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 seven 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. The West still looks like a mess, but someone — Iowa, Wisconsin, or a surprise team, will sort it all out eventually.
But how will Week 8 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 7 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.
Results So Far
Results of our picks and predictions so far
@PhilHarrisonBW: 67-17 (straight up), 49-35 (against the spread)
@MarkRussell1975: 68-16 SU, 50-34 ATS
@JoshKeatley16: 70-14 SU, 51-33 ATS
@MikeFChen: 68-16 SU, 43-41 ATS
@evanrbach: 73-11 SU, 53-31 ATS
CONSENSUS PICK: 71-13 SU, 50-34 ATS
Next … The Big Ten games and picks
Penn State at Ohio State
Saturday, Oct. 21
Noon ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Ohio State -4
@PhilHarrisonBW: Penn State
@MarkRussell1975: Ohio State
@JoshKeatley16: Penn State
@MikeFChen: Ohio State
@evanrbach: Ohio State
CONSENSUS PICK: Ohio State
Rutgers at Indiana
Saturday, Oct. 21
Noon ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Rutgers -4.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Rutgers
@MarkRussell1975: Rutgers
@JoshKeatley16: Rutgers
@MikeFChen: Rutgers
@evanrbach: Rutgers
CONSENSUS PICK: Rutgers
Minnesota at Iowa
Saturday, Oct. 21
Noon ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Iowa -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Iowa
@MarkRussell1975: Iowa
@JoshKeatley16: Iowa
@MikeFChen: Iowa
@evanrbach: Iowa
CONSENSUS PICK: Iowa
Wisconsin at Illinois
Saturday, Oct. 21
3:30 p.m. ET | FS1 – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Wisconsin -2.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Wisconsin
@MarkRussell1975: Wisconsin
@JoshKeatley16: Wisconsin
@MikeFChen: Illinois
@evanrbach: Wisconsin
CONSENSUS PICK: Wisconsin
Northwestern at Nebraska
Saturday, Oct. 21
3:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Nebraska -11
@PhilHarrisonBW: Nebraska*
@MarkRussell1975: Nebraska*
@JoshKeatley16: Nebraska
@MikeFChen: Nebraska
@evanrbach: Nebraska
CONSENSUS PICK: Nebraska
Michigan at Michigan State
Saturday, Oct. 21
7:30 p.m. ET | NBC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Michigan -24.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan
@JoshKeatley16: Michigan
@MikeFChen: Michigan
@evanrbach: Michigan
CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan
NEXT … The “Pick Six” biggest non-Big Ten games
Washington State at Oregon
Saturday, Oct. 21
3:30 p.m. ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Oregon -20
@PhilHarrisonBW: Oregon
@MarkRussell1975: Oregon*
@JoshKeatley16: Oregon
@MikeFChen: Oregon*
@evanrbach: Oregon
CONSENSUS PICK: Oregon
Tennessee at Alabama
Saturday, Oct. 21
3:30 p.m. ET | CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Alabama -8.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Alabama*
@MarkRussell1975: Alabama*
@JoshKeatley16: Alabama
@MikeFChen: Alabama
@evanrbach: Alabama
CONSENSUS PICK: Alabama
Ole Miss at Auburn
Saturday, Oct. 21
7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Ole Miss -6.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Auburn
@MarkRussell1975: Ole Miss
@JoshKeatley16: Ole Miss
@MikeFChen: Ole Miss
@evanrbach: Ole Miss
CONSENSUS PICK: Ole Miss
Duke at Florida State
Saturday, Oct. 21
7:30 p.m. ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Florida State -13.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Florida State*
@MarkRussell1975: Florida State*
@JoshKeatley16: Florida State
@MikeFChen: Florida State
@evanrbach: Florida State
CONSENSUS PICK: Florida State
Utah at USC
Saturday, Oct. 21
8:00 p.m. ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: USC -7
@PhilHarrisonBW: USC
@MarkRussell1975: Utah
@JoshKeatley16: USC
@MikeFChen: USC
@evanrbach: USC
CONSENSUS PICK: USC
Clemson at Miami (FL)
Saturday, Oct. 21
8:00 p.m. ET | ACC Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Clemson -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Clemson
@MarkRussell1975: Clemson
@JoshKeatley16: Clemson
@MikeFChen: Miami
@evanrbach: Clemson
CONSENSUS PICK: Clemson
