Sports Then and Now

For the first time in his brief career as a college football prognosticator, the Mighty Zultan took a bath in Week 6, dipping under .500.

It was a bad week to pick the supposed favorites. New dogs are barking at the gate––well, some old dogs, too, with new teeth and a gruesome bite. It does not, however, get any easier for your self-proclaimed seer in Week 7.

Needless to say, many people who entered the contest fared better than the befuddled Zultan.

It might prove simpler to list those of you who did worse than the Mighty One––but then, that would not be according to Hoyle.

Those who bested Zultan will be listed at the end of this article. But “down” does not mean “out,” so jump into the fray and make your own picks for Week 7 by clicking here. Zultan, from his less lofty perch, challenges you to try to outguess him again. Here are this week’s games:

Game 1: Arkansas State Red Wolves (2-4) at Indiana Hoosiers (3-2) 12 p.m., ET

Indiana had a bad day Saturday. Welcome to the Club, Hoosiers. We all suffered. Take it in stride and move on! The Hoosiers, whose football prowess typically sparkles on offense met a very good defense when they played Ohio State last Saturday. The best the Hoosiers have met all season.

The Buckeye defense rushed and harassed Indiana QB Ben Chappell into mistakes, causing the Hoosiers to lose big-time on Saturday, 38-10.  But, then, we expected as much.  This Saturday, the Hoosiers will be able to run their offense without so much opposition against the Arkansas State Red Wolves, who sit in the middle of the pack in the Sun Belt Conference.

The Hoosiers will bounce back, winning this game at home in Bloomington.

Game 2: Illinois Fighting Illini (3-2) at (13) Michigan State Spartans (6-0) 12 p.m., ET.

This game features a couple of sunrises in the Big Ten. Illinois has quietly been playing some good football. Their 33-13 dismantling of the Penn State Nittany Lions, however, was a big surprise to most so-called experts.

By the same token, the Michigan State Spartans took their chutzpah on the road and into the face of Michigan, who was riding high on the play of Denard Robinson. By denying the Heisman-hyped quarterback the ground to run on, the Spartans doomed Michigan to turnovers, stirring up instead an ineffective offense.

The Spartans won 34-17 and sent the Wolverines back down.

So what will happen when the newly invigorated and confident Illini come calling in East Lansing, the home of the Spartans?  Can Michigan State hang on to its will and determination and win this game at home? Zultan says yes—it will be done.  Michigan State will win at home and enter Week 8 at 7-0.

Game 3: Minnesota Golden Gophers (1-5) at Purdue Boilermakers (3-2) 12 p.m., ET

Poor Minnesota. Poor Purdue. No, wait, Purdue was another game Zultan failed to predict last week since they had no tested quarterback, no star wide receiver or running back—all sidelined with injuries—and they were playing “at” Northwestern.

Yet, Purdue managed a win.  Here is a team with real heart and inspired leadership. Northwestern self-destructed at home with multiple chances to win, but the Wildcats could not pull the trigger.

Minnesota was manhandled by Wisconsin, who continued to pour it on long after the outcome was decided. Guess the Badgers were trying to make up for their previous shortcomings by lording it over the lowly Gophers.

Expect the Golden Gophers to stay in the bottom-dwellers cellar. Purdue lives on to battle for its place in the sun in the Big Ten by winning at home on Saturday.

Game 4: (21) Missouri Tigers (5-0) at Texas A&M Aggies (3-2) 12 p.m., ET

Here is one of the games that will determine the real power of the Big 12 North.  So far Missouri stands undefeated but they have not played a team that offered any real opposition so far.

The Tigers managed to defeat Illinois during their opener but Zultan wonders if this team could defeat the Illini today?

Missouri is tied with Nebraska for the lead in the Big 12 North and both will be tested this weekend. Missouri will face the Aggies in their back yard on Saturday.

The Aggies have suffered two losses in a row, both close contests to Oklahoma State 38-35 and to (11) Arkansas 24-17. But Texas A&M will bounce back and win this one at home to ruin Missouri’s undefeated season.

Game 5: (15) Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1) at Michigan Wolverines (5-1) 3:30 p.m., ET

This is an important game to win for Iowa and perhaps made more difficult by Michigan’s defeat because now Iowa will be expected to win a bit easier at Michigan, something they have not managed to do often in the past.

Iowa had a bye week and no doubt spent their time studying to prepare for Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson and crew.

Robinson was exposed in action against Michigan State last weekend, losing their first game of year in Ann Arbor.

Last year against Iowa, Michigan played the Hawkeyes tough losing by two points, 30-28, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.

Michigan will not go down easily in Week 7, especially after losing at home to Michigan State. Iowa will be in for a real dog fight but must win this one on the road to keep their title hopes alive. Iowa will win this close one against Michigan on the road for another agate to add to all the marbles!

Game 6: Texas Longhorns (3-2) at (5) Nebraska (5-0) 3:30 p.m., ET

Another Big 12 North puzzler.  Is Nebraska real or a pretender?  They should be able to defeat Texas at home if they are for real.  So far Texas (3-2) has lost to UCLA and Oklahoma.

Nebraska (5-0) is a fierce home field defender.  It is like marching into the lion’s den surrounded by cornfields. So far it seems Nebraska has not really been tested except by South Dakota State.  Zultan feels the Cornhuskers have not faced the fire yet this season.

Texas should be a good test but will not be able to deliver a knock out punch to the Cornhuskers who will stand tall against the Longhorns.  Nebraska will win at home.

Game 7: (12) Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) at (7) Auburn Tigers (6-0) 3:30 p.m., ET

Whoa! What happened in the SEC? Alabama lost at home to South Carolina and LSU barely squeezed past Florida.

That puts Auburn, who also scrambled for survival in Week 6, in a dead heat for the driver’s seat with LSU. Alabama’s Crimson Tide is riding their bumper from behind in the West.

This week the Auburn Tigers (6-0) face the Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) at home.  Even though history favors Arkansas, the Auburn Tigers at home will defeat the Razorbacks in a another nail-biter at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Game 8: (20) Oklahoma State Cowboys (5-0) at Texas Tech Red Raiders (3-2) 3:30 p.m., ET

Oklahoma State is tied with Oklahoma for the lead in the Big 12 South.  The Cowboys remain undefeated as are their in-state rivals, the Sooners.  But like many teams thus far, the Cowboys have not really been tested.

For sure Oklahoma State will feel the heat in Lubbock. Texas Tech has lost to Texas and to Iowa State so far in this season of surprises.  But Oklahoma State has not won in Lubbock for 66 years and that is quite an obstacle to overcome.  We don’t look for history to change.

Texas Tech will win at home and keep their dominance over the Cowboys intact for another year.

Game 9: (1) Ohio State Buckeyes (6-0) at (18) Wisconsin Badgers (5-1) 7 p.m., ET

With the fall of the Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State took over as the new No. 1 ranked team.

As a reward, they get to travel to Fort Randall in Madison, Wisconsin to face the Badgers on Saturday night.

To date, Ohio State has had their way with a ranked Miami squad, a feisty Illinois team, plus the Buckeyes trampled the Indiana Hoosiers last weekend. Overall, the Buckeyes remain undefeated.  The Badgers, on the other hand, have one loss on the season, to the Michigan State Spartans.

They cannot afford another one in the Big Ten and have a shot at winning the conference title.  Plus, they hardly ever lose at home. But, they will on Saturday––lose to Ohio State.

Game 10: (17) Arizona Wildcats (4-1) at Washington State Cougars (1-5) 7:30 p.m., ET

Arizona should still be riding high after upsetting then ranked No. 9 Iowa in Tucson in Week 3.  It is Iowa’s only loss on the season.  But Arizona lost at home in heart-breaker to Oregon State last weekend, 29-27.  It bounced the Wildcats out of the top 10.

Now the Wildcats will travel to Pullman to face the Washington State Cougars.  Arizona will be hoping to right the ship and find their way back to the top of the Pac-10.  But Washington State will be looking for a chance to redeem their season, hoping the Wildcats might be overlooking them.

So far the Cougars have only one win on the season. This would be a real upset. But it will not happen. Arizona will win this one on the road.

Winners in Week 6 Who Beat Zultan

So who beat Zultan? The question should be “Who didn’t?!” Here are all the people who were luckier that the mighty one in Week 6.

7-3
M.Miller – Las Vegas, NV
Doug Olney – North Liberty, IA
Dennis Ristau – Elva, WI
Stan Levesque – Canton, MI
Ryan Sparrow – Channahon, IL

6-4
Jeff Harmeyer – Windsor Heights, IA
Nathaniel Woods – Huntsville, AL
Dallas Palmer – New Virginia, IA
Tom Heathershaw – Iowa City, IA
Bobb – no city given

5-5
Dave Krueger – Omaha, NE
Kenneth Zuerner – Iowa City, IA
Jim Wagner – Epworth, IA
Corey Myers – Perry, IA
Rick “Turk” Steffens – Wilton, IA
Phillip Murphy – Muscatine, IA
Keverley Swantz – Kalona, IA
Brian Lawhead – Northfield, OH
Alex Goedken – Kansas City, KS
Eric Lawhead – Bolingbrook, IL
Siddarth Killekar – Mumbai, India
Mike – No city given

Will this list never end? OK, you won in Week 6. But can you win again in Week 7?  Click here to make your picks.

The gods have given every indication that Zultan will bounce back strong after last week.