B1G Week Nine Review: Contenders and Pretenders

October 29, 2013 by 1 Comment

There was an interesting mix of games in the B1G this past weekend. Two games were blowouts, while the other two were fairly close affairs. All four games were telling to me when sizing up each teams’ seasons. While some were impressive, others disappointed me. Ohio State put on the most impressive performance in the B1G by destroying Penn State on national television and handing them their worst loss in over a century. You’ll see plenty of articles on that though all over this site, so let’s talk about the rest of the conference.

Iowa 17 Northwestern 10 (OT)

This was your classic B1G game, with both teams playing good enough defense to keep the opposing offenses from doing anything. And Northwestern of course came up short again. The Wildcats just can’t catch a break, as they lost yet another heartbreaking game. I’m starting to feeling pretty bad for this team because they had such high hopes coming into the season and injuries and bad luck have derailed their success. The Wildcats actually had more total yards than Iowa in this game (329-305), but Iowa executed their plays best when it mattered. Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock was able to lead the Hawkeye offense to the end zone in overtime, throwing an eight yard touchdown pass to C.J. Fiedorowicz. Northwestern’s offense stalled in the overtime, struggling against the excellent red zone defense of the Hawkeyes. Wildcats quarterback Kain Colter made his return, completing 11 of 14 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 60 yards. The road doesn’t get any easier for the struggling Wildcats as they now have to travel to Lincoln to take on Nebraska. Northwestern, who had hopes of competing for the B1G Championship, is now in serious jeopardy of finishing below .500 and missing out on a bowl game. Iowa is still alive for the Legend’s division title, but face a tough test against Wisconsin this weekend.

Minnesota 34 #24 Nebraska 23

Remember how we all thought Nebraska’s defense was starting to come around and their problems were getting fixed? Yeah I don’t remember that after watching this game. Minnesota ran all over the Nebraska defense and the Huskers had absolutely no answer. The Gophers ran for 271 yards and three touchdowns. The bulk of those yards came from junior running back David Cobb, who rushed 31 times for 138 yards. Minnesota quarterback Philip Nelson had his best game all season and was the clear leader of the offense. Nelson threw for 152 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 55 yards and two touchdowns (no turnovers too). Minnesota’s defense played well too, forcing the high-power Nebraska offense to turn the ball over twice. The Cornhuskers’ offense was pretty below average, except for running back Ameer Abdullah of course, who rushed for 165 yards. Quarterback Taylor Martinez was pretty lackluster in his return, completing 16 of 30 passes for only 139 yards and a touchdown and only rushed for 16 yards. I can say with complete confidence that Nebraska was a pretender and that they can pretty much be beaten if you have a relatively good defense and a competent offense. Head coach Bo Pelini is starting to feel the heat again and I think Husker fans are ready for a change in the football program. These tweets from Nebraska great Tommie Frazier pretty much sum up the feelings of the fan base:

Michigan State 42 Illinois 3

While everyone was focusing on Ohio State’s blowout, people around the B1G forgot about another impressive display put on by Michigan State. The Spartans dominated every aspect of this game. Their defense didn’t let Illinois play makers Nathan Scheelhaase or Josh Ferguson do anything in this game and held the Illini to only three points and forced two turnovers. But the Michigan State offense was the most impressive part of the Spartans’ game. Spartans quarterback Connor Cook had a near perfect day, completing 15 of 16 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns. Michigan State’s rushing attack racked up 269 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. Running back Jeremy Langford has emerged as the star of the offense as he rushed 104 yards and two touchdowns against the Fighting Illini. While you won’t confuse him with former Spartans’ star running back LeVeon Bell, Langford consistently puts up solid numbers every game. The good news for Illinois is that four of their last five games should be winnable, giving them a good shot at reaching six wins and achieving bowl eligibility. As for Michigan State, they have bigger goals. The knock against the Spartans all season has been their offense not scoring enough. But they’ve actually scored more than 40 points in two of their last three games. So it appears the Michigan State offense can score enough points to win games against great opponents because their defense has proved to be championship-caliber all season long. Michigan State is the clear favorite to win the Legend’s division and dare I say a worthy challenger to take on Ohio State for the B1G Championship.

Filed Under: B1G Football

B1G Week Nine Preview: Not Much on the Plate

October 24, 2013 by 2 Comments

There are only four games on the B1G schedule this weekend and since Ohio State’s games are not covered in this weekly article, we will only have three games to preview. And when looking at the match-ups on paper….there’s not much to get excited about. I don’t see much intrigue surrounding these games, but I’ve been proven wrong before. Hey at least there’s no Purdue game this week! They’re busy preparing for Ohio State next weekend. And we’re all just looking forward to that game aren’t we?

Northwestern @ Iowa

To say Northwestern is struggling would be an understatement. They just haven’t been the same football team that everyone expected them to be. The Wildcats went from B1G contender to just hoping they can make a bowl game. When looking at their remaining schedule and with they way they’re playing, missing a bowl could be a possibility, which is absurd to think about. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald better get his team right mentally or it could be a nightmare season. Iowa is coming off a solid performance against Ohio State and look to get another win to reach bowl eligibility. I was pretty impressed with the Hawkeyes and their record certainly isn’t indicative of how good they are this season. Their three losses are against quality opponents (Ohio State, Michigan State and Northern Illinois). Iowa loves to run the football behind Mark Weisman and Damon Bullock, while Northwestern has struggled to defend the run all season. Ohio State’s Carlos Hyde and Wisconsin’s one-two punch of Melvin Gordon and James White had no problems finding holes in the Northwestern defense. So Iowa is probably going to run the football a good bit. If Northwestern doesn’t snap out of its downward spiral, then it’s going to be another long day for the Wildcats. I like Iowa to win this game behind their tough running game.

#24 Nebraska @ Minnesota

Ever since the UCLA meltdown and the Bo Pelini leaked rant, Nebraska has slowly improved with each passing week. The defense looked horrible at the beginning of the season and seemed broke beyond repair. But now it seems to be decent. That could be enough for Nebraska to win the Legend’s division because the Husker offense can score a lot of points behind their dynamic play makers (Martinez, Abdullah, Bell and of course Imani Cross). Minnesota is a surprising 5-2 on the season behind their solid running game (29th overall in the country, averaging 210.1 rushing yards per game) and a defense that is slightly underrated. Defensive coordinator and interim head coach Tracy Claeys has done a solid job of keeping the Gophers focused and playing well since head coach Jerry Kill has taken a leave of absence. When looking at Minnesota there really isn’t a player that jumps out at you and makes you say, “Wow he’s a star!” That’s because the Golden Gophers are really a true definition of a team in that all of the parts of the team are needed to win the game and they never rely solely on one player. With the game at Minnesota, the Golden Gophers should make this closer than expected and may even take it to the wire. But I think Nebraska will win this game based on having more talent and having more dynamic players who can make the big plays when needed.

Michigan State @ Illinois

MSU
Source

Oh, Sparty. Michigan State has a phenomenal defense that many teams would love to have. But their offense just plain stinks. When your offense only scores 14 points against freaking Purdue and one of them is a defensive touchdown, then you know there are problems. But then you look at who their offensive coordinator is and you nod your head in understanding. It’s offensive genius Jim Bollman! You remember Bollman don’t you Buckeye fans? The guy who was only an offensive coordinator in name when serving under head coach Jim Tressel. But then Tressel “retired” and Bollman actually started calling plays when Luke Fickell became interim head coach. And the Buckeyes had one of their worst offensive season in decades during the 2011 season. So if you’re dumb enough to hire Bollman to be your offensive coordinator, then you deserve a crappy offense. I’ve lost all hope of seeing any improvement out of the Spartans’ offense. Illinois on the other hand has a pretty solid offense and will look to find holes against the stout Michigan State defense. That’s basically what this game comes down to because any defense with a pulse can shutdown Michigan State’s offense. Quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase has struggled against better defenses this season, but he had an encouraging performance against Wisconsin when he threw for over 250 yards. Running back Josh Ferguson has had similar results against great defenses. If the Fighting Illini can break through the Michigan State defense, Illinois could win this game with final score of somewhere around 34-17. If the Michigan State defense plays flawless as they usually do, then the Spartans will win 9-0. B1G football fever everybody!

Filed Under: B1G Football

B1G Week Eight Review

October 22, 2013 by 3 Comments

The B1G conference had an interesting mix of games this past weekend. Nothing significant really happened, but with all of the upsets the conference now has four teams ranked in the AP Top 25 poll and three in the first BCS poll of the season. Let’s hope more teams enter the top 25 for the sake of the conference.

Michigan State 14 Purdue 0

This was by far the most boring game in the B1G this past weekend and arguably the country. Purdue is horrible and Michigan State is offensively challenged, so going in you knew it wasn’t going to be a thrilling match-up. Michigan State does have a great defense and it was certainly on display. The Spartans’ defense forced two turnovers, including a 45 yard fumble return for a touchdown by senior linebacker Denicos Allen. Other than running back Jeremy Langford who rushed for 131 yards, the Michigan State offense was pretty lackluster. This was surprising considering the competition they were going against. Michigan State’s defense will easily win them games against inferior opponents like the Boilermakers, but if they want to win the B1G Championship their offense has to step it up a notch.

Minnesota 20 Northwestern 17

I think Ohio State and Wisconsin broke Northwestern. This isn’t the same team that stood toe-to-toe with the #4 team in the country a couple of weeks ago. It doesn’t help matters that star players Kain Colter and Venric Mark are out with injuries too. Northwestern turned the ball over three times against Minnesota and was ultimately the downfall for the Wildcats. Give credit to the Minnesota defense though too. They picked off senior quarterback Trevor Siemian twice, including a 24 yard interception return for a touchdown by senior linebacker James Manuel. If Northwestern doesn’t turn the ball over three times, then they probably win this game because their offense still had more total yards than the Golden Gophers (328-299 advantage). It doesn’t get any easier for Northwestern as they have to face a solid Iowa team on the road. Minnesota has a surprisingly good, 5-2 record and has a great shot at achieving bowl eligibility. But they face their toughest test yet against Nebraska this Saturday.

#25 Wisconsin 56 Illinois 32

Wisconsin jumped on Illinois early, building a 21-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Illinois put up a nice comeback in the second quarter to make it only an 11 point deficit at the half, trailing only 28-17. The Badgers though didn’t let them get any closer, scoring 14 points in the third to put away Illinois for good. Badgers running back Melvin Gordon continued his reign of terror on opposing defenses, rushing for 142 yards and three touchdowns. Backup James White also rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Joel Stave had another solid game too, completing 16 of 21 passes for 189 yards and two scores. Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase threw for 249 yards, but the Wisconsin defense prevented him from throwing a touchdown (Scheelhaase did have a rush touchdown though). Wisconsin is expected to win the rest of the way and with the rash of upsets seemingly happening every weekend now in college football, the Badgers should be in a great position to get an at-large BCS bowl bid. In fact many “experts” around the country put Wisconsin in a BCS bowl in their bowl predictions. But winning out is easier said than done.

Michigan 63 Indiana 47

Wow! Rich Rodriguez’s spread offense has really taken off in Ann Arbor. Wait a minute…you’re telling me Brady Hoke is coaching the team? And this is his third season? You would never know it by looking at this game. Michigan’s offense put up a staggering 751 total yards, while the Indiana offense put up an impressive 572 total yards. Wolverine wide receiver Jeremy Gallon caught 14 passes for 369 yards and two touchdowns, shattering the B1G record for receiving yards in a game. Gallon was only 36 receiving yards shy of the NCAA record set by Louisiana Tech wide receiver Troy Edwards (405 yards). Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner threw for 503 yards (school record) and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 81 yards and three touchdowns. And don’t forget about running back Fitzgerald Toussaint who rushed for 151 yards and four touchdowns. I could list several more players who put up gaudy numbers for both teams, but if you want to see those numbers click here. Let’s get to what I’ve taken out of this game and season so far for Michigan: How different is 2013 Michigan compared to Rich Rodriguez era Michigan? I quite frankly don’t see much difference. Wolverine fans complained about Rodriguez’s style, being all about offense and having no defense whatsoever. You can say the same thing about this year’s team. Where’s all of the Hoke bashing? Does being a “Michigan man” give you magical powers and shield you from criticism? Having a flashy offense will win you some games. But defense wins championships and right now Michigan has hardly any defense.

Filed Under: B1G Football

MotSaG Top 25 – Week 8

October 21, 2013 by 1 Comment

1.) Florida State
2.) Alabama
3.) Ohio State
4.) Oregon
5.) Missouri
6.) Baylor
7.) Miami of FL
8.) Texas Tech
9.) Stanford
10.) Clemson
11.) Auburn
12.) UCLA
13.) Oklahoma State
14.) Oklahoma
15.) Northern Illinois
16.) Fresno State
17.) Louisville
18.) Va Tech
19.) Oregon State
20.) Michigan State
21.) Nebraska
22.) Wisconsin
23.) Central Florida
24.) Michigan
25.) Ball State

– Teams falling out of the Top 25 this week…. LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia, Washington, Florida, Northwestern, and South Carolina.

– A new #1 for this week… Florida State has absolutely killed everyone they have played and the dismantling of my former #1 team Clemson on Clemson’s home field was very impressive.

– Teams 1-4 are all capable of playing for the NC possibly even a few more teams. Eventually things will play out and some teams will get exposed and the picture will clear up for the NCG.

– Conference stats… B1G 5 teams, PAC 12 4 teams, ACC 4 teams, Big 12 4 teams, SEC 3 teams, MAC 2 teams, AAC 2 teams, MWC 1 team.

– I am completely unimpressed by the SEC. The fact that they schedule no one in the Non-Conf and then their “best” teams lose to the leagues lower tier teams doesn’t exactly prove much to me. Could they still be the best conference in the country? Sure possibly but they aren’t playing like it right now.

– 2 loss teams need not apply…. currently I only have one 2 loss team ranked and that team should only have one loss if not for horrific officiating costing them a game. Wisconsin is the best 2 loss team currently.

– I am sure there is a lot to debate about my list so feel free to leave some comments and tear apart my rankings or praise them for how incredibly spot on they are.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football

Q&A with a Iowa Hawkeye Blogger

October 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Well Buckeyes football is back! Is it me or did this week go by super slow? I am glad the players got to enjoy some well deserved rest so now our attention turns to the Iowa Hawkeyes for tomorrows game. This week I had the pleasure and privilege to work with Rick (@plannedsickdays)
of blackheartgoldpants.com.

MotSaG: What is the Hawkeyes players attitudes this week after dropping that game last weekend to Sparty?

BHGP: Well, I’m not sure exactly. The video interviews from Tuesday didn’t move the needle. I mean they said basically the same things they’be been saying all season. Ferentz has been saying since January that this group wants to right the 4-8 record of 2012. They are focused and know what they have to do. They were asked if the Horseshoe is intimidating an deflected in their answers. I don’t think they’re down from the loss to MSU. Ferentz’s coaching style doesn’t allow his players to get too up or too down on a weekly basis.

MotSaG: Iowa has yet to surrender a rushing touchdown and are surrendering an average of 88.5 yards per game on the ground but gave up 163 yards to Northern Illinois and 135 to Michigan St both being losses. Can Iowa shut down the Buckeyes running attack?

BHGP: I think so. Iowa’s weakness is on the edge and defensive end Dominic Alvis has improved over last year (he played 2012 perhaps still recovering from a torn ACL). Alvis got banged up against MSU and according to Ferentz, is good to go. Iowa’s D has found a way to contain mobile quarterbacks but I don’t think they’ve seen the speed at that position that Braxton Miller has. If OSU wants to power run up the middle, I think that plays into Iowa’s strength. If OSU can option the end and utilize space in the run game I think that exposes Iowa a little bit.

MotSaG: The Buckeyes have proven they are very good against the run with them shutting down Northwestern and that powerful Badger ground game. Can Iowa be the first successful team to run against the Buckeyes?

BHGP: Had Iowa beat MSU I’d probably say yes but that Sparty defense exposed Iowa a little bit. The Hawks were 66/33 rush to pass going into that game and after Weisman left with an ankle injury the ground game was dead in the water. I think Iowa will struggle to find running room but will stick with the game plan and try to win the TOP and keep the ball out of Braxton Miller’s hands. They may not rush for more than 3 ypc but they’ll stick with it if the defense can keep the score close.

MotSaG: What is the biggest difference for Iowa this season compared to last year?

BHGP: The biggest difference has to be quarterback play. The offense starts with the QB and last year James Vandenberg and Greg Davis’ offense were not a fit. Jake Rudock can make plays with his feet and extend drives. He’s won two rivalry games on the road and shown poise and pocket presence we didn’t expect to see until maybe later in the season.

MotSaG: Iowa is the 9th ranked total defense in the country and Ohio State is currently 15th. Do you see this being a low scoring affair?

BHGP: I do as I look at the weather forecast. I believe there’s a 60% chance for rain in Columbus. I’ve been all over the map regarding a prediction. I can see Miller shredding Iowa’s secondary, but I can see 24-14ish too.

MotSaG: What are some of the match-ups Iowa fans are looking forward to this weekend?

BHGP: Probably Adam Woodbury vs. other Big Ten centers. Iowa fan has moved onto basketball after the loss to MSU. I’m kidding, kinda

MotSaG: What does Iowa fans feel the Buckeyes biggest weakness is?

BHGP: Maybe the OSU DLine? I know you’re young there and there’s been injuries. Iowa’s offensive line has played well this early season and they’ll have to have their best game of the season for Iowa to have a chance Saturday.

MotSaG: Kirk Ferentz is 1-7 versus the Buckeyes. Why shouldn’t Buckeye fans over look the Hawkeyes?

BHGP: Probably because they’re a conference foe. The games matter. Iowa isn’t Toledo and a loss hurts conference championship chances.

MotSaG: Iowa only plays 1 team the rest of the season that’s under .500 how do you think they will finish the season?

BHGP: Prior to the season I thought Iowa could get to 7-5 and win a mid-tier bowl game to finish 8-5. They’re 4-2 now and need three wins against OSU, NW, Michigan, Wisconsin, Purdue and Nebraska to do that. I think Purdue is a win and maybe they get Northwestern, Wisconsin or Michigan as those three are at home. I’m sticking with 7-5 although 6-6 is probably more realistic.

MotSaG: What is your prediction for the game (score included)?

BHGP: Last week I was ready to call it 45-10 OSU. As the game approaches I feel a little better about Iowa’s chances. Iowa 24, OSU 20. (ps. I never pick against my team).

I said before the Northwestern game it was going to be close and I was worried about it, guess what I was right about something!! Honestly no disrespect to Iowa but I think Rick’s first thoughts on the score 45-10 Buckeyes is going to be closer to reality. We always hear numbers don’t lie but I am having a hard time accepting the fact that Iowa is one of the top 10 teams in stopping the run only for the fact they gave up 163 yards to N. Illinois and 135 to Michigan State and we all know the Buckeyes have more talent in our backfield than what the Hawkeyes defense has seen so far. I know its weird to say I feel their run stopping stats are a mirage in a week 7 match-up but I see the Miller, Hyde and Wilson running all over the field tomorrow.

The thing that scares me about this Buckeyes team is the fact that their secondary seems very very suspect this season and to me personally I can’t stand this cushion crap that the corners keep giving the receivers. I am old school, get up on that line bump them a few times get that timing off. I know there’s reasons they do what they do, the coaches forgot more about the game than I probably will ever retain but seeing the Buckeyes stop the run just to give up a first down playing the zone crap drives me nuts. I am going with The Ohio State Buckeyes 45-17 at the ‘Shoe.

I would like to thank Rick (@plannedsickdays) from blackheartsgoldpants.com for helping me with this weeks post and go check out their site they doe great work and love what they are doing like us. By the way Rick its alright to be a homer I would do the same for my Buckeyes!!

If you want to get involved and have questions about upcoming opponents feel free to send them in to me and I can send them on. Email your questions to AskMotSaG@gmail.com or MotSaG@gmail.com. Would love to know your thoughts on this post and hope you enjoyed it.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: ,

The Spread, Week 8: Sending Out An SOS

October 16, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Perception seems to be the theme here at MotSaG this week, and let’s face it: Perception may turn out to be Ohio State’s toughest opponent all season. After all, we play in the Big Ten, which is apparently the weakest conference that ever conferenced.

It’s no secret that I despise the concept of “strength of schedule.” I’ll spare you the rant, but know that I believe it to be a fake statistic incapable of validity and if you’ve got a spare half-hour, I will convince you of that fact beyond all doubt.

Instead, I want to talk about some practical issues surrounding SOS, especially as it relates to Ohio State and the national championship. First, this is something I actually heard on the radio this week, from a well-respected national sports journalist: Northwestern losing to Wisconsin hurts Ohio State, as does Michigan losing to Penn State. Now, I can maybe see if the argument is that it would be better if Ohio State was the only team to beat Michigan. Still, that would be tempered by the fact that Penn State (who Ohio State also must beat) would be perceived as weaker because of the extra loss. In fact, I think Penn State beating Michigan has the potential to greatly help Ohio State, and I’ll get to that in a minute.

But first let’s hit the Wisconsin/Northwestern concern. This one really baffles me, because I don’t see how anything changes if the outcome is reversed. Wisconsin had a previous (somewhat bogus) loss to Arizona State before losing to Ohio State. Northwestern was undefeated when we beat them. So, how would a 5-1 Northwestern and a 3-3 Wisconsin be any better for OSU than a 4-2 Northwestern and a 4-2 Wisconsin? If both teams win out (or even lose once more) they will be ranked at the end of the season. I’m just not sure how the result of a game between two teams we’ve already beaten can really have much impact on us at all.

Now Penn State: Up until Saturday, the Nittany Lions did not have an impressive win over a good opponent, which Michigan appears to be (for now anyway). This game, and its exciting ending, instantly puts Penn State on Michigan’s level, something that seemed impossible after losses to UCF and Indiana. If Penn State can perform well for the rest of year (after losing to Ohio State, of course) then it should significantly improve the perception of the Big Ten and Ohio State’s schedule.

As for Michigan, they lost in four overtimes. And while I enjoyed it as thoroughly as I have all other misfortunes that have ever befallen the Wolverines, if that ends up being their sole blemish before The Game, will they have taken that much of a hit, perception-wise? More likely the opposite, since many (including me) think they’re going to tank now.

What is it about the Big Ten that draws so much derision from national analysts? If you’re expecting me to answer that, it’s not happening. I don’t know. I don’t get it. Are we a great conference? Probably not. But after six games, every team in the Legends division has at least four wins. Only one team in the entire conference has a losing record. That’s at least as good as any other conference right now. In just a few weeks, the only major conference that will even have a chance at multiple unbeaten teams is the SEC, and that’s only if Missouri can beat Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee in consecutive weeks and if Alabama gets past LSU.

Hopefully the new College Football Playoff Committee completely ignores outside strength of schedule ratings and uses their own judgment when evaluating a team’s accomplishments. If that happens, the sport may have finally emerged from its dark ages.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football

B1G Power Rankings- Week 7

October 15, 2013 by 1 Comment

1.) Ohio State (6-0)- Ohio State was on a BYE this last week. Next game at home vs Iowa.

2.) Michigan State (5-1)- Beat Indiana 42-28. The Spartans have arguably the best unit in the B1G with their defense. They gave up some points to the Hoosiers but then again who doesn’t. If their offense can muster een a little offense they could be the team to beat in the Legends this year. Next game home vs Purdue.

3.) Wisconsin (4-2)- Beat Northwestern 35-6. Wisconsin has the running game to compete with almost anyone in the country. They thoroughly destroyed the Wildcats even after losing their best player in Abbraderis to a concussion. Next game @ Illinois.

4.) Nebraska (5-1)- Beat Purdue 44-7. Nebraska is an anomaly of a team. Their defense is getting better I think but they aren’t really playing good teams right now. Taylor Martinez has been out injured for a few weeks now and the offense seems to be better? Next game on a bye week.

5.) Penn State (4-2)- Beat TTUN 43-40 on 4 OTs. I am not a PSU fan by any means but it is really hard to hate Bill O’Brien and what he is doing under such horrible circumstances. Christian Hackenberg is a star in the making. Allen Robinson is a stud WR. They don’t have any depth though and that will continue to be an issue. Next Game on a BYE this week.

6.) Iowa (4-2)- Was on a BYE week. Next game @ Ohio State.

7.) Northwestern (4-2)- Lost at Wisconsin 35-6. The Wildcats were on let down watch after losing a heart breaker to OSU last week. That is exactly what happened. The entire team played horribly and lost again. I think they need to be on suicide watch going forward as to not let this season slip away. Next Game @ home vs Minnesota.

8.) Michigan (5-1)- Lost to PSU 43-40. The Wolverines were out coached and out played and did exactly what they have done most of the time when playing on the road under Brady Hoke… They lost. Devin Gardner is a turnover machine. They have no running game outside Gardner. Their offensive line is horrific. Their best receiver is a TE. Their defense is no where near as good as I thought they would be. Bottom line they aren’t a very good team and doesn;t look like their are any changes they can make to fix things. Next Game at home vs. Indiana.

9.) Illinois (3-2)- The Illini was on a BYE this past week. Next Game home vs. Wisconsin.

10.) Minnesota (4-2)- The Golden Gophers was on a BYE last week. Next game @ Northwestern.

11.) Indiana (3-3)- Lost to MSU 42-28. The Hoosiers are exactly what they are. A really good offense and equally as bad defense. They will have to outscore teams to beat them. Next Game @ Michigan.

12.) Purdue (1-5)- Lost to Nebraska 44-7. This team is just flat out bad. If you lose to them it would be an embarrassment. Indiana State consider yourself embarrassed. Next Game @ MSU.

Filed Under: B1G Football, College Football, Ohio State Football

B1G Power Rankings- Week 6

October 8, 2013 by 2 Comments

1.) Ohio State (6-0)- Won at Northwestern 40-30. Ohio State had another big victory this time on the road against a very good Northwestern team that may end up being the Legends Division champs.

2.) Northwestern (4-1)- Lost to OSU 40-30. Northwestern played extremely well and had every chance you can to win this game. Unfortunately for Wildcat fans it was another big 4th qtr lead blown and victory slipped away.

3.) Wisconsin (3-2)- Wisconsin was on a bye this week.

4.) Michigan State (4-1)- Won at Iowa 26-14. MSU defense showed up big time and dominated Iowa and the Hawkeyes are no slouch this year. The Spartans dominated in every facet of the game on the road in a very hostile environment. The MSU defense may be the best defense in the country.

5.) Michigan (5-0)- Beat Minnesota 42-13. The score is misleading as TTUN scored 2 TDs in the last 4 mins of the game to make it look like a blowout. The Wolverines offense while not turning the ball over wasn’t exactly impressive. The Gophers were without their HC on the road and kept it close most of the game.

6.) Nebraska (4-1)- Beat Illinois 39-19. The Huskers were without their best player Taylor Martinez again but Ameer Abdullah more than made up for him being gone by rushing 20 times for 225 yards and 2 TDs. The defense showed up and shut down a good Illini offense.

7.) Iowa (4-2)- Lost to MSU 26-13. Iowas offense completely got shut down only getting 23 yards rushing total for the game. You won’t win many B1G games getting shut down in the run game. The defense wasn’t horrible but didn’t make enough plays to win.

8.) Minnesota (4-2)- Lost to TTUN 42-13. The Gophers are an improved team but still don’t have enough play makers to keep up with the best teams in the conference but they are close.

9.) Indiana (3-2)- Beat Penn State 44-24. The offense for the Hoosiers can score on anyone. The question for this team will always be the defense. They will have to consistently beat teams by out scoring them.

10.) Penn State (3-2)- Lost to Indiana 44-24. The lack of depth on this team is problematic. They can’t seem to make the plays they need to right now and are struggling. They host TTUN this week and it is a must win to salvage their season.

11.) Illinois (3-2)- Lost to Nebraska 39-19. The improvement in this team from last year is astronomical but they were just awful last year. They are better across the board but need to make better mental decisions if they want to make a bowl game.

12.) Purdue (1-4)- The Boilermakers had a much needed Bye week. Hopefully they have regrouped and rested and can turn their season around.

Filed Under: B1G Football, Ohio State Football

Hyde, Bosa, Roby Honored with B1G Player of the Week Awards

October 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

b1g_iconCongratulations to Carlos Hyde, Bradley Roby and Joey Bosa for being recognized as Offensive Co-Player, Special Teams Player and Freshman of the Week (respectively).

Carlos Hyde had a game for the ages at Northwestern, rushing for a career-high 168 yards (in addition to 38 yards of four catches), scoring three second-half touchdowns and was pretty much unbringdownable (yes that’s a word, look it up. There’s a picture of Carlos Hyde next to it)

While Bradley Roby and the rest of the secondary had their struggles against Northwestern’s passing attack, Roby had himself a great day on special teams. His block of Northwestern’s punt in the endzone was Ohio State’s only touchdown of the first half. He also managed to other tackles on Special Teams. He may not have had the best night overall, but he was instrumental in Saturday Night’s victory.

Finally, Joey Bosa, the defensive end freshman out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida had a Simon-esque night. He seemed to be in Northwestern’s backfield at will, disrupting the pocket and getting to the quarterback. He notched two sacks, five tackles and the fumble recovery in the endzone that sealed the deal.

The Buckeyes have had a player recognized the Offensive Player of the Week four of the six weeks of the season (Guiton x 2, Miller and now Hyde)

Filed Under: B1G Football, Ohio State Football Tagged With: , ,

B1G Week Six Preview: Getting Into the Heart of Conference Play

October 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment

This weekend’s slate of games are all B1G match-ups for the first time this season. It’s now starting to feel like the beginning of conference play and really when we start to distinguish the contenders and pretenders. I’m intrigued by this week’s games because each one appears close on paper. I could really see any of the teams pull off a victory in their respective games. So with this in mind let’s get to this weekend’s exciting match ups:

Penn State @ Indiana

Penn State comes into this game 3-1, with their only loss coming against Central Florida. Freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg has been slowly getting better as the season has progressed and is helped by having a stable of solid running backs. Indiana is 2-2 on the season and coming off their first real test of the season against Missouri. They lost 45-28 in that game and looked lost at times. The Hoosiers appear to be a team that will need a lot of points out of its offense to win games because their defense looks suspect after letting a team like Missouri run all over them. I think this game will be close for the first three-quarters, but I think Penn State has enough defense to slow Indiana down and enough on offense to win the game.

Illinois @ Nebraska

Both teams enter the game 3-1, with both of each their losses coming to ranked PAC-12 teams. If you told me at the beginning of the season these two teams were going to be evenly matched on paper coming in, I would’ve laughed at you. Nebraska has been underwhelming, specifically on defense. Illinois has been playing better than expected, particularly on offense. New Illinois offensive coordinator Bill Cubit has seemed to do wonders, especially for quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase who is having a great season. I think this will be a high scoring affair and it could come down to the final possessions. I’m picking Illinois to pull off the minor upset and to continue outperforming expectations.

Michigan State @ Iowa

If you’re looking for a good old-fashioned B1G game where it comes down to the running game and the defenses, this is the game for you. Iowa is coming off an impressive performance against Minnesota, in which they ran the ball with ease and stopped the run pretty effectively too. Michigan State has a championship caliber defense, but a mediocre offense. The Spartans’ defense should be able to get a leash on Mark Weisman and the other Hawkeye running backs. Iowa’s defense should also have no problem stopping Michigan State’s offense. Don’t be surprised if the final score is in the low teens. I like Iowa to win this game because they clearly have a better quarterback situation and they’ve also proven to make big plays on special teams.

Minnesota @ #19 Michigan

The Little Brown Jug
(Picture Source: Russell42)

Why does Minnesota get to play for all of the cool rivalry trophies? Last week they played for the Floyd of Rosedale and this weekend is the Battle for the Little Brown Jug. The Golden Gophers were dominated by Iowa on both sides of the ball last weekend and looked exposed. So they clearly have no chance to win, right? We said this about each of the last two opponents Michigan faced and look what happened. The Wolverines should have lost both games. Minnesota has a solid enough defense to force Devin “Turnover Machine” Gardner to make some mistakes and keep this close. I can imagine this is an important game for Gardner because if he has another sloppy game the Michigan faithful might start calling for a quarterback change. I don’t see Fitzgerald Toussaint continuing to carry this team all season. I can’t predict a winner for this game, but I do predict this will go down to the final minutes. But will Minnesota be able to close the deal?

Filed Under: B1G Football, Ohio State Football
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