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.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
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?
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?
Thursday, October 9, 2008
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
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
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
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
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.
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.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
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?
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.
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.
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