B1G Games on Saturday:
Wisconsin at Illinois
Northwestern at Nebraska
Indiana at Michigan State
Penn State at Maryland
Ohio State at Rutgers
What's driving my thought process? (1) What benefits Iowa overall? (2) What benefits the B1G overall?
Wisconsin/Illinois - Given all of the negative publicity surrounding Iowa's remaining schedule, I firmly believe that it will need to be able to point to quality wins at the end of the year. Wisconsin still has a national reputation. While I fully understand that, if Wisconsin keeps winning, the heat remains on Iowa to win, I think that all of us are now looking at big prizes at the end of the year. And, those big prizes are far more reachable if Wisconsin continues to win and gets back into the rankings. If Iowa ends up being the B1G West champion ahead of a 10-2 Wisconsin team which has only lost to Alabama and Iowa, I'm just fine with that result. Not only do I think Wisconsin will win, I'll be pulling for Wisconsin to do so..
Northwestern at Nebraska - Northwestern has solid wins against Pac12 Stanford and ACC Duke. It has been embarrassed by B1G Michigan and Iowa. Nebraska has zero "solid" wins this year (calling Minnesota a "solid" win right now is a stretch) and losses to two ACC Miami and Indy BYU along with two other opponents common to Iowa - Illinois and Wisconsin. Even if Nebraska beats Northwestern, I don't see them being any better than 6-5 going into the last game of the year - I don't see them beating Michigan State. If my goal is to have Iowa's wins look as impressive as possible at year's end and to avoid a "lump of mediocrity" in the B1G West, I'm hoping that Northwestern turns things around and finishes 9-3. Personally, I think that Nebraska is better than its record suggests and I think that Nebraska is going to beat up on Northwestern this weekend. Northwestern's offense is simply abyssmal and, despite Nebraska's struggles against the pass, I don't see Northwestern posing much of a passing threat. Thorson is just not good right now. I think that Nebraska wins but I will be rooting for Northwestern.
Penn State at Maryland - I frankly don't really care other than I don't want to see Maryland have a great game and suddenly "find themselves." So . . I guess that I'm rooting for Penn State to issue a beat down so that Maryland comes into Iowa City on 10/31 feeling pretty badly about themselves and mentally defeated before the kick off. I'm pretty confident that PSU wins the game easily.
Ohio State at Rutgers - Ohio State is this year's version of Florida State. They simply have not looked interested and haven't played up to the level of talent on the roster. As fun as it would be to see Urban Meyer lose to Rutgers, that wouldn't bode well for the B1G's reputation. And, when looking at the potential for a big year-end prize for Iowa, it would be much better for OSU to continue to sit on top of the rankings. I cannot envision OSU losing this game and, as much as it pains me, I'm hoping that OSU wins.
Indiana at Michigan State - Strange as it may seem, this is the one game that pains me this weekend. Very conflicting viewpoints; definite yin/yang possibilities. Indiana has under performed its expectations this year and, despite Indiana's embarrassing loss to Rutgers on Saturday, the game on 11/7 in Bloomington scares me to death. I'm not sure that I want Indiana to find its mojo against MSU, followed by a bye week to rest up, get healthy and scheme for the game against Iowa. After giving OSU a close game, Indiana was embarrassed by PSU and Rutgers. They are definitely trending down. An upset win over MSU might result in Iowa facing a rejuvenated team. On the other hand, I wouldn't mind seeing MSU drop a game before it plays OSU in Columbus (I'm inclined to think that OSU wins that game). I'm of the mindset that Iowa's chances for a big year-end prize are enhanced if MSU does NOT go 11-1 with its only loss coming at the hands of #1 OSU - particularly if it was a hard fought, close battle. In that vein, I wouldn't mind seeing Indiana hand MSU a loss. So . . as of now . . I see MSU winning at home and I'm leaning towards pulling for MSU to win. I'm going to hold out hope that Iowa can win the B1G West, that MSU somehow beats OSU to win the B1G East . . . as currently structured, I think that Iowa could give MSU one hell of a battle in Indianapolis.
Wisconsin at Illinois
Northwestern at Nebraska
Indiana at Michigan State
Penn State at Maryland
Ohio State at Rutgers
What's driving my thought process? (1) What benefits Iowa overall? (2) What benefits the B1G overall?
Wisconsin/Illinois - Given all of the negative publicity surrounding Iowa's remaining schedule, I firmly believe that it will need to be able to point to quality wins at the end of the year. Wisconsin still has a national reputation. While I fully understand that, if Wisconsin keeps winning, the heat remains on Iowa to win, I think that all of us are now looking at big prizes at the end of the year. And, those big prizes are far more reachable if Wisconsin continues to win and gets back into the rankings. If Iowa ends up being the B1G West champion ahead of a 10-2 Wisconsin team which has only lost to Alabama and Iowa, I'm just fine with that result. Not only do I think Wisconsin will win, I'll be pulling for Wisconsin to do so..
Northwestern at Nebraska - Northwestern has solid wins against Pac12 Stanford and ACC Duke. It has been embarrassed by B1G Michigan and Iowa. Nebraska has zero "solid" wins this year (calling Minnesota a "solid" win right now is a stretch) and losses to two ACC Miami and Indy BYU along with two other opponents common to Iowa - Illinois and Wisconsin. Even if Nebraska beats Northwestern, I don't see them being any better than 6-5 going into the last game of the year - I don't see them beating Michigan State. If my goal is to have Iowa's wins look as impressive as possible at year's end and to avoid a "lump of mediocrity" in the B1G West, I'm hoping that Northwestern turns things around and finishes 9-3. Personally, I think that Nebraska is better than its record suggests and I think that Nebraska is going to beat up on Northwestern this weekend. Northwestern's offense is simply abyssmal and, despite Nebraska's struggles against the pass, I don't see Northwestern posing much of a passing threat. Thorson is just not good right now. I think that Nebraska wins but I will be rooting for Northwestern.
Penn State at Maryland - I frankly don't really care other than I don't want to see Maryland have a great game and suddenly "find themselves." So . . I guess that I'm rooting for Penn State to issue a beat down so that Maryland comes into Iowa City on 10/31 feeling pretty badly about themselves and mentally defeated before the kick off. I'm pretty confident that PSU wins the game easily.
Ohio State at Rutgers - Ohio State is this year's version of Florida State. They simply have not looked interested and haven't played up to the level of talent on the roster. As fun as it would be to see Urban Meyer lose to Rutgers, that wouldn't bode well for the B1G's reputation. And, when looking at the potential for a big year-end prize for Iowa, it would be much better for OSU to continue to sit on top of the rankings. I cannot envision OSU losing this game and, as much as it pains me, I'm hoping that OSU wins.
Indiana at Michigan State - Strange as it may seem, this is the one game that pains me this weekend. Very conflicting viewpoints; definite yin/yang possibilities. Indiana has under performed its expectations this year and, despite Indiana's embarrassing loss to Rutgers on Saturday, the game on 11/7 in Bloomington scares me to death. I'm not sure that I want Indiana to find its mojo against MSU, followed by a bye week to rest up, get healthy and scheme for the game against Iowa. After giving OSU a close game, Indiana was embarrassed by PSU and Rutgers. They are definitely trending down. An upset win over MSU might result in Iowa facing a rejuvenated team. On the other hand, I wouldn't mind seeing MSU drop a game before it plays OSU in Columbus (I'm inclined to think that OSU wins that game). I'm of the mindset that Iowa's chances for a big year-end prize are enhanced if MSU does NOT go 11-1 with its only loss coming at the hands of #1 OSU - particularly if it was a hard fought, close battle. In that vein, I wouldn't mind seeing Indiana hand MSU a loss. So . . as of now . . I see MSU winning at home and I'm leaning towards pulling for MSU to win. I'm going to hold out hope that Iowa can win the B1G West, that MSU somehow beats OSU to win the B1G East . . . as currently structured, I think that Iowa could give MSU one hell of a battle in Indianapolis.
