It’s a Rivalry! Iowa at Iowa State

September 4, 2025

This is a big-time rivalry game that will be played at Jack Trice Stadium. The kickoff is scheduled for 12 o’clock noon on Saturday, September 6th.

Iowa began their 2025 campaign with an impressive 34-7 win over Albany, and I think Albany turned out to be way more physical than a lot of people expected. To Iowa’s credit, they played tough, and they were actually losing that game 7-3 in the second quarter, but in the end, they won by 27.

Iowa State shocked everyone (but not me) with a Week 0 upset over the Kansas State Wildcats, and they came back and blew out South Dakota, 55-7, in Week 1. Currently, the Cyclones are 2-0, and they’ve quietly repositioned themselves at number 16 nationally.

Conclusion & Predictions

I don’t know how much it’s going to help, but Iowa State is home for this game. Traditionally, Iowa is known for their Big Ten brand of football, which is tough defense and the ability to run the football. So far, they haven’t disappointed. They held Albany to seven points and 43 yards rushing, and offensively, Iowa has a double threat coming out of the backfield.

Xavier Williams had 122 yards on 11 carries and 1 touchdown, and teammate Terrell Washington Jr. carried the rock 15 times for 69 yards. That’s 4.6 yards per carry for Washington, and both backs are the reason why the Hawkeyes were able to hold on the ball for almost thirty-seven minutes.

Against South Dakota, it was another brilliant performance by Rocco Becht and the boys. Becht completed 19 of 20 passes for 278 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Wide receiver, Brett Eskildsen, caught a beautiful pass for 61 yards right down the middle of the field to open the game. Eskildsen finished with 2 catches for 77 yards. Tight ends, Benjamin Brahmer and Gabe Burkle accounted for three touchdowns, and out of the backfield, it was a new face this week.

Freshman running back, Dylan Lee, carried the ball 13 times for 81 yards and 1 touchdown. Lee is a big back, 6’1″ and 215 pounds, and what Iowa State proved last week is that they have quality when it comes to depth at the running back position. Abu Sama and Carson “Um Bop” Hansen got some rest. Nice.

You know, Albany held Iowa to 44 yards passing. Mark Gronowski completed 8 of 15 passes for 44 yards and 1 touchdown.

Even with Washington and Williams running the ball, the Hawkeyes will need more production from their passing game. If not, Iowa is gonna see eight guys in the box all day.

I do believe Iowa State is one of the hottest teams in college football right now. They’re healthy, they’re home this week, and they were able to rest some of their starters against South Dakota.

Having said that, Iowa is going to test Iowa State in ways they haven’t been tested all season, but specifically, this is the toughness test for the Cyclones. After Week 2, we’ll know for certain how real this Iowa State team is. I think the Cyclones win this by 7.

My Prediction Straight Up: Iowa State

My Prediction Versus the Spread: Iowa State -3.5

A Special Alignment for Tomorrow, September 2nd

September 1, 2025

Tomorrow at approximately 3:11 p.m., Mars in Libra will conjoin the Midheaven on the 17th degree. Mars will then form a semi-sextile to the Moon’s South Node, which will be on the 18th degree of Virgo in the Ninth House, and a quincunx to the Moon’s North Node on the 18th degree of Pisces in the Third House.

My Interpretation

There’s a connection between our career and our reputation with the public. Mars is the sacred warrior, the emotionally driven leader who is courageous enough to step out of his comfort zone and be pioneering.

In the sign of Libra and in the Tenth House, Mars is polished and intelligent in his approach to creating harmony and establishing balance within our careers or with whatever we do for a living.

Justice and truth are also connected to Libra, so there’s some type of balancing that needs to be done when it comes to being seen or perceived by the public. It’s almost like the real you has been hidden or absent, and that made it easy for people to form opinions about you that were false and based on lies and they ended up spreading like wild fire.

And, what about destiny? If you were born with a special purpose, perhaps it’s time for you to get on the destiny path. It’s crazy to assume this, but not everyone is meant to live a “normal” life. It’s not often, but special people do grace us with their presence once in a while. If that’s you, and that’s what you’ve awakened to, then it’s time to start believing in yourself.

Mars conjunct the Midheaven in Libra would certainly indicate disruptions, fighting, and arguing within relationships either at work with coworkers or with loved ones at home about your work and your reputation, or your reputation with the public in general.

Maybe you’re fighting and arguing to defend yourself or to convince people that you’re not what they think of you, but it’s hard changing the perceptions and the personal narratives people have of us.

It seems like no matter how much we change or how much we improve, they can’t seem to shake or get over the mistakes we’ve made in the past. If that is the case, what is fighting going to solve?

No, I don’t think Mars needs to fight now. I think he needs to express himself through Libra, and that’s someone who’s smart, someone who’s able to express himself and communicate effectively, and someone who not only understands the importance of relationships, but one who knows he truly needs the other.

The semisextile to the Moon’s South Node in Virgo in the Ninth House favors research and the gathering of materials that can provide us with truth and cold hard facts. The Ninth House is also a very religious house, and while we may not need to go to war with religious institutions, we may need to probe for certain information. Nothing is going to come easy because, for one, the Ninth House is the house of long journeys, and two, Virgo is perfect, or at least she thinks she is.

Again, you can’t argue with someone who refuses to take responsibility for their actions or someone who can never admit when they’re wrong, made a mistake, or are at fault.

Establish a relationship, and through that relationship, you can at least learn or gain important information.

The quincunx connecting Mars to the North Node in Pisces in the Third House can help Mars see a different side of life if Mars is willing to be compassionate, but it’s really about helping you to believe in yourself.

Pisces in the Third House makes for a very wishy washy and confusing situation. A lot of things are unclear, which is really what seems to be the problem.

This requires you to dig deep into that Mars archetype and pull out some assertiveness. Mars will need to use his sword to cut down the blockages, the deceptions, and all the illusions, and when the picture becomes clear, obviously, he’ll need to make a decision.

However, there are no real answers, only a reliance in faith. Trust yourself, and believe that everything is going to work out in your favor.

There could be feelings of depression, sadness, or like the end is near because that’s what can manifest through Pisces, but know that life will go on with or without you. Now is not the time to give up. It’s time to go deep within.

The North Node in the Third House is telling you the answer is the neighborhood, not the grand stage. It’s the family and not the large audience.

One thing must be brought to a conclusion before the other thing can begin. With Pisces in the Third House and Aries occupying part of the Third House and the Fourth House, something at home could be coming to an end.

Ultimately, it’s another fresh start.

Showdown; It’s the Longhorns and the Buckeyes

August 29, 2025

The last meeting between the Texas Longhorns and the Ohio State Buckeyes was during the semifinal round of the 2024 college football playoffs in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic. Ohio State beat Texas and went on to beat Notre Dame in the National Championship game.

Texas finished their season at 13-3, and Ohio State 14-2, but all that is old news. This is a new year, a new season, and neither team is exactly the same.

(1) Texas at (3) Ohio State 
Saturday, August 30^th at 12 noon

Ohio State Buckeyes

The 2025 Ohio State team features two 1^st Team All-Americans, sophomore wide receiver, Jeremiah Smith, and junior free safety, Caleb Downs. Junior wide receiver, Carnell Tate, and senior linebacker, Sonny Styles earned 2^nd Team honors.

I suppose we should address the elephant in the room first. Quarterback, Julian Sayin, originally signed with Alabama, but he transferred to OSU in January of 2024. They say he’s a true sophomore with four years of eligibility, which at the end of the day, means he’s young, he lacks experience, and he’s unproven. Big question mark at the quarterback position.

I know Coach Day would love to coddle Sayin and allow him to gain experience slowly while at the same time building his confidence, but I don’t see how that’s going to be possible with two All-Americans at the wide receiver position.

How about All-Big Ten tight end, Max Klare? Klare came to Ohio State from Purdue, and he’s a tall guy at 6’5″ with good hands. The point that I’m making is that the Buckeyes have guys who can catch the ball, and at some point, the pressure is going to be on Sayin to deliver.

Perhaps, I’d feel a little differently if TreVeyon Henderson was in the backfield, but sophomore, James Peoples, is another young guy who’s still unproven. If Ohio State can’t run the ball, Sayin will get thrown to the wolves, but who knows, maybe he can handle it.

On the o-line, the Buckeyes look good from guard to guard. Right now, their tackles are questionable, but in general, I don’t see the offensive line as a weakness.

Defensively, second team All-American, Sonny Styles is a converted linebacker from the safety position, but he is the center of that defense. He’s big, 6’5″ and 245 pounds, and he’s athletic and fast. Junior, Arvell Reese, lines up next to Styles. Reese is another big guy, 6’4″ and 245 pounds, and they expect him to have a monster season this year. The backup senior, C.J. Hicks, I think is getting reps at defensive end. That’s a good move to improve the overall speed of the defense.

In the defensive backfield, Ohio State figures to be strong at the corners with Davison Igbinosun and Jermaine Mathews Jr. Safety, Caleb Downs, well, they say he could be the number 1 defensive player in America!

Their defensive line is a question mark.

Texas Longhorns

The 2025 Texas Longhorns feature two All-Americans on offense, quarterback, Arch Manning (1^st team), and tight end, Jack Endries (2^nd team).

Arch Manning is a sophomore, but this will be his first year starting for the Longhorns. Manning’s teammates and coaches seem to think he’s going to step right in and do an amazing job. There’s even talks about Manning entering the NFL draft after next season, so even though he’s unproven just like Sayin is for Ohio State, the situation in Texas seems to be a little different than that in Columbus.

Senior right guard, DJ Campbell, is the only returning starter on the o-line, but there’s continuity between Manning and his entire line.

It looks like returning junior, Quintrevion Wisner, will start at running back. Last season, Wisner rushed for over 1,000 yards. You see, this is what I was talking about with Julian Sayin. Sayin doesn’t have a retuning thousand-yard rusher lining up behind him. Not only can Wisner run the rock, but he provides an extra layer of support that can take some of the pressure of Manning to have to push the ball downfield. It makes for a more relaxing situation.

At wide receiver, it’s going to be returning starter, Deandre Moore Jr., Ryan Wingo (in my Dale Gribble voice), and Stanford transfer, Emmett Mosley.

Defensively, Texas is going to be tough. All-American junior, Anthony Hill Jr., is arguably the best linebacker in the country. He has All-American teammate, Colin Simmons, lining up in front of him at defensive end, but the Longhorns have several guys on the defensive line who can get after the quarterback and stuff the run.

Texas has a pair of All-Americans in the defensive backfield, cornerback, Malik Muhammad, and safety, Michael Taaffee. On the other side at cornerback, it’s going to be the returning senior, Jaylon Guilbeau.

Conclusion and Predictions

I've been an Ohio State fan since the days of Eddie George and Orlando Pace, so I don't want personal feelings to get in the way here.

When I look at these two teams, I see two completely different teams than we saw at the end of last season. I think Texas lost 14 guys, and I think Ohio State lost 12. So, it's really about who was more effective at reloading and filling gaps.

All things considered, it kills me to say this, but on paper, I feel like Texas is the better team. I'm not taking anything away from Julian Sayin, but Arch Manning has the luxury of having a 1,000-yard rusher behind him. That alone, gives Texas the edge offensively.

Yes, the Buckeyes have absolute beasts at wide receiver, but what good are they if Sayin is running for his life from a relentless Longhorn pass rush?

Okay, the Buckeyes have a young quarterback, things can't be all that bad, right? Well, we shall see. Will James Peoples be able to run the ball against that Longhorn defensive front with Anthony Hill Jr. behind it?

Ohio State is home, and it's hard to beat Ohio State in Columbus, but if anyone can do it, it's Texas. It's the first game of the season for both teams, and both teams need to establish their own 2025 brand.
I don't know, this is a tough one, but I just can't go against the Buckeyes at home until they've given me a reason to.

My Pick Straight Up: Ohio State

My Pick Versus the Point Spread: Ohio State -1.5

Grace and Peace Multiplied

Agustus 28, 2025

The title of this article might look familiar to some of you, and that’s because it comes from Peter, an apostle of Jesus. In the New Testament of the bible, and in the First and Second Letters of Peter, it says, “May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

My personal studies always take me across many disciplines, academic fields, and arts to find common threads and correlations to arrive at a unified truth. Well, I looked for Grace and Peace in the astrology chart, and the truth is that right now, believe it or not, Grace and Peace are manifesting within our lives.

In mythology, my research into what grace is overturned a super-interesting discovery. Grace is/are Charities, and the Charities are personified as three loving females, Aglaea “splendor,” Euphrosyne “joy,” and Thalia “good cheer.”

This morning, at 4:50 a.m.

Pax (peace) is in Leo on the 29th degree and in the First House.

Thalia, which is the personification of “good cheer,” can be found on the 2^nd degree of Capricorn in the Fifth House. Thalia forms a sextile with the Moon (in Scorpio in the Third House), she forms a trine with the Sun (in Virgo in the First House), and she forms a trine with Pax the Roman goddess of peace (in Leo in the First House).

Let’s look at this trine between Grace and Peace in this morning’s chart.

Peace: Leo 29 degrees, First House

Grace: Capricorn 2 degrees, Fifth House

Now, I was just talking about correlations. Well, here’s a correlation between mythology, astrology, and the psychic Sabian Symbols presented for the astrological degrees.

Three church windows, the Sabian Symbol image for the 2^nd degree of Capricorn (jamesnburgess.com), which is where Grace is located.

The Three Graces/Charities (Wikipedia).

Wow, right? I mean, what else can be said. Peter says, “Grace and peace multiplied to us,” Peter is a biblical figure, and the bible is connected to the church. The image for the Sabian Symbol for the 2^nd degree of Capricorn shows three rose windows in a Gothic church (one damaged by war), and that’s exactly where we find grace in this chart.

Also, Grace has multiplied. As a matter of fact, grace multiplied three times into splendor, joy, and good cheer, which is really three different asteroids.

So, even though we’re only using Thalia or good cheer, for our interpretation, grace has multiplied in two other locations or areas of this chart.

Okay, now we’ll begin with the interpretation of Grace, or Thalia, which is personified as good cheer.

Capricorn, to me, is an odd sign to have in the Fifth House because the Fifth House is all about fun, and Capricorn can be quite serious, but the more I thought about both the sign and house separately, the easier it got to put them together.

Life is about opportunities, and I want you to remember the words of Peter, “Grace and peace multiplied to you.”

When you’ve been at it for a while and nothing seems to be changing, we can develop a very negative and serious attitude. Think about it.

You keep taking the left path, and you’re no better off today than you were when you started five years ago. On top of that, maybe your job isn’t paying enough, or you’re falling deeper in debt, or you have to move from a place you loved. Life has a way of wearing us out, and for some of us, the more serious we take things and the harder we go, the worse off we become. The further we sink. In that scenario, are you at peace? I doubt it. Every day seems like a grind, and there’s no progress being made.

If this is the case, you need a change because you’re not allowing grace or peace in your life. You need to go back to the drawing board, back to a simpler way of doing things, and you need to start having fun again. Fun, that’s what the Fifth House is all about.

When you have Capricorn, the sign of steadiness, in the Fifth House, it doesn’t necessarily have to turn the house of fun into the house of seriousness, but if life is about opportunities, then whatever we do for fun, overtime, can present opportunities if we’re showing up every day, remaining slow but steady, and looking to quickly seize what’s rightfully ours.

For example, you might decide to paint. That’s a good Fifth House activity. Life was getting way too serious, so you decided to paint. You always enjoyed (grace) painting, you were a good art student in school, and painting always had a way of relaxing you.

You’re still getting up and going to work, but you decided to set aside two or three days during the week to paint your portraits. Over time, something that started out as a creative outlet to reduce stress and increase happiness turns out to be something you’ve gotten quite good at.

With Capricorn’s approach, you stuck with it, and one day, someone important and influential in the art world saw one of your paintings. He’s a huge art collector who buys and sells paintings, he loves your work, and he wants to buy it.

In five years, you were able to quit your job and become a full-time portrait painter.

Unbelievable, right? This happens all the time, and you know what? It’s exactly what you needed to happen because another five years at your job might’ve landed you in the hospital with stress related illnesses. I’m not writing this article to promote the Letters of Peter, but this is what happens when you resist the manifestation of grace and peace in your life. Grace and peace have already been multiplied, we just need to let it in.

On the 2^nd degree of Capricorn, we have Tahlia, which is “good cheer” and one of the three charities or graces. Having good cheer means being upbeat and excited, it means being enthusiastic about what you’re doing. Well, how can you have “good cheer” if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing? You can’t.

Thalia on the 2^nd degree of Capricorn, requires us to first understand that nothing is going to be perfect. Remember the three stained glass windows of the church? One of them was broken. Not everything is going to be perfect, but it’s important that we try our best to be excited, optimistic, and enthusiastic about life, even though we’re in a constant cycle of creation and destruction.

Life can be a battlefield for some of us, and beauty is the first thing spoiled by war. Don’t be too attached to how things look. Get over your superficialities. Just because something looks bad or ugly on the surface, that doesn’t mean it is. Take your time. Get to know people, places, and situations. Wait around for hidden or deeper meaning of things.

So, we have grace, or “good cheer” in Capricorn in the House of Fun. Maintain a cheery attitude. Some of us would rather continue banging our head against the wall knowing we’re getting nothing out of it.

Why?

That’s all we know, and we fear the unknown. Stepping to the left and going around the wall would be comparable to Fifth House fun and our example of the painter. So, even though you rather bang your head against the wall, it’s important to maintain a cheery attitude when trying something new and fun. (sarcastically humorous)

As far as grace is concerned, this chart is telling us that we need to break up the seriousness of life. Good cheer, and maybe even a little financial progress can certainly manifest when you’re having fun.

Moving on to peace. Did you know that the symbol for Pax, the Roman goddess of peace, is the Chi Rho? Yes, it’s the same symbol they’ve been telling us is used to represent Jesus Christ. It’s the little x with the P in it.

Today, I just put the meaning of the Chi Rho together, and do you know how I did it? Do you remember how they wanted to change the saying Merry Christmas to Merry Xmas?

Yes, they wanted to take the word Christ out of Christmas, and change it to an X.

That’s how I figured out what Chi Rho meant. It means peace in Christ. The Chi (P) means peace, and the Rho (X) means Christ. When you put it together, it’s literally peace in Christ.

In our chart, the Chi Rho is in the First House on the 29^th degree of Leo, and it’s in trine with Thalia or grace in Capricorn in the Fifth House.

We, and when I say we, I mean some of us personally, are bordering on an edge. It’s a border with the old paradigm on one side and a completely new level of energetic spiritual awareness on the other side.

In order to get with the plan and the destiny for this life, some of us, no matter how hard it’s going to be, will absolutely be required to let the old paradigm fall. It’s sad, but true, so maintain good cheer.

Pax is conjunct the star Regulus on the 29^th degree of Leo. In 2012, Regulus, the Heart of the Lion, moved out of Leo and into Virgo on the Zero degree. This, without a doubt, even though it’s never talked about and overlooked by all the astrologers, represents the new paradigm and the current change in consciousness. I’m telling you this. Believe me.

Correlations Between Recent Murder and Astrological Chart

August 25, 2025

On Friday, May 23, 2025, Lara Lyons, a 55-year-old mother and teacher from Shreveport, Louisiana, was murdered in her sleep. Her 19-year-old son, Connor Lyons, confessed to stabbing his mother in the neck three times while she slept. He said a voice in his head told him to do it.

Police were dispatched to the scene at 2:11 p.m., but I pulled the chart for 2 o’clock. So, what we’re looking at here is the event chart of the moment. If I had her son’s birth information, I would’ve pulled his chart instead, but that’s okay.

How many times over the years have we heard a murderer say they killed because a voice in their head told them to do it? People say it all the time, but if we start this reading with a deep look into the Midheaven, which is located in Gemini on the 14^th degree, we come to find out that there might be some truth to what Connor is claiming.

The Sabian Symbol for Gemini 14 is about a transcendent connection, and the image represents a conversation by telepathy. Did Connor Lyons really hear a voice in his head that told him to kill his mother? I don’t know, but the chart supports his claim. Gemini is the third sign of the zodiac, and it’s ruled by Mercury, the planet of communication.

Since Lara was murdered in her sleep, we have this situation of sudden shock. When something happens suddenly and unexpectedly out of the blue, and it’s shocking and changes the course of your life, then it’s a Uranus thing.

When we look at Uranus, we quickly notice that it’s conjunct Mercury (the planet of communication that rules Gemini) with two degrees of separation. Mercury is quick, and he has a dark side, which usually involves theft and crimes of forgery, fraud, and trickery.

The conjunction with Uranus indicates quick and sudden action, that’s shocking and unpredictable, and it’s in Taurus, the sign of the zodiac that rules the neck and throat!

The Sun, in astrology represents will and vitality. The Sun is also in conjunction with both Uranus and Mercury, but it’s only 5 degrees away from Uranus.

So, we have this situation with telepathy and communication within the mind of someone that’s telling them to kill. We’ve identified the voice in the head coming in through the 14^th degree of Gemini, a sign that’s all about thinking and living inside one’s head. Mercury is the quick acting planet of communication and Uranus is the shock and awe. In this situation, the Sun then, would represent the will to move forward and actually commit the crime.

The 16^th degree of Leo, according to its Sabian Symbol, represents a fresh start. Mars, the planet of war and violence is on the 16^th degree of Leo in the Eleventh House. The Eleventh House is the future house of aspirations and wishes, so when you put it all together, we have the use of violence to create a fresh start for the future.

I don’t really know what Connor was thinking, but whether or not he was actually thinking about using the murder of his mother as a way to create a fresh start for himself or his future, that’s exactly how this situation will play out.

Maybe he has such a serious mental problem, that it actually took a crime of this magnitude to become aware of it and get the proper help.

Aries, the sign ruled by Mars, is in the Eighth House of death (Moon/Mother conjunct Venus in Aries in the Eighth House), and the Moon’s South Node is located in the First House on the 25th degree (a flag at half-mast) of Virgo. It’s rarely good when the Moon’s South Node appears in the First House of a chart.

I was just explaining in a recent article that I use Astraea as a co-ruler of Virgo along with Mercury. In the sign of the higher mind (Sagittarius) at the bottom of the chart, Astraea is opposing the Midheaven. That’s the tug of war.

Do you follow through with what the voice in your head told you to do, or do you not act on it because murder or killing in this manner is socially unacceptable?

Well, mythologically speaking, we know that Astraea stayed with humans until they were beyond reproach, and the interesting thing about this chart is that not only does it show that Connor could’ve been telling the truth about the voices he heard in his head, but in a strange way, it also shows that Connor could’ve actually believed that what he did to his mother was the right thing for him to do.

A flag at half mast, as shown by the Sabian Symbol, indicates some type of approval for service. I don’t think anyone is going to congratulate Connor or tell him that he did a good job and his services are appreciated, but in his mind, he might feel that way.

It could also relate to the job his mother, Lara, did as a teacher. Either way, eerie to see that.

In terms of the tug of war, Astraea lost. The 18^th degree of Sagittarius is about discipline, guarding against overload, and defending ourselves from earthly and psychic forces. Connor obviously chose the top of the chart, the Midheaven on the 14^th degree of Gemini, and the three-way conjunction with the Sun, Uranus, and Mercury.

Stabbed to death while you’re sleeping; what a terrible way to die. I don’t condone what Connor Lyons did to his mother, I’m just showing you guys the correlations between the actual event and the astrological chart of the moment.

This was a sad, terrible, and unfortunate situation that no one should ever have to experience.

Ohio at Rutgers

August 25, 2025

Week 1 of the 2025 college football season begins this Thursday, August 28^th. There are fourteen games involving Big Ten teams scheduled to play on Thursday, but this preview is for the game between Rutgers and Ohio.

Ohio Bobcats

The Ohio Bobcats are predicted to finish 4^th in the MAC Conference. They finished their 2024 season with 11 wins after a 30-27 victory over Jacksonville State in the Cure Bowl. Overall, they finished 11-3, and they were 7-1 in the MAC.

Anthony Tyus III is no longer with the Ohio Bobcats. He plays for the Seattle Seahawks now-let’s start there. The good news for Ohio, however, is that senior running back, Sieh Bangura, who was once a 1,000-yard rusher for Ohio, but transferred out to Minnesota for the 2024 season, just transferred back in. That’s huge.

Senior quarterback, Parker Navarro, is back! Navarro is strong, fast, and athletic. Last season, he threw for 2,423 yards and 13 touchdowns, and he rushed for another 1,100 (That’s actually very close to Vince Young’s numbers in 2006). That’s a lot of productivity, but Navarro won’t have to do it all by himself.

We know they have a guy back who can run the ball, and at wide receiver, juniors, Rodney Harris II, and Chase Hendricks, lead a deep and talented group.

The offensive line will be pieced together around two seniors, left tackle, Davion Weatherspoon, and right guard, Trent Allen. 6′ 4″, 310-pound-center, Kam Wright, steps in as a redshirt junior who saw action in 11 games last season. The right tackle, Jordan Jones, is also a redshirt junior who played in 11 games last year with the Bobcats.

Defensively, well, this is where things get interesting for Ohio because they had an absolute beast coming back at defensive end, senior, Bradley Weaver. Weaver decided to transfer to Rutgers! As a matter of fact, the defense lost seven starters.

The strength of Ohio’s defense will be their secondary. They have three seniors returning in the defensive backfield and All-MAC sophomore, free safety, DJ Walker. The group is led by All-MAC senior, cornerback, Tank Pearson.

At linebacker, they have French Fries. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 Just kidding. I’m talking about junior linebacker, Jack Fries. Fries is a redshirt junior, and he didn’t get much playing time last season.

Their starting front seven consists of six juniors and a sophomore. It’s a young and inexperienced group. Sophomore defensive tackle, Austin Mitchell, saw action in five games last season, and he’s the only starter on this year’s defensive line that was actually with the Bobcats last season.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

In the tough and extremely competitive Big Ten Conference, Rutgers is predicted to finish 12^th. The Scarlet Knights finished their 2024 season with a loss to Kansas State in the Rate Bowl. They were 7-6 overall, and 4-5 in the Big Ten.

On the offense, Rutgers has eight seniors in the starting lineup, and three of them are studs on the o-line. Left tackle, Tyler Needham, left guard, Bryan Felter, and center, Gus Zilinskas, anchor a very strong and experienced group.

At running back, we got to see then freshman, Antwan Raymond, score his sixth touchdown of the season in the Rate Bowl. Raymond is good enough to start as a true sophomore, but Rutgers will feature a senior, CJ Cambell Jr. Cambell transferred from Florida Atlantic.

Senior quarterback, Athan Kaliakmanis is back, and so is his stud tight end, Kenny Fletcher Jr. Wide Receiver seems to be a strength for Rutgers. They have a young talented sophomore, Ben Black, but this group will be led by the senior transfer from North Texas, DT Sheffield. Ian Strong and KJ Duff are good.

Defensively, the Scarlet Knights will start the Ohio transfer, Bradley Weaver, at defensive end, and both tackles are back from last season, Zaire Angoy and Keshon Griffen. The Scarlet Knights actually have six seniors starting in their front seven, and the only junior happens to be their star linebacker, Dariel Djabome.

In the secondary, Rutgers got two seniors who transferred and will start immediately. Safety, Jett Elad, transferred from UNLV, and cornerback, Cam Miller, transferred from Penn State. Senior safety, Al-Shadee Salaam is solid.

Conclusion and Predictions

When seniors transfer, they usually do so for two reasons: to start immediately, and to win a championship. That’s what I think of when I look at Rutgers. Do I think Rutgers can win a national championship? Heck no, lol, but I think the mindset of guys like Bradely Weaver and Cam Miller is to come together for that one great season.

This is the first game of the season for both teams, and I know they’re both looking to walk away with a win. It’s a Thursday night game and the Scarlet Knights are playing in front of their home crowd. The atmosphere will be electric.

If Ohio can’t stop Rutgers from running the ball, this will be a long evening for the Bobcats. Honestly, I’m wondering if Ohio has enough to win this game. They have Navarro, they have a capable running back, and they have the talent at wide receiver, but their o-line is questionable. On defense, their front seven lacks experience and leadership.

Keep something in mind. Rutgers is building a team that has to compete with teams like Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan, etc. It’s cliche to say, but they’re built differently.

Ohio’s defense lost seven starters, and that’s the same defensive unit that almost blew a 27-7 lead at halftime to Jacksonville State in the Cure Bowl.

The Scarlet Knights must begin this season with three consecutive wins before heading into Big Ten action, and that begins with a win against Ohio.

My Pick to Win: Rutgers

My Pick Versus the Point Spread: Rutgers +14

Iowa State Versus Kansas State, the Recap

Augustus 23, 2025

Kansas State scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough. Now, I don’t want to sit here and say I told you so, but I did. I told you Iowa State was going to win this game, and I told you to take Iowa State +3 versus the point spread.

If you watch my YouTube video, you’ll hear me say, “This isn’t going to be a gimmie game.” I knew this wasn’t going to be an easy game for Iowa State, but as someone who truly understands the game of football at the heart chakra level, I knew this was a game Iowa State could win.

When it was all said and done, the Cyclones won 24-21, and they played a fantastic game. They held the ball seven minutes longer than Kansas State, they were able to rush the football, and their defense made the big plays when it was necessary for them to do so.

I’ll tell you what I can’t understand.

Athlon Sports publishes an annual College Football Preview, and in their predicted playoff bracket scenario, they had the Kansas State Wildcats as the 4^th seed. They also picked the Wildcats to win the Big 12 Conference. I studied both teams for about three days so I could write my gameday preview, and I knew immediately. Iowa State was a much better team than the “experts” at Athlon would have you believe.

I didn’t understand how they, as “experts,” could pick Kansas State to be the 4^th seed team in this year’s playoffs and not even have Iowa State in the entire playoff picture.

Anyway.

Iowa State scored the first points of the game in the first quarter when Dominic Overby caught a touchdown pass from Rocco Becht, but K-State came right back. The Wildcats moved the ball down the field, and Avery Johnson ran the ball in from the fifteen.

The game was tied, 7-7, at halftime.

Late in the 3rd quarter, Rocco Becht connected with Brett Eskildsen for another touchdown pass, and Iowa State was ahead, 14-7.

The Wildcats scored first in the fourth quarter. A 38-yard-touchdown pass from quarterback, Avery Johnson, to wide receiver, Jayce Brown, tied the game at 14.

Then, after Kyle Konrardy kicked a field goal to put the Cyclones up again, 17-14, the Iowa State defense came up with a huge stop on fourth down.

Iowa State had great field position to start the drive, and Rocco Becht ran it in for another touchdown. Iowa State was winning, 24-14.

With 6:23 left in the game, wide receiver, Jerand Bradley, caught a 65-yard-touchdown from Johnson to bring the Wildcats within three points, but that’s where it ended.

Rocco Becht threw the ball 28 times, and he completed 14 passes for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns. Carson “Umm Bop” Hansen had 71 yards on 16 carries, and Abu Sama had 43 yards on 14 carries.

Listen guys, I’m the real expert. It’s not Athlon Sports, and it’s not all these people on the internet and on YouTube. It’s me.

Nooz Buffet has been on the internet since 2018. I’m going into my eighth year as the owner and sole contributor of this website, and when it comes to astrology and football, I’m your man.

I don’t use AI, computers, or any machine to generate football picks or produce content. All of my work, whether it’s football or astrological, comes straight from the heart.

Follow me.

Mars, Mercury, and Astraea Connect Houses Twelve, Two, and Ten

Augustus 23, 2025

Good morning!

A look at the current astrological alignment revealed a Twelfth House Mars in Libra, Mercury in Leo in the Tenth House, and Astraea in Sagittarius in the Second House.

Taking an aggressive approach to a possible lawsuit involving the workplace, or because of some form of defamation or libel that has destroyed your reputation with the public, seems like the way to go now.

Perhaps you’ll gain enemies from following through with that plan, but were they really your friends to begin with?

This is about truth, and it’s about righting a wrong that, quite frankly, could’ve been a long time coming.

The alignments of these planets and the relationships between them can manifest in many different ways.

The Second House governs survival and the necessities that, at the very least, support life or some form of comfortable living. A trine to Mercury in the Tenth House indicates that any type of conversation or commerce aimed at increasing possessions, money, or that which is needed to survive is good.

However, a Twelfth House Mars warns against violence from secret enemies, and so, with Mercury, the God of Communication, in trine with Astraea in the Second House, I would refrain from speaking about money or personal possessions in front of certain people.

It’s not that jealousy is so much of an issue now, but it looks to be more like entitlement.

Sometimes, you have people who are not honest with themselves about their own ability, or their own efforts to acquire what they want and need in life, and no matter what you say to these people, it’s hard for them to release the thought or feeling that they’ve been wronged or slighted.

Overhearing a conversation about how good your life is, and how much money you just spent on clothes and jewelry, can be enough to trigger them if they believe it’s them who should be at the top of the mountain instead of you.

They don’t see their actions as being motivated by jealousy but rather as some form of justice.

On a good note, this alignment favors fun and earning money or acquiring possessions in a fun or pleasurable way.

Mars in the Twelfth House is not only about secret enemies and violence.

When things are hidden from us or kept in secret, it can take a real effort both physically and mentally to get to the bottom of things. It can be draining, but more importantly, it’s a natural deterrent.

Mars in the Twelfth House makes us assertive, energetic, and aggressive when it comes to penetrating the depths of something. We won’t take no for an answer, and taking this kind of action when no one else will can be highly rewarding.

Some type of secret is discovered now, and the revelation of it will not only balance the scales, but it will also provide a feeling of love and harmony that for a very long time, has been missing from your life.

Moon Scope; Starting Fresh in the Sign of Purity

Written on August 19, 2025, for the New Moon on Augustus 23, 2025

Good morning beloved, and thank you for visiting Nooz Buffet. It’s not a secret that Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgo, but any good astrologer knows that there’s a personal branding or touch that goes along with the study and practice of astrology, which in all honesty, is what makes this an art.

I’ve grown fond of the goddess asteroid, Astraea, and personally, I feel comfortable with Astraea ruling Virgo. Hey, some astrologers say that Chiron should rule Virgo, and who would I be to challenge them. This is art!

I spend most of my time on the computer, so I don’t get to watch much television, but I remember how awful the nightly news was on television. Lots of people stopped watching the news because it was sad, negative, and just freaking disturbing.

Well, there’s no way around that. You get the same thing on the computer, and every time my homepage opens, I see murder, home invasion, roommates decapitating one another, robbery, hate crimes, carjacking, woman getting knocked out by men, men and women stabbing people for no reason, and the list of senseless and heinous crimes goes on and on.

This brings me to Astraea. Astraea was the ancient Greek Goddess of Truth and Justice, and she was the last of the immortals to live on earth with humans. Astraea loved humanity, and we often see pictures of her holding a scale and wearing a blindfold.

The blindfold represents an important and often overlooked concept that justice, in the end, must be served without discrimination and without favoritism. Without prejudice. Who you are and what you look like does not matter. We’re all humans.

While Astraea was here on earth, there was an extreme decline in ethics, morals, and virtue, and at a certain point, Astraea began to feel useless. She felt like humanity had gone down a road and there was no way of bringing us back. According to Astraea, she had done all she could, humans were beyond reproach, and she was wiping her hands clean. At that point, she ascended to stars and she was given the Constellation Virgo.

After looking at the news lately, I often wonder myself if humanity is beyond reproach, but I guess you can’t base that decision solely of the news.

New Moon in Virgo

We have a new lunar cycle beginning in Virgo, and if you look at the chart below (courtesy of astro.com), you can see the Moon on the 9^th degree of Virgo in the Seventh House.

The energy of this new lunar cycle is important because it takes us from the end of August to the beginning of the fall season, so yes, this cycle that begins today on the 23^rd, culminates on September 7^th, and then, it turns new again on the first day of fall or the autumn equinox.

Relationships are obviously in focus now with the Moon being in the Seventh House, but the overall picture gets a little clearer once we consider the placements of Mercury, Virgo’s ruler, and Astraea, Virgo’s co-ruler.

When it comes to the Seventh House, we always hear a lot about marriages, friendships, or just relationships in general, but what “open enemies?” Open enemies are enemies we know (as opposed to Twelfth House enemies), and they usually come in the form of competitors. Perhaps, subconsciously, even though we might not be aware of it, our moods and overall energies can be affected by people who compete with us.

This happens because our connections to these people goes way beyond the competition. You could be competing in a writing contest, for an award in school, for a job promotion, or in a sporting event, and once you enter the competition, the people who compete against you are not going to be friendly. They want to win just as badly as you do. So, there’s a lot of ill-feelings, a lot of jealousy, and maybe even some overlooking as these people wish terrible things upon you. All of that can be draining.

Do your best to protect your energy now, and do your best to prepare for whatever it is that you’re trying to win. When you look at the chart below, you can see that there’s a large Seventh House that looks to be about 36 degrees and occupied by both Leo and Virgo.

This tells me that there’s going to be a split within the Seventh House between those that are just blowing off hot air and talking shit💩 (Mercury in Leo), and those who actually get something done (industrious/Virgo). That’s why I say to protect your energy and focus on your preparation. People like to talk, even if they have no intentions on getting involved or competing.

Do worry about them, and honestly, you shouldn’t be worrying about anyone except yourself anyway. Virgo is the sign of conscientiousness, she wants to know and she wants to understand.

The Moon in Virgo at the start of this lunar cycle can have you feeling intellectual and meticulous, so do the research. Study the market conditions, study your competitors, and know and understand what you’re getting involved in. Ground yourself, and do all the behind scenes work.

Astraea in the Tenth House indicates that religion, traveling or studying abroad, and colleges or universities are a part of the larger picture. With Mercury in Leo, the Moon in Virgo, and Astraea in Sagittarius, you might be preparing some type of speech that you’re eventually going to deliver in front of a large audience, or maybe you’re working on a book or movie script.

I see lot of ideas and thoughts coming in through Mercury, manifested by the will of Leo, and made concrete in Virgo. This is actually the essence of creating something from nothing.

If you have any good ideas, write them down now and work on them. Develop them.

In the sign of Sagittarius, Astraea won’t abandon you if you remain optimistic, open-minded, and most importantly, pure of heart. If you’re doing something because you absolutely and truly believe in it and care about it with all of your heart, the door will remain open for you to transcend your current condition or situation.

This, after all, is a new moon, and we’re starting fresh in the sign of purity. Virgo doesn’t mean you have to be a virgin, it means you need to be pure of heart. Sincere.

Conclusion

When it comes to relationships, or partnerships of any kind, you should be as discriminating as possible. Distinguish between those who can help you and add value and those who talk a good game, and say they will, but never do.

If you can remain broad-mined and open to new ideas, it will help to curtail the darker side of Virgo, which manifests as argumentative, and over-critical. The Moon is Virgo, especially a new moon, foreshadows new endeavors in business and industry. Virgo is about service and helping, and you can't do either of those things if you're being standoffish.

Let the fires of Sagittarius and Leo warm you. Be adventurous and outgoing, friendly, and creative. I like Mercury in Leo. Conversations are about expansion. How can we do more? How can we better ourselves or improve our position? How can we turn this idea into a real money maker?

There's really no limit right now with the involvement of Sagittarius. The only limitations are the ones we place on ourselves. If you want to start this new lunar cycle off the right way, let sincerity guide the way forward.

Okay, my friends. Have a wonderful weekend. This will be the last lunar cycle of the summer! Enjoy it.

NCAA College Football 2025 Opens with Big XII Matchup

Augustus 17, 2025

I just want to make it perfectly clear that I don’t typically cover college football games involving teams from the Big 12 Conference, however, since the 2025 season begins with a major Big 12 matchup, I decided to come out of my Big Ten comfort zone. Just this one time though.

We are six days away from the start of the 2025 college football season. The very first game is scheduled for a 12 o’clock kickoff on the afternoon of Saturday, August 23^rd, and for whatever reason, this game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Kansas State Wildcats will be played at a neutral site in Dublin, Ireland.

When Iowa State met Kansas State during the 2024 season on November 30^th, which was almost nine months ago, the Cyclones were 9-2 and ranked 18^th nationally, and the Wildcats were 8-3 and ranked 24^th nationally. Iowa State won that game, 29-21, and they went on to beat Miami in the Pop-Tarts Bowl 42-41, to cap off their first ever eleven-win season.

Kansas State met Rutgers in the 2024 Rate Bowl. They won 44-41 and recorded their 5^th Bowl victory in seven postseason Bowl appearances. Both teams finished on a high note, but Iowa State was the better team last year. This year, Kansas State begins the season ranked 17^th nationally, and Iowa State sits at #23, but the Wildcats are the Big 12 favorites.

Kansas State Wildcats

Apparently, 2024 was a little bit of a rebuilding year for K-State, but 2025 is filled with high hopes and big expectations as their offense features the return of four high profile juniors, QB Avery Johnson, RB Dylan Edwards, TE Garrett Oakley, and WR Jayce Brown.

Joe Jackson gives the Wildcats depth at the running back position, so that position figures to be a strength, but there are questions elsewhere. Wide receivers, Jerand Bradley (senior) and Jaron Tibbs (junior), are both transfers, so they’ll be expected to step in and step up immediately. If they can, it will change the entire dynamic of the K-State offense.

Johnson will get three targets to toss the ball to, and opposing defensives will have a hard time trying to figure out how to cover three threats at the wide receiver position, an excellent Tight End, and a super-fast running back.

On the offensive line, the Wildcats appear to be okay. Center, Sam Hecht, and Guard, Taylor Poitier, anchor a unit that returns three seniors.

Defensively, Kansas State has arguably the best defensive line in the conference, and junior linebacker, Austin Romaine, is expected to earn All-Big 12 honors.

Iowa State Cyclones

Do you want to hear something interesting about Iowa State? Their best linebacker, Caleb Bacon, missed the entire season after suffering a leg injury in the first game, and their second-best linebacker, Will McLaughlin, missed a bunch of time as well.

They’re back, they’re healthy, and they join stud mic linebacker, Kooper Ebel, to form arguably the best unit in the conference.

Nose tackle, Dominique Orange (senior), is not only the best in the Big 12, but he’s one of the best defensive linemen in all of college football. Junior defensive ends, Ikenna Ezeogu and Vontroy Malone, are expected to have breakout seasons.

The defensive backfield features two guys that will probably play on Sunday, senior safety, Jeremiah Cooper, and All-Big 12 junior cornerback, Jontez Williams.

Defensively, the Cyclones will be better this year.

Offensively, at running back, Iowa State has a true one-two punch in Carson Hansen and Abu Sama. At quarterback, the Cyclones have a real star in junior, Rocco Becht. Becht has passed for 6,690 yards and 48 touchdowns in three seasons!

Wide receiver, Chase Sowell is red-shirt junior and transfer from East Carolina. He played and started nine games for the Pirates, and he finished the season with 34 receptions for 678 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Cyclones expect big things from Sowell, and Sowell is pushing for a breakout year.

In general, the Cyclones don’t seem to be very strong at the wide receiver position. They return fifth year senior, Daniel Jackson, who was injured and missed all of last season, and junior, Xavier Townsend, who started three games and then used his redshirt.

6’4″ Sowell is definitely the go-to-guy for Becht, and hopefully he can add a spark and revitalize the unit.

Iowa State has two very good tight ends. Benjamin Brahmer (junior) is 6’7″ 250 pounds, and Gabe Burkle (junior) is 6’6″ 260 pounds. They’re both big targets with good hands.

Iowa State had a lot of injuries last season on both sides of the ball, but we don’t have to worry about any of that now since their game against Kansas State is the first game of the season. With a healthy roster, I think they can do a lot better than their predicted fourth place finish in the Big 12.

Oh my gosh. Ya know what guys? I’m doing two things I don’t normally do. I’m writing a preview for a Big 12 game, and I’m betting on a college football game that’s being played during the first week of the season.

Conclusion

So, this game is being played in Dublin, Ireland. That means home-field-advantage is a nonfactor. Kansas State is not only favored to win this game, but they're being picked to win the Big 12 Conference and finish no lower than 13^th nationally.

I think the Iowa defense is going to step up, show out, and play a lot better than a lot of people expect them to play. Carson Hansen and Abu Sama will help Rocco Becht control the clock, but Becht will make the big plays when he needs to. The addition of Chase Sowell will keep the Kansas State defense honest.

My Pick to win: Iowa State Cyclones
My Pick Versus the Point Spread: Iowa State Cyclones +3