Week 6: Big Ten, Big East, ACC MAC, and Sun Belt. Conference play heats up. Homecoming in Kalamazoo. Can the Huskers bounce back? How good is Georgia Tech?

We're back TNG Nation! It's been a busy week but here's the first installment of our Week 6 Previews. Conference play heats up as teams are jockeying for position in the conference standings. Michigan coach Brady Hoke doesn't think his team is as good as their ranking at #12, but the Wolverines have a chance to pick up a W in their first road game. The Nebraska Corn Huskers open their home Big Ten schedule with the spiraling Ohio State Buckeyes. Western Michigan is feeling pretty good about themselves after knocking off last years Big East Champion and does this year's Georgia Tech team remind of the 1990 squad? Yeah we don't remember that team either. Onto the Previews...

B1G-

Purdue -10.5 vs. Minnesota
Indiana +15 vs. Illinois
Penn St -3.5 vs. Iowa
Northwestern +7.5 vs. Michigan
Nebraska -11 vs. Ohio St


BIG EAST-

West Virginia -20 vs. UConn
Rutgers +7 vs. Pitt
Syracuse -10 @ Tulane

MAC-

Miami (OH) +2 vs. Army
Western Michigan -11 vs. Bowling Green
Ball St +8.5 vs. Temple
Toledo -21 vs. Eastern Michigan
Central Michigan +10.5 @ NC State
Buffalo +8.5 vs. Ohio
Northern Illinois -17 vs. Kent St

SUN BELT-

Middle Tennessee St -11.5 vs. Western Kentucky
FIU -19 @ Akron
LA-Lafayette +6.5 vs. Troy
LA-Monroe +2 vs. Arkansas St
North Texas -4 vs. Florida Atlantic

ACC-

Georgia Tech -14 vs. Maryland
North Carolina -14 vs. Louisville
Wake Forest +10.5 vs. Florida St
Clemson -21 vs. Boston College
Virginia Tech -7.5 vs. Miami (FL)

Marcus says...

Northwestern +7.5 vs. Michigan
The Wolverines enter the game Saturday night at Ryan Field at 5-0 and rapidly climbing in the polls after an absolute dismantling of Minnesota last week.  Northwestern hosts Michigan trying to shake off a tough loss at Illinois last week.  The Wildcats led by 4 with 1:15 to play, only to watch Illinois march down the filed and win the game.  Michigan’s Denard Robinson continues to pile up the stats with 14 total TDs and leading the Big Ten in rushing with 603 yards.  The Wolverine defense continues to be the most improved part of the team.  Northwestern got their Senior QB Dan Persa back last week and he threw 4 TDs in his first game back from an achilles injury suffered last year.  However, Persa wasn’t able to run on the Illini defense and I imagine he’ll have the same troubles against the Wolverines.  Early feeling is Michigan covers.

Nebraska -11 vs. Ohio St
How different does this game feel after last weeks results?  Nebraska was embarrassed by Russell Wilson and the Badgers in Madison while the Buckeyes couldn’t get anything going against the Michigan State defense.  Ohio State QB Braxton Miller was pulled for the 37 year old Joe Bauserman after he couldn’t move the ball and turned it over.  The word is Coach Fickell is going back to Miller for this game, which shows how desperate they are for him to be the future.  Nebraska QB Taylor Martinez, who was hyped by TNG last week, threw 3 picks while the “Blackshirts” are still giving up yards to Wiscy’s offense.   Both teams need to bounce back and the Huskers appear to be more poised to do that, especially at home.  Leaning Nebraska covering.

Western Michigan -11 vs. Bowling Green
This game has ‘trap’ written all over it for the Broncos.  WMU is 3-2 after getting a big road win at UConn last week.  TNG’s favorite dynamic duo of Carder and White were unstoppable as White had 173 yds and 2 scores.  Alex Carder placed himself in the national spotlight as one of the country’s best QBs with a 479 yard, 5 TD and 0 INT performance.  WMU’s defense got the job done, forcing a fumble late that sealed the victory.  Bowling Green is also 3-2 and is coming off a beat down at the hands of West Virginia.  BG’s defense couldn’t stop the high powered Mountaineer attack and QB Schilz threw 3 INTs.  The Falcons will regroup and Coach Clawson hopes to have RB Samuel and WR Cooper back for the game.  It’s homecoming in Kalamazoo and expect there to be a good crowd at Waldo Stadium. 11 is a big number, but I like WMU to focus and beat BG by 2 TDs.  

Georgia Tech -14 vs. Maryland
The Yellow Jackets are 5-0 for the first time in 1990, when they shared the National Title with Colorado under the direction of Coach Bobby Ross.  The Georgia Tech rushing attack is #1 in the country averaging 378.2 yards per game, led by Junior RB Orwin Smith.  QB Tevin Washington has been efficient with 10 TDs against only 1 INT.  Maryland comes into the game at 2-2 and no one cares anymore about their uniforms.  The Terps face a tall task in Atlanta, as their defense is giving up 412.5 yards per game, a conference worst.  I see GT covering in a big win.