Week 7 - Saturday October 15

Notre Dame (4-2) is off this weekend. The Men of Troy, fresh off a 30-9 clubbing of Cal on Thursday night, make their biannual October visit to South Bend a week from Saturday.


Indiana at #4 Wisconsin

IFP says: Bucky is a 40 point home favorite in this one, that will likely get ugly in a hurry. Wisconsin won’t get 80 points this year, like they did in last year’s embarrassing romp over the Hoosiers in Madison. But IU won’t crack 14 either.

Note to the Big Ten scheduling gurus: If it’s all the same to you, asking the Badgers to visit Bloomington once or twice a decade would be very much appreciated.

Indiana win probability = 1%
Indiana cover probability = 50%
Wisconsin 54 Indiana 10


Ohio State at #16 Illinois

IFP says: Advanced metrics don’t take into account the mess that the Buckeyes currently have on their hands at the quarterback position, whereas the Illini’s Scheelhaase & Jenkins are emerging as the one of the better QB-Receiver tandems is the league, if not the nation. The unblemished Orange and Blue, who are a 3.5 point favorite, march on.

Luke Fickell, we hardly knew ya. Brace yourselves for the next round of the Urban Meyer-to-Columbus rumors.

Illinois win probability = 52%
Illinois cover probability = 43%
Illinois 23 Ohio State 20


Northwestern at Iowa

IFP says: Typically an interesting, if “unhandicappable” game. The last 6 Iowa-Northwestern games have been upsets per the Vegas line. Iowa is a 6 point favorite in this one, although the “Over” is probably the safer play. Both teams have struggled at times defensively, particularly in the secondary. We expect 50+ combined points.

History says take the dog. We don’t.

Northwestern win probability = 29%
Northwestern cover probability = 41%
Iowa 34 Northwestern 27