Michigan v Notre Dame In the Big House: Preview and Prediction

Michigan and Notre Dame meet in Ann Arbor on Saturday and this year it will actually be a game worth watching. It will also be a game played in one of the only stadiums — The Big House — that is large enough to hold both schools’ massive  football egos.

The last two meetings between these teams were sloppy blowout games and neither team ended up having a good season. But this year both squads look to be back on track and the rivalry is being revived.

Last week, Michigan coasted to an easy 31-7 victory over Western Michigan, scoring all of their points in the first half. Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier solidified himself as the starter for the Wolverines while fellow freshman Denard Robinson flashed the speed and big play ability that quarterbacks in Rich Rodriguez’s system are known for having.

Rich Rodriguez’s spread option offense was effective against the Broncos, as Michigan racked up 242 rushing yards from 8 different ball carriers. The problem for the Wolverines is they are currently without a go-to running back. Backup quarterback Denard Robinson was the leading rusher with 74 yards.

In Notre Dame’s season opener, the Irish shut out Nevada 35-0 with Jimmy Clausen throwing for 4 TD’s. Claussen showed poise in the pocket, completing 15 of his 18 attempts.

Charlie Weis and the Fighting Irish look ready to make it back to another bowl game this year, and possibly even compete for a BCS bid. The offense that was in complete disarray two seasons ago is now finally coming together.

Saturday’s matchup between these two bitter rivals is an intriguing one. Both teams have shown vast improvement from last year, but this will obviously be the first real test for each squad with Rodriguez and Weis both seated firmly on the hot seat to bring their teams back to the elite level of college football.

Before we get into an analysis of the matchup, let’s take a quick look at the particulars:

#18 Notre Dame (1-0) at Michigan (1-0)

• Notre Dame-Michigan Date: Saturday, September 12th
• Notre Dame-Michigan Time: 3:30 ET
• Notre Dame-Michigan TV: ABC
• Notre Dame-Michigan Location: The Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Notre Dame-Michigan Point Spread: Notre Dame -4.5
• StubHub: Michigan-Notre Dame tickets for as low as $95
• StubHub: Michigan football tickets
• StubHub: Notre Dame football tickets
• StubHub: all College Football tickets

Notre Dame-Michigan Preview and Analysis

Notre Dame comes into the game a slight favorite and rightfully so. Clausen is starting to fill in the void that was left when Brady Quinn left for the NFL draft. (Side note to Notre Dame fans: please don’t treat Claussen like the “golden boy” as you did with Quinn. Thank you.)

To win the game, the Irish must provide strong pass protection for Clausen and allow him to spread the ball around. Michigan, on the other hand, needs to pressure Clausen and limit his ability to locate WRs Golden Tate and Michael Floyd down the field. If Michigan tries to get in a shootout with Notre Dame, the Wolverines won’t be able to keep up with the Irish’s high-octane offense.

If Claussen can put up 300-plus yards passing Michigan won’t have a chance. Tate, a speedy and talented young receiver, could be the X-factor with his big play potential.

Michigan needs to control the pace and the clock by running the football over and over. Forcier looked good passing the ball last week, although he only put the ball in the air 20 times. He completed 13 of those passes for 175 yards and tallied 3 TDs. You might look at those stats and think the Wolverines should throw more.

On the contrary, Forcier’s efficient passing was set up by 50 rushing attempts at 4.8 yards per pop. Michigan would do well to follow attain a similar run:pass ratio. Forcier will have to be smart with the ball again when passing plays are called. An improving Irish defense picked off two passes last week and will be licking their chops going up against a freshman making only his second start.

Notre Dame-Michigan Prediction

This game can go either way and will likely be decided by one or two key plays. Notre Dame comes in ranked #18, but when playing in the Big House all rankings go out the window. [Editor's note: as do Division 1-A and 1-AA classifications...right App State?]

Rich Rodriguez will have the Wolverines amped up to start the game and the Irish will have to take the fans out of the game early. Luckily for Notre Dame fans and the embattled Weis, the Irish have an experienced quarterback to rely on in Jimmy Clausen, who is no stranger to pressure, expectation, and hostile environments.  

In this high profile matchup between two of the all-time giants of college football, Clausen’s experience will most likely be the difference.

My prediction for this game: Notre Dame- 31 Michigan- 24

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* – Notre Dame / Michigan helmets image credit: The Onion

* – Charlie Weis photo credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio via WSBT-2

* – Denard Robinson / Tate Forcier photo credit: Said Alsalah/Daily via Michigan Daily

* – Jimmy Clausen in high school photo credit: Pre Pro Sports

Bret Bielema’s Wisconsin Badgers Must Put An End To Their Downward Spiral

As much as Barry Alvarez may want to avoid the topic, he may have to make a decision at the end of the year on Bret Bielema.

As Alvarez’s hand-picked successor enters his fourth season as Wisconsin’s head football coach, Bielema must halt a steady decline in the program. Bielema’s Badgers were 12-1 in 2006, capping the season with a win over Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl to finish the year ranked fifth in the nation. A year later the record slipped to 9-4 and Wisconsin lost 21-17 to Tennessee in the Outback Bowl.

Then came last year’s miserable 7-6 season that saw the Badgers barely scrape by Fresno State, one-win Minnesota, and I-AA opponent Cal Poly. The season also included a two-point loss to a three-win Michigan team, and ended with an embarrassing effort against Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Every year under Bielema the Badgers have gotten worse.

Follow these links to StubHub for great deals on Wisconsin Badgers football tickets, Big Ten football tickets, and all NCAA college football tickets.

When he took over, they were a perennially ranked team. Now they enter the 2009 season just hoping to become bowl eligible.

Bielema is a defensive-minded coach, and was UW’s defensive coordinator under Alvarez. He must focus his attention on that side of the ball because Wisconsin has seen its points allowed average swell from 12 in 2006 to nearly 27 last season. Fixing that will go along way in reversing the downward spiral of Wisconsin’s record. It won’t be easy with just three returning full-time starters – safety Jay Valai, defensive end O’Brien Schofield and linebacker Jaevery McFadden – returning.

The inexperienced defense has talent though and is ready to accept the challenge.

“There are no excuses for us on defense to give up more points every year,” Valai told Madison.com. “We’d better reverse that trend because we have to. With the type of offense we have, we’re going to ground and pound and beat the mess out of you … so we’ve got to come through.”

Wisconsin has loads of talent at the skill positions on offense, but will have to get consistent play from first-year starter Scott Tolzien. The junior beat out highly touted freshman Curt Phillips and last year’s starter, senior Dustin Sherer, for the job.

Wisconsin lost some starters on the offensive line, but the one thing that has always been a constant in Madison is a good, big, strong offensive front. The Badgers play power football, and the big uglies up front should be able to reload and clear holes for a stable of running backs led by John Clay and Zach Brown.

Clay is the official No. 1, but Brown is a good change-of-pace back that has the ability to take 20 carries a game. Also in the mix is true freshman Montee Ball, a super prospect from Timberland High School just went of St. Louis. Redshirt freshman Erik Smith has blazing speed and good hands out of the backfield – both good for a third-down threat.

The Badgers bring back nearly all of their pass catchers. Travis Beckum’s injury last year opened things up for Garrett Graham to become the featured tight end. Returning at wideout are David Gilreath, Isaac Anderson, and Nick Toon, son of former Badgers great Al Toon. What that trio can’t afford to do is drop passes, something that plagued the unit a season ago.

That’s the good and the bad. The yin and the yang. So what’s the prognosis?

Well, the schedule is managable.

Wisconsin opens at home Saturday with Northern Illinois, a 6-7 team a season ago. Then it’s two more home games against Fresno State and I-AA Wofford. So a 3-0 start is likely, but Wisconsin was 3-0 last year also.

Week four is the first real test, a home game against Michigan State, which is a team considered a dark horse to win the Big Ten. Win or lose, if the Badgers at least look crisp and focused against what is on paper a more talented team, then things could be looking bright. Last year’s contest in East Lansing was a 25-24 win for Sparty.

Another winnable game is in week five, but it’s also Wisconsin’s first road game. Minnesota was dismal last year, but the Badgers barely won to keep Paul Bunyan’s Axe – the best rivalry trophy in all of college football. Minnesota will be improved this year, so it will be no walk in the park inside the Gophers’ brand new stadium for the Badgers.

And this is when the schedule gets really tough.

Although Wisconsin played Ohio State tough last year, the Buckeyes still won, and a similar fate could await the Badgers this year. The Buckeyes are stacked and experienced.

The following week is homecoming in Madison, but it’s also against highly-touted Iowa. It sucks losing the homecoming game, but just think of all the comforting drinks that will be comsumed on State Street after the game.

So 4-3 is likely after seven games, but there might not be a loss on the schedule after that with home games against Purdue and troubled Michigan. The road contests are at Indiana, Northwestern and Hawaii.

A 9-3, or even an 8-4 record will reverse the trend of the last three years, and should save Alvarez from having to make a difficult decision.

Bret Bielema just might be able to stave off the “Fire Bret Bielema” calls for at least one more season.

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* – Barry Alvarez / Brett Bielema photo credit: Wisconsin Badger Sports Fan

* – Jay Valai photo credit: BadgerBeat.com

* – Brett Bielema photo credit: Wizard of Odds

Big Night for the Big Ten: Can Soulja Boy Bo Ryan, Tom Izzo, and Thad Matta Crank Out 3 More Ws?

Coming into this season much was made about the demise of the Big Ten as a powerful college basketball conference. The conference sent far less than its usual quota of teams to the NCAA Tournament last year, as only Wisconsin, Michigan State, Purdue, and Indiana made the Big Dance.

Indiana flamed out in Round 1 with a pathetic performance against Arkansas that was indicative of their late-season collapse, Purdue bowed out in Round 2, and Michigan State and Wisconsin actually did the conference relatively proud by reaching the Sweet 16.

Still, criticism of the Big Ten came from far and wide and people wondered if the conference’s fall from grace was more permanent than just a one- or two-year struggle. Well, the Big Ten answered its critics in a big way this season, placing 7 teams in the 2009 NCAA Tournament with two in particular that many have predicted to make deep runs: Michigan State and Purdue.

The 5th seeded Boilermakers won their first round game against Northern Iowa and will face off against #4 seed Washington tomorrow. #10 seed Michigan also won yesterday, scoring a mild upset by beating #7 Clemson. #10 seed Minnesota and #5 seed Illinois both saw their seasons come to an end last night, not all that unexpectedly. The #2 seed Spartans open Tournament play tonight against Robert Morris and both #12 seed Wisconsin and #8 seed Ohio State also play their first games tonight.

I think tonight has a chance to be a very good night for the Big Ten conference.

A Big Ten sweep in tonight’s game would give the conference a 5-2 first round record, which is excellent. It would also mean that Ohio State wins a tough game against an underrated Siena squad that many people (including me in my official tournament bracket) think will win, and that Wisconsin becomes the latest #12 seed to make it out of the first round with an upset over Florida State. (For the record, I have the Badgers going to the Sweet 16.) Michigan State is heavily favored against Robert Morris, so it would be a real shocker if they did not advance.

Despite my system-based pick of Siena over Ohio State, I think a) that my system has proven to be crap, so I no longer trust it and b) the Buckeyes have a great chance to pull out a W. Here are some quick previews and predictions of tonight’s games:

#12 seed Wisconsin v #5 seed Florida State

Before I jump into my reasoning for why Wisconsin can upset Florida State, I would like to share a hilarious video with you. Many Big Ten and Wisconsin fans may have seen this already, as I believe this video is from 2007, but I saw it for the first time today. I am not sure that I can think of anything more ironic in college basketball than Bo Ryan dancing to the eternally awful song “Crank dat Soulja Boy”. I don’t even know if that’s the actual name of the song, and I don’t really care. House debris in a tornado has smashed together in more pleasant harmony than this “song.”

Either way, the video of Bo Ryan “cranking dat” (or however you say it) is pure gold:

Video: Bo Ryan Soulja Boy Dance

Now onto my reasoning for picking Wisconsin.

Bo Ryan has proven himself to be one of the most consistent tournament coaches in college basketball. When he coached at UW-Platteville, Bo Ryan’s teams made the NAIA and then NCAA D-III tournaments in each of his final 12 seasons there from 1987-88 through 1998-99. During that time, they only lost in the first round once and won four championships. While at Wisconsin, Bo Ryan and the Badgers have made the tournament for 8 straight seasons, and have only been bounced in the first round once (2006). He has led Wisconsin to two Sweet 16s and one Elite 8.

The Badgers play tough, hard-nosed defense, they do not turn the ball over, they make free throws, and they keep games within reach by imposing their plodding, deliberate style of basketball on opponents. I know that Florida State played well in the ACC Tournament and knocked off a Lawson-less North Carolina team, but the Seminoles only have one player who scores in double-digits: Toney Douglas.

Bo Ryan and the Badgers are masters at removing a team’s first option and making #2, #3, and #4 options beat them. Without a superb performance from Douglas, I don’t think Florida State can win a grind-it-out game against Wisconsin. Obviously if the game gets into the high-60s or 70s, the advantage goes to Florida State; but I think Wisconsin keeps the pace slow and low-scoring and gets one of their typical ugly but solid wins.

I am a little worried about the Badgers in round two, and fear that my apparent man-crush on Bo Ryan may have decieved me into thinking that they are a Sweet 16-caliber team, but I feel good about tonight.

Hey — the usual Red & White (or Cream and Crimson) I root for come tournament time is nowhere to be found this year. Old habits die hard. Thus, I’m getting behind Soulja Boy Bo Ryan and the Badgers. Perhaps this prediction is wishful thinking, but Florida State is by no means a juggernaut and a solid defensive performance from Wisconsin can create another 5-12 upset.

#8 seed Ohio State v #9 seed Siena

It’s an 8-9 game, so no one will be surprised no matter which way this game goes.

Siena obviously has a better record, but played in a much less competitive conference. Siena also plays a much more up-tempo, high-scoring style than Ohio State, which should create an interesting contrast in tonight’s game. The reason why I am waffling on my original prediction of Siena is that the Buckeyes will have the best player on the floor in Evan Turner (something my bracket-busting system did not take into account). Every time I see him play I get more and more impressed.

So often, the best player on the floor can tip the balance in a game between two evenly matched teams. If Evan Turner plays like the superstar we saw during Big Ten play, he may be able to give Ohio State the lift it needs to play on. This is one of the picks on my bracket that I did not “agree” with — but I had a system and I was sticking to it. (Damnit.) If I was putting money down on a game-by-game basis I would have a hard time picking against Evan Turner and the Buckeyes.

So there you have it: official fence-straddling. I have become what I despise: the Mike Golic of bloggers. Bracket says one thing, this post says another. Screw it, my bracket is already toast — I’m rooting for and predicting an Ohio State victory.

Indiana is isn’t in the tournament so I’m Big 10 all the way.

#2 seed Michigan State v #15 seed Robert Morris

There is not much to say about this game in terms of a prediction. The Spartans have been a little inconsistent this year, but I think even the “bad” Spartans could score a victory against Robert Morris. If they find a way to become the next #2 seed to infamously bow out in round one, I and many other people will be ripping up their brackets and lighting them on fire.

I’ve got the Spartans going all the way to Detroit, and I think it starts tonight with a rout.

All things considered, if the Big Ten can get out of round one with a 5-2 record it would be a smashing success for a conference that so many have disparaged over the past few years. Even 4-3 would be a good step in the right direction. It’s up to Ohio State and Wisconsin to make that happen. The Badgers have won 7 out of 10 coming into tonight and the Buckeyes have won 4 out of 5. Both of their first round games are there for the taking, and I think Big Ten Nation will be able to walk away from tonight very pleased with the results.

Minnesota Basketball: Tubby Smith has a whole team running towards tourney

Minnesota basketball is enjoying unseen success, since the addition of Tubby Smith. The team has exploded out of the gate to 11-0 and entered the nation’s top 20. They are sitting at 16-1, now, with their only loss coming to a seriously tough Michigan State team. They notched another gutsy win in Wisconsin last night, and I’m trying to find out what’s responsible for this team’s performance on the court, the inspiration seems to be on the bench, though.

Virtually identical, I couldn’t find any serious differences in numbers and percentages while I scoped the official Minnesota Wisconsin box score from last night. I read up on the game, watched the highlights and still couldn’t find a serious statistic or problem that would point to how Wisconsin fell to the Gophers at home, after taking an 11 point lead before the half. It had to exist in the intangibles, and it does.

Since he left Kentucky, the SEC has suffered, but the Big Ten has added one of college basketball’s best minds to match Tom Izzo. There’s a reason that he will be in the Hall of Fame one day. Tubby Smith knows how to create a team that wins. He has done that in Minnesota and we can look towards the Wisconsin game for why.

Every good coach has to “sell his system”, when the W’s come, the troops get on board. Tubby Smith has his entire team on board with his system. Not just his assistants, not just starters, not just the sixth man; I mean the whole team. That’s because everyone is involved.

Bo Ryan worked a rotation of primarily 7 players, maxing out starters with each one close to 40 minutes for the Badgers last night. While some of the best squads in the country are primarily looking at 7 player rotations – Duke, Wake Forest, Michigan State, UConn. The minutes lean heavily on 5 starters and two players coming off the bench, for the most part.

7 players came off the bench last night for Tubby Smith. That means 12 players got minutes in a hard fought, OT battle, in the heat of conference play. 9 players saw more than 15 minutes in the game. The whole team got a win. Not just 7 guys and there’s value in a having a long bench in college basketball and it extends beyond conventional sports thinking

Putting guys on the floor, and having a deep bench doesn’t just keep legs fresh and defense active, it creates intangibles. It creates a new definition for team game. Tubby Smith has 9 players averaging 15 minutes, more than 5 points and 2 rebounds. No those numbers aren’t staggering but at the minimum everyone is contributing, positively. To have accountability and 9 players that you can trust on the floor isn’t something every coach in the country has or wants to risk.

That’s a decision by the coach, to get every member of his squad on board, to get every man minutes, to create a culture of belief around your program. Taking risks on young players in college, at the peak of their development breeds confidence and hunger in a team and a locker room. When virtually every player on Minnesota’s team has contributed something to their start, players are all in. It shows, too. They’ve won 16 games and they are 4 wins away from the magic 20 and gaining that invitation to dance in March.

We all know that college basketball is an emotional game. One that champions a team game played with commitment, toughness, and a never-die attitude. The Gophers showed that last night overcoming a huge second half deficit. They showed swagger and depth on the road. They showed that their record is not a fluke, and that they have the moxie to challenge Tom Izzo’s team for the Big Ten title. (By the way, Feb. 4 is the date when the two see each other again in East Lansing.) All this, thanks to a new face on the sidelines. Tubby Smith has created a team in the Barn that is enjoying unseen success, and challenging the hockey team for headlines due to selling his brand of team basketball.

Far-fetched? Maybe, if you’re a numbers guy, or one that just believes in talent. Though, for those who have been part of a scrappy locker room, jumped around in warm-ups as part of confident bench, or get a little choked up during “Rudy”, it makes sense. When your coach calls your number more often than not, you’re that much more willing to fight for that team, that fight will win games in college basketball.

Big Ten Hoops Round-up: Hot Start for Gophers, Wolverines

Trying to stay on top of college basketball is a full time job, a full time job that people like Jay Bilas get paid for. I’m not Jay Bilas, but I’m going to try and break down the week in Midwestern college basketball.

There were some interesting headlines, but the ball being played here in the heartland isn’t getting the press that the ACC or Big East sees; yet it’s clear that there are some contenders this year, namely Michigan State and Minnesota. Michigan is back on the rise and we’ll see if Purdue can battle back from injury woes and early losses to pop out of a slump.

One of the teams that hasn’t been in the news for a number of seasons may soon have fans in Ann Arbor smiling about something. Michigan got three quality wins this week against Illinois, Indiana and Iowa. The Wolverines are 3-1 in the conference and are starting to show their depth and talent. An emotional win last Sunday against the Illini started the week, then an overtime victory over the Hoosiers, topping it off with a win against Iowa is making Big Ten coaches and fans take note. Remember, this team beat Duke early in December. If they can stay hot in conference play, the legacy of quality Michigan basketball might be alive and well again.

Across the state, the Spartans are putting Tom Izzo back on the minds of basketball fans. Izzo has always been among the nation’s elite but recently hasn’t gotten past the Sweet 16 since 2005. Izzo’s high intensity team got two wins this week, one over Ohio State and another out of conference at Kansas. This year’s team seems to be emerging as the favorite to win the Big Ten, with the cooling off of the Boilmakers.

Which brings me to Purdue.

The preseason predictions had these guys making serious waves, but they aren’t making the kind of headlines they want to. They already have two in-conference losses and dropped an away game against the unranked Nittany Lions early in the week. Without starters Robbie Hummell and Chris Kramer, the Boilmakers offense stalled in the first half and couldn’t crawl back. They bounced back to beat Wisconsin but have put themselves in an early hole.

In The Barn, though, the Gophers are making some serious noise. Minnesota has only one loss on the year, to Michigan State, their first in conference game. The Tubby Smith era has just begin but they have got to be happy with three conference wins already. They took care of the Buckeyes, squeaked out a comeback against Iowa, then went into Happy Valley and wiped the floor with Penn State. This team will challenge for the Big Ten title for sure; they are confident and have a coach in place who has proved that sometimes a change of scenery can be a good thing.

The rest of ‘em? Well, Illinois and Wisconsin are the ones to watch, but they have proved to be hot and cold. We can wait for the news on those.

I’m no Jay Bilas, but at least this way you know who won what.

Purdue Loses to Penn State, Falls to 0-2 in Big Ten, Below…Indiana?!?

Earlier today, FOMSF (Friend of Midwest Sports Fans) T-Mill over at Off the Tracks wrote the following in his Purdue-Penn State preview post:

Tonight’s Penn State game has the potential to be one of our greatest victories of the season.

Sorry T-Mill, and you Boilermaker fans out there, but the Boilermakers were unable to get it done on the road against an upstart Penn State team playing very good basketball right now.

And with the Boilermakers’ loss tonight, Indiana fans everywhere were provided with the perhaps the greatest bit of pleasure they will have during what is sure to be an ugly and difficult Big Ten season. This screen capture says it all:

Yes, for perhaps the only time in this Season of Great Expectations for Purdue, and this Season of No Expectations for Indiana, the Hoosiers are above the Boilermakers. Look, am about as die-hard a Hoosier fan as you will find. (As an example, my girlfriend surprised me this Christmas with what she hyped as the “greatest Christmas present ever.” What was it? An autographed Washington Bullets Calbert Cheaney jersey. That’s right, I’m old school IU.) But not even if I am foolish enough to think that this year’s inexperienced and undermanned Indiana team can compete with Matt Painter’s solid Purdue bunch.

So I will enjoy standings that look like what you see above for as long as humanly possible. And get your licks in now Boilermaker fans — you may be better than the Hoosiers this year, but we’ll give you a battle in Bloomington and you know that Crean-Painter will be as competitive as Knight-Keady was within two years.

So what went wrong tonight for the Boilers in their loss to Penn State?

Well for starters, preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Robbie Hummel and Chris Kramer did not play. And then not scoring a field goal for the first five minutes of the game didn’t help either. Nor did the 13-0 run that Penn State went on in the second half. Amazingly, Penn State only shot .387 from the field and .565 from the free-throw line, as opposed to .458 and .846, respectively, for Purdue. Just looking at those numbers, you’d think Purdue won going away.

But those are the quirks of conference play. Purdue was also whistled for 9 more fouls that Penn State, leading to ten more opportunities from the line for the Nittany Lions. That helps to explain the final three point differential as well as anything.

At the end of the day, the Boilers were ranked #14 coming into this game and will now be knocked from their perch as Big Ten favorites. Starting out 0-2 sucks, sure — and the last time it happened to Purdue the finished 3-13 in the Big Ten — but the Boilers took advantage of the fact that they could sneak up on people last year. Now they are the ones being hunted. With Hummel and Kramer back in the lineup Purdue will resume being one of the best teams in the Big Ten and will no doubt finish in the top 3 or 4.

And when that happens — and IU is sitting at the the bottom of the standings with whatever paltry number of victories we have — I’ll always have the screenshot of the standings pictured above to remind me of the one moment during this season when the Hoosiers were over the Boilermakers.

2008 ACC-Big Ten Challenge Schedule and Preview

The ACC-Big Ten challenge is in its tenth year in 2008 and this year promises some key matchups; matchups that will likely separate the pre-season wannabees from the conference contenders. The schedule promises three days of action from the night of Monday the 1st to Wednesday the 3^rd.

The ACC has already boasted 4 teams in this week’s AP poll with UNC clearly at the top followed by Duke (7), Wake Forest (19) and Miami (22). After this weekend and Carolina’s impressive performance in the Maui Invitational, beating Notre Dame easily in the championship game, they will certainly remain atop the standings. Wake Forest may slide up the rankings as well after a quality win against Conference USA’s UTEP, keeping them undefeated in the out-of-conference portion of their schedule.

The Big Ten, on the other hand, suffered a few tough losses during the pre-season tournament schedule but grabbed some key wins. While Big-Ten front runner, Purdue, knocked off Boston College in the second round of the NIT invitational, they lost a hard fought battle against Oklahoma in the championship game. Michigan State reversed that trend losing to an ACC contender, Maryland, then knocking off Oklahoma State.

What do we learn from all this? There’s still a lot of basketball to be played until March. Teams looked hungry. Both the Big-Ten and ACC showed a quality field of contenders that will lead to some great conference play down the road.

We will certainly continue to learn about the these teams in the next three days, with the upcoming Big Ten/ACC challenge coming up. Here’s the schedule:

Monday, Dec. 1

Wisconsin at Virginia Tech

Both teams are expected to make a quality run this year. Wisconsin more than the Hokies. Look for Bo Ryan’s squad to play with pace and confidence, as they always do. VaTech has always run the court but they have already suffered two losses to Xavier and Seton Hall. The Hokies need the win, but I like the Badgers.

Tuesday, Dec. 2

Duke at Purdue

This is the marquee matchup, the ESPN commercial maker, the talk of the town. Purdue is clearly the best team in the Big Ten and Coach K always has his team in top form. Both teams are a benchmark for each conference. The winner here will determine the quality of ball being played within the conference this year.

Clemson at Illinois
- Not a headline matchup, but both of these teams will not be overlooked by anyone they see. Clemson is still seeing votes for the top 25 and sits at 7-0, they have been beating up on local neighbors like Charlotte and Savannah State, not too impressive but they haven’t slipped. Illinois has only played 4 games but beat Vanderbilt during that time and will certainly look to jump into the polls this winter.

Ohio State at Miami
- OSU made the NIT interesting last year but haven’t done anything this year. Their schedule will really jump into first gear in quality when they face the Canes (they see ND and Butler in the week after Miami). The Canes are expected to do big things this year with quality leadership from a roster loaded with Juniors and Seniors, they still have yet to prove themselves as a contender in the ACC.

Virginia at Minnesota
- Nothing terribly exciting here, but look for a quality matchup between two teams that could play spoiler in conference play.

Iowa at Boston College
- This game means a lot more for Boston College than it does for the Hawkeyes, the young Eagles is high on prospects but low on confidence. The team has one leading senior in Tyrese Rice, but has to balance their attack to contend this year. Iowa hasn’t seen a quality opponent except West Virginia, who they lost to. Hard fought battle for potential bubble teams.

Wednesday, Dec. 3

North Carolina vs. Michigan State (Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan)
- Another marquis matchup that will show the quality of each conference. Trouble is UNC will roll. Michigan State is a team that relies on momentum and feisty defense. UNC has their way with anyone, they will have their way with Izzo’s squad, unless they go real cold from the field.

Indiana at Wake Forest
- A rebuilding year in Indiana this year will be tough to swallow for Hoosier fans. The Demon Deacons, though, are looking at the potential of a powerful young roster. Look for Wake to start turning heads during this game.

Michigan at Maryland
- Maryland is a team that can always go either way. Gary Williams always seems to have his team in contention but never close to domination. Michigan hasn’t even made a news reel in recent memory but stole a win over UCLA early. As we speak, though, they are down by 20 at the half to Savannah State…?

Florida State at Northwestern
- I have a feeling we won’t see any serious news come from this game. The Noles were an athletic contender last year and are at 6-0 this year, we will see what they are made of in Saturday’s matchup against Cal. I have a hard time believing that the Wildcats will be able to keep up. Noles roll.

Penn State at Georgia Tech
- The Yellow Jackets have been squeaking out wins against some pretty weak opponents lately, Mercer took them into OT and they beat Jacksonville by 3. They are hanging by a thread but at least they have a thread. The Nittany Lions, however, have had some decent wins so far. I like the boys from Happy Valley.

The ACC has dominated the history of this inter-conference challenge. I don’t see much difference this year, at least amongst the Big Dogs. Duke and UNC should win, look for the shakeups and buzzer beaters to come from the middle of the pack games on Tuesday. The momentum is what’s key now, teams need to gather speed, confidence and poise early in the year before they go into conference play. Young ACC teams are looking for serious growth and Big-Ten bubble watchers would love a good win in November to strengthen their case in March.

Big Ten Bowl Projections | Buckeyes Rose Bowl Scenario

This post was written a few weeks ago, and included the wishful thinking of an Ohio State fan who wanted the Buckeyes to make it to the Rose Bowl. Follow the link to view the 2008 college football schedule, which will be filled in with all the matchups once they are set.  You can also view the updated BCS Bowl projections, with Ohio State likely going to the Fiesta Bowl.

We are down to the final two weeks of Big Ten football play and I am pretty sure every fan believes their team underachieved this year. This probably doesn’t include Michigan State, Northwestern and Minnesota but all three got destroyed by Ohio State (30 plus point losses). All three teams probably lost a lot of their fan base before this year. Speaking of losing a fan base, I look at Indiana and Purdue in last place and Notre Dame barely bowl eligible and Ball State is the only exciting team in Indiana.

Anyway, moving on to the top of the Big Ten we virtually have a three way tie for first. Michigan State sits atop at 6-1 and they have a bye this week to prepare to go to Happy Valley for the Penn State rivalry game November 22nd.

Penn State is playing at home against IU this weekend and it could get ugly since they are coming off the last second FG loss at Iowa. The sports media world took a collective sigh of relief because they were not ready to cover a national championship game where a Big Ten champ gets their asses handed to them for a third straight year. Plus one model should be the motto for the future of the Big Ten conference so they can have a championship game.

THE Ohio State University Buckeyes go to Illinois for a noon game (ESPN) and they have revenge on their minds after last year’s 28-21 loss in Columbus. The Illibuck Trophy is up for grabs in Champaign which will be playing in freezing temperatures, maybe some flurries, before they get the Wolverines at home in The Game November 22nd. Now on to Bowl projections:

ROSE BOWL (Jan 1st) – Ohio State v. USC - The Buckeyes have a not so outside shot at a rematch against USC with a Michigan State win at Penn State. If the Spartans do win, Ohio State couldn’t be happier going to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1997 when they beat Jake “The Snake” Plummer’s Arizona State team 20-17. If Penn State wins out look for the Buckeyes to be in the BCS at-large game (Fiesta or Sugar) against maybe Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Utah, or even Ball State.

CAPITAL ONE BOWL (Jan 1st) – Michigan State v. Georgia - The Spartan faithful would enjoy a trip to the Capital One Bowl with a win at Happy Valley. Javon Ringer would go pro after this game if can run wild on the recently porous Georgia defense. The last four #2 Big Ten v. #2 SEC match ups have gone to the Big Ten squad in this January 1st Bowl game. Michigan, Wisconsin, Wisconsin, and Iowa over Florida, Arkansas, Auburn, and LSU respectively.

OUTBACK BOWL (Jan 1st) – Penn State v. South Carolina – Joe Pa versus the Ol’ Ball Coach. Sounds ironic considering Spurrier is about 30 years younger right? Anyway, who knows who will show up in this 11am New Years Day bowl. Then again it is premature to discuss this potential game two weeks before the season is over and since I am probably underestimating Penn State who could get their starting QB back for the MSU game.

ALAMO BOWL (Dec 29th) – Iowa v. Missouri - Most would look at the QB match up here and would check the spread for Chase Daniel’s Tigers, bet their savings, and laugh all the way home. But Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes always stay competitive (or win) in these Bowl games that they are supposed to be over matched. They almost beat Texas last year, came close to Florida before that, and beat LSU and Florida respectively the previous years before the close losses.

CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL (Dec 29th) – Northwestern v. Miami (FL) - Two private schools, North versus South (or Thugs vs. Dorks whichever you prefer). Both programs are young and on the rise so if they meet here, the winner could build off the momentum and be pretty tough next year. The loser could as well.

INSIGHT BOWL (Dec 31st) – Illinois v. Nebraska - This is a coin flip between Minnesota and Illinois but I think Illinois will get the nod based off of fan base. It is unbelievable to me that the Fighting Zooks even have a chance to make a bowl after tanking it against WESTERN Michigan last weekend. Illinois has to beat Ohio State or Northwestern to even become eligible.

MOTOR CITY BOWL (Dec 27th) – Minnesota v. Ball State - The Gophers had a pretty good year but a lot of their Bowl eligibility has to do with a horrible non-conference schedule. Ball State is probably better than their non-conference and half of their Big Ten schedule. If Ball State runs the table while Utah and Texas Tech lose, then you would see Ball U in a BCS game and Central Michigan here against Minnesota.

Big Ten Football Saturday Rundown: November 1, 2008

Earlier today, I posed the question of whether or not today was the worst Saturday this decade for Big Ten football. With Penn State and Ohio State both on the sidelines, there appeared to be a dearth of compelling action today unless you are the most hardcore Big Ten football fan.

However, while there was very little at stake on a national scale, the action on the field ended up being pretty exciting in every game. Let’s get to the rundown:

Michigan State 25 | Wisconsin 24

If someone had told you at the start of the season that Michigan State would enter this week’s game against Wisconsin with a 4-1 Big Ten record, you would have thought that this would be a big game at the top of the Big Ten standings. However, Wisconsin came into the matchup with a 1-4 Big Ten record that has led for some Wisconsin fans to call for the firing of coach Bret Bielema. I doubt that today’s results will quiet those calls at all.

Take a quick look at the stat sheet and you’d think Wisconsin would have won going away. Javon Ringer was held to 54 yards rushing, while Wisconsin had two players rush for more than 100 yards. However, those totals don’t tell the full story. Wisconsin was penalized 12 times for 121 yards, with even Bielema getting in on the action and drawing a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at 9:19 in the 4th quarter with the Badgers up 11. A lot of the Sunday morning quarterbacks will also be debating Bielema’s decision to call timeout as Michigan State was setting up for the final field goal; he was ostensibly trying to ice Spartan kicker Brett Swensen, but mostly just enabled the Spartans to have time to setup properly and relaxed.

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Gus Johnson Joins Big Ten Network To Announce Mens Basketball

I am a die-hard IU basketball fan, so last season ended about as horrifically and pathetically as I could ever imagine. Since the end of last season, however, there has been a succession of good news including the hiring of Tom Crean, a great recruiting class coming in next season, and my realization that Verizon is now carrying the Big Ten Network in Dallas.

But not even the aggregate of all of this positive news could compare with what I just found out when I went to the Big Ten Network’s official website: Gus Johnson has joined the Big Ten Network to announce mens basketball games for the 2008-09 season.

Let me try to express how I feel about this:

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Big Ten Preseason Poll Released | Purdue First, Indiana Last

The sixth-annual Unauthorized Big Ten Basketball Writers Preview Poll was released over the weekend.

Purdue was picked to finish first and the recently punched-in-the-balls by Kelvin Sampson IU program was selected to finish dead last in the Big Ten.

Here are the results (first place votes are in parenthesis):

1. Purdue (10)

2. Michigan State (5)

3. Wisconsin

4. Ohio State

5. Minnesota

6. Illinois

7. Penn State

8. Michigan

T9. Iowa

T9. Northwestern

11. Indiana

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Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin Supports Rich Rodriguez

I’ve been hard on Rich Rodriguez in recent weeks. I’ll just come right out and say it: I don’t like him. I lump Rich Rodriguez in the same dubious group with other notorious, two-faced, ego beasts like Bobby Petrino and even His Royal Highness Nick Saban. I don’t like how he handled his departure from West Virginia, I don’t like the lack of respect he showed to Michigan football when he arrived in Ann Arbor, and I have reveled in each and everyone one of their struggles this season; such as the struggle I expect Michigan to have this weekend in Happy Valley.

But, one thing should be clear: I absolutely think that Rich Rodriguez will win games, and plenty of them, at Michigan. That is why I was not surprised to read this article on ESPN.com regarding Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin voicing full support for Rich Rodriguez despite a 2-4 record and a home loss last weekend to Toledo.

(Note: in an effort to be fair to Rich Rodriguez considering the posts I’ve written the past few days, this article from mgoblog.com gives a good overview of Rich Rodriguez’s history at West Virginia and how it likely portends good things for the on-field success of Michigan in the future.)

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Joe Paterno – Penn State v Michigan Preview | Most Wins – College Football Coach

(Photo Art by Midwest Sports Fans)

Coming into the 2008 college football season, Joe Paterno was one win behind Bobby Bowden (as of March 1, 2008 at the date of linking) on the all-time NCAA Division 1 college football coaching wins list. He was also at the center of a firestorm surrounding off-field issues with members of his Penn State Nittany Lions football team, as chronicled ESPN’s Outside the Lines. The controversy, combined with the Nittany Lions pedestrian 9-7 Big Ten record over the 2006 and 2007 seasons, led to whispers coming into the 2008 season that it might be time for Joe Paterno to step down.

You remember these whispers. They were the same ones that cropped up after the 2004 season when Paterno and the Nittany Lions were reeling after posting losing records in 4 out of 5 seasons, culminating with back-to-back 9th place finishes in a Big Ten conference not known for its depth of competition. But in 2005, the winning tradition was resurrected in Happy Valley as the Nittany Lions went 11-1 and finished 3rd in the nation after an Orange Bowl victory.

Once again, Joe Paterno has proven to be an immortal coaching phoenix. Joe Paterno, the Nittany Phoenix, has risen from the ashes once again to lead a Penn State team that currently sits at 7-0 (3-0) and ranked 3rd in the nation as they prepare to take on the hapless Michigan Wolverines in Happy Valley this weekend.

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Big Ten’s Big Matchup: Michigan State at Northwestern

There’s a big one happening north of the Windy City this weekend when the Spartans make the trek to Evanston to match up with the unbeaten Northwestern Wildcats. I’ve been patrolling the message boards, blogs etc. the tension is high. Big-Ten fans seem split, MSU fans contest, “Don’t be fooled, this isn’t a game” with an air of confidence that seems to say, “I’m a little nervous but I got a chip on my shoulder to hold off the cats”. Outsiders see it differently, people want to see David slay Goliath (MSU isn’t really Goliath this year but they are the toughest opponent the Cats have seen to this point) claiming that NW will slow down the Spartans and have an upset on their hands.

Being the ACC man that I am, I ensure that I will maintain a fair and balanced approach to the game (because I don’t believe in the Big-Ten that much. We will discuss that come bowl season.)

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College Football: Big games in the Big-Ten

Thus far the Big Ten has come up with mixed reviews. There are high spots and low ones and considering that Big Ten BCS representatives (ahhemmm, the Buckeyes and Illini) showed so poorly during bowl season, lukewarm feelings about the conference in the media and amongst college football fans have remained. (Especially those of us from SEC and ACC country)

After Ohio State’s whooping in the coliseum even more heads turned. That came hours after Michigan dropped a game to a Notre Dame team which is shaky at best. A few hours later, though, the Badgers went came up big out of conference. There were mixed reviews before then, but even more after the fact. The real question is, who will rise to the top from this conference?

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