SpartyMSU Thoughts on the Spring Game Player Draft:
1) QBs were picked very late: both must be good and comparable.
2) Injuries / Inactive: what does this mean for the season?  Clark-Davis? Cironi? Need to look into this…
Continue reading at Bleacher Report – Big Ten Football

Ohio State will win tomorrow night’s Fiesta Bowl.

Here’s why;

1) Ohio State is unbeaten in bowl games against the Big 12

I’ll bet you didn’t know that.  Everyone’s too busy reminding us that we’re 0-for the SEC and lost two bowls in a row.  But we are a perfect 5-0 against the Big 12 in bowls, knocking off top 10 schools twice in the last 10 years.

2) Ohio State is awesome in the Fiesta Bowl

- The Fiesta Bowl is where we beat Miami to win the title after the 2002 season.

- The Fiesta Bowl is where we beat Kansas State after the 2003 season

- The Fiesta Bowl is where we beat Notre Dame after the 2005 season

And before anybody says anything about the Florida game, that wasn’t the Fiesta Bowl, it was the BCS National Championship game.  Boise State beat Oklahoma in the Fiesta that year, we just played in the same stadium a week later.

3) The Big 12 does not know how to stop a power running game

The stats of Big 12 schools are loaded with high-powered passing games, and as a result the defenses are built to stop the pass.  They (Texas especially) are not set up for success against the run.  In what should be Beanie Wells’ final game as a Buckeye, expect him to put out a bruising performance.  Also, expect them to keep handing him the ball, unlike his last two bowl games when we abandoned the run for some reason.

4) The Big 12 is showing their weaknesses when playing other conferences

The facts are right there….the Big 12 may have been the most overrated conference this year, based on how crappy they look outside of their comfort zone.

• #7 Texas Tech was outraged when they got shafter from a BCS bowl.  Then they flat out looked like warm piss against a middle-of-the-road SEC school, losing the Ole Freaking Miss by 2 TDs
• #13 Oklahoma State got spanked in harsh form, surrendering 35 points in the second half to Oregon.  Oregon had allowed 111 points in their previous 3 games, setting up the potential for an offensive team to crush them….Okie State failed miserably at that chance.  But their coach is still a MAN!
• #21 Missouri had Jesus Christ at QB, and Mary and Joseph in the stands praying, and they needed OT to beat a school that had only won one bowl game in the history of man.
• Nebraska squeaked by a really bad ACC team.  Seriously, Clemson was the 8th-best team in a horrific conference, and the Huskers nearly lost to them.
• Kansas put up the only worthwhile performance (so far), doubling up on Minnesota 42-21.  But then again, Minnesota fell apart this year, losing by 55 points in their final game.

It’s also worth pointing out that EVERY Big 12 school was favored, sometimes heavily, and played poorly time and time again.  This all bodes well for the Buckeyes, who might be facing the 2nd-best team in a conference overrated all year.

And if Ohio State puts the beating on Texas, the Big 12 should be terrified. And you should go put the house on Florida against Oklahoma.

5) The Big Ten has had the deck stacked against them this bowl season

When Ohio State was selected to play in the Fiesta Bowl, it slid every other team in the conference up a notch.  For example, the 4th-best team in the conference was now playing in the #3 team’s bowl slot.  This led to almost all of our teams playing against teams that were better than they are.

Had the Buckeyes stayed in their “#2 Big Ten team” slot, the bowl matchups would have been more in line.  Here’s what we would have seen….

• Penn State vs. USC – same result
• Ohio State vs. Georgia – the Bucks beat Sparty by 30+ points and Georgia struggled with them…Ohio State wins this one
• Michigan State vs. Missouri – Mizzou just looked awful against NW, and MSU has a better defense (plus a more formidable running game).
• Northwestern vs. South Carolina – NW walks away a winner.  I’m still not sure SC even deserved a bowl game
• Iowa vs. Kansas – No way, no how a Kansas defense slows down Greene
• Minnesota vs. Florida State – I’m still going to say Bowden rolls
• Wisconsin vs ??? – Surely Wisky would HAVE to fare better….right?

As you can see, the success that Ohio State had ultimately led to the overmatching of the rest of the conference.  We would have likely gone 5-2 or 4-3 instead of the maximum two-win bowl season.

Will all this be enough to knock down a Texas team that feels slighted by the BCS system?

Yes.

Ohio State 27
Texas 24

Story By The Buckeye Battle Cry

Champs Sports Bowl
Saturday, December 27th – 4:30pm
Wisconsin vs. Florida State

The ACC was the most piss-poor conference in all of the NCAA, and FSU lost three times in-conference.  But then again, EVERYBODY lost three times in-conference.  Hell, going 4-4 in the ACC was considered a major accomplishment this season.  10 of the 12 ACC teams finished either 5-3 or 4-4.  Like I said, piss-poor.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin was by far the biggest disappointment of the Big Ten (Michigan fans get a pass because NOBODY expected Wisky to be this bad, at least true college sports fans with brains thought UM would lose 4-7 games).  Wisconsin has been exposed quite a lot this season, and an OT win over Cal Poly is the only reason Badger players aren’t in Madison this very moment.

With such little promise from the players on both sides, this game is going to come down to the coaches.  And very few fans of the sport will give Bret Bielema an edge over Bobby Bowden.

However, I’m putting my faith in PJ Hill.  He was the most overrated RB in the Big Ten over the past two years, but I have a feeling he’s going to show something on Saturday.

Wisconsin 31
Florida State 21

———-

Alamo Bowl
Monday, December 29th – 8pm
Northwestern vs. Missouri

I like Northwestern, I really do. I think they’ve got a quality team that is rising up in their Big ten status. But any Wildcat fan will tell you, they’re not ready for prime-time, and the Ohio State game shows that every year (save for a disaster 2004). Northwestern has the capability to beat teams in close games, but they cannot put away the truly great squads. Their two best opponents this year (Ohio State and Michigan State) knocked them off by a total of 82-30. They can’t seem to slow down offenses like the ones better schools possess.

Now here comes Chase Daniel and Missouri. They’re averaging over 43 points per game. This could get ugly in a hurry.

Missouri 61
Northwestern 28

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Insight Bowl
Wednesday, December 31st – 5:30pm
Minnesota vs. Kansas

Good lord, look where these two teams were 12 months ago. Kansas was coming off a phenomenal 11-1 season and marching into a BCS Bowl, while Minnesota was looking for a cave to hide in after a 1-11 season.  Both schools have returned to normalcy (as far as their common fates should dictate) and this game actually may be the best match-up of a Big Ten school in bowl season.

The result, in my mind, will depend on which Minnesota team shows up.  But I don’t give the Gophers much credit….their 3 Big Ten wins came against three of the league’s four worst teams, and they closed out the year with a 55-0 ass-handing from Iowa.  Do they bounce back from that, much like they bounced back from their 1-win season in 2007?

I say yes.

Minnesota 27
Kansas 24

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Outback Bowl
Thursday, January 1st – 11am
Iowa vs. South Carolina

If nobody gets arrested or rapes anybody in the next week, Iowa should have a field day in this game. South Carolina’s defense is not going to match up well with the rush attack that Shonn Greene has. He’s been the most consistent RB in the Big Ten this season, and there is nothing in the Cocks’ arsenal that shows any promise of keeping up with him.

Plus, SCs QB is named Smelley, and I really want to see the headline that says “Iowa rejects Smelley, Cocks”

Iowa 45
South Carolina 21

—————–

Capitol One Bowl
Thursday, January 1st – 1pm
Michigan State vs. Georgia

Georgia once held their heads high this season and declared themselves the next national champion, and it was only because they play in the SEC, who seems to think they have a natural right to the title. Then the season started, and the Dawgs just didn’t look too good.

The only two good teams Georgia played (Florida and Alabama) whipped their asses. They even lost to Georgia Tech for good measure. Close wins against a bad Tennessee team and average South Carolina/Vanderbilt teams just don’t cut it.

Meanwhile, Michigan State surprised a lot of teams. They blew it big time against Ohio State and Penn State (BIG time), but they proved a lot to themselves with big wins at Big Brother’s house, and against Iowa.

I’m taking Sparty in the upset….and for one reason only.

Michigan State is THRILLED to be in this game, and Georgia is disappointed in playing Cap One. It’ll show in the two teams demeanor at kickoff.

Michigan State 34
Georgia 27

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Rose Bowl
Thursday, January 1st – 4:30pm
Penn State vs. USC

Short and sweet. My team has played them both. I know who’s better. It ain’t you, Lions.

Plus, when was the last time USC didn’t dominate a bowl game? Other than against the best Texas team ever, USC just plain blows out schools in January.

USC 31
Penn State 14

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Fiesta Bowl
Monday, January 5th – 8pm
Ohio State vs. Texas

I’m going to get into this in greater detail later this week, but let me just give a hint now. The Big Twelve does not have anything in the way of a rushing team. Texas has not had to face an RB like Beanie Wells. They are used to defending the pass, and they do not have the necessary skills to stop a bruiser like Beanie.

We may end up in a shootout, and if that’s the case, I like our offense enough to run with the Horns. But it’s going to be a battle. Whoever holds onto the ball better comes away with the win.

Ohio State 41
Texas 38

———–

Oh, and by the way…TCU will win tonight. They’re more motivated, in my opinion.

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It’s always fun at this time of year to look back at preseason thoughts and predictions. In August, I outlined 25 items I wanted to see during the Big Ten season. Several of them came true, others didn’t and some materialized in different ways.

Here’s a look back at the list to see what worked out and what didn’t. 

	AP Photo/Carlos Osorio
	Terrelle Pryor earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.

1. Terrelle Pryor lead an offensive drive — He might be a Tim Tebow-like weapon near the goal line, but I’m more interested in how the Ohio State freshman quarterback handles a real offensive series. Pryor’s athleticism is undeniable, but it will be important to monitor his passing accuracy and the way he leads older teammates.

The verdict: We had plenty of opportunities to see Pryor lead drives after he was named Ohio State’s starter in Week 4. Despite a few growing pains, Pryor held his own and displayed remarkable athleticism in winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. He also came up big in the clutch to lead Ohio State’s game-winning touchdown drive Oct. 4 at Wisconsin. 

2. Michigan’s quarterbacks — Rich Rodriguez has ushered in a new era in Ann Arbor and will turn to unproven players like Steven Threet, Nick Sheridan and possibly Justin Feagin to lead his spread offense. There will undoubtedly be growing pains, but if one of those three takes control, the Wolverines will surge.

The verdict: Oh, there were growing pains. Big ones. Threet and Sheridan struggled to fit into Rodriguez’s system, and Michigan finished the season ranked 109th nationally in total offense. Feagin likely will move to slot receiver in 2009, and incoming freshmen Shavodrick Beaver and Tate Forcier will compete for the starting quarterback spot. 

3. Jump Around at night — Camp Randall Stadium is intimidating enough during daylight hours, but the electricity will reach new levels this fall with back-to-back night games against Ohio State and Penn State. The Badgers haven’t lost at home under coach Bret Bielema, and they should have a tremendous home-field edge this fall.

The verdict: It was pretty cool to see Ohio State players jump in lockstep with the Wisconsin students on Oct. 4, but Camp Randall certainly lost its edge this fall. Wisconsin saw its home win streak fade against Ohio State and then suffered its worst home defeat since 1989 the next week against Penn State. Plus, the Badgers band was suspended from performing Oct. 4 after allegations of hazing surfaced. 

4. The Spread HD – Penn State’s new offense remains somewhat of a mystery, but the Lions will try to utilize their many weapons at wide receiver, running back and quarterback. “Hopefully HD will stand for high def, highly diverse,” quarterback Daryll Clark said, “and hopefully it doesn’t turn out to be huge dud.”

The verdict: HD definitely stood for highly diverse, or huge difference, as Penn State surged behind Clark, a stockpile of skill players and a veteran offensive line. Penn State led the Big Ten in scoring offense and ranked second in rushing offense. 

5. Jim Tressel vs. Pete Carroll — Two of the sport’s elite coaches couldn’t be more different in personality or style (can’t exactly picture Carroll in a sweater vest), but they will match wits when Ohio State visits USC in Week 3.

The verdict: Everything about the game turned out to be a disappointment for Ohio State, and Tressel didn’t have much of a chance to outcoach Carroll. USC’s talent and athleticism overwhelmed a Beanie-less Buckeyes team, handing Ohio State another national embarrassment. 

6. Little brother in the Big House – The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry is growing, thanks to Mark Dantonio, but the Spartans need to win one of these games sooner or later. After six straight losses, Sparty heads to Ann Arbor on Oct. 25 determined to show they’re nobody’s little brother.

The verdict: The “little brother” tag is gone, at least for a year, after Michigan State rallied to beat Michigan and record its first win in the Big House since 1990. Despite a terrible call that gave Michigan a touchdown, Michigan State surged behind quarterback Brian Hoyer and All-American running back Javon Ringer. 

7. New quarterbacks – Three teams will start new quarterbacks this fall, and Iowa’s situation under center is far from settled. Wisconsin needs Allan Evridge to effectively manage games, while a greater load will be placed on Penn State’s Clark and Michigan’s new signal callers.

The verdict: It was a mixed bag here, as Clark earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and Ricky Stanzi established himself as Iowa’s quarterback of the future. On the flip side, quarterback play hurt Wisconsin during a four-game losing streak and prompted a switch from Evridge to Dustin Sherer. Michigan’s quarterback situation was messy, and that’s being kind. 

8. Beanie vs. P.J. — Forget about the spread offense when Wisconsin and Ohio State meet Oct. 4 in Madison. The Big Ten’s rushing roots will be on display as Heisman contender Beanie Wells goes up against P.J. Hill and the Badgers.

The verdict: Both backs scored touchdowns, but Wells dominated with 168 rushing yards in Ohio State’s 20-17 win. The 237-pound junior bullied his way into the end zone on a 33-yard scoring run and added a 54-yard burst in the third quarter. Hill split carries with John Clay and couldn’t do much in Wisconsin’s one-dimensional offense. 

9. Juice in the pocket – Juice Williams came on strong at the end of last season, and the Illinois quarterback continued to make strides in the spring and summer. He takes over an offense without Rashard Mendenhall and looks to pass more this fall.

The verdict: Williams started off very strong and set total offense records in three separate stadiums during the first half of the season. Illinois’ big-play passing attack challenged opposing defenses, but Williams struggled with interceptions in the second half as Illinois dropped its final three games to miss a bowl. 

10. Ferentz under fire — Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz still might be one of the league’s top coaches, but he has to prove it this fall. With his reputation suffering on and off the field, Ferentz needs a strong season from a squad that has major questions on offense.

The verdict: The heat was rising on Ferentz after a 3-3 start, but Iowa turned the corner in the second half, got over its crunch-time woes and reached a New Year’s Day bowl game. A potentially program-changing upset of Penn State gives Iowa and Ferentz some momentum heading into 2009. 

11. Tiller’s farewell tour – Joe Tiller revolutionized offense in the country’s premier cold-weather conference, and the Purdue coach should be celebrated as he goes through his final season. The regular-season finale against Indiana will surely be emotional for Tiller and the Boilers fans.

The verdict: Tiller’s final game proved to be a fitting sendoff, as Purdue pounded Indiana 62-10. Unfortunately for Tiller, his offense didn’t do much in the first 11 games and his final go-round left him with the most losses (8) in his Boilermakers tenure. Purdue missed the postseason for just the second time under Tiller. 

	Mark Cowan/Icon SMI
	Arrelious Benn led the Big Ten in receiving yards (1,055) this season.

12. Arrelious Benn in the backfield – The reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year is fully healthy following shoulder surgery, and that means more touches this fall. Defensive coordinators will shudder at the thought of Juice Williams and Benn running the option in the same backfield.

The verdict: Benn wasn’t in the backfield as much as I expected after watching Illinois during preseason practice, but the sophomore certainly made his mark as a receiver. He led the Big Ten in receiving yards (1,055) and ranked third in receptions (67), doing most of his damage in conference play.

13. Grande Dos — That’s the self-appointed nickname of Illinois linebacker Martez Wilson, who was named to the Butkus Award watch list despite no career starts in college. Wilson will get every opportunity this fall to show why he could be the next Simeon Rice.

The verdict: Wilson was more like grande cero for much of the season, though he still finished third on the team in tackles and added three sacks and two fumble recoveries. The hype machine might have been cranked up a little early here, but Wilson will certainly play a major role in the Illini defense down the line. He’s expected to make a full recovery after getting stabbed outside a Champaign bar last Friday. 

14. RichRod vs. Charlie Weis – Both have been lauded as offensive innovators, though Weis’ honeymoon ended when Notre Dame went 3-9 last year. Michigan is dealing with some eerily similar personnel losses, and Rodriguez’s coaching ability will be tested when the Wolverines visit South Bend on Sept. 13.

The verdict: Wow, I really didn’t think one would come to fruition, but Michigan’s 3-9 record, its team records for futility and its offensive ineptitude certainly mirror what Notre Dame went through in 2007. Rodriguez will be in the spotlight in Year 2 as Michigan fans demand more. 

15. Brian Hoyer in crunch time — The Michigan State quarterback has taken heat for his fourth-quarter shortcomings, but he’ll have plenty of chances to redeem himself this fall. Hoyer’s poise under pressure will largely determine whether the Spartans back up their preseason hype.

The verdict: Hoyer led Michigan to a 9-3 record and a New Year’s Day bowl appearance, and he made big throws at critical times. Though his overall statistics weren’t impressive and he struggled against the Big Ten’s top two teams (Ohio State and Penn State), Hoyer managed the game well and played intelligent football for much of the season. 

16. Stephfon Green in the open field – The Penn State running back enters the fall with tons of hype despite never playing a collegiate game. If the reports prove true, Green will torch defenses if he gets any room to run.

The verdict: Green showed flashes of his track-star speed and rushed for 521 yards and four touchdowns, but teammate Evan Royster stole the spotlight at running back. Royster proved to be just as dynamic as Green, averaging 6.5 yards a carry, and has the between-the-tackles comfort that featured backs need in the Big Ten.

17. The renovated Memorial Stadium — Illinois is bringing in so many great players for its reopening of Memorial Stadium on Sept. 6 that I expect Red Grange to miraculously turn up. The 1923 relic has been spruced up big time, and it should give coach Ron Zook another recruiting tool.

The verdict: The renovations were impressive, especially the new press box, but the on-field product was not. Illinois is certainly enhancing the profile of its program, but going from the Rose Bowl to no bowl at all must be viewed as a step back. 

18. Lewis and the no-huddle – Indiana coaches had Kellen Lewis in mind when they installed the no-huddle offense in the offseason. Lewis got a late start with the system after being suspended for spring ball, but the junior quarterback should catch up fast.

The verdict: The no-huddle seemed guaranteed to succeed at Indiana, but injuries to Lewis and the general ineffectiveness on offense led to sobering results. Lewis never really got on track this fall and split snaps with Ben Chappell, who led Indiana to its only Big Ten victory. 

19. Painter’s pursuit – Purdue senior quarterback Curtis Painter is on pace to set a bevy of Big Ten career passing records this fall. The underrated Painter has a new group of receivers to work with but consistently puts up big numbers.

The verdict: Much like Tiller, Painter didn’t finish his Purdue career on a high note, though he does leave the school with several records. Painter ranked second in the league in passing (240 ypg) but threw only two more touchdowns (13) than interceptions (11). Receivers Greg Orton and Desmond Tardy emerged down the stretch, but Painter missed tight end Dustin Keller and Dorien Bryant. 

20. Gilreath on the move — Wisconsin sophomore David Gilreath is quickly developing into the league’s most dangerous return man. He might not merit the Devin Hester treatment quite yet, but expect Gilreath to break some electrifying runs this fall.

The verdict: Gilreath finished third in the Big Ten in all-purpose yards (145.3) and will enter 2009 as one of the league’s most versatile players. He likely will see an enhanced role as a ball carrier after some big games down the stretch. Though Gilreath didn’t surge as a return man, he earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a wide receiver. 

21. Mike Hankwitz’s impact — Northwestern hasn’t fielded a decent defense since adopting the spread offense in 2000. Hankwitz, the league’s most experienced coordinator, steps in this fall and tries to change the script in Evanston.

The verdict: Northwestern’s hiring of Hankwitz proved to be the Big Ten’s top offseason coaching move. Hankwitz transformed a perennially poor Wildcats defense into one of the league’s top units. Northwestern led the Big Ten in sacks and allowed 17 points or fewer in seven of the team’s nine victories.

22. Michigan Stadium makeover – The team on the field isn’t the only thing getting overhauled in Ann Arbor this season. Fans will enter a construction site every Saturday at Michigan Stadium, setting up an unusual game day experience.

The verdict: The stadium project definitely looks impressive and should be a sight to see when completed. Michigan fans should be more concerned about the team calling the Big House home after a 3-9 season. 

23. Ringer returning kickoffs – Michigan State star running back Javon Ringer will showcase his speed on kickoff returns this fall. How long the arrangement lasts isn’t known — I’m not sure how wise it is to put your best player on such a dangerous play — but Ringer is sure to produce a highlight or two.

The verdict: Ringer started on kickoffs before Michigan State wisely went with freshman Glenn Winston, who averaged 22.8 yards on 16 runbacks. The Spartans coaches still made sure Ringer got plenty of work, as the senior led the nation with 370 carries, 32 more than any other FBS back. 

24. Minnesota’s JUCOs – Gophers coach Tim Brewster needed some immediate help on defense and got it with junior-college transfers like Tramaine Brock, Traye Simmons, Cedric McKinley and Rex Sharpe. How quickly those players blend in will determine whether Minnesota makes a jump this fall.

The verdict: Simmons and Brock made an immediate impact as starters in the secondary, with Simmons earning second-team All-Big honors after recording four interceptions. Brock ranked third on the team in tackles (68) and forced three fumbles, while McKinley and Sharpe played minor roles. Linebacker Simoni Lawrence finished second on the team in tackles for loss (9.5), and Brewster effectively blended the jucos with the returning players.  

25. Finch on the field – Indiana’s Jerimy Finch has been cleared to play this fall, and the Florida transfer gives a big boost to the secondary. Considered arguably the nation’s top safety coming out of high school, Finch will make his presence known right away.

The verdict: A Hoosiers secondary depleted by injuries gave Finch an opportunity to play, but he saw the field sparingly, appearing in only five games. Finch made his mark on special teams with two blocked kicks and four punt returns, but he was a nonfactor on defense. 

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No… not that FTW, since it’s not clear to me that any Big Ten team will be favored in a single game this bowl season.

The Big Ten teams in the bowl matchups are as tough as can be and the conference teams will not be wanting for challenges from top to bottom.  At the top, the standard bearer for the 2008 season draws the mighty Trojans in the Rose Bowl, who have not lost to a Big Ten team since losing to Penn State in 1996.  I might be the only one among the Buckeye fan base that thinks Penn State has a chance, because what USC did to Ohio State up front they should not — in all reason — be able to do to Penn State’s defensive front.  That, and a very shitty game from our offensive line, was what doomed the Buckeyes earlier this season.  This is not to say that USC’s defensive line won’t raise hell on Daryll Clark, who is very liable of repeating his Iowa game performance in the Rose Bowl.  Rather, to assume USC will run over a Penn State team who is usually reliable in bowl games (only lost 2 of 11 games since joining the Big Ten) because of the nature of both victories over the Buckeyes is misguided.  After all, Penn State annihilated that Oregon State team I’ve heard so much about…

At the bottom, the 7-5 Badgers — winners of 3 conference games — face an 8-4 Florida State team in the Champs Sports Bowl.  Basically, the 6th ranked Big Ten team, one of the few and proud to drop a decision to Michigan this season, draws what is probably the 4th best ACC team, depending on your outlook.  Whatever the perceived disparity between both programs, this matchup ultimately pits a team that was a loss away from playing for the ACC title against a team that started 1-5 in Big Ten play.  For all intents and purposes, it’s in the same spirit of last year’s Champ Sports Bowl that pit the losers of the ACC title game against the 9th ranked Big Ten team.  Both Michigan State and Wisconsin were 3-5 in Big Ten play in their respective seasons.

Sandwiched in between both games are 5 tough matches for the Big Ten teams.  The only two games that instinctively pop out to me as an intriguing, even matchup on paper is Iowa-South Carolina in the Outback Bowl screw you corporate sponsorship it’s the Hall of Fame Bowl and Minnesota-Kansas in the Insight Bowl.  Minnesota, losers of 4 straight and one of the few and proud to lose to Michigan, draw a Kansas team that lost 4 of their last 6… and almost 5 of their last 6… to finish the season.  Iowa, 8-4 and 5th in the Big Ten, travels to Tampa to play an offensively inept South Carolina team, also 5th in conference.

The final 3 Big Ten bowl games:

• Michigan State v. Georgia. Capital One Bowl It’s the f’n Citrus Bowl dammit.  A battle of conference 3 seeds, and while Georgia may be ridiculously overrated, Michigan State’s capacity to be torn to shreds this season against good teams doesn’t bode well.  God willing, bowl preparations will help Sparty out entering this game.  Failing that, Georgia is at least expected to bully the Spartans with pitch runs for Moreno as they were able to do against most of the shitty teams they played this season.  I think Georgia has 3 pass plays in their entire offense (screen to Knowshon, quick slants and 20yd post routes).  Their offense makes the 2008 Buckeye offense look exotic and innovative.
• Northwestern v. Missouri. Alamo Bowl.  I like Northwestern; I really do.  It’s hard to hate them.  If we’re Nelson Muntz and they’re Martin Prince, I’d willing form an alliance with them and call it Team Discovery Channel.  They’re nerds, but they’re our nerds.  Still, they, a surprising 9-3 team draw the Big 12 North champions in San Antonio.  It’s a battle of conference 4 seeds, but it just doesn’t seem that way when you eyeball the teams up and down.  Not helping Northwestern’s case for respect is, like Michigan State (and Ohio State, sadly), their penchant to get torn apart by good teams.  They’re 37-20 losers to Michigan State and 35pt victims to Ohio State.  They are also one of the few and proud the only Big Ten team to lose to Indiana this season.
• Ohio State v. Texas. Fiesta Bowl.  The Buckeyes return to Arizona, the state itself very quickly becoming a winter resort for Ohio residents.  Part of me wants to scream because A) I’ll be on a Goddamned plane flying back to Alabama for all of this game and B) the Buckeyes have won 5 Big Ten titles under Jim Tressel and have been to exactly 0 Rose Bowls.  Still, the Buckeyes will not be without a test this game as Texas, arguably the best team in the country, will try to lower the Booooom, mothafuckaaaas.  Knock these muthafuckas out! on Ohio State’s offense.  It’s a matchup of, if we humor ourselves, conference 2 seeds, but Ohio State’s offensive line leaves a lot to be desired entering this game.  I’m more than willing to eat my words, and I’ll make sure to provide myself a fancy fork in order to do so, but any speculation of the Buckeyes as severe underdogs entering this game is more than justified.  Vegas has the Buckeyes as 8pt dogs to Texas for the interim.

The Big Ten, at least on paper, may not be favored in a single bowl games this bowl season, though I think the matchups work well for the case of Minnesota and Iowa.  But you know what? Fuck it.  Fuck the world.  It’s not like the perception of football in the Midwest could get any worse.

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Penn State (11-1)

Bowl: Rose Bowl Opponent: USC Result: USC wins 24-14

Analysis: With USC reaping the benefits of the Oregon State loss, the Trojans face up with the Nittany Lions. PSU’s offense is no match for the big-game Trojan defense, who stop Daryl Clark & co. for only 14 points.

Ohio State (10-2)

Bowl: Fiesta Bowl Opponent: Texas Result: OSU wins 31-27

Analysis: The Buckeyes come up big in Arizona once again and upset the Longhorns. After splitting the series two years ago, the rubber match goes to the Buckeye, who will play stellar defense and slow down Colt McCoy and the Horns offense, which is used to scoring in the 30’s and 40’s.

Michigan State (9-3)

Bowl: Capital One Bowl Opponent: Georgia Result: UGA wins 34-17

Analysis: MSU would have faired better in the Outback bowl, but instead get Knowshon Moreno and the Bulldogs in Orlando. The Dawgs will be hungry for a win after an embarrassing loss to rival Georgia Tech, and Sparty’s games against OSU and PSU this year should serve as examples of how this game will play out.
Northwestern (9-3)

Bowl: Alamo Bowl Opponent: Oklahoma St. Result: OK. State wins 34-14

Analysis: Northwestern is another school that has overachieved this year and their true colors will come out against a very good Cowboys attack.

(more…)

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