Around the Big Ten

[JRB]

Northwestern is going to be a very tough out for anybody, and especially for Michigan. Whatever Ohio State's shortcomings, they've gotten their chins checked the last two weeks, and they've landed enough punches to win two quality decisions.

[iam416]

I'll take it. Especially after that unbelievably dogshit first half.

I have zero illusions about whether they are a top 3 or 4 national team.

They just beat the 2 of the other 3 best teams in the conference, IMO. UNL maybe. They cruise until AA.

[iam416]

I'll also say I'm happy to see them answer the bell in the 2nd half. God good. The first half was an abortion. UFM seemed a whisker away from going to Guiton after the infuriating fumble at the 2.

In the end, the game was decided at the LOS. OSU's DL was the only way the got stops and basically forced 3 FGs. And OSU's OL mauled NW. That ultimately won the game. NW is up 14-13 and make 3 straight trips inside the 10 and only come away with FGs b/c OSU's DL is able to put huge pressure on them and get them behind the sticks.

[Rocky Bleier]

1. OSU
2. Wisky
3. NW
4. Michigan State
5. Nebraska
6. Michigan
7a. Iowa
7b. Indiana
7c. Illinois
7d. Penn State
7e. Minnesota
12. Purdue

[Jeff Buchanan]

1. OSU
2. Wisky
3. NW
4. Neb
4a. Michigan
5. Michigan State
6. Indiana
7. Iowa
8. Illinois
8a.Penn State
9. Minnesota
10. Purdue

[iam416]

Huge game for NW this week. They have to bounce back after that tough loss and play at Madison. A loss and they're probably out of the CG hunt.

[THE_WIZARD_]

nFw is going to torch Nebraska in a few weeks.

1. tOSU
2. nFw
3. Wisky
4. Michigan
5. Nebraska
6. MSU
7-12 who gives a fuck

[lineygoblue]

Can't really find much fault with your rankings, Wiz. I still think Wisky is a paper tiger, but that's the story of their entire program. They get to where they are by default in most years.

I think we're losing at least 3 times in the last 7 weeks, and maybe more if we continue to play 2-hand-touch with opposing QB's.

My guess on Michigan's remaining schedule:

Penn State, Indiana, Nebraska, and Iowa ... all toss ups. Michigan still has to decide how hungry they are.

Michigan State, OlieO, NW ... all definite losses.

Unfortunately, unless the Huskers step up, we're probably looking at a OlieO vs MSU conference championship game. There will probably be about 500 Spartan fans in Indy for that one.

[hack]

We're gonna beat Sparty.

NW, forget it. That would have been awesome if we could have gotten Fitzgerald.

[iam416]

1. OSU
2. Michigan
3. Wisconsin
4. nFw
5. Nebraska
6. Michigan State
7. Iowa
8. Indiana
9. Penn State
10. Illinois
11. Minnesota
12. Purdue.

I honestly see almost no difference between 2 through 6. I still think the Legends is a 6-2 clusterfuck at the end of the season. I have a hard time seeing OSU losing more than once, so I think the Leaders is pretty much done.

[lineygoblue]

Pat Fitzgerald has never shown any interest in coaching at Michigan. I don't know where that sentiment ever came from. Even as an assistant to Walker, he was totally dedicated to NW.

[Optimus Prime]

nFw is going to torch Nebraska in a few weeks.

1. tOSU
2. nFw
3. Wisky
4. Michigan
5. Nebraska
6. MSU
7-12 who gives a fuck

7-12, what school is that? Are you sure they're in the Big Ten?

[hack]

Michigan checked on his availability, no?

I think the sentiment, at least on my end, is that that's a great football coach with an effective scheme and attention to detail. Attention to detail is a big part of it, IMO.

I guess as NW you have to really take care of guys like that -- dedicated to your program. I'd like to see Michigan do more of that. Treat Michigan Men right, instead of making non-Michigan Men like Al Borges rich, and treating them as if they are owed a degree of loyalty.

[Rocky Bleier]

We're gonna beat Sparty.

No. Only hope was for their offense to remain anemic. Cook looked good yesterday on the road. No way our OL stands up to their defense. Narduzzi is going to have Gardner on the run all day, while his DBs are inside the shirts (literally) of our WRs. Also, the game is in EL. The PIs won't be called like they were in South Bend. I see the tide turning next year when Sparty loses 4-5 good veterans on defense.

[Jeff Buchanan]

No. Only hope was for their offense to remain anemic. Cook looked good yesterday on the road. No way our OL stands up to their defense. Narduzzi is going to have Gardner on the run all day, while his DBs are inside the shirts (literally) of our WRs.....

I think that is a fair assessment.

I don't think we should take much regarding M's offense from Saturday's game against Minni. Sure they looked improved but Minnesota, which has a good defense on the interior, is terrible at LB and DE. MSU is 3X as good on D overall. Mix that in with the heavy blitz D Narduzzi likes to run and you've got a recipe for a Michigan disaster in EL.

So, M is not going to score a lot in that game. Given Mattison's no pass rush at all defense, Cook is going to move the chains. I think it is going to be a low scoring game with the outcome decided by which team doesn't have a turnover that gives the opponent a short field.