Nebraska v. PSU. Who to root for?
This does not have anything to do with the scandal so don't worry. As far as our B1G title hopes go, will it help us if Nebraska wins this game? I know it's a long shot for us to get to the title game, but I tend to have that "anything is possible" mentality.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:47 PM ^
Just curious, what is the point in "sh-tty" thing? If you don't want to curse use "horrible" if you do want to curse, let fly. Think about it, would you have gotten in any less trouble as a kid if you're mom or teacher saw you took the "i" out and wrote "sh-tty"?
November 11th, 2011 at 4:51 PM ^
It's not "blaming the players" to hope the team loses. I'm indifferent to the players, but I want Penn State's fans to suffer.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:42 PM ^
Although I'm kind of afraid for Nebraska if they actually win. That crowd's gonna be out for blood.
November 12th, 2011 at 1:26 PM ^
The players are not to blame for what happened. At the same time, it was the football coaches and the administration that let it continue to happen, while continuing to earn big bucks for the university by sweeping the problem under the rug.
November 11th, 2011 at 3:55 PM ^
From the rooting interests. I mean, I'm not sure anyone is really looking for Penn State to get a silver lining this weekend.
But as for the "division" it really doesn't matter a lick, because even assuming MSU loses two, Nebraska already has two losses, and for us to have a chance WE'RE going to have to beat them, which will give them 3, so we don't need them to lose to other teams. Unless you're trying to figure out 3 loss tiebreakers, in which case - good luck.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:06 PM ^
The situation at PSU is obviously horrible, but to me it completely transcends football. I can't really look at their football team as of now (without JoePa, McQueary, or Sandusky) and blame them at all for the actions (and inactions) of a few. The scandal and the football team are in a different universe for me.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
But it doesn't transcend the University. They're culpable in all this.
Though it's probably all moot. There's no reason Nebraska shouldn't roll Penn State after all they've gone through this week.
November 11th, 2011 at 3:55 PM ^
Too many scenarios. I'll flip a coin.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:05 PM ^
Dont we want Nebraska to win so that if we beat them there is still a hope we can force a 3-way tie and win?
November 11th, 2011 at 4:21 PM ^
I agree. We need Nebraska to win out, except when they play us, and we need to win out. It seems like the chances of MSU losing to either Iowa or NW are decent, but the chances of them losing both games is not good. So for us to go to the championship game we probably need a three-way tie in the division with a team that a) we beat and b) beat MSU i..e, Nebraska. I don't remember all the tiebreakers, but I know one of them is BCS rankings, which should also favor us rooting for Nebraska because it will help our BCS ranking by beating them.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
There's no 3 way tie possible. (Not counting Iowa's chances, not only because I don't care about them, but if they beat us and MSU it doesn't help us to tie with them).
November 11th, 2011 at 6:16 PM ^
Technically, there is a 3 way tie possibility at 3 loses.
November 11th, 2011 at 11:52 PM ^
2. Not if it's with Iowa and MSU and Iowa has beaten us and MSU.
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<br>You want to figure out other workable scenarios, with all the things that would have to happen, be my guest. Good luck with that happening.
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<br>We need MSU and Iowa to lose 2, And to win out. Considering they play each other, that means one of them will have to lose their last two. It'd be the weirdest Big Ten finish since at least 1990.
November 12th, 2011 at 9:06 AM ^
Let me break it down for you, you said "no three way tie possibilities", I said, no quite completely true there could be a three way tie at 3 losses. You counter, "Not if MSU doesn't lose 2 more games ." Well, duhh -- to get to the scenario laid out (a three way tie at 3 losses), of course MSU has to lose two more since they currently stand at one conference loss (3 losses at end of yr - 1 loss currently = 2 more losses to get there). Then you go on to say "Not if it's with Iowa and MSU and Iowa has beaten us and MSU." Again not true, could be a three way tie at three loses with Iowa, MSU and Michigan if Iowas beats MSU and then loses another game. I think what you may mean is Michigan doesn't go the the BTCG under that scenario, which is true, but is different from "no three way tie scenarios."
Finally, you said that both MSU and Iowa need to lose two more and M has to win out. Again, not true. There might be some other mathematically possible way for Michigan to get to the BTCG, but, yes in all likelihood, M needs to win out that then requires MSU needs to lose two and but it only takes one (not two) more Iowa losses.
Further, if MSU drops two (including to Iowa) and Michigan beats Nebraska and wins the other two and Nebraska beats Iowa and PSU and loses to M and Iowa beats MSU and Purdue and loses to Nebraska you end you with a 4 way tie at three loses.
Of course none of this is likely, but being unlikely is different from not being possible.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:11 PM ^
You guys are forgeting something obvious, a PSU win here hurts the odds of OSU making the B1G Championship Game.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:16 PM ^
You know what else hurts OSU's title hopes? Us beating them.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:19 PM ^
All interesting points. Here is another: do we want Nebraska coming off a win or a loss when they come to Ann Arbor next week? Obviously, Iowa losing to Minnesota did not help us.
It probably doesn't matter. I will hope (root is too strong a word) that PSU wins to help screw over OSU and also hand a loss to a team in our division. However, I think Nebraska losing this week might harden them for next week. Unless it breaks them.
After this week, maybe nothing matters.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:25 PM ^
Actually, you just made up my mind. I will root for Nebraska, so OSU still has a shot. I want us to be the team that crushes OSU's hopes for getting to the CCG.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
Montgomery Burns agrees too. That scenario would be most eeeeeexcellent.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:23 PM ^
Their players did not do a damn thing wrong, and they are in the middle of the all time shit storm......
and Nebraska is on our division. (It really all boils down to football, regardless of what moral stance I have taken on things)
November 11th, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^
I'm rooting for the fans to not be jackasses.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^
Easy - Ped State. We want Neb to lose as many games as possible as their introduction into the BIG and we also want Ped State to distance themselves as much as possible from OSU to keep OSU out of the BIG championship game.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:37 PM ^
Hey, "Ped State". Good one.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:06 PM ^
should not say that man. That's not funny. I know Penn State grads that are fearing for job, future prospects. You say that = Jerry Sandusky wins.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:12 PM ^
They shouldn't. What happened in the football program has nothing to do with their education.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:13 PM ^
didn't do is not siege worth any respect. Intelligent beings can separate the acts of a few and not blame an entire group. 9-11 taught me that.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:39 PM ^
No. Points return next week.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:50 PM ^
Is this true?
November 11th, 2011 at 4:42 PM ^
Or, we beat OSU and that keeps OSU out of the championship game, unless Wiscsonsin loses to Minnesota or Illinois.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
I haven't gone through the tiebreakers in detail, but I think the only scenario where Michigan gets another loss and still wins the division is if Michigan beats Nebraska, MSU loses to Iowa and NW, Iowa loses to Nebraska and Purdue, and Nebraska beats PSU. That leaves Iowa with 4 losses and Michigan, MSU, and Nebraska with 3. MSU drops out for all 3 losses in the division (or having 4 losses if they lose to Indiana too). Michigan wins on a head-to-head against Nebraska.
Everything else assumes that Michigan wins out, which puts Michigan at 2 losses and Nebraska at 3 or more. Basically, I don't see where PSU winning helps us.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:44 PM ^
While mathematically it helps if Nebraska loses - pending other improbable collapses, of course - part of me thinks that the otucome of this game will get somewhat overshadowed by other things. More specific discussion has its own thread, of course. I would hope, if nothing else, that nothing unfortunate happens to anyone, for that's the LAST thing anyone needs.
November 11th, 2011 at 4:49 PM ^
because if Penn State loses maybe those rioting idiots in State College will just burn down the whole stadium because ITS NOT RIGHT DAWG. JOEPAH!!
November 11th, 2011 at 4:54 PM ^
I do it for the kids, not to the kids.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:21 PM ^
- We win out, MSU loses @ Iowa & @ NW, Iowa loses at least once
- We lose to Illinois or OSU, MSU loses @ Iowa & @ NW, Nebraska only loses to us, and Iowa loses to Purdue (MSU eliminated with 3 division losses and we beat Nebraska, so we advance)
If Iowa beats Purdue in scenario 2, we have a four team tie and MSU and UM would be eliminated based on head-to-head records of 1-2.
The other fourway scenario is if once again MSU loses to both Iowa and NW, we lose to Nebraska but win our other two, Nebraska loses to PSU, and Iowa loses to only Nebraska. We once again would be eliminated, this time with a 0-3 head-to-head record.
A threeway tie between us MSU and Nebraska is not possible at 2 losses. We lose any 3 way tie between Iowa and MSU as we lost to both of them.
http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/archive/081011aaa.html
November 11th, 2011 at 5:34 PM ^
If we win out, the PSU-Neb game has no impact upon us, and so that's the scenario I'm focusing on.
The odds of Scenario 2 actually occurring are so remote that it's not worth rooting for as a very unlikely backup plan.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:00 PM ^
I obviously want us to win out, but if we can't win the BTC then I really hope Nebraska doesn't walk in and win it in their first year in the conference. That would be embarrassing.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:03 PM ^
those schools I never liked much. Also, we have more history with them as a rival. My dislike of Nebraska does not officially commence until tomorrow night after we beat Illinois.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:13 PM ^
I can't root for a school that riots because someone was fired for covering up child molestation. This is a no-brainer for me.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:25 PM ^
to be fair a fraction of the students took to the streets and even a fraction of them caused damage.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:18 PM ^
Besides the aforementioned necessary 2 losses by MSU and 1 loss by Iowa (combined with Michigan winning out), I think the only other B1G teams that could have a potential BCS impact on us is the Wiscy/PSU game. I think both of those teams are the only two teams besides Michigan that could end up with no more than 2 losses and not be the B1G champion (and thus might be ripe for as the second B1G in the BCS). If Wiscy wins out and PSU only loses to Wiscy, PSU to BTCG and a 2 (heartbreaking) loss Wiscy team awaits. If PSU wins out and loses the BTCG, they would also have only 2 losses (Bama and BTCG). Therefore, I think we'd want a) both Wiscy and PSU to lose again before the BTCG b)we want PSU to lose twice or c) PSU to win out included BTCG.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:36 PM ^
Win or Lose I want the PSU fans to sit on their hands about Paterno. No chants, no cheers, just be quiet.
That will be a win for mankind.
November 11th, 2011 at 6:45 PM ^
Not gonna happen. I predict huge crowd noise chanting JoePa's name.
November 11th, 2011 at 5:46 PM ^
want Penn State in the Big Ten Championship game.
Nebraska all the way, then Ohio, then Wisconsin. finish the year 0-3 and it will seem like the right thing happened.
November 11th, 2011 at 8:08 PM ^
I am as disgusted by what happened at PSU as anyone. But, we need to take a step back and realize that the kids on the team, the alum, the students and the fans had absolutely nothing to do with this horror. Tw bad actors were the school admin, the AD, Paterno and his staff.
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<br>If anything, the kids on this team - who had nothing to do with and no knowledge of these events - are ancillary victims. They chose to go to Penn state to be a part of what is perceived to be a clean program steeped in honorable traditions. Mow, after working their asses off, they ate part of a program that will forever live in infamy.
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<br>As humans, we are horrified by this story, and it is human nature to look for someone to take out our feelings on, but the team - kids between 18-22 who have done nothing wrong - is not the perpetrator. Take it out on the admin, the school and on the bad actors, not the kids.
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<br>Caveat: if the school would have allowed paterno or any of the others to stay on, I would feel differently. Also, don't mistake this as me not having rage a Penn state. As a father of two boys,I jar plenty. Just not at the players.
November 11th, 2011 at 10:57 PM ^
for PSU fans. None at all. From the duchebag who stood on the steps with his Appy State t-shirt on at Michigan stadium in 2007 and was still talking sh#t after Michigan beat them. To the idiots who spit, throw mustard, and freaking urine on the opposing teams players, band and fans at PSU.
Some of the internets biggest users of the meme scUM are PSU fans, screw them, look who the real scum is now.
November 12th, 2011 at 12:06 AM ^
Who all benefit by PSU winning. Taking it out on them means there's going to be some collateral damage. And a lot of them aren't "innocent" for enabling a footballgarchy where no one wants to upset the apple cart. Could it have happen anywhere? Sure. But it happened there. Now is no time for their "healing".
November 11th, 2011 at 5:47 PM ^
1) This weekend: Michigan beats Illinois, Sparty looses @ Iowa.
2) Next weekend: Michigan beats Nebraska, Sparty beats Indiana
3) Week after: Michigan beats Ohio, Sparty looses @ Northwestern, Iowa looses @ Nebraska
B1Geee Championship game: Michigan/ Wisconsin
November 11th, 2011 at 6:53 PM ^
Psh, this is totally wrong. Indiana's going to beat Sparty because of the special cross-divisional rivalry that they have going.
November 11th, 2011 at 6:40 PM ^
http://blog.pennlive.com/davidjones/2011/11/mcqueary_tells_psu_wideouts_he.html
On Friday afternoon, according to two team sources, new receivers coach Kermit Buggs gathered his players in a room at the PSU football complex and allowed them to talk with McQueary on a speaker phone.
During a brief and emotional conversation, McQueary told them, “I wanted to let you guys know I'm not your coach anymore. I'm done.”
When players asked, "Coach, where are you? Can we see you?" McQueary responded, “No, I'm actually in protective custody. I'm not in State College.”
McQueary added that he was, "Double-fisting it," meaning he was having two drinks at once.
November 11th, 2011 at 6:51 PM ^
They seem to have removed the part about double fisting it from the article.