BTN.com staff, November 21, 2012
Every week this season, BTN.com's Brent Yarina (@BTNBrentYarina) and Tom Dienhart (@BTNTomDienhart) have offered their predictions for each Big Ten football game and provided polls for fans to pick their winners. We're down to the final week of play, and BTN.com fans are in the lead.
After 12 weeks, BTN.com fans lead Dienhart by one game and Yarina by five games. See our Week 13 predictions and choose your winners in this post.
Listen to Dienhart on Wednesday night's "#BTNLive."
SEASON RECORDS
BTN.com fans: 69-21; .767
Tom: 68-22; .755
Brent: 64-26; .711
[RELATED: Week 13 Power Rankings | Week 13 Player Rankings | Week 13 Bowl Projections]
Nebraska (9-2, 6-1) at Iowa (4-7, 2-5) – noon ET, Friday, ABC
Tom's pick: Nebraska, 35-13 – This will be like a de facto home game for the Cornhuskers. The Kinnick stands will be packed with red, as Nebraska will clinch the Legends Division crown vs. a slumping Hawkeye squad that has lost five in a row.
Brent's pick: Nebraska, 41-10 – One of the Big Ten's hottest teams meets one of the coldest teams, and there's absolutely no indication either is about to change its course.
Illinois (2-9, 0-7) at Northwestern (8-3, 4-3) – noon ET, BTN/BTN2Go
Tom's pick: Northwestern, 45-19 – Upon taking the job, Illinois coach Tim Beckman made it a point of stressing the importance of beating Northwestern. It won?t happen this year. The Wildcats are too good and will end two years of frustration vs. the Fighting Illini.
Brent's pick: Northwestern, 27-13 – Illinois' defense has played better, allowing 18.5 points the last two weeks, but the offense remains nothing short of pitiful, averaging 11.4 points in Big Ten play.
Indiana (4-7, 2-5) at Purdue (5-6, 2-5) – noon ET, BTN/BTN2Go
Tom's pick: Purdue, 33-27 – The Boilermakers are on a roll, pulling their season from the fire with consecutive wins. Beat the Hoosiers, and Purdue will punch its postseason ticket. Robert Marve won?t be denied.
Brent's pick: Indiana, 34-31 – Yes, Purdue has won two straight – at Iowa and at Illinois – but Indiana's offense is far superior to anything the Boilers have faced the last two weeks. This is a unit that can give Purdue fits, much like Marshall did.
Michigan (8-3, 6-1) at Ohio State (11-0, 7-0) – noon ET, ABC
Tom's pick: Michigan, 28-27 – This is a different Michigan team with Devin Gardner. This is a better team with Devin Gardner. The offense has run-pass balance. And the defense has been one of the better units in the conference all season. Add it all up, and the Buckeyes? unbeaten ride ends here.
Brent's pick: Ohio State, 30-24 – The Wolverines struggle against mobile quarterbacks, and there isn't a more mobile guy out there than Braxton Miller, who should be focused and determined coming off his worst game of the season.
[RELATED: Clothes Call: Ohio State unveils uni for Michigan game]
Michigan State (5-6, 2-5) at Minnesota (6-5, 2-5) – 3:30 p.m. ET, BTN/BTN2Go
Tom's pick: Michigan State, 27-14 – The Spartans? back is against the wall. Win-go to a bowl. Lose-go home for the holidays. Michigan State?s strong defense will deliver a victory. And it won?t be that close.
Brent's pick: Michigan State, 19-16 – It took all 12 games, but the Spartans will become bowl eligible. Naturally, they won't make it easy on themselves, needing a late Dan Conroy field goal to decide it.
[AP: Kill: Player quit over discipline]
Wisconsin (7-4, 4-3) at Penn State (7-4, 5-2) – 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN2
Tom's pick: Penn State, 24-23 – I don?t think the Nittany Lions will let the seniors lose on Senior Day. This will be an emotion-packed day for a group of players who stuck around. And a win vs. the Badgers will be another payoff in his surprisingly successful season.
Brent's pick: Penn State, 27-23 – Even against Wisconsin's stingy defense, Matt McGloin racks up 250-plus passing yards and a trio of touchdowns in Penn State's final "bowl" game.
[AP: Penn State LB Mauti to miss finale with knee injury]