Week 1 in the Non-Con: What I Want
by Bama Hawkeye on Sep 1, 2011 2:08 PM CDT
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PrintWe have favorites and we have loyalties, but if the Big Ten is going to continue to gain national respect, we're going to have to do it together. That means that we have to all be pulling in the same direction. Here's what I want to see from each Big Ten team in their non-conference battles this week.
Thursday
UNLV at No. 11 Wisconsin (ESPN, 7 p.m.): The win should come easy, but I want to see Russell Wilson integrate his athletic ability into the Badgers offense.
Minimal Problem last year...minimal problem this year.
Friday
Youngstown State at No. 17 Michigan State (BTN, 6:30 p.m.): The win should come easy, but I want to see if someone fills Greg Jones's shoes.
And now on to the Saturday fare...
11 AM
Akron at No. 18 Ohio State (ESPN): The win should come easy, but I want to see someone make a statement as the rightful heir to the Ohio State QB Throne.
Indiana State at Penn State (BTN): The win should come easy, but I want to see if the offensive line will be any better than it has been the past two years.
Tennessee Tech at Iowa (BTN): The win should come easy, but I want to see if the defensive line can recover from the losses of three NFL draft picks.
Northwestern at Boston College (ESPNU): This one won't be as easy, now will it? I want to see Dan Persa moving on a healthy achilles. I'd also like to see the final score be legit. No point shaving...either of you two.
Middle Tennessee at Purdue (BTN): This one could be scary if Purdue isn't focused. Purdue is still listed as a 17 point favorite. That seems high to me. I could see this being a one score win for the Boilers. I want to see if Caleb TerBush can manage the starting duties (and not rip his ACL).
2:30 PM
Minnesota at No. 25 USC (ABC/ESPN2): I don't expect this to go well. Vegas has USC as a 23.5 point favorite. That might be a bit much, but I don't think I'd e willing to take the points, given the choice. Tim Brewster's crew was able to keep this close last year. I want to see if Jerry Kill's running attack (which is a good matchup for Minnesota against USC) can do the same. How weird would it be if the conference's 15 year losing streak to USC was ended by Minnesota?
You can do this, Goldy.
Chattanooga at No. 10 Nebraska (BTN): The win should come easy, but I want to see the Huskers throw a shutout and announce their presence (and B1G arrival) with authority.
Arkansas State at Illinois (BTN): I want to see the Illini start the season 1-0. Now that they're not starting the year in St. Louis versus Missouri, that should happen. The beauty of this game? It's time. Starting this year, the BTN will be able to show games during the 2:30 slot. That should keep us from having the 11 AM pile up of nine games at once.
Western Michigan at Michigan (ABC/ESPN2): The win should come easy. I want to see how Denard Robinson can throw the ball.
Night
Indiana vs. Ball State (ESPN3, 6 PM): In 2009, Alabama began their season with a non-conference win in the Georgia Dome and ended their regular season winning the SEC Title Game back in the Georgia Dome. I do not think that we'll see Indiana do the same, but I want to see them win this one.
What I Want
I want 11 wins. I want at least seven dominant performances. I'll also want Maker's Mark on the rocks.
What I Expect
I expect we'll see 11 wins. I'm nervous about Northwestern, and will be until I see a Persastrong foot/ankle. I think Purdue is playing a team that will let them catch their breath before the hard stuff comes. But outside of those two, there is no reason that any Big Ten team should win by less than 10 points.
What We Had Last Year
We did better than we had the previous couple of years. The Big Ten finished 35-9 (.795) out of conference. The league went 7-5 against BCS Conference teams (plus Notre Dame). The league had four losses (Northern Illinois, Toledo, Fresno State and South Dakota) to non-BCS teams, two more than 2009. Here's to that number being zero in 2011.
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I want to see if Penn State can have any semblence of first quarter competence
This was completely absent all of last year minus the Ohio State game, where unlike all the others, Penn State was pretty good early before playing laughably bad. You may say, “but it’s only Indiana State!” To which I say, “it was only Youngstown State last year, and while I’d be the first to say that without an incredibly fortunate fumble and screen play, YSU is probably down 30-0 at half, those plays still happened and YSU was up at the end of the first quarter.”
"I play for Penn State, we don't celebrate after TDs." - Penn State's Derek Moye, on being asked to act like he's celebrating a TD during a BTN shoot.
NU QBs
I want to see Dan Persa moving on a healthy achilles.
If I can’t have that, I want to see evidence that backup QB Kain Colter had the same summer transformation that underwhelming backups Dan Persa and Mike Kafka had in 2010 and 2009.
Colter doesn’t have to be Persa 2.0, and hell, Northwestern doesn’t even have to win. But unless we see Colter operating several notches above the Watkins/Colter Show at the end of 2010, it’s going to be a looooong season for NU.
I should add
Even if Persa plays some and is totally healthy, seeing Colter perform well would still be desirable in this game. Persa back to his old self but no solid backup equals NU fans gasping in horror every time Persa’s sacked… which might happen a lot if the O-line hasn’t improved.
"How weird would it be if the conference's 15 year losing streak to USC was ended by Minnesota?"
I hadn’t thought about that and it would indeed be odd, but I have a funny feeling about this game and would not be surprised to see an upset.
by TheHumbleBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 2:28 PM CDT reply actions
I refuse to get my hopes up for this one
I was at the USC game last year, and Minnesota played a hell of a game until the fourth quarter—-after Minnesota went ahead and then USC returned the ensuing kick for a TD, the wheels fell off, and Brewster was frickin’ clueless. That isn’t happening this year, but even with USC kind of down, they ahve a lot more talent, and should win.
But they’ll know they’ve been in a fight.
"I'm crazy? Cyril, you're the one who killed a perfectly good hooker!"--Sterling Archer
If this happens
I’ll be the one high-fiving Will Ferrell and Snoop Dogg on broadcast TV. Check your local listings.
When we get the Pig, the Jug and the Axe, we'll have one hell of a picnic
I want to see Iowa suffer a humiliating defeat.
I can’t turn my disgust for all thngs Hawkeye on and off like some jezebel or hussy. I am constant in my hatreds.
"That chick was like, the Pele of anal."
got in on cell block D
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 2, 2011 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions
That's Another favorite
I’m dying to get my hands on some Templeton Rye, but I live about fours states away from its sales area.
"Bama Hawkeye, you know, the Iowa blogger who actually uses reason and analysis." - Patrick Vint
http://www.offtackleempire.com
Blanton's....
…is superior. Plus, it’s got an awesome bottle.
(I might also recommend some Maker’s Mark Mint-Julep….a pre-mixed mint julep complete with green, rather than red, wax, that quite frankly is perfect on the rocks.)
That
sounds really good…I’ll have to look for that one. Although, the Woodford is the “official” bourbon of the Kentucky Derby…which is why I chose to go to that particular distillery first and foremost. Blanton’s I’ve heard about, but never tried. Always on the lookout for a superior product.
Listen to you, Richie RichRod
I thought it was Early Times… at $15/handle, that’s right in my price range
When we get the Pig, the Jug and the Axe, we'll have one hell of a picnic
Wild Turkey is what my fraternity decided was our booze of choice
as a result, i don’t remember many friday nights. probably better that way.
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions
I can't believe you were in a fraternity...
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 1, 2011 4:17 PM CDT up reply actions
ha, you don't even know me
with all due respect, stfu
keep in mind, i did say “with all due respect”
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions
This post is all I need to know about you.
Less memorable than Sam Okey's Hawkeye career.
by Kyle McCann't on Sep 2, 2011 10:06 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Are you serious?
You can’t touch a handle (1.75L) of Wild Turkey down here without at least a Jackson and a Hamilton in tow down in Texas. Do they plumb the Wild Turkey right into your water supply??? That’s the world I wanna live in!
When we get the Pig, the Jug and the Axe, we'll have one hell of a picnic
Thank God for Bevmo in Califnornia...
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions
here you go
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 4:10 PM CDT up reply actions
I'll be picking up a bottle of makers 46 tonight
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions
already finished my botle of that
i like their bourbon better
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 2, 2011 10:05 AM CDT up reply actions
No self-respecting
Alabama resident is going to buy a pre-made mint julep.
"Bama Hawkeye, you know, the Iowa blogger who actually uses reason and analysis." - Patrick Vint
http://www.offtackleempire.com
Oh, I'm not daring to say it's superior....
…..but for a pre-made product available right out of the bottle, and thus easy to transport to your away-game tailgate where you may not have real mint-julep making capabilities? A phenomenal substitute.
(Seriously — try it sometime. You’ll thank me. Plus, if anyone can make a GOOD pre-made mint julep, it’s the folks over at Maker’s Mark.)
Pappy Van Winkle
Enough. Said.
"We're talking about unchecked aggression here, Dude."
Off Tackle Empire
The Daily Gopher
@jdmill
by JDMill on Sep 1, 2011 5:16 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I had a special order Woodford a few weeks back.
We’d gone out to a restaurant in Napa and the owner had apparently gone out to KY and had a barrel specially mixed and aged at Woodford. It was the “Woodford Reserve Keffer & Yajeya Barrel” and it was absolutely delicious. So I guess my goal in life is now to make enough scratch to order special barrels in my name from distilleries.
That
would indicate that you had truly ‘arrived.’ The tour I was on went thorugh the bottling room and the place where they mix the stuff from the barrels with the amount of water necessary to produce the advertised alcohol content, 80 proof or what have you. They weren’t allowed to let us taste any, but the tour guide poured some into the glass and got some on the outside, and was saying…"now I can’t LEGALLY provide any of this for you to taste, but if you happen to get some off of the bottom of this glass….so be it.’
It was GLORIOUS.
I would like to see
Youngstown State come within 7 pts of MSU….just to plant the seed of doubt in their minds. :-)
I would like to see
UM get shellacked by WMU. Funny thing is, there is a possibility.
And for SDSU to come to the big house and consume UM……and leave a giant pile of dung in that hole-in-the-ground you call a stadium.
Won't happen
but….go ahead and keep hoping.
Hoke has more understanding of SDSU than any other team on the sechedule, so although I can see the source of your hope, that won’t happen either. Although I see a 7-10 pt victory at best for UM.
Hole-in-the-ground? Lets TRY and keep this civil, shall we?
You can't deny it is a hole in the ground
It literally is in the ground. You enter the stadium at the top, and go down the stairs to the seating.
Well
from that perspective, MY alma mater’s stadium is also a “hole in the ground”…built into the side of a mountain, as a matter of fact.
You said “hole in the ground” as if it was a piece of shit, which I take exception to…
That was just a play on words
It’s an insult you really can’t refute. You can take it any way you want, but you can’t deny it is built into the ground. Makes it a perfect insult :-)
probably won't happen
but don’t even think about saying that it can’t
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 3:37 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
You're making
an assumption that the current coach won’t learn from history. I say that he has and won’t allow something like that to happen again. And by that I mean…if we lose, it’ll be to a team that we should have lost to (insert joke about our entire schedule here, if you must) and if we over achieve, great.
I feel that confident in Hoke. I know you’ll have plenty to say in response, but I think the App State game, may it rest in peace, opened UM’s eyes (and the rest of the country’s) to this situation…don’t take ANYONE for granted. Ever.
no assumptions made
I just like that picture :)
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 4:09 PM CDT up reply actions
you can have this one too
HELP IS ON THE WAY
~Banned at ATO since June 3rd, 2011, 2ish PM PST
by SouthBayBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 4:33 PM CDT up reply actions
Doesn't that work both ways?
I would think Hoke knows a lot about SDSU’s personnel, but SDSU is going to be very familiar with his schemes and play calling style.
Schadenfreude ist die schoenste Freude
by Seer on Sep 2, 2011 3:35 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Sorry I don't mean to be so bitter
Just tired of the Big Ten, the Detroit media, and every reporter on their soapbox swoon over Hoke and his “Michigan Man” ways. I’ll respect UM when they prove something.
But I do admire your commitment. A ridiculous amount of people have jumped off the UM bandwagon once they went to the shitter with RR.
Thanks...
your apology is accepted. I can understand your bitterness….although I’m not privy to the Detroit Media problems you describe. I’m about 600 miles away from there…
all good…
I hate you, too. :-)
(That’s for mikjones24)
The also
beat Florida. On the road.
As memorable as that loss was, Carr still brought respectability to Michigan. Something that was lost for a few years. Hoke can bring it back, I’m convinced.
A note on last year's non-con losses
Northern Illinois, Toledo, Fresno State and South Dakota
Actually, I was at a bar in Chicago during the South Dakota-Minnesota game. Normally I always root for Big Ten teams. But a lady sitting at the table next to myself and my friends graduated from South Dakota, and said for every time we cheer for South Dakota she’ll buy us a pitcher of beer.
Sorry Minnesota, but we were the reason for your loss that day.
Honestly, I don't remember
There was a lot of beer involved…
You were the reason for the loss? I don’t think you’re giving Tim Brewster NEARLY enough credit here.
"We're talking about unchecked aggression here, Dude."
Off Tackle Empire
The Daily Gopher
@jdmill
by JDMill on Sep 1, 2011 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I want to see Michigan State avoid the injury bug
But Christ knows it’s only a matter of time, right?
I know it's early...
But that strike that Russell Wilson just threw on that rollout made me think of Troy Smith. The Badgers are going to be tough to beat this year guys.
by TheHumbleBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 7:14 PM CDT reply actions
Yep.
I think they are going to undefeated actually. (which presents an interesting question. Undefeated Wisconsin (or any B1G team), Oklahoma, and SEC team. Who gets left out of the national title game? I know it’s way early, but interesting hypothetical.
And that...
Was just a nasty run by Montee Ball…. Just nasty.
by TheHumbleBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 7:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I think Oklahoma gets left out due to strength of schedule right.
SEC and B1G have an extra Championship game to play. I would assume the computers would issue a bump for that.
So I tried the Barbasol and Rotel dip and I was very dissapointed!
I know I'm late on this one
But watching the first half, I came away with the conclusion that Wisconsin is scary good on offense but that defense is going to be a huge problem for them if it doesn’t improve, fast. UNLV was gashing them for yards all half only to shoot themselves in the foot in the red zone (and be the victim of some completely unnecessary hometown reffing).
Put it this way, right now Wisky looks like a bully: perfectly capable of wailing on those who are hopelessly outmatched but I’m waiting to see what happens when someone smacks them right back.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
by HoyaGoon on Sep 2, 2011 12:41 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
It feels like Doeren never left.
The 10 yard cushions that Wisconsin DBs have given since the beginning of time have always annoyed me.
I think Ash ultimately didn’t want to leave anything out there on film for OS or NIU to exploit. This was a defense so vanilla it was painful.
Editor at BT Powerhouse, a Big Ten Basketball blog.
Author at Acme Packing Company, a Green Bay Packers blog
by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Sep 2, 2011 2:11 AM CDT up reply actions
14-0
They might as well not have the D out there.
Wilson keeps over throwing the TE though
In the name of the Woody, the Bo, and the Mustache Ride. Amen.
Yeah, but...
He’s probably not used to having so much time to throw. His eyes are lighting up every time he sees a guy downfield. He’ll settle down. That strike he threw on the rollout play was impressive.
by TheHumbleBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions
Can't say I blame him.
Going from mid-tier ACC team to a dark-horse title contender has got to be nice.
27-3
Wisconsin’s run D needs a bit of work, though.
And with that run, ladies and gentlemen...
Russell Wilson becomes the all-time Wisconsin leader in rushing yards by a QB, surpassing the record previously held by (insert name of tall lanky white guy).
by TheHumbleBuckeye on Sep 1, 2011 8:27 PM CDT reply actions
And to add insult to injury
Wisconsin is about to score again.
Did
Les Miles take over Wisconsin for the last 20 seconds? Ah, well. Field goal anyway.
So... uh...
You think those Badgers might be good this year? I’ve got this funny feeling that, yeah, maybe…
I know it’s UNLV and all, but I’m kind of glad Northwestern won’t face them until the conference championship in Indy.
In other news,
Western Kentucky is currently leading an SEC school.
So whats up with Wisky's D?
UNLV is running all over them, and that is with Wisconsin’s first string D in.
As of 11:32 left in the game
UNLV has an average of 4.1ypc
Not too shabby, honestly
Yeah, but its UNLV
what happens when a real running game comes to town?
"Your spelling and grammar errors belie a seriously skilled thought process"- therealCatnuts
by justsomehawkeyefan on Sep 1, 2011 11:20 PM CDT up reply actions
No clue
Despite only giving up 3 in the first half, they’ve had issues defending the run and dump passes. Part of it’s probably them just not being as aggressive as usual, but it seems to be a problem.
Reading the game recap, it seems a lot of our starting defenders came out.....
Around the time the offensive starters came out. After they got their point total to 17, the starters on defense came back in.
Angelo: Right….so anyways Jay, I’m sure you understand that we needed to make this move and I wanna wish you the best of luck.
Cutler: (Swoops bangs out of eyes by throwing his head back) Whatever, I don’t need this team or you.
/Leaves in a huff
//Writes bad poetry on his blog
Grossman: What the fuck is Wilford Brimley’s problem?
Not so coincidentally, that's when the scoring stopped
And the YPC dropped back down to 3.8 for the game.
Angelo: Right….so anyways Jay, I’m sure you understand that we needed to make this move and I wanna wish you the best of luck.
Cutler: (Swoops bangs out of eyes by throwing his head back) Whatever, I don’t need this team or you.
/Leaves in a huff
//Writes bad poetry on his blog
Grossman: What the fuck is Wilford Brimley’s problem?
Whoever 92 (RDE) is for Wisky
constantly plays straight up and get himself blocked.
Lol at Kentucky
If WKU had even a mediocre offense they would have won this game. Kentucky sucks hard
"Your spelling and grammar errors belie a seriously skilled thought process"- therealCatnuts
by justsomehawkeyefan on Sep 1, 2011 11:19 PM CDT reply actions
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