College Football Week 4; Big Ten Conference Schedule

September 15, 2025

After you factor in who has a bye and who’s playing an interconference game, Week 4 of the 2025 college football season has seven games scheduled featuring teams from the Big Ten Conference.

Friday, September 19th

8:00 P.M.

Iowa (2-1) @ Rutgers (3-0)

Saturday, September 20th

12:00 P.M.

Maryland (3-0) @ Wisconsin (2-1)

3:00 P.M.

Oregon State (0-3) @ (6)Oregon (3-0)

3:30 P.M.

(21) Michigan (2-1) @ Nebraska (3-0)

Purdue (2-1) @ (24) Notre Dame (0-2)

7:30 P.M.

(9) Illinois (3-0) @ (19) Indiana (3-0)

11:00 P.M.

Michigan State (3-0) @ (25) USC (3-0)

Bye week: Ohio State, Penn State, Minnesota, Washington, UCLA, North Western

College Football Week 3 Results

September 15, 2025

Hello everyone, this is the fun part!  It’s Monday morning, and Week 3 is in the books, so let’s see how we did.

College Football Week 3

Big Ten Conference Picks Versus the Point Spread

  1. Indiana State at (22) Indiana (Indiana State -48.5) LOSS
  2. UCLA at New Mexico (UCLA -14.5) LOSS
  3. Central Michigan at Michigan (Michigan -27.5)  WIN
  4. Towson at Maryland DNP
  5. Houston Christian at Nebraska. DNP
  6. (4) Oregon at Northwestern (Northwestern +27.5) WIN
  7. Wisconsin at (19) Alabama (Wisconsin +21)  WIN
  8. Youngstown State at Michigan State  DNP
  9. Villanova at (2) Penn State (Penn State -47.5)  LOSS
  10. USC at Purdue (Purdue +21)  WIN
  11. Norfolk State at Rutgers  DNP
  12. Ohio at (1) Ohio State (Ohio State -28)  PUSH
  13. Western Michigan at (9) Illinois (Illinois -27.5)  WIN
  14. UMASS at Iowa (Iowa -35.5)  WIN
  15. Minnesota at Cal (Minnesota -1.5)  LOSS

Out of the fifteen games this weekend featuring teams from the Big Ten College Football Conference, I picked for eleven of them.

Week 3 Record Versus the Point Spread:  6-4-1

Wins 6

Losses 4

Push 1

Big Ten Conference Picks Straight Up

Indiana, Michigan, Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon, Alabama, Michigan State, Penn State, USC, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota

Week 3 Record for Straight Up Picks

12-1

For our first week picking games versus the point spread, that wasn’t bad at all!

Big Ten College Football Preview; Week 3

September 8, 2025

There are fifteen games scheduled this week featuring teams from the Big Ten College Football Conference.  Two of those games will be played on Friday, September 12th, and thirteen will be played throughout the day on Saturday, September 13th. Welcome to the third week of the college football season! Here is your Big Ten Preview.

Friday, September 12, 2015

6:30 P.M.

Indiana State (2-0) @ (22) Indiana (2-0)

Right now, the Hoosiers are 2-0 overall and expecting to pick up win number three Friday night against an undefeated Indiana State team.  Is Indiana worthy of that national ranking?  Honestly, I think it’s too early to tell, and Indiana State isn’t really going to be the team to test them.

When I look at the Hoosiers, I like what I see.  At home against Kennesaw State last week, Indiana amassed 593 yards of total offense and scored 56 points.  Quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, completed 18 of 25 passes for 4 touchdowns and 245 yards. 

Running back, Lee Beebe ran for 90 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, and Maryland transfer, Roman Hemby, picked up another 64 yards on 9 carries. Defensively, the Hoosiers looked good as well.  They played with good awareness and high energy. 

Like I said before, Indiana State isn’t a good test for them, this is more of a tune-up game/possible trap game, but the Hoosiers should get their third win at home Friday night.

10:00 P.M.

UCLA (0-2) @ New Mexico (1-1)

I’m going to ask the question that everyone is thinking. Is this the week that UCLA finally gets their first win of the 2025 season?

In Week 1, UCLA lost 43-10 to a Utah team that was nationally ranked at . Last week, they played UNLV, and they lost again, 30-23, but the interesting thing is that the Rebels are 3-0 now, and I think UNLV might’ve been a much better team than the Bruins expected. I’m not making excuses for them, I’m just saying.

New Mexico beat Idaho State last week for their first win of the season, but it was a closer game than the final score would lead you to believe. In their first game, the Lobos showed a lot of heart in the Big House against Michigan, and yes, they did lose to Michigan 34-17, but New Mexico played hard.  I think it was a 17-10 ball game at the half.

If UCLA expects to win this week, they’ll need to clean up their act.  In that loss to UNLV, the Bruins were penalized 14 times for 129 yards, and they turned the ball over twice.  That’s crazy!  If they can protect the football and play mistake free, they should win, but it’s not going to be easy.  New Mexico is scrappy, and they’re not going to lay down for the worst team in the Big Ten when they already stood up to Michigan.

Saturday, September 13, 2025

12:00 P.M.

Central Michigan (1-1) @ (23) Michigan (1-1)

Michigan is looking to get back on track this week after a 24-13 loss to the Sooners, but in order for the Wolverines to that, they’ll need a better performance from their quarterback, Bryce Underwood, who completed just 9 of 24 passes last week.  In general, the offense needs to start fast this week, and they need to do a much better job on 3rd down.

Central Michigan began their season with a win but took an ass whooping from Pitt last week.  In their 45-17 loss to Pitt, Central Michigan was penalized 9 times for 75 yards.  They were also held to just 40 rushing yards.

Michigan is home this week, and a loss to Central Michigan would be totally unacceptable.

Towson (2-0) @ Maryland (2-0)

The Maryland Terrapins are currently 2-0 overall. They beat Florida Atlantic in Week 1, 39-7, and last week, they beat Northern Illinois 20-9. Quarterback, Malik Washington, threw for 254 yards and 2 touchdowns, and tight end, Dorian Fleming, caught 4 balls for 70 yards and 1 touchdown. Senior receiver, Jalil Farooq, caught 5 passes for 55 yards.

On the ground, Nolan Ray and DeJuan William split the rushing duties. Combined, they rushed for 71 yards on 21 carries.

Towson is 2-0. They beat Norfolk State 27-7, and last week, they beat Morgan State 27-22. The Towson Tigers are playing with confidence, and they think they can steal one in the shell.

Houston Christian (1-1) @ Nebraska (2-0)

Last week, Houston Christian lost to Eastern Kentucky 20-10. Nebraska is 2-0 overall and they’re going to be much harder to beat than Eastern Kentucky was. Nebraska looked good last week against Akron. They won 68-0! Quarterback, Dylan Raiola, completed 24 of 31 pass attempts for 364 yards and 4 touchdowns. Running back, Emmett Johnson, averaged 10 yards per carry, and Jacory Barney Jr. caught 7 passes for 132 yards. Nebraska had 728 yards of total offense and pitched a shutout! It’s going to be a long day for Houston Christian.

(4) Oregon (2-0) @ Northwestern (1-1)

I think this is the first game of the season featuring two Big Ten teams. Northwestern bounced back rather quickly from a Week 1 loss to a pretty good Tulane team by destroying Western Illinois 42-7. This week, the Ducks are coming to town. Oregon is ranked fourth nationally, and they made a statement last week after beating Oklahoma State 69-3. Oregon is playing with a chip on their shoulder, and rightfully so. It seems like Penn State and Ohio State are getting all the attention.

Wisconsin (2-0) @ (19) Alabama (1-1)

Alabama started this season ranked eighth nationally but then fell significantly after losing to Florida State 31-17. The Crimson Tide redeemed themselves with a Week 2 win over Louisiana Monroe. Alabama won big last week 73-0.

Wisconsin is 2-0 after victories over Middle Tennessee State and Miami Ohio. The Badger defense held Miami to 117 yards of total offense and just 34 yards rushing. Miami didn’t convert a third down for the entire game, and Wisconsin possessed the ball for almost 40 minutes.

This game is super interesting. Was Alabama’s loss to Florida State an early season fluke? How good is Wisconsin? No one expects Wisconsin to win this game on the road, but hey, this is college football. No one expected Florida State to beat Alabama either. Alabama quarterback, Ty Simpson, is hot. He was 17 for 17 last week, and in two weeks, he has thrown for almost 500 yards and 5 touchdowns. Alabama has the edge here, but don’t count the Badgers out until the final whistle.

3:30 P.M.

Youngstown State (2-0) @ Michigan State (2-0)

The Youngstown State Penguins are 2-0, and they have something special going on with quarterback, Beau Brungard. He made Robert Morris look silly last weekend after rushing for 264 yards and 4 touchdowns from the quarterback position, but Brungard and the Penguin offense will face a much faster defense this week.

Michigan State beat Boston College last week in overtime for their second win. Wide receiver, Nick Marsh, showed everyone just how tough he can be when running after a catch. He caught 5 balls for 68 yards and 2 touchdowns. Quarterback, Aiden Chiles, finished the day with 231 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. The Spartans defense played the run well and held the Eagles to only 67 yards on the ground.

I don’t think this is going to be a blow-out victory for Michigan State, but I do expect them win. Youngstown State’s offense will challenge the Spartans, but defensively, they don’t have enough.

Villanova (1-0) @ (2) Penn State (2-0)

I don’t know man, I think Penn State is a little overrated. They beat Nevada in Week 1, 46-11, and they beat Florida International last week 34-0, but I wasn’t impressed with that win at all. Florida International played the Nittany Lions tough, and they were only losing 10-0 at halftime. I feel like if Penn State doesn’t beat Villanova this weekend by 60 points, it’s a loss.

USC (2-0) @ Purdue (2-0)

Interesting. This is the first conference game for both teams, and at this point, both are undefeated. The winner of this game will be 3-0 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play-that’s not a bad start at all, but who will it be? They said this was a rebuilding season for Purdue, and they were picked to finish dead last in the Big Ten, which is a big deal because the Big Ten has eighteen teams now.

USC isn’t the USC of old, well, not yet anyway, but they do have a lot of speed on offense, and their quarterback, Jayden Maiava is pretty good. USC has a little bit of an edge in this game, but I expect Purdue to play hard, especially at home.

Norfolk State (1-1) @ Rutgers (2-0)

When Rutgers looked at their 2025 schedule before this season started, I’m pretty sure they said to themselves, “Hmm, we can start this season with three wins.” Well, they beat Ohio (but almost blew it), they beat Miami (Ohio), and Norfolk State will be victory number three. There it is, they expected to be undefeated heading into their Week 4 showdown against Iowa, and that’s exactly how it’s going down.

7:00 P.M.

Ohio (1-1) @ (1) Ohio State (2-0)

Ohio is a good football team, and they’re competitive, but the Buckeyes are on a level right now that no other team seems even close to. The Buckeyes opened their season with a game against Texas, who at the time, was ranked . They won 14-7, and Arch Manning was a none factor. In their game against Grambling State, we got to see how deep with talent their roster really is, and believe me, it’s deep. Quarterback, Julian Sayin is only going to get better. Parker Navarro will be fun to watch, but don’t expect him to run around like he did against Rutgers. Ohio State’s defense will make him earn every inch.

Western Michigan (0-2) @ (9) Illinois (2-0)

Wow! The Fighting Illini are 2-0 and ranked 9th nationally. They blew out Western Illinois in their 2025 opener, 52-3, and then in Week 2, they went on the road to face Duke for an early season test. They beat Duke 45-19! There’s a lot of experience on this Illinois team. I think they brought back seven seniors on defense and seven on the offensive side as well, including underrated quarterback, Luke Altmyer. So, it’s two games and zero turnovers, and the offense is averaging well over 400 yards per game. Wide receiver, Hank Beatty, caught 8 balls for 128 yards against Duke, and we should see more of Altmyer to Beatty this weekend.

7:30 P.M

UMASS (0-2) @ Iowa (1-1)

UMASS hasn’t won a game yet, and I don’t think this week is going to be any different. Iowa lost a close game to Iowa State last week, so in a sense, I feel like it’s back to the drawing board for the Hawkeyes. Iowa is going to win at home this week, but more importantly, they need this game to fine tune things before heading to New Jersey for a Big Ten match up against Rutgers next week. It’s a good opportunity for quarterback, Mark Gronowski and the rest of the Iowa offense to gel and find some consistency.

10:30 P.M.

Minnesota (2-0) @ Cal (2-0)

After wins against Buffalo and North Western State, the Gophers are Golden at 2-0.  Defensively, Minnesota has allowed only 193 yards of total offense in two games, and Buffalo was considered to be one of the best teams in the MAC.

Minnesota running back, Darius Taylor, had 30 carries for 141 yards against Buffalo, but there are rumors about him being injured, and as of now, Taylor’s status for this week’s game against Cal is unknown.  If he can’t go, Grant Washington should see significant playing time.

California defeated Texas Southern 35-3 and Oregon State 34-15.  Cal’s quarterback, Jaron Sagapolutele, completed 26 of 37 passes for 259 yards against Texas Southern, and against Oregon State, he threw 30 passes and completed 20 for 234 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Sagapolutele is young.  He’s only 18 years old, and I expect Minnesota to attack that inexperience.  They’ll try to confuse him by disguising coverages, and they’ll use different blitz packages to keep the pressure on all day. Minnesota wants to rattle him and force him to make mistakes, and at the end of the day, I think their game plan will be successful.  Minnesota wins on the road and extends their winning streak to three games.

Predictions Straight Up

Indiana, Michigan, Maryland, Nebraska,Oregon, Alabama, Michigan State, Penn State, USC, Ohio State, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota

My Picks Versus The Spread

If you’re interested in my picks versus the point spread, please email me at noonooz@noozbuffet.com.

For $8, you’ll receive my Week 3 Big Ten College Football Picks.  That’s just a little more than .50 cents per game and totally worth it!

You’ll get my predictions versus the point spread for every game covered in this preview. 

Metis Brings Counsel and a Little Wisdom to the First House

September 10, 2025

Metis was a pre-Olympian Greek Goddess known for wisdom, wise counsel, and deep thought.  She was the embodiment of prudence and associated with things like trickery, cunning, magic, shape-shifting, and foxes.

In the chart below, which was pulled this morning at approximately 11 o’clock, Metis is on the 24th degree of Scorpio in the First House.  From the First House, Metis forms a trine with the Saturn/Neptune conjunction and a quincunx with Moon/Chiron conjunction in Aries in the Sixth House.

Scorpio, like all the other signs of the zodiac, has a dark side, but I think the dark side of the Scorpion is a little darker than most because of its association to the Eight House.

The dark side of Scorpio can reveal a personality type that’s secretive, jealous, and manipulative.  Revenge is also tied to Scorpio, and this isn’t the instantaneous reaction.  This is years of plotting and never forgetting how you were wronged-type of revenge.

I don’t condone the dark side of Scorpio, but it would seem that with Metis in Scorpio in the First House, the trickery and cunning Metis is known for would go hand-in-hand with secretive plotting. 

In general, I feel like it’s a good time to be there for a friend.  It’s a good time to provide counsel, or if it’s necessary, to seek counsel for yourself.

Location, location, location.  Metis is on the 24th degree of Scorpio, and the last 10 degrees of Scorpio deal with clarification.  So you have the Goddess of Deep Thought in a very mysterious and deeply intuitive sign.  Think before you act, and if you need to take a day or two, then do it.

When it comes to trickery, it’s never a good thing if you’re using it to manipulate someone, and here, it could be of a sexual nature. 

Maybe you’re telling someone lies just to get them in bed, or maybe you’re using trickery to scam money from them.  Either way, it’s not good.

However, the use of cunning and trickery to get yourself out of a dangerous situation or away from dangerous people, well, that’s highly supported. 

Did you guys see the news recently about that young girl who was stabbed to death for no reason at all?  She got on a bus and sat in front of someone (a black male) who stood up and stabbed her (a young white woman in her twenties who just got off work) for no reason.  She died.

Be aware of your surroundings.  Scorpio blesses us with a sixth sense, so if you feel something isn’t right, trust your intuition.  You can’t walk around with earbuds in and have your face buried in your phone all the time.

Now, we talked about clarification, and Metis is reaching out to the Fifth and Sixth Houses.  The Fifth House deals with sex, creativity, fun, and things we do for pleasure, and the Sixth House deals with service and health.

I’m not going to lie, service in general can be a drag, but the connection to the Fifth House is reminding us to have a little fun and to follow our hearts.  If you love the service you provide and if you enjoy the means and methods in which you go about providing it, well, then it’s not such a drag. 

In closing, I would like to remind all of you that Metis was said to be the embodiment of prudence.  Be cautious, be careful, and ask the universe for discernment.

Don’t jump in bed with anyone and everyone, be careful with who you’re sharing your personal information with, and be aware of your surroundings.

Have a wonderful Wednesday.

Moon Scope, Full Moon in Pisces Brings the Mysterious to Light

September 6, 2025

On Sunday, September 7th, at 12:47 in the morning, the moon will be full in Pisces in the Ninth House.

I just published an article here on N.B. on the 2nd titled, “A Special Alignment for Tomorrow.”  The alignment was the Mars conjunction with the Midheaven in Libra and the angles it formed to the Moon’s Nodal Axis.  At the end of the article, I wrote, “Now is not the time to give up.  It’s time to go within.”

Pisces is the last sign of our zodiac, and of course, Pisces rules the Twelfth House, but despite its house position, Pisces always carries with it, an aura of mystery.

The reason for why that is happens to be a natural one.  Whenever something is at the end, there’s always uncertainty and a mysterious nature surrounding it because no one knows what’s coming next.

If you felt these last two weeks starting from the time of the new moon, have been difficult, trying, and tough, well, I share that feeling with you.  It has been difficult, but when this current lunar cycle culminates and the moon is illuminated at 100%, the light of the moon will finally penetrate the surface of these Piscean waters. 

I hope you didn’t give up because it’s time to go within, and that’s what the universe is supporting now.  And, how unbelievably fitting it is to not only have the full moon Pisces, but in the Ninth House as well.

Whenever things get tough and we begin to feel the pushback or the resistance, our first thought is always to give up or to change what we’re doing, but when you truly believe in something or what it is that you’re doing or working on, you’re not going to give up so easily.

You’re going to meet the resistance head on, you’re going to give it your best effort, and if your best effort isn’t good enough, you’re going to question yourself and perhaps, your preparation.  That’s exactly where we’re at right now, and the Ninth House is the place of long journeys.

Long journey doesn’t necessarily mean traveling.  It could be a spiritual journey or a difficult project that takes a lot of time and effort.   It could be something you started, like a diet or a weight training routine that you hope at some point, yields visible results.

The Ninth House is that long journey, and it governs things that are worth having because they’re not easily attainable.

At the time of this full moon, we’re finally going to get some of the answers we’ve been looking for, and probably, some we weren’t expecting, but the point is that the way forward is going to become clear. 

When I look at the chart, I can see the opposition is coming from an authority figure or someone in a position of power.  It could also be a male figure like a husband or father.

Someone has definitely been talking about us, and it might not have been so nice.  This could mean they’ve been lying either to us directly about something or about us to someone else.  Lies and rumors that are told and spread about us behind our backs can not only be damaging to us and what we’re trying to accomplish, but they can definitely make things confusing. 

This is why things have felt so tough and so hard for the past two weeks.  The square between the Moon and Uranus in Gemini in the Twelfth House of Secret Enemies absolutely validates and confirms what I just said.

So, again, it’s time to go within.  Don’t be afraid to spend some time alone or maybe some time in total isolation.  Be careful with who you’re sharing your business with. 

From now until the time of the new moon, it would be smart to tighten up your circle, and I would keep any future plans or ideas you might have to yourself.

For those of us who are standing on truth and trying to carve out an authentic path for ourselves while remaining absolutely true to who we are, the way forward is going to be difficult and you’re always going to be met with resistance because you’re dealing with people who are asleep.

When people are asleep and unaware of what they’re doing, evil can work through them, and that’s why Jesus asked his father to forgive them.  They knew not.

Today, things haven’t really changed, so you must be aware and take extra precautions. 

Okay, beloved.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

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 30th at 12 noon

Ohio State Buckeyes

The 2025 Ohio State team features two 1st 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 2nd 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 (1st team), and tight end, Jack Endries (2nd 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