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 12 weeks of play, it still looks like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State are the class of the league and the East division with the Buckeyes and Wolverines on a massive collision course Saturday. Everyone but Iowa is an average mess with Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Wisconsin.
How will Week 13 play out in the Big Ten with rivalry games taking center stage? 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 13 (rivalry week) as we also look to close down the regular season. But first, here’s what the standings look like between our writers after last week’s action.
Results so far
Results of our picks and predictions so far
@PhilHarrisonBW: 108-38 (straight up), 76-70 (against the spread)
@MarkRussell1975: 115-31 SU, 83-63 ATS
@JoshKeatley16: 112-34 SU, 77-69 ATS
@MikeFChen: 112-34 SU, 74-72 ATS
@evanrbach: 119-27 SU, 84-62 ATS
CONSENSUS PICK: 118-28 SU, 83-63 ATS
Next … The Big Ten games and picks
Iowa at Nebraska
Friday, Nov. 24
Noon ET – CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Nebraska -2.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Iowa
@MarkRussell1975: Iowa
@JoshKeatley16: Iowa
@MikeFChen: Iowa
@evanrbach: Iowa
CONSENSUS PICK: Iowa
Penn State at Michigan State
Friday, Nov. 24
7:30 p.m. ET – NBC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Penn State -20.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Penn State
@MarkRussell1975: Penn State
@JoshKeatley16: Penn State
@MikeFChen: Penn State
@evanrbach: Penn State
CONSENSUS PICK: Penn State
Ohio State at Michigan
Saturday, Nov. 25
Noon ET – Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Michigan -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan
@MarkRussell1975: Ohio State
@JoshKeatley16: Ohio State
@MikeFChen: Ohio State
@evanrbach: Ohio State
CONSENSUS PICK: Ohio State
Indiana at Purdue
Saturday, Nov. 25
Noon ET – Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Purdue -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Indiana
@MarkRussell1975: Purdue
@JoshKeatley16: Purdue
@MikeFChen: Purdue
@evanrbach: Purdue
CONSENSUS PICK: Purdue
Northwestern at Illinois
Saturday, Nov. 25
3:30 p.m. ET – Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Illinois -5.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Illinois*
@MarkRussell1975: Northwestern
@JoshKeatley16: Illinois
@MikeFChen: Illinois*
@evanrbach: Illinois*
CONSENSUS PICK: Illinois
Wisconsin at Minnesota
Saturday, Nov. 25
3:30 p.m. ET – FS1 – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Wisconsin -2.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Wisconsin
@MarkRussell1975: Wisconsin
@JoshKeatley16: Wisconsin
@MikeFChen: Wisconsin
@evanrbach: Wisconsin
CONSENSUS PICK: Wisconsin
Maryland at Rutgers
Saturday, Nov. 25
3:30 p.m. ET – Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Maryland -1.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Maryland
@MarkRussell1975: Maryland
@JoshKeatley16: Maryland
@MikeFChen: Rutgers
@evanrbach: Maryland
CONSENSUS PICK: Maryland
NEXT … The “Pick Six” biggest non-Big Ten games
Oregon State at Oregon
Friday, Nov. 24
8:30 p.m. ET – Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Oregon -13.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Oregon*
@MarkRussell1975: Oregon*
@JoshKeatley16: Oregon
@MikeFChen: Oregon
@evanrbach: Oregon*
CONSENSUS PICK: Oregon*
Texas A&M at LSU
Saturday, Nov. 25
Noon ET – ESPN – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: LSU -11.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: LSU
@MarkRussell1975: LSU
@JoshKeatley16: LSU
@MikeFChen: LSU
@evanrbach: LSU*
CONSENSUS PICK: LSU
Kentucky at Louisville
Saturday, Nov. 25
Noon ET – ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Louisville -7.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Louisville
@MarkRussell1975: Louisville
@JoshKeatley16: Louisville*
@MikeFChen: Louisville*
@evanrbach: Louisville*
CONSENSUS PICK: Louisville
Alabama at Auburn
Saturday, Nov. 25
3:30 p.m. ET – CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Alabama -14.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Alabama
@MarkRussell1975: Alabama
@JoshKeatley16: Alabama
@MikeFChen: Alabama
@evanrbach: Alabama
CONSENSUS PICK: Alabama
Florida State at Florida
Saturday, Nov. 25
7 p.m. ET – ESPN – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Florida State -6.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Florida State
@MarkRussell1975: Florida State*
@JoshKeatley16: Florida State
@MikeFChen: Florida State
@evanrbach: Florida State
CONSENSUS PICK: Florida State
Georgia at Georgia Tech
Saturday, Nov. 25
7:30 p.m. ET – ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Georgia -24.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Georgia
@MarkRussell1975: Georgia*
@JoshKeatley16: Georgia
@MikeFChen: Georgia
@evanrbach: Georgia
CONSENSUS PICK: Georgia