Rittenberg picks UM to win B1G West

Submitted by Soulfire21 on

So, I was over at ESPN's B1G blog, which my opinion of changes about as many times as I blink throughout the course of a day, but I stumbled upon an entry entitled "Rewriting the Legends" [the only use of 'Legends' over 'West' that I've seen as acceptable]

Bennett and Rittenberg offered their thoughts on the Legends West Division given Nebraska's current, mhmm, string of totally uninspired and underwhelming performances.

First, the good guy [Rittenberg]:

I see a team (Michigan) gaining confidence with each passing week, and a team that should be better in November than it is right now. Robinson probably will lose a game with his interceptions, but he also can win games with his feet and playmaking ability. This week marks a huge test for the Michigan program, but a win in East Lansing would springboard the Wolverines.

Bennett thinks MSU:

The Spartans get Michigan at home this week and will have had two weeks** to prepare for a team they've beaten three straight years.
They also get Wisconsin at home the following week, and if any game will trip up the Badgers, it might be that same one in which they stumbled last season Michigan still has to go to Illinois.
[MSU's] defense is the single best unit in the division right now. It's good enough to cause Denard Robinson and Taylor Martinez fits since neither are accomplished passers

Those are pretty much the mentions of Michigan/MSU but the full entry is here.

**I found it quite ironic that Bennett talks about MSU having two weeks to prepare for us, then later on in the B1G stock report entry he goes on to mention how B1G teams tend to struggle after byes and says "look out Michigan State and Wisconsin"

In case you were wondering, this year Iowa, Northwestern, and Purdue have all lost coming off of a bye.

Timnotep

October 12th, 2011 at 11:21 AM ^

is much faster, has a better arm, and is more athletic/agile than Martinez and you still have the fact that Denard would rather get banged up than leave yards on the field... his runs either end with a TD or an actually tackle, not him sliding because he sees a defender withing 20 yards of him.

justingoblue

October 12th, 2011 at 11:25 AM ^

I know you're jokng, but it's pretty dumb that all of these ESPN types don't even look at game stats, they just see "QB run ball good derp" and think it's all the same. There is not one statistical category which has Martinez on top of Denard. Not one. Not yards, completion percentage, TD's, INT's, YPA, rushing yards, YPC, rushing TD's, not one. I honestly have no idea where people get the idea that they're equals.

jamiemac

October 12th, 2011 at 11:40 AM ^

Agreed, and its not even close

Say what you will about Denard's arm punts, but at least he can wing it and the ball looks good. I swear when martinez throws, I am watching a high school ball float in the air

Plus, Denard can run a lot of different ways. Martinez can seemingly only run the option.

One is so much better than the other and its not even close

BornInAA

October 12th, 2011 at 11:19 AM ^

Michigan, Penn State and Notre Dame are the sleeper programs that will suprise everyone this year. I like being picked to choke and suprising overconfident teams.

The Wisc vs Penn State and Michigan vs Nebraska games could turn out to be the Big Ten semifinal games.

 

 

Steve in PA

October 12th, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^

I'm forced to because of geography.  They're not that good, bordering on terrible.  Even the PSU Homers admit it now and are openly calling for Joe to retire while he still has some dignity left.

Every week it's the Qb shuffle and neither of them has proven themselves worthy of being named a starter.  Media is reporting that it is starting to cause division in the locker room because players are starting to pick "their guy"

As far as ND, to hell with them.  We beat them with regularity and as far as I know you have to actually be in the Big Ten to play in the Big Ten Championship game.

Wolverman

October 12th, 2011 at 3:13 PM ^

 Notre Dame a sleeper?

 I don't think there  has ever been a team more over hyped year in, year out only to accomplish so little and then be over hyped the next year. They will more than likely be preseason number one next year and lose 5 games

justingoblue

October 12th, 2011 at 11:32 AM ^

Top is Martinez, bottom is Denard.

2011

70 129 54.3 1014 7.9 6 53 6 126.3
2010

116 196 59.2 1631 8.3 10 79 7

138.8

 

2011

100 584 5.8 57 9
2010

162 965 6.0 80 12

 

2011

67 117 57.3 1130 9.7 10 77 9 151.2
2010

182 291 62.5 2570 8.8 18 75 11 149.6

 

2011

102 720 7.1 53 8
2010

256 1702 6.6 87 14

Welp, looks like Martinez wins the rushing TD battle, which I didn't think he did. Too bad the total TD's aren't close.

Look Up_See Blue

October 12th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^

The bye week doesn't mean a whole lot.  Yea you get to rest guys that are banged up but you also tend to take a step back in terms of intensity and focus. 

All the pressure is on sparty in this game.  If Michigan goes in there relaxed and plays Michigan Manball like their capable and limits self-imposed mistakes i think they win big.  My prediction is Michigan 31 msu 24

UM.is.my.home

October 12th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^

This morning, I watched ESPN's "The Experts" - on ESPN U ... it must have been yesterday's episode. All of the "experts" picked Sparty, except Galloway. The rest of the guys were talking like State's D-Line was better than any other college team in recent memory. Ivan Maisel was the only one that picked Sparty, but at least seemed rational in his explanation.

Galloway said that the tape from the OSU/Sparty game revealed, not that MSU's d-line was overpowering, but that OSU's o-line refused to block anyone and made them seem superhuman.

I'm willing to listen to educated opinion, however, I'm not suprised that most of the people who pick Sparty do so in an ignorant way. Is that just coincidence?

BrickTop

October 12th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^

As you can see, the highlights of that OSU game makes MSU's D look very solid but of course, highlights are deceiving. All I know is that this game is CRUCIAL for Michigan to win. People aren't really talking about it but I think this is the game. THIS IS THE GAME. This game will absolutely determine how good this season is. We gotta win it

MaizeRage89

October 12th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^

But I really feel like we have a legit shot at winning all of our games this year. The D keeps getting better with every game played. Also the have all gone through 3 bad years which has brought them really close. Look at how well our B Ball team has pulled it together, Novak and Stu are our Denard and Martin

msoccer10

October 12th, 2011 at 12:50 PM ^

I think Martin/Molk are a better analogy for leadership than Denard/Martin as compared to Novak/Stu. Denard is our Hardaway.

But Molk and Martin are all-American types. So I think Woolfolk/Koger are more like Novack/Stu. Just sayin'

MGlobules

October 12th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^

and we can talk about being a legitimate top ten squad with BCS bowl aspirations.

Lose to them, and I still like us, and see a squad resilient enough to keep growing, unlike the last few years. But we have to beat a middling MSU team with a good D first. 

Moleskyn

October 12th, 2011 at 11:35 AM ^

It's nice to be getting positive press heading into week 7, but this really doesn't mean much. We still have to play @MSU, @Iowa, @Illinois, and Nebraska. It's great that confidence is so high right now, but let's see how we do against increasingly stiffer competition.

Huntington Wolverine

October 12th, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^

I'm surprised to see all the love for MSU's D.  I'm sure they're solid but I don't think they've played any amazing offenses that they've shut down.  Really looking forward to Saturday's game to settle this debate.

BigBlue02

October 12th, 2011 at 5:51 PM ^

True, but usually one of those cupcakes has a decent offense but just isn't that great (ex - SDSU). When possibly one of the best teams you have played so far (OSU, who is also the only victory over anyone not horrendous) has an offense ranked around 90th, it's safe to say your defense hasn't been tested yet.

Tater

October 12th, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^

National writers see Sparty's 11-1 regular season from last year and their victory over Ohio, and conveniently forget that they lost too many players to graduation last year without enough depth to replace them.  They also conveniently forget Sparty's 49-7 embarrassment against Alabama in the Capital One Bowl, and their flaccid performance in a 31-13 loss to Notre Dame.  

Sparty had one good year, but they still haven't proven that they are capable of having two good years in a row under Saint Dantonio.  I don't think this is the year they will prove it.

Maize_in_Spartyland

October 12th, 2011 at 1:35 PM ^

Nebraska (1-1)

Divisional opponents left - @ Minnesota, Northwestern, Iowa.

Contenders - Michigan State, @ Michigan.

Non divisional opponents left - @ Penn State.

Michigan State (1-0)

Divisional opponents left -  Minnesota, @ Iowa, @ Northwestern.

Contenders - Michigan, @ Nebraska.

Non divisional opponents left - Wisconsin, Indiana.

Michigan (2-0)

Divisional opponents left - @ Iowa, Nebraska

Contenders - @ Michigan State, Nebraska.

Non divisional opponents left - Purdue, @ Illinois, Ohio.

 

I can see a three way tie for first, if Michigan doesn't beat Sparty this week.

Michigan avoids Wisconsin, who Nebraska and MSU play, so that's a gift. But Michigan gets a roadie at Illinois, who Sparty and Nebraska don't play.

Illinois = Wisconsin? Probably not, Wisconsin is better, but I'd rather play the Illini in Ann Arbor, if at all.

Maize_in_Spartyland

October 12th, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^

Note the tiebreaking system:

If three or more teams are tied, steps 1 through 7 will be followed until a determination is made. If only two teams remain tied after any step, the winner of the game between the two tied teams shall be the representative.

1. The records of the three tied teams will be compared against each other

2. The records of the three tied teams will be compared within their division

3. The records of the three teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5, and 6)

4. The records of the three teams will be compared against all common conference opponents;

5. The highest ranked team in the first Bowl Championship Series Poll following the completion of Big Ten regular season conference play shall be the representative in the Big Ten Championship Game, unless the two highest ranked tied teams are ranked within one spot of each other in the BCS poll. In this case, the head-to-head results of the top two ranked tied teams shall determine the representative in the Big Ten Championship

6. The team with the best overall winning percentage [excluding exempted games] shall be the representative

7. The representative will be chosen by random draw.

BRCE

October 12th, 2011 at 5:14 PM ^

I know Legends is beyond stupid, but did this blog have to settle on West?

Purdue, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin are "East." Michigan and Michigan State are "West."

Equally poor choice.