Michigan

[RockRaines]

Yeah, my logic is that they will be emotional for the MSU game, and manage to put together a good game to "save" the season. Then they will have a letdown against Minnesota with a hell of a running game. Iowa doesn't have the ground attack to beat Michigan if they focus solely on Tate. Thats my logic anyways.

Its surprising because IOWA's run game looked good until this weekend. I was at the Bucks game, and we flat out dominated their O-line and made Tate look uncomfortable. Plus iowa's d-line is terrible. They rely soley on their backers to pick up the slack. OSU gave away 3 td's on 2 fumbles and a penalty. the game was alot more lopsided than people think.

[THEWOOD]

this is what i think of michigan

[RockRaines]

I think I sat next to those broads on sat.

[THEWOOD]

I think I sat next to those broads on sat.

 

you live in c-bus?

[RockRaines]

you live in c-bus?

nope, made the trip this saturday from chi. Sat in A-deck in the block O section. Lots of nice lookin females.

[THEWOOD]

yeah block o always has some nice looking chicks....did you go to school there? or are you just a fan?

[RockRaines]

yeah block o always has some nice looking chicks....did you go to school there?  or are you just a fan?

Fan since birth, fam is from there. I went to miami. Half my fam went to OSU, the other half Miami.

[Chisoxfn]

we don't play purdue this year.  Trust me this team will win 8-9 games this year at the least.  They just have to get their act together.

Good luck with that. I could see 8, but you guys wont' touch 9. I didn't think you guys played Purdue, but I saw you mentioning them a few times and than assumed you guys did (Purdue has a cake schedule IIRC).

 

And MSU is the best team in the Big 10 along with OSU. IF MSU takes care of business next week, your gonna have one hell of a game in two weeks when MSU and OSU play for in my mind the Big 10 title.

[RockRaines]

Good luck with that.  I could see 8, but you guys wont' touch 9.  I didn't think you guys played Purdue, but I saw you mentioning them a few times and than assumed you guys did (Purdue has a cake schedule IIRC).

 

And MSU is the best team in the Big 10 along with OSU.  IF MSU takes care of business next week, your gonna have one hell of a game in two weeks when MSU and OSU play for in my mind the Big 10 title.

Wisco is undefeated as well, and they dont play mich or OSU.

[Chisoxfn]

I think that they will lose to MSU, beat Minn, lose to IOWA.  And end up with 5 losses.  but you never know.

I agree with you. They will lose in Iowa City. Michigan and Iowa will be very similar teams this season finishing with similar records. Both will be teams to reckon with next yaer though. And both have the ability to step up and beat a very good team any given Saturday.

[Chisoxfn]

Its surprising because IOWA's run game looked good until this weekend.  I was at the Bucks game, and we flat out dominated their O-line and made Tate look uncomfortable.  Plus iowa's d-line is terrible.  They rely soley on their backers to pick up the slack.  OSU gave away 3 td's on 2 fumbles and a penalty.  the game was alot more lopsided than people think.

Ya, there new running back has actually done a very good job. OSU just shut down every aspect of Iowa's offense. Iowa State did that as well, but without Drew date for roughly 3 quarters. I still say, Iowa has Tate and they would be 3-1 at this point.

 

That being said, they are nowhere near as good as Ohio State or Michigan State and would get clobbered if they played them at home or on the road (maybe they could come close to MSU because I like Tate's ability to get in a scoring match with them and I think the Iowa defense has some playmakers and should gel).

 

We shall see though. I think 8 wins at most for my Hawkeyes this year.

[Chisoxfn]

Wisco is undefeated as well, and they dont play mich or OSU.

Wisco will fold just like they did last year, imo. They still got to play the Purdues, Iowa's, Minnesota's of the world and I think all of those teams are capabe of beating the Badgers as well as MSU.

[White Sox Josh]

Explain to me how you "aint sold on OSU"....??? Also Avant being the best receiver?  Ever heard of Holmes and Ginn???

sorry but Avant has carried that team to it's two wins. He has the most receiving yards of anyone in the big ten and catches almost anything thrown to him. Im not sold on OSU because i don't think a 2 QB rotation will work. I know they are primarily using Smith now but i have a feeling you will be seeing Zwick soon. Also i don't think Smith is a great QB. He is a very good running back playing QB sort of like Michael Vick is.

[Palehosefan]

Ya, there new running back has actually done a very good job. OSU just shut down every aspect of Iowa's offense. Iowa State did that as well, but without Drew date for roughly 3 quarters. I still say, Iowa has Tate and they would be 3-1 at this point.

 

Young still has alot to prove, he put up good numbers against a 1-AA team and Ball State who is ranked 113 in the nation in rush defense. Even Iowa State is only 63rd in the nation in rush D. Even last year in limited playing time most of his numbers came against Kent State. He still has to prove he can do it against good defenses outside of the rivalry game. We will see.

[Palehosefan]

He is a very good running back playing QB sort of like Michael Vick is.

 

Don't forget VT rode Vick's running ability all the way to the championship game, Texas is doing the same thing this year with Vince. Having an athletic QB is a huge bonus. There's not to many holes on OSU this year, you just have to be a talented team and put together a complete game and you will have a chance against them ala Texas.

[RockRaines]

Smith now but i have a feeling you will be seeing Zwick soon.  Also i don't think Smith is a great QB.  He is a very good running back playing QB sort of like Michael Vick is.

Yeah, I guess those 4 td's he had this sat would warrant a QB change. Watch the games will ya?

[Soxfest]

Michigan out

[Soxbadger]

First,

 

Wisconsin does not play MSU this year, so it does not matter if MSU could beat Wisconsin.

 

Second,

 

Wisconsin has now won its hardest game of the year. No other team has the same nightmares as Michigan brings to the Badgers.

 

Third,

 

At Minnesota

 

Home-coming versus Purdue

 

Home versus Iowa.

 

Those are the 3 tough games left on the Wisconsin schedule. Wisconsin-Minnesota is a pretty big rivalry and Minnesota always plays Wisconsin tough. The fact that it is away is some what of a disadvantage, but usually they get good crowd support at the Metrodome.

 

Purdue and Iowa could beat Wisconsin as well, but with home field advantage and the confidence of beating Michigan, I think these games are very winnable.

 

Fourth,

 

Wisconsin "folding" last year.

 

Anthony Davis was injured, Erasmus James was injured versus Purdue, and the other back up RB's for Wisconsin were pretty banged up. There is no way to tell what a healthy James and Davis would have done for Wisconsin, but injuries are quite different from folding.

 

If Calhoun stays injury free, Wisconsin can win the rest of its games.

 

Do not believe what you read in the papers, college sports are terrible at giving pre-season rankings. Just look at Auburn last year.

 

SB

[Palehosefan]

People are missing the point about Wisconsin. Like the Oklahoma teams of the 80's with Switzer. Wisconsin has one and only one identity, they run. Everyone in the world knows what they are going to do to you every given week, but teams still can't stop it. Wisconsin controls the LOS on both sides of the ball, if you can do that, you can win alot of games. Calhoun has had over 150 yards in back to back games against two very solid run stuffing D's. Booker Stanley also comes into games and doesn't have a big drop-off in talent. I truly believe that Calhoun will lead the nation in rushing and rush for 2K. Calhoun gets to run against two defenses ranked in the 100's in rush D the next two weeks, should be a feast.

 

Wisconsin also has a very good TE option in the run game in Owen Daniels, and a very good WR in Brandon Williams who will break Lee Evans career receptions mark before he's done. Stocco isn't Bolinger, but he doesn't make mistakes and knows the true identity of the team and accepts it and compliments it.

 

I'm not saying teams like OSU, USC, or VT wouldn't give them fits, but Wisconsin would be in all of the games because of their lines on both sides of the ball.

[RockRaines]

If only Stocco could throw the ball.......

[Palehosefan]

He's completing 58% of his passes and has a 2:1 ratio of TD:INT, which is good enough for what Wisconsin needs. If he throws for 130-150 yards in a game, Wisconsin fans are likely going to be happy with the result of the game.

 

Here's a list of passing efficiency, Chad Henne, Troy Smith, Justin Zwick, and John Stocco's numbers are included. Can you guess who's who?

133.95

127.39

126.73

123.82

 

...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Troy Smith

John Stocco

Chad Henne

Justin Zwick

[Heads22]

Ya, there new running back has actually done a very good job.  OSU just shut down every aspect of Iowa's offense.  Iowa State did that as well, but without Drew date for roughly 3 quarters.  I still say, Iowa has Tate and they would be 3-1 at this point.

 

That being said, they are nowhere near as good as Ohio State or Michigan State and would get clobbered if they played them at home or on the road (maybe they could come close to MSU because I like Tate's ability to get in a scoring match with them and I think the Iowa defense has some playmakers and should gel). 

 

We shall see though.  I think 8 wins at most for my Hawkeyes this year.

 

Get over Tate's injury. He played like crap before he got knocked out. I have been impressed by Young and Schlicher more than anybody. Young ain't new, just unhurt. Until Iowa's D-Line stops getting pushed around, the Hawks are still in trouble. That and the fact the WR corps has disintegrated. I think Hinkel and Solomon have regressed.

 

I'm just glad the heats being turned up on players such as Brian "I'm the coach's son, but hey, that doesn't mean I can't live on the state's dollar in subsidized housing intended for low income students" Ferentz. What a f***in joke. The guy from my hometown has cash out the wazoo but he was in the subsidized housing too.

[RockRaines]

He's completing 58% of his passes and has a 2:1 ratio of TD:INT, which is good enough for what Wisconsin needs. If he throws for 130-150 yards in a game, Wisconsin fans are likely going to be happy with the result of the game.

 

Here's a list of passing efficiency, Chad Henne, Troy Smith, Justin Zwick, and John Stocco's numbers are included. Can you guess who's who?

133.95

127.39

126.73

123.82

 

...

Troy Smith

John Stocco

Chad Henne

Justin Zwick

well stocco is eighth in the big ten in passer rating, so im not sure what you are trying to convey. The only one he is beating is Henne. Zwick isnt a starter so why include him?

[RockRaines]

BTW, you are so lucky that Wisco doesnt play OSU this year. With that running attack stopped dead, Wisco would have to throw the ball, wow that would get ugly.

[Palehosefan]

The point being that being 62nd in the nation in passing efficiency is good enough when you run Wisconsin's style and have Calhoun in your backfield. You can't expect him to be John Elway. He has as many TD's thrown as Drew Tate, Northwestern's QB, and more than Troy Smith.