Friday, November 07, 2008

Big Ten Bloggers Pick’em: Week 11

The last time we saw our hero he was trapped in a battle of wits with an inanimate standard piece of silver stamped by government authority and used as a medium of exchange and measure of value. Let's see how he did.

Last week
Me: (3-2)
THE quarter (2-3)

Ha! So I'm one game better than the statistical mean, God I'm proud. Let's move on to Week 11, shall we?

11) Ohio State at (24) Northwestern

Northwestern needed a deflected ball and the ensuing 48-yard interception return to beat Minnesota last week as Ohio State watched from the comfort of their living rooms due to a bye week. The Wildcats get back starting QB C.J. Bacher but lose backup running back Omar Conteh to a knee injury. Conteh was starting in place of Tyrell Sutton who was lost for the regular season with a dislocated wrist. The Buckeyes still have slim hopes of a Big Ten title and something to prove after losing to our beloved Nittany Lions.
TNL's Trooper: THE osu
THE quarter's pick: THE osu

Wisconsin at Indiana
Wisconsin lost a last second heart-breaker to Michigan State last week when Spartan kicker Brett Swenson kicked a 44-yard field goal with 7 seconds remaining for the victory. At 4-5 the Badgers are still playing for a bowl berth and it's very attainable with games against Indiana and Cal Poly sandwiched around a bigger game against Minnesota. Indiana… they're just playing to end the season.
TNL's Trooper: Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, Badger, mushroom, mushROOM!
THE quarter's pick: Indiana

Purdue at (18) Michigan State
Both teams are coming off thrilling last second victories: Michigan State a last second field goal in a game they trailed the entire day and Purdue a last second hook and lateral at Michigan's expense. *snicker* Unfortunately, Michigan State is playing for an outright Big Ten title and Purdue is playing for… well… I don't know what Purdue's motivation is… ice cream maybe?!
TNL's Trooper: Michigan State
THE quarter's pick: Purdue

Michigan at Minnesota
Well isn't this interesting the last game (Purdue vs Mich State) was a battle of teams that won last second thrillers and here's a matchup of teams that lost last second thrillers. Michigan is prone to turnovers (10th in Conf. turnover margin) and Minnesota is a bunch of opportunistic little varmints (1st in Conf. Turnover margin). Everything points to a Minnesota victory, Michigan has a horrible offense and Minnesota at 7-2 is playing for a decent bowl game, but for some reason my gut tells me that A) The Gophers are overrated and B) Michigan is starting to get things together on offense. I hate to say it but I'm going with Michigan.
TNL's Trooper: Michigan
THE quarter's pick: Minnesota

Illinois at Western Michigan
Illinois is coming off a last second victory (there's that phrase again) over Iowa and at 5-4 are looking for a bowl game but Western Michigan is no push-over at 7-2 in the MAC. Having said that, Directional Michigan has no victories of importance and they barely beat Temple 7-3. No need to go any further there's no reason the Fighting Zookers should lose this one.
TNL's Trooper: Illinois
THE quarter's pick: Illinois

(3) Penn State at Iowa
If Iowa can get Shonn Greene going while keeping Evan Royster in check they have a chance to pull the upset. Darryl Clark will be the deciding faction in this game and I think he'll have a big day. It's the last road hurdle for Penn State before returning home to destroy Indiana and take on Michigan State for a chance at the outright Big Ten title and a possible National Championship berth… if they can get by Iowa… and I think they will.
TNL's Trooper: Penn State
THE quarter's pick: Iowa

6 comments:

PSUgirl said...

the quarter sounds like a jerk.

drozz said...

that quarter should be placed on a railroad track for picking iowa this weekend. as a lesson for all those other Paterno-hating quarters.

Galen said...

But what if the quarter is right? Then what!! Freaky!

PSUgirl said...

nope - the quarter is still a jerk.

and besides, this whole "unbiased" quarter thing smells a little BCS to me -

how does the quarter pick its teams? Does the quarter spontaneously flip itself into the air?

Galen said...

The quarter is flipped into the air and several computers monitor it’s trajectory. The coin is then re-flipped if any of the computers determine the flipping process wasn’t complete. Then a panel of coin minters vote on whether or not it’s heads or tails. It's technical.

PSUgirl said...

that quarter's on my list