The first weekend of November gets off to an early start on the Big Ten schedule with a Friday night showdown between Illinois and Nebraska. Then a nearly full slate of Big Ten football spans coast to coast on Saturday with Penn State visiting Washington on the West Coast, UCLA looking to avoid an upset at Minnesota and the preseason game of the year being reduced to a battle of multiple-loss teams merely looking to keep playoff hopes alive, if not a shot at the Big Ten championship at the end of the season (Ohio State and Oregon).

Here are our picks for this weekend's Big Ten slate of games. Be sure to check out our final score predictions for the Penn State vs. Washington game, with some quick thoughts and player-of-the-game picks.

Christopher on Minnesota vs. UCLA: This could potentially be a weird game predicated on which defense excels more. Still, I do think at the end of the day, UCLA seems to have a better formula on both sides of the ball. This will be a huge test for the Bruins, but they'll remain undefeated for now.

Kevin on Wisconsin vs. Rutgers: Rutgers could not have asked for a worse week to play Wisconsin in Madison. The Badgers will be looking to make up for a last week, and doing so at home against a Rutgers team on the brink of postseason ineligibility is just what the doctor ordered for the Badgers. We'll keep an eye on this one with Rutgers coming up soon on the Penn State schedule in a couple of weeks. Greg Schiano's job could be in serious jeopardy.

Paul on Ohio State vs. Oregon: Oregon is in a weird spot where it really has nothing to lose. Ohio State, coming off one of the biggest upsets of the year, could be pressing in this game. The Ducks might be able to take this one since they’ll be playing loose and free.

Christopher on Ohio State vs. Oregon: A three-loss Ohio State squad this late in the season seemed unrealistic a couple of weeks ago. Now though, it could be a reality. While it's not Luke Fahey’s fault for last week, he certainly doesn't seem to have the leadership qualities of a Julian Sayin to elevate the offense enough. On the other hand, Dylan Raiola looks like a player rejuvenated in Eugene and is coming off of a passionate win over a solid Northwestern team. This one smells like an upset.

Kevin on Northwestern vs. Iowa: I really like the way Northwestern has played this season, but they let one slip away last week at Oregon. Aidan Chiles is also expected to miss the game for the Wildcats due to a potential upper body injury. That hurts their chances at home against an Iowa team ocming off a decisive blowout of Wisconsin last weekend.

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This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Big Ten staff picks for Week 10

Source: Yahoo Sports