I have always loved this point in the season.  When October ends, you don’t need to guess to figure out which teams are really good (like Penn State) or really bad (toot toot…Boil Up!).  The truth is though, that most everybody else falls in a gray area in between.  These teams won’t win a national championship.  They likely won’t win a conference championship.  But in the final four weeks, they will put the stamp on the season.  They will determine their bowl game.  They will plant the seeds for next year.  Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin are all in this group.  Here are the best, worst and most likely scenarios for each.

It's the Trophy time of  year.

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Here in the rust belt our brains are firmly tuned to the internal combustible.  We at The Rivalry, Esq. say why reject a metaphorical opportunity to shift gears and take the offenses of the Big 10 for a spin?  You look at an offense and see Lycra, calf muscles, and pads.  We see cylinders, gear boxes, and tachometers.

Without further adieu, if your favorite Big 10 offense was a car, it'd be a...

1. 2002 Pontiac Sunfire SE (Indiana Hoosiers)

Looks fast, and so do Kellen Lewis, Marcus Thigpen, and the rest of the defend the rock jocks.  The numbers are showroom shiny, too.  The third best offense in the conference averages 6.1 yards a play and 424 yards a game.  But while this may be an okay ride to inherit as a hand-me-down from your older sister when you're 16, this pseudo sport chassis gets the shakes above 80 mph.  That's the speed, incidentially, of Big 10 conference play.  Despite scoring 31 and 45 points in its opening out of conference games, the Hoosiers have struggled, managing 20, 29, 7, and 9 points against Big 10 opponents.  The good news, there's plenty of cup holders.  Which makes sense, because this offense is better suited for the drive-through than the track.

Indiana Hoosiers.

2. 2007 Ford Mustang Automatic (Wisconsin Badgers)

Great horsepower for the buck, but this modern muscle is overfed, and outdated.  Unlike the 1968 Shelby used by the Dukes of Hazzard, this ride doesn't have a prayer of getting off the ground.  Sounds like Wisconsin's passing game.

3. 1975 Porsche 911 Turbo (Purdue Boilermakers)

Smart looking, and devilishly deceptive.  Don't let Curtis Painter's 10,216 career passing yards fool you -- he's frequently as loose as this Porsche's handling.  With no power steering, many an unsuspecting driver has wrapped this pocket rocket around a tree.  If Curtis Painter's 23 for 51 performance against Ohio State shows anything it's that inaccuracy kills.

Purdue Boilermakers.

4. 1998 BMW Z3 (Illinois Fighting Illini)

Smart, sophisticated, and paper thin, this roadster looks good from a distance but fumbles under pressure.  It's also subject to rollovers turnovers.

5. 1995 Infiniti Q45 (Iowa Hawkeyes)

Nicely balanced, a little worn down, the Hawkeyes have laid down a respectable 1309 yards on the ground and 1399 yards in the air.  Still, this analog effort has seen better days -- just like this sedan that seems to have been relegated to mall parking lots.

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I'm up a little later than expected, so I figured I'd take the initiative and get on the OPC with a cup of coffee.  For those of you who took the time to do the math last week's scoreboard looks a little like the first quarter of a Missouri game.  Check this out:

Week 6 Franz v. Filler winner FRANZ

After six glorious weeks we're tied 3-3.

Crystal Ball Call (pick of the week): Vandy by 1 (PATERNOSGRANDAUGHTER).  This could be the greatest pick of all time.  1 point for Vanderbilt, 2 points for the spread, 2 points for the upset, and 2 points for the exact margin for a total of 7.  VANDY 14, AUBURN 13.  Runner up: OSU by 3 (LAKEERIEMONSTAR).  OSU 20, WISC 17.

What were you thinking?: Michigan by anything (BAMA HAWKEYE, LAKEERIEMONSTAR, PATERNOSGRANDAUGHTER).  Yeah I know they beat Wisconsin.  Big frickin' deal.

Franz enjoys a victory cigar in the wake of another week of supreme dominance.

Here are our Week 7 Picks:

1. No. 5 TEXAS v. No. 1 OKLAHOMA 12:00 p.m. EST, ABC

FILLER predicts OKLAHOMA by 16

(All Time Record: 57-40-5, UT). The "First Test" game. The monster recruiting classes of 2005 and 2006 are paying off in a big way for Oklahoma, the nation's #1 team. Eight Rivals100 recruits will get significant playing time for the Sooners, while five seniors pace the offensive line. Meanwhile, ESPN claimed tonight that Colt McCoy is better than Sam Bradford. Do they know something we don't?

FRANZ predicts OKLAHOMA by 10

Upset?  It's tempting, but I think the Sooners are simply the better team here.  This game comes down to the units: Oklahoma's bomber offense versus Texas' prude defense.  Oklahoma is fifth in the NCAA averaging 548 total yards of offense a game.  Texas has allowed only five touchdowns in as many games.  Tune in early for the biggest Red River Rivalry since 2004, and to see the Longhorns up a creek without a paddle.

2. IOWA at INDIANA 12:00 p.m. EST, Big Ten Network

 

FILLER predicts IOWA by 11

The "O-fer" game. One of these teams has to win a game in the Big 10. Shonne Greene is the best offensive player on the field, plus Iowa's defense has been solid in each of it's last three games (PPG allowed: 21, 22, 16).

FRANZ predicts IOWA by 7

Iowa held Javon Ringer to 91 yards last week.  Indiana is 7 and 51 when scoring less than 30.  Although both teams are riding a three-game slide the Hawkeyes have simply showed more promise in defeat -- they've lost three by a combined nine points.  Compare Indiana's 44 point spread and you see why IU is simply the sounder pick here.

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Michigan State Spartans 23, Notre Dame Fighting Irish 7

In the midst of another rushing explosion, one Notre Dame blogger mentioned that if the ABC analysts continued praising Javon Ringer so effusively, the commentator might be engaged to the Spartan running back by the time the game was over. It has been that kind of season for Ringer and the Spartan offensive line, but there was an overlooked factor in this 23-7 MSU victory: the Spartans defense played a flawless game. The Irish were held to 16 yards rushing and QB Jimmy Clausen endured three sacks and two interceptions. Individual performances don't measure the Sparties dominance, although safety Otis Wiley (2 INT'S) and DE Brandon Long (2 sacks) padded their stats. The Spartan front 4 spent the entire game in Notre Dame's backfield, disrupting any ideas the Irish had about an upset. This performance, after shutting out Florida Atlantic, gives rise to the notion that maybe there is more to this Michigan State team than a Heisman candidate at tailback.

(Fun Fact: Wiley is tied for the NCAA lead in interceptions with 4)

No Heisman for these fellows, but they deserve some attention.

Saturday's Challenge: @ Bloomington to face the Indiana Hoosiers

The Spartans scored 52 points last year against Indiana on a perfect fall night in East Lansing. Can this be repeated? Javon Ringer is the key to this years Spartan attack and Indiana will surely pack the box with defenders, daring Brian Hoyer to throw to Mark Dell and company. Advantages abound for the Spartans on offense; in the Hoosier's only challenging game, its defensive unit was hammered repeatedly by Ball State's running backs.

On defense, the Spartan's D-line will be under the spotlight because of talented QB Kellen Lewis. Lewis has proved that he can run the ball (5th in the Big 10 in rushing yards), so the Spartans will have to keep him in the pocket. If the Spartans can keep the Indiana QB contained, possibly by spying him with an extra linebacker, than Lewis will be forced to beat MSU with his erratic arm.

The Michigan State Spartans followed their preseason M.O. (smashmouth football) to a 17-0 victory over pesky Florida Atlantic. Enjoy these highlights of Javon Ringer going wild on a rainy Saturday in East Lansing. Also enjoy my hometown friend, Evan Beach, reporting on it. Evan has been The Rivalry's de facto Michigan State source, so leave any comments or questions for him. Also, take a look at his in-depth look at the tough MSU loss to California earlier this year.

This report was brought to you by Evan Beach, a Sports Reporter for TV Station Fox 17, Grand Rapids. Evan is a native of Ovid, MI. He enjoys playing basketball and arguing about Michigan State Sports.