So, do you think IU will beat NU this weekend, RFDC?

I underestimated the suckage of the big 10 when making that prediction.

northwestern may be one of the best teams in the league this year.

8 wins maybe

NW 35

Indiana 21

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I also underestimated how low-quality the previous 4 wins are. I think the game will be close. Kevin Wilson knows NU offense pretty well. He had 2 weeks to gameplan. I expect a tight score.

NU is riding high... primarily because teams like Penn State and Iowa (which we all chalked up to losses) now actually look beatable. So does Michigan State, Michigan and Nebraska.

Another fun fact. Half of the teams we play this year have a bye week before they play Northwestern. A complete schedule quirk... but I'm told statistically, the bye week thing is not statistically significant.

I'm just loving all these questions... because they're great ones!

Next question?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwLk09ybiFk

I think Indiana wins this weekend.

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Fire Phil Emery

Illinois got new uniforms. They still suck.

I think this is the proper place where I can say that today I decided to go "all in" like the 2011 White Sox and watch an Illinois game, and holy fucking shit are they bad. Within the first 10 minutes of the game Penn State ran some obvious swing pass to a fullback and the commentators were asking "how can we know this play is coming for such a long time and tim beckman and the illinois coaches do not?"

"the world may never know.... * crunch * </tootsierollowl>

fortunately for my veritable alma mater (tho how much worse could UIC be at football right now?) the new helmets look nice and jenn brown looks pretty good on the sidelines. shomer shabbos.

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Second half, the Cats were gassed against Kevin Wilson's no huddle. Thought we were gonna piss away all of the 27 point lead. I will be interested in seeing the line for NU/PSU. Bet the Nittany Lions are favored.

As the Sox were getting pasted yesterday I looked up and saw an orange sign in the lighted advertising around the park: "Illinois: Our State, Our team." I guess that's the response to "Chicago's Big Ten Team." But man, it pissed me off yesterday. If it wasn't enough that the Sox were being destroyed and the season was over, I now had to be reminded that my college football team had just been crushed by Pedophile State U.

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The Court will accord substantial deference to the government's immigration policies, particularly those that implicate matters of national security.

Cats are 3 point dogs to Penn State. Sounds about right... or at least what I figured.

Finally got around to watch the Illini vs. PSU game. PSU is certainly playing MUCH better ball than when they put up their first two losses. McGloin is a good QB... certainly in the conversation of best in the B1G (tallest midget, i get it). Defense is playing inspired ball. Mauti is legit good and their defensive line has some big fast bodies.

I think if the Cats actually win this one, I think we actually might have a snowball's chance in HE-double hockey sticks to compete for the B1G title. If its gonna be any year, its prolly got to be this one given the schedule and that the whole conference is down.

NU will kill Penn St.

PSU was just fired up because of the recruiting thing and we played like a bunch of boneheads.

NU 38
PSU 13

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My Maserati does 186.

I haven't looked more forward to an NU football game than this one in the past several years. A win at Penn State would be huge and put the Cats to be the first bowl eligible team this year.

Wanna hear a sobering stat?
Northwestern hasn't scored a 2nd half TD vs PSU since 2004. Last 5 games, PSU won 2nd halves 96-6. McGloin shredded NU last year in a helluva comeback. Happy Valley is a hard place for anyone to play. Both teams don't really have a stellar resume yet, so I'm guessing we'll learn a lot about both teams this week.

Fitz has said he is opening up the playbook more this week. Expect to see Kain in a variety of roles. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Venric Mark catching more out of the backfield.

Turnover scare me.

Indiana and Ohio St in quite the shootout.

Been impressed with Indiana the last 2 weeks.

Maybe progress is being made.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Kevin Wilson ain't warm and fuzzy... But he IS a good coach. He took DickRod's innovations at Clemson and adapted the to NU and continued to innovate at OU. The guy can be an ass, but he's super smart.

number of Big 10 teams in BCS top 25... zero

Even the mighty Cyclones check in at 24

He is definitely an ass. But I think after the years of Boob Lynch they needed an ass to come in and clean house. I just worry how his personality will play long term.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Is he an ass or just a hard-ass? There's a difference. Our players did not like him. But its clear to me that he was a positive influence on our program. He essentially brought the spread to NU... and indirectly to Florida (Urban Meyer studied Wilson's offense and credits him for influence). If he can surround himself by good recruiters and good assistant coaches, I think he can do wonderful things at Indiana.

Legends Division Standings

Conference Pct. PF PA Overall Pct. PF PA Home Away Neutral Streak
Michigan 2-0 1.000 89 13 4-2 .667 203 105 3-0 1-1 0-1 Won 2
Iowa 2-0 1.000 50 29 4-2 .667 132 103 2-2 1-0 1-0 Won 2
Northwestern 2-1 .667 93 81 6-1 .857 218 155 4-0 2-1 0-0 Won 1
Nebraska 1-1 .500 68 90 4-2 .667 262 166 4-0 0-2 0-0 Lost 1
Michigan State 1-2 .333 63 63 4-3 .571 147 110 2-3 2-0 0-0 Lost 1
Minnesota 0-2 .000 26 52 4-2 .667 145 119 3-1 1-1 0-0 Lost 2
\

What's so funny Vinny?

Mud, he is a hard ass. I am good with it, just worry that it will get tuned out at some point.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Iowa is not a good team.

B1G is not a good conference. Not taking a shot, just being real.

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I don't think you will hear one dissenting opinion on that assertion, Spanky.

That's why it might be NU's year. Gotta beat the Huskers first.

You are correct spanky.

At least I can say that my team ruined the Huskies national title bid.

Cats only getting 5 against the Huskers. Easy money says give the points.

Nap time part of NU's plan for Nebraska

By Teddy Greenstein, Tribune reporter 4:18 pm, October 15, 2012

Nebraska will be in town Saturday. It’s such a huge game, ABC/ESPN gave it the primo 2:30 p.m. time slot, Ryan Field will exceed its technical capacity of 47,130, the Wildcats will break out their all-black uniforms and the players, in the hours leading up to the game, will ... take a nap.

This is the result of the Sept. 15 game against Boston College, which also was a 2:30 start. NU coach Pat Fitzgerald noticed that his team came out sluggish, trailing 10-9 in the second quarter.

So he asked members of his Leadership Council: “What’s the deal? Why didn’t we start fast?”

They told him the game clashed with nap time.

NU players typically arrive at the team complex at 6:50 a.m. for meetings, practice from 8:50-10:30, attend class and then snooze in the early afternoon. So Saturday’s itinerary will call for an early breakfast and a nap at around 9:30 a.m. Fitzgerald almost could not believe he agreed to it.

“Unbelievable,” he said. “This is what I get paid to do. Seriously. Create nap time. It’s pathetic.”

A snooze-in at the team hotel six hours before kickoff? Quarterback Kain Colter loves the idea.

“We’ll wake up, have our pregame meal, do our mental things and then have a mandatory nap,” he said. “Those hotel beds are really comfortable and the pillows are soft ... (Then) we’ll come down refreshed and ready to kick some butt.”

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Purple Snuggies for all my men.

With everybody so down, is it Michigan or Nebraska the team that will win the Big 10.

Hard to say. Iowa and Michigan are atop the Legends. PSU and Ohio State are atop the leaders. While Ohio State can't play in the Championship game, they can win the Leaders division. NU is 2-1, Nebby is 1-1. PSU is playing pretty well. No one has it locked up.