Week 2 College Game Day Pick’ems

The Gazette’s Pick’ems for Week 2 of the 2024 college football season. This weeks picks include Iowa Hawkeyes traveling to Jack Trice stadium to face Iowa State Cyclones in the Cy-Hawk series and Illinois Fighting Illini traveling Durham to face the Duke Blue Devils.

Iowa (1-0) at Iowa State (2-0)

11:00 AM Saturday Fox Sports

Line: Iowa State -3.5

Mike Hlas (3-0) — As everyone who cares about this game knows, the real treasure is the friends we made along the way. Iowa 20, Iowa State 17

Madison Hricik (2-1) — My first Cy-Hawk game! This should be interesting ... but I’ll be bold. Iowa 17, Iowa State 13

Jeff Johnson (2-1) — Hey, Iowa State. Follow Ohio State’s lead and don’t let that Portnoy doofus into the stadium. Pretty please. Iowa State 24, Iowa 17

Rob Gray (2-1) — The No. 16 Cyclones have lost six straight to the Hawkeyes at home, but possess a modest two-game win streak at Kinnick Stadium. Go figure. Seems nuts? It kind of is. Iowa State 24, Iowa 17

Beth Malicki (2-1) — This is like choosing between your children. Each one is worthy and brilliant, but everyone deserves a chance to win. Iowa State 28. Iowa 20

K.J. Pilcher (2-1) — The Pilcher curse is real. I should charge players, coaches and fans not to pick them. Iowa State 17, Iowa 13

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Michigan (1-0) at Oklahoma (1-0)

6:30 PM Saturday ESPN

Line: Oklahoma -5.5

Hlas — Pappy Belichick and his 24-year-old girlfriend. That will never stop being funny. Oklahoma 22, Michigan 19

Hricik — Been a while since I’ve heard the Boomer Sooner chants in person, but I guess watching it on TV again won’t hurt. Oklahoma 28, Michigan 14

Johnson — Unethical behavior and national championships. Who did it better? Jim Harbaugh or Barry Switzer? Discuss. Oklahoma 24, Michigan 23

Gray — Fun fact: These storied programs have met just once before, with the Sooners notching a 14-6 win over the Wolverines in the 1976 Orange Bowl. It was a simpler time. It also was one year before the “classic” Cracker Barrel logo was created, so the ghost of Uncle Herschel is excited for this one. Oklahoma 27, Michigan 21

Malicki — I’ve never been accused of sign stealing, but this week I did use my reddish-brown eyeshadow to try and cover my gray hair. Everyone in the newsroom asked me if I had a head wound. Oklahoma 24, Michigan 21

Pilcher — Oklahoma has a slightly better defense and a more experienced quarterback. Oklahoma 30, Michigan 24

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Illinois (1-0) at Duke (1-0)

11:00 AM Saturday ESPN

Line: Illinois -3.5

Hlas — I feel like this is a Pick ’Ems tribute band that plays at county fairs and casinos while the original group is humming its old hits at Tranquil Meadows Retreat. Illinois 37, Duke 11

Hricik — OK I definitely lied last week when I said I wouldn’t pick another orange-colored team that wasn’t Syracuse. Illinois 24, Duke 13

Johnson — Do you know what Duke University was called before it was Duke University? Trinity College. True story. The Duke family of North Carolina gave Trinity a bajillion dollars in endowment back in the 1920s. I’m a wealth of knowledge, you know … Illinois 38, Duke 13

Gray — They’ve waited 60 years to break the 1-1 tie in this series. The Illini and Blue Devils each won at home in meetings that took place in 1958 (the year the first Pizza Hut opened) and 1965 (the year “My Fair Lady” won eight Academy Awards). So I’ll buck the bygone “trend” and take the road team here. Illinois 31, Duke 28

Malicki — My daughter lost a full load of laundry when her college dorm dryer caught fire. I’m not sure which is more distressing: all those leggings charred or the fact that the dryer still is in rotation. Illinois 31, Duke 24

Pilcher — The Zen philosopher Basho once wrote, “A flute with no holes is not a flute. A donut with no holes is a Danish.” Illinois 23, Duke 20