NCAA Football

[Jeff]

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16769 time=1633543218 user_id=83]
How are y'alls teams doing?

We're overrated sitting at 5-0 and ranked 9th in the AP.

Do you have enough playmakers to compete with the good teams? You lost your star receiver. Defense looking good but no major test yet. The MSU, PSU, OSU games will be a good yardstick on how good you are this year...and the Indiana game could be a tough game.

[/quote]

No, we don't.  Losing the best WR on our team hurt us bad. Our D-line is playing really good ball and Hutchinson is a frickin monster!
All we can do is hope that one or two WR's step up and become the go-to guys to help our QB's out or else our run game will become extinct.

[Jim at Gentex]

Yeah, Oregon looks pretty strong.

Penn State better muster up a running game vs. Iowa this week, or they will have no chance.

Clifford has definitely matured as a QB, but he can't be expected to beat a good defensive team like Iowa just throwing the ball and running himself.

If the O-Line and the RB's don't help him out, it's gonna be a loooooong day for him.  

[Dan_AKA_ROY23]

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16815 time=1633621354 user_id=83]
Yeah, Oregon looks pretty strong.

Penn State better muster up a running game vs. Iowa this week, or they will have no chance.

Clifford has definitely matured as a QB, but he can't be expected to beat a good defensive team like Iowa just throwing the ball and running himself.

If the O-Line and the RB's don't help him out, it's gonna be a loooooong day for him.  
[/quote]

Iowa this week? I will definitely watch that! Two top 5 teams battling it out..

[Bullseye_Gotcha]

The Big Ten is pretty strong this year. Or at least more evenly matched.
Iowa and Penn will be a great indicator and should be a great game.
Hopefully Michigan doesn't stumble against a somewhat improving Nebraska that REALLY needs a win to save Frost's job.
Their QB may give our defense fits.

[RANT]
My biggest concern with Michigan is the play calling. Yes the running game improved greatly, but still in between the tackles with a loaded front and non pulling blocks play after play when it isn't working?
Or given that our QB is about as mobile as Brady and has possibly carried twice... why the fake bootleg after a handoff every time! Rewatching the plays... He is Not fooling anyone. For that to work every once in a while... RUN the bootleg.

[End Rant]

[Jeff]

The Big Ten is pretty strong this year. Or at least more evenly matched.
Iowa and Penn will be a great indicator and should be a great game.
Hopefully Michigan doesn't stumble against a somewhat improving Nebraska that REALLY needs a win to save Frost's job.
Their QB may give our defense fits.

[RANT]
My biggest concern with Michigan is the play calling. Yes the running game improved greatly, but still in between the tackles with a loaded front and non pulling blocks play after play when it isn't working?
Or given that our QB is about as mobile as Brady and has possibly carried twice... why the fake bootleg after a handoff every time! Rewatching the plays... He is Not fooling anyone. For that to work every once in a while... RUN the bootleg.

[End Rant]

I think Frost is safe... for now.
And you're 100% spot on about the play calling. The only thing I can think of why they keep running that play is because our 2nd string QB is mobile. So teams get used to that play not being a threat and gets caught off guard when JJ runs it.

[Jim at Gentex]

Iowa this week? I will definitely watch that! Two top 5 teams battling it out..

Yeah some of the talking heads are saying this could be a Big 10 Championship preview.  

Let's face it, the Big 10 West division is Iowa...and everybody else.

But the East division has 4 legit teams who can flip the switch and go on a run.
I'm not quite ready to crown Penn State the division winner yet because there are too many tough games that need to be played.

Having said that, the talking heads could also be right, and PSU vs. Iowa could very well end up being the Conference Championship game.
We just have to see how the rest of the season plays out.  

[Dan_AKA_ROY23]

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16829 time=1633625418 user_id=83]
Having said that, the talking heads could also be right, and PSU vs. Iowa could very well end up being the Conference Championship game.
[/quote]

Bias aside, Ohio State is the top Big Ten team until some team proves different. Iowa is tough and a PSU win would be good, and also Michigan and MSU games won't be pushovers. However, circle the Ohio State game. You have to go through the Buckeyes to win the Big Ten.

[Jim at Gentex]

LOL

Ohio State already lost one.  
j/k...Losing to Oregon is understandable...they are definitely a contender.

Like I said, there are 4 legit contenders in the Big 10 East.
So to say you have to beat OSU to win the Big 10 is true, but OSU has to beat Penn State, Michigan, and Michigan State as well.

And since OSU already lost a game, they will need to run the table.

We'll see...

[Tim Johnson]

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16829 time=1633625418 user_id=83]
Having said that, the talking heads could also be right, and PSU vs. Iowa could very well end up being the Conference Championship game.

Bias aside, Ohio State is the top Big Ten team until some team proves different. Iowa is tough and a PSU win would be good, and also Michigan and MSU games won't be pushovers. However, circle the Ohio State game. You have to go through the Buckeyes to win the Big Ten.
[/quote]

You'll be ok, you got the media on your side. How else can OSU be No.7 with only one good win in four games?

[Del.]

[quote="Jim at Gentex" post_id=16802 time=1633612482 user_id=83]

Kentucky amazingly is 5-0 with win over Florida

Yeah I saw that!  
Definitely a HUGE win for your guys for sure.

Kentucky is always in the conversation when it comes to top teams in basketball, but I don't remember ever seeing them do so well in football.

But hey, if they keep winning, more power to them!  
[/quote]

Mark Stoops is building a much better program. I'm sure UK has to keep upping his pay to keep him

[Jim at Gentex]

Mark Stoops is building a much better program. I'm sure UK has to keep upping his pay to keep him

Yeah that's an issue when a school is dominant in one sport, like Kentucky is in Men's Basketball.
Sometimes the 'other' sports programs don't get the funding they need to be able hire those top tier coaches, which hampers their ability to attract the top tier high school players.

A one-sport powerhouse school like that usually brings in a ton of tv revenue, but unfortunately many schools turn around and dump the lion's share of that revenue right back into the sport that brought in the revenue to begin with.

It can be a vicious cycle where the dominant sports program feeds itself, and the other sports programs only get the scraps.
I think there are a few exceptions, but unfortunately not many.

[Bullseye_Gotcha]

If Penn State wins Saturday, they still have two very tough road games. @ OSU and end the season @ MSU.

If they lose, they would have to win out. Michigan at PSU, then the two above. Very tough.

MSU (unfortunately) may be in the best spot. Steal a win @ OSU and remaining "difficult" games are all at home.

If Michigan can beat Neb... Michigan gets OSU at the Big House but roads for Penn, and MSU. That is a tough road.

Should be a suspenseful season.

[Del.]

Kentucky 6-0 after winning over LSU 42-21. First time 6-0 since 1950.

[Jeff]

WOW! What a Saturday of football!!!!!!
Holy shit upset city!  I watched the Red River SHOOTOUT (i'll never call it the showdown), that game was insane and the RB for Texas is a beast!
Then along comes the psu/Iowa game.... what a game.
THEN I tuned into the last 5 minutes of the Bama/A&M game.

I was almost scared to watch my Wolverines after witnessing those 3 upsets lol.

GO BLUE!
They don't look pretty but they're getting the job done.

[Jim at Gentex]

Yeah I think Penn State had that game well in hand until Clifford got hurt.
But injuries are part of the game, and it is what it is.

Having your backup QB thrown into that situation is also part of the game.
Roberson was obviously nervous coming into the game cold in a packed stadium on the road.
I don't blame the kid if he was scared shitless!  

Anyway, Roberson showed his athleticism, and that he has a great arm.
(The few long shots downfield they took were actually overthrown.)
But at the end of the day the kid was just overwhelmed by the crowd noise, and by Iowa's tough defense.
Iowa also won the field position battle all day, with their punter having the kind of day punters dream about.  

Penn State also lost our best D lineman (PJ Mustipher) early in the game with a knee injury.
He was on the sideline later on crutches, so that doesn't look good for him at all.  

No official word on Clifford's injury, but the unofficial word is it was something with his lower back.
We'll just have to wait and see if he is going to be OK.
Fortunately PSU has a bye week, so he has an extra week to rest and heal.

If he can't go, Roberson will be the starter, but at least he will have time to prepare.
I think this kid has the skills, but the learning curve will still be a steep one if he has to take over as the starter.
Penn State can still survive with one loss, but if they end up playing their backup QB against Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State, it doesn't seem likely he would run the table, especially with 2 of those 3 games being on the road.
We'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out...