Betting the Big Ten Week 4: Going through the motions

Everything went great last week here! Not so much on the field for the Michigan Wolverines that we root for, but if you decided to use this to throw some last-minute cheddar we came out on top. If you are like a lot of fans that have emotionally disconnected from football in our fair state and going through the motions of a college football Saturday, let’s attempt to bring you back in.

Last week: 6-1

Overall: 14-7

Odds via Vegas Insider Consensus, all times Eastern

Friday night: Iowa (-3) at Minnesota

I’ve developed a reputation around here for being a Minnesota apologist, so I doubled down on that and picked the Gophers. It did not go well, as Iowa hammered them 35-7. Consider this bit officially put to rest.

Pick: Minnesota (+3)

No. 10 Indiana (-7.5) at Michigan State, o/u 52 — 12 p.m., ABC

MSU followed a bad loss up earlier this season with a surprise win at Michigan. Can they recapture that magic this week against an Indiana team who’s fanbase is surely waiting on the other shoe to drop? I don’t think so.

Pick: Indiana (-7.5)

Penn State (-3.5) at Nebraska, o/u 56.5 — 12 p.m., Fox Sports 1

I think the Fighting Scott Frosts might just mess around and win this game, but I don’t have the courage to pick it either way. We’ll go with the under. This feels like a fight between two of the most annoying people in class.

Pick: Under 56.5

Illinois at Rutgers (-6), o/u 51 — 1 p.m., Big Ten Network

I cannot believe in the year 2020 that Rutgers is a six-point favorite in anything, let alone a football contest. It almost feels like a sucker bet, but I can see a scenario where the Scarlet Knights win big on Saturday. Illinois is in that bad of shape at the moment.

Pick: Rutgers (-6)

No. 23 Northwestern (-2.5) at Purdue, o/u 50.5 — 5 p.m., Big Ten Network

The under is going to be a popular pick in any game that Northwestern plays in this year. This is a massive game for West division implications and might be the Big Ten-iest game on the schedule this week.

Pick: Under 50.5

No. 13 Wisconsin (-6.5) at Michigan, o/u 52.5 — 7:30 p.m., ABC

They can’t keep playing this poorly, right? Someone reassure me of this. I am skeptical on Michigan’s chances of winning this game (especially if Graham Mertz plays), but I do expect their best effort since the opening week of the season. We’ll see if it winds up being enough.

Pick: Michigan +6.5

No. 3 Ohio State at Maryland was canceled due to COVID-19 positives with the Terrapins.