We're close to the regular season's halfway point. 😒 For OBD fans, it's been an interesting season so far. Starting 2nd was nice, but then the games came, and with them some unexpected No. 2 moments. Dante took a dangerous hit to his head. Thankfully, this terrific young man is back practicing with the team; a true blessing. And we should also be thankful for an experienced backup QB in today's college football world of NIL and unrestricted free agency. How many programs have a second-string QB with more starts vs. Power 4 opponents than the starting QB? My guess: Zip, Nada, Nudge, Nyet, None. Three B1G teams are off this week: 4-1 No. 28 Wisconsin, where they're Jumping Around! 3-2 Michigan, where they're confused and down. And 1-4 Rutgers, where the Sun never Schiano's and they're abused, not amused, and ready for a serving of Brian Kelly. Let the Games Begin Tonight! Pacific game times. AP Poll rankings, including Others Receiving Votes. BTN = Big Ten Network FRIDAY - No. 20 - 4-1 IOWA +3 at 3-2 WASHINGTON - 6 PM Fox - Washington was ranked in the preseason, but to date, UW's play has been rank. 0-2 in the Big Ten and 0-2 versus the Power 4, including a home loss to the (Gulp!) Golden Gophers. Iowa. How about a long trip and a short week after the euphoria of defeating Michigan on the game's final play in the Big House, then being served a Juicy Jeremiah Smith dish by No. 5 Ohio State. On the way back to the pink locker room, the Buckeyes made sure to give Kirk Ferentz and his Hawkeyes a friendly goodbye wave. This is cruel and unusual scheduling. Handing Iowa the longest Big Ten conference trip possible, the Hawkeyes first trip to Seattle in 63 years, on a short week, and after Iowa played the B1G's two biggest brands. No surprise that Iowa, and not the Huskies, are the underdogs in tonight's game. --- SATURDAY - October 10th No. 7 - 5-0 INDIANA -7.5 at No. 31 5-0 NEBRASKA - 9 AM Fox 21 - The number of games the Hoosiers have won without a loss (the Hoosiers! 🥸) 31 - The number of consecutive games Nebraska has lost against ranked opponents since September 17, 2016, when Mike Riley's Huskers defeated No. 22 Oregon in Lincoln, 35-32 😧. 2-29 - Nebraska coach Mike Ruhle's record against ranked opponents. September 3, 2016, Ruhle's last win against a ranked opponent, when Temple defeated Navy 34-10 in the AAC Championship game. 13 - Undefeated Power 4 teams; one fewer after this game. -7.5 - I don't get it. But I got on it. 🤑 --- No. 30 - 3-1 NORTHWESTERN -35.5 vs. 1-4 BALL STATE - 9:30 AM BTN The game will be dull, but they'll have a ball in the new Ryan Field. If you haven't seen it, tune in; the Field is the real deal, and what will mad scientist Chip Kelly roll out on O? Northwestern visits Austin on Halloween. 🫢 --- 2-3 ILLINOIS -2.5 at 2-3 Michigan State - 12:30 PM FS1 You watch this game? You either Ill(ini), or suffering from the Fitz. 🤪 --- 3-2 Maryland +32.5 at 4-1 No. 5 Ohio State - 1:15 PM BTN Ohio State is a Lock. Locksley's coaching future? Not DMV, but DMW. Will Mr. Smith go over 300 yards? In the first half? However, the Turtles only allowed 54 points to the Bruins. On their home field.🙃 --- No. 37 - 4-1 Minnesota -2.5 at 2-3 Purdue - 5 PM BTN How did BTN get all of these great games? If Purdue wins its second B1G game in the last two years? Bartender! Boilermakers all around! --- No. 19 - 4-1 USC +1.5 at 3-2 Penn State - 4:30 PM NBC Matt Campbell joins Whit and Fitz in the B1G Pantheon of Pain. At least Fitz didn't smell rank at the start of the season. Welcome to the Anxiety Bowl. A White Out game to see which team's 2026 aspirations will be Wiped Out. To date, USC has played college football's 64th most difficult strength of schedule (SOS). After this game, SC's remaining SOS, according to ESPN's FPI, is ranked No. 1 in the nation. SOS indeed! Penn State has played the 59th-ranked SOS. The Nittany Lions' remaining SOS is ranked 67. Pressure is on both, but more on an SC team with road games against No. 28 Wisconsin, No. 7 Indiana, and No. 21 UCLA, and a game in LA against No. 5 Ohio State. Good luck, yuck, yuck. 😁 Lose to Penn State, and at least Linc won't be canned on the tarmac before a 1-hour and 23-minute drive to the Altoona Airport. In Week 5, SC QB Jaden Maiava had his worst game of the season against Washington. The Husky D sacked him once and pressured him on 11 other pass attempts. You can bet Penn State's DC Anton Lynn, who left SC for his alma mater, Penn State, will be bringing the heat, and the losing coach will be feeling the heat on his seat. --- No. 21 - 4-0 UCLA +11.5 at No. 13 - 3-1 OREGON - 12:30 PM CBS NJ Ducks and other Forum Friends have posted the pregame articles for this game on the Forum. So, for once, I'll be brief. 😇 The Bruins have not won in Autzen Stadium since 2004, going 0-8 in Autzen since the 2004 victory. In 2026, the undefeated Bruins have defeated 2-3 G6 San Diego State. The three Power 4 teams UCLA has defeated, Cal, Maryland, and Purdue, are a combined 3-9 against Power 4 competition. Oregon is 3-1, 2-1 against ranked opponents. OBD is odds-on to win this game, but you never know when an upset might be Bruin. --- Below is the whole enchilada of other Week 6 college football games. https://www.espn.com/college-football/schedule/_/week/6/year/2026/seasontype/2/group/5 The marquee games are: No. 2 - 5-0 Georgia +1.5 at No. 6 - 5-0 Alabama - 4:30 PM ABC UGA is 0-7 against Bama in the last seven regular-season games. Georgia's last win in Tuscaloosa came on September 22, 2007, when some named QB Matthew Stafford (?) threw the winning TD pass for the Dawgs in OT. Light rain is expected at kickoff, scheduled for 6:30 PM local time. --- No. 1 - 4-0 Texas -7.5 vs. 2-2 Oklahoma - Dallas -12:30 PM ABC I guess a few fools might tune into this game when the Ducks-Bruins game is interrupted by advertisements? Or too-lengthy reviews? In the Red Rivalry game, Texas is 4-0-1 when ranked No. 1. Blast the Bruins! Roast Bob's Chestnuts!
