Every year (and every week of the season) we have a little friendly competition among our writers for world domination when it comes to picking the Big Ten football games and some of the bigger college football contests as the season goes on.
After one five weeks of play, it still looks like teams like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State are still the class of the league and the East division — though watch out for Maryland. The West division looks like a mess, but someone — Iowa, Wisconsin, or a surprise team, will sort it all out eventually.
Buy Buckeyes TicketsBut how will Week 5 play out in the Big Ten? Our writers take turns picking all the games in the Big Ten straight up and against the spread. and since we’re in the full swing of conference play now, we’ll do the same drill on the top six contests in the nation outside of that (our “pick six”).
As a reminder, if there’s an asterisk next to the pick, that means the team will win, but not cover. If there is a tie, rather than have a cage match or old-fashioned duel, we’ll settle it with less violence and go with the tried, yet true, coin flip where George Washington has the say.
EXAMPLE:
– If you think Ohio State will win minus-3.5 over an opponent: OSU
– If you think Ohio State will win outright: OSU
– If you think Ohio State will win, but NOT cover: OSU*
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
Here are our expert picks for Week 6 as we also look for what type of separation and improvement we see in the upcoming weeks. But first, here’s what the standings look like with our writers after last week’s action.
Where things stand
Results of our picks and predictions so far
@PhilHarrisonBW: 50-10 (straight up), 33-27 (against the spread)
@MarkRussell1975: 50-10 SU, 33-27 ATS
@JoshKeatley16: 53-7 SU, 34-26 ATS
@MikeFChen: 53-7 SU, 33-27 ATS
@evanrbach: 54-6 SU, 35-25 ATS
CONSENSUS PICK: 52-8 SU, 33-27 ATS
Next … The Big Ten games and picks
Nebraska at Illinois
Friday, Oct. 6
8:00 p.m. ET | FS1 – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Illinois -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Illinois
@MarkRussell1975: Nebraska
@JoshKeatley16: Nebraska
@MikeFChen: Illinois
@evanrbach: Illinois
CONSENSUS PICK: Illinois
Maryland at Ohio State
Saturday, Oct. 7
Noon ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Ohio State -20.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Ohio State*
@MarkRussell1975: Ohio State
@JoshKeatley16: Ohio State
@MikeFChen: Ohio State*
@evanrbach: Ohio State
CONSENSUS PICK: Ohio State
Rutgers at Wisconsin
Saturday, Oct. 7
Noon ET | Peacock
BetMGM Line: Wisconsin -13.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Wisconsin*
@MarkRussell1975: Wisconsin*
@JoshKeatley16: Wisconsin
@MikeFChen: Wisconsin
@evanrbach: Wisconsin
CONSENSUS PICK: Wisconsin
Howard at Northwestern
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:00 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Off (just pick a winner straight-up)
@PhilHarrisonBW: Northwestern
@MarkRussell1975: Northwestern
@JoshKeatley16: Northwestern
@MikeFChen: Northwestern
@evanrbach: Northwestern
CONSENSUS PICK: Northwestern
Purdue at Iowa
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:30 p.m. ET | Peacock
BetMGM Line: Iowa -2.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Iowa
@MarkRussell1975: Iowa
@JoshKeatley16: Iowa
@MikeFChen: Purdue
@evanrbach: Iowa
CONSENSUS PICK: Iowa
Michigan at Minnesota
Saturday, Oct. 7
7:30 p.m. ET | NBC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Michigan -19.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan
@JoshKeatley16: Michigan
@MikeFChen: Michigan
@evanrbach: Michigan
CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan
NEXT … The “Pick Six” biggest non-Big Ten games
Oklahoma at Texas
Saturday, Oct. 7
Noon ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Texas -6.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Texas
@MarkRussell1975: Texas
@JoshKeatley16: Texas
@MikeFChen: Texas
@evanrbach: Texas
CONSENSUS PICK: Texas
LSU at Missouri
Saturday, Oct. 7
Noon ET | ESPN – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: LSU -4.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: LSU
@MarkRussell1975: Missouri
@JoshKeatley16: LSU
@MikeFChen: Missouri
@evanrbach: LSU
CONSENSUS PICK: LSU
Washington State at UCLA
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:00 p.m. ET | Pac-12 Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: UCLA -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Washington State
@MarkRussell1975: UCLA
@JoshKeatley16: UCLA
@MikeFChen: Washington State
@evanrbach: UCLA
CONSENSUS PICK: UCLA
Alabama at Texas A&M
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:30 p.m. ET | CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Alabama -1.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Alabama
@MarkRussell1975: Alabama
@JoshKeatley16: Alabama
@MikeFChen: Alabama
@evanrbach: Alabama
CONSENSUS PICK: Alabama
Kentucky at Georgia
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:30 p.m. ET | CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Georgia -14.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Georgia
@MarkRussell1975: Georgia*
@JoshKeatley16: Georgia
@MikeFChen: Georgia*
@evanrbach: Georgia
CONSENSUS PICK: Georgia
Notre Dame at Louisville
Saturday, Oct. 7
7:30 p.m. ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Notre Dame -6.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Notre Dame
@MarkRussell1975: Notre Dame*
@JoshKeatley16: Notre Dame
@MikeFChen: Notre Dame
@evanrbach: Notre Dame
CONSENSUS PICK: Notre Dame
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