[NU Sports] Well ...

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Couple of things to add to the good analysis by Paul ...

- As Mike noted, Iowa/UNL is a Black Friday game, but the TV schedule for the Big Ten on Saturday is probably going to be Michigan/OSU at noon (can't believe they haven't locked that in yet - that game is ALWAYS at noon!) and Wisky/PSU for the northeast title will be at 2:30 ... I would imagine we're the ESPN game at noon.

- As for the Land Grant Trophy (PSU/MSU) rivalry, one of a few that the Big Ten split up and couldn't save in their idiotic divisional splits. I believe PSU's "protected" cross-divisional game is UNL and MSU's protected one is Indiana. Why? I have no idea. But it makes about as much sense as the stupid division names. An even bigger breakup, IMO, was Iowa/Wisconsin. They chose to save the axe game (UW/Minny) over the Heartland Trophy, which makes sense (although Minnesota seems to have trophy games with 23 teams, the Axe one is the biggest) but still is a shame.

Looking at the top end of the league and our quest for an additional B(C)S berth ... 

* NEBRASKA probably has the best shot. If they win big in Ann Arbor next week and close strong vs. Iowa, that's a strong finish, 10-2 mark losing to possible Rose Bowl rep Wisconsin (and the upset to NU) -- they'd bring a horde of fans to the Valley of the Sun (and a lot are already here) for a Fiesta Bowl matchup with Oklahoma after the Sooners beat Okie State. It would be somewhat fitting if the great "rivalry" that the Big XII didn't deem significant enough to play every year was rekindled in their first year in the Big Ten. And it would fill seats more than Stanford, Oregon or Okie State (and even OU is getting tired of traveling to the Fiesta - this might get them fired up again).

* MICHIGAN has an outside shot if they can win against a self-destructing Illinois today (why couldn't we have faced the Zookers at the END of the year like rivals SHOULD??? We'd crush 'em! I blame this on the stupid division split as well. Delaney, your plan sucks almost to a B(C)S level of suck-i-tude!!!) and then beat Nebraska and OSU at home. They'd be 10-2 and if Sparty wins in Indy, the losses would be to the Rose rep and a tough road game at Iowa. Plus they're a comeback story (and as mentioned on the list earlier this week, our "big three" have taken some big hits in recent years) and bring big ratings and fill seats. Maybe a rematch of that classic Orange Bowl game with Alabama, this time in the Sugar Bowl?

* WISCONSIN needs to win out to get to Pasadena. Otherwise, they're a 3-loss team with plenty of fans, but they can't win the big game and get to head to Florida.
* MICHIGAN STATE needs to win out to get to Pasadena. Otherwise, they're a 3-loss team with some guts but not enough flash, seat-fillers or ratings-grabbers to get a bid.
* PENN STATE needs to win out to get to Pasadena. Otherwise, they've gone from a 10-win team with a possibly retiring legend and fans to a scandal-plagued hot potato no one wants in their bowl -- it will be interesting to see how far they fall in the conference's bowl tie-ins.

So it's going to be an interesting bowl scramble. You gotta think NU is below OSU, Iowa and even the always overrated Ill-ini (for mythical ties to Chicago's market) in the bowl pecking order). 
All we can do is take care of business and win our final two games.  It starts next week with Minnesota.

Gopher meatballs! Gopher fondue! ...

Go Cats!
-SjT
 
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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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From: "neonrye at aol.com" <neonrye at aol.com>
To: sjtruog at yahoo.com; nwu-sports at tssi.com
Sent: Saturday, November 12, 2011 2:34 PM
Subject: Re: [NU Sports] Well ...


Stephen's analysis is, as usal, on the mark, in terms of our bowl chances.  Before I read his post I did dome checking up on the schedules of the teams we are contending witth for a possible bowl bid.  Here's the skinny:
 
1) PURDUE:  Now 5-5--With their win today, they have probably the best schedule of any contender.  Next week at home against Iowa (which is now reeling, to some degree), and then on the road for the "Old Oaken Bucket" against the Hoosiers (We may need Kevin Wilson to pull one out for the sake of his old NU connection.).
 
2) IOWA:  Now 6-4--After loss today at home against Sparty, they are, as noted above, in West Lafayette next Saturday, where the Boilers and their fans will be charged up.  Iowa has not traveled well this year, so this game will be a tough one for them.  They then go to Lincoln.  So a very difficult "back 9", so to speak for the Hawkeyes.
 
3) ILLINOIS:  Now 6-3--and losing 7-0 to Michigan--We need them to continue losing today and to basic ride out their losing streak to the end of the season--They have Badgers at home next week, and if Michigan drops them today, they should be heavy underdogs against Bile-lema's Boys.  Sorry, Stephen, but we will have to root for the Smirk in that one.  Then they finish on road at Minneapolis.  If they have dropped 5 in a row at that point, and with Zook's job possibly on the line, they could certainly blow their finale as well.  Plus, one added factor to consider:  They will end up playing 8 games at home, and only 4 (their BT away games) on the road.  Thus, even though they edged us 38-35, their essentially creampuff opeining schedule (5 home games in a row) could hurt them big-time if they finish 6-6 (or even 7-5). 
 
4) OSU:  Now 6-4--Believe it or not, Buckeyes could still finish with worse record than Purdue or NU, and are at least in some mathematical jeopardy of being left out of the mix--although they "travel" so well to bowls, that is unlikely.  They have "We are Penn State" at home next week, as the "Tattoo" scandal meets the "Sandusky" apocalypse.  If they lose that battle of "No O, All D" teams, they then go to the "Big House", where the Wolverines and their minions would love nothing better than to leave them as "crushed Nuts".  They are so one-dimensional on offense such a scenario is not totally unrealistic.
 
5) NU:  Now 5-5--Obviously, must win next week against Minny. Smirkster is already up 14-0 on them.  I won't weep this week if he follows form and runs up the score.  Let them come to Evanston on a down note.  Then, we will need maximum effort to somehow move the ball on Spartans' fierce "D" and to have Coach Hank's newly-aroused defenders make Cousins and mates cry "Uncle" on offense.  Would be great if we could fill Ryan field--with 'Cat fans, not Spartans' travel party.  If we are ever to become "Chicago's Big Ten Team", that would be the football Saturday to do so.  The game could be nationally-televised, if Mich. State is going for the "Legends" crown, depending upon when OSU and Michigan play, although Nebraska-Iowa might get consideration as well.   One additional wrinkle:  If Nebraska loses at Michigan next week, and Sparty beats the Hoosiers in East Lansing, then I believe Mich.State would clinch "Legends" crown (as they would have
 2-game lead on Nebraska at 4-3, and although Michigan would only be a game behind at 5-2, since Sparty beat Wolves, they should go to Indy).  That would certainly help us in our end-of-season game with State.
 
So, it will be a wild, wacky last 2 weeks.  NU is in position to do some damage, but must maintain focus and stay as healthy as possible.  It would have been much easier if Purdue had lost today, but given where we were 3 short weeks ago, and given that we, in essence, control our own destiny, life ain't so bad today.
 
Finally, I have a question:  How come PSU and MSU are not playing this year?  I would have thought their traditional, end-of-season match-up was a protected rivalry game, but apparently, I was wrong.   I assume that MSU-MIch. is protected, but what other rivalries do both teams have going forward?  
 
I am sure I missed something or got something wrong above.  I look forward to others' take on the home stretch run.
 
Paul Levinson


-----Original Message-----
From: SjT (Stephen J. Truog) <sjtruog at yahoo.com>
To: NUSPORTS <nwu-sports at tssi.com>
Sent: Sat, Nov 12, 2011 3:51 pm
Subject: [NU Sports] Well ...


Three things we now know (and no, it's not a Rick Perry joke) ... * The Smug Smirk is back in control of his destiny to Indianapolis and a likely 
rematch with Sparty (blech) * Purdue's win and the lack of a strong second B(C)S candidate could make our 
bowl push extra tough
(I suppose the winner of next week's UNL/Michigan game if they win out would be 
our best bet for an at-large berth with a big name and 10 wins but not coming 
off a title game loss) * Nebraska fans will be cheering for Northwestern and wearing purple and white 
in a couple weeks. All we can do is take care of our own business -- beat Minny and we have a shot, 
beat MSU as well and we're in. Go Cats!
-SjT
 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG sjtruog at yahoo.com GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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