Saturday, October 9th - Minnesota at Michigan
Michigan's run to the 2004 Rose Bowl began with the comeback victory over Minnesota in the Dome. You can believe the Wolverines are going to take the Gophers seriously this year after getting run over, but Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney are still going to be able to pound the ball. Michigan will win in the Big House getting a major test in one of the biggest battles of the Big Ten season.
Predicted score in early August: Michigan 31 ... Minnesota 24
Oasis Casino Line: Michigan -10
Saturday, October 9th - Wisconsin at Ohio State
Ohio State was one long pass to Lee Evans away from being unbeaten going into the Michigan game. For whatever reason Wisconsin always plays well against the Buckeyes winning in Columbus in 2001 along with that win in Madison last season. The Badgers should once again have a good enough team to come close to pulling off the upset. Ohio State needs to have all the pieces in place by this point and should do just enough to win with its great linebacking corps keeping Anthony Davis in check.
Predicted score in early August: Ohio State 23 ... Wisconsin 17
Oasis Casino Line: Ohio State -6.5
Saturday, October 9th - Texas vs. Oklahoma
Never mess with a streak. Yeah, this is yet another year Texas has a good enough team to beat Oklahoma and there are many proclaiming that "this is the year" hoping to get credit if it finally happens, but Texas doesn't beat Oklahoma. This won't be another 65-14 embarrassment with Texas showing some fight this year. However, the Longhorn D won't handle the tremendous OU offense with Jason White and company striking on at least two big game changing plays.
Predicted score in August: Oklahoma 27 ... Texas 14
Oasis Casino Line: Oklahoma -7
Saturday, October 16th - Ohio State at Iowa
Ohio State will be coming off what should be a battle against Wisconsin needing to try and beat Iowa in Iowa City. The Hawkeye defense will be the difference keeping the Buckeye attack in check and taking full advantage of the home field. Iowa has won 14 straight home games going into the season always getting the big breaks and always capitalizing on other teams' mistakes. The same will happen to the Buckeyes in what should be one of the year's more competitive showdowns. If nothing else, two of the best linebacker corps in the nation will be on display.
Predicted score in August: Iowa 17 ... Ohio State 16
Oasis Casino Line: Ohio State -1.5
Saturday, October 16th - Oklahoma at Kansas State
Now this should be interesting. The OU defense spent the better part of the Big XII title game watching Darren Sproles flying by and Jason White looked anything but Heisman worthy. Sproles and the KSU D will need to come up with similar performances to win the rematch. A week after the yearly showdown with Texas, OU will have to gear it up again or risk a similar fate. Until Kansas State proves it can win without Ell Roberson, Oklahoma will be the pick.
Predicted score in August: Oklahoma 27 ... Kansas State 20
Oasis Casino Line: Oklahoma -7.5
Saturday, October 16th - Alabama at Tennessee
If everything goes according to Alabama dream world the Tide should be 7-0 before going to Knoxville. That's asking a lot, but it's possible. This might be a must win for the Vols coming off road games at Georgia and Ole Miss before traveling to South Carolina. The Tennessee defense will be enough to win a hard fought game with the Vol running game doing just enough to counteract Brodie Croyle and the Alabama passing game. This won't be a repeat of the five-overtime 51-43 classic of last year.
Predicted score in August: Tennessee 24 ... Alabama 17
Oasis Casino Line: Tennessee -7.5
Saturday, October 23rd - Nebraska at Kansas State
Call this a Big XII North elimination game with the winner still in the hunt with Missouri. Much will depend on how Kansas State is after facing Oklahoma the previous week while Nebraska will have fattened up on Baylor. The Huskers won't ever be out of a game with their defense, but this will be the game the passing game hits the wall and looks like the Nebraska of old. The Wildcat defensive front will disrupt everything.
Predicted score in August: Kansas State 20 ... Nebraska 10
Oasis Casino Line: Kansas State -7
Saturday, October 23rd - Michigan at Purdue
The Boilermaker - Wolverine matchup was one of the Big Ten's biggest games last year as Purdue came in winning six in a row and Michigan needed to overcome an early Big Ten loss. One 31-3 Michigan dominant performance later, Purdue walked away with its worst game of the year. Even though this year's battle is in West Lafayette, Michigan shouldn't have too many problems with the defensive back seven to shut down Kyle Orton and the mid-range Boilermaker passing attack and the receivers to blow past the Purdue secondary.
Predicted score in August: Michigan 31 ... Purdue 17
Oasis Casino Line: Michigan -3.5
Saturday, October 30th - Georgia vs. Florida
Oklahoma always beats Texas, Miami always beats Florida State, the Yankees always beat the Red Sox, Coke always beats Pepsi and Florida always beat Georgia. That will finally change this year as the Dawgs have a national title level team and Florida is just above average. Yeah, that hasn't mattered much in the past but this year will be different. The veteran Bulldogs will have more offense and enough overall talent on defense to finally break the losing streak. Because this is Florida - Georgia, this will be close even if it is a Bulldog victory.
Predicted score in early August: Georgia 23 ... Florida 20
Oasis Casino Line: Florida -3.5
Saturday, October 30th - Missouri at Nebraska
Missouri has the team to win the Big XII North, but winning at Nebraska is still winning at Nebraska. The Husker defense, more specifically the defensive back seven, will keep Brad Smith in check. The Tiger secondary is good enough to give the Husker passing game problems so it will have to be a defensive battle for the Huskers to win. If Mizzou wins this game you can book a spot in the Big XII title game.
Predicted score in early August: Nebraska 20 ... Missouri 17
Oasis Casino Line: Nebraska -4
Michigan's run to the 2004 Rose Bowl began with the comeback victory over Minnesota in the Dome. You can believe the Wolverines are going to take the Gophers seriously this year after getting run over, but Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney are still going to be able to pound the ball. Michigan will win in the Big House getting a major test in one of the biggest battles of the Big Ten season.
Predicted score in early August: Michigan 31 ... Minnesota 24
Oasis Casino Line: Michigan -10
Saturday, October 9th - Wisconsin at Ohio State
Ohio State was one long pass to Lee Evans away from being unbeaten going into the Michigan game. For whatever reason Wisconsin always plays well against the Buckeyes winning in Columbus in 2001 along with that win in Madison last season. The Badgers should once again have a good enough team to come close to pulling off the upset. Ohio State needs to have all the pieces in place by this point and should do just enough to win with its great linebacking corps keeping Anthony Davis in check.
Predicted score in early August: Ohio State 23 ... Wisconsin 17
Oasis Casino Line: Ohio State -6.5
Saturday, October 9th - Texas vs. Oklahoma
Never mess with a streak. Yeah, this is yet another year Texas has a good enough team to beat Oklahoma and there are many proclaiming that "this is the year" hoping to get credit if it finally happens, but Texas doesn't beat Oklahoma. This won't be another 65-14 embarrassment with Texas showing some fight this year. However, the Longhorn D won't handle the tremendous OU offense with Jason White and company striking on at least two big game changing plays.
Predicted score in August: Oklahoma 27 ... Texas 14
Oasis Casino Line: Oklahoma -7
Saturday, October 16th - Ohio State at Iowa
Ohio State will be coming off what should be a battle against Wisconsin needing to try and beat Iowa in Iowa City. The Hawkeye defense will be the difference keeping the Buckeye attack in check and taking full advantage of the home field. Iowa has won 14 straight home games going into the season always getting the big breaks and always capitalizing on other teams' mistakes. The same will happen to the Buckeyes in what should be one of the year's more competitive showdowns. If nothing else, two of the best linebacker corps in the nation will be on display.
Predicted score in August: Iowa 17 ... Ohio State 16
Oasis Casino Line: Ohio State -1.5
Saturday, October 16th - Oklahoma at Kansas State
Now this should be interesting. The OU defense spent the better part of the Big XII title game watching Darren Sproles flying by and Jason White looked anything but Heisman worthy. Sproles and the KSU D will need to come up with similar performances to win the rematch. A week after the yearly showdown with Texas, OU will have to gear it up again or risk a similar fate. Until Kansas State proves it can win without Ell Roberson, Oklahoma will be the pick.
Predicted score in August: Oklahoma 27 ... Kansas State 20
Oasis Casino Line: Oklahoma -7.5
Saturday, October 16th - Alabama at Tennessee
If everything goes according to Alabama dream world the Tide should be 7-0 before going to Knoxville. That's asking a lot, but it's possible. This might be a must win for the Vols coming off road games at Georgia and Ole Miss before traveling to South Carolina. The Tennessee defense will be enough to win a hard fought game with the Vol running game doing just enough to counteract Brodie Croyle and the Alabama passing game. This won't be a repeat of the five-overtime 51-43 classic of last year.
Predicted score in August: Tennessee 24 ... Alabama 17
Oasis Casino Line: Tennessee -7.5
Saturday, October 23rd - Nebraska at Kansas State
Call this a Big XII North elimination game with the winner still in the hunt with Missouri. Much will depend on how Kansas State is after facing Oklahoma the previous week while Nebraska will have fattened up on Baylor. The Huskers won't ever be out of a game with their defense, but this will be the game the passing game hits the wall and looks like the Nebraska of old. The Wildcat defensive front will disrupt everything.
Predicted score in August: Kansas State 20 ... Nebraska 10
Oasis Casino Line: Kansas State -7
Saturday, October 23rd - Michigan at Purdue
The Boilermaker - Wolverine matchup was one of the Big Ten's biggest games last year as Purdue came in winning six in a row and Michigan needed to overcome an early Big Ten loss. One 31-3 Michigan dominant performance later, Purdue walked away with its worst game of the year. Even though this year's battle is in West Lafayette, Michigan shouldn't have too many problems with the defensive back seven to shut down Kyle Orton and the mid-range Boilermaker passing attack and the receivers to blow past the Purdue secondary.
Predicted score in August: Michigan 31 ... Purdue 17
Oasis Casino Line: Michigan -3.5
Saturday, October 30th - Georgia vs. Florida
Oklahoma always beats Texas, Miami always beats Florida State, the Yankees always beat the Red Sox, Coke always beats Pepsi and Florida always beat Georgia. That will finally change this year as the Dawgs have a national title level team and Florida is just above average. Yeah, that hasn't mattered much in the past but this year will be different. The veteran Bulldogs will have more offense and enough overall talent on defense to finally break the losing streak. Because this is Florida - Georgia, this will be close even if it is a Bulldog victory.
Predicted score in early August: Georgia 23 ... Florida 20
Oasis Casino Line: Florida -3.5
Saturday, October 30th - Missouri at Nebraska
Missouri has the team to win the Big XII North, but winning at Nebraska is still winning at Nebraska. The Husker defense, more specifically the defensive back seven, will keep Brad Smith in check. The Tiger secondary is good enough to give the Husker passing game problems so it will have to be a defensive battle for the Huskers to win. If Mizzou wins this game you can book a spot in the Big XII title game.
Predicted score in early August: Nebraska 20 ... Missouri 17
Oasis Casino Line: Nebraska -4
