Big Ten football is finally rolling into a full conference slate, and Week 4 brings a packed board of games with plenty of disagreement among the picks.
The headline matchup for Spartans fans is Nebraska at Michigan State, but it’s hardly the only one worth watching. Iowa visits Michigan, Illinois heads to Ohio State, and Oregon travels to USC in another of the week’s major conference showdowns. Conference play is upon us, and this is the first week with a full schedule of Big Ten battles.
Among the writers tracking these picks, Andrew Brewster sits on top of the season standings at 29-22-0.
Here’s how the staff is lined up against the spread this week:
Howard at Rutgers, no line: Andrew Brewster, Cory Linsner and Robert Bondy all took Rutgers.
Northwestern at Indiana, minus-20.5: Robert Bondy went with Northwestern.
Illinois at Ohio State, minus-27.5: Andrew Brewster picked Illinois, while Cory Linsner and Robert Bondy chose Ohio State.
UCLA, minus-1.5, at Maryland: Brewster and Linsner both backed UCLA, and Bondy took Maryland.
Notre Dame, minus-27.5, at Purdue: Brewster and Bondy both picked Notre Dame.
Iowa at Michigan, minus-6.5: all three writers landed on Michigan.
Wisconsin at Penn State, minus-9.5: Brewster and Linsner took Penn State, while Bondy went with Wisconsin.
Oregon, minus-3.5, at USC: Brewster and Bondy both picked USC, while Linsner took Oregon.
Minnesota at Washington, minus-10.5: Brewster chose Washington and Bondy went with Minnesota.
Nebraska, minus-5.5, at Michigan State: Brewster and Bondy both picked Michigan State, while Linsner sided with Nebraska.
In Other News...
Michigan States Hot Start Just Ran Into A Big Ten Reality Check
Michigan States unbeaten run in volleyball came to an end in its Big Ten opener, as Washington handed the Spartans their first loss of the season in four sets. The result was a reminder of how quickly conference play can raise the level of difficulty, even for a team that had rolled to a 10-0 start before the trip into league play.
Alanna Bankston led Michigan State with 14 kills, while Malayah Long finished with 26 assists, but it was not enough to slow a Washington team that stayed perfect at 10-0. The Spartans are now 10-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten, with the early setback creating an immediate test for how they respond in one of the nations toughest conferences. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Took A Brutal Loss But One Spartans Effort Stood Out
Michigan State field hockey ran into the No. 1 team in the country on Friday at Lakeside Field and spent most of the afternoon on the back foot in a 6-0 Big Ten loss to Northwestern. The Wildcats controlled possession, piled up chances and kept the Spartans under pressure with a heavy edge in shots and penalty corners, leaving Michigan States defense and goalkeepers to absorb the brunt of the action.
Even in a lopsided result, there were a few Spartans efforts worth noting. Lola Munoz de Verger and Catherine Wolf combined for 10 saves, and the back line had to deal with wave after wave of Northwestern pressure. Michigan State never found the offensive breakthrough it needed, but the way it kept battling in the circle and in front of goal offered one of the few bright spots on a difficult day. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Made Its Strongest Early Season Statement Yet
Michigan States mens soccer team kept building on its fast start Friday night at DeMartin Stadium, using Alumni Night to deliver another performance that looked every bit like an early statement in the Big Ten. Richie Ludwig scored twice and Dom Dono added the other goal as the Spartans rolled past Wisconsin 3-0, with the match turning sharply after the Badgers were reduced to 10 men.
All three goals came in a seven-minute burst around halftime, the kind of stretch that can flip a conference match in a hurry and leave little doubt about which team seized control. The result pushed MSU to 3-0-0 in Big Ten play and 7-1-1 overall, the best league start in program history, and it gave the Spartans another reminder that their early-season momentum is no fluke. [Read more 🡒]