle Pryor, but a freshman playing at Wisconsin is not a good combination. Look for Bielema’s Bunch to cover.