Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well.
Standings:
1. Hudy Delights (34-19) (2-4 last week)
1. Old Bag of Man (34-19) (3-3 last week)
3. Batman (33-20) (3-3 last week)
3. Spam Sandwichsan (33-20) (5-1 last week)
5. Nostrapigskinus (32-21) (2-4 last week)
6. Dr. Funkenstein (30-23) (1-5 last week)
7. Buckeye Cock (29-24) (3-3 last week)
7. Mr. Potayta Head (29-24) (3-3 last week)
9. Philly Cheese (28-25) (2-4 last week)
10. Pat Head (27-26) (2-4 last week)
11. Team Big Dog (25-28) (3-3 last week)
Games for this week:
1. Ohio State vs. Michigan (Hockey on Saturday Night)
2. Texas vs. Texas Tech
3. Florida vs. Georgia
4. Northwestern vs. Minnesota
5. Wofford vs. Appalachian St. (Friday Night)
And the oddball game this week is:
6. Michigan vs. Purdue
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
What to Expect
Last week it looked like the OSU/PSU game would be wet, but it looks like the rain should make its way through today and be clear from the night game on Saturday. Let's now take a look at the 10-day forecast...oh wait I mean let's look at the game.
I will start out by saying that Penn State has exceeded expectations, in fact JoePa may get another contract. It seems that whenever the critics back JoePa back into a corner in recent years, saying he is too old or that the game has left him, he fights back by winning games and he continues to lead coaches in career victories. It is sad to consider that JoePa does not have a contract for next season, and the parties are not supposed to discuss the matter until the end of the season.
Yes, Penn State is undefeated, but I am not convinced that this team will finish the season undefeated, as they have games left against OSU, Iowa, and Michigan State. Sorry Indiana, you did not make the cut for consideration in this post. I honestly think Iowa could give them a game, as that team is running the ball well and the defense is doing well. Michigan State will also give Penn State a good game. As I said in the previous post, the non-conference games were not very revealing for PSU, even the Oregon State game. Penn State did dominate Wisconsin, while OSU struggled, but I think it is fair to say OSU's close win deflated Wisconsin at Madison, which may have helped PSU the following week at Madison.
I also question if Penn State knows how to deal with adversity. Last night on the Big Ten Network a Penn State radio personality said Penn State has had to deal with adversity to come back in games against Illinois and Michigan, and I had to laugh. Illinois was up 14-7 for less than a quarter against PSU, in the first quarter, after that PSU was just fine. Michigan did score first and was up 10-7 at the end of the first quarter and did lead 17-14 at the half, but PSU went on to score 32 unanswered points in the second half. I don't exactly think this team has experienced adversity, and they will Saturday against OSU. How will PSU respond when they are losing in the fourth quarter, which is unchartered water for this team? In comparison OSU has dealt with adversity in games against Ohio, USC, Troy, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Purdue. In the Ohio game, OSU had to score in the fourth quarter to come from behind to win the game. OSU lost to USC big time in a high profile game, and they know how that tastes, so they are not very likely to repeat such a performance. In the Troy game, OSU was only up 4 in the fourth quarter, and scored two touchdowns to have a more respectable victory. OSU had to hold off a Minnesota team that would not give up as the Golden Gophers scored fifteen points in the fourth quarter. It took a drive with 1:08 left in the fourth with a true freshman QB to take the lead and win at Wisconsin. OSU only led by 10 against Purdue in the fourth quarter, before hitting a FG. OSU has had the close games, OSU has come from behind late in the game, OSU has had critical drives in the fourth quarter, OSU has had a defense make the necessary stops in the fourth quarter, and OSU has experienced a loss.
Chekwa may be limited in his minutes at corner this week, but replacing him at starter is returning starter Donald Washington, which is not a bad deal for OSU. Jenkins and Chekwa/Washington will keep two of the receivers in check, while the rest of the secondary and LBs will keep the other one to two receivers in this HD spread attack in check, as the receivers for PSU may be quick but they are not big. Just a reminder, Jenkins at corner for OSU is 6-1, taller than the three main PSU receivers, oh and Chekwa and Washington are both 6-0. The two OSU safeties check in at 5-11 and 6-0. Butler is 5-10, Norwood is 5-11, and Williams is 6-0. So by comparison the receivers are as tall or shorter than the OSU secondary, which may not appear to be a big deal but consider that the secondaries of the previous opponents of PSU likely do not have corners at or over 6-0.
I see OSU winning this one, and by at least ten points, which is a bit higher than what I have seen other folks predict, I think the last line I saw was PSU by 2-3 points. Pryor and Beanie will tear up the running game, with Pryor getting 80-110 on the ground and Beanie getting 150-175. Penn State will get 100-150 on the ground total. The OSU running game will open the passing game, although I still think Pryor will only throw 15-20 times for less than 200 yards. Look for the defense to continue to force turnovers and will likely score on one in this game. The only HD that will work Saturday night will be the cameras at the game and the TVs of the fans watching from home.
I will start out by saying that Penn State has exceeded expectations, in fact JoePa may get another contract. It seems that whenever the critics back JoePa back into a corner in recent years, saying he is too old or that the game has left him, he fights back by winning games and he continues to lead coaches in career victories. It is sad to consider that JoePa does not have a contract for next season, and the parties are not supposed to discuss the matter until the end of the season.
Yes, Penn State is undefeated, but I am not convinced that this team will finish the season undefeated, as they have games left against OSU, Iowa, and Michigan State. Sorry Indiana, you did not make the cut for consideration in this post. I honestly think Iowa could give them a game, as that team is running the ball well and the defense is doing well. Michigan State will also give Penn State a good game. As I said in the previous post, the non-conference games were not very revealing for PSU, even the Oregon State game. Penn State did dominate Wisconsin, while OSU struggled, but I think it is fair to say OSU's close win deflated Wisconsin at Madison, which may have helped PSU the following week at Madison.
I also question if Penn State knows how to deal with adversity. Last night on the Big Ten Network a Penn State radio personality said Penn State has had to deal with adversity to come back in games against Illinois and Michigan, and I had to laugh. Illinois was up 14-7 for less than a quarter against PSU, in the first quarter, after that PSU was just fine. Michigan did score first and was up 10-7 at the end of the first quarter and did lead 17-14 at the half, but PSU went on to score 32 unanswered points in the second half. I don't exactly think this team has experienced adversity, and they will Saturday against OSU. How will PSU respond when they are losing in the fourth quarter, which is unchartered water for this team? In comparison OSU has dealt with adversity in games against Ohio, USC, Troy, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Purdue. In the Ohio game, OSU had to score in the fourth quarter to come from behind to win the game. OSU lost to USC big time in a high profile game, and they know how that tastes, so they are not very likely to repeat such a performance. In the Troy game, OSU was only up 4 in the fourth quarter, and scored two touchdowns to have a more respectable victory. OSU had to hold off a Minnesota team that would not give up as the Golden Gophers scored fifteen points in the fourth quarter. It took a drive with 1:08 left in the fourth with a true freshman QB to take the lead and win at Wisconsin. OSU only led by 10 against Purdue in the fourth quarter, before hitting a FG. OSU has had the close games, OSU has come from behind late in the game, OSU has had critical drives in the fourth quarter, OSU has had a defense make the necessary stops in the fourth quarter, and OSU has experienced a loss.
Chekwa may be limited in his minutes at corner this week, but replacing him at starter is returning starter Donald Washington, which is not a bad deal for OSU. Jenkins and Chekwa/Washington will keep two of the receivers in check, while the rest of the secondary and LBs will keep the other one to two receivers in this HD spread attack in check, as the receivers for PSU may be quick but they are not big. Just a reminder, Jenkins at corner for OSU is 6-1, taller than the three main PSU receivers, oh and Chekwa and Washington are both 6-0. The two OSU safeties check in at 5-11 and 6-0. Butler is 5-10, Norwood is 5-11, and Williams is 6-0. So by comparison the receivers are as tall or shorter than the OSU secondary, which may not appear to be a big deal but consider that the secondaries of the previous opponents of PSU likely do not have corners at or over 6-0.
I see OSU winning this one, and by at least ten points, which is a bit higher than what I have seen other folks predict, I think the last line I saw was PSU by 2-3 points. Pryor and Beanie will tear up the running game, with Pryor getting 80-110 on the ground and Beanie getting 150-175. Penn State will get 100-150 on the ground total. The OSU running game will open the passing game, although I still think Pryor will only throw 15-20 times for less than 200 yards. Look for the defense to continue to force turnovers and will likely score on one in this game. The only HD that will work Saturday night will be the cameras at the game and the TVs of the fans watching from home.
Scouting the Nittany Lions
QB
The offense is led by first year starter, junior Daryll Clark, with the spread HD (high definition) offense. He played in eight games behind Anthony Morelli last year, with 47 snaps, 31 passing yards, and 80 rushing yards. This season he has completed 63% for 1531 yards, eleven touchdowns, and two interceptions. His best game was against Wisconsin with 244 yards.
Running game
Leading the running game is third year sophomore Evan Royster with 893 yards and ten touchdowns. He had 174 yards against Michigan last week and over 100 also against Oregon State, Syracuse, Illinois, and Purdue. Royster's numbers would probably be higher if he didn't share time with red-shirt freshman Stephfon Green. Green is smaller and faster than Royster, so his game complements Royster quite well. Green has 411 yards and four touchdowns, and he had over 100 yards against Temple, and he has only topped 50 yards in four games. QB Clark also runs the ball and has 190 yards and eight touchdowns. He typically has between five and ten carries in a game, only getting 50 or more yards in two games, with a season high of 61 against Oregon State.
O-Line
This O-Line bullies opponents to allow the team to average 234 rushing yards/game. Leading the effort is AQ Shipley at center. He has started the last 34 games at center and has played in every game for the last three years.
Receivers
There is a lot of experience at reciver with Deon Butler leading the way with 486 yards and three touchdowns, Jordan Norwood with 405 yards and five touchdowns, and Derrick Williams with 282 yards and one touchdown. As a key element in the spread HD offense, the speedy RB Green has 142 yards and one touchdown. Both Butler and Norwood are Bilentikoff Award candidates. Butler averages 16.2 yards/catch, is only six catches away from becoming the all-time PSU receptions leader, second in all time PSU yardage. Norwood would have even higher states if he hadn't missed the Illinois and Purdue games due to a hamstring injury, but he has been healthy for the two recent games.
Defense
Linebacker University lost a key player when All-American LB Sean Lee tore his ACL in spring practices. The LB unit has less experience than normal, but LB Navorro Bowman leads the team in tackles with 71, including 40 solo. He had three sacks versus Temple. The D-Line is solid with defensive end Aaron Maybin second in the nation with 10 sacks and third in tha nation with 14.5 tackles for loss. He has forced three fumbles so far this season.
Special Teams
Receiver Williams leads the team in kick returns, with three kicks returned for TDs this year and averages 33.2 yards/kickoff. He has five career kick returns for TDs. Place kicker Kevin Kelly is 12 of 14 with a long of 52 and he has also hit a 50 yarder. He is 43 of 43 on PATs. He is the Big Ten all-time kick scoring leader with 378 points.
This Season
The non-conference games for Penn State were not very revealing, in particular Coastal Carolina, Syracuse (Sorry Ari), and Temple. The Oregon State game was not interesting at the time, but after USC fell to them, the win by Penn State looked pretty good, although I still don't think it is fair to compare. Oregon State has been up and down this season, and they played at Penn State and hosted USC, with USC having collapsed at Oregon State two years ago as well. Within the conference the wins over Illinois and Wisconsin stand out, although both teams have had disappointing seasons. In the Illinois game Penn State took control of the game with a returned kick for a TD early in the fourth quarter. PSU dominated Wisconsin, scoring 21 in the second quarter and 17 in the third quarter, with a final score of 41-17. It is fair to draw comparisons to the OSU victory in Madison, which came down to a fourth quarter drive by OSU. Penn State played a far superior game to OSU in Madison.
The offense is led by first year starter, junior Daryll Clark, with the spread HD (high definition) offense. He played in eight games behind Anthony Morelli last year, with 47 snaps, 31 passing yards, and 80 rushing yards. This season he has completed 63% for 1531 yards, eleven touchdowns, and two interceptions. His best game was against Wisconsin with 244 yards.
Running game
Leading the running game is third year sophomore Evan Royster with 893 yards and ten touchdowns. He had 174 yards against Michigan last week and over 100 also against Oregon State, Syracuse, Illinois, and Purdue. Royster's numbers would probably be higher if he didn't share time with red-shirt freshman Stephfon Green. Green is smaller and faster than Royster, so his game complements Royster quite well. Green has 411 yards and four touchdowns, and he had over 100 yards against Temple, and he has only topped 50 yards in four games. QB Clark also runs the ball and has 190 yards and eight touchdowns. He typically has between five and ten carries in a game, only getting 50 or more yards in two games, with a season high of 61 against Oregon State.
O-Line
This O-Line bullies opponents to allow the team to average 234 rushing yards/game. Leading the effort is AQ Shipley at center. He has started the last 34 games at center and has played in every game for the last three years.
Receivers
There is a lot of experience at reciver with Deon Butler leading the way with 486 yards and three touchdowns, Jordan Norwood with 405 yards and five touchdowns, and Derrick Williams with 282 yards and one touchdown. As a key element in the spread HD offense, the speedy RB Green has 142 yards and one touchdown. Both Butler and Norwood are Bilentikoff Award candidates. Butler averages 16.2 yards/catch, is only six catches away from becoming the all-time PSU receptions leader, second in all time PSU yardage. Norwood would have even higher states if he hadn't missed the Illinois and Purdue games due to a hamstring injury, but he has been healthy for the two recent games.
Defense
Linebacker University lost a key player when All-American LB Sean Lee tore his ACL in spring practices. The LB unit has less experience than normal, but LB Navorro Bowman leads the team in tackles with 71, including 40 solo. He had three sacks versus Temple. The D-Line is solid with defensive end Aaron Maybin second in the nation with 10 sacks and third in tha nation with 14.5 tackles for loss. He has forced three fumbles so far this season.
Special Teams
Receiver Williams leads the team in kick returns, with three kicks returned for TDs this year and averages 33.2 yards/kickoff. He has five career kick returns for TDs. Place kicker Kevin Kelly is 12 of 14 with a long of 52 and he has also hit a 50 yarder. He is 43 of 43 on PATs. He is the Big Ten all-time kick scoring leader with 378 points.
This Season
The non-conference games for Penn State were not very revealing, in particular Coastal Carolina, Syracuse (Sorry Ari), and Temple. The Oregon State game was not interesting at the time, but after USC fell to them, the win by Penn State looked pretty good, although I still don't think it is fair to compare. Oregon State has been up and down this season, and they played at Penn State and hosted USC, with USC having collapsed at Oregon State two years ago as well. Within the conference the wins over Illinois and Wisconsin stand out, although both teams have had disappointing seasons. In the Illinois game Penn State took control of the game with a returned kick for a TD early in the fourth quarter. PSU dominated Wisconsin, scoring 21 in the second quarter and 17 in the third quarter, with a final score of 41-17. It is fair to draw comparisons to the OSU victory in Madison, which came down to a fourth quarter drive by OSU. Penn State played a far superior game to OSU in Madison.
The Coaches
Jim Tressel
In his eighth season at OSU, he has a record of 80-17. In his 23rd year of his coaching career, including time at YSU, he is 215-74-2. He has guided OSU to one national championship.
Joe Paterno
In his 43rd season as a head coach, all at Penn State, he is 380-125-3 (75.1%.) He currently leads the all-time victories among major college coaches. Paterno is also the longest serving head coach at one school in major football history. He has led the school to two national championships in 1982 and 1986. He was an assistant at Penn State for 16 years prior to his time as head coach. He is already in the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
The Series
OSU leads the series 12-11, and has won the last two games. In the game last year OSU won 37-17. Two years ago in Columbus, OSU won 28-6. OSU leads the series in Columbus 8-5. Since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993 OSU is 10-5.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Guest Panel-Week 9 Games and Standings
Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well.
Standings:
1. Hudy Delights (32-15) (5-1 last week)
2. Old Bag of Man (31-16) (5-1 last week)
3. Nostrapigskinus (30-17) (4-2 last week)
3. Batman (30-17) (4-2 last week)
5. Dr. Funkenstein (29-18) (2-4 last week)
6. Spam Sandwichsan (28-19) (4-2 last week)
7. Philly Cheese (26-21) (3-3 last week)
7. Buckeye Cock (26-21) (3-3 last week)
7. Mr. Potayta Head (26-21) (4-2 last week)
10. Pat Head (25-22) (4-2 last week)
11. Team Big Dog (22-25) (3-3 last week)
Games for this week:
1. Penn State vs. Ohio State
2. Oklahoma State vs. Texas
3. Georgia vs. LSU
4. Virginia Tech vs. Florida State
5. Illinois vs. Wisconsin
And the oddball game this week is:
6. Kent State vs. Miami (not Florida)
Standings:
1. Hudy Delights (32-15) (5-1 last week)
2. Old Bag of Man (31-16) (5-1 last week)
3. Nostrapigskinus (30-17) (4-2 last week)
3. Batman (30-17) (4-2 last week)
5. Dr. Funkenstein (29-18) (2-4 last week)
6. Spam Sandwichsan (28-19) (4-2 last week)
7. Philly Cheese (26-21) (3-3 last week)
7. Buckeye Cock (26-21) (3-3 last week)
7. Mr. Potayta Head (26-21) (4-2 last week)
10. Pat Head (25-22) (4-2 last week)
11. Team Big Dog (22-25) (3-3 last week)
Games for this week:
1. Penn State vs. Ohio State
2. Oklahoma State vs. Texas
3. Georgia vs. LSU
4. Virginia Tech vs. Florida State
5. Illinois vs. Wisconsin
And the oddball game this week is:
6. Kent State vs. Miami (not Florida)
Friday, October 17, 2008
What to Expect
The OSU offense continues to develop, but last week it almost looked like the offense took a step backwards, as they did not score a touchdown, passes were dropped, the o-line was beat up, Pryor was sacked three times, the passing game was under 100 yards, Beanie was under 100 yards (although he had the flu all week), and the team was 4-14 on third down conversions. Look for Beanie to get 125-150 yards on the ground, and Pryor will improve his passing game. The O-Line is still a point of concern, especially with the season ending injuries of the two promising freshmen Adams and Shugarts. If you don't think a true freshman can make an impact on the O-line look who is at center, yeah Brewster since the Troy game, even after Cordle recovered from his injury. Cordle is back on the line, but Brewster has not given up the spot at center. Herron will miss another game, but Sanzenbacher is back. I am still upset about the hit Herron took that gave him the concusion, dirty football at Wisconsin, no surprise. I think OSU will keep Ringer in check, although he will still get close to 100 yards.. He averages two touchdowns a game in seven games, which is good by any standards, but if you take out the five touchdowns in the Eastern Michigan game he has 1.1 touchdowns/game in six games, which is less impressive, especially considering how many touches he gets. In the Iowa game, one of the few games against a "quality defense" he only had 91 yards and no touchdowns. OSU has struggled to defend the middle of the field, but I see them holding Ringer in check, in fact I think Beanie will have a better game. If the game is close MSU has a dependable kicker. Despite the growing pains of Pryor, he is winning, and it will take a crisis situation for a two QB system, unless Tressel can work out the problems that were evident in the USC game two QB strategy. Boeckman will get minutes, but not within the same series. OSU wins this one and moves one step closer to a showdown against Penn State.
Scouting the Spartans
Offense
Leading the offense is Brian Hoyer, who has 1314 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. In his career he has 5,069 yards. He had 321 yards against California, but he only had one touchdown pass and the team lost. In the Florida Atlantic game he only had 88 yards and no touchdown passes. The star on this offense is running back Javon Ringer 1112 yards already this season, with two games of over 200 yards. In his career he has 3873 yards. Ringer is in the talks for the Heisman. Leading in receptions is Mark Dell with 443 and two touchdowns.
Special Teams
Brett Swenson is perfect on PATS and is 15 of 16 for FGs. He has a long of 48 yards.
The Season
The Spartans are 6-1 and undefeated in the Big Ten, although it is questionable if this team has defeated a quality opponent. The best team MSU has played so far, California, beat them in the season opener. Next on the list would likely be Notre Dame, but Notre Dame has two loses and almost lost to Stanford. The conference games were against Indiana, Iowa, and Northwestern. MSU does well with the run, averaging 176 yards/game and the passing game is ok at 192 yards/game. The defense allow 134 yards/game on the ground, but they give up 227 yards/game in the air.
Leading the offense is Brian Hoyer, who has 1314 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. In his career he has 5,069 yards. He had 321 yards against California, but he only had one touchdown pass and the team lost. In the Florida Atlantic game he only had 88 yards and no touchdown passes. The star on this offense is running back Javon Ringer 1112 yards already this season, with two games of over 200 yards. In his career he has 3873 yards. Ringer is in the talks for the Heisman. Leading in receptions is Mark Dell with 443 and two touchdowns.
Special Teams
Brett Swenson is perfect on PATS and is 15 of 16 for FGs. He has a long of 48 yards.
The Season
The Spartans are 6-1 and undefeated in the Big Ten, although it is questionable if this team has defeated a quality opponent. The best team MSU has played so far, California, beat them in the season opener. Next on the list would likely be Notre Dame, but Notre Dame has two loses and almost lost to Stanford. The conference games were against Indiana, Iowa, and Northwestern. MSU does well with the run, averaging 176 yards/game and the passing game is ok at 192 yards/game. The defense allow 134 yards/game on the ground, but they give up 227 yards/game in the air.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The Coaches
Jim Tressel
In his eighth season at OSU, he has a record of 79-17. In his 23rd year of his coaching career, including time at YSU, he is 214-74-2. He has guided OSU to one national championship.
Mark Dantonio
In his second season at Michigan State he is 13-7 and he is 31-24 in his career which includes three years at Cincinnati. Dantonio was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State for three years, including the 2002 National Championship season. Dantonio moved to OSU with Tressel, after spending five years as a secondary and defensive coordinator at Youngstown.
Mike Tressel, nephew of Jim Tressel, is the linebackers/special teams coach. He was a graduate assistant at OSU in 2002-2003. Mike is the son of Dick Tressel, the OSU running backs coach, and older brother of Jim.
The Series
OSU leads the series 26-12 and is 12-5 in East Lansing. OSU has won the last seven games in the series, but there have been some close games including last year, 24-17.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Wilson out for rest of season...again
As you may recall, last season Lawrence Wilson broke his leg in the season opening game against YSU, causing him to miss the rest of the season. The return of Wilson was highly anticipated this year, but unfortunately a torn ACL injury in the Purdue game last weekend has ended his season. As was the case last year Heyward or Rose will play in his absence.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Guest Panel-Week 8 Games and Standings
Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well.
Standings:
1. Hudy Delights (27-14) (2-4 last week)
1. Dr. Funkenstein (27-14) (3-3 last week)
3. Nostrapigskinus (26-15) (2-4 last week)
3. Old Bag of Man (26-15) (3-3 last week)
3. Batman (26-15) (4-2 last week)
6. Spam Sandwichsan (24-17) (3-3 last week)
7. Philly Cheese (23-18) (2-4 last week)
7. Buckeye Cock (23-18) (2-4 last week)
9. Mr. Potayta Head (22-19) (3-3 last week)
10. Pat Head (21-20) (2-4 last week)
11. Team Big Dog (19-22) (3-3 last week)
Games for this week:
1. OSU vs. Michigan State
2. Vanderbilt vs. Georgia
3. Missouri vs. Texas
4. Kansas vs. Oklahoma
5. California vs. Arizona
And the oddball game this week is:
6. Florida Atlantic vs. Western Kentucky
Standings:
1. Hudy Delights (27-14) (2-4 last week)
1. Dr. Funkenstein (27-14) (3-3 last week)
3. Nostrapigskinus (26-15) (2-4 last week)
3. Old Bag of Man (26-15) (3-3 last week)
3. Batman (26-15) (4-2 last week)
6. Spam Sandwichsan (24-17) (3-3 last week)
7. Philly Cheese (23-18) (2-4 last week)
7. Buckeye Cock (23-18) (2-4 last week)
9. Mr. Potayta Head (22-19) (3-3 last week)
10. Pat Head (21-20) (2-4 last week)
11. Team Big Dog (19-22) (3-3 last week)
Games for this week:
1. OSU vs. Michigan State
2. Vanderbilt vs. Georgia
3. Missouri vs. Texas
4. Kansas vs. Oklahoma
5. California vs. Arizona
And the oddball game this week is:
6. Florida Atlantic vs. Western Kentucky
Friday, October 10, 2008
What to Expect
Look for OSU to run the ball well against the Purdue defense. I think we will continue to see Pryor pick up some yards on the ground, along with Beanie. OSU will continue to work on the passing game, and we should see some deep balls. Look for Boeckman to get some quality minutes in the second half, possibly in the second quarter. Purdue always has the ability to put up some passing yards, and could beat many teams in the conference, but they usually fall victim to their own mistakes, either turnovers or ineffective red zone offense. Purdue will turn around the season, as they want to send Coach Tiller off on a good note, but I don't expect this to be a turn around game for them.
Scouting the Boilermakers
Offense
In his fifth year Matt Painter leads the offense. He took over as QB in the middle of the 2005 season. He has 9,988 yards and 59 touchdowns so far in his career. He has topped four hundred yards in two games so far in his career. His highs and low this season are 359 yards against Notre Dame and 112 in the air against Penn State last week, both games were loses. He has 1225 yards this season and five touchdowns. The team averages 117 yards/game on the ground with Kory Sheets leading the team with 498 yards. At receiver are Desmond Tardy with 393 yards and Greg Orton with 330 yards.
This Season
The team is averaging an impressive 261 yards/game in the air, but they only score 26 points/game. Games against Oregon and Notre Dame are prime examples of Purdue racking up the yards and not scoring effectively. Against Oregon, Purdue came out fast, scoring 20 points in the first two quarters, but after that they only hit a FG in the fourth quarter and the first overtime. In the Notre Dame game Purdue had 462 yards, including 359 yards in the air, yet they only scored three touchdowns. The defense hasn't helped, as they give up 435 yards/game with a ridiculous 196 yards/game on the ground. The team has not beaten a quality opponent, having won games against Northern Colorado and Central Michigan and lost games against Oregon, Notre Dame, and Penn State.
In his fifth year Matt Painter leads the offense. He took over as QB in the middle of the 2005 season. He has 9,988 yards and 59 touchdowns so far in his career. He has topped four hundred yards in two games so far in his career. His highs and low this season are 359 yards against Notre Dame and 112 in the air against Penn State last week, both games were loses. He has 1225 yards this season and five touchdowns. The team averages 117 yards/game on the ground with Kory Sheets leading the team with 498 yards. At receiver are Desmond Tardy with 393 yards and Greg Orton with 330 yards.
This Season
The team is averaging an impressive 261 yards/game in the air, but they only score 26 points/game. Games against Oregon and Notre Dame are prime examples of Purdue racking up the yards and not scoring effectively. Against Oregon, Purdue came out fast, scoring 20 points in the first two quarters, but after that they only hit a FG in the fourth quarter and the first overtime. In the Notre Dame game Purdue had 462 yards, including 359 yards in the air, yet they only scored three touchdowns. The defense hasn't helped, as they give up 435 yards/game with a ridiculous 196 yards/game on the ground. The team has not beaten a quality opponent, having won games against Northern Colorado and Central Michigan and lost games against Oregon, Notre Dame, and Penn State.
The Coaches
Jim Tressel
In his eighth season at OSU, he has a record of 78-17. In his 23rd year of his coaching career, including time at YSU, he is 213-74-2. He has guided OSU to one national championship.
Joe Tiller
In his 12th and final season at Purdue he is 85-57. His career record is 124-87-1 in 18 seasons with time at Wyoming. At the end of the season he will step down and Eastern Kentucky head coach Danny Hope will take over. Tiller is from Toledo and he played at Montana State as an offensive lineman.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
The Series
OSU leads the series 36-12-2 and leads 24-5-2 in Columbus. The teams met last year in West Lafayette and OSU won 23-7. The last game in Columbus, OSU won in overtime in 2003, 16-13. In the night game last year against Purdue, OSU limited Purdue to 4 rushing yards and kept QB Painter in check, allowing most of the passing yards and the only touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Guest Panel-Week 7 Games and Standings
Here are the games for the Guest Panel to consider this week. Below are the standings as well.
Standings:
1. Hudy Delights (25-10) (4-2 last week)
2. Dr. Funkenstein (24-11) (3-3 last week)
2. Nostrapigskinus (24-11) (5-1 last week)
4. Old Bag of Man (23-12) (4-2 last week)
5. Batman (22-13) (4-2 last week)
6. Philly Cheese (21-14) (3-3 last week)
6. Spam Sandwichsan (21-14) (4-2 last week)
6. Buckeye Cock (21-14) (4-2 last week)
9. Mr. Potayta Head (19-16) (2-4 last week)
9. Pat Head (19-16) (3-3 last week)
11. Team Big Dog (16-19) (2-4 last week)
Games for this week:
1. Purdue vs. OSU
2. LSU vs. Florida
3. Texas vs. Oklahoma
4. Oklahoma State vs. Missouri
5. Penn State vs. Wisconsin
And the oddball games this week are:
6. Eastern Michigan vs. Army
Standings:
1. Hudy Delights (25-10) (4-2 last week)
2. Dr. Funkenstein (24-11) (3-3 last week)
2. Nostrapigskinus (24-11) (5-1 last week)
4. Old Bag of Man (23-12) (4-2 last week)
5. Batman (22-13) (4-2 last week)
6. Philly Cheese (21-14) (3-3 last week)
6. Spam Sandwichsan (21-14) (4-2 last week)
6. Buckeye Cock (21-14) (4-2 last week)
9. Mr. Potayta Head (19-16) (2-4 last week)
9. Pat Head (19-16) (3-3 last week)
11. Team Big Dog (16-19) (2-4 last week)
Games for this week:
1. Purdue vs. OSU
2. LSU vs. Florida
3. Texas vs. Oklahoma
4. Oklahoma State vs. Missouri
5. Penn State vs. Wisconsin
And the oddball games this week are:
6. Eastern Michigan vs. Army
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Herron, Sanzenbacher, and Nicol Out for Saturday
Boom Herron who took a hit to the chin by the helmet of Wisconsin defensive back Jay Valai will not be playing in the game Saturday. Tressel has asked the Big Ten to review the footage to determine why a flag was not thrown for the hit, as the conference said such hits would not be tolerated this season. "As you watched the film, it certainly (was a collision of) two head gears," Tressel said. "Actually in Boom's case it was a head gear and a chin, and the jaw creates some of the worst concussions. But again, that game is happening fast and I'm not sitting here saying the officials need to be perfect because the game happens fast. And you've got to make split-second decisions, and sometimes they get them and sometimes they don't."
Receiver Dane Sanzenbacher also left the Wisconsin game with a concussion, and he will not play Saturday as well. Tight end Rory Nicol will miss another game because of his ankle sprain. Backups LB Austin Spitler and tackle JB Shugarts will also miss the game.
Receiver Dane Sanzenbacher also left the Wisconsin game with a concussion, and he will not play Saturday as well. Tight end Rory Nicol will miss another game because of his ankle sprain. Backups LB Austin Spitler and tackle JB Shugarts will also miss the game.
Friday, October 03, 2008
What to Expect
The OSU offense still needs to smooth out some edges, but the Pryor-Beanie combo is giving defensive coordinators nightmares. With the power running of Beanie, the option, spread offense, etc OSU will be hard to predict. Pryor is still working out the timing with receivers, but so far his throwing has been good enough. Based on how poor the Wisconsin defense has been against the pass (almost 200 yards/game), in particular the spread attack, look for Pryor to have a bigger passing game this week. The OSU defense is still not playing up to pre-season expectations, allowing almost 100 yards/game on the ground and almost 160 yards/games in the air. In this game, the OSU defense will likely give up 100-150 yards on the ground, but it should be able to hold the Badgers in the redzone. In other words, the OSU defense will bend but not break. Luckily the Badgers do not throw the ball for a lot of yards, but with a healthy TE Beckum they will have the short pass available. The Badgers are tough at home, winning 27 of the last 28 games in Madison, 16 straight at home, and Bielema has not lost at home. Look for OSU to win this slugfest, Pryor to improve his passing game, and OSU to avenge the 2003 loss in Madison.
Scouting the Badgers
Quarterback
After transferring from Kansas State and sitting out a year, senior Allan Evridge got minutes in seven games last year. This season he is 57% for 752 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Runningbacks
Junior running back PJ Hill is seventh in school history with 3230 career rushing yards. He averages 115.4 yards/game. He had this second 200-yard career game this season against Akron. This season he has 449 yards and four touchdowns. Also getting time at RB are John Clay and Zach Brown.
O-Line
Ok so I usually don't discuss the O-Line for the opposing team, but this one is pretty impressive with the five starting lineman having 124 combined starts between them and they average 6' 6" and 319 lbs., yes I said average. The shortest is 6'4" and the lightest is 301 lbs.
Receivers
Graham and Gilreath lead the team in receptions with 154 yards and 139 yards respectively. Graham has three touchdowns and Gilreath has one touchdown. Graham has had more playing time with the senior tight end Travis Beckum injured. Beckum is expected to healthy for this game.
Defense
Wisconsin only allowed 268 yards versus Michigan, but 247 were in the second half. Two of the impact players on the defense are linebackers DeAndre Levy and Jaevery McFadden. Junior safety Shane Carter already has two interceptions this season, and has nine in his career.
This Season
Wisconsin had high expectations this season, rising up to #9 before their collapse last week at Michigan. The team looked solid in wins against Akron and Marshall, but at #21 Fresno State the offense could not get started only scoring one touchdown at the end of the first quarter, and adding two field goals in the second and third quarters. Fresno State missed three missed field goals Wisconsin ran the clock out to end the game. At Michigan, Wisconsin led 19-0 at halftime, and it appeared Michigan was on its way to another loss under Coach Rod, but Michigan scored 27 in the second half and benefited off a failed two point conversion by Wisconsin. It was a big upset for Michigan, in fact it was the biggest comeback in Michigan Stadium history.
After transferring from Kansas State and sitting out a year, senior Allan Evridge got minutes in seven games last year. This season he is 57% for 752 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions.
Runningbacks
Junior running back PJ Hill is seventh in school history with 3230 career rushing yards. He averages 115.4 yards/game. He had this second 200-yard career game this season against Akron. This season he has 449 yards and four touchdowns. Also getting time at RB are John Clay and Zach Brown.
O-Line
Ok so I usually don't discuss the O-Line for the opposing team, but this one is pretty impressive with the five starting lineman having 124 combined starts between them and they average 6' 6" and 319 lbs., yes I said average. The shortest is 6'4" and the lightest is 301 lbs.
Receivers
Graham and Gilreath lead the team in receptions with 154 yards and 139 yards respectively. Graham has three touchdowns and Gilreath has one touchdown. Graham has had more playing time with the senior tight end Travis Beckum injured. Beckum is expected to healthy for this game.
Defense
Wisconsin only allowed 268 yards versus Michigan, but 247 were in the second half. Two of the impact players on the defense are linebackers DeAndre Levy and Jaevery McFadden. Junior safety Shane Carter already has two interceptions this season, and has nine in his career.
This Season
Wisconsin had high expectations this season, rising up to #9 before their collapse last week at Michigan. The team looked solid in wins against Akron and Marshall, but at #21 Fresno State the offense could not get started only scoring one touchdown at the end of the first quarter, and adding two field goals in the second and third quarters. Fresno State missed three missed field goals Wisconsin ran the clock out to end the game. At Michigan, Wisconsin led 19-0 at halftime, and it appeared Michigan was on its way to another loss under Coach Rod, but Michigan scored 27 in the second half and benefited off a failed two point conversion by Wisconsin. It was a big upset for Michigan, in fact it was the biggest comeback in Michigan Stadium history.
Thursday, October 02, 2008
The Coaches
Jim Tressel
In his eighth season at OSU, he has a record of 77-17. In his 23rd year of his coaching career, including time at YSU, he is 212-74-2. He has guided OSU to one national championship.
Bret Bielema
In his third season as a head coach, all at Wisconsin, he is 24-6. After his second season he was 21-5, and was only the third coach in Big Ten history with that many victories in two seasons. The other two coaches being Michigan's Fielding Yost with 22 and Tressel with 21. He is the fourth youngest coach in the NCAA at age 38, with Northwestern Coach Pat Fitzgerald the youngest at 33. After playing at Iowa he worked as a graduate assistant and then a Linebackers assistant coach at his alma mater. For two years he was an assistant defensive coordinator at Kansas State. Bielema joined wisconsin as a defensive coordinator for two years prior to being named head coach.
The Series
OSU leads the series 51-17-5 in a series that started in 1913. OSU is 23-10-2 in games in Madison. The series has been close since 1980 with OSU leading 6-5-1. OSU won the game last year 38-17, but they lost the last game in Madison 17-10 in 2003. That game broke a 19-game winning streak, which included the 2002-2003 14-0 National Championship season. Wisconsin is the only Big Ten team with a winning record against Tressel OSU 3-2.
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