Wins and Losses in Other Big Ten Games This Week
Some teams really pleasantly surprised me with their play, others like Nebraska did not surprise me at all but it is still shocking.
Illinois: Even if its Bielma leading them and even if Illinois fans are irrationally toxic to Michigan fans (in my experience), it is kind of good seeing Illinois having success. I have always thought that Illinois should be a better team since they are in a populous state with only Northwestern to compete for P5 players with. The truth is that Notre Dame and lots of other schools like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Michigan, and probably even bordering Missouri take good players from the state.
Indiana: A bit of a struggle against an okay Idaho team. Idaho is 0-2, but they played Washington State close, the team that tripped up Wisconsin.
Iowa: I did watch this game and everything bad that critics say about Iowa's offense, and everything good they say about the defense and special teams appears to be true. I don't think that they can get a touchdown unless the defense gets them in the red zone on a turnover, or the defense or special teams themselves do the scoring.
Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue: I didn't watch these routine blowouts of lesser teams.
Michigan State: I saw the first half of this game and Akron gifted MSU easy drives on turnovers.
Nebraska: If Scott Frost was not a favorite son of the state, he would have been fired years ago. The University and fans can only blame themselves.
Northwestern: I thought they were smart. Why do they keep scheduling Duke?
Ohio State: Does Notre Dame home loss to Marshall tarnish Ohio State's home win over them, especially since they did not cover the spread? I think so.
Rutgers: They were playing a very bad team, but they did what they were supposed to do. Rutgers fans must be embracing the competency that Schiano brings.
Wisconsin: I wonder if we a seeing chinks in Wisconsin's armor after this loss to Washington State. Washington State went through a coach transition, had to travel to Camp Randall Stadium, and is facing the possible extinction of their conference but managed to win with a Wisconsin transfer scoring their TDs and a Wisconsin born head coach. I think Wisconsin could still win the Big Ten West, but that is not much praise.
For other conferences, I think the Sun Belt did really well. The Pac 12 did ok. The SEC disappointed with Alabama and Texas A&M's play (also Florida against Kentucky). Future Big 12 members UCF and Houston faired poorly while Cincy and BYU won.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:09 PM ^
Nebraska - no more love for Frost, now its just a matter of time until his buyout drops in Oct. He won't finish the season. I have nothing against Nebraska, their fans are great and its a wonderful home environment. But Scott Frost can suck my balls.
Iowa - I can't believe anyone is still afraid of the Kinnick Curse this year. What a joke. The best thing for Iowa about that game will be the positive vibes from the nation for the Wave. And then the fans will have to cheer that offense... LOL!!!
Wisconsin - they routinely lose an early season game they really shouldn't lose, but WSU has never really been a rollover doormat of a team. They'll be okay. Who's going to beat them in the West? Iowa? LMAO!!!! Purdue? They're still Purdue, no defense and no running game mean a UW loss. Illinois? Not gonna beat Wisconsin by Wisconsining it up. Minnesota? See: Purdue.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
The joke is on all of us. Frost is going to get a $7.5 million payout, barring a felony that has yet to surface. If he can get past his mammoth ego, he could ride off into the sunset and live the good life. Imagine having an extra $7.5 million to invest?
September 11th, 2022 at 12:14 PM ^
The hilarity of OSU coming from behind last week at home and beating that "Top Five" team is surely not lost on many folks.
I strongly root for the B1G teams in OOC games-yesterday led me to a place that was peculiarly different from the usual. The Texas game was a real eye-opener relative to Alabama being beatable. Otherwise, loved the upsets-whether or not they really were upsets.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
I was surprised at how close the game was even BEFORE Texas lost their quarterback. But for Alabama to play that bad against their backup for the rest of the game?
There are no questions about it, they have no reason being ranked #1 next week. Texas may turn out better this year but they still weren't respected enough to be placed in the top 25. You barely escape an unranked team by a point, you lose your number one ranking. Not even Pete Finebaum would be able to make a case for them. But I'm sure he'll try.
September 11th, 2022 at 1:37 PM ^
Texas back up QB, Hudson Card, was the 59th ranked player in 2020 by 247 at .9721. He started a few games last year. He was definitely a step down from Ewers but he's not exactly chopped liver.
September 11th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
Bama had a lot of help from the zebras ignoring blatant PI and at least one face mask.
September 11th, 2022 at 4:00 PM ^
And what should have been ruled a safety...
September 11th, 2022 at 12:16 PM ^
Bo Pellini's cat is thoroughly enjoying the season.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:26 PM ^
I have to believe Pelini has spent the last 7-8 years loving every minute of Nebraska shitting all over itself.
Pelini never made Nebraska into a conference champion, but they were a good, occasionally great, but ultimately very respectable program under his watch. I bet half of that fanbase would kill to have him back right now.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:16 PM ^
As of now I'm betting on Minny in the west. More of less a process of elimination.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:31 PM ^
This. They were my preseason pick. They should have won the division last year even after losing their great RB (who is back this year), but this team last year dumped some inexplicable turds (Bowling Green, Illinois) — the latter which stopped them from playing us in the B1G title game. (Which wouldn’t have been 42-3 because Brian Ferentz but obv we still would have won).
They will learn from last year. They are a solid team and, given everyone else in the division will beat each other up, they ought to get their act together and will win the division.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:25 PM ^
Iowa / Iowa State - I just watched the "highlights" on YouTube. When we go to Kinnick, we can NOT let the Hawks block a punt. Their touchdown drive came as a result of a blocked punt which had them start at the 12-yard line. Their almost-second touchdown drive was set up by a partial block that gave them the ball at the 19-yard line but they fumbled the ball away at the 1. Through two games, Iowa's offense has failed to put ANY long touchdown drive together. Iowa State would have had this game won at halftime but they too lost a fumble from the 1-yard line and threw an end zone interception from the 9 yard line. This offense couldn't cross the street....and yet, you just know they'll be better by the time Michigan comes to town. Iowa has a tendency to be a dick.
Wisconsin / Washington State - This was also a comedy of errors game in the second half. With 6 minutes left in the game and the Badgers looking to go ahead, Mertz threw an interception from inside the 10, WSU ran in back 10 yards and then fumbled it right back. Two plays later, Wisconsin fumbled it away on a short pass. Wisconsin looked very similar to that game they played against Penn State in the opener last year. If THIS is the best the West division has to offer...that is pretty damn sad.
MSU and OSU winning big...blech. I didn't watch a single minute of either game.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
I watched parts of the MSU-Akron game and also the MSU-Western game. If we don't win this year, then I swear Tucker has made a deal with the devil or something.
Their offense did nothing to impress against 2 MAC teams. Peyton Thorn has 4 TDs to 3 INTs on the season so far, and their OL looks mediocre at best again.
Their defensive line looks solid, but the team has been saved by some really timely turnovers. Yesterday's game could've looked a whole lot different if Akron didn't continually turn the ball over on very good drives in the first half. I think the Zips just melted after playing good on offense and getting nothing out of it, letting MSU run away with the game.
But we know how they always play us, so I'm expecting another dog fight regardless of how they look in any other game.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:30 PM ^
I hate to say it, but I'm impressed with what Schiano has done so far at Rutger. They have the potential to be bowl eligible for the first time since 2014 (not counting last year's 5-win team invite). They should be able to beat Temple and Nebraska and they will have a good chance at home against Iowa and Indiana. That would be 6 wins right there. If they could possibly pick up a win @Minnesota or @Maryland, they could be a 7-8 win team.
Would an 8-win Rutger deserve to get their "s" back?
September 11th, 2022 at 1:14 PM ^
I don't see Rutger beating Indiana this year. They're definitely improved but I think they got lucky with BC, and I'm not sure Wagner is a real football team.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:34 PM ^
For Nebraska, it’s no longer a matter of if for Scott Frost, but simply a matter of when. Even he probably knows that he’s done after October 1st. Even if he beats Oklahoma next week, I just can’t see Nebraska keeping him around. The damage has already been done countless times over.
I’m still very nervous about the trip to Iowa. Especially if it’s at night. They will be looking at that game as a revenge opportunity and a way to get their season back on track. Iowa has a tendency to play down, or up, to its opponents at Kinnick. Michigan SHOULD win that game, and on paper should win it handily as long as they don’t commit back breaking mistakes and give Iowa short fields, but Kinnick voodoo is a scary mofo.
OSU will get the benefit of the doubt on their win last week because they’re OSU, but that win really doesn’t look that good right now. They may go up to #2 because of Bama’s struggles, but they still have plenty of their own questions to answer. But in OSU’s defense I think every team other than Georgia has questions that need answering.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:44 PM ^
Scott Frost is trying to get fired before October 1. This week, he'll drive around campus with their 1997 trophy in tow.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:36 PM ^
It was a wild weekend of football, for sure.
Upsets galore. Notre Dame, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Wisconsin. To a lesser extent, Northwestern, Baylor, Florida, Pitt, Houston. Alabama didn't lose, but that was certainly a surprise.
Huge scoring by Rutgers.
Iowa continues to have a great defense and nearly zero offense.
September 11th, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
I spent the evening at a Wazzu alum's wedding. Sharing that Wisconsin final was fun.
September 11th, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
The entire B1G west division is a dumpster fire. The "race" to see who gets sacrificed to either OSU or Michigan in Indianapolis will be morbidly fascinating.
September 11th, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
Ferentz needs to fire his son as OC. Just stealing money from Iowa.