Mighty Zultan Picks College Football Winners in Week 8

Posted on October 19, 2011 by JA Allen

Iowa Wins at Home

The planets aligned almost perfectly for the Mighty Zultan this past week as the all-seeing seer did his best prognosticating so far in the 2011 season.

Going eight for ten, Zultan was bested by only six who had astrological influences that outweighed Big Z’s crystal ball.

Zultan is pleased to report that Mom is out of the “Home” and back on the front porch after Iowa took care of the always dangerous Northwestern foes. This week Mom is serving hot Hoosier ham, in honor of the Big Game in Iowa City.

It seems that “travel” in the Big Ten is recommended in Week 8 for most teams. Zultan also sees an abundance of Fat Cats skirting the gridirons, waiting for a chance to pounce.

Those who surpassed Zultan in week seven will be listed at the end of the article where the all-seeing seer will sing their praises. If you wish to test your prognosticating skills against the mighty Zultan as we head into college football’s week eight, click here to make your selections. See if you can scale the heights and outguess the Big Z who sees “all” with the aid of his trusty crystal ball.

Game 1: Big Ten Indiana Hoosiers (1-6, 0-3) at Iowa Hawkeyes (4-2, 1-1)

Because Iowa was able to get the “Wildcats” off their backs, the Hawkeyes will be ready to hunker down and send the Hoosiers home, feeling a bit used and unsettled. The next few games look very manageable for the high flying Hawks. New Hoosier Head Coach Kevin Wilson will learn that life in the Big Ten can be very cruel and unforgiving.

Pick Iowa at home.

Game 2: Big Ten (23) Illinois Illini (6-1, 2-1) at Purdue Boilermakers ( 3-3, 1-1)

Illinois was upset in Week 7.

Oops, the Illini got stomped by a herd of Buckeyes last Saturday. The Ohio State game plan harkened back to the days of yore when an angry bespectacled man ran along the Ohio State sidelines urging three yards and a cloud of dust.

Ohio State upset formerly undefeated Illinois 17-7.

Last weekend, Purdue, too, had to face a suffocating Penn State defense that held the Boilers in check just enough for the Lions to win the game 23-18. It did not help Purdue that their special teams went into a trance and forgot how to perform needed tasks. Illinois will regain their equilibrium in week eight.

Pick Illinois on the road.

Game 3: Big Ten (13) Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 1-1) at Minnesota Gophers (1-5, 0-2)

Both the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Minnesota Gophers had the week off. Nebraska escaped a drubbing by the Ohio State Buckeyes the weekend before while Minnesota continued to be assaulted on the playing field—this time by the Purdue Boilermakers 45-17 on the road. There is not much hope to offer the Gophers except maybe a bolt of lightening to strike twice, canceling proceedings at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. This season will be pure agony for Minnesota. Zultan sees no end of suffering.

Pick Nebraska on the road.

Game 4: Big Ten (21) Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1, 3-0) at Northwestern Wildcats (2-4, 0-3)

Isn’t it time for the great Cats of Northwestern to sharpen those claws and tear up the opposition? Zultan sees a large cat flying through the air; but, it could just as well be a Lion. The details are fuzzy. In the meantime, Dan Persa scrambles for his life under attack while the Northwestern defense sits down for a rest in the second half. It could be a very long season for the Wildcats treed this time by the King of the jungle.

Pick Penn State on the road.

Game 5: Big Ten (6) Wisconsin Badgers (6-0, 2-0) at (16) Michigan State Spartans (5-1, 2-0)

Michigan State faces their severest test on Saturday.

This upcoming contest in East Lansing is for all the marbles in the Big Ten.

So far this season Michigan State has embarrassed Nebraska and Michigan with a defense so stingy they make Scrooge look like Santa.

To date, however, the Spartan defense has not had to track down and tackle trucks. Such is the power of the Wisconsin running backs. The onus on Saturday will fall to the Michigan State defense to see if they can contain the ground-eating badgers.

This is because the Michigan State offense has only managed to score just enough points to win. Kirk Cousins and company has not shined so far this season and in order to win on Saturday, they must sparkle like diamonds.

Pick Wisconsin on the road.

Game 6: SEC (20) Auburn Tigers (5-2, 3-1) at (1) LSU Tigers (7-0, 4-0)

It is SEC against SEC and tiger versus tiger. But this time for sure, Zultan figures, Auburn cannot win. This time the pin-striped tiger must go down to defeat on the road in Death Valley. The hard cold signs are clear. LSU wishes to right the wrong they feel they endured last season. The only danger is over-confidence. Being ranked No. 1 by the BCS may swell LSU heads but Les Miles and his staff will not allow that to happen. There will be plenty of motivation after losing to Auburn last year for this Tiger team to rise up and strike back.

Pick LSU to win at home.

Game 7: PAC 12 (25) Washington Huskies (5-1, 3-0) at (7) Stanford Cardinal (6-0, 4-0)

What is a cardinal, Zultan inquires? Not a bird but a color, he is told How very erudite the Big Z concludes— but what else would you expect from Stanford, after all? They are scholars and they play great football even though Jim Harbaugh has departed to lead the 49ers. Andrew Luck who may win the coveted Heisman Trophy remains in the pocket for the Cardinal and he has led Stanford to 14 straight college football wins. Despite the success of the Washington Huskies and their rise to be ranked, they will fall on Saturday, giving the Cardinal 15 in a row.

Pick Stanford at home.

Game 8 Big 12: (4) Oklahoma State Cowboys at Missouri Tigers (3-3, 1-2)

Missouri will be looking to upset the Cowboys in Week 8.

If the No. 4-ranked Cowboys are for real, they will win this game on the road at Missouri.

But rest assured, this will be no gimme game for Oklahoma State. While the Cowboys have a great offensive show, their defense is lacking and that will come back to bite them when they least wish it.

Missouri may not have the weapons to shut down the Oklahoma State offense but the Tigers offense might find some room to run themselves. Missouri will make it very interesting; but close is no cigar.

Pick Oklahoma State on the road.

Game 9: ACC (22) Georgia Tech Bulldogs (6-1, 3-1) at Miami Hurricanes (3-3, 1-2)

For Miami—when they are good, they are very, very good and when they were bad, they were horrid…at least in the beginning. But the Golden Hurricanes are getting better, it seems, with each and every outing. Last week they choked out a win over North Carolina while the Georgia Tech triple option sputtered and died against Virginia. A good defense against the running attack of Georgia Tech can render this team one-dimensional.

Pick Miami to win at home.

Game 10: SEC (9) Arkansas Razorbacks (5-1, 1-1) at Ole Miss Rebels (2-4, 0-3)

Even playing the game at home, Ole Miss will not be favored to win. The Rebels are coming off a dismantling by Alabama last week and so far Ole Miss remains winless in SEC play. It has not been a good season so far for the Rebels. The assembly line of quarterbacks who have tried to lead the Rebels have been fairly ineffective so far. Arkansas, ranked in the top ten will not let Ole Miss off the hook in this contest. Even losing one game to Alabama—the Hogs are ranked in the top ten.

Pick Arkansas to win on the road.

The Results for Week 7:
Then there were six. Six guys who managed to do better than the mighty Zultan in week seven. You have to admit that these are very special football pundits to outwit the mighty Zultan. Let’s hear it for the guys and see if they are back next week!