ESPN.com staff 9y

B1G Roundtable: Week 13 bold predictions

The Big Ten blog resident psychics are back this afternoon with bigger, better and more specific crystal balls and tarot cards. You have our picks for this Saturday's winners, and now a roundtable of our bold predictions.

Mitch Sherman: Melvin Gordon goes over 2,000 yards for the season during the second quarter against Iowa.

I learned from the prediction last week of colleague Adam Rittenberg that it’s not a good idea to underestimate Wisconsin’s superstar back. Gordon needs 91 yards to get to 2,000 and likely secure success for the #GordontoGotham campaign. He could reach 2,500 by the end of the season. But against the Hawkeyes, the milestone carry will arrive before halftime. (ESPN Stats & Information projects it to happen on his 11th carry, based on Gordon’s 8.6-yard average.) Iowa’s rush defense ranks 46th nationally, and it held Gordon to 62 yards last year. But as Minnesota coach Jerry Kill said of Gordon – the Gophers get him next week -- he’s “on a different planet right now.”

Austin Ward: Ohio State's defensive line pins down Tevin Coleman.

At the rate they’re going, Joey Bosa is going to have to establish some new personal goals and Michael Bennett will wind up as an all-conference performer even after a somewhat modest statistical start to the season. The two terrors up front for Ohio State have made life miserable for blockers recently, combining for 8.5 tackles for loss in the last three games to help the unit live up to some of its preseason billing as one of the nation’s best defensive lines. The Buckeyes haven’t been perfect against the rush, and Coleman has routinely made teams pay this season on the ground. But the explosive Indiana tailback is going to struggle to find room to operate on Saturday, and he will be stopped in the backfield multiple times by Bosa and Bennett.

Brian Bennett: Ohio State cracks the 60-point barrier.

Maybe this isn't that bold, as the Buckeyes are playing Indiana. But Urban Meyer's team has been ridiculously explosive at home, scoring 55 against Illinois, 56 against Rutgers, 50 vs. Cincinnati and 66 against Kent State. After two straight road games, Ohio State will enjoy its return to the Horseshoe -- and a few style points certainly can't hurt the cause. J.T. Barrett will account for five total touchdowns, break Troy Smith's passing touchdown record and enjoy the final quarter-and-a-half from the bench in this romp.

Adam Rittenberg: Northwestern wins another shootout in the Hoosier State.

My bold predictions generally have been terrible, so keep that in mind. Also, the weather in West Lafayette is supposed to be nasty. But I think Northwestern found something on offense last week at Notre Dame and could have put up way more than 40 points if its receivers could hang on to the ball. Purdue is much improved on offense and has big-play threats in the backfield with Akeem Hunt and Raheem Mostert. I see both teams making plays on offense and eclipsing 35 points despite the weather, but Northwestern will score a late touchdown to prevail at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Josh Moyer: Three Big Ten running backs set single-season school records.

It's been the Year of the Running Back so far this season, and this Saturday should make it a bit more memorable. David Cobb needs just 115 yards to break Minnesota's single-season record for rushing yards set by Laurence Maroney in 2005 (1,464 yards). Indiana's Coleman needs 128 yards to break Vaughn Dunbar's 1991 mark of 1,805 yards. And Wisconsin's Gordon is 201 yards shy of surpassing Ron Dayne's 2,109-yard record from 1996. At least two of those records should easily be broken Saturday, and I'm predicting that all three will go down within hours of one another. The only real reach is Gordon, who's averaging fewer than 201 yards a game -- but it's difficult to bet against a guy who just set an NCAA record with 408 rushing yards in a game.

Dan Murphy: No Big Ten back will set his school's single-season rushing record Saturday.

Josh and I are on opposite sides of the fence on this one. All three -- Cobb, Coleman and Gordon -- will almost certainly get to the top of their school's record books before the season is over, but I'm guessing the celebration will have to wait until the final week of the regular season. Cobb faces a Nebraska defense eager to redeem itself and he'll come up just shy of the 115 yards he needs. Ohio State can key on Coleman and keep him from the 128 yards he needs. And Gordon might have another big day against Iowa, but not quite 201 yards big.

^ Back to Top ^