The Rest of College Football

[iam416]

Michigan is in the midst of cleansing itself of the RichGOD debacle. Ohio State is in a modest transition year. If OSU and M were legitimate top 10-15 teams, which they will be soon enough, then Nebraska, MSU, Wisky aren't a bad next 3. It's still not good, but the vacuum at the top is what makes it atrociously horrible, IMO.

In the next 2-3 years, OSU and M will be legit top 10 teams. Then, if 2 of N, Wisky, MSU are legit top 25 teams -- not a stretch at all -- the conference is fine.

But, man, it sure does stink now.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Well something certainly stinks in here right now...

[entropy]

[Hannibal]

Penn State and Michigan are both down because of recent coaching fiascos. People might feel differently about the conference if it had a couple of legitimate Top 15 teams who could have either beaten ND or stayed within 14 of Alabama.

[Wild Hoss]

I don't see much to indicate NU, MSU or WI have any Top 25 rankings in their foreseeable future. Nor do I necessarily see Michigan as a presumed Top 10-15 squad, although Brady's still a work in progress.

tOSU has a great coach and appears to be headed in the right direction, but hasn't been very impressive against middling competition...except when facing doofus HCs like Bo Pelini.

I guess we'll just have to grin and bear it, and hope for the best. Looks pretty bleak.

[Hannibal]

I think that Wisky will probably have lots of Top 25 teams. They have been developing players for a long time, and their recent success doesn't depend a lot on one specific player or a close rival sucking. MSU, on the other hand...

[lineygoblue]

LOL @ Ent's video ...

Do they kiss their mommy with that mouth?

tsk ..tsk ...

[WM Wolverine]

My expectations for M for '13 are really low; first-year starter at QB, M loses 3-4 OL to graduation (Lewan is a likely 1st rounder) along with a starting TE & WR... Defensively they lose 5 in Kovacs, JT Floyd, Kenny Demens, Criag Roh & Will Campbell...

I'd 5-3 in B10 though B10 might be weak enough for them to go 6-2. OOC is pretty lousy as I see ND losing a ton of talent from this years squad which has a ton of seniors, especially on the OL. Going forward, '14 and beyond I expect M to sustain a level of being a top 5-15 program.

[Hannibal]

God I hope we don't lose Lewan. Is he still considered a first round pick? If we can keep him, we might be kinda okay if our defense can continue to make progress.

[*JD*]

Both of these guys have him going 14th:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/mock

This has him going 32nd:

http://walterfootball.com/draft2013_1.php

Here 15th:

http://www.draftking.com/mock/2013/

[WM Wolverine]

He's trending upwards to a mid 1st round pick on most draft boards. He's been here four years, I have very little against players leaving after 4-years if they've gotten their degree, especially if they are 1st/2nd rounders. It'd would obviously be a huge blow to the OL with them already losing 3 seniors starters to graduation.

[iam416]

tOSU has a great coach and appears to be headed in the right direction

Indisputable. By the sane, at least.

I think that Wisky will probably have lots of Top 25 teams

Concur. It's maddening, but I see them as a top 25 team roughly 2/3 of the time going forward.

MSU, on the other hand

I disagree with this. I think Dantonio does a good job. And I'm not sure he's doing it with players he wouldn't otherwise get. Some of his best players have been guys OSU and M wouldn't offer anyway -- Worthy, Bell and Adams spring immediately to mind. And Gholston was all MSU regardless. I don't think they'll win 10 games often, but I think they're a solid 8-9 win program, which is on the cusp of the top 25 most years.

My expectations for M for '13 are really low; first-year starter at QB, M loses 3-4 OL to graduation (Lewan is a likely 1st rounder) along with a starting TE & WR... Defensively they lose 5 in Kovacs, JT Floyd, Kenny Demens, Criag Roh & Will Campbell

Yeah, next year will be bumpy, but I still think 8-4 is the worst they'll do.

[lineygoblue]

QB will definitely be a concern next year, unless Hoke/Borges relent, and puts Devin Gardner back in the mix. IMO, Gardner would be better than either Bellomy or Morris. I'd really like to see them red shirt Morris, no matter what. But, they probably won't. It will probably be Bellomy/Morris as 1-2.

8-4 will probably be the best they can expect. They get several big games at home, and the OOC schedule isn't too bad. They'll get a somewhat rebuilding ND at home in a night game.

And speaking of next year's ND game, if I were Dave Brandon, I'd go to ND's AD before the game, and hand him a letter stating that THIS is the final game of the series, and they'll need to find a replacement for next season's "finale" at South Bend. If they bellyache too much, give them 4 mil and tell them to go fish.

[Hannibal]

I wouldn't take any of the OOC games for granted. We haven't seen yet whether Darrell Funk and Al Borges can develop guys. It's a totally clean slate. I'd be very pleased with 8-4 next year.

[whodean]

While some starters will be missed, the youngsters will be more talented than the players they replace, so I'd expect by the end of 2013 the team to be significantly better than the 2012 vintage (especially on D and the Oline).