Last week saw the top ranked Buckeyes continue to The Cars’ hit, “Let the Good Times Roll” at home and Alabama survive to improbably cover against Vanderbilt. While it may not be a rivalry week for the big matchups this time, what can’t be understated is The Battle of I-75 taking place at high noon on Saturday. The Toledo Rockets (-10.5) make their way a few miles south to take on the Bowling Green Falcons led by their locker room cat Pudge. Honestly the cat is a nice gimmick, but Pudge isn’t even that cute, must be a Bowling Green graduate.

Prediction 1: #1 Ohio State (-15.5) travels to Champaign to take on #17 Illinois, who will take one last swing at legitimacy after giving up 63 points to Indiana. I don’t love this bet, it’s a lot of points to give up as an away side, but the Buckeyes are about to go into a three game stretch in the Big Ten that can’t be overlooked. Illinois, Wisconsin and Penn State would be a great run to go on for this team, and they have the competence to play it well, Buckeyes cover.

Prediction 2: I’m not going to celebrate going undefeated in the pics last week, because #8 Alabama’s (-3) cover was a gift. That said, #14 Missouri hosts them this week, and what’s the last great thing you heard about coming out of Missouri? Maybe it will be an upset from the Tigers, although I think it says a lot about Alabama’s decline that this is a three point line. Take the hungry home Missouri and the points, Alabama isn’t what it used to be.

Prediction 3: The recently ascendant #3 Oregon Ducks (-7.5) fly to Bloomington to face undefeated #7 Indiana in a new look Big Ten spectacle. I have expressed my distaste for the state of Indiana on several occasions, but since they deserve it, I’ll do it again. What could compel a person to grow up in Indiana and cause them to stay? The only acceptable answer should be a prison sentence, which is not entirely dissimilar from being on the outside in the state. Oregon rides the jet stream for a top ten cover.

Expect the Rockets to avenge last year’s home loss at The Glass Bowl with a cover. Tucker Gleason has got something up his sleeve tattoo for the Falcons this year and he can sling it. The University of Toledo has a rocket outside their stadium that is pointed to land at Bowling Green’s fifty yard line. In my 15 years as a Toledo alumni, I have never heard about the equivalent on their campus, some schools want it more.

Summary:

Ohio State covers -15.5

Missouri and the points +3

Oregon covers -7.5

Toledo covers -10.5

Record 15-7