Re-evaluating B10 opponents after the first week
So, after today's slate of games, what's your take on our conference opponents this year?
I wasn't optimistic about Iowa's season after they lost Jewel Hampton, but after today I definitely don't think they'll have as good a season as last year.
And then there's Illinois ... they really tanked today.
I think next week will give us a better handle on the kind of team we have this season, but I have to say I'm not as worried about these games as I was before today.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:50 PM ^
how could you not mention that osu was 4 yards away from possibly losing to navy? the qb should have ran damn it! o well i hope they tank against usc then toledo.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:53 PM ^
I'm trying not to get my hopes up about beating OSU, but yeah, they didn't look great. I think next week will show us a lot about them as well.
September 6th, 2009 at 7:45 AM ^
I think everyone has their hopes up for beating OSU, but I have the last 6 years too. Yeah they didn't look great, but THE GAME is still 70+ days away. Next week we'll see just how "good" OSU is. Can't Wait.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:58 PM ^
I was definitely surprised that Navy tried to throw for the 2 point conversion. Whatever the hell that play was where the QB faked to the fullback and then followed him into the hole worked so well all day.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:29 AM ^
Because OSU does this EVERY year. Every year, there's some MAC/C-USA/whatever team that plays OSU really close, and even makes it seem like OSU might actually lose to one of them. Navy, Ohio, Fresno, SDSU (or maybe it was SJSU. . .). But none of them ever do. OSU always pulls it out, and their season goes on as if it didn't happen. Usually seems as if it has no effect. The schadenfreude is nice and all, but they didn't lose. It's not an indication that they'll suddenly have trouble with Northwestern and Purdue.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:43 AM ^
I was just explaining this to some friends, happens every year, no big deal. they will get rocked by USC next week though.
September 6th, 2009 at 2:28 AM ^
I agree on the former, not the latter.
Yes, it's true that close calls have been a characteristic of the Tressel era (it was SDSU, by the way and they almost did the same to us the next year), but so has losing to inferior Big Ten teams in the weeks leading up to the Michigan game. Illinois a couple times, Wisconsin, Northwestern even pulled it off I think.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:10 AM ^
Don't forget Bowling Green when they had Josh Harris. They were close to losing that game as well.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:15 PM ^
This was true in Tressel's first three years, but from 2004 onward, OSU has been very good against lesser OOC foes. It's only in the big games that they've struggled lately.
I'm stunned that they gave up 27 points yesterday. I wasn't sure USC would score that many against them, and I thought Navy would be lucky to get 10-14. OSU's offense isn't always that good but their D has been a constant under Tressel. I'm curious to see if this was just an off game or what.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:16 PM ^
They were 3 yards away from having the score tied with 2 minutes left. Somehow I'm pretty sure that OSU would have still pulled it out.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:51 PM ^
Iowa will not be ranked next week IMHO
OSU will be taking a hit in the rankings after Navy gave them all they could take.
Purdue looked good, though it was against Toledo
Illinois was pathetic, how hard is it to throw to Benn seriously he's huge and talented just get him the ball.
MSU vs Montana state? Yeah I was busy watching something relevant
PSU vs. Akron? see above
September 6th, 2009 at 8:53 AM ^
Benn only played like one series before getting hurt.
That said, their D, which was a huge question, got torched by a qb making his first start.
September 6th, 2009 at 9:56 AM ^
how Juice got contained like that. I was at our game so didn't get to see. Benn getting hurt probably had something to do with it. Was Missouri that good???
September 5th, 2009 at 11:52 PM ^
They were down 16-3 at halftime, lost a receiver and their (second string) RB to injury. The slated starter did not dress. Those injuries should work themselves out by October 31, so I think the Illini will offer a competitive game.
That's one I'll be at too, cheering on the maize and blue.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:12 AM ^
I’m hoping they lose their confidence by then.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:55 PM ^
Michigan is better than last year.
Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, and Iowa seem like they stink.
OSU is not as good as last year, but they're still pretty good.
Wisconsin is shaky.
With Northwestern, PSU, MSU, and Purdue, it's hard to tell based on the competition.
September 5th, 2009 at 11:55 PM ^
Iowa does not look very good at all... but I wouldn't count out Illinois just yet. They still have a mobile QB, and until we can prove our ability to stop one I am still terrified to play them. However, losing Benn was just about the worst thing that could happen to them.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:00 AM ^
I'm a lot more optimistic about Iowa and Illinois. I don't think the OSU game really reflects how good OSU is but I think that Illinois and Iowa were overrated.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:03 AM ^
I'm definitely feeling better about that game under the lights at Kinnick.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:09 AM ^
| Win | |
| Opponent | Likelihood |
| -------- | ---------- |
| WMU | 1.00 |
| ND | 0.50 |
| EMU | 0.97 |
| IU | 0.92 |
| @MSU | 0.50 |
| @Iowa | 0.55 |
| DSU | 0.98 |
| PSU | 0.30 |
| @Ill | 0.55 |
| PU | 0.80 |
| @Wisc | 0.55 |
| OSU | 0.35 |
| ---- | |
| Total | 7.97 |
September 6th, 2009 at 9:37 AM ^
virtually played the same game against Akron that we did against a better WMU. 31-0 at the half, defense dominated the first half. 31-7 at the end. Don't forget we play them at home, and we own Penn State. Maybe you can't compare the two games, but I'm not ready to sell them as a prohibitive favorite against us just yet. Maybe ND will be our toughest game this year and we have a good shot at going 3-1 on the road.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:07 AM ^
Illinois has reached their limit. Talent can only take you so far. Zook has done a great job recruiting at Illinois, but he is just not a good coach. Missouri came into that game breaking a new QB who was a redshirt freshman, lost their top WR, top TE, their offensive coordinator, and 23 SENIORS. And they still destroyed Illinois 37-9. Illinois had no ground game, Juice looked lackluster considering he's a senior QB, and heralded WR corp flat out stunk. The talent base has been upgraded at Illinois; now they need a coach to take advantage of it.
If the Iowa game wasn't on the road, I would have zero concerns about it. Iowa flat out stunk with no Greene or Hampton. Their ground game was terrible. If Forcier can adjust well on the road against MSU, then he'll be fine playing at Iowa.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:11 AM ^
remember when OSU was losing to troy last year as late as the 3rd or 4th quarter? they still got to a BCS bowl in the end so don't count them out yet. they'll be fine
September 6th, 2009 at 12:20 AM ^
I will be going to the EMU game and going to Champaigne for the Ill game. I hope the Illini fight like they did tonight when we come to town. I really like our chances on beating them this year as they are making a lot of the same mistakes they did last year. Iowa looks like we could definitely beat them even in Iowa, If tonight were any indicator I think we will fair very well in confrence. The thing that sticks out most to me today though is the fact that Herron is a descent backfield threat but if Pryor goes down the Suckeyes are crap out of luck. Bauserman is a Sheridanesque QB (at least from what I could see). Pryor looked really good on his feet but still tends to throw that pickable ball from time to time. No way they stand a chance against USC next week. They are not as good as they were last year and you know Carroll will have his team ready for the Suck-nuts.
Something to think about here, If we are able to pull off a big win over ND and USC pulls off a big win over tO$U we may be ranked and tO$U not. How long has it been since that has happened.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:32 AM ^
If we win big, and I mean BIG, we stand a chance at being ranked. But, there is no way OSU isn't ranked after playing USC, no matter how bad the beatdown is.
September 6th, 2009 at 12:43 AM ^
Cosign.
SC layed a beating on the buckeyes in every facet of the game last year and OSU came nowhere near being unranked the next week. Losing to SC, Florida, Texas etc., no matter how bad, when you are ranked in the top ten is just not something that spells doom for your season. Losses are forgivable when they come from teams of that ilk.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:24 AM ^
Judging by today's play I don't think there are ANY guaranteed losses on the schedule. We can play with every team in the conference. I'm not saying we will win every game by any means but I'm not writing any game off.
September 6th, 2009 at 2:04 AM ^
Is anybody else just really disappointed in the Big Ten altogether after today? Michigan and Penn State looked really good, but all other games looked bad or unable to tell. I think sometimes everyone gets caught up in conference standings and forgets that the Big Ten is constantly losing credibility as a power conference. Personally, I want Michigan to be the Conference Champs for sure, but I want them to be the champs of one of them best conferences in the nation. We should be rooting for the Big Ten as a whole to regain prominence by winning all non-conference games, especially ones that they are supposed to win. When it comes to conference games, it is a different story, but IMO every fan of Big Ten teams should be rooting for the conference to do well in all out of conference games, especially bowl games.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:16 AM ^
Rooting for your conference is like boning your sister. Acceptable only if you're an inbred Southern hick.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:06 PM ^
Sure she's a great piece of tail, with a blouse full of goodies, but... it's just illegal. Then you get into that whole inbred thing. Kids with no teeth who do nothing but play the banjo... eat apple sauce through a straw... pork farm animals.
September 6th, 2009 at 3:19 PM ^
Anyone not rooting for the Big 10 to win all their nonconference games is an idiot. Do you want us to have national respect or not?
This includes OSU against USC next week. If they lose that game then the whole rest of the season we're gonna hear talk about how the Big 10 might not even belong in the BCS and all other kinds of bullshit.
September 6th, 2009 at 5:21 PM ^
Losing to SC will mean nothing. Conference perception can't get any lower. OSU and the Big 10 really has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
OSU is already seen as the only team in the Big 10 worth half its salt. There is no reason to think that OSU winning means anything for perception of Michigan or the conference.
Unless of course, Michigan beats OSU in November.
September 6th, 2009 at 8:59 AM ^
I don't mean to be too complimentary of Ohio State here, but let's not act like Navy is exactly on a level with Northern Iowa, Western Michigan, Montana State, etc.
Navy is a serious team with a unique offense that requires a great deal of time and care to prepare for, and one of the most important units for defending that triple option -- the Ohio State linebacking corps -- lost a two-time consensus all-American heading into the season. Navy plays tough, all the time, and Ohio State won a close one. I can't really see any signs of true weakness from here.
September 6th, 2009 at 10:16 AM ^
Navy will probably be a bowl team again this year.
But as stated earlier up the tread, it seems OSU has a game like this every year to an out of conference opponent. I also suspect that Tressel didn't want to show much to USC with that game coming up next.
Northern Iowa, no. Western Michigan has a good enough offense to win the MAC, so perhaps they make a bowl.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:50 PM ^
The Big10 looked pretty bad yesterday imo:
OSU - While Navy is no slouch, that game was way too close. What a difference good linebackers make. But as others have said, they have had some pretty close first games lately.
Minnesota - Looked terrible, pretty much everywhere.
Wisconsin - Mistakes-o-rama, a slightly higher caliber team would have put them down. Their running backs did not look good.
Iowa - Should have lost, and looked terrible in a winning effort.
Illinois - Nothing went right in this game for the Illini, but they had more working against them than back luck. Missouri owns them.
Penn State, Michigan State, and Northwestern all looked very good against the high school teams they played.
Purdue - won but gave up 425 yards of passing to Toledo. All offense, no defense....
Yes I realize the conference went 10-1 in it's games this week, but was a combined total of 15 points from being 6-5. Maybe others aren't as concerned and teams will find their footing after a few games, I tend to be a little more pessimistic.
September 6th, 2009 at 2:57 PM ^
am less pessimistic about the games against Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin than I was on Friday.