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Rich RodriguezFor the second consecutive season under coach Rich Rodriguez, Michigan will not be going to a bowl game.

In two seasons, Rich Rod has racked up a 8-16 overall record, beaten down the Michigan fan base to such a degree that Ohio State scarlet and gray filled up many of the best seats in the Big House this past Saturday, and left my wife, a Michigan alum, refusing to watch their games on television. "I'm already over Rich Rod," she's said on many occasions.

Now as Michigan enters the long, difficult winter of Wolverine discontent, there's a real issue that has to be decided. If you don't think Rich Rod is going to get it done at the school, you need to fire him now, before the next season commences.

Why?

Because you have a legal hook that can significantly lessen the blow of the firing -- you can argue that Rich Rodriguez breached the terms of his contract by violating NCAA rules. Bang. Meet Michigan's own stimulus plan for the athletic department, firing Rich Rod for cause.

A bit of a legal primer: All NCAA contracts contain a contractual provision allowing a school to end their relationship with a coach "for cause." Think of it is as the school's parachute in the event the plane is going down. Unlike a golden parachute where a coach is fired but receives millions to end the contract, firing someone "for cause" effectively wipes away the buyout provisions in a contract.

Rather than face a multi-million dollar obligation for a buyout, something Michigan fans are all too familiar with after the negotiations between Rich Rod and West Virginia, the school can allege a major violation of NCAA rules or intentional misconduct and show him to the door. Given that the NCAA and Michigan are already investigating Rodriguez and the football program over the amount of hours that players have spent playing or practicing football each week, the door would appear to be open to push Rich Rod out.

Some Michigan fans might be thinking, why can't we give Rich Rod one more season to see if he can win and then fire him for cause if he fails again? Here's the reason: If you uncover a breach of your contract and don't act upon it within a reasonable time, then you can't later scream breach at your convenience in order to invalidate a contract. According to the law you have to act within a reasonable time upon learning of the breach.

Michigan probably has a good idea what the results of their internal investigation are going to uncover. Why? Because the school already announced that Rich Rod and crew have failed to keep adequate logs of their players' hours spent on football. Of course, this is a preliminary finding that probably doesn't rise to the level of major violation, but releasing this information suggests that Michigan is far enough along in their internal investigation to have some idea what their final results will be. Will this investigation uncover major violations or intentional misconduct by Rich Rod?
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In the hands of the right lawyer, virtually any results of an internal investigation could become ammunition to justify a "for cause" firing. And trust me, while Michigan might not have a good football coach, they've got an army of good lawyers.

What's more, we already have a pretty fascinating trail blazed by another collegiate sports titan when it comes to firing a coach after just two years and refusing to fulfill the terms of his contract.

You'll recall that Kentucky fired head coach Billy Gillispie this spring after just two seasons at the school. By virtually every measure, Gillispie had been more successful at Kentucky than Rich Rodriguez has at Michigan. Yet Gillispie never really fit in with the culture of the Kentucky program, some of his players rebelled, and after just two seasons the school felt compelled to act.


Sound familiar?

Kentucky fired Gillispie and swore that they owed him nothing for the remaining years on his contract. According to Kentucky, Gillispie had never officially signed a contract so the university attempted to argue that the memorandum of understanding he'd signed didn't constitute a valid contract. I argued back then that it was a contract, and that both sides were posturing in advance of a settlement.

Which is exactly what happened.

Kentucky paid out a little less than $3 million to Gillispie, and their relationship was sundered forever. But the school got away with paying barely half of what they contractually owed him.

Michigan's options are similar, but I think its legal standing is actually much better. Why? Because at the time of his firing neither Gillispie nor the University of Kentucky were being investigated by the NCAA for any allegations of rules violations. Kentucky had to rely upon a bogus claim that the document Gillispie signed was not a contract.

Merely making that argument saved the school almost $3 million.

Here, Michigan and and Rodriguez both acknowledge a valid contract. All we need to determine is whether Rodriguez breached the terms of that contract. Michigan would argue that he did, while refusing to pay him the buyout owed, and Rodriguez would argue that he didn't, and demand the school pay him. Likely, the truth as to whether or not Rodriguez has breached the contract is somewhere in the middle. But by arguing that he'd violated the contract Michigan could withhold any buyout payments and gird for legal battle.

Both sides would immediately lawyer up, and, in the end, Michigan would likely end up settling with Rodriguez for millions of dollars less than they'll have to pay him if they fire him simply because he's not winning enough games for a proud football program.

So if you're a Michigan fan and you don't think Rich Rod is the right fit, you want your school to make that decision sooner rather than later.

And that means now.

Right now.

Otherwise, getting rid of Rich Rod is going to cost you a lot more in the long run.

Hail to the legal victor.

Legally Speaking, Now Is Time to Fire Rich Rodriguez originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>rich rodriguezClay TravisTue, 24 Nov 2009 08:00:00 EST No Surprise as Ohio State Tops Michiganhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/no-surprise-ohio-state-handles-michigan/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/no-surprise-ohio-state-handles-michigan/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/no-surprise-ohio-state-handles-michigan/#commentsFiled under: ,


"For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It might have been!'" -- John Greenleaf Whittier

For Michigan it really might have been, if not for a dreadful game by Tate Forcier and the Wolverine offense. Rich Rodriguez's squad fell to Ohio State 21-10 today, keeping Michigan out of the postseason for the second year in a row.

Forcier threw four interceptions. He also fumbled in Michigan's end zone on the Wolverines' opening drive, which OSU recovered for a touchdown.

The Wolverines, who came into the game with the Big Ten's top rushing offense, could only generate 80 ground yards against the typically stout Buckeye defense. OSU running backs Dan Herron and Brandon Saine each rushed for more yards than the entire Michigan team, and quarterback Terrelle Pryor came close to doing the same. Pryor did not have a great game through the air, however, going 9-of-17 for just 67 yards with one touchdown and one pick.
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Three of Forcier's four interceptions happened on successive drives in the fourth quarter, killing any hopes of a Michigan comeback. Greg Robinson's defense did its part to keep the Wolverines in the game during the final period, but every time the offense got something going, the Buckeyes forced a turnover.

Ohio State now awaits the outcome of several games to determine its opponent in the Rose Bowl. That determination may not be made until Dec. 5th, leaving a two-week period of preparing for no one in particular. Michigan, meanwhile, has less uncertainty about its next opponent. Their match with Connecticut is just 287 days away.

No Surprise as Ohio State Tops Michigan originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brandon Sainedan herrongreg robinsonrich rodrigueztate forcierterrelle pryorMark HastySat, 21 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Mailbag: KKK Arrives in Ole Misshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/all-that-and-a-bag-of-mail-kkk-arrives-in-ole-miss-edition/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/all-that-and-a-bag-of-mail-kkk-arrives-in-ole-miss-edition/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/all-that-and-a-bag-of-mail-kkk-arrives-in-ole-miss-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Last week I wrote about the controversy over The South Will Rise Again chant at Ole Miss. In that piece I noted that Ole Miss was the only SEC school that couldn't escape the South's past. Now a new controversy is here, the Klu Klux Klan is protesting for this week's game against LSU. Seriously.

Faulkner memorably said, "The past is never dead. It's not even past."

And when it comes to Ole Miss that's certainly the case.

Proving that killing a wasp with a shotgun is tough business, the KKK has now stepped in to defend student's rights to chant, "The South Will Rise Again." The KKK issued this statement: "We aren't coming there to cause problems or cause trouble, Trouble has already been caused by a handful at Ole Miss, including the black student body president, who wants to shape Ole Miss into yet another liberal sodomite college."

Once the KKK takes your side, you've lost. Justifiably so. But so has anyone else on any side of the issue. Especially, by the way, putting this whole thing in a football context, Ole Miss's recruiting.

You think any other SEC school might mention that Ole Miss is a great place to go to school if you want the KKK to march on the day you play your biggest out-of-state rival of the year?

Anyone else think this would be a great time for Dave Chappelle to come out of retirement and bring back his black klan member character?

Our beaver pelt trader of the week is Bill Belichick for taking the risk on fourth down.

Astute readers of the mailbag will note that I didn't get the mailbag up last Friday because of the UT arrests combined with an early book signing in Oxford. So we missed the tally of the picks from two weeks ago.

I went 3-2-1 and Audrey, my family's French exchange student, went 2-3-1.

That ran our total's for the season to 23-22-3 for me and 18-26-4 for Audrey.

Now, our picks weren't public in the mailbag last week--although I tweeted them -- but here they were.

My picks are in bold:

UT @ Ole Miss -6

Stanford @ USC -10.5

Iowa @ Ohio State -17

Florida -17.5 @ South Carolina

Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh -7

Auburn @ Georgia -4.5

So I went, as usual 3-3. Meanwhile here were Audrey's picks along with her rationales:

Ole Miss
Stanford for smart people
Iowa
South carolina for Jordan
Pitt for brad
Auburn for my hair color

She went 4-2, picking up a game on me.

Our records as we enter the homestretch:

Clay: 26-25-3

Audrey 22-28-4


Here are my picks for this week:

California @ Stanford -8

Kentucky @ Georgia -9

Ohio State -12 @ Michigan

Oklahoma -6.5 @ Texas Tech

LSU @ Mississippi -4

Vanderbilt @ Tennessee -17

And here are Audrey's along with her rationales:

California hotel

Kentucky kiki

Michigan fleur

Oklahoma voila

LSU tutu

Tennessee pipi

On to All That and a Bag of Mail.

Chaz writes:

I have heard, from a source within the school, that Ole Miss is test marketing the "Hotty Toddy Man" as Colonel Reb's potential replacement (not kidding). I thought you might find this interesting/disturbing. Everyone that I encountered in the student section thought he was a joke too. I can't imagine coupling the outrage from disposing of Colonel Reb with the possibly greater outrage of choosing this guy as the new mascot. Colonel Reb would really be crying then.

I cannot imagine a greater travesty on Earth than replacing Colonel Reb with Hotty Toddy Man. It's like when Bo and Luke Duke were replaced by those guys who weren't Bo and Luke Duke during a contract dispute on the Dukes of Hazzard.

Only worse.

Actually, here's a greater travesty, playing your biggest rival on the season with a chance to lock down a likely 9-3 regular season record, and having the KKK show up to protest.

Andrew D. writes:

Clay,

There's a lot of chatter about whether Rich Rodriguez should be fired this season, but I haven't heard or read anybody discussing the prospect of firing him "for cause." I haven't looked at his employment contract, but I imagine that if UM can fire him for cause, then it won't be liable for his buyout. If such a clause exists, then the athletic department could potentially fire him for his recent off-the-field incidents, like their time-keeping problem. This seems like a cheap way to get rid of Rich now because if they wait a year to fire him then they may not be able to use the "for cause" justification (unless, of course, he creates even more distractions in the coming year, which is very possible).

In any case, I think that this is an interesting angle to the story that I haven't seen discussed anywhere.

Ding, ding, ding, Andrew D. gives me a premise for a column next week.

That's actually a really fascinating question, one of many reasons why I'm glad that lawyers and lawyers-to-be are such frequent readers and e-mailers.

Now, this would clearly be a contractual dispute if they used this rationale because I don't think it's clear that this is a for cause violation, but much like Billy Gillispie's issue with Kentucky, it's very likely that there would be enough of a dispute that Michigan would get off the hook for, at minimum, half of the buyout.

Now if Michigan was really convinced that something untoward took place, they could play hardball and take this all the way through the courts. But that would open up the program to discovery and who knows what other violations Rich Rod might know about. Or what other violations Michigan might know about that could end up public and lead to violations. (Note: I'm not singling out Michigan here, just pointing out that any program under intense scrutiny with the coach and administration at loggerheads often has a substantial amount of skeletons in the closet.)

But the key point for takeaway here is that Michigan would lose their for cause claim if they kept him on and overlooked this incident. If they fired him after a sub-par third season, a year from now, Rich Rod would get his buyout.

Very good email.

J. P. writes:

I think we are about to see a trend, spurred on by the McCoy-Shipley and Tebow-Cooper housing situations. College coaches requiring their starting quarterbacks to live with their favorite receiver. Is it only a white thing? Do Mack Brown and Urban Meyer do this because of an emphasis on saving the endangered species - white receivers? I am not sure, but put me down for crashing on the McCoy-Shipley couch if I had to pick. I'd put up with Shipley playing his guitar over Tebow watching "8 minute surgery" videos.

Are you making light of the amazing fact that Tim Tebow and Riley Cooper live together and that Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley live together?

Don't you realize how astounding it is that two football players choose to live together?

I'm channeling Verne Lundquist for the first two sentences.

Speaking of which, I think Fox should bring in Verne to call the Texas-Florida game just so he can sprinkle the roommate information for us during the game. Would his head explode with two quarterback/wide receiver roommate combinations in the same game?

It's entirely possible.

Ben F. writes:

Wait, Toby Gerhart is white?

This e-mail is funnier because right now a bunch of people reading this are realizing it for the first time.

Yep, Stanford has a white tailback who is leading BCS schools in rushing.

What's next, a black President?

Shannon D. writes:

Great column today (on SEC ratings). ... I've been thinking the same thing all season ... more evidence in favor of your argument, ABC is all but abandoning the 3:30 kick-off. The primetime game was supposed to be reserved for special games. Unusually good games. Now it's become "any decent game that we don't want clobbered by the CBS game." They are leaving NOTHING in that 3:30 slot. Every meaningful Texas game (save OU, anchored to the 12:00 slot, see previous Clay Travis column) has been shoved into that 8:00 EST start spot (Okla. St., Mizzou). Same with Ohio St. The Ohio St. -- Iowa game is the only decent game ABC has left in the 3:30 spot this year.

Think about UGA -- Ga Tech. They have moved that game at night, 8PM. Has that game EVER been played at night? It's crazy.

Love the column, love the books...

I should have played up the night game angle even more. Because if you put any game in primetime on broadcast television it should beat a game that is on in the afternoon.

Generally speaking anyway.

But the other five conferences haven't been able to do that.

Just another reason why the number of viewers stat is so important in the college football universe. Even if no one else is talking about it yet.

Mailbag: KKK Arrives in Ole Miss originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Clay TravisSat, 21 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST Ohio State-Michigan Game 2009: Live Twitter Updateshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/ohio-state-michigan-game-2009-live-twitter-updates/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/ohio-state-michigan-game-2009-live-twitter-updates/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/21/ohio-state-michigan-game-2009-live-twitter-updates/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Ohio State-Michigan game has always been my personal favorite college football rivalry, dating back to my days as a 5-year-old living near Ann Arbor and worshiping Bo Schembechler. OSU vs. Michigan 2009 doesn't figure to be one of the legendary games -- it might not even be a very good game -- but I'll be watching, and I'll be tweeting my observations while I watch.

And since I'm a sucker for rivalry games, I'll also be tweeting about lesser rivalries like the Harvard-Yale game as well. Follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Twitter Updates on Ohio State vs. Michigan 2009

Ohio State-Michigan Game 2009: Live Twitter Updates originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithSat, 21 Nov 2009 12:05:00 EST Pickin' on the Big Ten: The Rich Rodriguez Spread Dilemmahttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/pickin-on-the-big-ten-the-rich-rodriguez-spread-dilemma/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/pickin-on-the-big-ten-the-rich-rodriguez-spread-dilemma/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/19/pickin-on-the-big-ten-the-rich-rodriguez-spread-dilemma/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Michigan football coach Rich RodriguezEvery Thursday, Pickin' on the Big Ten previews the upcoming weekend's games and ponders the meaning of it all, staring into the yawning existential void and calling a fullback dive on third-and-seven.

With one more loss, Michigan will become ineligible for a bowl game for the second season in a row. This has not happened since W.A. "Brad" Thornwhistle's disastrous first two seasons in 1847 and 1848. To avoid this horrible dishonor, all the Wolverines have to do is to beat Ohio State on Saturday. That will keep them alive for the Little Caesar's Pizza! Pizza! Bowl Bowl.

In other words, Michigan fans will be home for the holidays again.

Watching Michigan struggle is the very definition of "schadenfreude" for fans of all the other Big Ten teams. There's a reason I stuck the Wolverines with the team name "ALMOST AS GOOD AS WE THINK WE ARE" when I started writing Pickin' 11 seasons ago. The Wolverines were just coming off Lloyd Carr's national championship season. The Buckeyes were nearing the tail end of their John Cooper hangover. Wolverine fans never missed a chance to brag up their own team and run down everybody else's.

(Now do you understand why I threw your team under the bus last week, Buckeye fans?)

The current malaise at Michigan is nothing more than the latest example of that ancient statistical concept "regression to the mean." Everything averages out in the long run, and every program, without exception, no matter how big it thinks it is, hits a stretch of futility or near-futility. If Oklahoma, Alabama, Nebraska, USC, Texas, and even Ohio State have had to endure these little seasick stretches, there's no reason why the same fate can't befall the Wolverines.

"But ... but ... we're Michigan!" the fans protest. Yes, and you're almost as good as you think you are.

The dilemma for the Big Ten fan is fairly intense, however. It's great to see Michigan finally getting their comeuppance, but Rich Rodriguez was supposed to bring change to the conference. With his use of the spread offense and the inherent recruiting advantages that Michigan offers, there was a chance that the years of "three yards and a cloud of dust" would finally pass and Big Ten football could be brought at least into the mid-1990s.
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It isn't working out that well, of course. Instead we've got Tressel-ball continuing to dominate, with Kirk Ferentz's Midwestern version of Beamerball running close behind. The irony is that Michigan is leading the league in rushing and scoring, though those statistics are severely skewed by their first four games.

Even nationally, it's been a bad year for the spread. Look at Kansas. KansasCity.com did and found that KU's spread offense wasn't helping them very much, while Nebraska and Kansas State have risen to the top of the Big 12 North behind the sort of power running that was supposed to be obsolete. Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson is going to win the ACC with the triple option. What happened to this magic-bullet offense, this mystical Big Ten kryptonite?

Defensive coordinators fell out of love with the West Coast-killing Cover 2 and rediscovered man coverage. Doesn't matter how much you spread the field if nobody's open.

So now, for the non-Michigan big Ten fan, the issue becomes whether you want Rodriguez to succeed or not. There's no question the conference isn't the same with Michigan sputtering. Given the conference's reactionary tendencies, though, what happens if Rodriguez wins the conference next year behind a smaller, speedier, sneakier team? Does anybody really want to see a wholesale conversion to the spread just as it looks like that offensive scheme is starting its downward slide?

I don't. I just want to see coaches who actually want to win ball games and are willing to risk (gasp!) making a mistake or two in order to win. Not that I'm bitter about the last two minutes of last week's OSU/Iowa game or anything.

Right. The games.

Purdue quarterback Joey ElliottPurdue @ Indiana

There's nothing at stake here except pride. Neither team is going to a bowl game. That's a shame, as both these teams are better than their 4-7 records would indicate.

IU's conversion to the pistol offense didn't exactly work out the way it was supposed to. The fact that the Hoosiers got a running game going at all is impressive, but they're stuck in between Iowa and Minnesota at the very bottom of the conference rushing stats. The inability to kill the clock has burned IU more than once this season and has certainly contributed to their icky-looking defensive numbers.

Purdue, meanwhile, has come a long way from the their solid month of losing. The shutout by Wisconsin was an unfortunate burp, but otherwise this team doesn't lack fight.

Expect lots of passing in this game; it's what both teams do best. in the end I think Purdue's slightly better offensive balance will make the difference. Purdue 38, Indiana 27.

Minnesota @ Iowa

Last season the Hawkeyes closed the Gophers' Metrodome era in style with a 55-0 pants-blasting blitzkrieg. There is little reason to expect a wildly different result this year. James Vandenberg acquitted himself fairly well at Ohio Stadium last week, not folding up in the ultimate high-stress situation. This week at home, against a team with no offense and not much defense, and with another week to prepare, he should do just as well. Iowa 34, Minnesota 10.

Ohio State @ Michigan

Remember when this game used to mean something?

Let's face it, right now Michigan football is sort of like a Neil Hamburger standup routine. The timing's all wrong, stuff is flying all over the place, and you're really not sure how much of it you're supposed to be laughing at.

Ohio State, on the other hand, is sort of like a Jay Leno monologue. There's not a joke you can't finish before Leno himself does, but what do you know, he's always on. Ohio State 42, Michigan 13.

Michigan State defendersPenn State @ Michigan State

Now here's an intriguing game for you. Following the Iowa loss and a bad loss at Minnesota, it appears the Spartans are peaking at just the right time to make this match more of a tossup than you might expect.

The Nits have been money in their road games this season. All three of them. Yet Joe Paterno seems concerned. He knows that MSU takes this whole Land Grant Trophy thing very seriously, the Spartans are playing very well, and MSU's offense is hitting its stride after a half-season of confusion. I think the Nits are just a little too stout to lose this game, but Michigan State is going to push them much harder than they want to be pushed. Penn State 28, Michigan State 24.

Wisconsin @ Northwestern

They're fighting for the honor of Mike Hankwitz!

OK, OK, I kid, I kid. They're fighting for something, however. Northwestern recalls slipping way down to the Alamo Bowl last season because they couldn't seal the deal down the stretch (and because the Outback Bowl really wanted Iowa). Wisconsin would like to give Bret Bielema another 10-win season, which should shut the critics up for a couple years.

The Badgers have been shooting out the lights since their back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Iowa back in October. The untold story, however, is the power of the Badger defense, which has yet to surrender its 1,000th rushing yard and has given up fewer first downs than any other Big Ten defense.

That looms as a huge problem for a one-dimensional offense like Northwestern's. The Wildcats have never been able to make anything happen on the ground this season. With the weather looking cool and damp for Saturday, and Wisconsin coming to town, this probably isn't the weekend for them to start. Wisconsin 33, Northwestern 20.

Next week's ... um ... game:
  • Illinois @ Cincinnati: Look away. Look far away.


Pickin' on the Big Ten: The Rich Rodriguez Spread Dilemma originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>James Vandenbergjoe paternoPickin on the Big TenRich RodriguezMark HastyThu, 19 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST Pickin' on the Big Ten: Coping With Buckeye Fatigue Syndromehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/pickin-on-the-big-ten-coping-with-buckeye-fatigue-syndrome/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/pickin-on-the-big-ten-coping-with-buckeye-fatigue-syndrome/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/pickin-on-the-big-ten-coping-with-buckeye-fatigue-syndrome/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Penn State football coach Joe PaternoEvery Thursday, Pickin' on the Big Ten previews the upcoming weekend's games and issues random taunts to overconfident fan bases.

Be careful what you ask for, college football fan. The very same Iowa team that so many of you desperately wanted to see lose lest the Big Ten get another team into the title game is now the only thing standing between Ohio State and the BCS. If the Hawkeyes can't pull off a ginormous upset in Columbus behind a quarterback making his first college start, you're going to get the Scarlet and Grey facing some honked-off Pac 10 team.

You might be new to that dreadful condition known as Buckeye Fatigue Syndrome, but I've been observing it for years. It's a chronic condition caused by a malfunction of Ohio State football. Symptoms of BFS include the belief that a team which spends almost all of its time in the top 10 is underrated, an inability to let even the slightest perceived sleight go unanswered with a pile of history and statistics, and the uncontrollable urge to sit on a seven-point lead with eight minutes left in the second quarter.

There is no known cure. There's an experimental treatment which involves a team from a state whose entire population is only slightly greater than that of metropolitan Cleveland, but it is unproven and many experts doubt its efficacy. Some of the symptoms can be managed through simple procedures such as diet, exercise, turning the channel, taking up oil painting, and writing the phrase "Ohio State: the Atlanta Braves of college football" repeatedly on a piece of notebook paper.

(Note to Buckeye fans: This is just a hint of what awaits you if you go to the Rose Bowl and once again stink it up. Your team and its complete inability to win a big game outside the conference has made success in the Big Ten a meaningless accomplishment. The whole conference has suffered as a result. If you make it to the BCS and lay an egg, I promise you every edition of Pickin' on the Big Ten next season will include a recap of one of John Cooper's losses to Michigan. When I run out of them, which won't be until very late in the season, I'll start in on the bowl games. I will also run a picture of Coop next to every Ohio State game prediction. I hate doing this, because I actually like John Cooper. But it's for your own good. Win, or next season will be a reminder of how fragile your "elite" status actually is.)

Right. The games.

Illinois quarterback Eddie McGeeNORTHWESTERN @ ILLINOIS

You won't find two hotter teams in the conference than these two right now. Sure, O*** S**** (please don't make me type their name any more than I have to) is playing very well right now, but Northwestern just did what no one else has been able to (bump off Iowa) while Illinois is just on fire.

Wow, how low had Illinois sunk if I can call a two-game winning streak "on fire?" But I digress. Juice Williams is questionable for the Illini, but the offense played pretty well without him last week. NU will probably start Dan Persa at quarterback. The real question in this game, however, will be defense. The Ilini have struggled in that phase of the game all season and weren't exactly brilliant last week, while Northwestern did quite well. It must be noted, however, that NU's success came against an Iowa offense so depleted by injuries they were forced to use a backfield made up of nothing but Iowans.

Illinois will score a lot of points in this game. That's just what they do, at least now that it's November. The question will be whether Northwestern can answer. I think they'll fall just short. They can't get in the Illini's heads like they got in Iowa's. Illinois has already lost its quarterback. Illinois 35, Northwestern 28.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE @ MINNESOTA

Before you write this off as just another FCS money game, you should be aware of two things. First, South Dakota State is actually pretty good, especially when you consider they've only been a Division I school for five years. The Jackrabbits opened their season on the road with a beatdown of perennial FCS power Georgia Southern, for instance.

Second, this is Minnesota we're talking about. They have a history of losing these kinds of games, don't you know?

Adam Weber has been playing like a new quarterback now that Eric Decker is out for the season. It's almost like he has to read progressions now or something. That could be a problem, though, because SDSU plays some pretty ferocious defense. They won't quite have enough grunt to pull off the upset, but at least through halftime this game will be too close for comfort for the Gopher faithful. Minnesota 27, SDSU 13.

Indianapolis Colts placekicker Adam VinatieriKnow Your Nonconference Tomato Can: South Dakota State University

Agriculture is and always will be a big deal in South Dakota, so it's no surprise that the state's agricultural school happens to be the biggest university in the state. Located five hours west of Minneapolis in the city of Brookings, SDSU now enrolls almost 13,000 students and boasts one of the biggest homecoming celebrations on any college campus anywhere.

You might think SDSU is all play and no work. Think again. SDSU's students and faculty are responsible for a great many innovations. The Briggs & Stratton engine was invented by an SDSU alumnus. The university claims to be the birthplace of cookies and cream ice cream. Virtually every major stadium in this country has a Daktronics scoreboard. That company was started by two SDSU professors.

SDSU has a strong history in football as well. Indianapolis Colts placekicker Adam Vinatieri is a former Jackrabbit football player, as are journeyman NFL offensive lineman Adam Timmerman and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Langer. Go ahead, call SDSU "the middle of nowhere." They can prove you wrong.

IOWA @ OHIO STATE

Ohio State's going to win this game 66-0. A Buckeye fan told me so. So, there you go. Ohio State 66, Iowa 0.

Indiana wide receiver Tandon DossINDIANA @ PENN STATE

The Hoosiers have never beaten Penn State. This is probably not the week they'll change that. Since Indiana isn't Ohio State or Iowa, Penn State will use all of its offensive playbook instead of just the first three pages. That should make a long afternoon for IU.

Then again, PSU's two losses have shown that their offensive line is not up to their usual standards and can be pushed around quite a bit. Indiana has the best pass rush in the Big Ten right now. The Hoosiers never seem to give up either. Put this game in with the Minnesota game under the category of "closer than the home team thought it was going to be." Expect a very similar result, however. Penn State 31, Indiana 27.

MICHIGAN STATE @ PURDUE

Both these teams play with intensity, and there's a lot riding on this game. If Purdue loses they're out of the bowl hunt. If MSU loses they'll have to beat Penn State just to have a shot at a bowl game. You can reasonably expect both these teams to give it everything they've got. This should be the most entertaining Big Ten game this weekend.

The question right now is who has more in the tank. Purdue is on a hot streak, having won three of their last four games. MSU has struggled down the stretch but got a much-needed breather against Western Michigan last week. Matchups like these usually favor the better defense. MSU has playmakers in its secondary. Purdue can't win without throwing the ball well. Advantage: Sparty. Michigan State 34, Purdue 30.

MICHIGAN @ WISCONSIN

Two teams, two philosophies, two different directions. Michigan could not seem more out of sorts right now. Apart from punting, it's hard to think of one thing they're doing well. The Wolverines are still a threat to move the ball and score points, but there's a good reason you don't hear Tate Forcier's name as much as you did just a month ago.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is riding its traditional strengths (defense and the running game) while adding the new wrinkle of vertical passing. The Badgers deserved to lose to Iowa but should have beaten Ohio State and they know it. Since that mid-October stumble Bret Bielema's team has reverted to form, running all over their opponents and putting up at least 30 points a game. There is no reason to think they won't do that to Michigan. Wisconsin 41, Michigan 21.

Next week's games:
Purdue @ Indiana: Will either team be playing for a bowl bid?
Minnesota @ Iowa: More at stake here than a bronze pig
Ohio State @ Michigan: "Help us, Obi-Rod. You're our last hope."
Penn State @ Michigan State: MSU win here messes everything up
Wisconsin @ Northwestern: No trophy on the line here

Pickin' on the Big Ten: Coping With Buckeye Fatigue Syndrome originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>adam weberbret bielemadan persaeric deckerjohn cooperJuice WilliamsPickin on the Big TenMark HastyThu, 12 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST Big Ten Notebook: Buckeyes Back in Control in Title Racehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/big-ten-notebook-buckeyes-back-in-control-in-title-race/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/big-ten-notebook-buckeyes-back-in-control-in-title-race/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/11/big-ten-notebook-buckeyes-back-in-control-in-title-race/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Ohio State quarterback Terrelle PryorOne little loss to Northwestern can change everything. Iowa looked like the team to beat in the Big Ten title race, but now that it has fallen to the Wildcats and Ohio State has beaten Penn State, all the momentum has moved back to Columbus. Technically, both the Hawkeyes and Buckeyes control their own destiny. Whichever team wins Saturday's game is the presumptive conference champion.

Now go try to figure the odds that Iowa can win in the Horseshoe with a redshirt freshman quarterback making his first career start with no run support to speak of.

At any rate, it will be one of those teams that will go to Pasadena. Neither Penn State nor Wisconsin can do anything better than to tie with Ohio State or Iowa. The Nits and the Badgers lost to both those teams, so they'd lose the tiebreaker.

Here's a quick look at what else is going on around the conference.

Illinois has picked a strange time to peak, but then again, all the pressure is off the Illini. With back-to-back wins over Michigan and Minnesota the Illini's bowl hopes are still alive, but barely. They will have to win out to finish 6-6, and that will require beating Fresno State and Cincinnati. If Illinois should win out, then, you could argue that it would be the best 6-6 in the country and possible the best ever.

Indiana travels to Penn State this weekend right after the Nits laid an egg against Ohio State. Joe Paterno's teams usually bounce back hard after a big disappointment, but if IU loses there will be no bowl game for the Hoosiers. It's a shame. Indiana has never beaten Penn State.

Iowa quarterback Ricky Stanzi had surgery on his ankle this week and is out for the last two games of the regular season. He is expected to be available for Iowa's bowl game. James Vandenberg will start in his place. Vandenberg was Iowa's 3A football player of the year in 2007 and holds many of the state's all-division passing records. Vandenberg picked Iowa over Nebraska and Northern Illinois and has probably heard all your Dawson's Creek crackbacks before.

Michigan's retiring athletic director Bill Martin came under fire this week when reports surfaced that he had pushed one student and grabbed the jacket of another during football games at the Big House. Martin refused to show passes to enter VIP areas when the students requested them. This shows just how hard it is for Michigan to get flagged for pass interference at home. It also represents the most contact any Wolverine defender has managed since September.

Michigan State, with 53 underclassmen on the roster, needs the extra practice for a bowl game as much as it needs the bowl game itself. A win at Purdue this Saturday would likely secure at least a bid to the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl.

Ohio State, believe it or not, has not been to the Rose Bowl in more than a decade.

Wisconsin's former defensive lineman Erasmus James faces felony battery charges for a Nov. 5 incident at a Madison bar in which he punched one of his friends. James was suspended by the NFL in September for undisclosed reasons.

Big Ten Notebook: Buckeyes Back in Control in Title Race originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Bill MartinBillMartinErasmus JamesErasmusJamesJames VandenbergJamesVandenbergjoe paternoJoePaternoRicky StanziRickyStanziMark HastyWed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST Starting 11: Counting to Five in Alabamahttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/10/starting-11-counting-to-five-in-alabama/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/10/starting-11-counting-to-five-in-alabama/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/10/starting-11-counting-to-five-in-alabama/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Alabama fan As the fourth quarter of CBS's coverage of Alabama-LSU went to commercial break, the cameras caught something extraordinary, an Alabama fan giving the cliched and overused four finger slogan. Okay, nothing extraordinary about that, but, this is when a bit of the Southern Gothic came into your living room, the man only had four fingers, he was missing a pinkie! So he gave the four finger sign utilizing his thumb.

My jaw literally dropped. Judging by everyone's reaction on Twitter, I wasn't the only one. The most shocking thing, of course, is that the fan gave up the pinkie to Nick Saban, wielding a machete, as part of the pregame speech. Good to see they got the bleeding stopped.

But, of course, this moment of four-finger jubilation wasn't the only thing that caught my attention. We've got Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, Cincinnati, and a groom who made it rain at this wedding reception and caused a 40-person brawl. Plus, we learn that 5 yards in Alabama math actually means 5.5 yards.

Dive in and enjoy.

1. What the heck is up with the Pac-10 results?

I'm not quibbling with the talent of Pac-10 teams. In fact, and I'll take grief for this, I actually like Pac-10 fans the most in college football, behind only the SEC. Partly that's because the West Coast is my second favorite region, so I like being out there, but it's also because the games are entertaining, the fans are pretty fun, have the second-best senses of humor in football, and there are plenty of lovely women around

Yet, does any conference in America have more shocking results? Particularly in light of the scores of the shocking games?

I'm not astounded that Stanford beat Oregon. Coming off a bye week with a good coach and a home game, the ingredients for an upset were all there, but still, Stanford hangs 51 on Oregon?

Stanford had only scored 40 once this season, against San Jose State back in September. Meanwhile, Oregon has only given up 58 points total in their last five games.

So what happens when the two teams meet? Stanford scores 51 en route to the upset.

Of course it does. That's Pac-10 football.

Again, the upset doesn't surprise me, but in most conferences in America the upset score would have been something like 20-17.

In the Pac-10, all bets are off.

2. NBC's coverage of Notre Dame football is atrocious.

My favorite part of Saturday's loss to Navy -- and there were several parts -- was when NBC labeled Jimmy Clausen "the toughest player in America."

Really? You don't think that might be a slight exaggeration? Perhaps connected to NBC's television contract with Notre Dame? Bigger question, can a quarterback ever be the toughest player on a team? I don't think so.

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But every time I watch an NBC broadcast of Notre Dame football, I'm reminded why Tom Hammond and Pat Haden are the worst announcing team in college football. It's not just the Notre Dame homerism, they're genuinely awful at explaining the game, discussing strategy, all of it. At some point, I should just do an article chronicling their ineptitude.

Anyway, I've never heard a team praised so much while only putting up seven points against a service academy. Listening to the Notre Dame-Navy game was like attending a kindergarten graduation ceremony with the woman whose son got held back for a year. And she's heaping praise on her son for the accomplishment: "I can't believe my baby did it!"

Really? Did you think he was going to be in kindergarten for the rest of his life? At some point they have to promote you. (Aside: Is kindergarten not one of the trickiest words to spell? Doesn't it seem like the first three letters should be K-I-D? I misspell this word every time I type it. I'm always ticked that I have to look it up, and then I always think, why am I using the word kindergarten again? Kind of like when I didn't write the word misspell for three years because I was terrified of the irony of misspelling the word misspell).

As for Charlie Weis, I think his era was summed up by this stat, white fullback Vince Murray carried the ball 14 times for 158 yards against his team. That's an average of over 11 yards a carry.

Think about that.

A fullback, who started the year in a battle for the second string spot at a position whose primary job is to bang into things. Who, in two previous seasons had only seen action against titans Duke and Ball State. Whose online biography has no stats but lauds him for playing with "great toughness."

He rushed for 158 yards.

All the talent that Weis has brought to Notre Dame and they can't stop Navy's white fullback, who by the way played a hell of a game, on the dive play? Putting those stats into context, that average per carry was almost twice what the next worst team has allowed him -- Rice gave up 6.5 yards a carry.

If I was a student at Notre Dame, I might make my own anti-Weis shirt. "Notre Dame: White Fullbacks Own Us."

3. Officiating errors when made via replay review are unforgivable.

I've already volunteered myself for the position of instant replay reviewer. I think I'm every bit as qualified as the people the SEC employs now. But what I really want to happen, is someone to pay the price when they blow a call on instant replay review. Because that, my friends, is inexcusable.

The Patrick Peterson interception happened really fast in the LSU-Alabama game. The fact that two officials who were standing in the position to make the call both blew it is, while sad, somewhat excusable. That's why we have video replay, right? But when a guy sitting in a booth in front of the television blows the call too, there's no point to having replay at all.

Zero.

So here's a suggestion: If a blown call happens in a game and instant replay review doesn't change it, then the booth official is suspended for life and has to spend an entire afternoon in the stocks on the campus where he made the error.

I want to be the lawyer who drafts this contract.

4. Speaking of unforgivable, how about CBS trotting out the film of all eight of Jarrett Lee's interceptions returned for touchdowns?

Why is that unforgivable?

Because Lee wasn't even the starting quarterback. That means CBS had that clip on file just in case Jordan Jefferson, LSU's starter, was injured.

Think about that for a minute.

They'd already decided to throw Jarrett Lee under the bus on the off chance that he played against Alabama.

Having said that, how unbelievable is it that Lee had eight interceptions returned for touchdowns. Especially when you look at his picks all together. It's not like he's throwing passes that get tipped away at the line of scrimmage and returned for touchdowns. All of his passes are traveling down the field. And almost all of them are 40 or more yard returns.

It really is one of the most amazing statistical abnormalities out there.

Now, does that mean that Jarrett Lee should be subjected to this every time he plays a game?

I don't think so.

Even more importantly, should LSU fans be subjected to this?

Definitely not.

5. Someone explain to me how LSU was penalized 5.5 yards for running into the kicker in the fourth quarter.

Dan Wetzel at Yahoo Sports tweeted it in real time, and now here's the actual evidence.

After the error on spotting, Alabama then converted this fourth-down play. Which was, you guessed it, shortly followed by the interception that wasn't. Then Bama kicked a field goal to go up nine points.

I'd include this photo when Les Miles inevitably tees off on the officials.

Personally, I'm hoping Miles brings in an overhead projector and puts this picture on the screen behind him. I would pay a thousand dollars of the fine myself to see Miles do this. Especially if he pulled out an old school marker and noted the ball placement.

Seriously though, isn't it incomprehensible that this could happen?

6. Jonathan Crompton is Lazarus.

Since I called for his benching, Jonathan Crompton has turned into Jesus Montana. This is why Memphis should contact me about their new opening at head coach, I know football. (If you need further evidence of this fact, I am dominating my family's former French exchange student in our weekly picks challenge in the mailbag.)

Saturday, Crompton passed for 331 yards with five touchdowns through the air and one on the ground. That's all in less than 33 minutes of football -- Kiffin pulled him after the first drive of the second half. Crompton would have gone for over 500 yards and eight or nine touchdowns if he'd played the whole game.

And while he threw the ball with precision, the most impressive part of Saturday, I thought, was Crompton's quarterback sneak for a touchdown at the end of the first half. With a running clock and one timeout left, Crompton came to the line, faked like he was going to spike the football, and then got under center and dove into the end zone for the score.

It was an incredibly smart play.

Why?

If he'd actually grounded the ball, there would have only been around six seconds left in the half. It would be second and goal and UT would have one timeout left. Time for one definite play, maybe two if you were very lucky with the clock. Instead Crompton took his shot at getting into the end zone with a running clock. If he's stopped, no big deal, call the timeout and you still get another play where run or pass is the option. The point is, the quarterback sneak there doesn't take much longer than spiking the football and it gives you a chance to score.

It was a really, really smart play.

Crompton now has 21 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions, and in the past five games he's got 14 touchdowns and only two picks. Time for a bold pronouncement that can never be justified, proven or disproven: If Crompton was coming back next season the Vols would win the SEC East.

7. What are the rules for wearing a coaches' polo if you aren't actually in the town where the game is played?

I'll tell you: You can't go coaches' polo unless you're at the game.

Period.

For the unaware, the coaches' polo has taken the SEC fashion world by storm. You know the shirts the coaches wear on the sideline? That's the coaches' polo, these things are insanely popular down South. I've never seen that many other fans wear them out, but in the SEC they're gold bullion. Basically, if you're over 35 and graduated from college, the coaches polo is your fashion security blanket, the male equivalent of women's heels at an SEC game. You can't go wrong with the CP.

Except when you can.

You look like an idiot when you wear your coach's polo out to the bar and you didn't actually go to the game. The CP is strictly gameday wear in the town of the game. Otherwise, keep them in the closet.



8. Why is no one taking shots at Cincinnati for giving up 45 points to UConn?

I'll tell you, because for much of the media, Cincinnati is like a hot chick on a beach in Venezuela, you know she exists but she's so remote you don't pay any attention to her actual physical characteristics. A large part of me is convinced that the only Bearcat game anyone has actually seen was the game against South Florida.

For instance, I couldn't watch the Cincinnati game in Nashville.

Why?

Because we got the Nebraska-Oklahoma game on regional coverage. That's despite being about 280 miles from Cincinnati. I have no idea who made this programming decision, and I'm not even sure what the rationale could possibly be. I guarantee you that more people in my city were interested in watching Cincinnati. It's a closer school, that game has more relevance for SEC fans, and ... yep, we got Oklahoma-Nebraska.

Which means we missed 711 yards of offense from Cincinnati and a 555-yard offensive performance from Zach Collaros, the Bearcats former backup quarterback.

Want another wacky stat? Prior to giving up 45 to the Huskies the most points the Bearcats had allowed all season was 20 to Fresno State.

But, you guessed it, no one really paid attention.

9. Michigan lost at home to Purdue 38-36.

My wife's family was in this weekend so we watched this game on the Big Ten Network. How disappointing is this loss if you're Michigan? The worst part is that the nation isn't even paying attention to you anymore because you've become an afterthought. At least when Notre Dame lost to Navy, a much better team than Purdue, people reacted.

Michigan losing to Purdue?

No one even reacts anymore.

George Bernard Shaw once said that the worst sin towards a fellow man is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them. Presumably he had just flipped through a Michigan football game for a Home Shopping Network special at the time.

That's how far off the radar Michigan has fallen.

In his second season at Ohio State, Jim Tressel won a national championship. In his second season at Michigan, Rich Rodriguez is not going to a bowl game. Again.

My wife, a Michigan alum, came downstairs after getting our son down for his nap, looked at the television, saw the Boilermakers celebrating, and said, "Purdue! We're still Michigan."

Isn't it time for all Michigan fans to have this collective reaction and kick Rich Rod to the curb? I understand that installing the spread offense takes time, but what about the defense? You've given up 30 to every Big Ten team except Michigan State, a game you lost anyway.

Nothing is working. And Rich Rod ain't the right fit.

10. Tampa groom makes it rain at his own wedding and causes a 40-person brawl.

Pacman JonesHis 74-year-old grandmother gets beaten down in the process.

What city?

Tampa, of course.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that this wedding is destined for great things.

Pacman Jones, at least, was touched by the gesture.

11. The SEC needs a Mark Cuban type to tee off on officiating until something changes.

That person needs to be independent from the league office yet have a stake in the outcome. And he needs to be willing to keep writing checks when he's fined by the league. Remember how everyone called Cuban a whiner and then he was ultimately vindicated in many of his criticisms about the officiating? Someone else is going to be right in the long run if they hold the SEC's feet to the fire on this thing.

I'm not sure who that person is since athletic directors and coaches are beholden to the commissioner and there are no owners in the SEC, but someone has to make an issue of this.

It's to the point where, before he opened his mouth and gave the result on the interception review, I actually thought, "They're not going to change the call."

In other words, I think I'm a pretty reasonable fan and the errors are mounting to such a degree that they're interfering with my enjoyment of the on-field product.

That has to change.

Now.

Starting 11: Counting to Five in Alabama originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Clay TravisTue, 10 Nov 2009 10:30:00 EST Daily Domer: Crist Out, Floyd Backhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/daily-domer-crist-out-floyd-back/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/daily-domer-crist-out-floyd-back/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/03/daily-domer-crist-out-floyd-back/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Crist will come again ... in four to six months.

Notre Dame learned the fates of both back-up quarterback Dayne Crist and wide receiver Michael Floyd on Monday and the results were mixed.

Crist, a sophomore who went down in the fourth quarter of Notre Dame's 40-14 win against Washington State, learned on Monday that he had torn the anterior cruciate ligament of his right knee. Floyd, who broke his left collarbone against Michigan State in the season's third game, was cleared to play.

On Tuesday, Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis confirmed that Crist, who had an MRI on Monday, had torn his ACL and that he would have surgery on Friday. Weis said that the Irish staff consulted "the guru in Alabama" (Dr. James Andrews) and that the prognosis was for a four-to-six month rehab. That likely keeps Crist out of spring football.

"I know one thing," Weis said, concerning Crist's return. "We'll be conservative."

As for Floyd, a CAT-scan on Monday convinced doctors that he should be cleared to play. Weis reported that Floyd was "hootin' and hollerin'" (suddenly No. 7 is Slim Pickens in "Blazing Saddles?") at the news and was in no mood to keep it to himself.

"No. 7 [Jimmy Clausen] texted me a few minutes later," Weis reported. "I think No. 7 might have been as happy as No. 3 [Floyd]."

What this all means is that the nation's most potent passing attack outside the state of Texas (take your pick) will be at full strength for the first time since Ann Arbor. You will recall that Floyd started against Michigan State but that he'd just received 15 stitches in his right knee seven days earlier.

And while Clausen himself still has vestigial turf toe troubles, this Irish offense is more lethal than before. That's because Golden Tate has taken his mojo to a previously unrealized plateau in Floyd's absence the past six weeks.

Asked if Tate would have become the rock star that he has in Notre Dame's past five games had Floyd been healthy, Weis replied, "You'd have to lean towards 'No.' "

The facts are these: Floyd caught five touchdown passes in three games for the Irish and at the time Weis was asked if he might be the greatest wideout in school history. And in his absence Tate has become a bona fide first team All-American candidate, even a Heisman candidate (SI.com's Gene Menez lists him at No. 3 this week behind Alabama's Mark Ingram and nose tackle Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska).

With Floyd and Tate on the field together, well, Clausen just became a much better quarterback.
As for JC's back-up and successor, prospects are more opaque. One wonders just how quickly Weis did, or will, put the redshirt freshman in touch with his former pupil, Tom Brady, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear last year. Also, does Crist's injury have any impact on the decision Clausen will make in the coming months about declaring for the NFL Draft? If anything, it adds clarity to the prospect of an entire season being forfeited in one play ... and the prospect of diminishing value in the eyes of NFL scouts.

The headache begins for Charlie Weis. This week he will promote Evan Sharpley, the most gifted passer currently teaching ninth grade geography in America, to second-string. Sharpley, a fifth-year senior, is teaching full-time at local Adams High School as he works toward his teaching certificate. According to Weis, he needs to find a way to skip his final period of the day now in order to be back at the Gug in time for film sessions. Perhaps Crist could substitute teach?

Anyway, Sharpley moves to No. 2 while John Goodman, who played both wideout and quarterback at Bishop Dwenger in Fort Wayne (and who recently said that he considers himself a better quarterback than wideout) will move to third string while still taking most of his reps with the receivers. It was Goodman, after all, who caught a beautifully thrown pass from Crist for a 64-yard touchdown Saturday ... the lone TD pass of Crist's career.

One commenter on an Irish message board suggested that Sharpley start against Navy. What's the worst, asked someone whose memory does not extend more than two years, that could happen?

The problem, obviously, is next year. Does Clausen return? If he does the Irish passing attack will be sick. If he does not Weis will, for the second time in four years, break in a new starter who is both an underclassmen and coming off off-season surgery. Sharpley will be gone. Should Clausen go, the Irish quarterback prospects will be a fragile Crist; a possible prodigal son in Nate Montana (who was on the team in '08 and is currently at Pasadena City College, where he is 31-of-88 with two touchdowns and five interceptions; Clausen's completion percentage, 66.9 percent, is higher than Montana's passer rating, 62.29); and verbal commit Andrew Hendrix, a 6-3, four-star recruit out of Cincinnati Moeller High School.

Weis said that when Floyd was cleared to play yesterday, he told his brilliant sophomore that only two votes went into the decision as to when he would play: his and Floyd's. "And you know which way I'm voting," Weis laughed.

If it were to come down to a similar two-vote decision as to whether Clausen stays or goes (and it won't, but if it were to), Weis might want to replace his favorite band (Bon Jovi) with one of his college contemporaries, Chicago. "If you leave me now ..."

Daily Domer: Crist Out, Floyd Back originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John WaltersTue, 03 Nov 2009 17:23:00 EST Michigan's Mark Ortmann Punches Illinois' Corey Liuget in the Groinhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/michigans-mark-ortmann-punches-illinois-corey-liuget-in-the-gr/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/michigans-mark-ortmann-punches-illinois-corey-liuget-in-the-gr/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/michigans-mark-ortmann-punches-illinois-corey-liuget-in-the-gr/#commentsFiled under: ,

For the second time this season, a Michigan player has been caught on video (the clip has been pulled off of YouTube) throwing a punch after a play, leading to a likely suspension.

In Saturday's loss to Illinois, Michigan starting left tackle Mark Ortmann hit Illinois defensive tackle Corey Liuget in the groin after Liuget recovered a Michigan fumble. Ortmann was on the ground, and when Liuget stood over him celebrating, Ortmann threw a quick left uppercut into Liuget's groin.

It was the cheapest kind of cheap shot, and Liuget was clearly in pain afterward: Cameras caught him complaining to the referee and then hobbling off the field.

The incident is reminiscent of the punch Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton threw at Notre Dame center Eric Olsen this season -- a punch that got Mouton suspended for a game by the Big Ten. In that case, Rodriguez claimed he didn't see any punch, but outcry from the fans and the media after the video of the punch went viral forced the Big Ten to act, and Mouton was suspended. Now Ortmann should be suspended for Saturday's game against Purdue.

One of the major stories of this college football season is the way conferences have been forced to act in response to videos uploaded on YouTube by fans. Whether it's the SEC suspending officials for bad calls or the Big Ten suspending players for cheap shots, fans have a powerful tool at their disposal, and increasing numbers of fans are using it.

More at The Wiz of Odds and AnnArbor.com.

Michigan's Mark Ortmann Punches Illinois' Corey Liuget in the Groin originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithMon, 02 Nov 2009 06:53:00 EST Pickin' on the Big Ten: Iowa Isn't Concerned About Your Scornhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/pickin-on-the-big-ten-iowa-isnt-concerned-about-your-scorn/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/pickin-on-the-big-ten-iowa-isnt-concerned-about-your-scorn/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/pickin-on-the-big-ten-iowa-isnt-concerned-about-your-scorn/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Iowa football coach Kirk FerentzEvery Thursday, Pickin' on the Big Ten runs down the weekend's games from inside a chicken coop, at least as far as you know.

Cue the inevitable anti-Iowa backlash. A team that barely got by Arkansas State and Northern Iowa is somehow No. 1 in the nation according to the computer polls the BCS uses. Don't like it? Line forms to the left. Kirk Ferentz even agrees with you.

Shouldn't the computers' top ranked team have at least some sort of offense? Yes, of course. But whose fault is that No. 1 ranking?

Yours, you loudmouth.

You, the whiny fan ready to overreact to every perceived slight, are the reason margin of victory no longer counts in the BCS computer polls. But that's another rant for another day.

I get it, though. You're tired of the Big Ten and its maddening ability to sneak into national championship games. You're totally convinced that a one-loss Big 12 team is better than a one-loss Big Ten team. You're beyond convinced that a four-loss SEC team is better than any undefeated Big Ten team. I'm totally convinced that once you get past Florida and Alabama the SEC is the Big 12 North with a better TV contract, but I digress. You don't want Iowa, or any Big Ten champion, to get to the title game.

Iowa offensive lineman Rafael EubanksHave you noticed that the Hawkeyes don't seem to care? Kirk Ferentz isn't lobbying the poll voters like Bob Stoops and Urban Meyer have done in the past. For the most part the Iowa players aren't talking about being disrespected. They just want to take care of business, even if there's a good chance they'll get iced out of the championship if they go undefeated.

This may seem hard to understand to you. Rationality left college football years ago, after all. What you have to realize is that, even though a large portion of their roster comes from out of state, the Hawkeyes have the character of the state of Iowa.

When you're from Iowa, you learn early in life that your home state is going to get ripped on by everybody. You can expect to hear the same stale cracks about corn, pigs, flatness, and winter within about 15 seconds of meeting a new person who discovers you're from Iowa. Unless you're talking to one of those indier-than-thou types, of course; they'll just bring up Slipknot and crystal meth. Eventually you realize that people are actually amazed you're wearing shoes, you use words with two or three syllables, and you haven't urinated in the houseplants.

Not that they know of, anyway.

The message all these non-Iowans want to send is something like "You're from a place we feel inherently superior to; therefore, we must be better than you as well." The message you form in your head is more like "These people will never be impressed by anything I do, so why do I care what they think?" Sometimes this manifests itself in an "I'll hurt myself before you get a chance to" attitude. We in the upper Midwest have perfected self-effacing humor. More often it comes across as a decision to define yourself on your own terms.

That's what the Hawkeyes are doing. You don't have to tell them they have trouble on offense, any more than you have to tell a Midwesterner that our winters are cold. Really? Gosh, that must be why the tomato plants keep dying. I'm glad you told me because I was planning to serve BLTs for Christmas dinner!

Right. The games.

MICHIGAN @ ILLINOIS

I told you Ron Zook wasn't going to get whacked.

Now let's see if the "we have no other choice so here's a vote of confidence" he got this week is going to have any effect on the team. With a certain loss looming at Cincinnati Nov. 27, the Illini are not technically bowl-ineligible yet but might as well be. The only thing left for them to do is sack up now that there's essentially nothing to play for, hoping to make some other team as miserable as they are.

Unfortunately, this will not be the week for that. Illinois ranks 102nd nationally in total defense. Michigan just had to face the nation's best scoring defense (Penn State) last week. It's going to look like the Wolverines hit up up down down left right left right B A Start. Michigan 52, Illinois 13.

INDIANA @ IOWA

Trap game?

Maybe.

Even though I just spent six paragraphs explaining why Iowa doesn't care about style points and public opinion, the Hawks know that the rest of the world sees this as an opportunity for them to earn enough of the former to sway the latter. They probably also know that one more close game against a team perceived as bad will knock them down in the human polls. Way down.

Now factor in that Iowa's starting running back Adam Robinson, who was only starting because the preseason starter Jewel Hampton was lost for the season in August, is now lost for the season himself. Now Brandon Wegher, whose hometown of Dakota Dunes, S.D., appears to be endlessly fascinating to play-by-play announcers, gets to be The Guy. Wegher has cooled off from his impressive start to the season; let's see what he can do without another back competing for touches.

Then there's Indiana, a team perceived as bad. They're actually not that bad, but they haven't shaken their penchant for losing games in the most humiliating fashion possible. Sandwiched around a win over Illinois were a pantsing at Virginia three weeks ago and a thoroughly improbable loss to a very average Northwestern team last week. That sort of stuff gets into your head, and that's unfortunate. The Hoosiers have a solid pass rush, which you would think would be exactly what a team facing Iowa would want to have.

The problem is that "make Ricky Stanzi beat you" could prove to be even less successful for IU than it has for Iowa's last 12 opponents. Indiana gives up more passing yards than any other team in the conference and flat out stinks at preventing their opponents from getting first downs. They're scoring the same 23.6 points per game that Iowa is. They're just giving up 12 more points than the Hawks on average.

I still think Bill Lynch deserves better than this. Iowa 26, Indiana 10.

Minnesota wide receiver Eric DeckerMICHIGAN STATE @ MINNESOTA

Speaking of catastrophic, soul-shattering, season-altering injuries, Minnesota has lost wide receiver Eric Decker for the season. Which means Minnesota has basically lost its offense for the season.

The real question in this game will be Michigan State's resiliency. They almost played well enough to beat a top 10 team last week. Almost. Now, can they pull it back together, realize there's still a lot to play for, and take it to their opponents from here on out?

You won't know after this week. Minnesota is starting to take on that abandoned-car look which they so often had under Glen Mason. Michigan State 30, Minnesota 7.

PENN STATE @ NORTHWESTERN

Through the first half of the season no Big Ten team seemed more disappointing than Northwestern. (I say that because I didn't expect Illinois to be any good this year.) I mean, they lost to Syracuse. You know who else has done that this year? Akron. Oh, and Maine.

I still don't think they're a great team, though the rally to beat Indiana last week was impressive. NU is tough, but the parts just don't all seem to be there.

You know who's not having a lot of problems? Penn State. Their closest game all season, except for the Iowa loss, was an 18-point victory over Illinois. The Nits have just been blowing people up. I think NU can play this one closer than anyone else has, but they just don't have enough defense to stop Penn State. PSU 31, Northwestern 20.

NEW MEXICO STATE @ OHIO STATE

Give this to the NMSU Aggies: they're one of the most consistent teams in the NCAA. When they win, they win by three points. When they lose, they lose by at least 15.

Three guesses as to what sort of outcome is more likely in this game. Ohio State 56, New Mexico State 0.

Know Your Nonconference Tomato Can: New Mexico State University

A hand of blackjack. You should definitely say Located a mere half-hour north of El Paso, Texas in the rapidly growing city of Las Cruces, New Mexico State University actually predates New Mexico by almost a quarter century. The former New Mexico A&M was founded in 1888; New Mexico didn't become a state until 1912.

NMSU is probably the only university in America whose founding charter specifies that it was to be located by a drainage ditch, but from those humble origins the university has grown to a comprehensive university with around 17,000 students. Agriculture and engineering are still strongly emphasized, however, and NMSU is known for being in the forefront of chili pepper research. It is one of the few places in the world where the Naga Jolokia pepper is grown; said pepper is anywhere from three to ten times hotter than a habanero.

New Mexico State can also plausibly claim to be the birthplace of card counting. Former math professor Edward O. Thorp literally wrote the book on this blackjack strategy. Thorp's Beat the Dealer was published in 1962 while he was teaching at NMSU.

NMSU alumnus Charley Johnson was a journeyman NFL quarterback in the 1960s and early 1970s. While playing in St. Louis, Johnson decided to further his education and in doing so became one of the very few NFL players to earn a PhD. He earned his doctorate in chemical engineering from the prestigious Washington University in St. Louis. Did I mention he did this while he was still playing in the NFL?

Johnson returned to Las Cruces after retiring from football. He joined the engineering faculty at NMSU, and he's still there.

PURDUE @ WISCONSIN

Wisconsin has had a week off since losing back-to-back games to Ohio State and Iowa. Purdue, of course, beat Ohio State -- though whether that happened because Purdue can beat anybody on the right day or because Ohio State can lose to anybody on the right day remains to be seen.

These two teams appear headed in opposite directions, with the Boilermakers finding a way to stop losing and the Badgers wondering if last season is about to happen all over. Most of the matchups in this game favor Wisconsin, however. The Badgers are just more talented and haven't been burned as often as Purdue has.

Wisconsin's offense has cooled off since their fast start, though much of that can be attributed to playing Ohio State and Iowa. They are still a dangerous team that can strike through the air or on the ground. They'd prefer to strike on the ground, though, and that happens to be the best place to hit Purdue. I like the coaching job Danny Hope has done in preventing his team from collapsing after a horrible start. If the Boilermakers can beat Ohio State they can probably beat anybody in this conference, though the Badgers probably won't give Purdue as much help as Ohio State did. Wisconsin 28, Purdue 24.

Next week's games:

Wisconsin @ Indiana: I actually expect this to be a very good game
Northwestern @ Iowa: Fitz always gives Iowa fits
Purdue @ Michigan: Pack your dinner, neither team plays defense
Western Michigan @ Michigan State: Dangerous game for MSU
Illinois @ Minnesota: Whatever it is, take the under
Ohio State @ Penn State: Possibly the best Big Ten game this season

Pickin' on the Big Ten: Iowa Isn't Concerned About Your Scorn originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Adam RobinsonAdamRobinsonbrandon wegherBrandonWeghereric deckerEricDeckerGlen MasonGlenMasonkirk ferentzKirkFerentzPickin on the Big TenPickinOnTheBigTenricky stanziRickyStanziRon ZookRonZookMark HastyThu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:00 EST Clearing Up the Big Ten Picturehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/26/clearing-up-the-big-ten-picture/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/26/clearing-up-the-big-ten-picture/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/26/clearing-up-the-big-ten-picture/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Penn State quarterback Daryll ClarkWhile most of the world is still trying to figure out how the Iowa Hawkeyes stole the cheese out of the mousetrap -- again -- the conference title race is beginning to take a little more shape. Since neither Iowa nor Ohio State lost this past weekend, there's no shakeup at the top. Both teams remain equally in control of their respective destinies.

But what about the rest of the league? Is anybody new out of the hunt this week? Who's still alive but barely breathing? And where do things go from here in this crazy conference?

Still in Control

Iowa and Ohio State know the path is simple. Win out, you win the conference. Iowa doesn't need to win out if Ohio State loses one of its remaining conference games (at Penn State, Iowa, at Michigan). A single Buckeye loss would put Iowa two games up on Ohio State. The Hawkeyes already own a tiebreaker against Penn State. If OSU loses a game, Iowa can lose one too -- and it wouldn't matter which game either team lost.

Ohio State doesn't have to win out so long as Iowa loses at least three of its last four games (Indiana, Northwestern, at Ohio State, Minnesota). That's asking a lot.

A Little Help, Please

Penn State can still make it to the Rose Bowl if it wins out (at Northwestern, Ohio State, Indiana, at Michigan State) and Iowa loses twice. If the Nits lose to Ohio State, they can still win if the Buckeyes lose to Iowa and Michigan and Iowa loses twice. Penn State is eliminated by any three Iowa victories.

A Lot of Help, Please

Michigan State football coach Mark DantonioMichigan State must finish with a better conference record than Iowa and Wisconsin. They would need at least one Badger loss and three Iowa losses. Because the Spartans don't play Ohio State this season they would also need to finish ahead of OSU in the conference or hope for New Mexico State to upset the Buckeyes. Then, so long as Sparty beats Western Michigan, they could tie the Buckeyes and hope the BCS rankings would go in their favor. It would be far simpler just to finish with a better conference record than OSU. Michigan State is eliminated by any two Iowa victories, or if Wisconsin wins out in the conference.

A Miracle, Please

(Note: All these teams must win out to have any chance at winning the conference.)

Northwestern would have victories over Penn State and Iowa if they won out. They would need Iowa to lose one more game, as well. The Wildcats don't play Ohio State. If Northwestern and OSU finished tied in the standings, the BCS rankings would thus be their tiebreaker, unless New Mexico State beats the Buckeyes in Columbus this Saturday. The Aggies are 3-5. Good luck with that. Since OSU would likely have the better BCS ranking, Northwestern would need to finish with a better conference record. That would require two Buckeye losses. Any two Iowa victories or Ohio State winning out would eliminate Northwestern.

Purdue doesn't play Iowa or Penn State this season. It would need three Iowa losses and two Penn State losses. The Boilermakers can finish tied with Ohio State since they beat the Buckeyes, but that requires one more Buckeye loss. They also need Northwestern to lose at least once more. They are eliminated by two Iowa victories, three Penn State victories, or Northwestern winning out.

Wisconsin needs Iowa to lose three times and Ohio State to lose twice. If OSU beats Iowa, the Buckeyes have to lose to Penn State and Michigan. If Iowa beats OSU, the Hawkeyes would have to lose their three remaining home games. It is very hard to see this happening. Wisconsin would be eliminated by two Iowa victories plus two OSU conference victories.

Michigan needs Iowa, Michigan State, and Penn State to finish with four conference losses and Ohio State (whom the Wolverines would beat in the process of winning out) to finish with three conference losses. Since Ohio State has to win one game in order for Iowa to lose out, that means that OSU would also have to lose to Penn State. Penn State would have to lose to Northwestern, Indiana, and Michigan State to give Michigan a chance. That scenario would also require Michigan State to lose to Minnesota and Purdue. In other words, the Wolverines aren't eliminated yet but might as well be. A single Iowa victory would eliminate the Wolverines.

Indiana, like Northwestern, would have victories over Iowa and Penn State if they won out. They would still need Iowa to lose twice more and Penn State once. Ohio State would have to lose all their remaining conference games, Northwestern and Michigan State would both have to lose once. This gives Indiana a situation similar to Michigan's. They're not eliminated but they're hardly alive. A single OSU conference victory or two by Iowa closes the door on IU.

Minnesota needs Iowa to lose three of its four remaining conference games. It also needs Ohio State to lose all of its remaining conference games. This means the Hawks would have to beat Ohio State but lose to everybody else. The Gophers would also need Penn State to beat Ohio State but lose to everybody else. Wisconsin has already beaten Minnesota so the Badgers would also have to lose twice and finish with four conference losses. The Gophers are eliminated by either an Iowa victory or a Penn State victory, so long as that win was over anyone other than Ohio State, or a single OSU conference victory.

Dude, Did You Know There's a Fork in Your Back?

Illinois was eliminated last week.

Impacts of This Week's Games

An Iowa win over Indiana eliminates Indiana and Michigan.

An Ohio State win over New Mexico State gives OSU an outright tiebreaker over Michigan State.

A Penn State win over Northwestern eliminates Michigan.

A Michigan State win over Minnesota eliminates Michigan.

Purdue, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota are eliminated if they lose.


Clearing Up the Big Ten Picture originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Mark HastyMon, 26 Oct 2009 07:30:00 EST Pickin' on the Big Ten: Sorting Saturdayhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/pickin-on-the-big-ten-sorting-out-saturday/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/pickin-on-the-big-ten-sorting-out-saturday/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/22/pickin-on-the-big-ten-sorting-out-saturday/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Ohio State coach Jim Tressel and quarterback Terrelle PryorEvery Thursday, Pickin' on the Big Ten answers the questions, questions the answers, and looks ahead to Saturday's games.

It's now indisputably late October. The leaves here in Wisconsin went from being Monet-like things of beauty to being a soggy ground-based nuisance in less time than it takes for a new Jim Tressel criticism to appear on the internet. It feels like the season just started but after this weekend it's two-thirds over.

There are so many questions yet to answer, however. I've already explored the various Big Ten title scenarios, so let's look at some of the other burning issues.

Is Terrelle Pryor actually a quarterback?

That's the talking point du jour here in flyover country after the Buckeyes' pants-blast against Purdue last week. Pryor isn't turning into the Tecmo Bowl Bo Jackson he was supposed to be back when Rivals and Scout were trying to find ways to give him a sixth or seventh star. There have even been intimations from Pryor's high school coach that the OSU staff may have made some promises to Pryor that either aren't being kept or are being kept but shouldn't be.

The whole mess had made people finally realize that Todd Boeckman got a raw deal last season and Terrelle Pryor is getting a raw deal this season. Pryor simply isn't ready to be The Guy. Moving him to wide receiver, as some are suggesting, isn't going to make him better and isn't going to help the Buckeyes at all.

Ohio State quarterback Terrelle PryorPryor looked so good at times last season because he didn't have to do it all. Boeckman was always around when a more traditional quarterbacking style was called for. Benching Pryor now, or moving him to another position, would just transfer all that pressure to Joe Bauserman. Maybe if the Buckeyes lose another game, putting them decisively out of the Big Ten title race, it might be worth seeing if Bauserman can provide some mojo. Until then, the Buckeyes' best chance to win is with Pryor under center. It's just that those chances aren't as good as the chances OSU fans are used to.

When is Ron Zook going to get whacked?

Certainly not until the end of the season, and maybe not then, either. UIUC is in the midst of administrative chaos centered around an admissions scandal -- one which doesn't involve athletics. University Chancellor Richard Herman announced his resignation this week. University President B. Joseph White has also resigned, along with a number of trustees. That's a lot of decision makers to have to replace all at once. Obviously, someone will occupy all these offices on an interim basis, but do you think any of them will want to make major decisions?

Complicating things is the fact that Zook signed a contract extension this summer, which makes him more expensive to buy out. Athletic Director Ron Guenther may be forced to hit the gong anyway just to save his own job, but the timing couldn't be worse for Illinois.

Besides, who are you going to get to come in? Zook has a nice arsenal at Illinois and there are plenty of coaches out there who are experts at getting the most out of the talent they have. But would they be interested in Illinois? The last coach to leave Champaign with a winning record was John Mackovic who left for Texas in 1991. Since then the Illini are 88-123-2, and their overall winning percentage has dropped with each coach.

Is Iowa going to sneak into the national title game more or less by default just to get their doors blown off?

No, and I'll tell you why. It has nothing to do with the perceived weakness of the Big Ten and everything to do with the dramatic dropoffs found in other conferences.

Who's the third-best team in the SEC?

Who's the second-best team in the Big 12?

Who's the best team in the Pac 10?

We don't know the answers to any of those questions, which should tell you that Texas and whoever wins the SEC have the shortest route to Pasadena. At any rate, before the season I had Iowa finishing 10-2. I had them at 7-0 at this point in the season. I'm not bragging; I'm just saying that I do not actually see the Hawks running the table. So don't worry. Some other conference's champion will be embarrassing themselves in the title game.

Right. The games.

PENN STATE @ MICHIGAN

Michigan quarterback Tate ForcierIt's the fourth Saturday in October and this is Penn State's second road game. Nope, nothing wrong with your scheduling, PSU!

If the wheel of karma is spinning the way it ought to, the Wolverines are going to get crushed in this game. Their offensive line in the second half of last week's Delaware State game was made up entirely of sousaphone players from the marching band, for crying out loud. And was that Mary Sue Coleman, the president of the university, running back punts in the fourth quarter?

If ever a team could come in to The Big House and deliver karmic retribution to the Wolverines, it would be Penn State. Iowa is the only school to hold the Nits under 20 points, as well as the only team to score more than 17 on them. Otherwise the scores have been as gaudy as you would suspect. They just aren't as gaudy as they were last year.

Then again, you could make a case that Penn State hasn't faced an offense any better than Iowa's, and Iowa's offense is not exactly a benchmark of wonderfulness. Michigan's offense is quite a different story. Nobody has held them under 20 points, and iowa's defense is at least as good as Penn State's.

This game will come down to who has the better playmakers. Michigan wins that battle on offense, Penn State on defense. Since this is the year of Big D, I'm going with PSU. Penn State 28, Michigan 24.

IOWA @ MICHIGAN STATE

This is the game this weekend with the most implications for the Big Ten title. Both these teams are legitimately contending for it.

Kirk Ferentz has never won in East Lansing. In fact, the last time Iowa won at Spartan Stadium Ren and Stimpy were still on the air.

Michigan State has come a long way from their 1-3 start, but do they have enough to beat the Hawkeyes? It depends. No Big Ten team passes for more yards than Sparty, but that actually could be a liability. The Hawks have picked off every starting quarterback they've faced, with the exception of Northern Iowa's Pat Grace. Kirk Cousins is expected to get the start for Michigan State. He doesn't throw many picks, but Iowa has a way of making bad things happen.

So Sparty needs to get the running game going early before the Hawkeyes start dropping linebackers into coverage. Without a good running game they're just going to be too easy to defend. MSU hasn't put up more than 30 points all season.

Defensively the Spartans need to force Ricky Stanzi to throw, though as the season goes on that strategy works less and less. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Tony Moeaki are both hitting their peak now as receivers, which has cut down on Stanzi's struggles. Iowa probably won't be able to run the ball very well all afternoon, but neither, I fear, will Michigan State. In the end, Iowa's superior pass defense and MSU's inexperienced running backs will make the difference as Iowa wins. DEATH RIDES A PALE COW 30, OFFENSIVE WIZARD IN MY BACKYARD 23.

(You like that? A little old school POTBT for you longtimers. For the n00bs, that means I expect Iowa, a team from a state with a lot of cows, to defeat Michigan State, a school with offensive wizard Rich Rodriguez nearby, by a final score of 30 points to 23 points. Also it means I am a fan of the Dead Milkmen.)

Northwestern football coach Pat FitzgeraldINDIANA @ NORTHWESTERN

Both these teams deserve better seasons than the ones they're having. Indiana has finally solved its baffling offensive problems and actually has one of the best pass rushes in the conference. Yet somehow it's all for naught. The Hoosiers lost to Ohio State and Michigan in consecutive weeks, then went to Virginia the week after someone on Al Groh's staff decided to risk having to do 4,000 pushups by telling the coach the football season had actually started and all these games counted. They got over on Illinois last week, but that's sort of like bragging that you were only third in line at Starbucks.

Northwestern, meanwhile, can't put the pieces together . Their offense started off just fine but their defense was lost in space. Then the defense showed up at the same time the offense took a cookie break. If they ever get both units to show up for the same game they might really have something.

Since both these teams have the consistency of cafeteria soup it's hard to predict how things will go. I like Indiana's ability to run the ball better than I like Northwestern's. I don't trust Ben Chappell as much as I trust Mike Kafka. But I don't trust Mike Kafka all that much. I've picked the road team in every game so far, but they can't all win. Northwestern, in a game that's so ugly it'll belong on public access. Northwestern 14, Indiana 10.

MINNESOTA @ OHIO STATE

I'm tempted to make some lame quip like "Here's one road team I won't be taking" but if the Buckeyes can lose to a team as snakebit as Purdue, then anything can happen. Except for Minnesota scoring a lot of points. Or Ohio State not scoring a lot of points. I'll go out on a limb here and say that Terrelle Pryor won't need any lukewarm endorsements for at least seven days after this game. Ohio State 31, Minnesota 12.

ILLINOIS @ PURDUE

WTTW in Chicago is showing Mexico One Plate at a Time at 11:30 on Saturday. Rick Bayless will be making tortas.

I'm just sayin', that's all. Purdue 38, Illinois 21.

Next week's games:
  • Michigan @ Illinois: This ought to be good for a few laughs
  • Indiana @ Iowa: And this
  • Michigan State @ Minnesota: Not to mention this
  • Penn State @ Northwestern: Or this
  • New Mexico State @ Ohio State: That's not funny
  • Purdue @ Wisconsin: This is as close to a good game as we're going to get, I guess

Pickin' on the Big Ten: Sorting Saturday originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Al GrohAlGrohBen ChappellBenChappellDerrell Johnson-KoulianosDerrellJohnson-koulianosjoe bausermanJoeBausermanKirk CousinsKirkCousinsmike kafkaMikeKafkaPickin on the Big TenPickinOnTheBigTenRicky StanziRickyStanziron zookRonZookterrelle pryorTerrellePryortony moeakiTonyMoeakiMark HastyThu, 22 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST Big Ten Title Race Far From Overhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/big-ten-title-race-far-from-over/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/big-ten-title-race-far-from-over/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/20/big-ten-title-race-far-from-over/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Iowa players Travis Meade and Ricky StanziThe Iowa Hawkeyes are the Big Ten's only undefeated team, both in conference play and overall. Right behind the No. 7 Hawkeyes stand a 5-2 team (Ohio State), a 4-3 team (Michigan State), and a 6-1 team Iowa has already beaten (Penn State).

The Hawks look to be in complete control of the conference race, with those 6-1 Nittany Lions nipping at their heels. But Iowa the only Big Ten team in control of its BCS destiny? No, no they are not. You might be surprised how little help some of the other teams need, too.

Let's take a look at who could still win the conference without any help, who needs a little help from their enemies friends, and who might as well start making other plans for New Year's.

Before we start, however, remember the Big Ten's tiebreaker policy, which goes in this order: Head-to-head result, overall winning percentage (i.e., nonconference record), and BCS standings. Will any of these be tiebreakers prove necessary? They just might.

The Contenders

Iowa and Ohio State play each other Nov. 14. Thus, if either team wins out, that team wins the conference. Ohio State's stunning loss to Purdue is nullified if they beat the Hawkeyes.

Winning out is a mighty big 'if' for both teams, however. Iowa plays at Michigan State this Saturday. Kirk Ferentz has never won in East Lansing. Ohio State travels to Happy Valley Nov. 7, and you'll see how that game fits into Penn State's plans a little later.

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If the Buckeyes fall to Penn State, Iowa doesn't need to beat OSU to win the conference. It would be enough to beat Michigan State, or hope Sparty and Penn State each lose one more conference game.

If Michigan State beats Iowa, Ohio State doesn't need to beat the Hawkeyes as long as a.) someone else besides MSU does beat Iowa, b.) Michigan State loses at least one more conference game, and c.) the Buckeyes don't gack against New Mexico State. Otherwise ... well, it's easier to explain from Sparty's point of view.

Need a Little Help

 Michigan State wide receiver Blair WhiteMichigan State doesn't play Ohio State and thus far has a worse non-conference record than Ohio State. Nonetheless, Sparty can still win the conference if they win out, which would give them tiebreakers against Iowa and Penn State, and Ohio State loses one more conference game. If OSU loses to New Mexico State but wins out otherwise, the Spartans and Buckeyes would find themselves watching the BCS standings because those standings would decide the conference title. Ohio State is No. 19 in the current BCS standings. Michigan State doesn't appear in them. Advantage: Buckeyes.

Penn State can win the conference if they win out and Iowa loses twice. Ohio State and Michigan State would both finish no better than 6-2 in conference since they both still have to play Penn State. The Nits would be 7-1 in the conference under that scenario. If Iowa doesn't lose twice Penn State is eliminated from winning the conference.

Minnesota wins the conference if they win out, Iowa loses one other conference game, and Penn State loses once. The Gophers play the Buckeyes this week in Columbus. A Minnesota win would be OSU's second conference loss and the Gophers would thus own the tiebreaker over the Buckeyes. (I'm with you; I can't believe how little help the Gophers need.)

Need a Lot of Help

 Wisconsin has lost to Ohio State and Iowa. They must finish with a better conference record than either team. That requires three Iowa losses and and two more Ohio State conference losses, plus Wisconsin running the table from this point forward. Since the Badgers beat Michigan State, they can finish tied with the Spartans and still go to the Rose Bowl. Of course, they can only finish tied with the Spartans if somebody else in the conference beats MSU.

Wisconsin doesn't play Penn State this season and the two teams have identical non-conference records. If Penn State loses once more the Badgers could also tie the Nits. Assuming Wisky and PSU are the only two-conference-loss teams in the Big Ten, the title would be decided by ... oh man. The title would be decided by the Wisconsin-Hawaii game on December 5th.

Purdue owns a tiebreaker against Ohio State but doesn't play Iowa or Penn State. The Boilermakers' 1-3 nonconference schedule requires them to finish with a better conference record than either of those schools, which would require three Iowa losses and two Penn State losses.

Michigan has lost to Michigan State and Iowa. Unless both those teams wind up with three conference losses the Wolverines can't win the Big Ten. However, if both those teams do lose three times and Michigan wins out, the Maize and Blue could still, theoretically, wind up in the Rose Bowl.

Northwestern needs two Iowa losses, two Ohio State losses (they don't play OSU this season), one Michigan State loss, one Indiana loss, and no more losses of their own.

Indiana needs to run the table and hope for three Iowa losses, two Ohio State losses, and one Michigan loss.

So okay, there's one team still unaccounted for. Illinois. Is all lost for the Illini?

All Is Lost

It is. Since Illinois doesn't play Iowa this season, they would have to finish with a better conference record than the Hawkeyes, which is only possible if Iowa loses the rest of its games. However, the Illini have already lost to Ohio State so they would need a better conference record than the Buckeyes as well. That's not possible if OSU beats Iowa. Therefore, the Illini have been mathematically eliminated from the Big Ten title race.

More's the pity. I was hoping there would be a chain of wreckage which would put them in the Rose Bowl, because that would be the death blow for the BCS. Some other year, some other conference.

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Students gather around a candle vigil for Connecticut football player Jasper Howard in Storrs, Conn., Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. Howard, 20, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
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    Members of the University of Connecticut's football team share stories about their teammate and friend Jasper Howard around a candle vigil at the spot where he was killed outside the Student Union on campus in Storrs, Conn., Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    A candle vigil is displayed at the spot where Connecticut football player Jasper Howard was killed outside the Student Union on campus in Storrs, Conn., Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

    AP

    Kentucky quarterback Randall Cobb (18) finds the end zone around Auburn defensive back Daren Bates (25) during an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009, in Auburn, Ala. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

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    Arizona State receiver Chris McGaha celebrates his game-winning touchdown against Washington during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona State won 24-17. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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    Arizona State's William Sutton (90) and James Brooks (34) celebrate their team's win over Washington during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 in Tempe, Ariz. Arizona State won 24-17. (AP Photo/Matt York)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    A documentary is being produced on the Wichita State plane crash in Colorado from almost 40 years ago. The Star met with Howard Johnson, from left, father of one of the victims, Ron Johnson; one of the survivors, David Lewis, and the roommate of Ron Johnson, Gerry Gleissner. (Allison Long/Kansas City Star/MCT)

    MCT

    A documentary is being produced on the Wichita State plane crash in Colorado from almost 40 years ago. The Star met with the parents of one of the victims of the crash; Howard, left, and Virginia Johnson. In the background is a picture and helmet of their son Ron Johnson. (Allison Long/Kansas City Star/MCT)

    MCT

    A documentary is being produced on the Wichita State plane crash in Colorado from almost 40 years ago. Wichita State football player Ronnie Johnson, shown in family photograph, was 21 years old when he and 29 other people were killed. (Courtesy Johnson family/Kansas City Star/MCT)

    MCT

    Members of the University of Connecticut's football team share stories about their teammate and friend Jasper Howard around a candle vigil at the spot where he was killed outside the Student Union on campus in Storrs, Conn., Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

    AP

    A candle vigil is displayed at the spot where Connecticut football player Jasper Howard was killed outside the Student Union on campus in Storrs, Conn., Monday, Oct. 19, 2009. Twenty-year-old Howard, of Miami, a junior and starting cornerback, and a second person were stabbed during a fight early Sunday after someone pulled a fire alarm during a dance at the UConn Student Union, police said. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)

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Big Ten Title Race Far From Over originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Mark HastyTue, 20 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST Pickin' on the Big Ten: Teams for Salehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/pickin-on-the-big-ten-teams-for-sale/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/pickin-on-the-big-ten-teams-for-sale/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/pickin-on-the-big-ten-teams-for-sale/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bargain huntersEvery Thursday, Pickin' on the Big Ten gives you the bottom line on the upcoming weekend's games.

Every team now has six games on the books. Well, Illinois doesn't, which is good news/bad news. Illinois fans have only had to watch five games so far; that's good news. They have seven games left to watch, which is not such good news.

This would be a perfect time for mid-term report cards, but letter grades are so one-dimensional, don't you think? There are more meaningful comparisons to be made. Make the jump and see every Big Ten team compared to ... well, just go and look.

Illinois is like the Whopper (or, if you prefer, any other reasonably complicated fast food burger). You see the ads and it looks fantastic. They talk about using the best-quality, freshest ingredients and it shows. You see a perfectly-cooked burger glistening with juice, deep red tomatoes, green lettuce that looks like it was just picked, all stacked high on a golden brown bun. You can't resist. This is going to be good.

Then you get one. You unwrap it. It doesn't look like the picture. It looks like somebody who had never seen a hamburger before made it by hurling ingredients at a bun from a good 15 or 20 feet away. You sit under a buzzing fluorescent light, gnawing away at it, hoping you forget this meal as soon as possible.

Indiana is like grapefruit juice. You want it to be good, yet no matter what you do it, it inevitably leaves a bitter aftertaste in your mouth. You run for the toothbrush of basketball season, only to discover that grapefruit juice plus toothpaste is a combination that belongs in the next Saw movie.

IKEA furnitureIowa is IKEA furniture. Not many things are both trendy and popular, but IKEA and the Hawkeyes both are right now. IKEA because it's cheap; Iowa because a weary football nation sees the Hawkeyes as the last best hope for a Buckeye-free BCS. Thus millions are willing to overlook the common flaws of each: They're kind of funny looking, nobody is really sure how long either will hold up, and you're not sure you can believe them when they say that the STANZI coffee table goes with the FERENTZ armchair, the ANGERER TV stand, and the MOEAKI floor lamp.

Michigan is a BMW with the first-generation iDrive system. From the outside, everybody can see that you've got a Bimmer, and a fairly new one at that. It's easy to be impressed. That's good news for you, because you're sitting inside the car with absolutely no idea how to change the radio station or keep the defroster from running full blast all summer long. But you look like a player.

Michigan State is any article of clothing from the late Steve & Barry's. I loved Steve & Barry's, mostly because I am a horribly cheap individual. Buying clothes there was a bit risky, though. Some things would hold up as well as anything else you could buy. Some things fell to tatters the third time you wore them. You didn't know which you had until one day you were out walking and all of a sudden there's a little trickle of cold air in your armpit or your crotch or some other place where cold air is not supposed to be felt on a fully clothed body and OH CRAP IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN.

Minnesota is MTN DEW. New container, same product, same tendency to keep you up nights if you take in too much of it.

Northwestern is a gas station burrito. They're as tasty on offense as the burrito is in your mouth. Then they go on defense, the burrito hits your intestines, and all of a sudden you wish there was somebody around who could keep bad things from happening.

Ohio State is a Buick Century. Designed as an unhip car for unhip people, the Century couldn't outrun or outdazzle anything on the road. While at one time driving a Buick meant you were too rich for a Chevy and too humble for a Cadillac, those were different times and different Buicks. Your neighbors will tell you, "Hey, nice car." But you you know the minute they get in their Altimas and Passats they're laughing at you and your "ask me about my grandchildren" car.

Yet, no matter how much scorn and abuse gets heaped on it, it just won't die. It starts on the coldest, bleakest mornings. It may never run perfectly, but it'll run okay longer than most cars will run at all. It'll even keep running long after you yourself are sick of it. The only way to get rid of it is to drive around parking lots looking for an Anti-Buick you can park it next to, hoping that the violent explosion which follows doesn't ignite the entire universe.

Penn State is Beeman's gum. You thought it was gone, but it came back, looking like it had never left.

Purdue is the wretched combination of Adobe Flash and Windows Vista. It works well until it doesn't. Then your browser crashes, three other programs stop working, there are security alerts all over the place, and just when you really need Task Manager, CTRL-ALT-DELETE gets you ten seconds of a black screen followed by a dialog box telling you that Vista failed to create Security Options. You sit there wondering why they ever decided to do it like that.

Wisconsin is RC Cola. It tastes a little different. Some people like it. Some don't. Everybody agrees that it's not as big as Coke or Pepsi.

Right. The games.

Illinois coach Ron ZookILLINOIS @ INDIANA

If either team wins this game, it'll be a miracle. Indiana 23, Illinois 20.

DELAWARE STATE @ MICHIGAN

Delaware State is a Division I-AA Football Championship Subdivision school. They are giving up, on average, almost 400 yards per game. They have scored, on average, a little over 14 points per game. Last week the DSU Hornets lost at home to Bethune-Cookman. It was Bethune-Cookman's first win of the season; they lost to Division II (oh, wait, it's still called Division II) Shaw in their season opener.

I thought that this, plus Michigan's explosive offense, would combine to make a game so stinky that not even the Big Ten Network would show it. I thought wrong. Oh well. Enjoy the game, Wolverines; you probably deserve something to smile about after last week. Michigan 66, Delaware State 7.

Know Your Nonconference Tomato Can: Delaware State

Clyde Bishop, US ambassador to the Marshall IslandsLocated in Delaware's capital city of Dover, Delaware State University is part of America's proud tradition of historically black colleges and universities. DSU was founded in 1891 as the State College for Colored Students before becoming Delaware State College in 1947 and Delaware State University in 1993.

Despite being in the same state and same NCAA division as the University of Delaware, the two schools did not meet in football until 2007, and then only because both schools made the FCS playoffs. Earlier this season, they played their first regular season game.

DSU is a small school, enrolling only about 3,700 students.Its best known alumnus is Dr. Clyde Bishop, the US ambassador to the Marshall Islands. That sounds like a pretty good gig to me.

NORTHWESTERN @ MICHIGAN STATE

The story here is injuries; namely, how will Sparty react to losing starting running back Glenn Winston for the season with a torn ACL? Larry Caper appears ready to step in, but even he tweaked his knee in last week's Illinois game. Quarterback Kirk Cousins is expected to start this week after missing most of the Illinois game with a sore ankle.

Northwestern, meanwhile, is healthy, but their 16-6 loss to Miami (Ohio) last week was yet another unimpressive outing for the Wildcats. Things are bound to get better for NU soon, and a bowl game awaits, but they won't get any closer to it this week. Michigan State 30, Northwestern 17.

MINNESOTA @ PENN STATE

This is one of those games that looks dangerous on paper because the teams have similar records and their overall statistics aren't that far off. Where the teams differ is in overall talent and most particularly depth. Minnesota has come a long way from their 1-11 2007 season, but doesn't yet have all the parts to make a run at the conference title. There are individual Gophers who are as good as their counterparts on any Big Ten team (Eric Decker, for one, who I'm not sure is even human) but football is a team sport.

This is the first game of a brutal road trip for Tim Brewster's team, who travel to Columbus next week. Penn State will play three of its final five games on the road, but they won't face 30% of the challenges the Gophers will. The Nits are lying in wait for the Buckeyes; Minnesota's only real hope is that Penn State is thinking more about that game than this one. I wouldn't bet on that. Penn State 28, Minnesota 16.

OHIO STATE @ PURDUE

Two reasons not to be so glum, oh ye Purdubious: You probably won't lose this game in the last minute, and Illinois is coming to town next week. Ohio State 45, Purdue 20.

Wisconsin wide receiver Nick ToonIOWA @ WISCONSIN

Here it is, the sole Big Ten game this week which can be described as "watchable." Wisconsin is still reeling from its "How did we lose that game?" performance in the Horseshoe last Saturday, while Iowa continues to whistle past the graveyard.

The Badgers' well-balanced, potent offense means that Iowa can't leave eight in the box, which is the usual defensive game plan for beating Wisconsin. Arkansas State and Michigan exposed some vulnerabilities in the Hawkeye pass defense; now it's up to Scott Tolzien, Nick Toon, and Garrett Graham to exploit them.

That's assuming that John Clay doesn't just take this game on his shoulder and run with it. If Clay has early success, he'll put the Iowa defense back on its heels and force Ricky Stanzi to play with urgency. The problem for WIsconsin is that you never know which John Clay you're going to get.

Wisconsin's defense gives up a lot of points, however, and that will help keep the Hawkeyes in this game. Nothing's going to be easy for Iowa this year, this game included, but somehow Kirk Ferentz will find a way to hold on. Again. Iowa 31, Wisconsin 30.

Next week's games:
  • Penn State @ Michigan: Key to UM's dreams of a good bowl is winning this game
  • Iowa @ Michigan State: Promises to be another wild shootout
  • Indiana @ Northwestern: Cats want revenge; IU kept them from Capital One Bowl last season
  • Minnesota @ Ohio State: Another week of Buckeye target practice?
  • Illinois @ Purdue: The Illini's last shot at victory?

Pickin' on the Big Ten: Teams for Sale originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>eric deckerEricDeckerGarrett GrahamGlenn WinstonGlennWinstonjohn clayJohnClayKirk Cousinskirk ferentzKirkCousinsKirkFerentzlarry caperLarryCaperNick ToonPickin on the Big TenPickinOnTheBigTenRicky StanziRickyStanziscott tolzienScottTolzientim brewsterTimBrewsterMark HastyThu, 15 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST Rich Rodriguez: I Was Wrong About Michigan Football GPAhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/rich-rodriguez-i-was-wrong-about-michigan-football-gpa/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/rich-rodriguez-i-was-wrong-about-michigan-football-gpa/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/15/rich-rodriguez-i-was-wrong-about-michigan-football-gpa/#commentsFiled under:

Rich RodriguezIt's a claim that Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has been fond of making: The football team during his tenure has had the highest cumulative grade point average ever recorded at Michigan.

But there's just one problem: Rodriguez had no basis for making that claim. He admitted on Wednesday that he actually doesn't know whether the current Michigan team has a higher GPA than past Michigan teams because Michigan keeps no record about its football team's cumulative GPA.

When the Detroit Free Press asked Michigan to provide records about the football team's grades, the school was forced to admit that it has no such records. Rodriguez said in a statement that when he asked academic advisers what the program's all-time best GPA was, they just gave him an educated guess, and he thought they were telling him something they knew for a fact.

"They did not make it clear that the number was just an estimate and not an exact calculation," Rodriguez said. "We apologize if this has caused any confusion."

The thing no one seems to be pointing out in all of this is that even if Rodriguez's claims were true, it wouldn't necessarily mean he was holding his players to higher standards than his predecessors. A high GPA might mean Rodriguez stresses academics, but it also might mean Rodriguez steers Michigan players into easy classes. It was silly for Rodriguez to boast about his team's alleged high GPA, and it's good that the Free Press got him to knock it off.

Rich Rodriguez: I Was Wrong About Michigan Football GPA originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Rich RodriguezRichRodriguezMichael David SmithThu, 15 Oct 2009 09:30:00 EST Iowa Edges Michigan, Stays Perfecthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/10/iowa-edges-michigan-stays-perfect/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/10/iowa-edges-michigan-stays-perfect/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/10/iowa-edges-michigan-stays-perfect/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Iowa Hawkeyes rode five Michigan turnovers to a 30-28 victory in Iowa City tonight. The victory was their tenth in a row, which is the second-longest winning streak in the nation after Florida.

Iowa's passing game took control after quarterback Ricky Stanzi's first pass was intercepted by Michigan's Brandon Moore and returned for a touchdown. Stanzi threw two touchdown passes, both to tight end Tony Moeaki.

The Hawkeyes' 33-quarter streak of not allowing a rushing touchdown ended in the first quarter when Brandon Minor busted in from three yards out to put Michigan up 14-10. Iowa regained the lead just before halftime and would not relinquish it.

The Iowa pass defense, one of the Big Ten's stingiest, rattled Tate Forcier, who completed only 8 of 19 passes for 94 yards. Forcier was replaced by fellow freshman Denard Robinson, who led the Wolverines to a touchdown which he ran in himself from three yards out. Michigan's defense stopped Iowa after the ensuing onside kick went out of bounds, but Iowa's Brett Greenwood intercepted Robinson with 46 seconds left to finish off the Wolverines.

With Ohio State's victory over Wisconsin today, the Hawkeyes are now the Big Ten's only undefeated team. The Hawkeyes now face back-to-back road games against Wisconsin and Michigan State. Michigan fell to 4-2 and will face Delaware State in Ann Arbor next week.

Iowa Edges Michigan, Stays Perfect originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 10 Oct 2009 23:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brandon minorbrandon mooreBrandonMinorBrandonMoorebrett greenwoodBrettGreenwooddenard robinsonDenardRobinsonRicky StanziRickyStanziTate ForcierTateForciertony moeakiTonyMoeakiMark HastySat, 10 Oct 2009 23:47:00 EST Pickin' On the Big Ten: Is the Peter Principle Making Illinois Ill?http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/pickin-on-the-big-ten-is-the-peter-principle-making-illinois-i/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/pickin-on-the-big-ten-is-the-peter-principle-making-illinois-i/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/08/pickin-on-the-big-ten-is-the-peter-principle-making-illinois-i/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Illinois coach Ron ZookEvery Thursday, Pickin' On the Big Ten stays late to run the TPS reports on the coming weekend's games.

In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence.

The above statement is better known as the Peter Principle, and if it doesn't make sense to you, join the club. I didn't get it the first 1,378 times I read it. Now I recognize it for what it is. It's an overly intellectual way of saying "People who do a good job keep getting promoted until they wind up in a job they can't do."

So what does this have to do with Illinois, you ask?

Oh, come on. Like you don't know I'm writing about Ron Zook.

Look, I don't mean to pass judgment on Ron Zook the person. That's not my place at all. I don't even intend to pass judgment on whether Ron Zook can coach football or not. He obviously can; you don't rise to his level without having some coaching chops, after all. I'm just questioning whether he's actually meant to be a head coach.

On the surface that sounds ridiculous. Rip his name off the top of his resume and ask me if you would have hired him. He was personally associated with one of the best college football programs of the 1990s, serving on the staff of a coach widely thought to be at the top of his profession. Not only that, but he also had significant experience in the NFL, where he worked with Bill Cowher. Other coaches he had worked for? Try Johnny Majors and Frank Beamer.

Ron Zook, 2003Along the way he earned a reputation as one of college football's most energetic and tenacious recruiters. Was Florida nuts to give him the head coaching job back in 2002?

Well, sort of, given that he'd never been head coach anywhere at any level. Head coaching isn't the same as position coaching or coordinating. Not every great coordinator pans out as a head coach. Not every great head coach would make a good coordinator or position coach. They're just different skills.

Problem was, there was no place for Zook to go except into the head coaching ranks.

Three years later, was Illinois nuts to give Ron Zook the head coaching job? Not really. There just wasn't enough of a body of work available to judge his talents. He lost too many games, but the expectations in Gainesville were flying higher than Michael Crabtree's self-image. He did manage to win three straight road games against top-11 teams, and he beat 13-win teams in back-to-back seasons. Not everything was bad.

Now, well, we sort of know. He had one great season in which he got the Illini to the Rose Bowl. Otherwise, it looks like "head coach" is not the best job title for Zook to pursue. Give him a title like "assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator," then pair him up with some charm-free Xs-and-Os genius of a head coach. In that role Zook's worth at least $300,000 a year. But as a head coach? Not really. He's reached the level of his incompetence.

Right. The games.

MICHIGAN STATE @ ILLINOIS

Speaking of the Peter Principle, could it also apply to Zook's star recruit of all star recruits, Juice Williams?

You could make the case. As a freshman Williams showed incredible promise coupled with maddening inconsistency. As a sophomore who was just one of many weapons in the arsenal, he helped lead the Illini to the Rose Bowl. As a junior who had to carry water for the offense while the defense put the hurt on people, he was marginal. Now, as the only real playmaker on a team that was allegedly loaded with them, he's been benched.

As Williams' role got bigger, he was less and less able to meet expectations. Zook now won't even say how he's going to use Williams, except that he won't line up at running back or wide receiver. My opinion? Juice went to his coach and said, "Look, this season's lost, and I realize now I'll probably never play quarterback in the NFL. But maybe I can still make it to the pros. Give me a chance to run back kicks; maybe I'm the next Joshua Cribbs."

Given the way Illinois' defense is playing, and the way Michigan State's offense is playing, then if that's what Wiliams wants, he's going to get a good start on his highlight reel this week. Michigan State 38, Illinois 20.

INDIANA @ VIRGINIA

Virginia: Awful, despite beating North Carolina last week.

Indiana: Not awful, despite losing to Ohio State last week. Indiana 20, Virginia 6.

MICHIGAN @ IOWA

Michigan quarterback Tate ForcierWe could've had a real Game of the Century of the Week on our hands, but no, the Wolverines had to lose to Sparty last weekend. Tate Forcier can blame himself all he wants to, but no team comes down to just one guy, and no game ever really comes down to just one play. You still can't win in the Big Ten without a pretty good defense, and Michigan does not yet have one.

Of course, you can't win without an offense either, and you could argue that Iowa still doesn't have one. At the risk of negating everything I said in the previous paragraph, Arkansas State showed the best way to defend against the Hawkeyes: stuff the run and make Ricky Stanzi throw a lot. In the first half of last week's game, this looked like a profoundly stupid strategy. In the second half, it almost worked. I still think a team is a lot more than one guy, but 24 points isn't going to beat Michigan. If Stanzi comes out cold or falters for a quarter, the Hawks could easily lose this game, Kinnick Stadium magic or not.

Then again, Michigan hasn't faced a defense close to as good as the one it's about to face. Iowa 28, Michigan 26.

PURDUE @ MINNESOTA

Attention Purdue fans: Since I'm batting .000 when it comes to calling out coaches (the three I've called out this season have all won every game since), I want you to know that I'm now accepting offers to make Danny Hope the lead of next week's Pickin'.

You might not need to after this week, though. Purdue and Minnesota are basically the same team. They're both pass-wacky but can't defend the run at all. The only real difference between them? Purdue has a proven running back. Minnesota doesn't. Always go with the team that can strike at its opponent's weakness. Purdue 34, Minnesota 31.

FAKE MIAMI @ NORTHWESTERN

Fake Miami has lost 10 games in a row, all by at least 10 points.

Northwestern has been at least modestly disappointing in four of its five games this season. Last week Purdue turned the ball over six times and still came within one play of beating the Wildcats.

NU might get running back Stephen Simmons back this week. Simmons hasn't played since the second game of the season. If he does play, it will be in a limited role behind Arby Fields. I wouldn't play him, though. Why risk aggravating his injury in a game in which he probably won't be needed? Northwestern 35, Fake Miami 10.

Wisconsin defensive lineman O'Brien SchofieldWISCONSIN @ OHIO STATE

Ohio State has played lights out since losing to USC. It has been nothing short of dominant in its last three games. Of course, those games have been against Toledo, Illinois, and Indiana. Not exactly Murderers Row, you know?

But could you put Wisconsin on Murderers Row? Their 5-0 record would suggest that you could, and if it's possible to kill an opponent with passing, Scott Tolzien is just the man to do it. As long as John Clay can stay at the level he played at last week, there isn't a great defensive game plan to beat the Badgers.

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense, however, and OSU has one. Wisconsin, meanwhile has given up at least 20 points to every team it has played except for Wofford. The Badgers don't have the defense to go into Columbus and win, but there's a chance this could be the last time the Badgers lose this season. Ohio State 30, Wisconsin 27.

EASTERN ILLINOIS @ PENN STATE

Joe Paterno would like you to know that Eastern Illinois is a very good football team. They have a quarterback who transferred from Iowa and a running back who transferred from Michigan. They deserve nothing but the utmost respect and this is going to be a very, very tough game. People who think Penn State's nonconference schedule is a bit too soft just don't get it.

Count me among those who just don't get it. Penn State 41, Eastern Illinois 3.

John MalkovichKnow Your Nonconference Tomato Can: Eastern Illinois

Yes, I know. Except for Wofford, this season's tomato cans have pretty much been teachers' colleges gone Hollywood. But hang on, here's one that actually sends people to Hollywood.

Located in the downstate burg of Charleston, tantalizingly close to the greater Mattoon metropolitan area, Eastern Illinois University can boast some big-name acting talent among its alumni. Three-time Oscar nominee Joan Allen has a degree from EIU, for instance. Then there's three guys who went to Eastern without graduating but still managed to make a name for themselves in Hollywood: Burl Ives, Jerry Van Dyke and John Malkovich.

But what does EIU have to do with football? Plenty. EIU is the alma mater of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who is pretty Hollywood himself. He's not the only Panther to make a name in the NFL, either. Current head coaches Brad Childress (Minnesota) and Sean Payton (New Orleans) also played football for Eastern Illinois, as did long-time Raider and Bronco coach Mike Shanahan. That's not bad for a school of 12,000 students located at least two hours from anyplace.

Next week's games:
  • Illinois @ Indiana: Amazingly, one team is guaranteed to win
  • Delaware State @ Michigan: I checked; DSU actually exists
  • Northwestern @ Michigan State: a/k/a Disappointment Bowl II
  • Minnesota @ Penn State: Potential trap game for the Nits
  • Ohio State @ Purdue: Potential trap month for the Buckeyes
  • Iowa @ Wisconsin: At least there's one game worth watching

Pickin' On the Big Ten: Is the Peter Principle Making Illinois Ill? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Danny HopeDannyHopeJoe PaternoJoePaternojohn clayJohnClayjuice williamsJuiceWilliamsPickin on the Big TenPickinOnTheBigTenRicky StanziRickyStanziron zookRonZookscott tolzienScottTolzienTate ForcierTateForcierMark HastyThu, 08 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST Michigan State Upends Michiganhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/michigan-state-avoids-classic-conservative-collapse/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/michigan-state-avoids-classic-conservative-collapse/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/michigan-state-avoids-classic-conservative-collapse/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mark DantonioMichigan State has its first two-game winning streak against Michigan for the first time since 1967, but the Spartans did not make it easy on themselves. Blowing a 20-6 lead with less than five minutes left in the game and needing overtime to get the win.

Michigan State's defense finally looked like a legitimate defense for most of the game. They completely held Tate Forcier and the Michigan offense in check for most of the game. While the Michigan State offense struggled at times in the first half, they began to wear down the Wolverine defense with a balanced attack along with some big miscues by Michigan. Especially a fourth-and-inches at the Michigan 16, where a fake punt failed badly.

By early in the fourth quarter, the Spartans had built a 14-point lead. At that point, Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio let loose his inner-Tressel, focusing on just trying to run out the clock. Predictably, the Spartans went three-and-out on three of the next four possessions.

Given that many chances in the fourth quarter, Michigan capitalized. They scored two touchdowns inside the final five minutes to force overtime. Michigan's freshman quarterback, Forcier, was outstanding in the final scores. He passed for 95 yards and ran for 27 more.

Forcier, though, could not complete the tremendous comeback, instead throwing a pick in the endzone off of a deflected pass on the first drive of overtime. Michigan State scored on its possession to avoid the choke job.

While it was a tremendous comeback by Michigan, and Michigan State still got the win, it should not have been that dramatic for the Spartans. The Michigan State defense had played well most of the game, but the first four games of the season clearly showed a defense that should not have been put in the position of having to keep making stops. Dantonio went conservative on the offense way too early in the fourth quarter. The Spartans predictably ran on the first two downs of three straight possessions, all to try and run the clock down, starting with more than nine minutes left in the game.

This is not the NFL. Teams should never take their foot off the gas when the game is that close.

Michigan State Upends Michigan originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Mark DantonioTate ForcierChas RichSat, 03 Oct 2009 18:30:00 EST College Football Saturday Live Tweethttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/michigan-vs-michigan-state-football-2009-live-tweet/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/michigan-vs-michigan-state-football-2009-live-tweet/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/03/michigan-vs-michigan-state-football-2009-live-tweet/#commentsFiled under: ,

We started with the Michigan vs. Michigan State game and then we moved on to LSU-Georgia, Washington-Notre Dame and Penn State-Illinois: It's another Saturday of following all the college football action on Twitter.

I'm watching and tweeting about college football all afternoon, so if you want updates on everything going on in college football, follow along below or follow me on Twitter @MichaelDavSmith.

Twitter Updates on College Football Saturday



Previous tweets:

# Major talent. I think he's a first-round pick. RT @pudge44: Brandon Graham is earning some major NFL money today.

# Michigan State has now outgained Michigan 339-69, but three Spartan turnovers keep Michigan alive in the fourth quarter.

# Michigan State leads in total yards 315-83, first downs 18-5 at start of 4th quarter. Lead just 13-6 though.

# Michigan's Brandon Graham made one of the tackles of the year to end a Michigan State drive. He is a beast.

# Michigan's fake punt on fourth-and-inches was one of the dumbest calls I've ever seen. What were they thinking?

# Alabama fumble recovery TD makes it 21-6 before halftime. Stick a fork in Kentucky.

# Tremendous drive by Alabama, from inside their own 1-yard line to a TD. Greg McElroy was outstanding. I spoke too soon.

# Ugly offense in Kentucky: Wildcats QB Mike Hartline 4-of-8, 28 yds, 1 INT. Alabama QB Greg McElroy 3-of-8, 4 yds.

# Michigan State up 10-6 at halftime. Spartans have controlled game to a greater extent than that score would imply.

# Kentucky hanging tough and playing ball control with Alabama, down just 7-6 at the end of the first quarter.

# @TheBigLead Eric Decker will go late 1st or early 2nd round of the NFL draft. Don't count on getting him in 3rd or 4th.

# Minnesota WR Eric Decker ran a great fade route in the end zone, scored for the Gophers. Excellent route runner.

# Michigan State marches down the field with a methodical 16-play drive, scores 1-yd TD on fourth-and-goal. MSU 7-3.

# Mich St WR Keshawn Martin had a beautiful 18-yard run on an end-around...And then MSU got a 15-yard late hit penalty

# Michigan has minus-5 yards of total offense but still takes a 3-0 lead after interception on MSU opening drive

College Football Saturday Live Tweet originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Michael David SmithSat, 03 Oct 2009 12:03:00 EST