Week 10 Picks

Last weekend I was disappointed by my two losses but whatever I'm over it. This weekend could be even more difficult to pick because the top two teams in the Big Ten have bye weeks. Therefore every match up is pretty even. However, injuries could play a part in games if Purdue's Curtis Painter can't go and if Northwestern must play without CJ Bacher after they have already lost Tyrell Sutton. Lets take a look at what I think about Week 10 and hopefully it shapes up to be better than Week 9

Northwestern at 17 Minnesota- Okay, so I'm waiting for Minnesota to fall because I don't think they can keep playing the way they have. Maybe that's because I'm used to them being so bad but whatever. The big question mark here for me is whether CJ Bacher plays or not. If he does it is possible that they win. If not I think Minnesota rolls especially at home. I think Adam Weber is a strong QB and will perform well enough to get the win whether Bacher plays or not.
Minnesota 27, Northwestern 17

Wisconsin at 21 Michigan State- Can Michigan State avoid a let down after beating Michigan last weekend? Will Wisconsin continue to improve after a big win against Illinois? Those are two big question marks as Wisconsin's defense is capable of stopping the run and are very experience however, they haven't played up to their potential. Michigan State obviously has a strong running attack with Ringer but the quarterback play of Hoyer has continued to improve providing a balanced offense. Wisconsin loses Beckum to injury last weekend and Sherer looks to get his first win on the road. I don't picture it happening.
Michigan State 24, Wisconsin 21

Central Michigan at Indiana- Alright with the possibility of Kellen Lewis being ready to play this weekend gives Indiana a problem before the game even starts. Do you start Lewis or stick with Chappell who led the Hoosiers to a victory last weekend? Central Michigan is riding high and are currently on a 4 game winning streak. Dan LeFevour is the leader of Central Michigan at the quarterback position and may be one of the top QB's in college football. He spreads the ball around too much for Indiana to keep up. The trickery will not work for Indiana two weeks in a row.
Central Michigan 35, Indiana 20

Michigan at Purdue- Purdue may be without quarterback Curtis Painter but that may be a good thing as he hasn't been able to do anything this year. Whether he plays in this one or not doesn't matter in my opinion. This game will be won on defense and that's the one thing Michigan has. They force some key turnovers in a low scoring affair.
Michigan 17, Purdue 10

Iowa at Illinois- This game could depend where each team is come the end of the regular season. Illinois stands at 4-4 and Iowa is 5-3. Both have tough stretches and need this game to have a solid shot at a bowl game. Iowa will need two wins to get in a bowl and Illinois probably needs 3. What will give? Iowa is led by Shonn Greene who has been spectacular this season and faces an Illini defense that has been anything but solid. Shonn Greene will have a big day but will the Iowa defense be able to stop Juice Williams. Iowa can't win a shootout here and will have to focus on stopping the Illini offense. Ron Zook called his team out after last weekends loss to Wisconsin. How will his team respond? Is the recent leave of absence from the team by running back Daniel Dufrene a sign that players are giving up or can't take it? This game should be intense and could go either way.
Iowa 27, Illinois 17

Season Record: 31-13

A look back at Week 9 Picks

Well, I guess I picked the wrong upset this past weekend. I was waiting for Minnesota to be slow off the bye week and I'm just waiting for Purdue's offense to have one decent game. Of course now their quarterback Curtis Painter is injured so who knows what will happen. They could be better off after the way he has played this season. On another note Northwestern looked absolutely terrible and injuries to Bacher and Sutton also don't look good for their future. But lets take a look back at my picks.

Northwestern at Indiana- I never would have pictured Indiana beating Northwestern especially without Kellen Lewis at quarterback. However, a little trickery and 5 turnovers proved to be the difference in this game as Indiana pulled out everything they could to win this one. Injuries to Tyrell Sutton and CJ Bacher hindered the Wildcats and could be a devastating blow to their season as Sutton will be out the rest of the season.
My Pick: Northwestern 38, Indiana 21 Score: Indiana 21, Northwestern 19

Minnesota at Purdue- Minnesota was able to reverse the bye week curse as they were the first team in the Big Ten to win the game following their bye week. Purdue kept it close and played tough for a half but Minnesota was able to force 4 turnovers and Purdue needed to play a perfect offensive game to win this one. Curtis Painter had to leave the game with an injury and Purdue's offense could never get it going once again.
My Pick: Purdue 28, Minnesota 17 Score: Minnesota 17, Purdue 6

Illinois at Wisconsin- Granted I picked this game because I thought no way does Wisconsin lose again at home and I just couldn't imagine them going 0-5 in the Big Ten. Wisconsin seemed to play with a little more intensity on their homecoming and Dustin Sherer looked like a much better quarterback in his second start. Wisconsin was able to pound the ball with the run and Juice Williams played his worst game of the year as he threw 3 INT's. Bad news for the Badgers though when TE Travis Beckum was taken off the field and never returned.
My Pick: Wisconsin 28, Illinois 21 Score: Wisconsin 27, Illinois 17

Michigan State at Michigan- The rivalry continued and it was a tough battle through three quarters as the game was tied at 21. However, behind Javon Ringer's running and Brian Hoyer's passing the Spartans were able to win in the Big House for the first time since 1990. Ringer continued to show why he is one of the best running back's in the country in the 2nd quarter when he bounced off Michigan defenders and dashed towards the end zone for a 64 yard TD run to give the Spartans the lead 14-7. Michigan State ended up putting the game away with two TD's in the fourth quarter.
My Pick: MSU 21, Michigan 17 Score: MSU 35, Michigan 21

Penn State at Ohio State-The game everyone was looking forward to ended up living up to the hype as it went down to the wire. It was a defensive battle all game long and Penn State proved that they can still beat a quality opponent even if their offense isn't putting up the big numbers. The Nittany Lions held on to the ball and their defense were able to force two turnovers. The biggest came on a third and 1 early in the 4th quarter when defensive back Mark Rubin forced a Terrelle Pryor fumble on a QB sneak that he tried to break outside. The Buckeyes had a 3 point lead at that point until backup QB Pat Devlin's 1 yard touchdown that put Penn State on top for good. I thought this would be won by a defense but I didn't expect the game to be this low scoring. A great game and Penn State now has the inside track to a Big Ten Title and a chance at the national championship.
My Pick: Penn State 38, Ohio State 27 Score: Penn State 13, Ohio State 6

A 3-2 week. Nothing great but nothing I can really complain too much about. I still want to have a perfect week and I hope to do better in Week 10.

Top 10 games from the Big Ten this season

Many games this season said a lot about teams and some were taken over by a single player. But I think I've got a pretty good top 10 games from this season after digging through each week. So here they are.

10) Oregon 32 at Purdue 26- This was a game I really enjoyed watching. Going to double OT is definitely a reason I enjoyed watching it. But from an importance aspect, I think this game played a huge role in where Purdue stands right now. They should have knocked off the 16th ranked team at that point and it would have given them a ton of confidence. But there season has been a very disappointing one and Curtis Painter has not been able to get anything done all year.

9) Ohio State 20 at Wisconsin 17- This was a big game for both teams as Ohio State needed to win to get any respect. If they would have lost the whole nation would have turned against them. As for Wisconsin it just continued a their losing streak that went to 4 games. If Wisconsin could have won this they may have been able to get things back together.

8) Missouri 52 vs. Illinois 42- A game played in St. Louis was a coming out party for Juice Williams. In a losing effort he was able to show everyone in the country that he has improved as a quarterback as he passed for 451 yards and 5 TD's. He out performed Chase Daniel and put to rest all of those that doubted his throwing ability. A shootout that I loved watching as a fan because both offenses were firing. However, it did show that both teams would struggle the rest of the season because neither team had a defense.

7) Utah 25 at Michigan 23- For the second straight year Michigan gets upset at home in Week 1. Granted as the season went on this may have not really been that big of an upset. But it is still significant as Michigan showed it was re-building and lost in the Big House once again.

6)Illinois 24 at Penn State 38- Up until this point I wasn't completely sure where Penn State stood because they never really played anyone. After watching this game I was sold that Penn State was for real and was the best in the Big Ten. The balanced offensive attack was just too much for Illinois and Derrick Williams' 94 yard kickoff return for a TD was just a great show.

5) Iowa State 5 at Iowa 17- This game was big as Iowa was able to regain the Cy-Hawk Trophy. Brodell's first career punt return for a TD put the game away. This game is always important for the Hawkeyes because it seems to always affect both teams season. This one is in there mainly because it was a game that kept popping in my head when I was trying to think of a top 10.

4) Ohio State 3, USC 35- This was the game everyone was looking forward to since the beginning of the year. It was Ohio State's chance to prove they belong and USC was looking to deny them the chance. This game showed that Ohio State has a long ways to go before they are national championship contenders. It could also be a preview to the Rose Bowl. I wonder who will win that one?

3) Wisconsin 25 at Michigan 27- I loved this game because I'd said Wisconsin was overrated all year. This game is the start of Wisconsin's downward spiral to the bottom of the Big Ten. Wisconsin had the game won but Michigan scored 20 points in the fourth quarter to get the win.

2) Wisconsin 16 at Iowa 38- The continued fall of Wisconsin and a rising star finally has the performance that no one can ignore. All year Shonn Greene was rushing for over 100 yards and was a solid performer week in and week out. This game finally got him some recognition as he busted out for 217 yards and 4 TD's. If he even gets invited to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation this is the game everyone can point to.

1) Penn State 13 at Ohio State 6- A game with the Big Ten Title at stake and a chance at the national championship on the line. This game had to be number one. It was a defensive battle that went back and fourth. Penn State got over a big hurdle as Ohio State has dominated the Big Ten year after year and now Penn State controls its own destiny to take over. This game also keeps their hopes of the national championship alive.

A look back at why Penn State beat Ohio State

So last night showdown was just as I expected it would be; a defensive battle that the Nittany Lions pulled off. It was obvious that Penn State was the better team and a team that is much more ready to make a run at the national championship.

Not to hate a on Terrelle Pryor because he is a great player, but being a freshman showed by the mistakes he made and the play calling of Ohio State. Yes the game was close, but Ohio State really couldn't move the ball on offense. I'd say this is because Pryor is a freshman and they weren't willing to stretch the field as often as Penn State. Even though Penn State didn't complete many long passes they were at least willing to try which opened up the running game.

Ohio State on the other hand constantly looked conservative and it showed as Chris Wells couldn't get anything going on the ground because Penn State just had to focus on him. Without Wells being able to run Ohio State was going to be in trouble.

As far as defense the game went just as I expected it would. I knew the game would be won by the defense that was able to force mistakes or slow down the other offense. I figured Penn State would give Pryor a lot of trouble because they are the best defense Ohio State has faced all year. A freshman mistake is what ultimately cost Ohio State the game. With the lead in the 4th quarter and a 3rd and 1 Pryor was expected to just sneak it up the middle and get the first down. However, he tries to bounce it outside and make the big play which he fumbled away when defensive back Mark Rubin knocked the ball loose with his left hand. This will certainly be a mistake Pryor will learn from especially with a strong defense and the lead. As for the interception it's really not a big deal because he just threw the ball to the end zone with little time left hoping to tie the game up. Amazing that it takes desperation for Ohio State to throw the ball down field. If they did it a little more earlier the game could have turned out better for them.

Overall, this game did show the nation that Penn State is for real and Ohio State has a long ways to go before it can be considered a national contender. At this rate they would lose to any SEC or Big XII team because they lack the ability to move the ball if "Beanie" Wells isn't able to get his 100 yards. They showed last night that they aren't going to spread the field and even though they have big play receivers in Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie they haven't been a factor since Pryor became the starting quarterback. This makes their offense predictable and they have to rely on their defense to score or give them good field position.

Penn State is the team to beat in the Big Ten and I couldn't be happier to finally give another team a chance to prove themselves on the national stage rather than seeing Ohio State get blown out again. I hope Penn State makes the national championship and I believe they can win it to restore faith in the Big Ten.

Week 9 Picks

So last weekend I was an upset pick away from having a perfect week. This weekend I'm looking for perfection and this weekend could be one of the toughest to pick. The top two teams will face off in Columbus. Can Wisconsin win a Big Ten game or will they continue to fall? Can Minnesota keep it up or will they continue like every other team in the Big Ten that has had a bye and lost the following week? The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry takes place and Michigan State looks to rebound after being smacked in the face by Ohio State. Will be an interesting weekend and the Big Ten Title could be decided this weekend.

Lets get it started.....

Northwestern at Indiana- This is an intriguing game because I'm just waiting for the Indiana offense to explode. Will CJ Bacher continue his hot streak and keep the Wildcats rolling? I see Northwestern struggling on the road but Bacher and Sutton prove too tall a task for a struggling Indiana secondary.
Northwestern 38, Indiana 21

Minnesota at Purdue- What happens here? Does Curtis Painter continue to struggle and lose his teammates? Or does he respond to his running back Korey Sheets calling him out? Sheets has been solid all year long but he can't carry the whole team. Minnesota has been surprising all year and they could already be destined for a loss as every team has following a bye week in the Big Ten this season. Quarterback Adam Weber has been able to lead the offense well all year and has been in control. The defense also looked strong against Illinois and forced turnovers to beat Illinois in Champaign. I think Purdue responds at home and Curtis Painter responds to adversity.
Purdue 28, Minnesota 17

Illinois at Wisconsin- This game is a tough call because Wisconsin is capable of being a good team and they are always tough at Camp Randall. The issue is that they haven't been able to protect their home field this season. The Illini have been inconsistent all year and they looked spectacular against Indiana last weekend but who hasn't. Juice Williams is capable of beating anyone anywhere but Wisconsin is hungry. The Illini have a lot of weapons and Jason Ford emerged as a solid running back last weekend. This game all depends on Wisconsin's defense as they have not played very well of late. I'm going with Wisconsin to finally get a Big Ten win because no way do they lose again at home and go 0-5 in the Big Ten.
Wisconsin 28, Illinois 21

Michigan State at Michigan- The rivalry continues as Michigan State looks to prove they are a solid team after being dominated by Ohio State. Michigan is just looking to find their identity as they looked like they were capable of playing with Penn State for a half and then they just fell apart. I'm not saying they are even close to Penn State but still they were able to play with them for a half. Michigan is at home and will be fired up for this game. The defense is strong and they must focus on stopping Javon Ringer. I'm not sure where to go with this one but I'll go with Michigan State just because I feel they are the better team.
Michigan State 21, Michigan 17

Penn State at Ohio State- So it's down to the Big Game with so many implications on the line. The Big Ten Title a possible National Championship birth. This game looks to be a classic as the top defense of the Big Ten faces the top offense. Penn State's offense has been unstoppable and Ohio State is always tough on defense. However, I think Penn State's offense is better than USC's and has more weapons which could be a problem for Ohio State. Penn State also has a solid defense but they have to face Chris "Beanie" Wells who always plays good in big games and Terrelle Pryor continues to impress me as he shows much more maturity than his age. The game is at Columbus but I see Penn State forcing a couple of costly turnovers that gives Penn State the victory.
Penn State 38, Ohio State 27


Season Record: 28-11

A look back at Week 8

Alright so last weekend was good because it showed that there are two teams that separate themselves at the top. In my opinion Penn State is the clear cut number one and Ohio State is number two. Of course these two could swap places after this weekend but there's no way anyone is going to jump over them no matter who loses.

But lets take a look back at my picks last week as I tried to be bold and make an upset pick. However, it back fired on me and kept me from my first perfect weekend. My overall record this season now stands at 28-11.

Ohio State vs. Michigan State- I thought I had something here when I picked Michigan State to continue to impress the nation by knocking off the Buckeyes. I doubted Ohio States ability on offense after what it did against Purdue. However, I now know to never doubt the Buckeyes and Terrelle Pryor as they are a much stronger team with Pryor and a healthy Wells.
My Pick: OSU 17, MSU 24
Score: OSU 45, MSU 7

Purdue vs. Northwestern- After the way Purdue has struggled this seemed like a no brainer. The Wildcats were able to overpower the Boilermakers as Purdue quarterback Curtis Painter continues to struggle as he threw three picks. The Wildcats were also able to comeback after their first loss of the season to Michigan State. Northwestern continues to impress as they now stand at 6-1 on the season and 2-1 in the Big Ten.
My Pick: NW 28, Purdue 17
Score: NW 48, Purdue 26

Wisconsin vs. Iowa- I predicted the game would be decided on the ground and boy was it ever. Shonn Greene rushed for 217 yards and outscored the Badgers on his own. I wasn't too far off on the score and my prediction that the Iowa defense would be able to stop the run and force turnovers also wasn't a bad one as they tallied three interceptions. Wisconsin continues to free fall as they have lost 4 in a row and Iowa seems to be back on track as the offense looks to be gaining momentum.
My Pick: Iowa 27, Wisconsin 13
Score: Iowa 38, Wisconsin 16

Michigan vs. Penn State- Penn State continued to show why it is one of the best if not the best team in the country. The Nittany Lions started off slow as Michigan was able to get out to a 10-0 start. But the Nittany Lions weren't going to be denied a victory over Michigan. The Nittany Lions were able to score 39 unanswered points to blow away Michigan and continue their quest for a Big Ten Title and the National Championship.
My Pick: PSU 38, Michigan 10
Score: PSU 46, Michigan 17

Indiana vs. Illinois- Going into this game I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Could Indiana's offense get things going against an inconsistent Illini defense? Will the Illini play to their potential and blow Indiana away? There were just too many questions as Illinois hasn't played to their potential consistently and Indiana has just looked terrible. However, the Illini defense showed up to play and looked the best they have all year in my opinion. The offense also looked explosive as Juice Williams continues to impress as he threw 3 TD's. Then there was the surprise performance from running back Jason Ford that had a breakout performance rushing for 172 yards and 3 TD's of his own. The Illini showed just how dangerous they can be but they have also had a habit of having a let down after playing well.
My Pick: Illinois 38, Indiana 17
Score: Illinois 55, Indiana 13

Power Rankings
1. Penn State
2. Ohio State
3. Northwestern
4. Minnesota
5. Michigan State
6. Iowa
7. Illinois
8. Purdue
9.Michigan
10. Wisconsin
11. Indiana

Showdown in Columbus

With the Big Ten Title on the line and a possible berth in the BCS Championship at stake how does it get any bigger than Penn State at Ohio State?

5 Reasons this game's huge...

1. College Gameday will be there.
2. Chris "Beanie" Wells and Terrelle Pryor vs. Daryll Clark and Evan Royster
3. Joe Pa vs. The Vest
4. Night game at the shoe.
5. Big Ten Title and berth in the BCS Championship at stake.

Granted Ohio State has struggled in the spotlight but they have constantly been the king of the Big Ten. Now there is the resurgence of the Penn State Nittany Lions and they are looking to show that Ohio State isn't the only powerhouse in the Big Ten.

Lets take a look at both sides.

Ohio State
I'll start with the Ohio State Buckeyes. They have a lot to prove in this game because each year they believe they are a top team in the nation but they continue to get blown out on the biggest stages. If the Buckeyes want to make a case for themselves then they have to win this game. If not the doubters will continue to grow and the Buckeyes will continue to lose respect. So what do the Buckeyes have to do to win?

For starters they need to continue to play defense because Penn State's offense has been rolling all season as they have been able to put up 45 points per game. The Buckeyes need to limit the Penn State offense because the Buckeyes offense hasn't really been consistent. They had a breakout performance this past weekend at Michigan State but offense won't come as easily against the Nittany Lions defense.

The game will be decided by Chris Wells' ability to run the football and control the clock and Terrelle Pryor will have to continue to improve and limit mistakes. If Terrelle Pryor is able to play the way he did against Michigan State it could be big day for the Buckeyes. But ultimately this game is on Laurinaitis and the defense to stop Penn States explosive attack.

Penn State
Penn State in this game just has to continue doing what it has done all year long. They have been able to dominate every opponent they have faced because they have an explosive offense and a dominant defense that has only given up 12 points per game. Penn State also has an edge on offense because they have so many different weapons. It all starts with quarterback Daryll Clark who can run as well as pass. Then they have a running back in Evan Royster that ran for 174 yards against Michigan this past weekend. Also lets not forget the wideout position where Deon Butler, Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood all have game changing capabilities.

In my opinion this game is on the defense of Penn State just like Ohio State. I say that because the offense will be there but the Nittany Lions defense needs to find a way to shut down Chris Wells. If they allow him to run free then Penn State will be in trouble. I also believe that Penn State is capable of forcing some mistakes out of Terrelle Pryor as they are the toughest defense Ohio State will face since USC.

-This game could go either way and wait until later this week when I post my Week 9 Picks to see who I think will win this showdown.

Greene for Heisman

After watching Shonn Greene and having him continue to amaze me it got me thinking why Javon Ringer is solely getting all the talk of the Big Ten. Sure he is the leading rusher but in my opinion Greene deserves some love.

Earlier this morning ESPN's Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg responded to an email asking the same question as I have. Rittenberg responded by saying that Ringer is the best player on a 6-1 team and Greene is on a 4-3 team. He also went on to say that Greene hurts his case because he hasn't found the end zone enough.

Well, after today I'll make my case for Greene. For one the Hawkeyes now have a convincing win under their belts. Greene also answered the call by scoring 4 touchdowns. He also rushed for 217 yards today and averaged 8.7 yards per carry. The 217 yards brought Greene's season total to 1,154 yards rushing. Lets also not forget that Greene is the only running back in the country that has rushed for more than 100 yards in each of his first 8 games. After today's performance Greene should be getting recognition. If not then it is because the Big Ten isn't getting enough love due to the lack of national respect it receives. In my opinion, the Big Ten is a much stronger league than the past and it deserves more recognition. Javon Ringer isn't the only top notch player in the Big Ten. I'll argue that Greene is the best running back in the Big Ten right now and the fact that he was out of football for an entire year makes the numbers look even better. So someone give Greene some love as he has been the most consistent player in the Big Ten week in and week out.

Week 8 Picks

Week 7 brought some clarity to the Big Ten picture but what will Week 8 bring? Will there be an upset that completely throws things out of whack or will things go as predicted and things will continue to be clearer? As is every weekend this should be a great weekend for football in the Big Ten as their are plenty of story lines going in.

1. Javon Ringer vs. Beanie Wells
2. Wisconsin's quarterback situation and whether or not they can get back on track.
3. Can Northwestern rebound and keep their Big Ten hopes alive?
4. Will Illinois be able to get things together and rebound after a loss to Minnesota?
5. Will Penn State continue to roll or does Michigan have a surprise for the country?

Well lets get to my picks.........

*Purdue at Northwestern- Purdue continues to struggle to put points on the board even though they have the potential to be explosive. Led by veteran quarterback Curtis Painter this offense has no excuse for performing the way they have early on. Northwestern on the other hand was tripped up by Michigan State last weekend but have been quite the surprise as they stand at 5-1 on the season. This game could be a shootout or it could be a blow out if Purdue can't get things together but they have had success against Northwestern.
Northwestern 28, Purdue 17

* Wisconsin at Iowa- This game could be the most interesting match up of the weekend as there are two different story lines going in. Can Iowa continue to show they are better after they dominated Indiana last weekend and can Wisconsin get back on track after a 3 game skid that completely destroyed their BCS hopes. This game will be decided on the ground and I see Shonn Greene having another breakout day. The Iowa defense will hold their own as they stop PJ Hill forcing Wisconsin to go to the air. Iowa gets a couple INT's and keeps Wisconsin from getting back on track.
Iowa 27, Wisconsin 13

*Ohio State at Michigan State- This game looks like the best on paper as both teams come in ranked and looking to take the Big Ten Title. A loss basically puts all hopes of a Conference Championship out the window while the other one continues the journey. If the Buckeyes want to prove they are still the face of the Big Ten then they need a big day against Michigan State. I see Ohio State Terrelle Pryor struggling on the road and Javon Ringer having a break out day for Michigan State. Michigan State knocks off the Buckeyes.
Michigan State 24, Ohio State 17

*Michigan at Penn State- The Michigan Wolverines are probably hoping to get a bounce back game but it's just not going to happen this weekend. Penn State has too strong of a defense and will force a lot of turnovers against a struggling Michigan offense. This game may not get too out of hand if the Michigan defense can hold its own but Penn State should dominate this game.
Penn State 38, Michigan 10

*Indiana at Illinois- This game features two teams looking for their identity. One week Illinois looks great the next they look terrible. I thought after their game against Michigan the Illini would be back on track and make a run at the Big Ten. But after last weekends loss to Minnesota they proved that their play is too inconsistent and they still have a ways to go. On the other hand Indiana has been terrible all year. They can't get things going although they have the potential of offense with Kellen Lewis who can have a break out game anytime. Juice Williams will continue putting up stellar numbers and will lead the Illini past Indiana even if the rest of the team doesn't show up to play.
Illinois 38, Indiana 17

Season Record: 24-10

Recap Week 7 Picks

Alright so last weekend wasn't too bad as far as my picks were concerned as I went 4-2 which brings my season record to 24-10. However, I was extremely happy that this weekend came because it cleared up a lot as far as the Big Ten is concerned. So what exactly did I learn?

1) Minnesota is a much improved team and Ron Zook's prophecy that you shouldn't say the Illini are back after last year's amazing season came true as the Illini looked absolutely terrible at home against the Gophers.

2)Indiana and Michigan are by far the worst teams in the Big Ten. I expected it from Michigan as they try and learn Rich Rodriguez's spread offense while not having the players to run it. But Indiana has a veteran offense and should be able to do more with the explosive Kellen Lewis at quarterback. They look completely lost without James Hardy.

3) Penn State is hands down the best team in the Big Ten and perhaps the country. Of course they won't get the love they deserve because everyone views the Big Ten as this down conference that will never compete with the SEC or Big 12. But watch out because Penn State has been able to dominate everyone.

4) The conference as a whole is much more competitive. Northwestern struggled early against Michigan State but they still held tough and Michigan State looks like they are living up to the expectations they had coming into the season as a surprise contender for the conference title. Even Ohio State was barely able to escape Purdue at home.

But lets take a look back at my picks.....

First of is Toledo's upset over Michigan which I guess wouldn't have been a stretch considering how bad the Wolverines have looked this season. But I expected to see Michigan finally walk all over a much weaker opponent. Coach Rich Rodriguez called his team out by calling them soft and well that's just how they looked against Toledo.
My Pick: Michigan 28, Toledo 17 Score: Michigan 10, Toledo 13

Next up is my other loss of the week which was Illinois losing at home to Minnesota. I expected the Illini to continue improving and playing a complete game after they looked solid at Michigan. Instead Illinois turned the ball over 3 times and one decisive turnover came when the Gophers recovered a Juice Williams fumble and took it back for a touchdown. After this game it is obvious that no one should take the Gophers lightly and I know I won't when it comes to making my picks from now on.
My Pick: Illinois 35, Minnesota 21 Score: Illinois 20, Minnesota 27

On to my victories which I will start with Iowa at Indiana. I expected the Hawkeyes to play a complete game and beat a struggling Hoosiers team. The Hawkeyes dominated in every phase of the game but they still looked a little shaky in the red zone early on as Stanzi should have been picked off twice on back to back plays. Shonn Greene continued to look strong and he was complemented by freshman running back Jewel Hampton as they both rushed for over 100 yards each. Now a true test comes up as the Hawkeyes will see if they are back against a struggling Wisconsin team.
My Pick: Iowa 27, Indiana 14 Score: Iowa 45, Indiana 9

Next is Ohio State against Purdue. I figured there would be a little more offense in this game but the Boilermakers continue to struggle and Ohio State shows that it is going to have to rely on its defense to lead the way. The offense behind Pryor and Wells can be explosive but unless Pryor becomes more of a passing threat they will not be able to compete at a high level and will be in trouble come bowl season.
My Pick: Ohio State 37, Purdue 21 Score: Ohio State 16, Purdue 3

On to Michigan State and Northwestern which was a great match up as Northwestern surprised everyone after their 5-0 start but the nerves seemed to be a little too much for them early on as they fell behind and were never able to climb back. Javon Ringer had a solid day as he rushed for 124 yards and 2 TD's.
My Pick: Michigan State 38, NW 27 Score: Michigan State 37, NW 20

Finally there is the big game that had Penn State traveling to Wisconsin where the Nittany Lions looked to show they were for real. Boy did they ever as they completely dominated Wisconsin and forced 4 turnovers. The Badgers were never really in this game and they continued to struggle while Penn State continues to prove that it may be the best team in the country.
My Pick: Penn State 32, Wisconsin 21 Score: Penn State 48, Wisconsin 7

Come back later for my Week 8 picks

Mid-season firing the thing to do?

So after the recent resignation of Tommy Bowden from Clemson it got me thinking about all of the other coaches that have been fired lately like first year offensive coordinator of Auburn Tony Franklin and how there are so many college coaches that are on the hot seat. So is the NCAA becoming too much like the NFL with the coaching carousels? I think the NFL is a little over the top with the whole thing as well but the NCAA should take my advice and don't look towards the NFL for a role model on how to handle your program.

I mean is it really a good thing for a program to let go of a coach in mid-season? In my opinion sure it can be justified but in the college game the coaches take more heat than is necessary. Granted the players are student-athletes and shouldn't have to deal with the media like the pro's but there should be more responsibility put on the players than putting the blame solely on the coaches. Yes the coaches tell the media to put everything on them in order to protect their players but when it comes to job security lets be realistic, the coaches can't really control what their players do on the field.

So lets take a look at some college coaches that are on the hot seat.

1. I'd like to start right at home with Iowa's Kirk Ferentz who seems to have been on the hot seat since 2006 and hasn't gone anywhere. Granted Ferentz got on a roll by getting to the Orange Bowl in 2003 and winning the Capital One Bowl in 2005. But lets look at this realistically. Although Iowa fans nationwide expect great things from the Hawkeyes, they can't get it done without getting the talent on a consistent basis. Sure the Hawkeyes are based on outworking everyone but that just won't prove to be enough against the likings of Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State to lead to successful seasons year after year. In my opinion the Hawkeyes are lucky to have a high caliber coach like Ferentz and for those that are out for his job should just be realistic about what the Hawkeyes are capable of doing. Certainly the Hawkeyes will get their Big Ten Championships but not at the high rate everyone hopes for.

2. Next I'd like to look at Ty Willingham at the University of Washington. The Huskies have been absolutely terrible under Willingham as they have 11-30 record through his four years. This is in a relatively easy Pac 10 Conference where I believe Willingham should have been expected to at least make a bowl appearance. Nothing major but get to the 6 win mark and make yourself Bowl Eligible and it would look like he's turning the team around. But after an 0-5 start I believe it is justified that he gets fired because things just aren't working. But at least wait until after the season is over.

3. Then there is the Phil Fulmer situation at Tennessee where it seems like they went from a national powerhouse to the biggest disappointment in the SEC. A lot of it goes to the point I made with Iowa which is the fact that for the past few years their recruiting has gone downhill significantly. Last year they had 19 commits and only 1 ESPN top 150 recruit which will not get it done in the SEC with aggressive recruiters like Urban Meyer of Florida and Nick Saban of Alabama. The recruiting does look better for next season as they rank as the 10th best recruiting class on ESPN.com's latest recruiting rankings. The 2-4 start doesn't look good but Fulmer has been able to dig himself out of a hole in the past. With signs of a good recruiting class coming in does Fulmer get more time to turn things around?

4. Lastly I will look into the situation at Clemson with the resignation of Tommy Bowden. Did he deserve to more then likely be forced to resign or get fired? Yes. But was it the right time? No. Sure anytime a coach completely bad mouths a player he should be fired. But why not wait until the end of the season? A lot of the issue here was the fact that Bowden never delivered the hardware. With a team that was expected to win the ACC this season he has struggled to a 3-3 record. But it's not the end of the world. He still could have made a bowl appearance and gone out after a complete season. Who knows with the way the ACC is he still could have possibly won an ACC Title.

So, I'd like to just make a point of emphasis that the athletic programs of the NCAA should not try to be Al Davis. Just let the season ride out and then make your future plans. Also, as a fan to other fans don't put everything on the coaches even though they ask you to. They can't really control what happens on the field and in some cases be happy with what you have because things could be worse than an average finish in the Big Ten.

What to make of the Michigan Wolverines season

So, Michigan once again showed that they are a team in deep trouble. They have to depend on their defense to win every game and they continue to lose at home as they are 2-3 in the Big House this season. After this past weekends failure against Toledo 13-10 we continued to see why Michigan can't win. Their offense can't move the ball and they don't have a quarterback that can limit their mistakes. After a 2-4 start what is there to take from Michigan season and their image.

From a Big Ten point of view it can be taken as a good and a bad thing. The image of the Big Ten could be damaged because when everyone talks about how good the conference is they look towards its two storied programs Michigan and Ohio State. Ohio State can't win the big games and Michigan looks to be in trouble as they may miss out on a bowl game and they might finish last in the Big Ten. From this standpoint the image of the Big Ten is ruined because those that don't follow the Big Ten will just look at Michigan and be like man they are in trouble.

But what about the other side of the coin? Is it possible that Michigan's struggles are good for the Big Ten? Perhaps this shows that the Big Ten is a much stronger conference overall as anywhere from the 2nd spot down in the Big Ten is up for grabs. It is also good in my opinion because I feel like it gets tiring to see the same teams being at the top all the time. I enjoy seeing Minnesota surprise teams and a team like Penn State dominating everyone.

In my opinion Michigan's failures are better for the Big Ten because it shows that anyone can be beaten. The only way I believe it is bad for the Big Ten's image is for those fans that don't really watch the games or know anything about Michigan this season. In that case Michigan will be purely judged on its reputation rather than the team they put on the field this season. Therefore I think that it is a good thing for the Big Ten's image because it shows how the powerhouses like Michigan and Ohio State are slowly not too far ahead of everyone else which for the future means a much more balanced conference that will be good for the fans to watch.

So lets have my first poll question on my blog.

I'd like your opinion, on whether you believe Michigan's failures this season good or bad for the Big Ten's image?

Week 7 Picks

Alright so six games are on slate this weekend with one non conference match up featuring Michigan and Toledo. My biggest question this week is will Minnesota continue its Cinderella run against an Illini team that dominated Michigan last weekend? Also which team will continue to improve and prove themselves in the matchup between Michigan State and Northwestern? Another exciting weekend of football to be seen and lets get to the picks.

I'll start with the non conference match up of Michigan and Toledo. Michigan hasn't looked very strong this year but they did beat Wisconsin and Toledo looks pretty week. So I guess I'm going with Michigan over Toledo especially since they will be looking to respond to the loss last weekend to the Illini.
Michigan 28, Toledo 17

Second is the game that I view as a must win for both teams. This is the match up of Iowa at Indiana. The Hawkeyes continually struggle to hold on to the football and Indiana has just looked terrible through the early going. If either team hopes to make a bowl game I believe this is a must win. I believe the Hawkeyes will finally get over the hump as the passing game excels against a weak Indiana secondary and Shonn Greene just continues to do his thing. The biggest issue for the Hawkeyes will be can the defense stop quarterback Kellen Lewis from running around the football field.
Iowa 27, Indiana 14

Next is Illinois vs Minnesota. Will Minnesota continue its run and surprise the nation by beating the Illini? Or will the Illini continue to improve and completely dominate the Gophers? I believe Juice Williams will continue to show himself as a better quarterback and they will prove to tall a task for the Gophers.
Illinois 35, Minnesota 21

Then there is the Ohio State Buckeyes against Purdue. This game could end up closer than expected because Chris "Beanie" Wells felt soreness after carrying the load last weekend at Wisconsin. If he's limited we could see the Buckeyes struggle like they did without him and Purdue could pull off the upset. However, I believe that Terrelle Pryor continues to develop at the quarterback position and the Buckeyes have too much skill for the struggling Boilermakers.
Ohio State 37, Purdue 21

Then the toughest game to pick of the week is between Michigan State and Northwestern. Is Northwestern for real? We will find out this weekend as they take on a Michigan State team that looks like it could contend for a Big Ten Title. After last weekends performance I believe Javon Ringer will have a big day and carry the Spartans past the Wildcats.
Michigan State 38, Northwestern 27

Lastly is Penn State traveling to Camp Randall Stadium to play the Wisconsin Badgers. Wisconsin played Ohio State tough last weekend will they prove a tough test to the Nittany Lions who look to be the team battling Ohio State for the Big Ten Title this year. I believe Penn State is too strong and Wisconsin will not be able to move the ball successfully because of the quarterback play of Allan Evridge. The Nittany Lions continue rolling.
Penn State 32, Wisconsin 21

Season Record: 22-8

Week 6 in Review

Alright so once again my picking ability looks terrible as I went 3-2 last weekend which leaves my current season record at 22-8. Well lets take a look at my picks and where I went wrong.

Lets start with the Hawkeyes because they continue to disappoint me. I picked them to win because I thought they were ready to get over the hump offensively and I believed the defense was strong and able to stop anyone's rushing attack which they did by keeping Javon Ringer under 100 yards and out of the endzone. However, once again the offense struggles in the red zone and continues to turn the ball over. I knew it would be a close game but the Hawkeyes continued to struggle when it mattered most.

Well lets start out with my other bad pick which was Indiana over Minnesota. I personally expected this game to be a battle of the offenses which definitely didn't happen as Minnesota won 16-7. However, I thought Minnesota would come down to earth and Indiana's offense led by the dangerous Kellen Lewis would prove too tough for Minnesota but that did not happen and Indiana looks about as good as the Hawkeyes right now so that should be an interesting match up this weekend.

Next is my pick of Penn State over Purdue. The Penn State Nittany Lions were my obvious pick of the week because they looked unstoppable and Purdue hasn't looked all that great as their offense has not been able to get going. I of course thought the Nittany Lions offense would put more points but a 20-6 victory is still a strong victory over a Big Ten opponent on the road.

Next is the Juice Williams show where he single handedly dominated Michigan by compiling 431 yards of offense. Those numbers are great for a single offense let alone a single player. It seemed like this game was a breakout performance for the Illini as the offense was solid and the defense seemed to finally play together as a unit as they were able to win at the Big House 45-20.

Lastly is Ohio State over Wisconsin. Throughout the year I have said Wisconsin was overrated and they haven't been playing well of late as they are 0-2 in the Big Ten. I feel like with Beanie Wells Ohio State will get back to playing football the way everyone expected them too. Especially with the way Terrelle Pryor is able to run and the way he is maturing as a quarterback means that defenses can't key on Wells because if they do Pryor can bust a long run as well. I predicted Wells would play a big part in this game and he did as he gained 168 yards on the ground. Should be interesting to see if Ohio State has a let down against Purdue this weekend.

Big Ten Power Rankings

1. Penn State
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan State
4. Illinois
5. Northwestern
6. Minnesota
7. Wisconsin
8. Michigan
9. Iowa
10. Purdue
11. Indiana

Come back soon for my Week 7 picks

What to make of the Hawkeyes

Well after 6 Weeks of the season I have been extremely disappointed. Sure I could look at the bright spots like we are improving and we have only lost our 3 games by a combined 9 points. But my frustration goes further than this season and we stand at 3-3 no matter what the bright spots are the Hawks should be better.

Back in 2005 Iowa had one of the best recruiting classes in the country. Every year since then Iowa has not lived up to the hype.

Lets start with 2005 when the Hawkeyes were supposed to succeed following their amazing come back in the Capital One bowl vs LSU the year before. Coming in with a dominating defense the Hawkeyes didn't live up to the hype as they fell to a 7-5 record.

Then there was 2006 which so far has been the most disappointing season of them all. The Hawkeyes led by Drew Tate seemed ready to get back to supremacy as they started the season 4-0. Then College Gameday came to Iowa City when the Hawkeyes hosted the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Hawkeyes lose 38-17 but that wasn't that big of a deal as the Hawks come back the following week and dominate Purdue 47-17. After that the wheels fall off and the Hawkeyes finish the season with an Alamo Bowl loss that left their record at 6-7.

Next is 2007 where Iowa coming in didn't have much as far as expectations. Sure they had a strong defense led by the Mike's. But other than that they were inexperienced and it would have been nice to make a bowl game. They showed that they were extremely inexperienced throughout the season. Although they showed a bright spot when they were able to knockoff the 19th ranked Illini in Iowa City. They also had the game at Wisconsin but blew it. Although they were down but then improved and won 4 of their last 5 games going into the season finale against Western Michigan. A win would have put the Hawkeyes in a bowl game but they weren't able to get it done and lost that game 28-19 and all hopes of a bowl game were gone as the Hawks finished the year 6-6.

So what to make of the 2008 Hawkeyes. Sure they are a young team overall. But after last season I wouldn't consider the sophmores that young after many of them played a huge part of the 2007 season. Running back was a huge question mark coming into the season but Shonn Greene has shocked everyone as he is one of the best backs in not only the Big Ten but the country as he has rushed for atleast 100 yards every game this season. Then there was the quarterback controversy with Jake Christensen and Ricky Stanzi. They continued to go back and forth as whoever started was outplayed by the other. Now it seems like Ferentz is sold on Stanzi and is willing to ride out the season and hope he improves. As of now the Hawks stand at 3-3 and sure they may be the best 3-3 team in the country but the fact is their record is terrible and they should be much better. They are constantly beating themselves with stupid turnovers and they cannot play a complete game.

In my opinion they play a must win game this weekend at Indiana because it is another team they should beat. The Hawks could very well be 6-0 easily as they have had multiple chances to put games away or comeback in their 3 losses. But as they have in the past the Hawks always seem to play down to their competition and lose the games they should be winning. I don't know what their record will end up this season but they have the toughest games left on their schedule with Penn State and Wisconsin visiting Iowa City and a trip to Champaign to visit the Illini. So where will this team end up? Will they play like they are capable of and finish strong? Only time will tell if these Hawks will be able to improve and not be an average team.

Week 6 Picks

Alright so last week was terrible as far as my picks went and I plan on doing a lot better this weekend. Although I can't really guarantee anything because this weekend could be the toughest to pick the winners and losers because I would argue that each game matches up teams that are pretty much equal. Here are the things I'm looking forward to this weekend followed by my Week 6 picks.

What to Watch For:
- Who will prove themselves in the matchup between the Buckeyes and Badgers?
- Will the Iowa offense get it together and limit the mistakes?
- Who will rush for more yards Shonn Greene or Javon Ringer?
- Will the Big Ten picture get clearer or more confusing?

Lets start off with the one game that I think is a pretty safe bet. That would be the matchup of Penn State traveling to Purdue. This will be the first road test for the Nittany Lions but they are just too strong and too well coached not to blow this open. The spread HD offense proves unstoppable again and Penn State coasts.
Penn State 48, Purdue 17

Now lets go with the games that I think could go either way.

Indiana at Minnesota should be a shootout. The biggest question I have is will Minnesota prove it is a better team by beating a Big Ten opponent. They are at home which should give them the upper hand and the Indiana secondary is hurting from injuries. This game is going to rest on the shoulders of both quarterbacks. The play of Indiana's Kellen Lewis and Minnesota's Adam Weber will likely decide this game. I'll go with Indiana in a wild one on the road.
Indiana 33, Minnesota 27

Next up is a battle of the running games which feature two of the top four backs in the country in Iowa's Shonn Greene and Michigan State's Javon Ringer. The difference in this game will be which defense steps up and stops the run. I see the Hawkeyes coming in hungry and not turning the ball over 5 times. Finally the Hawkeyes put the passing and running game together to play a complete football game. I'll say Javon Ringer doesn't rush for 200 yards and is held to 1 TD.
Iowa 24, Michigan State 20

Then there is Michigan which hosts the Illini. Michigan comes in sky high after their great comeback against Wisconsin last weekend but will they have enough this week vs Illinois? I'm not sure Michigan will pull this one out as their defense can't carry the team all season. I believe the Illini defense forces some turnovers and Juice Williams and the offense are able to keep their mistakes to a minimum against a very good defense.
Illinois 28, Michigan 20

Lastly is the big game for the Big Ten which features the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Wisconsin Badgers. Camp Randall is an extremely tough place to play especially at night. This game will be extremely tough because both teams have a lot to prove. The Buckeyes haven't really played anyone since their embarrassing loss to USC and Wisconsin needs to overcome their second half let down to Michigan last weekend. I'm going to say the Buckeyes start slow as freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor struggles to get settled early on but the strong defense holds Wisconsin at bay. I believe Chris "Beanie" Wells will play a huge role in this game and the Buckeyes will ride him to victory.
Ohio State 27, Wisconsin 17

Season Record: 19-6

What are you look forward to most this weekend?

Look back at last weeks picks

So last week was terrible as my teams didn't come through. I ended the week with a 3-3 record which brings my season record to 19-6. The only thing that disappointed me about my picks are that in the upsets of the week like Michigan over Wisconsin and Notre Dame over Purdue I was tempted to go the other way but I didn't because I felt Purdue and Wisconsin were the better teams and would pull out close victories.

I was also extremely disappointed in the Hawkeyes who showed promise but turned the ball over 5 times against Northwestern which cost them the game. They had their chances but weren't able to pull out a victory. On the brighter side, Penn State continued to roll as they proved to be a much better team than the Illini and Ohio State looked like a much improved team with the return of Chris "Beanie" Wells.

The biggest question I have is whether the Big Ten is all around improved and there are no weak teams or is the conference a lot worse and in danger come bowl season? I'll leave that one up to you because I'm not sure where I stand on it.

But lets take a look at my Big Ten power rankings after Week 5:
1. Penn State
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan State
4. Wisconsin
5. Northwestern
6.Illinois
7.Iowa
8. Purdue
9. Michigan
10. Minnesota
11. Indiana

Check back for my Week 6 picks coming soon.