Big Ten/ACC Challenge

The fourteenth annual Big/Ten/ACC Challenge will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday this week, an event I consider the start of the college basketball season, at least the point where I start paying attention to it. All the cupcakes and early season tournaments are out of the way and we get into real exciting matchups. As far as the history of the event goes, the ACC won the challenge the first ten years it was held, but the Big Ten has won it the last three years, including an 8-4 drubbing last year. The Big Ten early on is considered the best conference in the country this year and will need to win the challenge for a fourth year in a row to maintain that distinction. Here are my picks for this years game, ranked from twelve to one in terms of how good of matchups they are.

12. Nebraska at Wake Forest (Tuesday 9:15): Both teams will be bottom dwellers in their conference. Wake Forest gets the edge because of being at home. Pick: Wake Forest

11. Boston College at Penn St (Wednesday 9:15): Slightly more appealing because its the second to last game so will have more significance, but its still two bottom dwellers, again slight edge to the home team. Pick: Penn st

10. Maryland at Northwestern (Tuesday 9:15): Another semi boring matchup, unfortunately for the Big, I like the terrapins chances on the road. Pick: Maryland

9. Iowa at Virginia Tech (Tuesday 7:15): Virginia Tech is picked by many to finish dead last in the ACC this year. Iowa will be bad, but they wont be that bad. Pick: Iowa

8.Purdue at Clemson (Wednesday 7:15): Purdue has fallen fast from big ten supremacy just a couple years ago, Clemson is picked to finish near the bottom of the ACC, this may be the toughest game to pick, I don't feel good about it, but ill Boiler Up. Pick: Purdue

7. Virginia at Wisconsin (Wednesday 7:00): My Badgers get a very favorable matchup in this years challenge. For one their home, and they face a perennial ACC bottom feeder. The Badgers haven't looked all that impressive so far, but they should still get the win here. Pick: Badgers

6. Georgia Tech at Illinois (Wednesday 9:00): Illinois was picked to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten but has gotten off to a 7-0 start, beating a couple decent teams too. It will be interesting to see how they fare on a bigger stage. I like them at home. Pick: Illinois

5. Minnesota at Florida st (Tuesday 7:15): FSU will be a decent team this year, as will Minnesota. In another closely contested game, Ill take the B1G taking another road game. Pick: Minnesota

4. Michigan st at Miami (Wednesday 7:30): Miami is picked by many to be a breakout team this year. I like the Spartans stomping them on the road. Pick: Michigan st

3. NC State at Michigan (Tuesday 7:30): NC state is supposed to have a great year, Michigan is ranked number three but their recent history of being overrated in Basketball is well documented. Ill take a road upset here. Pick: NC State

2. North Carolina at Indiana (Tuesday 9:30): The Number one team in the country takes on a perennial national power. The bottom line here is the number one team shouldn't lose at home, no matter who the opponent. Pick: Indiana

1. Ohio st at Duke (Wednesday 9:30): The last game of the challenge, so it may carry a ton of significance, although according to my picks, the Big ten will already have victory clinched. Hopefully they will, because 1. Duke doesn't lose at home 2. Id hate to have to cheer for Ohio st Pick: Duke

Final standings prediction: Big Ten: 8 ACC: 4 A repeat of last year record. Go B1G!