A few things seemed "odd" about Saturday's game. You all will, I'm sure, laugh at me about this post. Heck, I'm laughing at myself. But here we go anyway.
During the first few minutes of the game, when the commentators were making their typical comments about why this game matters when it really doesn't, they talked about Purdue needing this win to make the next week's game vs Indiana a battle for bowl eligibility. Several minutes later, they talked more about the Indiana-Purdue game and it wasn't "if Purdue wins today" it was stated as a fact that that game would be for bowl eligibility. This was still early in the 1st quarter with Purdue up 7-0 and it was like they knew Purdue was going to win. At the time it struck me as strange.
Then, later I was texting with my brother and, looking back on it, I had texted "It's almost like we're throwing the game.". The offensive line play was, quite literally, unbelievably bad. Numerous times we just left a defender unblocked while an O lineman blocked no one...or made a feeble attempt to engage someone that was already blocked. It looked like they were just trying to look busy while ignoring their assignment.
Throw in some head scratcher drops by receivers, lack of utilization of TE's and what may have been the worst punting in a D1 football game this year, and it's hard not to wonder.
Do I believe the outcome was pre-determined? Nope. Does what I saw and heard seem strange? Yep.
OK, flame away, but remember...I'm not buying this either. I just thought it was strange.
During the first few minutes of the game, when the commentators were making their typical comments about why this game matters when it really doesn't, they talked about Purdue needing this win to make the next week's game vs Indiana a battle for bowl eligibility. Several minutes later, they talked more about the Indiana-Purdue game and it wasn't "if Purdue wins today" it was stated as a fact that that game would be for bowl eligibility. This was still early in the 1st quarter with Purdue up 7-0 and it was like they knew Purdue was going to win. At the time it struck me as strange.
Then, later I was texting with my brother and, looking back on it, I had texted "It's almost like we're throwing the game.". The offensive line play was, quite literally, unbelievably bad. Numerous times we just left a defender unblocked while an O lineman blocked no one...or made a feeble attempt to engage someone that was already blocked. It looked like they were just trying to look busy while ignoring their assignment.
Throw in some head scratcher drops by receivers, lack of utilization of TE's and what may have been the worst punting in a D1 football game this year, and it's hard not to wonder.
Do I believe the outcome was pre-determined? Nope. Does what I saw and heard seem strange? Yep.
OK, flame away, but remember...I'm not buying this either. I just thought it was strange.
