The first weekend of conference play is in the books and with that, we have somewhat of a better feel for how good the teams in the Big Ten really are. For instance, despite some heavy preseason love (including around these parts), Mark Dantonio and the Spartans are now entertaining thoughts of staying home for bowl season. And Wisconsin? Really?
Tears on Canvas c.2009Obviously, if you're talking about who has looked good so far, the Hawkeyes would have to be at the top of the discussion. Saturday night's win in Happy Valley pushed Iowa's record to 4-0 and they have the distinction of having handed every team on their schedule their sole loss on the year. Despite losing Hampton in fall camp and tackle Brian Bulaga, they've come out and played very physical, mistake-free football. After punking Penn State, they look like the real deal1 and despite throttling the Hawkeyes in the last two meetings, I'm happy to catch those guys in the Shoe this season.
The only other Big Ten teams with unblemished overall records are Wisconsin and Michigan. Both teams are breaking in new quarterbacks and doing a good job of it. The Badgers' Scott Tolzien and the Wolverines' Tate Forcier are currently one and two in the league in pass efficiency.
Although it's fun to snicker, winning at Fresno State goes into the "decent win" column topping Fresno State is a quasi-decent win these days and then the Badgers followed it up by dominating Michigan State. Team Dantonio might not have been in the right frame of mind coming off two straight heartbreakers but Wisconsin never gave them a chance to make it a game. Wisconsin travels to TCF Bank Stadium this weekend before heading to Columbus and then welcoming the Hawkeyes to town the next two weeks. If the 2009 Badgers are a good team, we'll know after that stretch.
Undefeated through September, the Wolverines have bested last season's win total in the first month of play and one of sports most insufferable fanbases is getting its swagger back. So much so that a high priest of Tribe Arrogance ventured out of his hippie hole to post nonsense like this.
4-0 is four-and-oh, but the four wins have come against questionable competition. The win over Notre Dame has lost a bit of its luster and needing a comeback at home against the Hoosiers is... interesting (with some help out of the referees, no less). Who among us would be surprised to see them drop the game in East Lansing this weekend? Exactly. If they do survive the Spartans, Iowa and Penn State, though both at home, loom as the next tests for Rodriguez Year Two.
The Gophers join the Buckeyes as the last two unbeaten teams in conference play and can lay claim to unofficial champion of the Northwestern-Minnesota-Syracuse round robin, but the close loss at home to Cal doesn't look so great all of a sudden. They get the Badgers this weekend at home, then catch a breather with Purdue before setting out for back to back road games at Penn State and Ohio State. So, basically, Tim Brewster's positive energy shield should be neutralized by mid October.
At the top of the one-loss league teams is Penn State. The Lions reaped a bit of the fine cupcakage they spent their out of conference schedule sowing and were shoved around and humiliated at home by the Hawkeyes. The good news is that they won't run into too many teams that are as physical as Iowa is on the trenches, but the bad news is that Clark just might be missing his top three receivers from a year ago. If they let Illinois hang around or pull the upset in Champaign this weekend, it could be the most glorious fall ever watching the whiniest fanbase on earth meltdown in front of our eyes (Pro tip, gents: every time you bring the bravado it backfires on you2).
Speaking of the Illini, they're still capable of doing some damage. There's just too much talent on the team. Sure, they might quit on Zook or otherwise self-destruct four games out of five, but in that fifth game, they will sneak up on someone. Northwestern won't challenge for the league title, but I'd be surprised if they didn't pull at least one upset as well. Indiana, who knows? Ask me again Sunday.
As for the Buckeyes the defense is providing cover for an offense that's still trying to find its way. There's still that small irritating fear that we could even end up with our own Trent Dilfer (although no matter what he does through the air, edge to Pryor over Dilfer as a runner) to our Ravens defense at the end of the season, but I have to keep the optimism vibe because no matter what you do in life, the more times you do it, the better you become at it, right? Right?
- 1 I'd love to hear any theories as to how the Hawkeyes are four spots behind the Nittany Lions in this week's Coaches Poll.
- 2 I still have fond memories of the "We're Going Undefeated, Deal With It" slogan that adorned the site after beating the Buckeyes last year. Adorable, really.
Comments
RIGHT!
I hope Indiana becomes a good team this year, makes it to a bowl, has a solid record with maybe 2-3 losses or so.
But the Bucks will beat them.
O-H
i don't know. i kind of agree with some of what the hippie said...though he did contradict himself in the article by citing Tressel's quick thinking during the '06 game and then calling him a schematic dinosaur. i still haven't forgiven tressel for the travesty that was the usc game. they walloped that usc team, but gave back so many damn points they couldn't win.
END END END before the shit show starts up again.
I'm not saying he didn't have some points in what he said, but it's kind of like your family. You can talk smack about them, but nobody else.
You're giving Wisconsin too much credit--that game in which they barely squeaked by Fresno St. was in Madison. Yup, all the more pathetic.
I'm just glad that most of the nonconference games are over, and we get to focus on the Big Ten race that will probably produce a fairly good Rose Bowl participant. Judging by the Pac-10 play so far, it's looking like their champion, whoever it may be, will be on the fast track to the early Pasadena game, as well...and this year that team is going to be truly beatable (USC included).
I know the Big Ten has struggled a bit this season...but no losses to 1AA opponents (someone correct me if I'm wrong), and it looks like any one of Iowa, Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, and even Wisconsin all may have a shot at winning the crown. Hell, I'd throw Minnesota and Indiana in there, too, if they can keep their offenses on the field. I'm excited about it.
I have a theory as to how the Hawkeyes are four spots behind the Nittany Lions in this week’s Coaches Poll; the coaches don't know what they're doing.
Eh... that does make a bit of a difference.
Penn State sucks a big bag of dicks along with Jim Delaney. And why can't Iowa get their collective shit together on a consistent basis? Kirk Ferentz is supposedly this great coach, but they never seem to get to that next level in terms of wins.
It's not like this is news, but good lord Penn state and michigan blogs are insufferable. brian at least has something resembling a point, but anytime PSU experiences anything close to success, their fanbase goes absolutely bonkers
It's so hard to get sold on Iowa just from that week one game that they should not have won. Sure it was a fluke, but they still should not have won. I'm not sure if the weather had much to do with it or not against Penn State, but I don't see Iowa as being that good. I think Michigan loses their next three, Iowa and Michigan State tail off now, and the OSU / Penn State winner will still be the Big 10 champs. We run the table from here on out, we get to the big one because Texas and others will fall. We need help though because the Buckeye bias will give everyone else a shot first.
Didn't half the Wisconsin team also have the flu the week leading up to that game?
Why is it this is pretty much the only Big 10 blog where you don't have to register if you want to post something? I really want to go over to Hail to the Orange and tell them to stop their bitching about the Coleman hit but I'd have to register to do that and frankly its not worth the effort.
Whether Iowa wins or loses, there's absolutely no reason why they shouldn't be ranked No. 4 in the country right now (and it sure as shit should not be LSU). Iowa is the only team in the country with three wins against BCS teams from three different conferences. Most team's schedule won't even allow for the possibility.
Urban Meyer, is that you?
I'm tired of hearing fans and coaches use the flu as an excuse for poor performances by their teams. Give me a break. What was Wisconsin's excuse against NIU then?
Gotta love that picture of Daryll Clark on the bench!
I like the thinking regarding flu excuses but the Badgers took a 28-6 lead into the 4th quarter against NIU. That was probably more of a case of a young team not finishing.
I thought there was a chance this could be Bielema's last season in Madison, but so far, they're finding ways to win.
Who are these BJs that Big Ten Network employs to emulate ESPN anchors?
My brother and I just recently ended relationships with sisters who graduated from PSU. All of their friends and family are huge Nittany Lion fans, whom I cannot stand one bit. I really hope our Bucks go into State College and punk the shiz outta their squid so that their team and fans are left feeling neglected and abused
squad*
Iowa is for real this year as a Big 10 contender and maybe more... If they can get their offense clicking, (they have the tools for it) they will be more than all but a few teams will be able to think about handling.
The Fresno State win is a quality one, regardless of how many overtimes it took. Fresno played Cincy competitively and hung with Boise until the latter stages of that game as well.
As for Iowa, they have a good defense, but OSU's is better. Their running game isn't bad, but Stanzi will have to show me a heck of a lot more than I've seen so far this year to buy into Iowa being "more than all but a few teams will be able to think about handling." They had a nice win at PSU, but let's step back into reality, please.
jfunk says:
09/29/2009 at 9:35pmWhy is it this is pretty much the only Big 10 blog where you don’t have to register if you want to post something?
So they can make a few easy bucks by selling your e-mail address.
Meant to refer to the must register blogs.
Have you ever had the flu?
Next time you do get the flu...trying suiting up and playing 60 minutes of D-1A football and see how well you perform.
The flu isn't the same as getting the USC Jock-itch. Millions of people have died from the flu.
I think it's a pretty good excuse.
I don't know; if my squid got shiz-punked, I'd be feeling pretty neglected and aboused.
A shiz-punked squid; this could be "out of hound" 2.0...
Give me a break.
Umm... because they're Iowa...
They're supposed to win 4 games a year. Ferentz is getting them to that next level by winning 8 a year with the once a decade conference title.
I'm punking the shiz out of my squid right now.
/Hey OHHHH!
Winnar!
It never fails...I didn't realize that one till after I wrote it, but I knew everyone would be all over that comment.
don't worry dude, i'll punk their squid and their squad. i will not discriminate.
how do you and your pro date psu girl? that's sick, a little piece of me just died inside.
Gotta agree with BuckeyeSki, we have a 'Winnar'! Nothing like a good squid punking to get your day off to a good start.
They're actually sisters...we broke up recently and my brother and her sister broke up months ago, so it gives me that much more of a reason to get fired up for that game. They're both huge fans, obviously not as big of fans as the bro montana and I are for the Bucks. But we went to HS in Pa, so we've been surrounded by Crappy Valley fans for quite some time...Buckeye Track and Field will always be much better anyways!!!
Totes Magote
I have a lot of family in Pennsylvania, my dad was born in Erie so I feel for ya. Dad was a buckeye fan but I know a lot of PSU fans by default. last year was brutal for me as a result.
That's funny...cause they were also from Erie! But, I'm with you man. I got slayed all day everyday by those "squids." I think it's hilarious that they feel we should view the match-up with them in the same light as the game with scUM, not a chance in hell. In the words of Mike Hart, we view Penn State as our, "little brother." They're just trying to get on our level.
Penn State feels left out because they are a fairly recent addition to the b11 and they don't have a true rival anymore. They're just riding on our buckeye coat-tails, looking for some attention. their only real rival was Pitt back in the day and I don't think they've played them in 10 plus years. Let's face it, with a few good years thrown in the mix, PSU has been, in large part, IRRELEVANT and usually good for 9-3 each season.
real. talk.
LMAO..... *tears streaming down face, belly aching from laughter
I will 2nd what buckeye said.
Go tell the families of those who died from the recent swine flu to "give me a break."
I can barely lift my head out of the toilet when I have the flu. Let alone play football.
If you two dont stop it I swear to god I'll turn this car around RIGHT NOW!!!!
that's why i always sat behind my dad on family road trips, harder to reach me when i was fucking around.
dude, did anyone go back and read that BSD post on how "The King is Dead"? OHHHH that was good stuff. If only I had read that prior to the Iowa game I would have taken so much more satisfaction in their demise. Not to mention the "DC for Heisman" post. As much as other B11 fans likely relish our losses, their over confident home losses are all that much sweeter.
Reports of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.
That's a controversial point, but bears more scrutiny.
You had me at OSU/PSU for the B10, but you lost me at the nat'l title game. As CC would say, c'mawn main!
BuckeyeTrack10....
While I applaud your enthusiam, the disparity between ttsun and MSU is far greater than that between OSU and PSU.
/just sayin' before someone comes trollin'
I read it twice. Once prior, and once tonight. It was equally satisfying both times. If I have a bad day soon, I'll read it again.
Yeah, cause that's where he was when you lost to PSU at home...