Week 2: MotSaG B1G Pick ‘em and Tidbits

By: Phil Schoch, Twitter me @osuphil95

Each week in this spot, we analyze college football’s desert numerology and make other-worldly predictions (erratic guesses and hunches) for each B1G match-up as well as a few national spotlight games.

In week one, Pick ‘em & Tidbits sputtered to an uninspiring record of 7-10 versus the spread and 14-3 straight up. I did hit pay dirt with my PM Stukenborg Fearless Prediction of BYU (+7) winning outright against Nebraska. I was 0-4 against the spread in embarrassments featuring a B1G school versus an FCS school.

In case you missed last week’s disclaimer, I will display it again and beg you to not use my picks to bet any form of legal or fantasy tender (bitcoin’ers).

Disclaimer: I am not an oracle, soothsayer or remote viewer. I am not a gamester or gambler. I am not wired into the degenerate underworld lairs of Vegas, Brent Musburger or slicksters promising Triple Platinum Locks of the Week. I pay attention to the numbers and matchups. I examine team motivation factors. BUT PLEASE, DO NOT search out your old freshman dorm pal, Louie the Book, or log into a remote island website to wager your personal assets based on anything written in this weekly post.

Around the B1G…

Saturday, September 12

UW looked rather Badgery against Alabama last week. Solid enough to be in the favorite in the B1G West, but not dynamic enough to inspire hopes of a run to the Chosen Four.

Pick ’em says… Badgers, 45-10.

The Terps dressed up in their medieval clown suits and beat up an FCS school last week. Yawn.

Pick ’em says… More atrocious uni’s and a win over a decent MAC squad, 34-28. 

IF I HAVE A FAITH THAT CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS, BUT A LINE THAT CAN NOT RUN BLOCK- I HAVE NOTHING.

Pick ’em says… Why are you fearful? O ye of over-inflated faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the media and the pundits; and there was a great calm-ing victory over the Beavers. M, 27-17. 

Temple?! 10 sacks?! BWAAAHAHAHA!!! Is James Franklin the answer or simply a hype-man?

Pick ’em says… A little bounce back – PSU, 27-13.

Purd’oh! Purdue was +7 vs Marshall last week. With two minutes and change remaining, the Boilers were up 4. Two minutes later the Boilers were down 10 and all of the betting change flipped to Marshall. D’oh!

Pick ’em says… Boilers showed signs of a competent running game and an okay defense – progress, I guess. Boilers win this crapfest, 24-13.

You’re Illinois. You’re good once every ten years. Then you bottom out. Fire the crap coach. Hire a crap coach. Rebuild and repeat. Tepper, Turner, Zook, Beckman. Now Bill Cubit is your interim HC. Who are you going after? Your updated and expanded stadium is half-empty and your program has zero buzz. But, you play in the B1G West – you can win this! You have piles of B1G $$$ – now go be somebody! How about Tom Herman, Bob Stoops (not his nutjob brother), Justin Fuente or Steve Addazio?  Hmmm… My consulting fees are quite reasonable, give me a call Chief Illiniwek.

Pick ’em says… Fightin’ Cubits, 48-17.

What the hell is going on, people?! Can’t we just go back to the days of wearing a dark suit and fedora to the ballgame?

Pick ’em says… Better bring your best filler material BTN crew. Bucks, 63-17.

Washington State was the biggest  loser in week one. The Cougs were -28 versus a non-ranked FCS opponent, Portland State, and lost by 7. Mike Leach will likely walk the plank before the end of October. Rutgers is a mess. Coach attempting to influence a professor. Player arrests and dismissals. The police and AD are hanging around practices. Kyle Flood will likely wash up along the Arthur Kill any day now.

Pick ’em says… I fell asleep on the couch watching this late-nighter last year and missed Rutgers 41-38 come-from-behind victory. I will not make the same mistake this time. Jersey Boys, 45-38.

From 1966 – 2012, legendary Minster (Ohio) resident, Paul ‘P.M.’ Stukenborg (pictured above) posted his weekly sports predictions in the hometown paper, The Community Post. Each week, Pick ’em will make a P.M. Stukenborg Fearless Prediction and call for an underdog to to knock off the favorite.

Pick ’em says… Gophers lack the play makers at QB and WR to keep pace with the high scoring Rams. The ghost of P.M. speaks to me in my sleep – CSU, 34-24.

Shame on you – Chicago’s B1G Team! Home opener + ranked opponent = 1/2 empty stadium? Keep studying Wildcats, I guess. Apparently youall’ve found something more important in your lives than football. Me? It’s all football and making up words, like the compound contraction – youall’ve.

Pick ’em says… Dyche Stadium will be packed with empty seats. Cats, 38-13.

The CyHawk Trophy used to be an old school classic trophy. Then someone couldn’t leave well enough alone and went and invented a new trophy with an old farmer offering a single mother a bushel of corn for her 8 year old son. Although it was a common practice, seeing their corn-4-child bartering system cast in pewter made Iowans a bit uncomfortable. So they invented another new trophy.

Pick ’em says… Either Paul Rhoads cries about being proud of his team or the Kirk Ferentz for B1G Coach of the Year talk heats up? This is a tough one, but I’ve got to go with the coach who pawned-off his lousy quarterback on Harbaugh. Hawks, 24-20.

This game is going to take forever. I know I’m going to fall asleep watching it. I just hope I wake up in time for the fourth quarter. I think both of these squads are currently ranked too high. Please win, Sparty! Otherwise it will be two straight months of – The Big Ten is weak! Look at Ohio State’s schedule! Please Sparty?

Pick ’em says… Go Green! Go White! Pleeeeease! 45-38.

Pittbull vs Henry Lee Summer: There are no winners here.

Pick ’em says… I wish I had a girl who walked like that! IU, 38-31.

Say, is that a corncob in your pocket? Or are you just- ok, good, that is a corncob in your pocket.

Pick ’em says… Huskers, 45-17.

National spotlight games…

General consensus is that Oklahoma is trending down and Tennessee is on the rise. Whose rise or demise has been greatly exaggerated?

Pick ’em says… Vols at home, 38-31.

How ugly will this game be? Just look – that ugly. Although ESPN will try to make you believe it’s phenomenal defense.

Pick ’em says…  Don’t watch! Don’t allow yourself to be brainwashed! LSU, 20-13.