Week 6 viewing guide: Breaking down/predicting Michigan vs. Washington, plus other key games from around the country

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September was a good-but-not-great showing in terms of picks against the spread (52.6%). But with a perfect 11-0 mark in straight picks last week, including Alabama’s win over Georgia, we’re enjoying our best opening month in terms of straight picks since we started the newsletter (87.1%).

The active streak for currently picking Michigan games now sits at 20 consecutive games. I’ll get into this more behind the paywall jump, but there have been very few (if any) games I’ve felt less confident about pick-wise than Saturday night’s primetime road matchup against unranked Washington. It’s not because I think Michigan is overmatched. Far from it. But there are just so many unknown variables (largely stemming from the QB position) that would make this a game I wouldn’t touch one way or another pick-wise unless I had to do so.

But I do have to make a pick. And below the paywall jump, I’ll do exactly that. I’ll also be providing the following:

• My choices for the three biggest Big Ten games of the week that don’t involve Michigan, including predictions straight and against the spread

• My choices for the three biggest non-Big Ten games of the weekend, including predictions straight and against the spread

• Rapid-fire predictions for all other Big Ten games, both straight and against the spread.

As a bonus for this week, I’ll also have highlights from this week’s premium subscriber chat, which took place in a different spot this week and otherwise might have been off the radar for many of you.

So let’s get to it. Here’s this week’s viewing guide, plus a few extras.