Lines for Next Weekend

Submitted by FauxMo on October 21st, 2018 at 8:04 PM

I know we are off, but still some interesting games next weekend. Vis-a-vis our next opponent, PSU at home is favored by 5 over Iowa, which seems about right to me. But I would not be shocked to see Iowa win a close one. I think Franklin is falling apart. If he does, that team could lay down in Ann Arbor in two weeks. Fingers crossed, but we could coast in to the last weekend with plenty of time to get players healthy and get younger players reps.   

The line that shocked me the most was Purdue-MSU. After yesterday, where MSU's offensive unit was revealed to be held together by used chewing gum and duct tape and snot, and with them likely without Lewerke (and definitely without Davis), MSU is actually favored by 1 point over Purdue. The line has moved to -2 MSU already, in fact. Good lord, what does that say about Ohio State? Am I crazy, or do they think Purdue's performance was solely because they were at home and OSU was "off"? I wouldn't put $5 on MSU, personally. 

Magnum P.I.

October 21st, 2018 at 8:06 PM ^

With Purdue's passing game and MSU's secondary, I'm really surprised the Boilers aren't favored. Purdue is a pretty good team. Can't say the same about Sparty.

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Magnum P.I.

October 22nd, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^

Eh, I don't know. Purdue is averaging 39 points per game in conference play. Sparty better hold them below 20 if they want any chance at winning. Sparty put up 7, 21, and 19 in their past three games. Now they're missing their best offensive player. Could they win? Of course, but I think Purdue has to be the favorite. 

Joined: 07/16/2009

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ijohnb

October 21st, 2018 at 8:11 PM ^

I think Lewerke will play.  I don’t think he was hurt, I just think that his receivers could not get open and he was chucking the ball because he knew he was going to get smashed if he didn’t.  He had one really poor pass to Williams open on a slant, but aside from that he just had nowhere to go with the ball.  If he was hurt I think it happened during the game, not before.  Uche did drive him into the ground pretty hard on that first sack.   I thought MSU would play Penn State tough and maybe win.  I thought they would be pesky against us.  After yesterday, I think they will be in a free fall.  I got Purdue by a ten spot, in front of about 30,000 people.

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LSAClassOf2000

October 21st, 2018 at 8:52 PM ^

There are several conflicting reports about Lewerke - Matt Charboneau, for example, seems to indicate that Lewerke was fine during the few option plays that MSU ran but hurt otherwise, or at least this is the case if I understand him correctly. I am not sure how this is possible, but the beat writers are trying to excuse it as best they can at this point.

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SugarShane

October 21st, 2018 at 8:23 PM ^

MSU’s defense was not nearly as vulnerable as I expected. Wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them win a clunker 

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DrMantisToboggan

October 21st, 2018 at 8:24 PM ^

I said Purdue was going to beat MSU before the season, before I thought Purdue could beat Ohio State. They just match up really well against MSU.

Yesterday, Purdue was just the better team on that football field. I think they go in and pants MSU next weekend by a few scores, maybe 31-14. I think MSU might fall off a cliff here.

Iowa will win if they throw the ball fewer than 20 times. If they run, and run, and run, and then hit Fant on PA, and then run some more, Penn State won't stop them. If they try to be cute and make it a shootout, they will lost. 

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WestQuad

October 21st, 2018 at 9:16 PM ^

80 year old couple in my church are PSU alumni and they question Franklin’s play calling every week.  Today I spoke with the guy and he was baffled by Franklin calling three straight passing plays at the end of the game  (all incomplete) when they just had to run out the clock.

Joined: 07/22/2011

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freelion

October 21st, 2018 at 8:33 PM ^

Rooting for PSU, Wisconsin, and MSU. We need the teams that we have or will beat to do well to bolster our strength of schedule. I wouldn't normally give a fuck but it may factor in our playoff chances

Joined: 10/03/2013

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mfan_in_ohio

October 21st, 2018 at 9:00 PM ^

Our playoff chances are simple: Win out and we're in.  Don't, and we're not.  

Also, I think it would be good for the conference to have Iowa win out in the regular season and make the conference championship.  That way the B1G championship is between top 10 teams, instead of the West sending in what looks like a sacrificial lamb that the East winner gets no credit for beating.  If Iowa goes 11-1 and Michigan knocks them off, we would have wins over 10-2 OSU, 11-2 Iowa, 9-3 Wisconsin (they would have to lose one more in this scenario, probably to PSU), and Penn State, all of whom would likely be in the top 20.  That could be enough to bump us ahead of an undefeated ND team, since they might only have one win over a ranked team, and that at home and at night.  It would be pretty controversial, but Florida State was ranked 3rd in 2014 as an undefeated team behind two 1-loss teams, so it's not unprecedented.  We don't get that kind of bump from beating Wisconsin again.

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FauxMo

October 21st, 2018 at 8:47 PM ^

Warner said he was fine all week. Dantonio then said he didn't practice three days. Then someone on RCMB said they saw video last week of Lewerke practicing one of those days. So, Dantonio is apparently lying to try and protect Lewerke from criticism, or maybe to make an excuse for their loss or Warner's horrible play-calling? Or maybe he's just lying. After all, this was a guy who said "BS" when asked if he was walking 5 yards behind the "Spartan Wall" smiling when they ran in to Michigan players. He clearly was... 

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