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First Posted: 10/9/2014 We put together two bits of Penn State web-exclusive content on Thursdays, this Big Ten feature here and our weekly PSU chats. With last week&#8217;s chat, a picture of <a href="http://festivusweb.com/images/frank-costanza.jpg" target="_blank">Frank Costanza</a> was attached for &#8220;the airing of grievances.&#8221;
But for this piece last week, it should have been a picture of George. As in, &#8220;every decision (read: Big Ten football pick) I&#8217;ve ever made in my entire life has been wrong.&#8221;
OK, so there were a few correct calls in this space last week. But for the season, just about every toss-up has gone the other way. Including pretty much every game involving Michigan.
This week probably isn&#8217;t going to be much better.
Other than Michigan State (and perhaps Ohio State, too), the conference appears poised to just tear itself apart to the point where there will be a four-way tie at 4-4 atop the West after Thanksgiving.
The current West standings currently read: 1. Northwestern; 2. Iowa; 3. Minnesota; 4. Nebraska; 5. Purdue; 6. Wisconsin; 7. Illinois.
We&#8217;re getting there. We really are.
Maybe it&#8217;s time to take George&#8217;s advice and go with the opposite of what&#8217;s expected every week and see what happens.<hr/>
<table style="width: 750px; border: 2px solid black;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: x-large; background-color: #c00c00; color: white; border: 2px solid black;" colspan="3">NORTHWESTERN at MINNESOTA</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">WILDCATS</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">GAME INFO</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">GOLDEN GOPHERS</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center"><img alt="Northwestern Wildcats (1981 - Pres)" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/33/787/thumbs/78784471981.gif"/></td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
Noon, Saturday
TCF Bank Stadium
Minneapolis, Minn.
<img alt="" src="http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2007/07/small_Big%20TenNetwork%20logo" height="23" width="55"/></td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/32/753/thumbs/r8cdw98hpgz0sevha7ejthble.gif"/></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">3-2, 2-0 Big Ten</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">MATCHUP</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">4-1, 1-0 Big Ten</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: justify; font-size: small; border: 2px solid black; padding: 10px;" colspan="3">LINE: UMN by 3. First place on the line! It makes about as much sense as anything else that&#8217;s happened so far in the conference. Seriously though &#8212; kudos to Pat Fitzgerald for sparking what could be a huge turnaround for Northwestern. Not one clue where this team (and especially this defense) has been for the past calendar year, but the Wildcats have now outscored opponents 73-27 since that ugly 0-2 start to the season. Trevor Siemian looks more confident and true freshman tailback Justin Jackson really broke out in last week&#8217;s upset of Wisconsin, carving up the Badgers for 162 yards on a whopping 33 carries. That&#8217;s a very good sign indeed for a Northwestern team that already smacked Penn State and could be in the division race until the end. Minnesota, after a week off following that win at the Big House, will counter with David Cobb, who racked up 183 yards against the Wolverines. Penn State may not have been able to run on the Cats, but Minnesota&#8217;s power run game should draw inspiration from Melvin Gordon&#8217;s 259-yard performance last week in Evanston. Go with the Gophers.</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="width: 750px; border: 2px solid black;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: x-large; background-color: #c00c00; color: white; border: 2px solid black;" colspan="3">INDIANA at IOWA</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">HOOSIERS</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">GAME INFO</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">HAWKEYES</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/32/709/thumbs/70922132002.gif"/></td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
Noon, Saturday
Kinnick Stadium
Iowa City, Iowa
<img alt="ESPNU" src="http://a.espncdn.com/i/scoreboard/networkLogo_espnu.gif"/></td><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/32/712/thumbs/iu01050mxpzmj4zqegb0vvhgu.gif"/></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">3-2, 0-1 Big Ten</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">MATCHUP</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">4-1, 1-0 Big Ten</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: justify; font-size: small; border: 2px solid black; padding: 10px;" colspan="3">LINE: UI by 5.5. The Hoosiers are the very essence of prognosticative futility described above. It&#8217;s pretty much hopeless to try to make any sense of an Indiana game, and this one is no exception. Does anyone have a really good read on either of these teams? Iowa will plod along as usual, very possibly using two quarterbacks &#8212; Jake Rudock and upstart C.J. Beathard &#8212; in hopes of controlling the clock. Mark Weisman will be there running straight ahead between the tackles in Mark-Weisman-like fashion. Indiana, of course, will try to run as many plays as possible without regard for either defense, as evidenced by the absurd 308 points that have been scored in games involving the Hoosiers this season. Indiana dusted off North Texas last week with three touchdown passes by Nate Sudfeld and 100 yards apiece from Tevin Coleman and D&#8217;Angelo Roberts. The Hawkeyes were off last Saturday but have slogged through their five games, generally speaking, taking a full half to wake up in time to beat Purdue last time out. Iowa will probably be one of those four teams tied atop the West in another month, but the Hoosiers will take this one.</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="width: 750px; border: 2px solid black;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: x-large; background-color: #c00c00; color: white; border: 2px solid black;" colspan="3">ILLINOIS at WISCONSIN</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">FIGHTING ILLINI</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">GAME INFO</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">BADGERS</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/32/706/thumbs/70683592014.gif"/></td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
Noon, Saturday
Camp Randall Stadium
Madison, Wis.
<img alt="ESPN2" src="http://a.espncdn.com/i/scoreboard/networkLogo_espn2.gif"/></td><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/35/914/thumbs/ydl01hfj8hw4p1mbg1zd.gif"/></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">3-3, 0-2 Big Ten</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">MATCHUP</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">3-2, 0-1 Big Ten</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: justify; font-size: small; border: 2px solid black; padding: 10px;" colspan="3">LINE: UW by 25. The months of October and November were practically created for Madison, Wisconsin. Beer, brats, cold weather and football. This Saturday? Well, it&#8217;s a little less than jubilant. The Badgers have a miserable problem at quarterback, one that cost them their top-25 ranking last week in Evanston. Not even that aforementioned career-best day on the ground from Melvin Gordon could salvage it. With Tanner McEvoy benched in the second half in favor of a psychologically improved Joel Stave, Wisconsin stumbled and bumbled to a four-interception day, one by McEvoy and three by Stave, including a backbreaker in the end zone. Stave&#8217;s QBR for the game was 10.1. McEvoy&#8217;s was 8.8. And that included a Stave touchdown with 4:16 to play that gave the Badgers another shot at the end. But UW coach Gary Andersen deserves some blame here for having those two throw 30 times when the star running back was averaging just under 10 yards per carry. Andersen, naturally, is Knute Rockne compared to the guy in Champaign, who might as well start polishing up that resume right now after losing by two scores at home to Purdue. Tim Beckman&#8217;s team has somehow trailed entering the fourth quarter in all six games this season, including against Youngstown State and Texas State. Oh, and Wes Lunt is out for a month with a broken leg. This one will be ugly.</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="width: 750px; border: 2px solid black;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: x-large; background-color: #c00c00; color: white; border: 2px solid black;" colspan="3">No. 8 MICHIGAN STATE at PURDUE</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">SPARTANS</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">GAME INFO</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">BOILERMAKERS</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="Michigan State Spartans (1983 - Pres)" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/32/751/thumbs/hkweef6xfjiqbsyf49tvf2t68.gif"/></td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
3:30 p.m., Saturday
Ross-Ade Stadium
West Lafayette, Ind.
<img alt="ABC" src="http://a.espncdn.com/i/scoreboard/networkLogo_abc.gif"/></td><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/33/809/thumbs/80966442012.gif"/></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">4-1, 1-0 Big Ten</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">MATCHUP</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">3-3, 1-1 Big Ten</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: justify; font-size: small; border: 2px solid black; padding: 10px;" colspan="3">LINE: MSU by 21.5. For a brief moment or two, it looked like Michigan State had become bored with the Big Ten. Even the student section at Spartan Stadium didn&#8217;t stick around for the end of last week&#8217;s prime-time kickoff against Nebraska. Apparently Sparty&#8217;s vaunted defense was of a similar mind, inexplicably giving up 19 fourth-quarter points with Nebraska driving into MSU territory in the final minute for a possible winning touchdown. Wow. Nothing against the Huskers, who are probably still the best of the West, but Michigan State had absolutely hammered one of the nation&#8217;s very best running backs &#8212; Ameer Abdullah had a paltry 45 yards on 24 carries. And Michigan State still nearly choked away the game thanks in part to a special teams breakdown on a late punt return for a Nebraska touchdown. Couple that with their play down the stretch at Oregon, and one imagines the Spartans are in for a rough week of practice. Congrats, meanwhile, are due for the Boilers, who emphatically dropped Illinois into the cellar of the Big Ten misery index (if that&#8217;s not a thing, it should be). Looks like Austin Appleby might be the new starter at QB after a solid day in Champaign. He&#8217;s going to be hurting after this one, though, as Purdue has no shot.</td></tr></tbody></table><table style="width: 750px; border: 2px solid black;" class="mceItemTable"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center; font-size: x-large; background-color: #c00c00; color: white; border: 2px solid black;" colspan="3">PENN STATE at MICHIGAN</td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">NITTANY LIONS</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">GAME INFO</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">WOLVERINES</td></tr><tr><td style="padding-top: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px; border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/33/801/thumbs/6g3sx3a2zxgt5z2vb10g.gif"/></td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
7 p.m., Saturday
Michigan Stadium
Ann Arbor, Mich.
<img alt="ESPN2" src="http://a.espncdn.com/i/scoreboard/networkLogo_espn2.gif"/></td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">
<img alt="" src="http://content.sportslogos.net/logos/32/750/thumbs/75075012012.gif"/></td></tr><tr><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">4-1, 1-1 Big Ten</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">MATCHUP</td><td style="border: 2px solid black;" align="center">2-4, 0-2 Big Ten</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: justify; font-size: small; border: 2px solid black; padding: 10px;" colspan="3">LINE: UM by 1.5. Full game preview and prediction coming Friday. If you have any idea what&#8217;s going to happen here, let&#8217;s hear it. Vegas certainly doesn&#8217;t a good handle on it either, as Penn State appeared as a slight favorite on Sunday before more oddsmakers jumped in on Monday with things swinging back toward the Wolverines. The Big House should still be packed despite the home team&#8217;s miserable month, but it&#8217;s anyone&#8217;s guess how the fans will actually treat Brady&#8217;s Bunch if there&#8217;s an early deficit. Clearly Penn State&#8217;s miserable job of blocking two weeks ago is still firmly on people&#8217;s minds, and for good reason. The week off may have helped banged-up linemen get healthy or helped the coaching staff come up with some better workarounds. Anything to get the run game going. Speaking of which, the Wolverines lost leading rusher Derrick Green to a broken collarbone and there hasn&#8217;t been a spot of good news in Ann Arbor for several weeks. It had to be encouraging for the Lions to sit back and watch Gary Nova demolish a previously solid Michigan secondary for 400-plus yards. Easy to think Christian Hackenberg could do something similar. If only his teammates can keep him upright.</td></tr></tbody></table>

NITTANY NOTES: Around the Big Ten, Week 7