This Week:
#11 Michigan State (-5.5) @ Rutgers - Without stats, let's just consider this matchup. You could argue Rutgers woke up this week by the blowout and their coach won't make dumb decisions like go for it on 4th-and-8 on the bad side of the field, leaving his team in an early hole. Michigan State also has to be gaining lots of confidence. However, I have seen this a million times, a team with no real championship-type goals comes out of nowhere and reaches the Top-10, only to get beat in a game they are expected to win. My bigger concern for Michigan State is they are dead last in pass defense in the Big Ten, but the good news for Sparty is Rutgers only averages 200 yards passing a game anyway. The difference to me here is, Michigan State is slightly better in defense. My prediction, Michigan State 27 Rutgers 21.
Maryland @ #7 Ohio State (-21.5) - This is setting up like a perfect trap game. Maryland coming off their first loss which was a blowout, Ohio State plays their first complete game for a blowout win. Maryland has only played the Buckeyes close once, in the 2018 overtime loss to the Buckeyes, 52-51. Besides that game, they are 0-6 overall and give up over 50 points to OSU. However, we're gambling here, so let's look at this like a gambler.
The reason I looked at this is my first thought was taking the UNDER 71, and I certainly do not want to take the Moneyline (best bet for OSU) since it will kill our parlay payout as it sits at -1450. This is why it is called gambling, I will bank on the Buckeyes keeping with tradition and beating Maryland by more than 21 points. Prediction: OSU 54 Maryland 24
Wisconsin (-11) @ Illinois - Well, this is ugly. This is not the Wisconsin team we have grown accustomed to, and they are 1-3 against the spread this year, while Illinois is 3-2-1. If you look at the offense and defensive stats, you would think the Badgers will win easily, but that is hard to fathom after looking at their scores. Illinois is starting a 24-year-old QB who beat Wisconsin in 2019 while playing at Michigan. I am going with the sage old guy (on betting spreads only). Prediction: Wisconsin 23 Illinois 17
#4 Penn State @ #3 Iowa (-1.5) - Oh boy, the big one. This is a playoff game. This is the game they sold us in order to prevent 8 team playoffs. So how the heck you handicap this one?
Penn State has an advantage in offense with a comparable defense but in all honesty, we scoured the stats and this is about as even as you can get. Iowa averages 3 more points per game than the Lions, and they are at home with the good luck charm looking over the field rooting them on (children in the hospital), we'll just roll the dice here. Prediction: Iowa 24 Penn State 21
#9 Michigan (-3) @ Nebraska - The only thing I can surmise from the line is vegas likes the close calls for Nebraska (Oklahoma & Michigan State). Otherwise, nothing about this matchup looks even on paper. Michigan is ranked higher in every major category and looks to be getting stronger each week. Meanwhile, Nebraska is 3-3 on the Moneyline while Michigan is 5-0, and the Wolverines are 4-0 as a favorite while Nebraska is 0-2 as a dog. This might stay close, but I am riding the gambling numbers and taking Michigan on the Moneyline at -155. Prediction: Michigan 31 Nebraska 24
On BetUS, the gambling partner of 12oz Sports, this parlay for $5 would net $101.94 - lines as of 9 am ET on Friday, October 8th, 2021. And if you use our promo code 12OZ, you will get a 125% deposit bonus, and that bonus moves to 200% if you use crypto coins! Start a discussion below in the comments section!!
~Michael Patrick Day, Irish Proud & 12oz Sports Writer
Photo Credit: Facebook (JB Beck)
Other References: 12ozsportsnetwork.com/betus
