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Phil Harrison

Big Ten and big game college football expert picks and predictions for Week 8

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 seven 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 — IowaWisconsin, or a surprise team, will sort it all out eventually.

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But how will Week 8 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

Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

Results of our picks and predictions so far

@PhilHarrisonBW: 67-17 (straight up), 49-35 (against the spread)
@MarkRussell1975: 68-16 SU, 50-34 ATS
@JoshKeatley16: 70-14 SU, 51-33 ATS
@MikeFChen: 68-16 SU, 43-41 ATS
@evanrbach: 73-11 SU, 53-31 ATS
CONSENSUS PICK: 71-13 SU, 50-34 ATS

Next … The Big Ten games and picks

Penn State at Ohio State

USA TODAY SMG

Saturday, Oct. 21

Noon ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Ohio State -4

@PhilHarrisonBW: Penn State
@MarkRussell1975: Ohio State
@JoshKeatley16: Penn State
@MikeFChen: Ohio State
@evanrbach: Ohio State

CONSENSUS PICK: Ohio State

Rutgers at Indiana

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

Noon ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Rutgers -4.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Rutgers
@MarkRussell1975: Rutgers
@JoshKeatley16: Rutgers
@MikeFChen: Rutgers
@evanrbach: Rutgers

CONSENSUS PICK: Rutgers

Minnesota at Iowa

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

Noon ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Iowa -3.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Iowa
@MarkRussell1975: Iowa
@JoshKeatley16: Iowa
@MikeFChen: Iowa
@evanrbach: Iowa

CONSENSUS PICK: Iowa

Wisconsin at Illinois

Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

3:30 p.m. ET | FS1 – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Wisconsin -2.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Wisconsin
@MarkRussell1975: Wisconsin
@JoshKeatley16: Wisconsin
@MikeFChen: Illinois
@evanrbach: Wisconsin

CONSENSUS PICK: Wisconsin

Northwestern at Nebraska

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

3:30 p.m. ET | Big Ten Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Nebraska -11

@PhilHarrisonBW: Nebraska*
@MarkRussell1975: Nebraska*
@JoshKeatley16: Nebraska
@MikeFChen: Nebraska
@evanrbach: Nebraska

CONSENSUS PICK: Nebraska

Michigan at Michigan State

USA TODAY SMG

Saturday, Oct. 21

7:30 p.m. ET | NBC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Michigan -24.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Michigan
@MarkRussell1975: Michigan
@JoshKeatley16: Michigan
@MikeFChen: Michigan
@evanrbach: Michigan

CONSENSUS PICK: Michigan

NEXT … The “Pick Six” biggest non-Big Ten games

Washington State at Oregon

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

3:30 p.m. ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Oregon -20

@PhilHarrisonBW: Oregon
@MarkRussell1975: Oregon*
@JoshKeatley16: Oregon
@MikeFChen: Oregon*
@evanrbach: Oregon

CONSENSUS PICK: Oregon

Tennessee at Alabama

John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

3:30 p.m. ET | CBS – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Alabama -8.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Alabama*
@MarkRussell1975: Alabama*
@JoshKeatley16: Alabama
@MikeFChen: Alabama
@evanrbach: Alabama

CONSENSUS PICK: Alabama

Ole Miss at Auburn

USA TODAY SMG

Saturday, Oct. 21

7:00 p.m. ET | ESPN – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Ole Miss -6.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Auburn
@MarkRussell1975: Ole Miss
@JoshKeatley16: Ole Miss
@MikeFChen: Ole Miss
@evanrbach: Ole Miss

CONSENSUS PICK: Ole Miss

Duke at Florida State

(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Saturday, Oct. 21

7:30 p.m. ET | ABC – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Florida State -13.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Florida State*
@MarkRussell1975: Florida State*
@JoshKeatley16: Florida State
@MikeFChen: Florida State
@evanrbach: Florida State

CONSENSUS PICK: Florida State

Utah at USC

Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

8:00 p.m. ET | Fox – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: USC -7

@PhilHarrisonBW: USC
@MarkRussell1975: Utah
@JoshKeatley16: USC
@MikeFChen: USC
@evanrbach: USC

CONSENSUS PICK: USC

Clemson at Miami (FL)

Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

Saturday, Oct. 21

8:00 p.m. ET | ACC Network – Stream fuboTV (watch here)
BetMGM Line: Clemson -3.5

@PhilHarrisonBW: Clemson
@MarkRussell1975: Clemson
@JoshKeatley16: Clemson
@MikeFChen: Miami
@evanrbach: Clemson

CONSENSUS PICK: Clemson

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