And. We. Are. Off. Every year we have a little friendly competition among our writers for world domination when it comes to picking Big Ten and some of the bigger college football games.
We’ll bring you our expert picks and predictions on all the league games against the spread, and straight-up throughout the season. Also, as an added bonus you didn’t know you even craved, we’ll throw in six of the top games across the college football slate for the week. We’re the judge and jury on that one, and if there’s a tie, George Washington decides it via the old-fashioned coin flip.
So off we go for the 2021 season, one that looks like it will be much more normal than what we saw last year. The winner gets an all-expenses-paid pat on the back, so let’s get to it.
As a reminder, if there’s an asterisk next to the pick, that means the team will win, but not cover.
EXAMPLE:
– If you think Ohio State will win minus-3.5 over Michigan: OSU
– If you think Ohio State will win outright: OSU
– If you think Ohio State will win, but NOT cover: OSU*
Here are our expert picks for Week 2, but first, our results after an eventful Week 1.
RESULTS SO FAR
@PhilHarrisonBW: 9-8 SU, 8-9 ATS
@MarkRussell1975: 13-4 SU, 10-7 ATS
@JoshKeatley16: 8-9 SU, 7-10 ATS
CONSENSUS PICK: 10-7 SU, 6-11 ATS
First up … Big Ten early games
Saturday, Sept. 11
Illinois at Virginia
11:00 a.m. EDT | ACC Network
Tipico Line: Virginia -10.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Virginia*
@MarkRussell1975: Virginia
@JoshKeatley16: Virginia
CONSENSUS PICK: Virginia
Youngstown State at Michigan State
Noon EDT | Big Ten Network
Line: Off
@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan State
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan State
@JoshKeatley16: Michigan State
CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan State
Miami (OH) at Minnesota
Noon EDT | ESPNU
Tipico Line: Minnesota -19.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Minnesota
@MarkRussell1975: Minnesota
@JoshKeatley16: Minnesota
CONSENSUS PICK: Minnesota
Indiana State at Northwestern
Noon EDT | Big Ten Network
Line: Off
@PhilHarrisonBW: Northwestern
@MarkRussell1975: Northwestern
@JoshKeatley16: Northwestern
CONSENSUS PICK: Northwestern
Oregon at Ohio State
Noon EDT | FOX
Tipico Line: Ohio State -14.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Ohio State*
@MarkRussell1975: Ohio State*
@JoshKeatley16: Ohio State*
CONSENSUS PICK: Ohio State*
Rutgers at Syracuse
2:00 p.m. EDT | ACC Network
Line: Rutgers -2.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Rutgers
@MarkRussell1975: Rutgers
@JoshKeatley16: Rutgers
CONSENSUS PICK: Rutgers
Next … Big Ten later games
Purdue at Connecticut
3:00 p.m. EDT | CBS Sports Network
Tipico Line: Purdue -34.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Purdue*
@MarkRussell1975: Purdue*
@JoshKeatley16: Purdue
CONSENSUS PICK: Purdue*
Buffalo at Nebraska
3:30 p.m. EDT | Big Ten Network
Tipico Line: Nebraska -13.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Nebraska
@MarkRussell1975: Nebraska
@JoshKeatley16: Nebraska
CONSENSUS PICK: Nebraska
Ball State at Penn State
3:30 p.m. | FS1
Tipico Line: Penn State -22.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Penn State
@MarkRussell1975: Penn State
@JoshKeatley16: Penn State
CONSENSUS PICK: Penn State
Iowa at Iowa State
4:30 p.m. EDT | ABC
Tipico Line: Iowa State -4.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Iowa
@MarkRussell1975: Iowa
@JoshKeatley16: Iowa State
CONSENSUS PICK: Iowa
Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin
7:00 p.m. EDT | FS1
Tipico Line: Wisconsin -25.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Wisconsin
@MarkRussell1975: Wisconsin
@JoshKeatley16: Wisconsin
CONSENSUS PICK: Wisconsin
Idaho at Indiana
7:30 p.m. EDT | Big Ten Network
Line: Off
@PhilHarrisonBW: Indiana
@MarkRussell1975: Indiana
@JoshKeatley16: Indiana
CONSENSUS PICK: Indiana
Howard at Maryland
7:30 p.m. EDT | Big Ten Network
Line: Off
@PhilHarrisonBW: Maryland
@MarkRussell1975: Maryland
@JoshKeatley16: Maryland
CONSENSUS PICK: Maryland
Washington at Michigan
8:00 p.m. EDT | ABC
Tipico Line: Michigan -6.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan
@JoshKeatley16: Washington
CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan
Next … Pick Six (biggest non-Big Ten games)
Saturday, Sept. 11
Pittsburgh at Tennessee
Noon EDT | ESPN
Tipico Line: Pittsburgh -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Tennessee
@MarkRussell1975: Tennessee
@JoshKeatley16: Pittsburgh
CONSENSUS PICK: Tennessee
Florida at South Florida
1:00 p.m. EDT | ABC
Tipico Line: Florida -28.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Florida
@MarkRussell1975: Florida
@JoshKeatley16: Florida
CONSENSUS PICK: Florida
Toledo at Notre Dame
2:30 p.m. EDT | Peacock
Tipico Line: Notre Dame -16.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Notre Dame
@MarkRussell1975: Notre Dame
@JoshKeatley16: Notre Dame
CONSENSUS PICK: Notre Dame
Texas A&M vs. Colorado (in Denver)
3:30 p.m. EDT | FOX
Tipico Line: Texas A&M -16.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Texas A&M
@MarkRussell1975: Texas A&M
@JoshKeatley16: Texas A&M
CONSENSUS PICK: Texas A&M
Texas at Arkansas
7:00 p.m. EDT | ESPN
Tipico Line: Texas -7.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Texas
@MarkRussell1975: Texas
@JoshKeatley16: Texas
CONSENSUS PICK: Texas
Utah at BYU
10:15 p.m. EDT | ESPN
Tipico Line: Utah -7.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Utah
@MarkRussell1975: Utah*
@JoshKeatley16: Utah
CONSENSUS PICK: Utah
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