Around the Big Ten

[WM Wolverine]

I'm not doom and gloom, just not optimistic that M's offense can sustain drives against a very good SC defense plus M's defense will face one of the better passers they've faced all season.

[whodean]

Comparing South Carolina's defense to NORTHWESTERN's?

WOWOWOW

[Wild Hoss]

Comparing South Carolina's defense to NORTHWESTERN's?

WOWOWOW

Yeah, that notion won't last long.

I do think that if you guys can find some means of neutralizing those DEs to some degree, you'll have a shot. If you put your OTs out there one-on-one all day, you're gonna get beat.

[Rob F]

Heard all the same doom and gloom a few years back (substitue Tebow for Clowney and Florida for So Carolina). Not buying it. Except for Alabama, M's losses this year were self inflicted. We beat a better team in a bowl last year, winning ugly, and we can do it again this year. I hope SCe is poo-poo'ing UM like youse guys. Thats a recipe for a good solid kick in the teeth.

Finally I'm finding someone not waving the f'n white flag of surrender around here.

Genghis Jon, Paul L, myself, Dennis T, can I count on anybody else willing to "defend the Alamo" , willing to swat away the bullets, willing to make a "Last Stand" if needed?

Defeatism must be defeated!

[*JD*]

I'm in wait and see (and root on the Wolverines) mode.

[Mackenzie]

I'm not willing to sell the farm just yet either. I'm hoping Borgess can keep the score low and give the offense a chance despite all it shortcomings. I don't think that SC is so much head and shoulders above us that in a one game series we don't have a fighting chance. Go Blue. Fuck the SEC and all who reside there--especially Saban (yep, I'm a hater).

[madootra]

Exactly......Fuck those guys. Does pessimism allevaite any feelings IF M loses?

[DennisT]

Grass is always greener for some people. Same reason why backup quarterbacks and backup goalies are often real popular.

Grass isn't as green on this side of the fence as I'd like it but 2012 and 2013 recruiting sure has me liking where things are headed. Hoke is beyond reproach for me at this point. And Borges deserves time to be judged on what he can do with his own guys. Still finishing up year 5 of the R2 experiment.

[whodean]

I think M has a decent chance against South Carolina.

Turnovers. D needs to create them, O can't commit them.

[DennisT]

I'm looking forward to the Lewan/Clowney matchup as much as anything. I normally have a hard time focusing on a line matchup like that but I'll try. That seems like a big key to me. Also interested to see how they use Denard. Showcase him for an NFL role, I hope. Norfleet at corner could be interesting too. And yeah, turnovers always a big deal.

[WM Wolverine]

Matchups aren't favorable for M, SCe gets to the QB too quickly and with only their front four. M's QB aren't good under pressure... M gives up a lot more points when they face a quality QB (there was 1 or 2 in the B10) and SCe has two of them...

Doom and gloom? No, M should be in this game and could be close but I'm not as optimistic as when M played the Buckeyes who might be as good as a team but I felt M matched up better with...

Like with nearly every close game, turnovers, big plays will usually decide the outcome.

[hack]

I don't see why no reason to be optimistic. UM's losses were indeed self-inflicted. Come up with a halfway decent offensive game plan and it can and should be possible. Borges stinks, but not 100% of the time. No reason to assume he will here.

[WM Wolverine]

When M played a tough defense, the offense had trouble sustaining drives. Gardner might help.

But M is looking pretty banged up; no Fitzgerald Toussaint, Denard can barely throw, Patrick Omameh might not play, and JT Floyd will be watching the game from AA. I don't think SCe is going to do much damage on the ground against M's defense but they might do quite well through the air.

[entropy]

BIG may have inept refs, but the 12 is corrupt.

[entropy]

B1G division alignment coming (fairly) soon

January, 2, 2013
5:00 PM ET
By Adam Rittenberg | ESPN.com

Big Ten division alignment is one of the more popular topics among blog loyalists, who are leaders and legends in debating which teams should go where.

Everyone should have an answer fairly soon on the Big Ten's revised division alignments in anticipation of Maryland and Rutgers entering the league. Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany told ESPN.com on Wednesday that the new division alignment -- along with the 2014 football schedule -- should be done by the end of the spring. Maryland will join the Big Ten in 2014, and while Rutgers hasn't confirmed its Big Ten arrival, the Scarlet Knights also are expected to officially join in the summer of 2014.

"I would hope we would have divisions and conference schedules for '14 later this spring," Delany said, "and a bowl lineup as well."

The Big Ten's current bowl lineup expires after the 2013 season.

Delany has said geography would be a bigger factor in the new division alignment than the first one, so expect several teams to be on the move.

Several items to watch:
•Will Ohio State and Michigan be placed in the same division? It would eliminate the possibility of a rematch in the Big Ten championship, but it might balance out the power between the two divisions.
•Will Wisconsin move back to the "West" side of the league? The Badgers would like to play Iowa every year, and their rivalry against Nebraska packs plenty of potential.
•How will the protected crossovers work with the new divisions? Would they even be necessary? After all, teams would be playing only two cross-division games unless the Big Ten goes back to a nine-game league slate.

We should get these answers and more by the time summer hits.


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