Will Irish eyes be smiling?
Will Wisconsin challenge Penn State?
Will Purdue win a game?
Ohio State (0-0 Big Ten, 2-0 Overall) at Notre Dame (3-0):
One thing is for sure - Ohio State will not score 70 points this week, as it has in its first two games. Notre Dame is not Rice, and it's not Pitt.
The Fighting Irish are an excellent team and will give the Buckeyes their first test, in a game that will feature as even a matchup as there can be this year. Many teams will anxiously watch this game to see if the Buckeyes are really as good as they have looked.
The Irish are coming off of a huge win at Texas, 27-24, and will be pumped by the crowd in South Bend.
Notre Dame quarterback Ron Powlus will never win a Heisman, but people should get off his back and realize that he is never going to be Joe Montana. Rick Mirer, maybe, which isn't all that bad - for a college quarterback, that is.
Powlus's one big problem is that he has looked insecure in the pocket, and with tough guys Matt Finkes and Mike Vrabel coming after him this week, Powlus might come down with a case of happy feet.
The Notre Dame backfield is exceptional, with tailbacks Autrey Denson and Randy Kinder and fullback Marc Edwards. Denson took over for the injured Kinder at the start of the season and hasn't looked back, and Kinder returned last week and was successful in limited action. Edwards is one of the best all-around fullbacks in the country.
Ohio State's main problem is that its first-string offense has yet to complete anything close to a full game. Stanley Jackson is the new quarterback this season, but he has only had to throw 18 passes in Ohio State's two games. He has looked good though, completing 15.
This could be the game that gives Jackson and wide receiver Michael Wiley some national attention. Pepe Pearson is the featured running back, and Ohio State head coach John Cooper was very upset with Pearson's conditioning last weekend, even though the tailback gained over 100 yards for the second straight game. Offensive lineman and Heisman Trophy candidate Orlando Pace opens up holes so huge that Cooper himself could have run for big yardage against Rice and Pitt.
Unfortunately for many angry college football fans, the Buckeyes won't get a taste of their own medicine - running up the score. The Buckeyes will win this and many other games with their defense. The Notre Dame backfield is tough, but the Ohio State defense, led by Finkes, Vrabel and end Greg Bellisari, will be a little tougher.
Ohio State wins, 20-17.
Penn State (4-0) at Wisconsin (3-0):
Let one thing be clear from the start: Penn State will win this game.
But Wisconsin is an improving team and has the ability to make this game close if the Nittany Lions expect a cakewalk on Saturday.
The Nittany Lions have played 1 1/2 - they won their opener against Southern Cal and then disposed of Jekyll and Hyde Louisville. The Lions have too many weapons, such as sophomore running back Curtis Enis. Wally Richardson is considered an above-average quarterback, and the Nittany Lions have a big time weapon in kicker Brett Conway.
The Badgers go with Mike Samuel at quarterback. Samuel has good tools, but he must cut down on the interceptions if the Badgers are to make this a game. The running game is steady with Carl McCullough freshman Ron Dayne.
Samuel's job is made easier by the good receiving tandem of Donald Hayes and Tony Simmons. The Badgers also boast one of the best defensive ends in the Big Ten in Tarek Saleh, who showcased his considerable talents last week in a 14-0 victory over Stanford.
The fact remains that the Lions have two big advantages over Wisconsin: They know how to win tough games better than the young Badgers, and they are, plain and simple, a more talented team.
Penn State wins, 30-13.
Northwestern (2-1) at Indiana (2-1):
The writer who said that Indiana might be a pretty good team and would clean up on Kentucky last week has been committed to a mental institution, which, coincidentally, is where this article is being written from.
Indiana got 150-plus yards from running back Alex Smith and still didn't score, losing, 3-0, on a late field goal. Indiana returns home this weekend to battle last year's Big Ten champion, Northwestern.
The Wildcats have put an embarrassing opening-week loss to Wake Forest behind them and have looked impressive in their last two games. Running back Darnell Autry just keeps running for 100 yards, in between acts of Shakespeare. Quarterback Steve Schnur has not played like the Schnur of last year, already throwing six interceptions. Oddsmaker Danny Sheridan must think Knute Rockne has taken over Indiana's coaching reigns from Bill Mallory, because the Wildcats are only a 3 1/2 favorite. Sheridan must have missed the Indiana-Kentucky game last week.
Northwestern wins, 24-7.
Eastern Michigan (1-3) at Michigan State (1-0, 1-2):
When your only win in four games is against Western Michigan, and you have played the likes of Temple and Toledo, it might be fair to say you have problems. Welcome to Eastern Michigan football.
The interesting thing about this game against Michigan State is that the Spartans are not doing much better.
After beating up on Big Ten patsy Purdue, the Spartans lost to Nebraska two weeks ago followed by a devastating loss against Louisville, an important game for Michigan State's psyche. The Spartans might have one of the best young coaches in the country in Nick Saban, but they need more big time players like middle linebacker Reggie Garnett and wide receiver Derrick Mason if they are going to compete in the conference. Eastern Michigan, however, is a far cry from an upper echelon Big Ten team. Heck, they're a far cry from a lower echelon Big Ten team.
Michigan State wins, 30-10.
North Carolina State(0-2) at Purdue (0-1, 0-3):
This is why people play college football. This is as interesting as it gets.
If you actually believe what you just read, you might want to seek some professional help. Purdue actually wins a game. Hooray!
Purdue wins, 20-16.
AP PHOTO
Tailback Pepe Pearson and Ohio State face their toughest test yet when the Buckeyes travel to South Bend on Saturday to face Notre Dame.