What a week in the Big Ten. Illinois and Northwestern both won, making next week’s rivalry game a winner-takes-bowl scenario while the loser endures a 5-7 record. Michigan and Maryland saw the Terps make a furious rally to win, improving their bowl standing while all but ensuring Michigan will go 5-7 and ending any slimmer of hope for Brady Hoke. Minnesota won at Nebraska forcing a play-in game next week in Madison while Iowa and Nebraska saw their seasons take (yet another) turn for the worse. Indiana even played a great hockey game before Ohio State reminded them that football is a four quarter affair.
Team of the Week – Illinois A- – Facing long odds to make a bowl and keep their coach Illinois turned in their second great performance of the season to nab a second league win, a fifth overall win and possibly get to a bowl with a win next week. They did it by stuffing the offensively-challenged Nittany Lions. They held their passing game to under 100 yards and made the rushing attack ineffective, averaging fewer than 4 yards a carry. Offensively it took a while for Illinois to get into gear and facing a great rush defense prevented the ground game doing too much but 9 second half points, the last 3 coming with 8 seconds left, is all the Illini needed when playing such magical defense.
Indiana – A for Effort – Playing a meaningless game for their season they tried their darnedest to be a spoiler. They forced a slew of turnovers to keep it close, even having a lead in the second half, but eventually OSU turned it on.
Iowa – B – The defense played well in stretches but was horrible on third down (allowed UW 7 of 13 but it felt like all seven of those were 3rd and long gut wrenching losses). The offense played well in the second half but was incompetent for the first thirty minutes. The coaches had a good game plan but shot themselves in the foot with bad time outs and a questionable two point conversion (see Random Musing). When you’re less talented than the opposition, you cannot have these gaffes and hope to pull off an upset.
Maryland – B – Out-gained, barely 300 yards of offense, horrid on third down but one perfect fourth quarter gave the Terps their 7th win and with Rutgers next, a great shot at 8-4 and a wonderful baseline for future Big Ten success. The deciding quarter actually started at the tail end of the third with Maryland putting together a drive. A roughing the kicker penalty allowed UMT (or UMD, which is better when abbreviating the two schools when they play each other?) to tie it with 14:47 left. Michigan then settled for a field goal try (missed) on their following drive thanks to a sack. Maryland answered with an impressive 10 play, 78 yard touchdown drive. Michigan’s response was a turnover on down at mid field with a little over 4 minutes left. The Terps got the two needed first downs to ice the game. Outstanding quarter of play.
Michigan – C – So the whole Michigan vs Maryland UM thing. When they are head to head is UMT or UMD better for Maryland and is UMW or UMI better for Michigan? As for Michigan’s actual performance it was good enough to win but like so many times this year, they didn’t. Flipping this game, the Rutgers game and maybe the Utah game would certainly change the outlook on 2014. You can say that about any team but most programs aren’t paying their coordinators a king’s ransom, have the on-paper talent of Michigan or the ease of schedule UM had. Utah, Minnesota and Maryland were all home losses. Of those teams only one is firmly better than Hoke’s club and it isn’t because of on-field talent, it is because of the coaches (in case you just woke up form a coma, I’m talking about Minnesota).
Michigan State – A+ – And this is why the tournament needs to be 8 teams at the very least, but more realistically 16. After the defense got shelled by OSU they have been flat out amazing. This team is peaking at the right time but sadly two losses, one of which was on the road to Oregon very early, will haunt them. If you ask any coach who they would not want to face from the teams with no shot to make the tournament, I’m sure MSU is at the top of the list. What a joke this tournament is.
Minnesota – A – What a second half. Down 21-7 at the break and David Cobb getting banged up the Gopher’s defense dug deep and the adjustments Kill and his staff made while the band played were perfect as they won the second half 21-3 to win the game. Regardless of how the finale against Wisconsin goes, this has been a fantastic season for the Gopher’s when a lot of their issues on paper to start the year looked like deal breakers. Well done Ski-U-Mah.
Nebraska – D – Seriously, what does a coaching staff have to do to get fired in Lincoln? I know the glory days are long gone but choking up a 21-7 halftime lead at home, on senior day, with a league championship in play? I get that Bo reliably wins 9 to 10 games a year but when you have 3 cupcakes in the non-con, Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue in your division and the possibility of playing Rutgers, Indiana, Michigan and Penn State then 9 wins should be the at least, not a celebration.
Northwestern – A – A must win for any bowl and NU stepped up by whipping Purdue up and down the field. The defense forced five turnovers and the Wildcats pushed the lead to 38-7 at one point. They look like the hotter team coming into that huge Land of Lincoln showdown and if their defense plays another gem, Illinois has no chance.
Ohio State – F in style points – When you think of TCU, 82 points springs to mind. Think of Alabama and you see the 59-0 shelling of Texas A&M. Baylor and Oregon? Sustained offensive success. What does Ohio State have right now? A gaping, stinking hole of a Virginia Tech loss. In order to change the storyline they need to drop a 50, 60, 70 pound weight on a Big Ten lightweight. Being down in the second half to Indiana is not going to get OSU into the tournament.
Penn State – F – Hats off to Illinois for getting a huge win but while they played inspired ball, Penn State came out flat again. A blowout loss is looming against Michigan State. Does a bowl really want a team that cannot score a lick and is 6-6 with back-to-back losses coming to them? I understand that Penn State will get an invite, but that doesn’t mean they are worthy of a bowl.
Purdue – F – What to say about the Train’s performance against Northwestern? I don’t think it ever left the stockyard. Yuck-yuck-yuck. Even though it is only his second year, is Darrell Hazell’s seat hot enough to have the Old Oaken Bucket game next week be a loser leaves town scenario? Jesus Indiana and Purdue football is terrible.
Rutgers – F – Just like Penn State, I’m not sure why a bowl would want this sorry team. I’m not sure what Rutgers fan would want to see this lousy team play again and I know for damn sure that 6-6 isn’t worthy of a bowl, even if the NCAA tells me otherwise.
Wisconsin – B – It wasn’t pretty but they got by the obvious trap game in Iowa City. Gordon was Gordon but my that passing defense was pitiful. 300+ yards to Iowa? That won’t cut it against Ohio State….if they even get by Minnesota.
Game of the Week – Wisconsin at Iowa saw a lot of fireworks in the second half as Iowa tried their best to rally back. Wisconsin’s offense did just enough to grind out the win in an obvious trap game.
The Why Did I Watch This Award – Up 24-7 at half, I just could not watch Northwestern crush Purdue anymore. NU outclassed them in every conceivable way.
Gambling Report Card
Illinois/Penn State – PSU (-6.5), Over (45.5) – And we set the tone for a shitty week with a quick 0-2 hole.
Indiana/Ohio State – OSU (-34.5), Over (65.5) – With this kind of week, I’ll take a split.
Iowa/Wisconsin – UW (-10), Under (51.5) – Hey, hey, another split! 50 total points never looked so good.
Maryland/Michigan – Mich (-5) – “I suppose they can win by five.” I supposed wrong.
Michigan State/Rutgers – MSU (-22), Over (57) – Hey, Rutgers…score the damn ball to help us gamblers out!
Minnesota/Nebraska – Points (NU, -10.5), Under (56.5) – An important double-up thanks to 52 points scored and Minnesota winning. Takes some of the sting out from this week.
Northwester/Purdue – Pick ’em (NU), Under (51) – Damn, damn, double damn with Purdue getting a MEANINGLESS touchdown with 54 seconds left. Have you no shame Boilermakers?
Week Record: 6-7-0
Season Record: 75-75-2
Random Musing
Bringing it back briefly for two questionable coaching calls in the Iowa-Wisconsin game. The first was in the early stages of the fourth quarter. Up 8 at their own 45, UW chose to punt on a fourth and inches. They had already seen Iowa fly down the field just a possession earlier and with a solid line, big qb and Heisman hopeful at running back, why the worry your team can’t get six inches? As for Iowa, when they scored to make it 19-17 they went for the tie. This backfired three times when first they failed to convert and second they gave up a touchdown to push the lead back to 9 – aka- two score game. Even worse, to set up the failed two-point try they burned a timeout. Why not keep it within one score and save the 2pc until you absolutely need it?
–What do you think readers? Sound off in the comments.
Josh’s Top 25
Real AP
1. Florida State
2. Alabama
3. Oregon
4. Mississippi State
5. Baylor
6. TCU
7. Ohio State
8. Georgia
9. UCLA
10. Michigan State
11. Kansas State
12. Arizona
13. Arizona State
14. Wisconsin
15. Auburn
16. Georgia Tech
17. Missouri
18. Ole Miss
19. Marshall
20. Oklahoma
21. Colorado State
22. Minnesota
23. Clemson
24. Louisville
25. Boise State
My Top 25:
1. Oregon
2. Alabama
3. Baylor
4. TCU
5. Mississippi State
6. Florida State – They have played zero ranked teams (currently), lead the worst power-5 conference and do not play elite defense. Goodbye.
7. UCLA – Second best team in the best conference. Swept the highly respected Arizona teams and thoroughly dominated USC.
8. Ohio State
9. Wisconsin
10. Michigan State
11. Arizona – Pounded Utah on the road when everyone in the world (but me) picked the Utes to win.
12. Kansas State – Survived the trap game at West Virginia before a cupcake (Kansas) then a big time implication game versus Baylor.
13. Georgia – I’m sorry, was your win over Charleston Chew Southern supposed to impress me?
14. Georgia Tech
15. Arizona State
16. Boise State
17. Colorado State
18. Missouri – The way they beat a red hot Tennessee team on the road opened my eyes.
19. Marshall
20. Oklahoma
21. Auburn
22. Ole Miss – Was Arkansas just a bad match up or are we finally seeing the tipping point from injuries?
23. Clemson – I don’t love this team as much as I did a few weeks ago but they seem to be the least of all the evils. All their losses are to ranked teams and they knocked off Louisville.
24. Minnesota – Played OSU tight, killed Iowa, beat Nebraska and even the Illinois loss doesn’t look as bad with the Illini being on the cusp of a bowl.
25. Memphis/Louisville/Northern Illinois/Utah State – Four teams with either 8 or 9 victories and 2 or 3 losses. All have an FCS cupcake win and one loss they would love to get back. Memphis is one win away from locking up at least a share of the AAC (they do not play UCF this year) and dominated Cincinnati. They also played both UCLA and Ole Miss very tight. Louisville has been consistently good, if not great, this season. They have beaten all the teams they are supposed to outside the Virginia game. NIU has the best winning percentage of this group but by far the easiest schedule. Do you award them for the old adage you can only beat who you play? USU has sneaky good wins over BYU and Air Force but got smacked around by Tennessee and lost to Arkansas State…something top-25 teams should not have on their resume. I really want to pick Louisville but the ACC is terrible and the Cards did not play anyone outside the league so far other than FIU, Murray State and reeling Notre Dame. Memphis played two solid clubs and were not dispatched until late in each game. As crazy as it sounds, I think on a neutral site the Tigers would beat the Cards and with that in mind, shouldn’t they be ranked above UL?
Big Ten and Counting 