Week 9 brings a full slate of Big Ten guesswork, and nobody sounds especially eager to pretend otherwise. The picks range from low-scoring trench fights to a couple of games that could turn into chaos if the wrong quarterback shows up on the wrong night.
The most confident consensus seems to be around Nebraska’s matchup with Washington. The Huskers are coming off a bye, and that extra time has everyone circling the same question: can Nebraska get its run game moving?
Mike pointed to Jamal Rule returning from the injury list and said the defense will need to handle two different offensive looks from Washington. Jarek liked the chance for some healing during the week off, noting that Nebraska’s defense has not been the real problem this season.
Jon turned the whole thing into a referendum on Matt Rule’s Nebraska tenure, saying, “Every game of Matt Rule’s career at Nebraska is the biggest game of his life. FOREVER.
If we win this game, it will be amazing rest of the season. If we lose, we’re going to have to burn down shit.
We damned well better not lose. We should run for a crap load on them.”
Jill was more measured, but still landed on Nebraska, with a late Washington push that comes up short. The picks: Nebraska 31, Washington 20; Nebraska 34, Washington 17; Nebraska 32, Washington 17; Nebraska 30, Washington 24.
Elsewhere, Wisconsin at Iowa looks like the kind of game that can drag everybody into the mud. Mike said Iowa’s top running back is out for the season and that Minnesota exposed the Hawkeyes’ quarterbacks last week, while Jarek agreed the game should stay low scoring and suggested Wisconsin could be positioned to steal one.
Jon, though, leaned on the home field and the series history, pointing out that Wisconsin’s last win at Iowa came in 2018 and that Iowa holds a 48-49-2 edge in the rivalry. Jill went the furthest in embracing the chaos, calling for a 6-6 tie that finally gets called after seven hours and 14 overtimes.
The official picks landed all over the place: Wisconsin 17, Iowa 9; Wisconsin 20, Iowa 14; Iowa 17, Wisconsin 10; and that marathon tie.
Illinois at Maryland carries a very different tone, mostly because Maryland has already moved on from Mike Locksley. Mike called the firing proof that Locksley had become “too mediocre for even Maryland,” while Jarek said the program’s move to the Big Ten has been rough outside of women’s basketball and the occasional baseball season.
He also predicted Maryland will stay in the doldrums until it hires James Madison’s head coach. Jill wasn’t buying much of a rebound either, saying some teams get a dead cat bounce after a coaching change, but she’s not sure Maryland will be one of them.
Jon was the lone voice to keep it close. The picks: Illinois 31, Maryland 13; Illinois 30, Maryland 17; Illinois 27, Maryland 24; Illinois 34, Maryland 18.
Northwestern’s trip to Oregon has the feel of a sneaky test for a team that keeps surprising people. Mike said Northwestern is back to playing the kind of smart, sneaky-good football associated with Pat Fitzgerald, and he framed Oregon’s defense as the biggest challenge.
Jarek called Northwestern a possible Big Ten sleeper and admitted he’s still bitter about losing to Oregon. Jon pushed back, saying he doesn’t think Oregon loses at home and noting that the Ducks’ defense is strong enough to make life difficult.
Jill said she’s enjoyed watching Northwestern play competent football, with one exception, but still sided with the home team. The picks: Northwestern 21, Oregon 16; Northwestern 28, Oregon 24; Oregon 24, Northwestern 21; Oregon 27, Northwestern 24.
The Ohio State-Southern Cal game is the one that could tilt the whole day into something stranger. Mike said Ohio State has had two weeks to prepare a backup quarterback and running back, and he doesn’t see much drop-off from a program that recruits the way the Buckeyes do.
Jarek thought the absence of Julian Sayin matters, but also warned that USC’s defense “prevents leaks like a colander.” Jon focused on Ohio State’s 75th-ranked rushing offense and wondered whether USC could stop it, even at home, while also admitting it would be “damned funny” if Lincoln Riley knocked off one of the nation’s top teams.
Jill liked the idea of chaos, but still backed the Buckeyes. The picks: Ohio State 34, USC 17; Ohio State 41, USC 30; USC 32, Ohio State 30; Ohio State 35, USC 28.
In Other News...
Nebraska Still Has One Late-Game Problem A Former Champion Didn't Ignore
Clester Johnson has seen enough Nebraska football to know when a team is leaving something on the table, and in a recent podcast interview the former wingback and national champion returned to a familiar theme: finishing. Johnson talked about the importance of closing out games and the accountability that comes with it, while also looking back on how Tom Osbornes staffs handled those moments when the pressure tightened and the details mattered most.
Johnson also framed the challenge in a more modern light, noting that todays Nebraska has to navigate a different college football reality with retention and recruiting adding another layer of difficulty. He pointed to quarterback Anthony Colandreas ability, but said the offense still needs more balance around him, a reminder that the late-game issues are rarely about one player alone and usually come back to whether the whole operation can hold up when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Found Another Brutal Way To Waste A Winnable Game
For most of the afternoon, Nebraska and Washington played the kind of tight, low-scoring game that leaves every possession feeling heavier than the last. The Cornhuskers had chances to keep control of it, but quarterback Anthony Colandreas interceptions and a missed field goal from Kyle Cunanan kept turning manageable moments into wasted ones.
Washington finally broke it open late with a touchdown, then slammed the door with a pick-six off Colandrea to seal a 17-10 win. For Nebraska, it was another frustrating reminder that in a game there to be won, the biggest damage often came from self-inflicted mistakes. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Could Get A Huge Boost Before Its Blackout Showdown
Nebraska is getting healthier at just the right time, with defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel expected back for the Washington game after missing recent action because of injury. Running back Isaiah Mozee is also likely to be available, giving the Cornhuskers a little more depth as they prepare for a marquee blackout matchup that should draw plenty of attention.
The injury report still leaves some holes, though, with offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula and safety Jamir Conn ruled out. Washington is dealing with its own uncertainty as quarterback Demond Williams has gone from doubtful to probable, even if the Huskies have not yet announced a starter, so Nebraska may still have to wait until kickoff to see exactly what kind of challenge it is facing. [Read more 🡒]