Friday, August 29, 2008

An Oddysey: The Big Ten's Climb Back To Respectability

Newsflash: The Big Ten is down. Way down. And in case you didn't know it, an SEC fan is always there to remind you.

As I wrote earlier this week, the Big Ten's demise started in the fall of 2006 when Ohio State and Michigan were overhyped by ESPN for an entire year. Think about it...how long was the build up to "The Game of the Century" in 2006? Five weeks? Six weeks? ESPN built that game up for a long time in order to bump their ratings. And you know what, they should have. It was two good teams, and they had the rights to the game. The problem I have with it, is immediately after the game, when Michigan lost...ESPN kept hyping them. Because they put up a good game on the road, the voters kept them at #2. And the downfall of the Big Ten began.

Florida jumped Michigan in the polls. Florida destroyed Ohio State in the National Championship game. USC destroyed Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Those two teams from the "Game of the Century"...they got embarrassed. And so did their conference. All it took was a top 5 ranking for Michigan the following year, an historic upset by The Little Football Team That Could (App St.), a few more losses in games that should've been won...and there you have it. The Big Ten is down.

But fear not F&BT fans, the Big Ten is not down for the count. It is a long, steep climb back to respectability, but foundered by the hope of a season anew, the Big Ten can make the oddysey by following these few steps:

1) Win the Game You Should ABSOLUTELY Win. Big Ten teams play 9 FCS (1-AA) opponents this year. We all learned last year not to take those for granted, but on this climb up the BCS ladder of respectability...these are must wins. No more Appalachian State. No more North Dakota State. Win these games. Period.

2) Win the Game You Are Supposed To Win. Big Ten teams play some weak non-conference teams this year, and believe me...they are supposed to win these games. MAC teams included. Western Kentucky. Ball State. Central Michigan. FIU. Northern Illinois. Bowling Green. Florida Atlantic. Ohio. Syracuse. Duke. Temple. Miami Ohio. Toledo. Akron. Marshall. Eastern Michigan. Florida Atlantic. Louisiana-Lafayette. Western Michigan. Troy. All wins, and we're on the right pace.

3) Beat Notre Dame. Everyone hates Notre Dame anyways, and we all loved it when they sucked last year. Another sweep of the Domers doesn't necessarily help the Big Ten...but losses could hurt.

4) Win MOST of the BCS Buster Games. Wisconsin @ Fresno. Iowa @ Pitt. Iowa vs Iowa St. Michigan vs Utah. Penn St vs Oregon St. These are games versus "name" teams in college football that are either in, or close to, the Top 25. Solid BCS teams or WAC upset artists...taking three or four out of these 5 games is a solid foundation.

5) Be Competitive in the Marquis Matchups. OSU @ USC. Purdue vs. Oregon. Michigan State @ Cal. Illinois vs Missouri. These are the nationally televised games that the entire country will be watching. A split would be excellent, but a competitive game in all four is a must for the Big Ten.

6) Represent in the Bowls. This is where Big Ten fans need to drop their rivalry biases and cheer for their conference brethen. At no other point in the season will the nation be focusing on conference affiliation. The Big Ten needs some key bowl wins to capitalize on the momentum from their season-long climb up the respectability ladder.

If the Big Ten follows these six steps back to respectability, the season will be fun, exciting, and fulfilling. But SSSHHHHHH!!! Any chest-puffing, bragging, and big win crowing will decimate any respect the Big Ten earned throughout the season. And we all know what happened the last time our teams were too hyped...

Thursday, August 28, 2008

3rd Time's a Charm - Ohio State Football

Ohio State football will be good this year. Real good. Deal with it.

Nearly every pre-season publication has them ranked in the top 3 teams in the country. They return an absurd 18 players off of a National Championship participant team. They had one of the best recruiting classes in the country last year, including landing way-too-often-talked-about Terrelle Pryor. From now on, I refuse to write his name in this blog until he does something ridiculous. We'll call him "That One Guy". As inauspicious and damning as someone's name can get.

Yes, Ohio State will be good this year. Deal with it.

If you really want an Ohio State Preview, look somewhere else...anywhere else, because they are literally everywhere. They are probably one of the most talked about teams this preseason. Instead, I'm going to give you the reason why Ohio State straight up pisses me off:
  1. "The" Arrogance. Nothing bothers me more than when some idiot stresses the "The" before saying Ohio State. Why? So it's not confused with all those other Ohio State Universities? This is ridiculous, and that sense of arrogance directly affects their play.
  2. National Championship Game Suck-job, First Edition. Yeah, I know that I can't talk because my team has never made it there, but come on. Respect yourselves and take your opponent seriously. Troy Smith, Ted Ginn and Co. sucked dick in the game because they got way too arrogant and didn't take Florida seriously. They probably walked around all week stressing the word "The" before describing anything...including "The" suck-job they were about to pull.
  3. National Championship Game Suck-Job, V2.0. I don't discredit them as much for the game against LSU because they no doubt took it seriously, and it was closer than people think. My problem with this game occurred early, maybe the first punt return. As the OSU returner was about to head out to catch the punt, who else but "The" arrogant Ted Ginn is standing on the sideline, looking like a punk, and giving this kid advice. Hey Ted, you already effed up one title game, why are you on the bench trying to ruin another?
  4. Jim Tressel. The only reason he pisses me off is because he lets idiots like Ted Ginn stand on the sidelines and mess with his players before a big game. When you're in the National Championship game that you got embarrassed in last year, wouldn't you want your team focused? Wouldn't you limit distractions? I completely understand letting former players/famous people onto the sidelines, but keep them out of the box reserved for current players. And certainly don't let idiots like Ted Ginn give them advice. Other than that, I actually love Tressel. I think the sweater vest is classy and he's never really done anything that bad...except for enable those...
  5. Cheatin' Sumbitches. How does a program that had it's highest profile recruit driving a "borrowed" car with "gifts" in the back report said car stolen, then take back the stolen claim, only to have all of America know he did it because of the gifts...how does that not draw any interest from the NCAA? How does it's most recent Heisman Trophy winner have to sit out a few games because he was suspended for taking cash? How much dirt does OSU have on Myles Brand and the NCAA? Why does no one else bring this up ever?

So there you go. My rant on OSU. Despite all my dislikes for Ohio State, I will be cheering for them this year. We all should. For the sake of the Big Ten, Ohio State needs to beat USC. For the sake of the Big Ten, Ohio State needs to get back to the title game...and actually win it. Just keep ol' Teddy Ginn away from "That One Guy" on the sidelines.

Minnesota Football: Nowhere To Go But Up!

Tim Brewster can sell a ketchup popsicle to a lady in white gloves. That's the only way I can rationalize the recruiting classes he has pulled in the last two years. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Gophers have hauled quite their share of 4 star recruits, largely due to Brewster and his relentless optimism.
"Coach, how many games did you lose last year?"
"Doesn't matter, we don't live in the past. But did you know that Minnesota football has won 18 Big Ten Championships, had um-teen All-Americans, and won 6 National Championships?"

For a coach that doesn't live in the past, Timmay! Brewster is quick to pull out the glory statistics from prior to the 1950's. Whatever he's selling up there, it's working...kind of. His class last year ranked in the Top 20 in the country. But this week, reports came out this week that Minnesota's freshman football players had the lowest ACT average of all the Big Ten teams with a 17.2 average. 17.2! That is patently absurd, and will be covered in a later post. Also, some of the highly ranked recruits have had trouble staying on campus thus far. Arguably the star of this year's class, QB MarQueis Gray has yet to pass the NCAA Clearinghouse. Three others from this year's class are not with the team either, two of which did not gain admission to the University. Five out of the 8 recruits Brewster added to last year's class are no longer with the team either. And for icing on the cake, Brewster brought in 8 JUCO players who are traditionally academic risks (thus why they went to JUCO in the first place).

Why take such risks on players with great football talent but probably will struggle academically? Because Minnesota football was absolutely terrible last year. T-E-R-R-IBLE. While 2008 looks better, it's only because it can't possibly be worse. The Golden Gophers return a legit quarterback in Adam Weber, and a rising star in wide receiver Eric Decker. The duo will be the pulse of the offense for the gophers, and where they go, the gophers go. Complementing Weber and Decker, Jack Simmons returns for a 5th year at tight end. (True Story: he played on my little bro's bball team as a youth. One day I scrimmaged with them, and when guarding Simmons he dribbled through my legs before scoring. Slightly embarrasing...and I was older than him)

On the defensive side of the ball, welcome to Junior College. Former Duke coach Ted Roof will look to improve the nation's worst defense from last year with the help of numerous JUCO players. DT Tim McGee, DE Cedric McKinley, LB Simoni Lawrence, CB Tremaine Brock, and S Trae Simmmons will all be counted to play extensive minutes, if not start. They may not be worst in the nation this year, but they certainly won't be the best. Expect another long season if the defense can't find ways to get off the field on 3rd down.

And to be honest, this defense will have trouble getting off the field on 3rd down. This defense will have trouble getting off the field on any down. So much so that when I play against them in NCAA 2009, I don't think I have ever punted. Not once. And that's how I think the season will go for the Gophers this year. Weber and Decker will put up some points, Brewster will provide insane amounts of hilarious quotes, and the defense will give up points. On the bright side, they have the potential to increase their win total by 400%. That's not a typo, it's just a matter of them only winning one game last year. Look for the Gophers to sweep their non-conference games...and get swept in their conference ones. Better luck next year Timmay!

Not So Happey Valley: Penn State Football Preview

It's true. This offseason, you were likely to find as many stories about Penn State football players in the blotter as in the sports section. Thankfully for Nittany Lion fans, football season is here and players once again have an outlet for all their rage (hitting each other with pads on, rather than pulling knives and making terrorist threats at each other). The product that the fighting JoePa's put on the field this year will surely get Penn State some good press too.

Led by possibly the most dynamic receiving core in the Big Ten and a group of electrifying running backs, Penn State is rolling out their offense with their self-titled "Spread HD" in 2008. RS Junior Daryll Clark's long wait is finally over as he is the annointed starting Quarterback. Considered a throwback to the Michael Robinson days of three years ago, Clark carries the burden of trying to live up to the massive expectations of Lion faithful. Don't be disappointed when he doesn't folks. Anthony Morelli didn't exactly light up the scoreboard the past two years, and Clark couldn't beat him out. Also, Robinson didn't exactly excel his first year on the job. It was his second year as a starter when he led PSU to the Orange Bowl.

Clark will have an arsenal of weapons at his disposal though. Evan Royster and Stephon Green, 4.2 speed and all, will provide a fierce 1-2 punch out of the backfield. And as I said before, the receivers may be the best group in all of the Big Ten. Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, and Jordan Norwood combine the speed and big play ability that will ignite the famously rowdy student section in Happy Valley.

However, the fans won't have nearly as much to cheer for on the defensive side of the football this year. With the loss of Sean Lee to a season ending ACL injury, the string of dominant linebackers at "Linebacker U" could be in trouble. The D-line will be thin after Paterno kicked two linemen off the team this summer due to the aforementioned legal troubles, but DE Maurice Evans is a certifiable beast. Expect him to throw around O-lineman like rag dolls and draw double-teams all year. The secondary is experienced and will be the strength of the defense. Lead by Anthony "Did you say something to my woman? Get 'em boys!" Scirrotto, the Nittany Lion secondary should feature two senior safeties and three potential corners with at least 3 years in the program.

So where do the fighting (literally) Nittany Lions figure into the Big Ten race? Well, while I think the Nittany Lions may be good, when you actually name your own offense, as Jay Paterno did with the "Spread HD", you're asking for trouble. Several things come to mind when I hear about the "Spread HD"...
(Receivers)"Hung (out to) Dry"
"Huge Dud"
"Horribly Deficient"
"(I was) High...Definitely (when thinking of this)"

Yep, Jay Paterno just jinxed the shit out of his offense. Look for Clark to struggle, the defense to take a step back from 2007, and Joe Paterno to make approximately 6,427 sarcastic responses to questions about his retirement. He didn't become the best quote in the Big Ten without practice folks. Penn State will lose 2 games they aren't supposed to, win 1 that they shouldn't, and finish 4th in the Big Ten. Joe Pa will not retire, and Happy Valley won't be so happy during another loooong, long off-season.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Swiss Cheese Defense or Solid Wisconsin Cheddar

Two years ago, Wisconsin went 11-1 and missed out on the BCS because Ohio State and Michigan were both heading to the BCS already. With a decent amount of starters returning, hopes were high around the Badgers that another good record and possible BCS berth were possible in 2007. But looking at a few factors, I predicted that last year wasn't the Badgers year...but 2008 would be. They had numerous sophomore starters on both sides of the ball back in 2006, and two years worth of experience, coupled with a favorable schedule and attrition across most other Big Ten teams rosters, I figured 2008 would be the Badgers year. Well guess what folks, it just may be.


Now, not everything went according to my plan. All of Ohio States proven stars stayed in school. Jack Ikegwuonu turned pro. Most of the defensive line got hurt in the offseason. Lance Smith stole his girlfriends stillettos and got himself booted from the First Offender's Program and football team. And Virginia Tech was, albeit smartly, removed from the 2008 schedule.

They may not have the fast track to a Big Ten title, but don't think the Badgers won't make a run for it. Behind an experienced and talented offensive line, P.J. Hill, Zach Brown, and John Clay will pound the football enough to make any old-school football fan proud. And just when that 8th or 9th defender moves into the box, play action all day. Whether it's Travis Beckum slipping behind the linebackers or David Gilreath (my boy 85!) and Kyle Jefferson getting over the top of defensive backs, new QB Allan Evridge should have some wide open targets to hit.

But as WildHawk might say, that's where Bucky's problems start. As with Jake Christensen at Iowa, Wisconsin will be trusting its offense to left handed quarterback Allan Evridge, which is pretty much comparable to letting Will Ferrell's character in Old School guard your beer at a party. (It's so good! Once it hits your lips...)

But the question marks don't end there for Wisconsin. After fielding a stellar defense in 2006, UW's defense turned into swiss cheese in 2007. Holes. All. Over. The defensive line couldn't get pressure...a freshman cornerback led in sacks for most of the year. The linebackers were consistently out of position and over-running plays. The secondary couldn't communicate to each other, let alone tackle. Worst of all, they had no leadership...proven by the fact that a certain SS continued talking smack after big hits that happened 40 yards downfield. Can the defense which returns 9 starters turn it around?

Recently promoted Defensive Coordinator Dave Doeren hopes so. The DL should be much improved after some young players got valuable reps in bowl practices/spring practices and Mike Newkirk moves back to his natural position at Tackle. The outside linebackers, Casillas and Levy, should be strong with 2 years of experience under their belts. Casillas is hurt currently with a sprained knee, but should be back soon. Worst case, he'll be a step slow and won't over-pursue 15 plays a game. The middle linebacker spot should benefit from an upgrade in the athleticism department as Jaevery McFadden steps in for returning starter Elijah Hodge. McFadden isn't a natural MLB, but his speed and aggressiveness should help against the 8 spread teams the Badgers face this year. Finally, and certainly not least, the secondary will be better for the sole reason that it couldn't be worse. Returning SS Aubrey Pleasant? Sit down and stop talking crap 40 yards downfield after every play. Jay Valai, welcome to the starting Strong Safety spot. Shane Carter, he who led the Big Televen in INT's last year, returns as the ball-hawking Free Safety. And while the corners are young and/or coming off injuries, all signs in the spring game pointed to a talented group.

So, can the Badgers give Ohio State a run for their money? Not unless the Buckeyes pull a move like Michigan last year. The Badgers have a brutal schedule, even with lowly Cal-Poly replacing Va Tech. A tough road game at Fresno State, and then opening the Big Ten with: @Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, @Iowa, Illinois, @Michigan State. First of all, it's been a while since any Big Ten team beat OSU and Mich in back to back weeks. After that, the Penn State- Iowa- Illinois-MSU gauntlet provides 4 physical weeks of football. The Badgers simply aren't deep enough to survive that stretch unscathed. I expect the injuries to mount and the pounding to take its toll, and they will lose at least once if not twice in those four. And even if they do survive that schedule, the Badgers will probably not get much national respect. Think about it, they're going to be ramming the ball down opponents throats once they have the lead in the second half. That will lead to some boring 4th quarter football in Madison. Thankfully, that glorious 5th quarter awaits the faithful. And look for the UW Marching Band to be playing the 5th quarter in Florida in January...again.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Who are the Iowa Hawkeyes?

[Full Disclosure: I graduated from Iowa]

If I were to personify the Iowa Hawkeyes, I'd see the team as either The Riddler from Batman or Matthew Lesko, the "get free money from the government" guy because this team is literally covered in question marks. Can Jake Christensen live up to his recruiting hype? Does the offensive line actually exist? Who, if anyone, will emerge at running back? Can any of the receivers stay healthy (or on the team)? Is the defense good enough to carry the offense? Over/Under .500 in field goal percentage?

I remember the high point of New Year's Day 2005. The Hawkeyes had just beaten an LSU team with the likes of JaMarcus Russell, Joseph Addai, Early Doucet, and Dwayne Bowe on a hail mary to win the Capital One Bowl. And, only a month later, the Hawks would sign one of the best recruiting classes in the nation (and certainly in school history). Iowa fans were on cloud 9 and believed it was time for Iowa to go from a respected member of the BigTen, competing for a conference title every now-and-then, to a powerhouse, joining Michigan and Ohio State in the conference's upper echelon.

Oh how things have changed. The Hawkeyes are 19-17 since then. And that illustrious 2005 recruiting class...a total bust. The majority of the class doesn't even play football for Iowa due to academic problems, transfers, and career-ending injuries. From there, the problems only get worse. You name it, it's gone wrong in Iowa City:

Sex Scandal? Check.

Theft/Credit Card Fraud? Check.

Numerous Underage Drinking Violations? Check.

Natural Disasters? Check.

To be honest, if not for some real cupcake opponents since 2004-2005, the Hawks wouldn't be anywhere near .500. So where do they go from here? Kirk Ferentz insists the off-the-field issues are being dealt with, and so far, there haven't been many new problems (having said that, the old ones are still pending).

So what's in store this year for Iowa? I have no idea...no one does. Sadly, they really remind me of the Chicago Bears. Despite my hopes and dreams, I have a sick feeling that Jake Christensen just is not a BigTen quarterback. He gets happy feet in the pocket, is too short to see over his o-line, has limited mobility, is inaccurate, and generally showed NO signs of improvement last year. I know he had a bad line and receivers with no experience, but even when the blocking was okay and someone was open, I felt like Jake missed more than anyone in the conference. Hell, some of his throws were so bad, even the defense couldn't get them. [Also, I know this might be total crap, but don't trust left-handed, white QBs. Besides Steve Young and Mark Brunnell, none that I can remember have been much better than average]. Just about everyone on the offensive line returns, but after last year, I'm not convinced that's a good thing. LT Bryan Bulaga could be the next Hawkeye great on the line, but after a freshman year with injuries, who knows? As for three 5-stars from the '05 class, OT Dace Richardson's career is over, OG Dan Doering cannot live up to his hype, and OG/C Rafael Eubanks was moved to guard because he isn't even the best center on the team now. Center Rob Bruggeman could be a bright spot, but OG Seth Olsen is overrated and OT Kyle Calloway basically sucks (he got consistently beat like a ginger step-child last year). Also, like my Bears from the NFL, the Hawkeyes have no proven running back (sure Shonn Greene looked like a stud in '06, but can he survive a full year and avoid fumbleitis?). The receivers are average, don't let Hawk fans tell you otherwise. Andy Brodell is finally healthy, but who can forget all of his game-changing (and game-blowing) drops from years' past. If people want to polish his knob because he had one good game against Texas in the Alamo Bowl that's fine with me, just don't act surprised when he gets cement hands. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos has the athleticism to be a star, but can he get open and hang on? Trey Stross is insignificant because he's always hurt. Lastly, Paul Cheney and Colin Sandeman have shown flashes, but the jury's still out. I can only hope the addition of WR coach Erik Campbell (from Michigan, where he coached David Terrell, Braylon Edwards, Mario Manningham, etc.) will help, but until a game is played, I'm not going to assume that's the case.

Sadly, for how bad the offense sounds, the defense could be really good. DTs Mitch King and Matt Kroul are proven and highly regarded. Plus, much like my gut feeling that Jake isn't a D1 QB, I think DEs Adrian Clayborn and either Christian Ballard are the real deal and will be playing on Sundays. LB A.J. Edds might be as good as Chad Greenway when his career is over, but for now he remains vastly underrated. Whoever claims the other linebacker spots will be a little green but incredibly athletic. As for the secondary, I hope CB Amari Spievey will surprise. He worked his ass off to get back to Iowa City (grades), and was a JUCO All-American in his year away. CB Bradley Fletcher is experienced but beatable, and CB Jordan Bernstine (if healthy) can be a star. The safeties are really solid but not too flashy.

As for punting, P Ryan Donahue has the leg to be All-BigTen. Kicking, however is a different story. As far as I can tell, Daniel Murray sucks. My money is on freshman Trent Mossbrucker to take over, but who knows how that'll turn out?

All-in-all, this team is a total mystery. The schedule doesn't get much easier, so that's a plus. If the o-line can make improvements from last year, Shonn Greene can live up to his potential, and Jake Christensen (or his replacement!) can manage something from the QB position, the team could win 8, 9, or even 10 games. But, that's a lot of "if"s. Say things go wrong and the offense looks like it did last year, then some serious changes will have to be made in the off-season. My prediction is 7-5: a lower-tier bowl game, a step in the right direction , and something to build on.

All Things Television

First things first...I got the BTN today!! That's what I'm talking about Comcast...it took you a while, but you finally came around. You finally came around, and I love you for it. Don't screw it up.

Now, on to some more good news for the Big Ten Network. After a contentious Friday afternoon in which the Executive Vice President of Time Warner attempted a not so subtle low blow on Mark Silverman and the BTN, Time Warner and the year old Network struck a deal late Monday night. Big Televen fans in Ohio and Wisconsin will now be able to watch their Buckeyes and Badgers play their opening game. Don't kid yourself people, this is huge. Time Warner was one of the last cable carriers within the Midwest to pick up the BTN, and don't think they didn't know it. But even bigger in this whole scenario, the BTN showed that it can put cheap shots and bullshit negotiating tactics behind them to serve their customers. Props.

Coupled with the news that a deal with Mediacom, serving mostly Iowa and some southern Illinois, is immenent...that leaves pretty much only Charter Communications holding their ground. Ya know Charter, Custer once took a stand too...and that one didn't work out so well.


In other news, ESPN just paid $2.25 BILLION for the rights to broadcast all SEC football games after CBS takes the marquis game. The mistake that ESPN made in this deal, and this is key here, is that they paid waaaay too much. Everyone affiliated with college football knows that SEC people can't count past 6. So expecting them to be able to count all the way up to $2.2B is just ridiculous. Secondly, ESPN is a main reason that SEC fans hate the Big Ten. It's true, ansd they're about to get a taste of their own medicine. The whole "Big Ten is down" thing started in the fall of 2006. Knowing they had the TV rights to a potential epic game of Ohio State and Michigan, ESPN had all 10 talking heads hyping up both teams all season. Even after Michigan lost to the Buckeyes, they remained #2 in the country based on all the hype that ESPN gave that game and their gutsy performance on the road. Now, we all know what happened after that. Florida jumped Michigan in the polls, and proceeded to trounce Ohio State in the BCS National Championship. Michigan didn't fare much better in the Rose Bowl against USC. All of a sudden, the two teams that ESPN had hyped all year and forced down college football fans' throats in order to improve their own ratings had been crushed on the two biggest stages possible.

And wouldn't you know it, the very same conference that claimed a Big Ten bias due to ESPN's force feeding has signed on for a 15 year curse of the talking heads. And true SEC fans know it too. As Orson Swindle, writer at EDSBS.com and Florida Gator fan, so eloquently put it,

"ESPN’s love is herpes for the fan of any team: once acquired, it never really goes away, and though contracting it is a sign that you did something right, it also burns and flares up when one least expects it."

Good luck with those sores in your nether regions SEC fans...they are the first sign of the dreaded "overrated" label.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Inaugural F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge!

For all of you F&BT fans out there who think we're idiots...here's your chance to prove it. Welcome to the inaugural season of the F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge! Graciously (read: free) hosted by ESPN.com, all you loyal F&BT readers or, more likely, friends of ours that we force this blog upon, now have your shot at proving how much smarter you are than us. Sign up for ESPN fantasy (it's free), go to the College Football Pick'Em page, search the private groups, and join the F&BT group.

Group Name: First and Big Ten
Password: bigtenfootball

The standings will be posted weekly in the blog, and the overall winner at the end of the season will get their 15 minutes of fame, courtesy of an interview in this very blog. So fire up the brain cells, do some research, and pick the winners of a few games every week. Then rank them in order of your confidence level that the team you picked will actually win. Basically, if you can't figure it out...well, you're probably an SEC fan.

Think your smarter than us? Prove it.

Michigan State Football: Fool's Gold

It's no secret that I consider the Michigan State Spartans not only the most disappointing team in the Big10, but also the nation. On one hand, MSU always seems to recruit pretty well (at least top half of the conference on average), and they always have solid NFL prospects: Plaxico Burress, TJ Duckett, Derrick Mason, Muhsin Muhammad, Charles Rogers, Jeff Smoker, Drew Stanton, and Devin Thomas, to name a few. However, on the other hand, East Lansing has become a head-coaching revolving door in recent years and despite having some of the cockiest fans in the Big10, MSU hasn't had back-to-back winning seasons since '89-'90! And, they've been to only 1 New Year's Day bowl in that span.[Don't mention to those Spartan faithful that Northwestern has won/shared 3 conference titles since then.]

I've noticed two major problems with Michigan State since I started following the Big10 (early-mid '90s):

1) MSU plays second fiddle in its own state. Regardless of what you hear from a Spartan fan, the Maize'n Blue dominate the state of Michigan. Whether it's recruiting, academics, or location, don't let the warrior physique fool you, Sparty is the little brother.

2) Inconsistency. Fact: the Spartans will win a couple big upset games every year, then lose to a couple teams they should beat. I believe this has to do with why MSU fans seem so full of themselves...they only notice the big wins! Is it just me, or does MSU seem to beat Notre Dame a lot lately? Also, they always give the Wolverines a run for their money, often times emerging the victors over The Victors. But, MSU always seems to drop games to inferior talent (Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota, etc.).

I'm sure they wouldn't want to hear it, but I pitty Spartan fans. Expectations are always high in East Lansing, and rightfully so. They recruit in the middle-to-top half of the Big10, even beating out Michigan/Notre Dame/Penn State for recruits their fair share of the time. This recruiting success translates to MSU possessing a handful of dangerous weapons just about every year. That being said, they always manage to lose winnable games. At least when you root for a crumby team, expectations aren't high. I'd probably have a John L. Smith-esque breakdown myself if my team always had high hopes but consistently disappointed.

So can they turn it around this year and add to the momentum from last year? If recent history is accurate, I say no. Sure the Spartans return QB Brian Hoyer, RB Javon Ringer, and Mark Dell (who impressed as a true freshman WR), but they lost their game changing WR Devin Thomas, TE Kellen Davis, and underrated DE Jonal Saint-Dic, to name a few. Head coach Mark Dantonio does seem to fit in East Lansing, but I could've said the same for John L. Smith and Bobby Williams at some point in recent years. Michigan State will finish 5-7, maybe 6-6. They have to travel to Cal and Penn State (both losses), host Eastern Michigan and Florida Atlantic (both wins), and won't win more than half against Nortre Dame (improved), Indiana (improved), Iowa, Northwestern (improved), OSU (best in conference), Michigan, Wisconsin (2nd best in conference), and Purdue. To be honest, this shouldn't surprise any Spartan faithful. Look for them to make a big deal out of potential wins against Notre Dame, Iowa, and Michigan, then totally forget to mention blowing games against Northwestern and Indiana. It happens every year.

Welcome Back to Earth...an Illinois Preview

I think that title pretty much sums up F&BT's thoughts on Illinois this year, and generally describes their Rose Bowl experience from last January. The beating from USC confirmed what most outside of Chambana already knew, that Illinois isn't there yet...but they're not far away. Well, they are this year, but they should be elite again next year. Why aren't they elite this year? Well I thought you'd never ask!

1) The Juice is loose...and that's not a good thing. Williams came in as an overhyped recruit and was instantly designated as the face of the program. Asked to do too much too early, he struggled his freshman year. The thing is...he struggled last year too, only the bar was set so low from his freshman year that people only saw the improvement. He flat out sucked in the Penn State game, and was benched in the second half. But I will give him some credit, he was a stud in the Ohio State game. Unless he becomes a consistent stud, expect the Illini to remain in the second tier of the Big Ten.

2) The schedule won't be so friendly to the Illini. Remember when Illinois was upsetting those teams last year out of nowhere? Well, a trip to the Rose Bowl and a couple upset wins will put you on someone's radar. Unfortunately for the Illini, two teams they upset at home last year, Penn State and Wisconsin, will be looking for retribution on a Jason Bourne level when the Illini come visiting in 2008. In case the Illini haven't heard, Happy Valley and Madison tend to be a little rowdy on gameday.

3) Key defensive losses. Make no mistake about it, Illinois lost three good players at three of the more important defensive positions. The two safeties not only serve as the last line of defense, but call all the coverage and formation audibles before the snap. Communication and cohesiveness are key, and the Illini's two veteran safeties from last year's team are being replaced by inexperienced youngsters. Similarly, J Leman called the defense last year, and pretty much made this team tick. Illini fans feel safe with Brit Miller stepping over into the Mike linebacker spot with his superior speed and veteran experience, but be careful Illini fans, J Leman played the Mike spot last year for a reason. He was good.

The news in Chambana isn't all bad this year however, as the Illini have just a few things going for them.

1) Rejus! Rejus! Rejus! Arrelious Benn is a friggin' stud, and you can't even argue otherwise. It's like watching Varsity Blues when he catches the ball. He'll catch the ball and people just start falling off him in way that makes you say, "Nope, that's not realistic...hollywood sucks at sports action scenes!" Except it's real...and it's Rejus Benn. Just ask Penn State.


2) Illinois is a physical football team. Lots of teams that switch to running a spread offense tend to lose sight of the concept that football is a physical game. It's almost as if some offenses think they're playing two-hand touch. Get the defense in space, and try not to let them touch you. Not Illinois. Illinois will try to trick you with some misdirection, and just when you turn your head back around...BAM! Run over by a Mack truck. Props to Ron Zook and Mike Locksley for keeping that physical edge built into this offense.

3) The gameday atmosphere is on the up-and-up. Excellent tailgating lots. A rejuvenated fan base. Renovated stadium. And something to actually cheer about. Yep, Illinois football Saturdays are moving up the list of Road Trips Worth Making.

So there you have it..my thoughts on Illinois. Illinois' season will be like the career of Vince Vaughn...breakout with Swingers, make a bunch of crappy movies while learning how to act, and claim your spot in the upper echelon with a classic like Wedding Crashers. Unfortunately, Illinois is in the crappy movie part of that cycle. 2008 won't be able to match the drama and excitement of 2007 or Swingers, but Illini fans can rightly expect to go bowling again in '08...possibly even a January 1 bowl in Florida. But more realistically, 2008 will be a year of growing pains for a program that made a monumental leap out of the cellar in a one-year span. Back-to-back highly ranked recruiting classes has raised the talent level, but F&BT cautions Illini fans that faster and more athletic does not necessarily mean better. Until Illinois becomes less reliant on youth in the two-deep, they'll remain just under the elite level of the Big Televen. Don't be discouraged by 4 or 5 losses in 2008, this will be at team to reckon with in 2009.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Stand Back People...We're Professionals

Wisconsin has been getting some love from the distinguished gentlemen over at Every Day Should Be Saturday. Granted it's not actually love for the football team, but love is love people. And in the crazy minds of beligerent Badger fans, probably only rivaled by Gary Busey on his best days, there's no better way to show love than telling someone to "Eat S#!t".

But just in case all you self righteous fans get a little offended, know this...Wisconsin has the most active student section if college football for reasons other than "Jump Around" or swearing at each other...