In a pivotal week for the Big Ten, all eyes are on the Trojans. If it were not for the USC-Oregon matchup this weekend, there wouldn’t be a lot else to discuss. Trojans-Ducks has the ESPN College GameDay spotlight and the pressure of what amounts to a playoff play-in and elimination game.
Here are my picks for Week 13 in Big Ten football:
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Ohio State over Rutgers
Ohio State will roll against Rutgers. This defense for the Buckeyes is way too talented to give up much of anything against Rutgers. Ohio State has not been challenged this season, minus their first game against Texas. I do not think Rutgers is the team to challenge them. I expect another Julian Sayin masterclass and him and these talented weapons for Ohio State to continue to build that beautiful connection for meaningful football coming ahead.
Minnesota over Northwestern
This game will really be a toss-up. P.J. Fleck has to win this game, right? I will lean more towards the Gophers, I think they are the more talented team, not by much though. This will be a close dog fight, though, between two teams fighting to be an above-average team in the Big Ten. I like the Gophers to steal this game late in the 4th quarter.
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USC over Oregon
This is the game of the year type of matchup. If the Trojans play the Oregon Ducks game, they honestly could get blown out. If the Trojans force the Ducks to play their game, this could be one of the more exciting games this season. The Trojans showed last week that they are a force to be reckoned with, and they can hang with the big dogs. USC is coming into this game with real momentum and they should be confident in their chances to get the upset. I trust Jayden Maiava and these Trojan playmakers to be the better offense on the field and outscore the Ducks, propelling USC to get its biggest win in the Riley era.
Iowa over Michigan State
Michigan State’s offensive line is really poor, and they have a freshman quarterback heading into a matchup against a really good Hawkeyes defense. I like Iowa’s defense to dominate this game and get multiple takeaways, and at least 5 sacks in this matchup. This will be the perfect bounce-back game for Iowa to help lock down a good bowl game.
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Michigan over Maryland
Michigan will win this game, but it will be just like all their previous wins. Maryland will have an opportunity to win this game at some point, but Michigan’s talent will not let the Wolverines suffer an upset. I think the Bryce Underwood and Andrew Marsh connection keeps rolling in this one.
Penn State over Nebraska
Will the Terry Smith run continue this week? I think Terry Smith has brought the energy needed to salvage this season, and if he turns Penn State into a bowl game team, he should be properly rewarded for that. This team is fully bought into Smith, and I think they play inspired ball, stealing a victory over a good Nebraska Cornhuskers team.
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Wisconsin over Illinois
Illinois is a good football team, but to say they are good enough to be beyond an upset would be a stretch. Wisconsin has undoubtedly been a better team over the last stretch of games. Last week, the Badgers got a win, and their punter didn’t lead the team in passing yards, a double whammy. The Badgers’ defense has been a solid unit. I think they can limit the Fighting Illini’s offensive success. Beating Illinois would be a great victory to help the Badgers head into the next season with some momentum. Give me the Badgers in a close physical win.
Washington over UCLA
Will Washington finally get a win on the road? Yes, I think Washington will get an uncharacteristic win over the Bruins this Saturday on the road. Washington has only gotten one Big Ten victory on the road out of their three tries. Just like Maryland, UCLA is not a good football team. A 930 pm kick-off could help Washington with its travel woes as well. Washington is talented enough to beat UCLA. It might be a close game still, but I expect Washington to get the job done.
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Predictions for Big Ten football games in Week 13, featuring USC win
