Gopher football 2013 letter grades - Potential Ad Nauseam

Quaterback – C:

Philip Nelson has promise, but he must become a more consistent passer.  He has the arm talent to get there.  I’m not sold on Mitch Leidner or Chris Streveler being competent B1G backups, but we shall see…

Running Back – B+:

I think Minnesota has all the ingredients.  The hard running, physical styles of Donnell Kirkwood and Rodrick Williams should complement the speedy Berkley Edwards perfectly.   For the first time in 8 years, there is real talent and depth in the Gophers backfield.

Offensive Line – B:

Lots of depth and “potential” here, however this unit must stay healthy in order to maximize it.  The Olson brothers are the key, if they can stay healthy then look out.  Highest ceiling of all the Gopher units in my opinion. 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends – C:

Like Philip Nelson, the wide receivers and tight ends do not lack talent and potential, but must be more consistent.   The lack of a true #1 WR must be addressed in fall camp.  Andre McDonald has all world potential and Jamel Harbison looked fantastic in the spring game less than 8 months after tearing his ACL.  Isaac Freuchte is a solid receiver who should more than double is catch total from last year.  Maxx Williams looked the part of a big time tight end in the spring game.  Potential to be much better than the letter grade, but not a lot to go off of right now.

Defensive Line – B:

Ra'Shede Hageman “looks” like the best and most intimidating defensive player in the B1G.  However, Big Shede must become more consistent and not take plays off, the latter of which he listed as one of his goals after the spring.  Roland Johnson is a nice space eater in the middle and Thieren Cockran has all B1G potential at DE.

Linebacker – D:

Right now this unit is a complete unknown and a real concern.  De’Vondre Campbell has all the tools, he held offers from Texas, Kansas State, and Tennessee before signing with the Gophers.  Damien Wilson has caught a bunch of people’s eyes as well.  James Manuel and LaMonte Edwards are undersized linebackers that need be become more consistent.  This group has potential, but right now it is a complete unknown.

Secondary – B+:

Loads of talent and depth at safety and cornerback.  I think it’s the strength of the team.  Don’t laugh I’m serious.   Derrick Wells, Briean Boddy, Jeremy Baltazar, Martez Shabazz, and Eric Murray are all legitimate B1G corners.  The safety spots will be occupied by veteran Brock Vereen (arguably the smartest player on the team) and Antonio Johnson.

Special Teams – D:

This is a major concern.  The Gophers currently lack a punter or place kicker they can rely on.  The return game should be fine.

Overall team grade – C+:

I see strengths and weaknesses on this team, and ultimately I expect them to be just barely better than last year.  Staying healthy will be key.  Some positions lack depth such as linebacker, quarterback, and defensive line.  I used the word “potential” ad nauseam.

12 Step Program For Gopher Football Fans

1.    We admitted that we were powerless over the futility of the Gopher football team – that our lives had become unmanageable.

2.    Came to believe that a Power greater than Glen Mason could restore the Gophers back to glory.

3.    Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of the College Football Gods as we understood them.

4.    Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of the Gopher football program.

5.    Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of the wrongs of the Gopher football program.

6.    Were entirely ready to have the College Football Gods remove these defects of character.

7.    Humbly asked the College Football Gods to remove these shortcomings.

8.    Made a list of all persons we had harmed after a difficult loss, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9.    Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or ourselves.

10.  Continued to take inventory of the program and when we were awful, promptly admitted it.

11.  Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with the College Football Gods as we understood them, praying only for knowledge of their will for the Gopher football program and the power to carry that out.

12.  Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to all suffering fan bases and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The Tebow lunatic fringes have been silenced

We can finally put the lunatic fringes to bed on Tim Tebow.  He will no longer be a quarterback in the NFL, at least not a quarterback with a significant role.   Tebow will be at best a 3^rd team quarterback brought in for a wildcat play or two, at worst a backup quarterback in the arena league.  Tebow was offered a contract by the Arena League’s Orlando Predators.  Tebow’s career in the NFL has been one marked by controversy before he even stepped foot on the field.  Just months before he was drafted in the first round by the Denver Broncos, Tebow and his mother filmed a controversial pro-life commercial during the Super Bowl.  Recently Tebow backed out of an appearance at a Dallas Baptist Church with opinionated Pastor Robert Jeffress.  Jeffress has made controversial comments about homosexuals, Jews, Catholics, and Mormons.   Some people think Tebow backed out to save his image, but this isn’t about Tebow and what he does off the field, this is about his career on the field and the fact that it is disappearing faster than a plane through the Bermuda Triangle.

The New York Jets recently acquired journeyman quarterback David Garrard who has been cut recently by both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins.   The Jets current starter is Mark Sanchez.  Rumors are swirling that Tebow will be released.  What does that say about Tebow?  If David Garrard and Mark Sanchez look more attractive to the Jets it may be time to shut er’ down.  That means no more Tebow Centers on ESPN.  That means no more quarterback controversies involving Tebow.  The days of Tebow going 3-18 passing through three quarters and 15-20 passing in the 4^th quarter to lead a comeback win are no longer, at least in the NFL.  The Twitter fights between the followers of Skip Bayless and Pete Prisco will be no longer and you know what?  I’m sad about that.   The fact of the matter is Tebow brought about great debate whether you loved him or hated him, and let’s be honest almost no one was indifferent regarding Tebow.   Even if you were someone who disliked Tebow, you more than likely enjoyed the relevancy of Tebow and the debate it brought on.  The bottom line of Tebow is he polarized sports fans and brought endless debate because both the Tebow “apologists” and “haters” had concrete evidence to back up their stances.  If you were a Tebow believer you could point to the fact that he is a winner and great leader of men.  After all Tebow took over as starting quarterback for a Denver Broncos franchise that had gone 5-16 while he was the backup and 8-5 after he took over during the 2011 season including an exhilarating overtime win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC playoffs.  If you are a Tebow critic you could say that he started every game miserably and if not for the defense keeping the Broncos in the game he never would have had the opportunity to lead those late game comebacks. 

So we are left with this….  Tim Tebow is going to have to move on to a new career/profession.  Will it be Tim Tebow the Politician?  Tim Tebow the Coach?  Tim Tebow the Pastor.  Tim Tebow the Arena Football League player?  Tim Tebow the businessman?  Or perhaps Tim Tebow the philanthropist.   Tebow has already built a children’s hospital in the Philippines and has brought someone from The Make a Wish Foundation to every one of his NFL games to date.   We will no longer have debates over whether Tebow should start over the mediocre Kyle Orton or the awful Mark Sanchez.  My dream would be for the Minnesota Vikings to acquire him so we could have the Tebow debate in my own backyard, but we all know that isn’t going to happen.  Most NFL GM’s and Execs see Tebow as kryptonite.   Just the presence of Tebow alone will make their current starting quarterback panic and force them to curl up into the fetal position.   The lunatic fringe will start the Tebow chants after the current starter’s first incompletion.   The talk radio lines would be jammed every day with Tebow debate.  “Tebow sucks, get him outta here!”  “Tebow is great, he needs to start right away!”  “I would let Tebow marry my daughter!”  “My daughter can throw better than Tebow!”

I think we all secretly love the Tebow debate because it stirs great passion and opinion and that’s what makes living in America and being a sports fan great.  Just imagine the debate Tebow will create when he runs for President in 2040, of course it will bring back the lunatic fringes and then some!

Week 13 Picks

USC 27, Notre Dame 24: Everyone and their brother think it’s a foregone conclusion that Notre Dame will clinch a BCS National Championship game birth with a win over a USC team that has managed to lose 4 games and will be without it’s starting quarterback, Matt Barkley.    Think again!  USC still has the best wide receivers in the country and will be playing with absolutely nothing to lose.  Lane Kiffin will be back next year according to USC AD Pat Haden.  USC will be replacing Barkley with former 5 star recruit Max Wittek, who is big (6-4, 235lbs) and has a huge arm.  Kiffin is a coach playing with house money.  He knows no one is expecting him to win with a freshman quarterback and disappointing team, but Haden said he will be back and Kiffin will construct his best game plan as a coach in his young career.  USC will expose Notre Dame’s defensive weakness, their defensive backs, with talented wide receivers Marquise Lee and Robert Woods and Wittek has plenty of arm to get them the ball.  A loose, talented USC team beats a less talented, tight Notre Dame team with all the pressure in the world on it. 

Nebraska 31, Iowa 17: Iowa will put up a good fight on senior day in Iowa City against one of their biggest rivals, but ultimately Taylor Martinez and the rest of the Nebraska offense proves to be too much for the Hawkeyes.  The regression of James Vandenberg continues as he completes less than 50% of his passes and is picked twice, one of which is returned for a touchdown in the second half thwarting any ideas of an Iowa comeback.

Northwestern 23, Illinois 10: On paper this should be a blowout for the Wildcats.  However, this is rivalry week and the Illini are playing with nothing to lose.  The Illini dig deep and play with pride and effort, keeping the game close until Venrick Mark rips off a long touchdown run late in the second half to ice the game for the Cats.

Indiana 38, Purdue 30: The Old Oaken Bucket game should be a shootout in West Lafayette.  Danny Hope is coaching for his job and the Boilermakers are playing for a bowl game.  Purdue will come up short and we will see the Danny Hope era at Purdue come to an end.  Robert Marve looks great in his last game as a collegian, but is out dueled be Indiana true freshman quarterback Nate Sudfield. 

Ohio State 20, Michigan 16: Ohio State wasted a perfect season this year by not self-imposing a one year bowl ban last year.  Instead the Buckeyes went to a bowl game last year after a 6-6 season with interim coach Luke Fickell.  That was a huge mistake as Urban Meyer has the Buckeyes unbeaten and with the way things are shaking out this year in college football the Buckeyes would have been playing in the BCS National Championship game.  Ohio State and Notre Dame are the only unbeaten BCS teams left.   Ohio State beats Michigan behind the legs of who else but Braxton Miller. 

Michigan State 17, Minnesota 9: Outside of a breakout performance against Purdue the Minnesota offense has been putrid in Big Ten play.  Aside from the Purdue game, which the Gophers scored 44 points in they have scored: 13, 13, 13, 13, 17, and 14 points in conference games.  That simply isn’t good enough.  The Gophers have a true freshman quarterback in Philip Nelson, have gone through 5 different starting rotations along the offensive line due to injury and just lost their most productive wide receiver.  Now the Gophers are going up against what is arguably the conference’s top defense in Michigan State.  The Spartans are pissed and desperate, needing a win to become bowl eligible.  The Gophers on the other hand already have become bowl eligible and most people are slapping them on the back for doing so.  I will go with the urgency factor here and pick Michigan State as Minnesota will be held to single digit points for the first time all year.

Penn State 24, Wisconsin 21: The Nittany Lions aren’t going to a bowl game so they will be extra fired up for their last game of the year.  An emotional Nittany Lions team playing in honor of injured senior linebacker Michael Mauti gets out of the gate quickly building a 14-0 lead at halftime and will hang on at the end preserving a victory on senior day in Happy Valley.  Bill O’Brien locks up coach of the year honors in the B1G with the win.

Last Week: 5-1, Overall: 72-18 (.800)

B1G Picks: Week 12

Penn State 41, Indiana 17: The Nitts will control this game from start to finish.  The Indiana balloon is deflated after last week’s drubbing at the hands of Wisconsin.  Penn State will use a balanced offense, rushing for over 200 yards and passing for more than 200 yards in the win.  Bill O’Brien doesn’t remind me of a coach that will overlook anyone or allow his team to do so.  Penn State will be sharp and ready to finish its season strong. 

Michigan 38, Iowa 10: I can’t believe how bad Iowa is this year.   They are the biggest dumpster fire west of the New York Jets.  Iowa has a positive turnover margin and has a losing record, which is truly remarkable.  Games left with Michigan and Nebraska make it all but certain that the Hawkeyes will miss a bowl game for the first time since 2007.   I give the Hawkeyes about a .00002 percent chance of winning this game.  Devin Gardener meanwhile gives the Wolverines a quarterback that can run and throw and a bright future at the position heading into the 2013 season. 

Michigan State 27, Northwestern 21: The Wildcats can be exposed by running the ball up the middle and a heavy dose of Le’Veon Bell should do the trick.  Northwestern can be pushed around easily up front, and that has been the case for the last decade and a ½.  The last time Northwestern had a staunch interior defense was when their head coach, Pat Fitzgerald earned All-America honors playing linebacker in the mid 90’s.  The Cats have gotten away with mediocre defense all year and Bell, an improving Andrew Maxwell and the rest of the Spartans will expose them on Saturday. 

Purdue 23, Illinois 17: This game could be even uglier than the Iowa/Purdue game last week.  Any game involving the Boilermakers has a chance to be hideous, but if you throw in the Illini it all but makes it a guarantee.  Robert Marve and the Boilermakers are at least playing with a little emotion and determination, which should get them over the top against a hopeless Illinois team.

Nebraska 45, Minnesota 13: This is just about the worst matchup for Minnesota in the entire conference.  The Cornhuskers can run the ball at you about 7 different directions with about 6 different people and that is easily Minnesota’s biggest defensive flaw.  Meanwhile the Gophers will have the Huskers mystique and Memorial stadium to work against, not to mention the fact that Minnesota hasn’t beaten Nebraska since 1960.  The average margin of victory for the Huskers in their 15 game winning streak is 32 points.  So I will go with the average margin of victory in this year’s slaughtering. 

Ohio State 34, Wisconsin 24: Urban Meyer will dissect Bret Bielema like a fetal pig.  This is a huge mismatch coaching wise.  Similar talent on the field, but I give the edge to the Pontiff (Meyer) and Braxton Miller over Bielema and something called Curt Phillips.  Meyer will be extra motivated to win this one.  If you remember,  Bielema, in a jealous rage said what Urban Meyer did to get a kid to de-commit from Wisconsin and sign with Ohio State was illegal.  That simply isn’t true and Meyer remembers those comments and will want to destroy Bielema and show him who his Daddy will be in the Big Ten’s Leaders Division.

Last Week: 4-1, Overall: 67-17 (.797)

B1G Picks: Week 11

Wisconsin 33, Indiana 24: The Hoosiers have become a fashionable team to pick the last few weeks, in fact they have become just plain fashionable.   However, it’s almost midnight for Cinderella and the Badgers will provide a little taste of reality for the Hoosiers.  Indiana hasn’t arrived quite yet folks, remember this is a team that lost to Navy and Ball State, and has gotten absolutely trucked by the Badgers the last two years.  I think Indiana is a nice story and I would love it if the Hoosiers won on Saturday, but I just don’t think it’s happening.  Montee Ball, James White, and company will run like deer in an open field against a susceptible IU defense. 

Iowa 24, Purdue 16: This looks like a hideous game on paper and I think it will live up to such.   Danny Hope’s job is on life support and a loss to the struggling Hawkeyes will probably cause Purdue AD Morgan Burke to pull the plug and sign the death certificate.   Iowa has at least had its moments this year in victories over Minnesota and Michigan State.  Purdue meanwhile only has wins over directional schools, Marshall, and a moral victory over Notre Dame.  James Vandenberg and the Iowa receivers will have their best game of the year against a horrendous Boilermaker secondary and get one step closer to bowl eligibility.  Purdue will be eliminated from bowl eligibility and will only be able to look forward to the Old Oaken Bucket game with Indiana as their “bowl game”. 

Michigan 27, Northwestern 21: Brady Hoke should be fired for putting Russell Bellamy into the Nebraska game instead of Devin Gardner, of course I’m kidding, sort of…. That was a huge blunder in the Michigan season because it could cost the Wolverines the Legends division crown and a trip to Indianapolis for the B1G championship game.   Bellamy was absolutely awful against Nebraska and Gardener looked really good against a better than advertised Minnesota secondary last weekend.  As it is the Wolverines will go into battle with a combination of Gardener and Denard Robinson.  Gardener will be able to throw the ball and Robinson will run it for 10-15 plays and that will be enough to get past an average Northwestern defense.

Minnesota 31, Illinois 10: The worst team always seems to win, at least if we go back the last 4 meetings of this series.  So if that trend continues the Illini will win, but not so fast my friend!  The Gophers are looking to become bowl eligible for the first time in 3 years.   They will get it done against an Illinois team that lacks an identity on offense.  The Gophers will shut down the Illini and score early and often against a team that struggles against teams that can spread the field.  The Gophers will come out fired up and dominate the line of scrimmage from the get go against an uninspired, lethargic Illinois team.  Philip Nelson will continue to impress by throwing for two touchdowns and running for another. 

Nebraska 28, Penn State 24: The Huskers are playing with a lot of confidence right now and they will ride said confidence and a home field advantage to victory over the surging Nittany Lions.  The Huskers are far from perfect, they are flawed in many areas, but they feel like a team that is destined for Indy.   Taylor Martinez will continue his Jekyll and Hyde ways, however the Huskers running tandem of Burkhead, Martinez, and Abdullah will pile up over 250 yards and grind out the clock in the 4th quarter to preserve the victory and get the Huskers one step closer to a Legends division crown.

Last Week: 4-1, Overall: 63-16 (.797)

B1G Predictions: Week 10

Michigan 31, Minnesota 13:  The Gophers go back to scoring 13 points in B1G games against the best defense they have faced all year.  The weather forecast is supposed to be wet and cold on Saturday afternoon, which will play into the favor of Denard Robinson’s legs.  If Robinson had a leg injury I would be tempted to pick a closer score and maybe even predict the Gophers to pull off an upset, but since it’s a hand injury the Wolverines should win comfortably.  Robinson won’t have to throw it much in this game.  Minnesota’s defensive weakness is their run defense and their strength is their pass defense.  Look for a heavy dosage of Robinson on the ground and a comfortable win for the Wolverines. 

Ohio State 55, Illinois 17: If the Illini can’t stop IU or Arizona State just imagine the problems they will have with Braxton Miller and company.  This game will be over by halftime.  Illinois has no idea what they are doing or even what they want to do offensively.  The lack of identity on offense has to be a real concern to Illinois fans.  A lack of identity on that side of the ball indicates a coach who is unsure of himself (see Tim Brewster).  I don’t think the Tim Beckman era is going to end well at Illinois, that’s just a hunch.

Penn State 28, Purdue 23:  I think the Boilermakers will show up and play inspired football for their coach Danny Hope.  If they don’t I think he’s gone after this week.  Hope is on life support right now.   Purdue’s secondary absolutely sucks!  They got torched by Minnesota true freshman quarterback Philip Nelson last week, who was making only his second start.  Nelson threw for nearly 250 yards and 3 touchdowns in the first half and at one point completed 11 consecutive passes.  Matt McGloin will do equal damage this week, but I expect the Purdue offense to come to life a bit under Robert Marve making this an interesting game. 

Michigan State 24, Nebraska 20: I have gone back and forth on this game all week.  Do I pick the hot team coming off an emotional win at home or do I pick the team that has lost a ton of close games coming off an emotional win on the road?  I am going with Sparty because the Huskers have been a bad road team the last few years and I think Michigan State is better than their record indicates.  LeVeon Bell continues to churn out yards and Andrew Maxwell building off the confidence he gained last week in Madison connects on several key third down throws, meanwhile the Spartans D completely shuts down the Huskers passing game forcing them to become a one dimensional offense.  A Dan Conroy field goal at the buzzer wins it for Sparty keeping the Legends Division race really interesting.  Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, and Northwestern all have a chance to go to Indy after week 10. 

Indiana 28, Iowa 27:  I can’t figure out Iowa.  They lose to Central Michigan, then smash Minnesota, then beat Michigan State on the road, and follow that up with back to back embarrassing losses to Penn State and Northwestern.   Yep, that seems to make perfect sense!  The Hawkeyes could win a close one in Bloomington, blow out the Hoosiers, lose a close one or get blown out, nothing would surprise me.  I like the direction IU is headed under Kevin Wilson, and I hate the direction Iowa is headed, so I will go with the Hoosiers.  I also don’t like the way the Iowa defense matches up with IU’s offense.  I think this is a real bad matchup for Iowa.  It should be noted that my confidence level in picking this game on a scale of 1-10 (1 being low and 10 being high) is about a .05.  

Last Week: 4-2, Overall: 59-15 (.797)

B1G Predictions: Week 9

Purdue 24, Minnesota 17: The Gophers continue to give up big plays in the run game and Saturday against the Boilermakers will be no different. Akeem Shavers rips off two long touchdown runs and Caleb TerBush adds a touchdown pass in the 4^th quarter to seal the win for the Boilermakers. Minnesota true freshman Philip Nelson, making his second career start and first at home will put up 250 yards of offense on his own, but he won’t get any help from his tailback committee and the Purdue defense will completely shut him down in the 4^th quarter.

 

Northwestern 28, Iowa 21: Mark Weismann reaffirms himself as a threat for the Iowa offense and the Hawkeyes will enjoy their most offensive success since the Minnesota game. Northwestern meanwhile will dink and dunk Iowa to death before Venric Mark catches the Hawkeyes asleep and rips off a long touchdown run in the 4^th quarter to ice the game for the Cats.

 

Indiana 38, Illinois 27: I think this is a real bad matchup for Illinois, not that any matchup is real good for the Illini at the present time. Indiana is real close to not only winning their first Big Ten game under Kevin Wilson, but putting a real whopping on someone and the Illini seem like the perfect first victim.

 

Wisconsin 27, Michigan State 13: Before the season started I thought the Spartans were overrated considering all the weapons they lost on offense and with the way the Badgers have been playing lately the Spartans chances of keeping up with Bucky in Madison seem hopeless. The Badgers will win this one comfortably. The Spartans are absolutely dreadful offensively.

 

Ohio State 34, Penn State 28: The Nittany Lions couldn’t even beat Ohio U at home, do you really think they are going to beat Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes, especially after TOSU is coming off a lackadaisical game against Purdue? No chance! Braxton Miller is healthy and against a Penn State defense that has major depth issues the Lions will be completely out of breath in the 4^th quarter and that is when Miller and the Buckeyes will clinch the game.

 

Nebraska 35, Michigan 31: The location of this one is the difference. The Huskers will ride the home field advantage to victory. The Huskers don’t match up particularly well with the Wolverines, but I think the crowd wills them to victory. The winner of this game will represent the Legends Division in Indianapolis the first week of December.

 

 Last Week: 5-1, Overall: 55-13 (.809)

 

B1G Predictions: Week 8

Wisconsin 38, Minnesota 13: Two days ago I was certain that the Gophers were going to at least make Bucky sweat in this one and had a real shot at pulling off the upset, and now I have come to my senses. Minnesota’s run defense is bad and Montee Ball, Melvin Gordon, and the Badger offensive line have no trouble picking up first downs at ease on their way to 300+ yards rushing. Meanwhile, Max Shortell will continue to struggle in B1G play missing open receivers with regularity and throw two crucial 1^st half interceptions that will be cashed into points by the Badgers. This one will be over by halftime and I will be on the golf course, weather cooperating that is.

 

 

Michigan 24, Michigan State 13: This won't be a nail biter.  Michigan will win this game somewhat comfortably.  Michigan State lost way too many pieces offensively last year and were overrated to start the year.  They are being exposed.  An angry Michigan team will come out swinging right away looking to avenge back to back losses to the Spartans.

 

 

Nebraska 34, Northwestern 31: A Brett Maher FG with time expiring is the difference in this one.  Both offenses will trade punches, but the Nebraska defense is just a little better and will come up with a key second half stop.

 

 

Ohio State 41, Purdue 27: I think the Boilermakers will make this a closer game than most think.  However, for every Purdue score Braxton Miller will match it in spades.

 

Penn State 23, Iowa 16: The Penn State train continues as Matt McGloin torches the Iowa secondary for 300 yards and a pair of scores in Iowa City.  

 

 

Indiana 44, Navy 30: The Hoosiers get off to a huge lead at half time and are able to hang on to the victory against a bad Navy team.

 

Last Week: 4-1, Overall 50-12 (.807)

B1G Predictions: Week 7

Northwestern 34, Minnesota 24: I just can’t get the Gophers embarrassing offensive performance against Iowa two weeks ago out of my head. Against a leaky Northwestern defense Max Shortell or MarQueis Gray should be able to move the chains, but they won’t be able to keep up with a Northwestern offense that is significantly better in my opinion. Minnesota’s defense is good enough to keep things reasonably interesting, but a timely turnover by the Gopher offense in the 3rd quarter keeps them from gaining momentum. Venric Mark and Kain Colter gash the Gophers on the ground in the 4^th quarter to put the game away.
 

Michigan State 21, Iowa 17: This will be a really good, fundamentally sound, well coached game. Expect some hard hitting, few penalties, and a few momentum swings. Le’Veon Bell and the Spartan ground game is the difference as they pound away on a TD drive late in the 4^th quarter. William Gholston comes up with a huge sack of James Vandenberg on 4^th and 7 from the Spartan 25 yard line with under a minute to play to ice the game.
 

Ohio State 45, Indiana 17: The Hoosiers will get whiplash as Braxton Miller will run by, through, over, and around them. IU gets it’s points in garbage time this week as the Buckeyes will have a 35-0 lead at halftime before calling off the dogs in Bloomington.
 

Wisconsin 24, Purdue 16: The Boilermakers have gotten absolutely crushed by Wisconsin the last few years. They will keep this one much closer against a pedestrian Badger team, but the Boilermakers don’t have a good enough quarterback to make a clutch play late in the game. The Badgers will be begging to be beaten but the sorry collection of Rob Henry, Robert Marve, and Caleb Terbush will look like the three stooges.
 

Michigan 48, Illinois 7: The Wolverines will continue their annialation of subpar teams. The overrated Illini defense will be exposed once again as a complete fraud.
 

Last Week: 5-0, Overall: 46-11 (.807)

B1G Predictions: Week 6

Michigan 31, Purdue 23: The Boilermakers feel like Illinois last year.  People are over hyping them badly and they will be exposed as a mediocre team at best by seasons end.  DRob and the Maize and Blue are ticked about having lost two games already.  Zero chance they lose to the overrated Boilermakers.

Wisconsin 41, Illinois 17: Is there a better elixir for an ailing team than a pushover like Illinois?  I think not.  Joel Stave, Montee Ball, and company roll...

Ohio State 28, Nebraska 23: Similar talent on the field, but the edge in coaching and home field advantage go to Ohio State.  Edge Buckeyes.

Penn State 24, Northwestern 20: The Wildcats aren't nearly as good as their 5-0 record indicates because they haven't beaten anyone.  This Northwestern team is no better than any Pat Fitzgerald led team from the past 5 years.  Plus PSU is on a roll.  I like the Nitts at home.

Michigan State 38, Indiana 17: Le'Veon Bell and company are too much for the Hoosiers to handle.  IU scores two garbage touchdowns late to make a blowout look closer than it was.

Last Week 6-0, Overall 41-11 (.788)

B1G Power Rankings Caddyshack style

Ohio State - Ty Webb

The most talented golfer on the course. Webb has the money and resources to be not only the best golfer at Bushwood, but one of the best golfers in the country. Very witty and well liked throughout the club, the only person that seems to have an issue with him is Judge Smails mainly because he feels threatened by Webb’s presence in the club.

 

Michigan - Judge Smails

The club president who feels an overwhelming sense of entitlement. Most feel his best days are behind him, which he is too stubborn to admit. Seems set in his way. Judge Smails is insecure despite his lofty standing and uncomfortable with change in the club. He feels threatened by up and comers and progressive people within the club. Will look for every advantage he can to remain the top dog.

Northwestern - Al Czervik 

He’s wacky and different. Some see him as a laughing stock, while others think he is the type of fun personality that can transform Bushwood into a cool and hip club. Is the opposite of Judge Smails. He doesn’t care what others think of him and will do things differently. Some like Judge Smails feel threatened by his surprising success given his background and want to put him back in his place.

 

Nebraska – Sandy McFiddish 

Sandy is the Head Greens keeper at Bushwood CC and believes his role in the club is more important than others do. Sandy was hired from another club two years ago. Sandy did good, but not great things with his former club. His skills as a Greens keeper have eroded over the last 15 years. Has a very strenuous relationship with his subordinate Carl Spackler.

Iowa – Carl Spackler 

Most people turn their nose at Spackler due to his bad hygiene and lack of intelligence. However, he is craftier than he looks and has managed to stay employed within the club for many years. Some think that his days may be numbered at Bushwood CC.

Michigan State - Danny Noonan 

An up and coming young caddy with a beautiful golf swing. Most of the members have noticed his talent and are keeping an eye on him. Doesn’t have the country club name brand as his family has very little money, but has earned the respect of others in the club through hard work. Has been banging Smails niece for the last couple years, which makes his relationship with the Judge awkward and uneasy.

 

Wisconsin - Tony D’Annunzio 

Seems more impressed by himself than others do. Has an inflated ego, despite having won nothing substantial. Has an ugly, unorthodox golf swing. Tries getting into confrontations with others due to his low self-esteem.

 

Minnesota – The Gopher 

The Gopher has infuriated and terrorized Carl Spackler the last two years, but Spackler got his revenge by taking a stick of dynamite to his hole. However, the Gopher will rise to terrorize Spackler and the rest of the club once again. Is seen as a nuisance by most members of the club and has rarely risen from his hole since the 1960’s.

Penn State – Lacey Underall 

Many have laid the wood to her. She has been bent over backwards and donkey punched. Her sexiness and vulnerability will make her a very attractive play for many years. Comes from a family of wealth with seemingly unlimited funds. Her family will come to her financial rescue in these dire times.

Purdue – Lou Loomis 

Has the sweetest mustache in the club. That is all.

Illinois – Maggie O’Hooligan 

Like Underall she has been drilled by just about everyone in the club.  Few respect her however, with the exception of her boyfriend Danny Noonan.

Indiana – Spaulding Smails  

Picks his nose and throws up a lot. Is an ugly, snotty, un-athletic d-bag. Everyone makes fun of him.

B1G predictions: Week 5

Iowa 21, Minnesota 13: Max Shortell will struggle in his first game on the road in place of the injured MarQueis Gray, throwing 2 interceptions and the Gopher offense will stall twice inside the Iowa 10 yard line settling for Jordan Wettstein field goals.  Mark Weisman will rush for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns and Iowa will play their best game of the year.

Nebraska 28, Wisconsin 27: The Badgers will give the Huskers everything they can handle.   Melvin Gordon will continue his emergence for Wisconsin exposing a mediocre Nebraska defense by rushing for 200 yards and a pair of scores.  However Rex Burkhead, Taylor Martinez and the rest of the Cornhuskers offense will be a little too much for the Badger defense too handle.  The crowd at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln will be the difference as they will force Joel Stave and the Badger offense into two false start penalties on the final drive and the Badger offense will stall.

Northwestern 38, Indiana 27: The Wildcats will be able to score whenever they want in this one. The Hoosiers will do a little scoring of their own, but it won't be nearly enough.

Ohio State 21, Michigan State 17: I don't trust Andrew Maxwell to win a big game yet.  The Spartans can't continue to rely on Le'Veon Bell for all of their offense. Urban Meyer can coach and he will come up with a game plan that forces Maxwell to throw. 

Penn State 35, Illinois 17: Bill O'Brien will call for a touchdown pass from the Illinois 5 yard line with 22 seconds to play putting an exclamation point on how he feels about that d-bag Tim Beckman.

Purdue 24, Marshall 21: This game doesn't do much for me you guys.  Purdue as a team just bores the hell out of me.  Hopefully Marshall will make this interesting at least.

Last Week: 7-3 Overall: 35-11 (.760)

B1G Power Rankings: Week 5

1. Ohio State: Have you ever gone to a bar with a group of your buddies in some small town hunting for chicks and the best looking one is like a 6?  You know she has crooked teeth and a funny accent but a great body?  A little bit of a butterface, yet everyone is hitting on her because that’s the only thing available?  That’s kind of Ohio State, they’re not the most talented or sexy team, but in a dog ugly B1G that’s all your left with.

2. Nebraska: The Huskers offense is going to pose matchup problems for a lot of B1G defenses with their ability to throw and run the ball.  This is easily Bo Pelini’s best offense.  If they can fix their defense the Huskers could become a heavy favorite to win the B1G.

3. Michigan: Let’s be honest would any other B1G team have beaten Alabama or Notre Dame?  I didn’t think so.  The Wolverines are far from perfect, but they are still one of the B1G’s best.  The Wolverines need another playmaker to emerge to take some pressure off of Denard Robinson, who is trying to do everything on his own right now.

4. Michigan State: If nothing else the Legends Division race should be very exciting this year with Michigan, MSU, Nebraska, and maybe even Northwestern all with a legitimate shot of winning an all-expenses paid trip to Indianapolis the first weekend of December.  Speaking of Sparty they have major offensive issues, which I saw coming.  They lost way too much last year and they can’t continue to depend on Le’Veon Bell to bail them out week after week.  Bell is also going to lose considerable tread off his tires if he continues to tote the rock 35-40 times a game.  Eventually Andrew Maxwell is going to need to make plays down the field if the Spartans want to play in a BCS bowl this year.

5. Northwestern: The Cats deserve credit for scheduling 3 games against teams from BCS conferences.  They also deserve credit for winning all of them.  Everyone should schedule like Northwestern, that is schedule winnable BCS non-conference games.  Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and Boston College aren’t world beaters, but winning those games and putting 3 non-conference BCS wins on your resume isn’t a bad thing.

6. Wisconsin: Joel Stave hit most of his throws on play action.  The running game got back on track, which was long overdue.  Even if Montee Ball misses an extended amount of time with a concussion the Badgers may have found their next great back in Melvin Gordon who looks like an absolute creature.   The Badgers will continue to get better as the season progresses and I still think they are a lock for the Leaders Division despite their early season issues.

7. Minnesota: The Gophers defense is legit!  At the beginning of the season the Gophers defensive line was considered the worst unit in the conference by most pundits.   Now it’s among the top 2-3 in the league along with Michigan State and Purdue.  Now, they have some offensive consistency and special teams issues to sort out before we can consider the Gophers a complete team.

8. Purdue: The Boilermakers played Notre Dame really tough and beat a couple directional schools before their bye week and now they play Marshall so we really aren’t going to know anything about Purdue until they play Michigan in their B1G opener.  I still think they have some major offensive issues to sort out before we can consider them a complete team.  They are similar to Minnesota, but Minnesota has a better idea of what they are doing offensively.

9. Penn State: The Nittany Lions are fighting and making their fans proud.  They aren’t deep, they aren’t talented, but they fight and scrap and don’t feel sorry for themselves after all the offseason stuff and two tough losses to begin the season.  They are starting to take after their coach and forge an identity.  Matt McGloin looks like a real quarterback after looking like a stiff his first two years in NOT so Happy Valley.

10. Iowa: The Hawkeyes have been a huge disappointment, and most notably quarterback James Vandenberg.  The defense is okay although they looked horrible in an upset loss the Central Michigan.  Mark Weisman looks like a poor man’s Mike Alstott.  The Hawkeyes will be fired up to open B1G play against a Minnesota team that has beaten them two years in a row.  Expect a great battle next weekend in Iowa City.

11. Indiana: The Hoosiers can’t stop anyone, but unlike the rest of the teams in the conference at least they can generate a little offense.

12. Illinois: Anyone that thought the Illini had one of the best defenses in the B1G should be outlawed from ever having an opinion on college football ever again. 

B1G predictions: Week 4

Minnesota 34, Syracuse 21: The Gophers will play their best game of the year under the lights in front of an energized crowd at TCF Bank Stadium.  Donnell Kirkwood rushes for 150 yards and Max Shortell throws 3 touchdown passes to 3 different receivers for the offense.  The Minnesota defense sacks Syracuse quarterback Ryan Nassib 5 times as Minnesota starts the season 4-0 for the first time since 2008.

Wisconsin 41, UTEP 17: The Wisconsin offense is eventually going to retrieve its head from its ass.  I think this is the weekend for that.  Joel Stave just tries to not trip the running backs as he hands off to Montee Ball, James White, and Melvin Gordon in a route.

Iowa 38, Central Michigan 17: Boy the days of Brian Kelly and Butch Jones coaching the Chippewas seem like a long time ago don't they?  This is a really bad Central Michigan team, I mean really bad.  Vandenberg and his receivers get on the same page in a warm up for rival Minnesota next week at Kinnick.

Ohio State 41, UAB 13: I think Urbn Meyer enjoys beating the snot out of teams from the South.   You know the Pontiff is chomping at the bit to get a crack at Saban in the BCS next year.

Northwestern 38, South Dakota 13: Pat Fitzgerald will empty his bench in this glorified scrimmage.

Penn State 21, Temple 17: The Nittany Lions won't need a late FG to win this one.  So they have that going for them, which is nice....

Nebraska 48, Idaho State 7: I have no idea what Idaho State's nickname is nor do I care.  Dear lord the games this week are dog shit.

Michigan State 52, Eastern Michigan 3: Sparty plays Eastern Michigan in the 4th week of preseason action in the NFL.

Michigan 24, Notre Dame 21:  Finally!  A living breathing game.  You know the games are garbage when Minnesota vs. Syracuse, the battle of the 1960's powers, is the second best game this week.  You know I don't think Notre Dame is that good and I don't think Michigan is as limited as others think.  The bottom line is I don't trust Notre Dame's offense late in a close game against a good team.   I welcome Notre Dame to prove me wrong.  It just smells like a Notre Dame loss this week.  Denard Robinson leads a late 4th quarter drive and Notre Dame does absolutely nothing in it's last possession.

Illinois 27, Louisiana Tech 13: I think Louisiana Tech is the Bulldogs, but I'm not real sure.  At any rate I think I would rather watch my neighbor paint his garage than this game.

Overall record: 28-8 (.778)

B1G Power Rankings: Week 4

1. Ohio State: The Buckeyes struggled with Cal, but still found a way to win.  Braxton Miller is capable of making a big play with his arm or legs at all times and their defense can make big plays as well.

2. Michigan: Denard Robinson will single handedly win this team 9-10 games.  I am concerned with the lack of a running game outside of DRob, however.

3. Michigan State: I thought MSU was a little overrated to start the season and I think I have been vindicated to an extent.  They still lack playmakers at receiver and Andrew Maxwell is a smart polished young quarterback, but he still needs time to develop and is not going to be even ½ as productive as Kirk Cousins.  They also can’t continue to rely on LeVeon Bell to run the ball 30-40 times per game, eventually they are going to need someone else to step up and make plays.   Outside of Notre Dame they really haven’t played anyone either because Boise State is a shadow of what they were the last 4-5 years.

4. Nebraska: I am putting the Huskers here because UCLA is for real.  Their only loss was to maybe the most improved team in the country in UCLA on the road, without their starting running back Rex Burkhead.  Taylor Martinez has improved his passing accuracy dramatically.   My only concern thus far with Nebraska is their defense.

5. Northwestern: If there is a better young coach in the country than Pat Fitzgerald I sure would like to meet him.  I love their quarterbacks and their offense in general, although the defense gives me pause.  I think the Wildcats could be a darkhorse in the Legends.

6. Wisconsin: I know they lucked out!  I know Bret Bielema is about as likeable as used car salesman, but I predicate my rankings on how I think the B1G standings will look at the end of the year.  We know they don’t have Russell Wilson anymore, so their quarterback play fell off a bridge, and they only have one reliable receiver in Jared Abbrederis, but they still have one of the better offensive lines in the conference along with Montee Ball and James White.  Eventually their running game will get going and their defense has played pretty well.  I’m sorry, but I still think they are the favorites to win the Leaders division.

7. Purdue: The Boilermakers feel like Illinois last year.  Good but not great defense, inconsistent at quarterback, questionable coaching, and below average skill people.  I think like Illinois last year the Boilermakers will get off to a hot start and fade down the stretch as their schedule becomes increasingly difficult.   The Boilermakers just feel too trendy right now and I hate that. 

8. Minnesota: I still don’t have a great feel for the Gophers.  I know they are better than last year but that’s not saying much coming off back to back 3-9 seasons.  The defense is better although I still think you can run on the Gophers, which isn’t good with teams like Nebraska, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Michigan  on their schedule.   The offense has been balanced so far, but the injury to MarQueis Gray is cause for concern because the offense under Max Shortell will be significantly different, going to a more aerial attack.

9. Iowa: The Hawkeyes have started their season like they usually do, losing to Iowa State and struggling with directional schools.  Haven’t we seen this before?  I think the Hawkeyes will improve as the season progresses like they usually do under Kirk Ferentz.  The only problem is they look really bad right now, so does that mean they will just be mediocre at the end of the year?

10. Illinois: I have no clue on Illinois.  Honestly I don’t.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see them go 9-3 and challenge for the Leaders crown or go 3-9 and look completely overmatched in the B1G.

11. Penn State: The Nittany Lions put together a clean, well-played football game.  It was refreshing and had to leave you feeling good for Bill O’Brien and his players after all they have been through.

12. Indiana: I’ll tell you what the Hoosiers defense is awful, but they are going to score points on people this year and in a mediocre Leaders division they are going to win a couple B1G games this year.  I could see the winner of the Leaders division finishing 5-3 and the last place team finishing 3-5 with everyone else at 4-4.   That of course is after Ohio State, which isn’t eligible this year. 

B1G Predictions: Week 3

Minnesota 27, Western Michigan 17: This game isn’t going to be as high scoring as many think.  Minnesota’s pass rush is legitimate and should be able to continue to get into the backfield against a MAC offensive line.  Jerry Kill knows how to beat MAC teams and Saturday in Minneapolis will be no different.  Minnesota quarterback MarQueis Gray will have the best passing day of his career as the Broncos will crowd the line of scrimmage and force Gray to throw.   

Nebraska 38, Arkansas State 23: Former Auburn Offensive Coordinator Gus Mulzahn will bring his high flying brand of football to Lincoln and should continue the trend of teams that are able to move the ball against the Nebraska defense.   Taylor Martinez will continue to throw the ball more than a typical Nebraska quarterback does as Rex Burkhead tries to get healthy for the B1G season.

Illinois 34, Charleston Southern 7: I have no idea what a Charleston Southern is, but it sounds good.  Does it taste like a Charleston Chew?

Purdue 31, Eastern Michigan 9: This is soooo Purdue, squeeze Notre Dame in between a bunch of cupcakes.  Should we call it a Purdue dog?

Ohio State 33, Cal 17: The Buckeyes get a visit from one of the worst teams in the PAC12.  You’ve got to think that Jeff Tedford has overstayed his welcome in Berkley.

Northwestern 24, Boston College 20: The Cardiac Cats squeak out another one as Trevor Siemian hits Demetrius Fields in the corner of the end zone with :46 left.  The Cats tack on the extra point for a 4 point lead and hang on after batting down a Boston College Hail Mary pass in the end zone as time expires.

Penn State 21, Navy 16: The Nittany Lions won’t need to worry about a missed field goal this week.  They turn all 3 red zone trips into touchdowns and Bill O’Brien notches his first victory at Penn State. 

Iowa 23, Northern Iowa 21: The Hawkeyes continue their struggles against in-state rival UNI.  The running game can’t get going forcing James Vandenberg to throw 40 passes.

Michigan 48, UMass 17: Denard Robinson’s day will be over after the first half as they rest him for the Notre Dame game. 

Indiana 28, Ball State 24: The Hoosiers are 3-0!!!

Wisconsin 34, Utah State 21: Utah State isn’t bad and they will throw a scare into the Badgers.  The Wisconsin offensive line and running game will wear down Utah State late (finally!) and the Badgers will win by a somewhat comfortable margin. 

Michigan State 17, Notre Dame 13: The Spartans will give up their first offensive touchdown of the year, but will still give up less than 300 yards of offense and will get revenge on the Irish after being humiliated by them last year in South Bend.  

Last Week: 9-3, Overall 18-6 (.750)

B1G Power Rankings: Week 3

I don’t knee jerk react to one weekend of games as much as some, so I apologize ahead of time if you don’t agree with my rankings.  I still believe Wisconsin is a shoe-in for the Leaders title with Ohio State ineligible.  So without further ado…

1. Ohio State: Urban Meyer has got to be making hotel reservations for Indianapolis the first weekend of December 2013.  He has to be.

2. Michigan State: The Spartans defense ain’t no joke.  It’s even better than I thought.  They have kept the opposing offense from scoring a touchdown two weeks in a row, including recent offensive juggernaut Boise State.  Well done Sparty.  Andrew Maxwell will improve as the season progresses.  This team is better than I thought.

3. Michigan: How mediocre would the Wolverines be without Denard Robinson?

4. Wisconsin: I expected a close game in Corvallis and I didn’t think the Badgers would be as good this year but holy cripes…  I wonder if Montee Ball is still having concussion like symptoms after being attacked by those thugs in Madison.  He just doesn’t look right.  Danny O’Brien on the other hand looks like I thought he would – mediocre.  If the Badgers depend on O’Brien to make plays they are screwed.   Wisconsin needs to solve their offensive line issues in a hurry and it looks like they are trying to do that immediately after firing their offensive line coach this morning

5. Nebraska: Taylor Martinez went back to playing like Taylor Martinez in the second half Saturday night in the Rose Bowl.   It should be noted that UCLA is for real, however.  Jim Mora Jr. is going to be the next Pete Carroll in LA, taking an eroding program in Los Angeles to new heights.  Back to the Huskers though.  They need to solve their defensive issues in a hurry!

6. Northwestern: The Vanderbilt game went exactly like I thought it would.  It wasn’t a good weekend for the Rodgers brothers, by the way.  Vandy’s offense is awful.  The Cats defense will face much more difficult tests in the B1G conference season.  Don’t read anything into the defensive performance from Northwestern Saturday night however, Vanderbilt’s offense IS that bad.

7. Iowa: Why does Iowa always play like hot garbage against Iowa State?  I wouldn’t panic Hawkeye fans, you will still win 7-9 games this year.  How many times has Iowa lost to ISU only to win the B1G?  I’m not saying that will happen this year, but I wouldn’t panic if I were an Iowa fan because the Hawkeyes have been there done that (losing to the Cyclones).

8. Minnesota: MarQueis Gray hit his open receivers, the Gophers cut back on penalties and they did exactly what they were supposed to do against an FCS opponent at home – beat their brains in.  Nice tests on the horizon for an improved Gopher defense with Alex Carder and Western Michigan and Ryan Nassib and Syracuse heading to Minnepolis the next two weeks.

9. Indiana: I feel horrible for Indiana losing Tre Roberson.  The Hoosiers had a real shot of making a bowl game this year and that injury really hurts their chances.  When you are a program like Indiana trying to build depth, you just can’t afford injuries to your star players.  Period.

10. Purdue: Ladies and Gentleman your Buffalo Bills of College Football!!!!!  Featuring an elite defensive line (nobody cares), poor quarterback play, below average skill people,  an atrocious secondary, and a mediocre but likeable head coach.  Yyyyyoooooooure Purdue Boilermakers!!!!!!!!

11. Illinois: My stomach is killing me!  No I didn’t do 750 crunches this morning.  I was laughing from reading Rittenberg and Bennett’s post on the WWL, where they wrote about how the performance of the Illinois defense was unacceptable given the fact they like to consider themselves among the nation’s elite.   Oh man I hope no one else makes me laugh today because my stomach is so sore!

12. Penn State: Poor Bill O’Brien.  His team played their asses off and would have won if not for the kicker missing four field goals.  Okay Penn State fans admit it, those transfers stung, most notably your starting kicker Anthony Fera who transferred to Texas.

B1G Predictions: Week 2

Minnesota 35, New Hampshire 23: The Gophers look much more efficient offensively and cash in their scoring opportunities with touchdowns.  MarQueis Gray hits open targets and Donnell Kirkwood rushes for over 100 yards.  However, the Gopher defense, which looked good last week takes a step back and gives up 400+ yards to the UNH spread attack to keep things too close for comfort.

Ohio State 38, Central Florida 14: Urban Meyer does what he does and that’s dominate the state of Florida.   Whether that’s in recruiting or beating the likes of FSU or UCF the Pontiff gets er’ done once again.

Virginia 17, Penn State 10: The Nitts will make this one interesting in Charlottesville, but their offense will stall in the red zone late in the 4th quarter preventing them from forcing the game into an overtime.

Notre Dame 31, Purdue 14: This one won’t be as close as many think and I know one thing for sure: Purdue isn’t winning this game, no shot!  The Irish are in a foul mood over the lack of love they have been getting from the national media and they aim to take it out on the overrated Boilermakers in their home opener.  You can have Danny Hope and Caleb Turbush, I’ll take Brian Kelly and Everett Golson.

Indiana 27, UMass 21: The Hoosiers will get into a see-saw battle with the Minutemen.  Kofi Hughes catches a touchdown from Tre Roberson in the final minute as the Hoosiers escape with a victory.

Michigan 24, Air Force 21: The Falcons take the lead at halftime as the Wolverines try to get over their hangover from the Alabama game.  The triple option offense doesn’t help their hangovers – in fact it just gives them an even bigger headache.  At halftime Brady Hoke forces his team to take ibuprofen and slam a bottle of water before taking the field.  It works as Denard Robinson runs wild in the second half and the defense shuts down the AFA triple option attack.

Michigan State 38, Central Michigan 10: Andrew Maxwell looks like a real B1G quarterback throwing for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns in a route.  Mark Dantonio rests LeVeon Bell for the final three quarters in preparation for the Notre Dame game.

Iowa 24, Iowa State 21: The Hawkeyes march 80 yards in 10 plays capped by a James Vendenberg to C.J. Fiedorowicz touchdown pass with 1:42 to play in the 4th quarter.  James Morris picks off an Iowa State 4th down pass in Iowa territory with :20 to play to preserve the victory.

Wisconsin 38, Oregon State 34: The Badgers defense once again looks putrid and almost costs them a victory.  Oregon State has a real chance to win this game folks.  Reeser Stadium in Corvallis is a tough place to play and the Badgers will definitely be on upset alert.

Nebraska 28, UCLA 24:  This is another game that will go down to the bitter end.  Jim Mora Jr’s team will have plenty of scrap to it and the Huskers will need to make a late stop to preserve the victory.

Northwestern 24, Vanderbilt 20: The Commodores offense is dog vomit.  I can’t believe that Jordan Rodgers is Aaron’s little bro.   He is awful.  Anyway, the Cats defense doesn’t need to be spectacular this week.

Arizona State 27, Illinois 17: If Nathan Scheelhaase plays the Illini have a real shot to win this game.  If Reilly O’Toole is the quarterback they may as well not even bother taking the field.

Season Record: 9-3 (.750)

B1G Power Rankings: Week 2

1.      Ohio State: The Buckeyes absolutely thrashed Miami (OH) and looked poised for a B1G and maybe even a national title run in 2013.

2.      Wisconsin: Danny O’Brien looked better than I anticipated he would in the opener completing 82% of his passes, although the Badger defense left a lot to be desired.

3.      Nebraska: I just about crapped my pants when I saw Taylor Martinez’s passing stat line.  Did someone give him a bionic arm or is Southern Mississippi’s pass defense that atrocious?

4.      Michigan State: The Spartans game with Boise State was every bit as ugly as the Gophers game with UNLV.  The only difference is Boise and MSU are better teams, which made their play even more inexcusable.

5.      Michigan: I had a hunch Michigan had zero chance against Alabama and it was true.  The Wolverines will be in the B1G title mix however.

6.      Iowa: The Hawkeyes narrow win over Northern Illinois may not have looked good on paper, but trust me the Huskies are better than people think and that was a solid win for Iowa.

7.      Northwestern: Typical Northwestern game.  Give up a bunch of points and score a bunch of points in an entertaining football game.

8.      Illinois: The Illini looked….um dare I say disciplined?!  Weird huh?  And well coached!  Huh.  This could be interesting?  Or just a false alarm like last year.  It will be interesting to follow Tim Beckman’s squad however.

9.      Purdue: The Boilermakers weren’t tested at all by the FCS Eastern Kentucky Colonels.  I will be very interested to see how QB Caleb Terbush, fresh off a 1 game suspension and the rest of the Boilermakers fare against Notre Dame this weekend in South Bend.  My gut feeling is they get crushed, but I welcome Purdue to prove me wrong.

10.  Minnesota: The Gophers looked great physically against UNLV, however mentally they were a mess.   If you are looking for a silver lining from the UNLV game if you’re a Gopher fan look no further than the play of the safeties, wide receivers, and defensive line.  All three positions were a huge concern before the season started and all played exceptionally.  That was the most pressure I have seen from a Minnesota defensive front in years, and I mean years…

11.  Penn State: To be honest I was somewhat surprised by the outcome of the Penn State/Ohio game.  I expected the Nittany Lions to play much more inspired football.  It’s going to be a long decade in Happy Valley.   So much for those even divisions…

12.  Indiana: The Hoosiers played about how I expected.  We won’t know much about the progress of Kevin Wilson’s program until the first or second week of October.