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 one six weeks of play, it still looks like teams like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State are still the class of the league and the East division. The West still looks like a mess, but someone — Iowa, Wisconsin, or a surprise team, will sort it all out eventually.
But how will Week 7 play out in the Big Ten? 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 7 as we also look for what type of separation and improvement we see in the upcoming weeks. But first, here’s what the standings look like with our writers after last week’s action.
Results so far
Results of our picks and predictions so far
@PhilHarrisonBW: 58-14 (straight up), 41-31 (against the spread)
@MarkRussell1975: 59-13 SU, 41-31 ATS
@JoshKeatley16: 63-9 SU, 42-30 ATS
@MikeFChen: 59-13 SU, 37-35 ATS
@evanrbach: 63-9 SU, 42-30 ATS
CONSENSUS PICK: 61-11 SU, 40-32 ATS
Next … The Big Ten games and picks
Indiana at Michigan
Saturday, Oct. 7
Noon ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Michigan -33.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan
@JoshKeatley16: Michigan
@MikeFChen: Michigan
@evanrbach: Michigan
CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan
Ohio State at Purdue
Saturday, Oct. 7
Noon ET | Peacock
BetMGM Line: Ohio State -19.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Ohio State*
@MarkRussell1975: Ohio State
@JoshKeatley16: Ohio State
@MikeFChen: Ohio State*
@evanrbach: Ohio State
CONSENSUS PICK: Ohio State
Michigan State at Rutgers
Saturday, Oct. 7
Noon ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Rutgers -5.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Rutgers
@MarkRussell1975: Rutgers
@JoshKeatley16: Michigan State
@MikeFChen: Rutgers
@evanrbach: Rutgers*
CONSENSUS PICK: Rutgers
UMass at Penn State
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Penn State -41.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Penn State
@MarkRussell1975: Penn State
@JoshKeatley16: Penn State
@MikeFChen: Penn State*
@evanrbach: Penn State*
CONSENSUS PICK: Penn State
Illinois at Maryland
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:30 p.m. ET | NBC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Maryland -14
@PhilHarrisonBW: Maryland
@MarkRussell1975: Maryland
@JoshKeatley16: Maryland*
@MikeFChen: Maryland
@evanrbach: Maryland*
CONSENSUS PICK: Maryland
Iowa at Wisconsin
Saturday, Oct. 7
4:00 p.m. ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Wisconsin -10
@PhilHarrisonBW: Wisconsin*
@MarkRussell1975: Wisconsin*
@JoshKeatley16: Wisconsin
@MikeFChen: Wisconsin
@evanrbach: Wisconsin*
CONSENSUS PICK: Wisconsin*
NEXT … The “Pick Six” biggest non-Big Ten games
Oregon at Washington
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:30 p.m. ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Washington -3
@PhilHarrisonBW: Washington
@MarkRussell1975: Washington
@JoshKeatley16: Washington
@MikeFChen: Washington
@evanrbach: Washington
CONSENSUS PICK: Washington
Texas A&M at Tennessee
Saturday, Oct. 7
3:30 p.m. ET | CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Tennessee -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Tennessee
@MarkRussell1975: Tennessee
@JoshKeatley16: Texas A&M
@MikeFChen: Tennessee
@evanrbach: Tennessee
CONSENSUS PICK: Tennessee
USC at Notre Dame
Saturday, Oct. 7
7:30 p.m. ET | NBC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Notre Dame -2.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Notre Dame
@MarkRussell1975: USC
@JoshKeatley16: USC
@MikeFChen: Notre Dame
@evanrbach: Notre Dame
CONSENSUS PICK: Notre Dame
Miami (FL) at North Carolina
Saturday, Oct. 7
7:30 p.m. ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: North Carolina -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Miami (FL)
@MarkRussell1975: North Carolina
@JoshKeatley16: North Carolina
@MikeFChen: North Carolina
@evanrbach: North Carolina
CONSENSUS PICK: North Carolina
UCLA at Oregon State
Saturday, Oct. 7
8:00 p.m. ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Oregon State -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Oregon State
@MarkRussell1975: Oregon State
@JoshKeatley16: Oregon State
@MikeFChen: UCLA
@evanrbach: Oregon State
CONSENSUS PICK: Oregon State
NC State at Duke
Saturday, Oct. 7
8:00 p.m. ET | ACC Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Duke -3.5
@PhilHarrisonBW: Duke
@MarkRussell1975: Duke
@JoshKeatley16: Duke
@MikeFChen: Duke
@evanrbach: Duke
CONSENSUS PICK: Duke
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