East Carolina stuns No.8 West Virginia to improve to 2-0.
September 6, 2008
East Carolina didn’t need any final-moment heroics to seal its latest upset. This time, coach Skip Holtz’s plucky Pirates all but had No. 8 West Virginia put away by halftime.
Jonathan Williams had two short touchdown runs, quarterback Patrick Pinkney was nearly perfect and East Carolina routed the Mountaineers 24-3 on Saturday for its third straight win over a ranked team.
“It feels like we won a championship today,” defensive end C.J. Wilson said.
Pinkney was 22-of-28 for 236 yards with a touchdown for East Carolina (2-0), which was coming off an upset of then-No. 17 Virginia Tech in which the Pirates returned a blocked punt for the decisive touchdown in the closing minutes.
They didn’t let West Virginia hang around nearly that long: They never trailed, kept Pat White in check, had 386 total yards to the Mountaineers’ 251 and thoroughly outplayed them from start to finish on both sides of the ball.
The result was a remarkably easy upset of a top-10 team, the school’s first since Steve Logan led his Pirates past then-No. 9 Miami 27-23 on Sept. 23, 1999, in a game played 90 miles west in Raleigh because of Hurricane Floyd-related damage.
“I told them it wasn’t going to take an out-of-body experience to beat West Virginia,” Holtz said.
These Pirates may have done something even more remarkable. They followed last season’s Hawaii Bowl victory over then-No. 22 Boise State by taking care of the two toughest teams on this year’s schedule, a pair of high-profile programs that Holtz has used as measuring sticks for the East Carolina program he is in his fourth year of rebuilding.
His latest wins could propel the Pirates back into the Top 25 for the first time since ‘99 while keeping them in the conversation for an at-large BCS berth — not that they’re looking that far ahead yet.
“We’ve come a long way,” Holtz said. “There was a time when we couldn’t win three in a row.”
White rushed for 97 yards on 20 carries and finished 11-of-18 for 72 yards for the Mountaineers (1-1), who for the second time in four games as a top 10 team were stunned by an unranked opponent, dating back to a loss to Pittsburgh last December that kept them out of the national championship game.
“They beat us up,” White said.
Pat McAfee kicked a 26-yard field goal midway through the second quarter for West Virginia’s only points. The Mountaineers were held without a touchdown for the first time since a 45-3 loss at Miami in 2001.
“(To) the naysayers out there that want to ruin a guy’s season after the first or second game, I’m not going to get all down in the dumps,” coach Bill Stewart said. “You can’t just put the old gold and blue on. … You’ve got to play in the old gold and blue.”
East Carolina entered just 2-17 against West Virginia with seven straight losses in the series, though Holtz had contained the Mountaineers’ run-first offense in each of the two previous meetings before last year’s 48-7 romp in Morgantown. The eight-point underdogs claimed a surprisingly lopsided win by keeping the ball away from West Virginia’s high-powered offense and wearing down an inexperienced defense that consistently missed tackles and allowed the Pirates to convert half of their 16 third downs.
“Our offense really controlled the line of scrimmage and chewed up the clock and converted on third downs,” safety Van Eskridge said. “With the speed they have on offense, if one guy gets out of position, they can really burn you … (but) we settled down and slowed them down.”
The Pirates had three scoring drives of 11 or more plays and went longer than six minutes, and Williams capped two of them with scoring runs of 5 and 1 yards. His second score came on East Carolina’s first possession of the second half, closed a 12-play drive that included three third-down conversions and sent the crowd into delirium.
Williams, one of the committee of running backs Holtz is counting on to replace Tennessee Titans first-round draft pick Chris Johnson, led East Carolina with 69 yards on 17 carries.
The game was played hours after Tropical Storm Hanna blew through eastern North Carolina, but the storm system had no effect on the game, with the grass field at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium holding firm throughout.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
Hurricane Gustav causes LSU to postpone game against Troy.
September 3, 2008
LSU has postponed its football game against Troy after Hurricane Gustav rolled through Louisiana this week.
The university made the decision on Wednesday after having a full day to get a handle on damage to Tiger Stadium and around the community, much of which is expected to be without power into next week.
“The welfare of the people of Baton Rouge, the uncertain power issues facing all of us and the condition of Tiger Stadium were all factors in making this decision,” LSU director of athletics Joe Alleva said. “We are fortunate that both schools had a common open date later in the year. I am appreciative of the cooperation of the good people at Troy for their understanding of this situation.”
The seventh-ranked Tigers’ game versus the Trojans will be played Nov. 15. Classes are canceled through the end of the week, with only part of campus on generator power.
LSU’s football team met at the Tigers’ on-campus training center Tuesday afternoon, then went ahead with practice. They continued practice on Wednesday afternoon on their indoor field, which also has generator power.
Gustav caused some damage at Tiger Stadium, including broken glass and torn awnings over club seats. Debris littered the stands and playing field.
Alleva said facilities crews were not yet certain if the stadium lights or scoreboards were still working because regular power was still out at the stadium. A generator was used to power meeting rooms below the stands behind one end zone.
Troy athletics director Steve Dennis said his university was happy to accommodate the postponement.
“This is a football game, nothing more, and the people of Baton Rouge have more to worry about right now than a football game,” Dennis said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Baton Rouge and LSU and we wish them nothing but the best as they work to overcome the effects of this storm.”
Trees are down on campus and throughout Baton Rouge, some resting on the roofs of houses. Dangling and shredded power lines were also a common sight.
Normally, more than 100,000 fans flock to campus for Tigers games, enjoying tailgate parties on campus even if they cannot gain entrance to 91,600-seat Tiger Stadium, then filling area hotels.
LSU officials said there was no way the Baton Rouge area could accommodate such an event this weekend, but remained hopeful that a scheduled home game on Sept. 13 against North Texas would be played in Death Valley.
The eye of Gustav passed just west of Baton Rouge, battering the capital city with recorded gusts of 74 mph for hours. Damage appeared worse in Baton Rouge than in New Orleans, where the Saints remain scheduled to play their regular season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Louisiana Superdome.
Tropical Storm Hanna is also causing schedule changes this weekend. The Colgate-Coastal Carolina football game has been moved from Saturday night to Sunday at 1 p.m. in Conway, S.C.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
College football in the South waits out Hurricane Gustav.
September 1, 2008
LSU and Troy share a common bye week should their game this week in Baton Rouge be cancelled due to Hurricane Gustav or its after effects.
Troy coach Larry Blakeney said Monday that his program was in a “holding pattern” on deciding whether to play the game scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on Saturday at Tiger Stadium. Gustav hit the Gulf Coast on Monday putting several college football games in peril. It’s hard, though, to think about football considering the potential damage that could be caused.
“We’re hopeful that everybody is OK down there,” Blakeney said during the Sun Belt Conference teleconference on Monday. “I’d like to play the game, I’m sure they would too. We’ll see what the storm holds for that area.”
LSU moved Saturday’s season opener to 10 a.m. CT to ease traffic for the massive evacuation ahead of Gustav. Coach Les Miles released his team to be with their families on Monday. There are no plans, he said, for the team to evacuate.
Ironically, Troy, located in Alabama, will be traveling to Baton Rouge. Tulane already has relocated to Alabama after the campus was closed in anticipation of the storm. The Green Wave play at Alabama on Saturday.
Lafayette, La. was close to the eye of the storm on Monday. The Louisiana-Lafayette campus is closed through Wednesday. The Ragin’ Cajuns don’t play this week.
“I’m not really thinking about (football) right now,” said coach Rickey Bustle. “We’re right in line with it. We’re probably about 45 minutes away from the eye. It’s really windy and kind of crazy.
“After the game the other night (a loss to Southern Miss) a number of our kids went home with their families … They’re scattered everywhere.”
Sun Belt Conference employees have been released for their own personal evacuation plan for the moment. Commissioner Wright Waters has relocated from the conference headquarters in New Orleans to Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Hookscenter.com wire report (Dodd).
Georgia ranked No.1 in preseason poll for 1st time in history.
August 16, 2008
By the time Georgia was done demolishing Hawaii in the Sugar Bowl, it was apparent the Bulldogs were well on their way to being No. 1 — to start the 2008 college football season.
Seeking its first national championship in 28 years, Georgia is on top of the Associated Press preseason Top 25 for the first time.
The Bulldogs received 22 first-place votes and 1,528 points from a panel of 65 media members in the poll released Saturday.
“To have people believing we have one of the best teams in the nation going into this thing, it’s exciting for us,” Bulldogs coach Mark Richt said in a telephone interview with the AP.
“I don’t think anything is guaranteed, but we certainly have put ourselves in position where at least the college football world thinks we’re pretty good.”
Ohio State, coming off a second consecutive loss in the national championship game but returning 20 starters, is No. 2. The Buckeyes received 21 first-place votes and 1,506 points.
No. 3 Southern California, which plays Ohio State in Los Angeles on Sept. 13, received 12 first-place votes. No. 4 Oklahoma had four first-place votes and No. 5 Florida received six first-place votes.
Georgia finished last season 11-2 and No. 2 in the country behind Southeastern Conference rival LSU. The Tigers won the national championship in the Superdome in New Orleans on Jan. 7 by beating the Buckeyes.
But a week earlier on that same field the Bulldogs ended their season with a seventh straight victory and sent a message about 2008: “Look out!”
Georgia toyed with high-scoring Hawaii and its Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Colt Brennan in a 41-10 rout, and one glance at the Bulldogs’ depth chart, with all those freshmen and sophomores playing major roles, revealed the Bulldogs would be a force this season. The questions started even as Georgia celebrated its big victory on the confetti-covered turf.
Richt’s job since then has been to keep his team from getting too wrapped up in the hype.
“I think it motivates the guys to prepare well, but the big thing is: If you think about a championship way back in January … that can wear you down,” Richt said. “It’s our responsibility as coaches to help these guys break it down to one day at a time, one workout at a times, one practice at a time. Just prepare to be in position for the challenge.
“If we don’t work, we’ll have no chance.”
No. 6 Missouri has its best preseason ranking. The Tigers ended last season No. 4, which was their best showing ever in the final poll.
LSU’s Tigers will begin defense of their national championship ranked seventh. West Virginia is eighth, Clemson is ninth and No. 10 Auburn gives the SEC four top-10 teams to start the season.
With Florida and LSU taking the last two national titles, the SEC could become the first to conference to have three different teams win consecutive national titles.
Georgia certainly has the ingredients on the field to make that happen.
“We take it one step at a time. All we can do is focus on the smaller picture,” receiver Mohamed Massaquoi said. “We can’t let ourselves get overwhelmed. It takes away from playing hard and playing smart.”
The Bulldogs return 16 starters, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, already being touted as a future first-round draft pick, and running back Knowshon Moreno, who became the first Georgia freshman to run for 1,000 yards since Herschel Walker did it while leading the Bulldogs to the national title in 1980.
Stafford has been starting since his freshman season, and so far has been more of a caretaker quarterback than a star for the Bulldogs. He completed 56 percent of his passes last season for 2,523 yards and 19 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.
The Bulldogs expect more from the 6-foot-3, 237-pound NFL prototype.
“I think he’s ready to fly,” Richt said. “He improved tremendously from his freshman year.
“We’re all kind of growing together with Matt. This year we ought to see a better performance by him, not only because he’s better but because the guys around have improved also.”
Stafford will, however, be without his left tackle from last season. Trinton Sturdivant, who started every game as a freshman last season, injured his left knee in a preseason scrimmage and is done for the year.
On defense, the Bulldogs have a potential All-American in every unit, starting with 290-pound tackle Geno Atkins, middle linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who led the team in tackles and had a huge game in the Sugar Bowl, and cornerback Asher Allen, who was second on the team in tackles and had three interceptions.
The second 10 of the Top 25 begins with No. 11 Texas, followed by Big 12 rival Texas Tech. No. 13 is Wisconsin, with Kansas and Arizona State next.
BYU, ranked in the preseason for the first time since 1997, is 16th.
Virginia Tech is 17th and Tennessee is 18th. South Florida, which made the AP Top 25 for the first time last year and rose all the way to No. 2, has its first preseason ranking at No. 19.
Illinois rounds out the top 20.
The final five are Oregon, Penn State, Wake Forest, Alabama and Pittsburgh, ranked in the preseason for the first time since 2003.
The SEC leads all conferences with six ranked teams, and Georgia has the other five on its schedule, plus a trip to Arizona State on Sept. 20.
“We definitely have our work cut out for us,” Richt said.
So do the Bulldogs’ opponents.
Hookscenter.com wire report.
KANSAS REMAINS LONE BCS UNBEATEN
November 17, 2007
Let the hype begin for the biggest Kansas-Missouri game ever.
Todd Reesing passed for 253 yards and four touchdowns and No. 4 Kansas remained unbeaten Saturday with a 45-7 rout of Iowa State, setting up a grand showdown with sixth-ranked Missouri for the Big 12 North title and possibly much more.
Missouri did its part to set up the most-anticipated game in the history of the bitter rivalry which started in 1891 and is so fierce the two sides cannot even agree on what the overall record is. A few hours before the Jayhawks won, the Tigers beat Kansas State 49-32.
The Tigers (10-1, 6-1 Big 12) and Jayhawks (11-0, 7-0) will meet in Kansas City on Saturday to see who goes to a Big 12 title tilt, a game that could launch the winner into the national championship game.
With Oregon losing on Thursday to Arizona, Kansas figures to move from third to second in the BCS standings behind LSU. Missouri will also move up from No. 5 and Oklahoma, the likely Big 12 South Division winner, could move up from No. 4.
Reesing, the remarkable sophomore who’s never lost as a college starter, hit 19 of his first 20 passes as the Jayhawks romped to their first 11-0 mark in school history.
The Jayhawks, who were picked fourth in the Big 12 North and did not become ranked until after their fifth game, scored on four straight possessions to take a 28-7 halftime lead. The Cyclones finished 3-9, 2-6 in Gene Chizik’s first year as head coach.
The winner of next’s week showdown in Kansas City between Missouri and Kansas will meet Oklahoma in the Big 12 title game assuming the Sooners take care of business against Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.
The winner of the Big 12 Championship will almost certainly get a chance to play for the BCS title in New Orleans against LSU, a 41-24 winner over Ole Miss on Saturday.
LSU controls its own destiny and a trip down Interstate 10 to New Orleans if they can beat Arkansas at home in Baton Rouge and then win the SEC Championship in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on December 1st.
Back on October 20th, Hookscenter predicted the BCS Championship game would pit LSU against Oklahoma. One month later that prediction is holding form and I see no reason why it will change in the next couple of weeks.
I’m not a big believer in the Bowl Championship Series especially since there could be six teams from major conferences with one loss on the schedule and four of them will be left playing alternative BCS games that mean nothing besides recruiting and bragging rights.
College football needs to be fixed. It is the only sport that determines who plays for the national title based on what date in the season you lose. A good BCS loss is an early season loss. You have the rest of the season for voters to forget about your one slip up.
One word quick fix for college football: PLAYOFFS
BIELEMA’S OFF THE HOT SEAT FOR NOW IN MADISON
October 27, 2007
It wasn’t pretty Saturday afternoon at Camp Randall Stadium but it was something Badgers fans haven’t seen in awhile - Wisconsin football. The Badgers pounded out 279 yards rushing on the ground as they rolled to a 33-3 win over Indiana.
The Badgers had played smash-mouth football for the past decade and a half under Barry Alvarez. Alvarez led the Badgers to three Big Ten and Rose Bowl championships en route to a 117-73-4 record. Alvarez retired as head coach of the Badgers after the 2005 season and he turned the reigns over to his defensive coordinator, Bret Bielema.
Bielema carried on the Wisconsin tradition last season as he ran his freshman stud P.J. Hill behind his mammoth offensive line as the Badgers rolled to a 12-1 record including a 17-14 win over the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Capital One Bowl game in Orlando on January 1st.
The Badgers got off to a 5-0 start this season but they were far from impressive in those victories. They must’ve been fooling a lot of people across the country because both major polls had the Badgers ranked in the top five.
The Badgers were touting P.J. Hill as a Heisman Trophy candidate this season. Hill has not gotten on track this season due to several key losses on the Badgers offensive line. Hill has also had to deal with some nagging injuries in his sophmore season as he has yet to regain the form that made him the most explosive freshman running back in the nation last year.
Wisconsin abandoned the run way to early in a 31-26 loss to Illinois on the road and then they completely unraveled in a 38-7 thrashing at the hands of Penn State in Happy Valley the following week.
Bielema has done a better job establishing the run the last two games and the results are easy Wisconsin wins. Wisconsin recruits some of the best offensive lineman in the country each year. Why not use them? Every spring it always seems that NFL comes calling those talented offensive lineman. Take note Bret, if your offensive line is good enough to play in the NFL, their good enough to run behind all day and wear your opponents down in the Big Ten.
Bret, once you realize that just cause your down double digits in a game, doesn’t mean you have to air it out like you have Peyton Manning or Tom Brady as your quarterback. You have a first year starter in Tyler Donovan.
Go back and watch tapes of Alvarez’s championship teams. They pounded the ball down their opponents throats, down after down, to set up the big play passes to their talented wide receivers streaking down the sidelines.
The Badgers did a nice job Saturday running the ball against the Hoosiers even after Hill went down with a lower-leg injury in the first quarter. Backup Lance Smith picked up the slack with 79 yards on 15 carries, scoring twice in the second half to put the game out of reach. Zach Brown also had a nice day in the backfield as he ran for 40 yards on 14 carries.
The Badgers play their biggest game of the season next week as they travel to Ohio State to take on the top ranked Buckeyes. The Badgers have a golden opportunity to turn their season around with a win on the road.
The only way Wisconsin wins next week at Ohio State is if they play their kind of football (Smash Mouth). If Hill’s not getting the job down against the Buckeyes, don’t hesitate to go to your backup running backs. It’s a better option than letting Taylor air it out to his freshman receivers.
Next Week’s Prediction: #1 Ohio State 37, Wisconsin 17.
SOUTH FLORIDA ELIMINATED FROM BCS CHAMPIONSHIP
October 20, 2007
The clock struck midnight Thursday for this year’s darlings, the South Florida Bulls as they lost to the Scarlet Knights from Rutgers, 30-27, in front of a record crowd of 44,267 at Rutgers Stadium.
South Florida came into the game ranked second in the first BCS poll of the season. The Bulls were also ranked second in the AP poll and third in the coaches poll.
In a matter of a few weeks leading up to the Rutgers game, the Bulls have gone from an unknown to No. 2 in the nation. The Bulls upset #19 Auburn on the road, 26-23, and beat #7 West Virginia, 21-13, at home. Both teams had been unbeaten and had a higher ranking at the time they each lost to South Florida.
The Bulls finally got the respect that they deserved. They moved up the polls faster than Joe Torre told George Steinbrenner on Friday that he can stick his one year offer right up his ass.
The Bulls had everything set for a run into college history. The Bulls had a nationally televised game on the road in a hostile environment against the 31st ranked Scarlet Knights. A convincing win over last year’s Cinderella team would’ve certainly won the voters over in the polls.
It wasn’t quite stage fright, but No. 2 South Florida’s debut as a national championship contender didn’t quite live up to the past week’s gush of excitement. Though the Bulls rise to No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings in only their 11th season has been remarkable, their stay near the top of the polls will be brief after their loss to Rutgers.
The Bulls were done in by a pair of trick plays. Rutgers rare display of trickery was the difference in the game. “We picked our spots and thank god they worked,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.
In the first quarter, punter/kicker Jeremy Ito faked a punt and completed a 36-yard pass to James Townsend for the first down. That led to a Ito 26 yard FG and a 3-0 lead for the Scarlet Knights.
With 4:09 left in the third quarter, Rutgers fake field-goal attempt resulted in a touchdown when holder Andrew DePaola, a walk-on and former high school quarterback, threw a 15-yard pass to Kevin Brock to put the Scarlet Knights ahead, 27-17.
The Bulls had one last chance to keep the dream alive but quarterback Matt Grothe’s desperation pass in the final minute was intercepted by Rutger’s defensive back Zaire Kitchen.
The South Florida loss opens to the door for Boston College (7-0) to moved up to number 2 in next weeks BCS poll. Ohio State (7-0) was ranked number 1 in the initial BCS poll released last week.
Besides Ohio State and Boston College, three other teams remain unbeaten heading into today’s action. Arizona State (7-0) is currently ranked 8th in the BCS poll. The Sun Devils are idle this weekend. The University of Kansas (6-0), ranked 13th in the BCS poll, travels to Boulder this weekend for a tilt with Colorado (4-3), while the University of Hawaii (7-0) currently ranked 18th by the BCS has a bye this weekend.
Boston College is a nice story this year. The Eagles have a good chance to run the table and win the ACC conference with an unbeaten record. That would guarantee the Eagles a spot in the BCS championship game. Possibly roadblocks for the Eagles include road games at Virginia Tech, Maryland, and Clemson. The Eagles should dsipose of Florida State and Miami at home.
Ohio State has a tough path to the BCS championship game. I dont see the Buckeyes running the table. The Buckeyes have home games left against Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Illinois and road games at Penn State and Michigan.
Does the slipper fit Arizona State - definitely not. The Sun Devils are having a great season but now they hit the meat of their schedule. They travel to Oregon and UCLA while they host Cal, Southern Cal, and Arizona. The Sun Devils will be lucky to win two of their last five games.
Believe it or not, Cinderella might just be residing in the state of Kansas. The Jayhawks could conceivably win out and make it to the Big 12 championship game where they would be a huge underdog if they end up playing Oklahoma. If for some reason the Sooners don’t make the Big 12 championship game and Kansas did, the Jayhawks would have a legit chance, if undefeated, to beat the winner of the South Division in the Big 12 and make it to the BCS championship game.
If the Jayhawks would run the table and make it to the BCS championship game, it would be one of the best feel good stories in the last decade. It would definitely be right up their with the Colorado Rockies run to the World Series this year.
The final unbeaten team, the Hawaii Warriors will probably end up as the only unbeaten Division 1-A team this year but the Warriors will no chance of playing for the BCS national championship game. The Warriors play in a very weak conference (Western Athletic) and their non-conference schedule is about as hard as Wisconsin’s.
Maybe someday college football will get a clue and have some sort of playoff system. The BCS championship game will feature two teams with one loss apiece. The sad thing about college football and the rankings is the timing of your loss.
If you lose early in the season like Florida did last year, you can overcome a loss a lot easier than losing like Michigan did last year on the road in the final game to #1 Ohio State by 3 points. The Wolverines got hosed and the beneficiary of the screw job was Florida which went on to defeat Ohio State for the national championship.
BCS Championship Game Prediction: LSU beats Oklahoma, 34-31.
MADISON ON RED ALERT IF BADGERS LOSE
October 18, 2007
The Wisconsin Badgers (5-2) entertain North Illinois (1-6) this weekend at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. The Badgers become bowl eligible with a win over the Huskies.
The Badgers are a 23 1/2 point favorite and a convincing win against the Huskies might be the jump start they need heading into the toughest part of their schedule. After Northern Illinois, the Badgers have home game left against Indiana and Michigan while they travel on the road to Ohio State and Minnesota.
The Badgers are reeling after consecutive conference losses, including a 38-7 thrashing in Happy Valley last weekend to Penn State. The 31-point loss was Wisconsin’s worst loss since Michigan State pounded them 49-14 in East Lansing in 2004.
The once 5th ranked team in the nation and a contender for the BCS championship game now finds itself in a four-way tie for fourth place in the Big Ten. Penn State, Indiana, and Northwestern are the other three teams with 2-2 records half way through the Big Ten schedule. To be mentioned in the same sentence as Indiana and Northwestern is embarrassing alone but one of those teams will probably finish with a better conference record than the Badgers.
The Badgers better not take the 116th ranked Huskies for granted in the year of the upset. Did I say 116th ranked? Wisconsin felt snubbed last year when they went 11-1 and failed to get a BCS bid because NCAA rules only allow two BCS bids per conference and they had a right to be upset.
Maybe a little word of advice for athletic director Barry Alvarez and coach Bret Bielema. If you want to be mentioned with the powerhouses in college football each year, start scheduling a tougher non-conference schedule so that you maybe ready to tackle the grind of the Big Ten schedule.
Its a sad state of affairs when the best team on your non-conference schedule is 79th ranked Washington State. Throw in UNLV (93rd), Northern Illinois (116th), and Division 1-AA, The Citadel and thats a recipe to put you exactly where you are, tied with Indiana, Penn State, and Northwestern.
Its not time to throw in the towel just yet. Michigan rebounded from embarrasing back to back home losses at the Big House to Division 1-AA Appalachian State (34-32) and Oregon (39-7) to win five straight games and find themselves now tied with Ohio State for the Big Ten lead.
If Lloyd Carr was on the hot seat earlier in the year after Michigan’s horrible start, why isn’t Bielema there right now. The Badgers controlled their own destiny even after stumbling to Illinois. Unfortunately the Badgers didn’t show up to play against Penn State and there’s only one person you can blame - the head coach.
The Badgers better not look past Northern Illinois to next weeks Big Ten home game against Indiana or they will be the second team the Huskies beat this year. Northern Illinois’ lone win has come against 116th ranked Idaho, 42-35.
Rumor has it that the govenor has the Wisconsin National Guard on call this weekend in Madison. If the Badgers somehow lose, it won’t be a pretty sight on State Street after the game.
BADGERS GO FROM CONTENDER TO PRETENDER
October 13, 2007
With chants of overrated raining throughout Happy Valley Saturday afternoon the Penn State Nittany Lions pounded the Wisconsin Badgers 38-7.
The Badgers (5-2, 2-2) lost their second straight after having won 14 in a row.
Two weeks ago the Badgers were in prime position for a unbeaten run through the Big Ten and chance at a national title in the BCS championship game. Now, they’ve lost two straight and are struggling. Wisconsin’s season-long woes on defense continued Saturday, and their offense was held to a season-low point total.
Things are getting so bad in Madison that next week’s game against Northern Illinois is a must win for the Badgers if they plan on going to a bowl game this year. A win against the Huskies (1-6) would give the Badgers their sixth win of the season and make them bowl eligible.
With games against Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan and Minnesota left after next week’s game its conceivable the only game the Badgers will be a favorite to win is the November 17th date with the Golden Gophers in Minneapolis.
Star tailback P.J. Hill, who bruised a groin last week against Illinois, had 19 carries and ran for a touchdown but was held to 75 yards rushing on the afternoon by the Nittany Lions, 50 below his season average.
He got the Badgers off to an awful start, fumbling on the Wisconsin 16 after being hit by defensive end Josh Gaines on the first play.
Linebacker Sean Lee recovered at the 12, and three plays later Matt Hahn leaped into the end zone from 1 yard out to give the Nittany Lions a quick 7-0 lead.
Early in the second quarter, wide-open freshman wideout David Gilreath, getting more playing time because of injuries to the Wisconsin receiving corps, bobbled a pass that would have given the Badgers a sure first down at midfield. Penn State’s Lydell Sargeant picked the ball out of the air for an interception.
Three plays later, Morelli faked left and hit Deon Butler in stride down the right sideline for a 29-yard score and 17-7 lead.
A giddy Butler raised his right fist in the air as he trotted by the raucous student section. It was happy homecoming game in Happy Valley.
Evan Royster’s 19-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 with 6:29 in the second quarter gave Penn State a 24-7 lead that Wisconsin would never threaten.
Its time for the Badgers to do some soul searching this week in Madison. The offense, which was hyping running back P.J. Hill as a Heisman trophy candidate, has been non-existent the last couple of week against the Fighting Illini and the Nittany Lions. The Badgers have got to take better care of the football if they are going to be competitive the rest of the way in the Big Ten.
The defense is in worse shape than the offense. All the Nittany Lions had to do Saturday against the Badgers was get the ball past the defensive line and they were running wild all over Beaver Stadium. The Badgers defense has as many holes in it as an old block of Lindberg cheese.
The Badgers have not beaten a team ranked higher than 54th in the latest CBSSports.com college Division 1-A football poll. The Badgers wins have come against Michigan State (54th), Washington State (75th), Iowa (76th), UNLV (92nd), and The Citadel (Div 1-AA).
Only Michigan State (4-2) and The Citadel (3-2) have a winning record this year. The rest of the Badgers wins have come against teams with a combined 7-13 records.
At least Badgers fans have something to look forward to in the next couple of weeks - the start of the basketball and hockey seasons.
Two weeks ago the Badgers controlled their own destiny to the BCS championship game - now they don’t even control their own fate in the Big Ten.
Pretty soon the rumors will be swirling in Madison that maybe Bret Bielema isn’t as good as coach as everybody thought he was last year. Maybe Barry Alverez left Bielema a full cupboard of talented players last year and Bielema rode those horses to a 12-1 record but now that some of Alveraz’s stallions are gone, Bielema is starting to ride his ponies and its showing up every Saturday on the football field.