Guest Panel Week 14 Predictions

Week 14

 

1. Arkansas vs. Florida

Arkansas (GREEK, GUAPO, DEERE, FUNK, SHADY, XBOX ) Florida (CLEATUS, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SPAM, PHILLY )

GREEK- just don't have a lot of faith in Florida and Urban Meyer right now to put up enough points to beat the Hogs. Give him a
few years and the type of players he needs in his system, and you'll have a perennial national title contender. Not to mention McFadden is a "physical freak." Once again, kudos to Mark Schlabach.

CLEATUS- Florida beats Arkansas.  Florida does not go to National Championship game.  Watch Florida complain.  Boo hoo  

OLD BAG- They claim that they're the toughest conference in college football....if that's so then we'll call this their national championship. So Florida will claim this championship, OSU will take the one that matters.

SPAM- even though they got lucky with florida state

GUAPO- Just so Florida fans can stop whining.

FUNK- Florida may keep winning, but it's been ugly, and they're due for a loss.

SHADY- The Razorbacks show the country how good Florida isn't.

 

2. Nebraska vs. Oklahoma

Nebraska (DEERE, SHADY ) Oklahoma (GREEK, CLEATUS, BATMAN. OLD BAG, SPAM, GUAPO, PHILLY, FUNK, XBOX )

GREEK- how did Oklahoma end up in this game when their best player has been injured for the past month and a half?! Two words:
smoke and mirrors. But when your coach is Bob Stoops, that's all you need.
OLD BAG- Nebraska won the very weak North Division in the Big 12 but they'll lose this game.

GUAPO- Thank god for open-to-interpretation Pac-10 officiating.

FUNK- What is this, 1996?

SHADY- The Huskers have botched a couple of games during the season, they won't do it again.

 

 

3. Rutgers vs. West Virginia

Rutgers (DEERE ) West Virginia (GREEK, CLEATUS, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SPAM, GUAPO, PHILLY, FUNK, SHADY, XBOX )

GREEK- the Big East is kind of becoming a mini SEC. All the best teams beat up on each other every week, such that no team goes unbeaten. The trend continues this weekend. In defense of the SEC though, the co-eds are much prettier down there. Trust the Greek, he knows from personal experience (but, in the Big East's defense, the gyros are MUCH better in Big East country). Hmmm...tough choice.

CLEATUS- Rutgers gets upset by a lower ranked, superior team. 

OLD BAG- West Virginia saved there game for Rutgers, not South Florida. WV will win this one.

SPAM- west virginia will try to avenge the fact that they were over-rated... and probably lose this week to confirm it, but i'll still pick them

GUAPO- I'll have to find a new punch line after the way Rutgers has performed the last two years.  Temple seems like a pretty good target.

FUNK-WVU was looking ahead to Rutgers last week and got blindsided at home.  I want to take Rutgers to win this game and the Big East, but my gut says no.

SHADY- The Mountaineers run all the way into the BCS

 

 

4. Central Michigan vs. Ohio

Central Michigan (SPAM, DEERE ) Ohio (GREEK, CLEATUS, BATMAN, OLD BAG, GUAPO, PHILLY, FUNK, SHADY, XBOX )

GREEK- who would have ever thought that the Bobcats would be the second best football team in the state of Ohio? Well, when you live in Athens, OH, it's pretty much just football and boozin'. Apparently, the football players have chosen the former this year, a far departure from the customary choice.

CLEATUS- OU's Halloween party is extremely over-rated, but they'll beat Central Michigan.

OLD BAG- Oh MAC IO. OHIO wins this one.

GUAPO- That's right, the whole state of Michigan.

FUNK- First bowl game in 30-some years.  Nice work Bobcats.

SHADY- Always pick Ohio over Michigan

 

5. Army vs. Navy

Army (SHADY, XBOX ) Navy (GREEK, CLEATUS, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SPAM, GUAPO, PHILLY, DEERE, FUNK )

GREEK- Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada is officially the new coolest name in college football, taking the place of the esteemed Colt McCoy.
CLEATUS- I have friends in both special forces of these military branches.  Army Ranger vs Navy Seal.  I think I'd go with a Navy Seal in that battle.

OLD BAG- Hey Notre Dame, here's 2 teams you can beat. Navy has the better record so I'll go with them.

SPAM- west virginia will try to avenge the fact that they were over-rated... and probably lose this week to confirm it, but i'll still pick them

GUAPO- You sunk my battleship!

FUNK- The Midshipmen have a massive ground game.  To counter, the Cadets have been working a lot on their water attack, but unfortunately this game won't be played in the ocean.

SHADY- I think they might win  

 

and the oddball game this week...

6. Louisiana Tech vs. New Mexico State

Louisiana Tech ( ) New Mexico State (GREEK, CLEATUS, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SPAM, GUAPO, PHILLY, DEERE, FUNK, SHADY, XBOX )

GREEK- can you say, "Clash of the Titans?" I think I'd rather watch paint dry followed an exciting round of grass growing than sit and watch this "football" game.

CLEATUS- As with all my other picks this week, I'm choosing the home team. 

OLD BAG-  Doesn't the waterboy play for Louisiana Tech? Oh he graduated, well then New Mexico St. will win.

SPAM- i'm picking new mexico state for brady... and because they have the same shitty record as the browns

GUAPO- and the Heisman goes to Troy Smith.  Quarterback.  Ohio State.  And by the way, Tempe, AZ is like a second home to us.

FUNK- NMSU is coming off a win.  Look for them to make it into a streak to end the season.

SHADY-  I have a friend who lives in New Mexico

Preview Part 2-OSU Bball

OSU(ranked #1/#3) vs. North Carolina (ranked #6/#7)
Wednesday, November 29, 9 PM at Chapel Hill
ESPN with Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (expert) and Doris Burke (sideline)

 

OSU Record

6-0-wins over VMI(home), Loyola-Chicago(home), Kent State(home), E Kentucky(home), USF(home), YSU(home)

 

OSU Breakdown, per game unless marked total

- High Scorers- Daequan Cook(Fr)-17.8, Ron Lewis(Sr)-17.0, Ivan Harris(Sr)- 11.3

- Most Rebounds- Othello Hunter(Jr)- 7.2

- Most Minutes/Game- Jamar Butler(Jr)-31

- Most Three Points- Ron Lewis-17 total

- Leads Assist/Turnover Ratio- Mike Conley (Fr)- 2.9/1

- Most Steals- Mike Conley(Fr)-19 total

 

UNC Record

4-1-wins Sacred Heart(home), Winthrop(home), Gardner Webb(home), Tennessee(New York)

loss-Gonzaga (New York)

 

UNC Breakdown, per game unless marked total

- High Scorers- Tyler Hansbrough(So)-20.6, Branan Wright(Fr)-16.6, Wayne Ellington(Fr)-12.2

- Most Rebounds- Tyler Hansbrough(So)-8.8

- Most Minutes/Game- Tyler Hansbrough(So)-29.2

- Most Three Points- Wayne Ellington(Fr)-8 total

- Leads Assist/Turnover Ratio- Bobby Frasor(So)-3/1

- Most Steals- Tyler Hansbrough(So)-7 total

 

What Could Happen

North Carolina has a definite size advantage, Hansbrough (6'9"), Wright (6'9") and Rayshawn Terry (6'8") all see significant minutes at forward for Roy Williams. For OSU, Hunter (6'9") and Matt Terwilliger (6'8") each play around 20 minutes/game. North Carolina will definitely attempt to establish a presence inside, however if OSU can light it up with the three, UNC will be forced to put guards on the perimeter. I see Ivan Harris as being the difference maker in this game, with his 6'7" size he could have a big man guarding him, and he is good with the three ( 46.4%.) The key to an OSU victory will be keeping Hunter and Terwilliger out of foul trouble. Hansbrough is an important part of the young Tar Heels, and if OSU can force him to collect cheap fouls, UNC will be forced to bench him. OSU is great with the three, and it will win some games, but I hope to see the forwards make some major contributions to the scoreboard. This game is the first of several difficult road trips (Florida in December), and if OSU can come back home with a victory with Greg Oden on the bench, it will show that this team truly deserves the #1 ranking and it will go far in March. I see OSU pulling away with the victory. I think that UNC's youth (only one non-sophomore or freshman with over 15 minutes/game) will be a big disadvantage.

OSU ranked #1 in Bball

At a "football school", such as Ohio State, it is easy to let basketball news slip by unnoticed. Since this blog is dedicated to both Ohio State football and basketball, I will do my best to keep you informed of both teams. As you may know, OSU football is ranked #1, in fact it has been the entire season. Did you know that this week OSU basketball is ranked #1 in the coaches poll? The last time the basketball team was ranked #1 they lost to #2 Cincinnati for the national championship in 1962, yes 1962. The fact that the football team and basketball team are ranked #1 at the same time is quite unusual. According to experts OSU is only the third school to achieve such a feat. UCLA did it in November 1967. Notre Dame was able do so in January 1974.

Preview Part 1-OSU Bball

OSU(ranked #1/#3) vs. North Carolina (ranked #6/#7)
Wednesday, November 29, 9 PM at Chapel Hill
ESPN with Dan Shulman (play-by-play), Dick Vitale (expert) and Doris Burke (sideline)

OSU vs. the Atlantic Coastal Conference (ACC)
OSU is 33-23 against the ACC. The Buckeyes are 2-7 vs. North Carolina, 0-1 at Chapel Hill. This is the fifth consecutive year Ohio State has played in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. OSU lost at Duke in 2002, lost to Georgia Tech in 2003, lost at Clemson (2004), and beat Virginia Tech last year. For the complete listings for this year's Big Ten/ACC Challenge click this link.

Coaches
Thad Matta is 52-18 (74%) in his third season at OSU. Matta only trails legendary OSU coach Fred Taylor (64 games) and Randy Ayers (67 games) in reaching 50 wins in 68 games. He is 154-49 (76%) in his seventh year of coaching. Previous to Ohio State he coached at Butler and Xavier.

Coach Roy Williams is 79-14 (77%) in his fourth season at North Carolina. Prior to coaching at UNC he won 80% of his games at Kansas.

Guest Panel Standings-Week 13

Guest Panel

For one of the few times this season, there are no ties in the standings. Ari the Greek continues to hold the lead.  John Deere Man was the only person to move up a spot. Philly Cheese had the best record this week, going 4-1. The majority of the group had trouble with the LSU/Arkansas and Texas A&M/Texas games. 

 

Current Standings after Week 13

1.  GREEK (55-20), Last week (3-2 )

2. BATMAN (54-21), Last week (2-3 )

3. FUNK (53-22), Last week (3-2 )   
4. PHILLY (51-24), Last week (4-1 ) 
5. DEERE (49-26), Last week (3-2 ) (up one) 

6. CLEATUS (48-27), Last week (2-3 )
7. SHADY (47-28), Last week (3-2 )

8. GUAPO (44-30), Last week (3-2 )

9.  XBOX (43-31), Last week (2-3 )

10. OLD BAG (43-32), Last week (3-2 )
11. SPAM (41-33), Last week (2-3 )

 

1. LSU vs. Arkansas

LSU (CLEATUS ) Arkansas (GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, XBOX, DEERE )

 

2. Notre Dame vs. USC

Notre Dame (XBOX ) USC (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE )

 

3. Wake Forest vs. Maryland

Wake Forest (GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, PHILLY, DEERE ) Maryland (CLEATUS, BATMAN )

 

4. Texas A&M vs. Texas

Texas A&M (XBOX, PHILLY ) Texas (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, DEERE )

 

and the oddball game this week...

5. North Carolina vs. Duke

North Carolina (GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE ) Duke (CLEATUS, SPAM, XBOX ) 

Bowl Projections

Below are bowl projections published today in the Columbus Dispatch.

Week 14 Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the games listed below.

1. Arkansas vs. Florida
2. Nebraska vs. Oklahoma
3. Rutgers vs. West Virginia
4. Central Michigan vs. Ohio
5. Army vs. Navy
and the oddball game this week...
6. Louisiana Tech vs. New Mexico State

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

Happy Thanksgiving

Have a great Thanksgiving. With the holiday, I have taken a bit of a break from posts, outside of the Guest Panel. Keep checking back, I will post information regarding OSU's opponent in the National Championship Game, and OSU basketball previews.

Guest Panel Week 13 Predictions

Week 13



1. LSU vs. Arkansas
LSU (CLEATUS ) Arkansas (GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, XBOX, DEERE )
CLEATUS-I'm not used to the first game in Joe's preview being something different than an OSU match-up. Because LSU is only one letter away from OSU, I'll pick them.
GREEK-Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com described Arkansas RB Darren McFadden as a "physical freak," not unlike the Greek himself. And yes, this officially starts the "The Greek for Heisman 2007" campaign. Look for my 60" billboard in Times Square next August.
BATMAN- you heard it from me first, Arkansas will play in the national championship
OLD BAG- Do these games even matter. Oh wait we don't know who we're going to beat yet in Arizona so I'll provide my 2 cents worth. Arkansas has been on a roll lately and I expect them to continue
SHADY- I wonder if winning the SEC championship will give them a shot at the championship.
GUAPO- The hogs are actually good. Who knew?
FUNK- The Hogs have been proving me wrong all season, so now I'm on board. If that's not the kiss of death, I don't know what is.


2. Notre Dame vs. USC
Notre Dame (XBOX ) USC (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE )
CLEATUS- USC wins at home – Brady Quinn gets shut down and drops in the Heisman rankings – USC passes Michigan for the #2 BCS spot.
GREEK- oh Notre Dame cornerbacks, how I pity you so. Oh wait, no I don't. It's not like you've learned from your mistakes vs. OSU in the Fiesta Bowl last January. Look for Jarrett and Smith to combine for at least 3 TDs.
BATMAN- should win, but if ND wins it will be because they remember the devastating loss at home to USC last year. But do you remember the last time this year ND played a good team?
OLD BAG- This might be the game that decides who our opponent is. Notre Dame may find USC a little more difficult than the armed forces or North Carolina. USC will win this one and find their way to Arizona as well.
SHADY- I really don't want to play Michigan again, go Trojans.
GUAPO- No rematches.
FUNK- USC is getting hot at a very good time to get hot. They need to keep rolling so we don't have a rematch with m*ch*g*n


3. Wake Forest vs. Maryland
Wake Forest (GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, PHILLY, DEERE ) Maryland (CLEATUS, BATMAN )
GREEK- my best friend goes to Wake Forest, but I have many relatives who went to Maryland. Tough choice here among the
loyalties...but a demonic deacon vs. a turtle? Come on now...that's an easy choice.
BATMAN- a tough game to pick.
OLD BAG- I was forced to watch Maryland play before OSU on Saturday and they didn't look very good. Tim Duncan and Wake Forest win this one.
SHADY- I guess they're kind of good.
GUAPO- Suddenly this game doesn't matter as much...
FUNK- This game was more intriguing last week before both of them got knocked off.



4. Texas A&M vs. Texas
Texas A&M (XBOX, PHILLY ) Texas (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, DEERE )
CLEATUS- With a stunning loss to Kansas State two weekends ago, the Longhorns are angry. Look for them to win big.
GREEK- Colt McCoy comes out with 6 shooters blazin' in the spaghetti western game known as the battle for the state of Texas. Plus, I'm not sure I buy into the whole "12th Man" thing at A&M. If they truly were a "12th Man," why don't they win every home game??? A bunch of college students linking arms, swaying, and signing in unison doesn't win football games where I come from.
BATMAN- should win
OLD BAG- Texas A&M may need a 13th man to win this one. Texas will find a way with a new qb, probably named Steed.
SHADY- Go Longhorns, don't lose
GUAPO- A&M needs at least 13 men to beat Texas.
FUNK- Well, it should be more competitive than Auburn-Alabama, but not that much.


and the oddball game this week...

5. North Carolina vs. Duke
North Carolina (GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE ) Duke (CLEATUS, SPAM, XBOX )
CLEATUS- Neither of these teams would be able to beat a Div III high school team. Duke will rack up its only win of the season by beating NC 3-0.
GREEK- well, at least Duke has basketball to fall back on.
OLD BAG- Is this game on the hardcourt? North Carolina will make a 3 to win it at the buzzer.
SHADY- It's the whole win it for the coach who won't be back at the end of the season mentality that will win it for them.
GUAPO- Ohio State beats both to get to the final four this year.
FUNK- Carolina's on a 1-game winning streak. Duke's on a 19-game losing streak. Look for the Heels to make it 2 in a row, but they still suck.

Michigan vs. OSU Photos

Here are some pictures from the Columbus Dispatch.

Guest Panel Standings-Week 12

Guest Panel
Things shifted at the top this week. John Deere Man and XBOX moved up a spot. Batman moved into a tie for first. El Guapo and Old Bag of Man had rough weeks, going 2-4.

Current Standings after Week 12
1. GREEK (52-18), Last week (5-1 )
1. BATMAN (52-18), Last week (6-0 ) (up 1)
3. FUNK (50-20), Last week (3-3 )
4. PHILLY (47-23), Last week (3-3 )
5. CLEATUS (46-24), Last week (3-3 )
5. DEERE (46-24), Last week (4-2 ) (up 1)
7. SHADY (44-26), Last week (3-3 )
8. GUAPO (41-28), Last week (2-4 )
8. XBOX (41-28), Last week (3-3 ) (up 1)
10. OLD BAG (40-30), Last week (2-4 )
11. SPAM (39-30), Last week (3-3 )

1. Michigan ( ) OSU (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE, XBOX )

2. Virginia Tech (BATMAN, DEERE, XBOX ) Wake Forest (CLEATUS, GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY )

3. Maryland (GUAPO, SPAM, XBOX ) Boston College (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE )

4. Iowa (CLEATUS, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE, XBOX ) Minnesota (GREEK, BATMAN )

5. California (OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, FUNK, XBOX ) USC (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, SPAM, PHILLY, DEERE )

and the oddball game this week...
6. UCF (CLEATUS, OLD BAG, PHILLY, DEERE ) Tulane (GREEK, BATMAN, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX )

Week 13 Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the games listed below.

 

1. LSU vs. Arkansas

2. Notre Dame vs. USC

3. Wake Forest vs. Maryland

4. Texas A&M vs. Texas

and the oddball game this week...

5. North Carolina vs. Duke

 

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

Michigan vs. OSU Preview Part 3

Michigan vs. OSU, November 18, 3:36 PM
ABC-Brent Musberger (play-by-play), Bob Davie and Kirk Herbstreit (experts) with Lisa Salters and Erin Andrews on the sideline



How OSU Did Last Week

OSU beat Northwestern 54-10. That is the highest point total in Jim Tressel's career at OSU. In fact that is the highest point total since 1996. Despite playing with an injured thumb, Troy Smith threw four touchdowns for the third game this year. He was 12 of 19 for 185 yards, 4 touchdowns and one interception. Antonio Pittman reached 1,000 yard for the second straight season. Ohio State continues to cause turnovers and score, Northwestern had five turnovers, which resulted in 34 points for OSU. Brian Hartline caught his first two touchdowns of the season. Beanie Wells lead rushers with 99 yards and a touchdown. The offense had a total of 425 yards while the defense held Northwestern to 297 yards.



What to Expect

Words can not describe the magnitude of this game. Not only is this a rivarly game and the last game of the season, but with both teams ranked #1 and #2 the winner will go to the National Championship game in Glendale, AZ while the loser will be left waiting to see how the other teams finish the season. I think it is important to note that going into this season, there were high expectation for OSU and things were unsure at Michigan with Lloyd Carr on the hot seat. Both teams have played especially well, but Michigan is the most surprising. Both Carr and the team are hungry, after a disappointing season last year and four losses to OSU in the past five years. Michigan has played a difficult schedule, but I don't think they have the personnel to pull off the win this Saturday. QB Henne can be easily rattled when pressure is applied, so look for OSU to do just that. Mike Hart could pose problems to OSU, especially if he goes out for short passes, which is something that has worked against OSU (look at the NIU and NU game stats.) As a runner, he is effective, not only at holding the ball, but only three teams have limited him to less than 100 yards. Super Mario Manningham is a great receiver, but I believe he still has some rust, after missing games for knee surgery. Breaston is a great special teams player, but he has had trouble making catches as a receiver. Much has been said about the Michigan rushing defense, rightly so considering how little success opposing teams have had. However, that could change if OSU can effectively get a long passing game going early. As you know, successful passing opens up the running game and vice versa. So look for OSU to pass early, but don't be surprised if Smith scrambles. Pittman will get the majority of his yards in the second half. Minnesota was able to run for over 100 yards against Michigan, for comparison purposes, Minnesota only had 47 yards against OSU. So clearly it is possible for teams to run the ball against the Wolverines. In recent weeks we have seen Tressel add wrinkles to the OSU offense, most importantly, passing to the tight end. The Wolverine secondary is questionable. Yes, Michigan limits teams to 231 yards of offense, but when you consider that teams only get an average of 29.9 yards rushing, that leaves and average of 201.5 yards passing/game. They have only allowed 3 rushing touchdowns, but teams have scored on 11 touchdown passes. Michigan will have a difficult covering multiple receivers. It will be interesting to see if they focus on covering Gonzo or Ginn. Many teams have left Gonzo open to make some important first downs. This won't be a high scoring game, but I see OSU having a comfortable lead by the middle of the third quarter. Troy Smith will carry OSU yet again, giving him the Heisman and placing him in OSU history as possibly the best quarterback in school history. Sorry Lloyd Carr, better luck next time....

Tressel vs. Carr

Tressel introduced as Ohio State Coach (I was there!), and practically guarantees a victory over Michigan. He proved correct as OSU upset Michigan in Ann Arbor 26-20 in 2001. (If you have a picture of the scoreboard from this game, please send it my way.)

Victory in the 2002 Championship season.

Victory in 2004.

Victory in Ann Arbor last season.

Guest Panel Week 12 (OSU-Michigan Week) Predictions

Week 12

 

1. Michigan vs. OSU

Michigan ( )  OSU (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE, XBOX )

CLEATUS- BIGGEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME IN HISTORY!  Look for this to be a thriller that may come down to the last few seconds of regulation play.  I don't even think I will be this excited for my wedding day or the birth of my first child.

GREEK- a wise man once said, "he who goes to bed with an itchy butt, wakes up with a smelly hand." On that basis, I'm going with the Buckeyes. The wise man shall remain anonymous. If you're gonna be at the game on Saturday, look for me wearing nothing but shirt cuffs, cuff links, a scarlet and grey speedo, and a smile. And of course eating a gyro.

BATMAN- hard to pick against OSU at this juncture, Michigan will keep it close.  It will come down to who makes the mistake.  My money is that it will not be Troy Smith.

OLD BAG- Do I even have to say. Only Hurricane Ditka has a chance at beating the Buckeyes this year.

SHADY- Glendale here we come.  We'll see you there, Arkansas! :-o

GUAPO- El Guapo couldn't possibly pick any other way.
FUNK- Inside sources tell me that the final score will be 41-7.  That sounds a bit high to me, but who am I to argue with results?

 

2. Virginia Tech vs. Wake Forest

Virginia Tech (BATMAN, DEERE, XBOX )  Wake Forest (CLEATUS, GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY )

CLEATUS- Wake Forest "Demon Deacons"….there's a religious oxymoron if I've ever heard one before.  That's like having a mascot called the "Satanic Rabbis", "Virgin-hater Muhammads", or even "Intelligent Scientologists".   

GREEK- we've all been sleeping on the Demon Deacons the entire season. Today, I wake from my slumber. I will then smoke many RJ Reynolds products in honor of the Wake Forest victory.

OLD BAG- A year ago it was no contest, now the roles have reversed (like my raincoat). Wake Forest will win this one.

SHADY- Who would of think it?

GUAPO- A three pointer at the buzzer wins it for the Deacs

FUNK- Can the Deacs really keep winning?  They were quite impressive at Florida State last week.

 

3. Maryland vs. Boston College

Maryland (GUAPO, SPAM, XBOX )  Boston College (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, SHADY, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE )

GREEK- an eagle fearing a turtle? Not bloody likely.

OLD BAG- In the upside down ACC, Maryland has a chance but BC will win this one.

SHADY- The turtle is overrate, then again, so is BC.

GUAPO- Fear the Turtle
SPAM- for drizzy aaron... whitey has let me down one to many times with bc

FUNK- I decided last weekend that Maryland should change from the Terrapins to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  That would work out better for the "Fear the Turtle" campaign.

 

4. Iowa vs. Minnesota

Iowa (CLEATUS, OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, PHILLY, DEERE, XBOX ) Minnesota (GREEK, BATMAN )

CLEATUS- I hope I never travel to either of these states again. 

GREEK- Iowa lost to Northwestern. At home. I rest my case.

BATMAN- something is wrong with Iowa.

OLD BAG- Iowa wins a barnburner...no pun intended.

SHADY- Do you think Iowa might miss a bowl game?

GUAPO- Bucks should've played Wisconsin this year instead of Iowa.

FUNK- I actually want to take the Gophers in this game, but I feel like the Hawkeyes are way overdue to beat someone.

 

5. California vs. USC

California (OLD BAG, SHADY, GUAPO, FUNK, XBOX ) USC (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, SPAM, PHILLY, DEERE )

CLEATUS- In true Trojan fashion, they will "pull it out" just in time. 

GREEK- this game certainly lost a lot of intrigue with Cal's loss last weekend. How does a team lose to the "other" Stoops? I am
simply at a loss for words.

BATMAN- they are playing for a national championship and shouldn't lose this one

OLD BAG- We need California to win so there's my pick.

SHADY- I don't like USC

GUAPO- Cal was only looking ahead last week...I hope

FUNK- I decided a while ago that USC would lose to either Oregon or Cal, and since USC drubbed the Ducks last week, that means they lose to the Bears--although I'm not feeling quite as confident in that now.  I'm going with it anyway.

 

and the oddball game this week...

6. UCF vs. Tulane

UCF (CLEATUS, OLD BAG, PHILLY, DEERE )  Tulane (GREEK, BATMAN, SHADY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX )

CLEATUS- My penny landed on heads, so I'm taking UCF.

GREEK- the first person to correctly explain to me what a "Green Wave" is, well, you win 1st prize in the "you have way too much time on your hands" contest.

OLD BAG- Let me know when this game becomes the best rivalry in the nation. UCF.

GUAPO- O'Leary will still mark this as a win on his resume

SPAM- tulane is the french word for 'our players have huge weiners,' so i have to go with them!

FUNK- Aha!  With no SEC games on this week's docket, I have a chance.  Of course, you had to pick an oddball game that defies my double secret oddball selection process. 

Michigan vs. OSU Preview Part 2

Michigan vs. OSU, November 18, 3:36 PM
ABC-Brent Musberger (play-by-play), Bob Davie and Kirk Herbstreit (experts) with Lisa Salters and Erin Andrews on the sideline



Scouting the Wolverines

Michigan is undefeated so far this season, having won all 11 games, including 8 conference games. They have victories over Vanderbilt, Central Michigan, at Notre Dame, Wisconsin, at Minnesota, Michigan State, at Penn State, Iowa, Northwestern, Ball State and at Indiana. The closest time they came to losing was against Ball State, who had the opportunity to score in the last three minutes and possibly tie with a 2-point conversion, but Ball State was unable to hit the pass in the endzone. The Wolverine's big victories are over Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Penn State. In the Notre Dame game, they won with turnovers. Notre Dame was able to rack up 241 passing yards, but they lost two fumbles and threw three interceptions. Michigan lost the turnover battle to Wisconsin, throwing three interceptions, but they limited the typically potent running attack of Wisconsin to 12 yards on 27 carries. Michigan held Penn State to -14 yards on 25 carries, and the pressure they applied to PSU QBs proved to be the difference maker. Michigan racked up 7 sacks. In fact Penn State's starting quarterback, Anthony Morelli, was knocked out in the third quarter after a collision. Michigan averages 380 yards with a fairly even approach of 185 passing and 194 rushing. They average 29.4 points/game and allow an average of 12 points.



Quarterback

Junior Chad Henne has a streak of 35 straight starts, with a record of 27-8 as a starter. For his career he is 59% for 7,201 yards and 27 interceptions. This season he is 61% for 1932 yards, with 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions.



Running Back

Junior Mike Hart will be making his 28th start. He is 7th in the Michigan career rushing list with 3,490 yards. This season he has 1373 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averages 4.9 yards/carry. He has caught 13 passes for 122 yards. Hart has a knack for not fumbling, with only one fumble (2004) in his career. He lost the ball and it went out the endzone against Ball State this season, which resulted in a safety (2 points for Ball State) but according to the NCAA it was not a fumble. At fullback is 5th year senior Obi Oluigbo, who is mostly used for blocking, although he has a few catches to his credit.



Receivers

At flanker is fifth year senior Steve Breaston. Breaston also returns punts and kicks. He has the Big Ten career record for punt return yardage, and currently has four punt returns for touchdowns. At split end is sophomore "Super" Marion Manningham. Manningham was injured in the Michigan State game, had knee surgery and returned last week against Indiana. He leads the team with 538 yards and 9 touchdowns, despite missing games. Another major contributor is junior Adrian Arrington, who filled in for a few games for Manningham. At tight end is fifth year senior Tyler Ecker.



O-Line

For the most part, this unit has kept the same starters. At the tackles are senior Jake Long and fifth year senior Reuben Riley. At the guards are senior Adam Kraus and junior Alex Mitchell. Lining up at center is fifth year senior Mark Bihl. The leader of this group would have to be team captain Jake Long. He is a candidate for the Outland Trophy and Lomardi Award.



Kickers

Senior Garrett Rivas handles kickoffs and field goals/PATs. Rivas is Michgan's all-time leading scorer with 343 points. He is a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award. This season he is 97% on PATs and 15 of 18 on field goals with a long of 48 (career long.) He has missed one under 30 and two in the 40-49 range. Fifth year senior Ross Ryan handles the punts. He averages 33.1 yards. Zoltan Mesko also handles punting duties and averages 41.2 yards.



Linebackers

At Sam is senior Shawn Crable. At Mike is fifth year senior David Harris. At Will is senior Prescott Burgess. Harris leads the team with 82 tackles, which includes 62 solos, 14 tackles for loss and 4 sacks.



Defensive Backs

At the corners are senior Leon Hall and junior Morgan Trent. At free safety is senior Brandent Englemon and strong safety is junior Jamar Adams. Hall is a Thorpe Award semifinalist and Lott Trophy quarterfinalist. He has the Michigan season record with 18 pass breakups this year.



D-Line

At the ends are senior LaMarr Woodley and fifth year senior Rondell Biggs. At the tackles are junior Alan Branch and sophomore Terrance Taylor. Woodley leads the unit, as team captain, with 11 sacks. The line has been a major reason that Michigan leads the nation in limiting other teams to 29.9 yards rushing/game.

Toledo War

Some of you may ask, why is there a post regarding the Toledo War, during OSU/Michigan Football week? History shows that the rivalry between these two states started before the idea of football was even conceived.

The Toledo War (1835-1836), also known as the Ohio-Michigan War, was a boundary dispute between the two states. Based on conflicting state and federal legislation, both states claimed the Toledo Strip, near the commercially strategic Maumee Bay This became a problem when Michigan applied for statehood in the 1830s, and it attempted to include the disputed Toledo Strip. Ohio was able to temporarily stop Michigan's admission into the Union. Starting in 1835 the states passed legislation and formed militias to penalize citizens that submitted to the other state's authority. The militias were dispatched, but it amounted to mostly taunting and no casualties were reported, although it was claimed that shots were fired. Finally in 1836 President Andrew Jackson and Congress pressured Michigan to surrender the strip of land in exchange for statehood and three quarters of the Upper Peninsula. At the time, it appeared Michigan had received the short end of the stick, but later minerals such as copper and timber were discovered in large quantities in the UP.

Research assisted by web resources, including wikipedia.

Michigan Jokes

Ah, it is Michigan week. Here are some jokes that were sent to me. If you feel some others should be posted, send them my way and I will look them over. Note to any Michigan fans, these are simply jokes, so don't send me nasty emails, and I am sure on some Michigan website they have the same jokes but with the school name changed.


Enjoy!



It was reported that the Michigan Football Coach Lloyd Carr will only be dressing 20 players for the Ohio State game ...the rest of the players will have to dress themselves!



What's the only sign of intelligent life in Ann Arbor? Columbus: 187 Miles



A blind guy in a bar leans over to the guy next to him and says, "Wanna hear a Michigan joke?" The guy replies, "Well, before you tell that joke, you should know something. I am 6' tall, 200 lbs. and I am a Michigan Graduate. The guy sitting next to me is 6'2", 225 lbs. and he is a Michigan Graduate. The guy right next to him is 6'5", 250 lbs. and he is also a Michigan Graduate. Now, you still wanna tell me that joke?" The first guy says, "No, not if I'm going to have to explain it three times"



Directions to Michigan........ North till you smell crap, then West till you step in it.



A Michigan fan and an Ohio State fan go to the restroom and stand next to each other at the urinal. They finish about the same time. The Michigan fan goes to the sink to wash his hands and the Ohio State fan starts to walk out. The Michigan fan yells that the Ohio State fan and says hey in Michigan they teach us to wash our hands after going to the bathroom. The Ohio State fan replies back. At Ohio State they teach us not to pee on our hands...



An Ann Arbor judge was ruling in the case of a ten year old boy who accused his parents of beating him. After reviewing the evidence, the judge announced that his intention to make the boy's grandmother his custodian. The boy protested this, stating that the grandmother also
beat the boy. Finally, the judge awarded custody of the boy to Lloyd Carr and the Wolverines, since the judge rightly determined that they can't beat anybody.



Why did they change the playing field at "The Big House" to cardboard? Because Michigan has always looked better on paper.

Michigan vs. OSU Preview Part 1

Michigan vs. OSU, November 18, 3:36 PM
ABC-Brent Musberger (play-by-play), Bob Davie and Kirk Herbstreit (experts) with Lisa Salters and Erin Andrews on the sideline

Series
This is the 103rd meeting between these two teams, in what many consider the "Greatest Rivalry." Michigan leads the series, 57-39-6. However, it is worth noting that the series numbers are deceiving, Michigan was 13-0-2 against OSU in the first 15 games, and since 1951(Woody Hayes' first year) OSU leads the series 27-26-2. OSU has won 4 of the last 5 including the last two in Columbus and has a two-game winning streak against Michigan. Both teams are undefeated this season, and that actually has happened 17 times, but only twice since 1935, in 1970 and 1973. In 1970 OSU won the game 9-0. The teams tied in 1970. It is the 8th time that one of the teams has been ranked #1 (Michigan-'48 and '97, OSU-'54, '69, '73 and '75.)
In the game last year OSU scored in the last minute to win 25-21 in Ann Arbor. Things looked grim when OSU was down 21-12 in the final quarter, but Troy Smith led two scoring drives in the final 8 minutes. In one drive Holmes caught a 26-yard pass. In the last scoring drive, Pittman was just supposed to center the ball for a field goal, but he was able run into the endzone. In that last drive, Smith was 7 of 8 for 77 yards, with an incredible leaping 27-yard reception by Anthony Gonzalez. Smith was legendary with a career-high 300 yards with 27 of 37 passing. OSU had 418 offensive yards versus Michigan's 255. Michigan was able to lead the Buckeyes going into the fourth quarter, due to two OSU turnovers. The defense had to play without Bobby Carpenter at linebacker, due to a fracture in his right leg. Taking his place in the first quarter was true freshman James Laurinaitis, a name most fans did not know last year.

Coaches
Jim Tressel is 61-13 in his sixth season at OSU. Tressel is 4-1 against Michigan, with the sole loss being in 2003.

Coach Lloyd Carr is 113-34 in his 12th year at Michigan. Before taking the position of head coach he was an assistant coach for 15 years at Michigan. He is 6-5 versus OSU, and Tressel has given him a bit of trouble in the past five years. Before Tressel, Carr was 5-1 against Coach Cooper.

Letter from Michigan Administration

This letter went out to Michigan Students from the UM Administration.

We know that it can be uncomfortable being in an opposing team's environment, especially when the stakes are so high. We would like to offer a few suggestions in order to help you stay safe and have a positive experience this weekend:
--Try carpooling to the game; if possible, drive a car with non- Michigan license plates.
--Keep your Michigan gear to a minimum, or wait until you are inside the stadium to display it.
--Stay with a group.
--Know and obey the laws regarding alcohol use.
--If you are of legal age to drink, use alcohol in moderation. Stay in the blue.
--Stay low-key; don't draw unnecessary attention to yourself.
--If verbally harrassed by opposing fans, don't take the bait.
--Avoid High Street in Columbus.If at any time you feel unsafe, you should call 9-1-1 for assistance. U-M campus police also will be available in Columbus to support our fans. You may call them with non-emergency concerns at (734) 216-9159.We look forward to a tremendous game on Saturday. Let's help the Wolverines win with spirit and class.

Injury Updates

Offensive lineman, Alex Boone, has missed the last two games with a knee injury. He is expected to play this weekend. Backup defensive back, freshman Kurt Coleman will return this week. Backup tight end, Brandon Smith will miss another game this week for an undisclosed injury. Troy Smith continues to play with his right thumb taped, although it didn't appear to affect him in the win at Northwestern.

Week 12 Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the games listed below.

1. Michigan vs. OSU
2. Virginia Tech vs. Wake Forest
3. Maryland vs. Boston College
4. Iowa vs. Minnesota
5. California vs. USC
and the oddball game this week
6. UCF vs. Tulane

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

Guest Panel Standings-Week 11

Guest Panel
Five people had the best record this week, 4-1. John Deere Man had a difficult week, going 1-4. Ari the Greek moved into a tie for first. Cleatus McBuckeye moved up to 5th.


Current Standings after Week 11
1. FUNK (47-17), Last week (3-2 )
1. GREEK (47-17), Last week (4-1 ) (up 1)
3. BATMAN (46-18), Last week (4-1 )
4. PHILLY (44-20), Last week (3-2 )
5. CLEATUS (43-21), Last week (4-1 )(up 1)
6. DEERE (42-22), Last week (1-4 )
7. SHADY (41-23), Last week (3-2 )
8. GUAPO (39-24), Last week (4-1 )
9. XBOX (38-25), Last week (3-2 )
10. OLD BAG (38-26), Last week (4-1 )
11. SPAM (36-27), Last week (3-2 )

1. OSU (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GREEK, DEERE, GUAPO, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SPAM, SHADY, XBOX ) Northwestern ( )

2. Louisville (BATMAN, GREEK, DEERE, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SHADY, XBOX ) Rutgers (CLEATUS, GUAPO, SPAM )

3. Minnesota (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SPAM ) Michigan State (DEERE, SHADY, XBOX )

4. Tennessee (CLEATUS, DEERE, GUAPO, FUNK, PHILLY, SPAM ) Arkansas (BATMAN, GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, XBOX )

and the oddball game this week
5. UNLV (DEERE, SPAM ) San Diego State (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SHADY, XBOX )

Letter from Michigan Fan

I post this not to make fun of Michigan fans, but don't worry, the jokes will be posted, so send them my way if you think you have a good one. I put up this entry to highlight a concern of mine. I think the reputation of Ohio State fans is not accurate. I imagine some opposing fans have been harassed, but I think OSU fans get blamed for a lot more than they deserve. So I ask OSU fans, don't be a jerk to Michigan fans. I ask Michigan fans, if something legitimately happens to you, report it to the police, and don't fabricate stories.

A Michigan fan sounds off on Columbus
BuckeyeXtra.com
Monday, November 13, 2006

Editor's note: The e-mail below was received Sunday. It appears here unedited, except for the removal of the writer's name. We invite your responses.

Once again UM fans will dare to travel to Columbus through a blockade of eager Ohio state troopers seeking any Michigan license plated car traveling at least 1 mile an hour over the speed limit. On arriving at the game they will try to walk between the multitude of drunk, obscene, and offensive fans, many dressed in the guise of well dressed graduates, to see if they can slow the UM arrivals with threats of rape and dismemberment; or if they can simply impede their path physically to the stadium. At the stadium they will be both verbally assaulted and will be forced to withstand occasional missiles or simple spit. Should OSU win, they will be attacked physically for DARING to invade Columbus to play the beloved buckeyes. Some will even get hurt, others simply will need to shed their UM garb and gear in order to get out of town peacefully. Meanwhile hundreds of police will be forced to stand guard to protect UM band players from being pelted with heavy locks and chains as in years past.

My wife and I have made the trip to Columbus many times and have both witnessed all of the above, and finally, in the year OSU won its "national championship"*, actually endured the physical end of it ourselves. We have skipped the UM-OSU game in Columbus since then because, as we have gotten older, its just not worth it. We just left Indiana to see UM play and it was a great weekend. UM and IU fans mingled after the game and like in Ann Arbor, it didn't get ugly. It only gets ugly in Columbus. I used to think it was just for this game but I read the news after OSU fans mangled Texas fans in true buckeye fashion. Frankly, I hope you are prepared for the first time someone gets killed as a result of fan behavior in Columbus.

I write this in sadness because Columbus is actually a very pleasant city to visit and we love the restaurants downtown and even the dance competitions which always coincided with the big game. We will skip them again.

Preview VMI vs. OSU Bball

OSU (#4 ESPN/USA Today, #7 AP) vs. Virginia Military Institute
November 10, 8 PM
Location-Columbus
TV-ONN

This is the season opener for Ohio State. It is the fourth game today at Value City Arena, of the Black Coaches Association Classic, which starts today at noon and continues through Sunday. The bracket can be found at this link. OSU will play the 8:00 game on all three days. Tomorrow they play the winner of Loyola and Princeton. Sunday they will play the winner of games between Kent State, South Dakota State, IUPUI and Alabama A&M.

Notes about OSU:
If you think it is too soon for OSU to be playing their first basketball game, you are correct. It is the earliest game OSU has played, only four weeks after the start of practice. In fact Thad Matta does not know what to expect out of this team. The team is thin, only four returning players (one starter), four highly touted freshman and one junior college transfer. Coach Thad Matta, said he will likely add two junior college transfers with one ready for this weekend.
Starting Lineup-Unknown
Significant Stats/Players-None yet

Notes about VMI:
The Keydets score a lot of points, their exhibition games were 152-118 and 120-78. However, their average last season was 71.3 points/game. Virginia Military Institute is located in Lexington, VA and is the oldest state military college, established in 1839. They play in the Big South conference. Last year's team was 7-20.
Starting Lineup-Unknown
Significant Stats/Players-None yet

OSU vs. Northwestern Preview Part 3

OSU vs. Northwestern, November 11, 3:36 PM
ABC-Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Bob Griese and Paul Maguire (experts) and Bonnie Bernstein on the sideline

How OSU Did Last Week
OSU won in a too close for comfort matchup at Illinois, 17-10. In the first half Ohio State was able to score on two rushing touchdowns by Beanie Wells and Antonio Pittman, along with 50-yard field goal by Aaron Pettrey, but they did not score after that. Ohio State had its lowest point total and offensive yardage so far this season. In fact Illinois outgained Ohio State 233 to 224 yards. Smith did not have a Heisman-type day, 13 of 23 for 108 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. Smith was second on the team in rushing with 37 yards. Pittman had a total of 58 yards. The leading receiver was Brian Robisikie with 33 yards.Ohio State struggled offensively in the second half, but still held the 17-0 lead a few minutes into the 4th quarter. Illinois hit a 27-yard field goal early in the last quarter. Things became interesting after Illinois scored with less than two minutes left in the game. Brian Robiskie recovered the onside kick, but Ohio State was later forced to punt. With four seconds left, Illinois attempted to go down the field with laterals, but they were forced out-of-bounds. On a day when other highly ranked teams struggled, including Michigan, OSU was brought back down from the clouds. Jim Tressel said, "I think every time you're tested and every time you're bruised and battered and so forth, I think it's always good for you. In life or in football, you learn more in your suffering than you do in your wonderful moments, so I think we'll learn something."

What to Expect
There are many reasons OSU won't look past this game. Fresh in OSU's mind is the close win at Illinois last week. OSU has likely watched footage of Northwestern's dominance at Iowa last week. I am sure Tressel has reminded players that OSU lost the last game in Evanston. Teams will try to duplicate how Illinois effectively applied pressure on the line and in the backfield, collecting sacks and stopping the running game. The OSU offense was conservative in the second half last week, in an effort to simply hold on to the lead and run out the clock. This week the Buckeyes will have an easier time moving the ball on the ground, especially considering the young defensive line of Northwestern. Tyrell Sutton has not had as much luck running the ball as he did last year. Although he has had two games over 150 rushing yards, he only managed to get 18 yards against Wisconsin and 6 yards against Michigan. OSU should be able to contain their running game and force the pass. The young NU quarterback has more interceptions than touchdowns. Look for Laurinaitis to tie Chris Spielman's single season record of 6 interceptions by a linebacker. OSU will win this game, and Michigan will beat Indiana, setting up an incredible, historic matchup next week.

A Few Notes

Awards
Linebacker James Laurinaitis was named one of three finalists for the Butkus Award. Joining him are last year's winner Paul Posluszny (Penn State) and Patrick Willis (Mississippi.) The award winner will be announced the second week of December in Orlando Florida. OSU's only Butkus winner, Andy Katzenmoyer won it during his sophomore season in 1997. Laurinaitis leads the Buckeyes with five interceptions and 86 tackles. He also has 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Defensive lineman Quinn Pitcock has been named one of four finalists for the Lombardi Award, which goes to the nation's best lineman or linebacker. AJ Hawk won the award last year. Cornerback Antonio Smith is listed as a finalist for the Thorpe Award, which goes to the top defensive back. It is a great honor for Smith considering he is a former walk-on, that earned his spot before the season began. Quarterback Troy Smith is still on the top of many Heisman trophy lists.

Injury?
It was released today that Troy Smith has been playing with a sore thumb on his right, throwing hand. He can't pinpoint when it started, but he will continue to play through the injury.

NFL?
Running back Antonio Pittman has already said he plans to return for his senior year. It sounds like receiver Anthony Gonzalez will be back for his last year. Ted Ginn, Jr. has not given a straight answer, so depending on how his season ends, he may make the jump to the NFL.

Going to the Northwestern Game?

I as well as a lot of Buckeye fans are going to the game in Evanston, just north of Chicago. Are you going? Let me know if you will be in Chicago or at the game. Our hotel is in Chicago, so we will make the trip up to the game on Saturday morning. The Columbus Dispatch does a decent visitor's guide for each away game. It can be read at this link.

Guest Panel Week 11 Predictions

Week 11

1. OSU vs. Northwestern
OSU (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GREEK, DEERE, GUAPO, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SPAM, SHADY, XBOX ) Northwestern ( )
CLEATUS- As long as the Buckeye team from the 1st half of this past weekend's game shows up I think we'll be alright. They need to be a MUCH better team next weekend if they even want to be competitive against Michigan.
BATMAN- My picks
GREEK- for whatever reason though, those Poindexters from Northwestern always give the Bucks trouble. But here's to those Wildcats being our bosses after we graduate. They got us on that one.
GUAPO- Let's try and stay focused this week, shall we?OLD BAG- Seeing as the Old Bag of Man was absolutely off his rocker with his picks last week, I'll be like my pal Joe Pa (born in same year) and return with some more picks. Last week was scary...real scary. But I don't think Tressel will let the Buckeyes forget what happened 2 years ago up there. The Buckeyes will go back to pre-November form and win easily.
FUNK- Dr. Funkenstein will personally help bring the funk to Ryan Field Saturday afternoon. The Buckeyes will wake back up after a week off and take care of business.
SHADY- This game is actually kind of scary considering what happened to Iowa last week @ Iowa. Tressel will have them ready.

2. Louisville vs. Rutgers
Louisville (BATMAN, GREEK, DEERE, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SHADY, XBOX ) Rutgers (CLEATUS, GUAPO, SPAM )
CLEATUS- One class not offered at Louisville is "Defense 101". Look for Rutgers to beat the HIGHLY over-rated Louisville team. I hate teams with cake schedules who think they deserve a shot at a national championship. Louisville might be a good fit for the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but that's about all the credit I will give them.
BATMAN- last
GREEK- as much as I'd like to pick Rutgers, a team from New Jersey just shouldn't be allowed to win a college football conference title. It'd be like Ross Perot winning the presidency in 1992; it just wouldn't be right.
GUAPO- It would be easier to take the Big East seriously if they didn't play all of their big games on Thursday.
OLD BAG- They say the winner of this game will get the other BCS championship nod. I don't think either team really deserves it but I have to pick one and Louisville will put Rutgers in their place.
FUNK- Rutgers's defense will keep them in this game, but ultimately their one-dimensional offense will not be enough to take down the Cards. I'd love to see it, though.
SHADY- I don't really want them to win but OSU has the best chance in the championship game against them than anybody else.

3. Minnesota vs. Michigan State
Minnesota (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SPAM ) Michigan State (DEERE, SHADY, XBOX )
BATMAN- week
GREEK- poor John L. Smith, what did he ever do to deserve his recent pink slip?! On that note, yes, you all may now call me Miss Cleo, because I can predict the future. Now, if I could only make the correct picks to reclaim first place...
GUAPO- The only team more dead in the water this year is Miami.
OLD BAG- Minnesota scores 0 points one week and 63 the next. I'll cut the difference and say they'll put 31.5 points up against Michigan State and win.
FUNK- Wow, even if I was a degenerate gambler who felt the need to bet on every college football game, I would still pass on anything involving the Spartans. They definitely have the talent to win this game, but I'll go with the Gophers to remind State why they fired John L (as if they had forgotten).
SHADY- Drew Stanton will show up at one of his last home games ever.

4. Tennessee vs. Arkansas
Tennessee (CLEATUS, DEERE, GUAPO, FUNK, PHILLY, SPAM ) Arkansas (BATMAN, GREEK, OLD BAG, SHADY, XBOX )
BATMAN- were
GREEK- the Razorbacks know what's at stake in this game, and there will be no letdown after their close win vs. South Carolina. Not to mention a Razorback could kick a Volunteer's a** any day of the week.
GUAPO- I apologize for my anti-SEC comments last week. While the SEC may have the best group of good teams this year, itdoesn't mean they have the best team in the country.
OLD BAG- Ar-Kansas is playing well, Tennessee I thought was playing well but they burned me last week so I'm going with Ar-Kansas.
FUNK- What is this, the Ohio State and Tennessee guest panel? I think we've picked the UT game every week. And do I have to remind you that I am NOT good at picking SEC games?
SHADY- I'm calling it right now, the razorbacks will win the SEC.

and the oddball game this week
5. UNLV vs. San Diego State
UNLV (DEERE, SPAM ) San Diego State (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GREEK, GUAPO, OLD BAG, FUNK, PHILLY, SHADY, XBOX )
CLEATUS- Hey, El Guapo! Which school do you think has the most Mexicans?
BATMAN- an embarrassmentGREEK- why would anyone in San Diego EVER attend this game?! You live in the nicest, prettiest major city in the United States, and you go to a huge party school. Yea, let's go see our 1-7 football team play a 1-8 team. That sounds like a fun time to spend a Saturday afternoon. GUAPO- My flag football team would beat either of these guys.OLD BAG- Is the Tark going to be on the sidelines chewing towels? San Diego St. will win over Grandma-ma's Runnin Rebs.
FUNK- Aztecs eat Rebels.
SHADY- They both suck but I give the edge to the team that has won a Mt. West game

OSU vs. Northwestern Preview Part 2

OSU vs. Northwestern, November 11, 3:36 PMABC-Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Bob Griese and Paul Maguire (experts) and Bonnie Bernstein on the sideline

Scouting the Wildcats
Northwestern comes into this game with a 3-7 record (1-5 Big Ten.) They have wins at Miami (OH), against Eastern Michigan and at Iowa. They have loses to New Hampshire, at Nevada, at Penn State, at Wisconsin and to Purdue. Their single win in the Big Ten was against Iowa last week, 21-7. In that game the Wildcats were led by QB Bacher throwing for 218 yards and one touchdown, along with running back Tyrell Sutton gaining 168 yards and one touchdown. Northwestern pulled off the upset with 225 yards on the ground with a total of 443 yards.
The Wildcats average 307 yards/game with a balanced 150 yards receiving and passing. The defense allows 24.4 points/game with 364.6 yards/game, 219 passing and 145 rushing.

Quarterbacks
Going into this season, the Wildcats had to replace NU all-time passing leader Brett Basanez. Mike Kafka started in the beginning of the season, but he injured his leg in the second half of the Nevada game. Red-shirt sophomore CJ Bacher took his place and has been the starer for the rest of the season. Bacher has thrown for over 200-yards in all three of his games. Bacher is 56 of 103 for 691 yards, with four touchdowns and six interceptions.

Running Back
Akron native (former Mr. Football in Ohio), Tyrell Sutton returns after 1,475 yards in his freshman year. So far this season he has 833 rushing yards and 180 passing yards.

Receivers
Senior Shaun Herbert is #5 all-time for NW in career receptions and receiving yardage. Herbert leads the team with 360 yards. A the other spots are sophomores Eric Peterman and Ross Lane.

Kickers
Joel Howells is 5 for 9 on field goals with a long of 43. Slade Larsheid averages 38 yards/punt.

O-Line
Lining up at center is junior Trevor Rees, at guards are junior Adam Crum and senior Joe Tropdi and at tackles are senior Ryan Keenan and junior Dylan Thiry. Keenan has been in for veteran Austin Matthews, who has been out with injuries. In total there have been eight starters in this unit throughout this season.

Linebackers
Junior middle linebacker Adam Kaedla leads the team with 66 tackles. At Will is junior Eddie Simpson and at Sam is senior Demetrius Eaton. Nick Roach had started the season at outside linebacker, but in the Michigan State game he had a career ending broken leg injury. Simpson took Roach's spot.

Defensive Backs
At the corners are freshman Sherrick McManis and junior Deante Battle. At free safety is junior Reggie McPherson and at strong safety is sophomore Brendan Smith. McPherson leads the team with seven pass deflections. McManis has been named the special teams player of the week for five straight weeks, for his kick returns.

D-Line
Defensive end redshirt freshman Corey Wooten leads the team with 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. At the other end is sophomore Kevin Mims. At tackles are redshirt freshman Adam Hahn and sophomore John Gill.

OSU vs. Northwestern Preview Part 1

OSU vs. Northwestern, November 11, 3:36 PM
ABC-Brad Nessler (play-by-play), Bob Griese and Paul Maguire (experts) and Bonnie Bernstein on the sideline

Series
This will be the 72nd game between Ohio State and Northwestern, with OSU leading 56-14-1. OSU is 24-6-1 in Evanston. The last time Ohio State travelled to Illinois they lost 33-27 in overtime, ending a 24-game winning streak. Last year in Columbus, OSU dominated, winning 48-7. Northwestern scored first, but OSU went on to rack up 422 total yards. AJ Hawk scored on a blocked punt. The Buckeyes had 317 yards on the ground, with Antonio Pittman reaching the milestone of 1,000 yards for the season.

Coaches
Jim Tressel is 58-13 in his sixth season at Ohio State. He is 18-8 on the road and 36-10 in the Big Ten.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald is 3-7 in his first year as a head coach. He took over after the sudden death of Randy Walker in June. He played at Northwestern and has been on the coaching staff since 2001. He played on two Big Ten Champion teams, including the 1995 squad that went 8-0 in the Big Ten and played in the Rose Bowl.

Walsh vs. OSU Bball

November 5-Walsh vs. OSU
OSU won 87-62
OSU won its second exhibition game of the season, against NAIA Division II team Walsh.

Points of Praise
- OSU lead in fastbreak points, 24-2
- Ron Lewis-21 points, Jamar Butler-15 points, David Lighty-13 points
- Othello Hunter-12 points and 8 rebounds
- Mike Conley, Jr-11 points, 9 assists, no turnovers

Points of Concern
- Yet again, OSU was out rebounded, this time 39-29
- OSU gave up 15 offensive rebounds

Up Next-The first regular season game will be against Virginia Military Institute in the "BCA Classic" in Columbus on November 10. The tournament will feature eight teams in three days of games, starting this Friday. Tickets still remain for most of the games, contact Ohio State.

Guest Panel Standings-Week 10

Guest Panel

You know it is a bad week for the Guest Panel, when the best record is 3-3. There were three panelists that moved, Batman moved to 3rd place and XBOX and El Guapo moved to 8th. Two of the games had only one correct panelist and no one was able to predict the victory by Wake Forest.

Current Standings after Week 10

1. FUNK (44-15), Last week (2-4 )

2. GREEK (43-16), Last week (2-4 )

3. BATMAN (42-17), Last week (2-4 )
4. PHILLY (41-18), Last week (1-5 )
4. DEERE (41-18), Last week (2-4 )

6. CLEATUS (39-20), Last week (3-3 )
7. SHADY (38-21), Last week (3-3 )

8. XBOX (35-23), Last week (3-3 )

8. GUAPO (35-23), Last week (3-3 )

10. OLD BAG (34-25), Last week (1-5 )
11. SPAM (33-25), Last week (2-4 )

1. OSU (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, SHADY ) Illinois ( )

2. West Virginia (GREEK, OLD BAG, PHILLY, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK ) Louisville (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GUAPO, XBOX, SHADY)

3. LSU (XBOX ) Tennessee (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK, SHADY )

4. Boston College (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, SHADY ) Wake Forest ( )

5. Oklahoma (CLEATUS, GREEK, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, SHADY ) Texas A&M (BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, DEERE, XBOX )

and the oddball game this week...

6. Rice (DEERE ) UTEP (CLEATUS. GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, SHADY )

Week 11 Guest Panel Games to Consider

The Guest Panel is currently considering the games listed below.
 

1. OSU vs. Northwestern

2. Louisville vs. Rutgers

3. Minnesota vs. Michigan State

4. Tennessee vs. Arkansas

and the oddball game this week

5. UNLV vs. San Diego State

 

Check back later this week for their picks and unique commentary!

Matta Signs Contract Extension

Basketball Coach Thad Matta has signed a contract that will go through the 2014-2015 season. Previously Matta was making $1.4 million/year and his new contract will put him at $2.26 million. That will place him at second in the Big Ten behind Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, who gets $2.4 million. Matta's resume is quite good, 148-49 in six seasons. He is 46-18 at OSU. His 148 victories in six seasons ranks #5 all-time in the NCAA. His 75.1% winning percentage also ranks #5 in NCAA history.

OSU vs. Illinois Preview Part 3

OSU vs. Illinois, November 4, 3:36 PM

ESPN2 with Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Chris Spielman (expert) and Rob Stone on the sidelines

How OSU Did Last Week
The OSU defense, which now leads the nation in limiting opponents to 7.3 points/game, finally got a shutout, a 44-0 victory over Minnesota. The defense only allowed 182 yards with 47 rushing. The offense had 484 yards. Troy Smith was 14 of 21 for 183 yards and a touchdown. He had his first touchdown for the season on a 21-yard run. Antonio Pittman had 116 yards and two touchdowns. Beanie Wells fumbled the ball, but he still collected 90 yards.

What to Expect
Illinois is a talented team, but I think they are a year or two off from digging out of the Big Ten cellar. Their running game, which includes a mobile quarterback could cause some issues, but it won't last all-day. The victory at Michigan State was a big step in rebuilding this program. However, looking back now, Michigan State has only won one game since that loss to Illinois in September. Teams score on average 26.1 points against them, but they really haven't faced many tough defense teams and they are only outscored on average by 6 points. Rutgers is the only team that really played solid defense the entire game, not allowing Illinois to score and kept them to under 130 total yards. I don't see the opportunity for OSU to have a letdown game. Look for a similar stats as the Minnesota game, 200+ rushing and 200+ passing. The well-oiled-machine, also known as the Ohio State Buckeyes, will cruise through this game.

Findlay vs. OSU Bball

November 1-Findlay vs. OSU
OSU wins 80-57
OSU opened the season, winning an exhibition game against Division II Findlay. This game was not on TV, but a crowd of over 14,000 showed up at the Schott to see four of Thad Matta's "Thad Five" play in their first collegiate game. We won't see Greg Oden play until January at the earliest.

Points of Praise
- Leading the Buckeyes in scoring was Senior Ron Lewis with 17 points and 3-three point baskets.
- Freshman Daequan Cook had 13 points and 8 rebounds
- OSU blocked 7 shots
- The Buckeyes shot over 50% from the field
- OSU scored 24 points off turnovers

Points of Concern
- OSU was out-rebounded 39-30
- OSU gave up 17 offensive rebounds
- OSU was behind four minutes into the game

Up Next-Another Exhibition Game at home, against Walsh, this Sunday, November 5. The first regular season game will be against VMI in the "Sportstime BCS Classic" in Columbus on November 10.

The Illibuck Trophy

The Illibuck Trophy
There are many trophy games in the Big Ten, and OSU has the Illibuck with Illinois. Starting in 1925 these two schools passed a real turtle to the winner of the game. However in 1927 the turtle died and was replaced by a wooden replica. At halftime of the game, members of honorary societies from both schools meet to pass the the trophy to the winner of the game from the previous year. In the past the ceremony included the smoking of a peace pipe. OSU leads the Illibuck series 55-22-2.

Guest Panel Week 10 Predictions

Week 10

 

1. OSU vs. Illinois

OSU (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, SHADY ) Illinois ( )

CLEATUS- This is merely a warm-up for the biggest game in college football history on Nov 18^th. 

GREEK- when your biggest win of the entire season is over Michigan State, um, yea...my mother always taught me if you don't have
anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. And my mother was always right. Well, at least right now she is.
OLD BAG- Just another speed bump on the way to the national championship game. No team should have their team name be a shortened version of the school name.

GUAPO- The Daily Show was at Ohio State this week proving once again that we kick ass.

SPAM- spamsandwichsan is back, and after recovering a massive saki and halloween hangover, he is ready for some college fooseball!

FUNK- I conceded last week to a coworker that if you are not cheering for Ohio State, our games are pretty much unwatchable.  This one's no different

  

2. West Virginia vs. Louisville

West Virginia (GREEK, OLD BAG, PHILLY, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK ) Louisville (CLEATUS, BATMAN, GUAPO, XBOX, SHADY)

CLEATUS- Considering WV's hardest opponent to date was the Helen Keller School for the Blind, they don't know what it takes to win against a "good" team.  The adjective "good" that I used to describe Louisville is a relative term since their most difficult opponent to date was Criminal U. ( a.k.a. Miami).  These 2 teams aren't nearly as good as the 10 teams ranked below them.   

GREEK- the winner of this game WILL be playing the winner of the Ohio State-Michigan game in the BCS title game. Mountaineers
fans, pack your coonskin caps, second cousins, 6 packs of Schlitz, musket rifles, and suntan lotion, because after Thursday night, you can start packing up your 1985 Ford pick-ups for the trip to Arizona!
OLD BAG- Finally the Big East has to play someone. I don't think either team could keep up with OSU but if I had to pick one team it would be West Virgina.

GUAPO- WVU is an overrated, one dimensional team.

FUNK- I don't think the Cardinals can stop Pat White and Steve Slaton from running the ball, and that is enough for WVU.

 

3. LSU vs. Tennessee

LSU (XBOX ) Tennessee (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK, SHADY )

CLEATUS- Do the Tennessee colors remind anyone else of those orange cream popsicles?  Mmmmmmm!

GREEK- I really like that song "Tennessee" by Arrested Development from the early '90s. What ever happened to that group? They were really good.
OLD BAG- Once again the SEC is going to beat each other up. Tennessee and their droopy dog mascot (not sure what that has to do with a volunteer) will hold off LSU.

GUAPO-  It's the overrated average teams like LSU, Georgia, and Arkansas that make everyone think the SEC is so good. 

FUNK- Based on the pre-season outlook, I can't believe I'm making this pick, but Tennessee is better than expected and LSU is much worse.

 

4. Boston College vs. Wake Forest

Boston College (CLEATUS, GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, DEERE, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, SHADY ) Wake Forest ( )

GREEK- ok, normally I would be picking Wake Forest because my best friend (since we were both 5 years old) is currently a first year MBA student at Wake Forest. But since my unfortunate drop from first place in the Guest Panel standings, I've got to go with my mind, not with my heart. Sorry Jon, will you ever forgive me buddy??? Please???
OLD BAG- Does Wake Forest still have Tim Duncan? It won't matter, BC will win this one.

GUAPO- Demon Deacons, what an awesome team name.

FUNK- Not so fast, Wake Forest!

 

5. Oklahoma vs. Texas A&M

Oklahoma (CLEATUS, GREEK, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, SHADY ) Texas A&M (BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, DEERE, XBOX )

CLEATUS- Adrian who?  Didn't look like the Sooners needed him last weekend with their backup RB gaining 162 yards on the ground.

GREEK- I really don't know how to read/pick his game. A&M is 8-1, but their biggest win is over a Missouri team that was
the classic first half of the season chique pick. But Oklahoma's best player s currently on the sideline for the rest of the season. The determining actor? A&M barely beat Missouri at home, and Oklahoma destroyed the same team n the road. Using differential equation analysis, that equals a big win for the Sooners.
OLD BAG- Without Peterson this game becomes much closer and I think Texas A&M can hold off the Sooners (once again, what the deuce is a sooner?).

GUAPO- Sorry Aggies, not this time.

FUNK- Oklahoma is somehow still rolling.

 

and the oddball game this week...

6. Rice vs. UTEP

Rice (DEERE )  UTEP (CLEATUS. GREEK, BATMAN, OLD BAG, PHILLY, GUAPO, SPAM, FUNK, XBOX, SHADY )

CLEATUS-  Joe, did you have to go out and buy an expansion pack for your NCAA Xbox game so it would include these teams?  Who would play Xbox and actually choose to be UTEP!?

GREEK- have you seen the UTEP logo? It is really sweet lookin'. And yes, that is the sole basis for this pick. A cool looking miner
swinging a pick-ax, what more could you ever want in a logo?!

OLD BAG- I remember the 60 points we put up on Rice about 8 years ago. I'm gonna go with UTEP.

GUAPO- Does anyone know what UTEP is an acronym for?

FUNK- The unofficial poll says I am 12-2 picking oddball games.  Could we get a few more, please?  I didn't run the numbers on SEC games, but I'm pretty sure I suck at those