The Rise of the B1G floor.
September 11th, 2017 at 4:49 PM ^
I think the OP is Brady Hoke.
September 11th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^
Definitely not RichRod.
September 11th, 2017 at 5:08 PM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 5:25 PM ^
September 12th, 2017 at 9:01 AM ^
He used the term "eviscerated". Definitely not Hoke.
September 11th, 2017 at 7:30 PM ^
September 12th, 2017 at 9:05 AM ^
But did he clap?
September 12th, 2017 at 9:20 AM ^
Did he clap while wearing a headset? or clap with no headset?
September 12th, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^
More importantly, how well can he point?
September 11th, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^
Rutgers is the floor. Rutgers lost to Eastern.
September 11th, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 5:44 PM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 6:50 PM ^
September 12th, 2017 at 8:45 AM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 4:55 PM ^
Minnesota is actually much worse than last year. Colorado State also destroyed Oregon State.
Rutgers played what was likely a tougher Washington team on the road after a cross country trip last year and the point spread was only 8 greater. They just lost to Eastern Michigan.
Michigan State beat one very bad MAC team and another MAC team who we don't really know much about--both were home games.
Indiana looked worse than last year in these first two games. They lost one of their strong WRs.
I'd agree that Purdue looks better--though it is hard to look any worse than last year. Still, the kept it close against a Louisville team that was wildly inconsistent (lost to Kentucky, Houston, etc.) last year int he first game of the year and then beat a MAC team.
I can't say I see a meaningful certain/real rise in the bottom half of the Big Ten after two games.
September 11th, 2017 at 5:08 PM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
I checked the schedule, I don't see Ohio on it. You must be confused.
September 11th, 2017 at 8:30 PM ^
The team that plays in Ohio Stadium and has a band that performs script Ohio. The one who fans shout "O-H-I-O." Obviously, that's Ohio.
September 12th, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^
I have been to that stadium and have witnessed those things. That team is obviously Ohio State.
September 11th, 2017 at 4:59 PM ^
Or are most of the teams this year just not that good? Really tough to know in Week 2
September 11th, 2017 at 5:04 PM ^
When your weakest team beats a B1G team, that's impressive. WMU, CMU and EMU have impressed me. WMU is 0-2, and would likely be 2-0 if they had the same schedule as CMU or EMU.
I find it funny that in years where we recruit fewer state of Michigan players, the directional schools have just as good a chance of landing in-state talent as MSU.
September 11th, 2017 at 7:40 PM ^
Why not, they're better schools.
September 12th, 2017 at 9:10 AM ^
Eastern beat Rutgers
Rutgers is only a B1G team due to a technicality based on a douche nugget's interpretation of what it means to be a B1G school
Not exactly the same. While it looks great for Eastern to say they finally got the monkey off their backs and beat a B1G school.....it's not like it was a powerhouse school like Purdue or Illinois, or somebody GOOD, for gosh sakes...
I mean shit, even CMU beat Sparty once or twice...
September 12th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^
September 12th, 2017 at 11:26 AM ^
That would be cool after they have been left for dead so many times.
I remember when they won it in '88 and won a bowl game. Has that happened since?
September 11th, 2017 at 5:07 PM ^
There's some hyperbole here, but I agree with half of the general sentiment: the B10 EAST does look deeper this year. Rutgers is a tasty treat, but every other team looks surprisingly good. Even Maryland, Indiana, and MSU. In my mind, there is no question that the B10 East is the best division in football right now.
As for the B10 West, I find the early returns a little disappointing. Illinois looks even worse than expected, Northwestern is struggling, Nebraska nearly lost to Arkansas St., Iowa nearly lost to Iowa St... it is really just a one-team division, followed by a heavy dose of mediocrity.
September 11th, 2017 at 7:38 PM ^
Hey, just like the SEC West!
September 12th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
They were expected to lose to Western Kentucky. They won by 13 points.
September 11th, 2017 at 5:23 PM ^
Well, they do raise the floor in the NCAA tourney, and Minnesota plays on a raised floor. If this is a metaphor for football, have they kicked Rutgers out yet?
September 11th, 2017 at 5:35 PM ^
The SEC West will still be called the best division in football because of Alabama. But literally everyone else in that division is riding Alabama's coattails. That being said, I think the Big Ten East is easily the deepest division in the country. Ton of great coaches.
Three teams could make arguments for winning it and making a playoff appearance, one (Maryland) could possibly spring an upset on one of those three and be in contention next year, and IU/Maryland are tough outs in their own right. Rutgers is the only sacrificial lamb in the division this year. Amazing to see how far the conference has come in the last 4-5 years. Even in the Western division, Wisconsin is a perennial top 10-15 team, Iowa shows up every now and then, and if Nebraska can find the right coach, they can be just as good as the bluebloods in the East.
September 11th, 2017 at 5:49 PM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 5:53 PM ^
Bah
Every conference is the same - a couple of dominating powers, some good bowl teams that can overachive once in a while, and the doormats.
September 11th, 2017 at 7:19 PM ^
Which is why out of conference play is important to your school. Anyone that gets mad about Ohio State winning it all a couple years back doesn't realize how good that was for the conference.
September 11th, 2017 at 7:36 PM ^
The Big Ten is finally using some of that gusher of TV $$$ on decent coaches and facilities. This should have happened a decade ago.
September 11th, 2017 at 8:14 PM ^
I agree that some teams are looking better than expected (Purdue especially) but it seems a lot of teams came out week 1 on fire but are starting to settle back to their norm (Rutgers). It remains to be seen if Indiana can carry their first half play against OSU forward for 4 qtrs and Minnesota is a mystery considering their competition.
I'll give Rutgers some credit in that they didn't roll over for UW, and Maryland seems to be making strides, but it's just too early to say.
September 11th, 2017 at 8:23 PM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 9:54 PM ^
I don't see how you could possibly think MSU is better than us. Speight has been bad, but their QB isn't very good either, except he is a pretty good runner. Their defense seems fine, but nothing scary and they've benefited from playing against QBs who can't throw, since a lot of WRs have been getting open on the secondary.
I can see you expecting a close game, but there is no way that they're better than us.
September 12th, 2017 at 8:58 AM ^
September 11th, 2017 at 9:30 PM ^
September 12th, 2017 at 8:56 AM ^
Yes on Maryland. But what have you seen from Sparty to indicate their getting better?
September 12th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
Well, Michigan State is 2-0. And there's no way they could start 2-0 and finish 3-9 or something.
September 11th, 2017 at 10:14 PM ^
Washington ran basic packages and scored on them easily when they needed to. They just lost to EMU.
September 12th, 2017 at 8:24 AM ^
September 12th, 2017 at 9:32 AM ^
I disagree with your useage of those words. osu, psu and Wisc will be very tough. Others have pointed out the flaws with Minn, Ind, Pur and msu so no need for me to rehash. I think you're reaching here.
September 12th, 2017 at 9:42 AM ^
College football has no preseason so week 1 results are not indicative of future performance. See Rutgers vs EMU for proof.
Rutgers still sucks. Texas is way overrated so hold your horses on Maryland. WMU isn't the same team as last year. Check back in around mid October.
September 12th, 2017 at 10:12 AM ^
September 12th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
Rutgers isn't the basement or even the sump pit. They're the septic tank outside.