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

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 2nd 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 2nd 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 2nd 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 2nd 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 2nd 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 29th 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 29th 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 14th 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 14th 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 16th degree of Leo, according to its Sabian Symbol, represents a fresh start. Mars, the planet of war and violence is on the 16th 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 18th 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 14th 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 28th. 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 4th 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 12th. 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 4th 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 4th 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.