Other than Penn State’s oddly placed siesta with Massachusetts next week, the B1G’s non-con schedule will be complete as of this Saturday. Now, it’s down to square biz against league foes only. And a pair of intriguing boxer-boxer (MD@OS) and puncher-puncher (RU@WI) matchups wait on deck. Here they are as we stand, back to front:
The telltale sign of a desperate coach is one who fires assistants a month into the season. That’s what Tom Allen did on Sunday, hours after his Hoosiers absorbed a 44-17 beating at Maryland. He decided to make a scapegoat out of offensive coordinator Walt Bell whom he’d scooped up from the disaster at Massachusetts.
Then, there was a 12-yard run in the 3rd quarter on which Roman Hemby dragged a pile of at least five IU would-be tacklers the last 10 yards in a giant scrum. It looked like a bittyball play. It doesn’t matter who’s the offensive coordinator if your defenders won’t run and hit. That’s supposed to be Allen’s discipline. Maybe he should fire himself.
Even then, Michigan State led 16-10 in the third quarter on Haladay’s fumble scoop-n-score, starting Iowa QB Cade McNamara was knocked out with a knee injury, and the raucous Kinnick fans were starting to boo their own offense. Merely game management could’ve gotten Sparty home. Matt Rhule didn’t lie on his stomach and flail his arms and legs after his Cornhuskers’ 45-7 embarrassment at the hands of visiting Michigan. But his team was physically bullied, and that’s not the sort of result the old PSU linebacker takes well. He pretty much said so afterward when asked about his team’s response:
What eventually felled the Cats in what became a 41-13 loss was more about waves of talent on PSU’s sideline than any specific handful of Nittany Lions. The depth and ability on PSU’s D-front was way too much for NU’s offensive line and backs to handle. Braun should get a third win on Saturday. Howard – the FCS school, not a random delicatessen owner – arrives for NU’s Homecoming. The most exciting thing that could happen is Howard’s “Showtime” marching band showing up, which is rumored to be in the works. If you’ve ever seen the movieWhat’s going on in Champaign is an example of just how quickly any transient program can turn south these days. It was all going on for Bret Bielema this time last season.
After taking a 10-6 lead midway in the 2nd quarter on Luke Altmyer’s 47-yard bomb to Isaiah Williams and Josh McCray’s unimpeded scamper in from the 7, the Illini got a fight from their bitter rivals in front of an unusual packed house at Ross-Ade. And they folded up. More squalid Nebraska is next, on Friday night in Champaign. Lose to those guys and it could get mighty salty for big Biels.Minnesota’s 35-24 comeback win over Louisiana was a virtual standoff for three quarters until the Cajuns handed the game away with stupid mistakes. It easily could’ve gone the other way. And then Pepboy would’ve had some ‘splainin to do.
Well, the schedule gods always even it out eventually. This year, Goldy gets ‘em both, starting with the Wolverines on Saturday in Minneapolis. Judging by his troops’ previous performance, Pepboy might want to buckle up. This could get ugly.No fanbase enjoys caveman football more than Iowa. It’s almost like they relish an indigestible slogfest such as the Hawkeyes’ 26-16 win over Michigan State.
“Well, I mean, 3-n-out isn’t any fun for anybody. I get that. We’re working hard to improve that, and that’s what we’re going to do.” And don’t forget, starting next season, RU will benefit from a much more forgiving division-less schedule with lots of opportunities against West opponents they can beat. From here on out, bowl appearances will be the realistic standard for Rutgers.
Walters seems to have acquiesced to his OC, former Texas Tech Air Raid protégé Graham Harrell, to run the offense while he mans the defense. The system hit a groove against Illinois as Texas-transfer Hudson Card spread it around, handing to the backs, hitting dangerous WR Deion Burks and scrambling for extra yards himself. Mockobee and Tracy ran with abandon. And the big crowd, assembled despite three previous home losses, loved every minute.
An underlying issue is whether UW will have back transfer center Jake Renfro who was a star for Luke Fickell during Cincinnati’s Cinderella run to the College Football Playoff but missed all last season to a knee injury. He sprained a foot in the spring and has had nagging soreness in it throughout. Fickell has suggested he could be back for Rutgers on Saturday.
They are empty calories. Until I see a Locksley team beat one of the East’s big 3, count me as a hardened skeptic. The Terps get their first chance of the season on Saturday at Ohio State. Last time in there, Tagovailoa was picked off twice and sacked 5 times in a 66-17 loss. The Terps made a run at the Buckeyes last year in College Park, trailing late just 33-30 before losing 43-30.
I didn’t see any of that happen in the 41-13 win. And for that reason, I have to dock the Nits a spot behind idle Ohio State. To me, the two teams are essentially 2A and 2B. But PSU had the latest stinker of an outing by trailing much of the first half and not killing a contest against a vastly inferior side until late in the 3rd quarter.
One other thing: Some strident social-media types have lashed out at the Lions’ final TD in Evanston, Pribula’s fake draw and 30-yard lollypop heave to Trey Potts inside the final three minutes. Some were chafed because it meant PSU covered the -26½ line. Some thought it was poor sportsmanship on Penn State’s part.
Here’s the thing: Maryland’s defensive front has looked better and better under DC Brian Williams. Can they now stuff an Ohio State offense that has looked pedestrian in short-yardage situations? If they can, OSU could find itself in some unexpected trouble at home. Unlike Penn State’s sleepy effort at Northwestern, this is how a championship-level side is supposed to go about its business against a vastly inferior home dog – with brutal impunity.
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