(This article originally appeared on illinois.rivals.com.)
Big Ten Week In Review – Week One
Game of the Week
Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32
Overview: As if there was any doubt. The Mountaineers did against the Wolverines what undermanned teams are supposed to do: hang around, hang around, hang around until they have a chance to make a big play late. There were plenty of big plays, but the two biggest (Julian Rauch’s 24-yard FG, Corey Lynch’s FG block) secured one of the biggest upsets in recent NCAA history.
Where do the Wolverines Go From Here: Sheesh. We knew Appalachian State would come in to Ann Arbor and execute, but we had no idea how the Michigan defense would fold under late-game pressure, and miss chance after chance to put the Mountaineers away. This was a well-coached App State team, no doubt, but could they have been that well coached? Mike Hart is going to lead the Big Ten in rushing, and the offensive firepower should keep the Wolverines in every game, but if shock gives way to disaster, Lloyd Carr will find his seat growing increasingly warm.
Best of the Rest
Bowling Green 32, Minnesota 31
Overview: If Michigan drains that last second kick, this game is easily the best of the week. The Gophers came out flat as the plains from the opening kickoff, but charged to life, turning a 21-0 deficit in to a 24-21 lead with 2 minutes left. The defense couldn’t clamp down on Bowling Green QB Tyler Sheehan, and the Falcons knocked home a last second field goal. The Gopher D failed again in OT, surrendering a touchdown and two-pointer for the loss. Sheehan may be a sleeper talent in the MAC, but there’s just no excuse for allowing 388 yards passing in this type of game.
Where do the Gophers go From Here: Sheehan probably won’t be the best MAC QB Minnesota plays in September. Miami’s Mike Kokal is a veteran signal-caller, and if he’s not capable of tossing up 400 yards, he’s certainly able to lead the Redhawks to a win this weekend. For Minnesota to have any realistic bowl chance, this is a game they’ve got to have; Miami’s D looked tough against a decent Ball State outfit last Thursday, so the onus is on Pinnix and the line to build an early lead. Time will tell if the D can hold it.
Missouri 40, Illinois 34
Overview: Yeah, yeah, there’s no such thing as a moral victory. That’s all true, but this was an impressive start to a hope-filled 2007 campaign for the Illini. Eddie McGee was an excellent substitute for injured QB Juice Williams, and the Champaign faithful have to be excited by the contributions from newcomers Daniel Dufrene (6 car, 58 yds) and Arrelious Benn (5 cat, 74 yds). This was a disappointing loss, especially since the secondary struggled so much, but Chase Daniel will make a lot of back fours look silly this year.
Where do the Illini Go From Here: Home to battle the Leathernecks of Western Illinois this week. Zook has to bottle the good things his team did for a week until unleashing the optimism for road tilts at Syracuse and Indiana on the 15th and 22nd. An efficient victory against WIU and a healthy Juice Williams could position Illinois well to make the upset bid in Syracuse next week.
Ho Hum
Michigan State 55, UAB 18
Overview: OK, raise your hand if you expected the D’Antonio Days in East Lansing to start this marvelously. Putting all the Michigan State jokes aside for a minute, Brian Hoyer was extremely efficient under center, going 14-17 for 201 yards. The double running back system worked efficiently as well, with Jehuu Caulcrick and Javon Ringer splitting yards almost evenly, but Caulcrick scoring all the touchdowns (4). Credit also the defense, which rocked the Blazers, holding them to just 12 rushing yards.
Where do the Spartans Go From Here: MSU gets another chance to look like giant-killers this week against Bowling Green, a squad who probably isn’t as good as they looked against Minnesota this past weekend. The Spartans won’t go 8 of 13 on 3rd down conversions every week, that’s out of the question. So how will they respond when the defense has to make some stops that count? But Amir Pinnix diced the Falcons’ run defense – Ringer and Caulcrick should succeed as well.
Iowa 16, Northern Illinois 3
Overview: This wasn’t a thriller, but Iowa did do what they need to do at this “road” game against the Huskies. The slippery two-headed monster of Albert Young and Damian Sims is going to be deadly, this might shape up as one of Ferentz’s better front fours in Iowa City. Jake Christensen already looks like he could fall in to the Scott Chandler/Nate Christensen mode: never impressive, surprisingly successful. I’m not impressed with the NIU passing numbers, but holding the Huskies to 21 yards is a great start for Mitch King & Co.
Where do the Hawkeyes Go From Here: In the mold of their QB Christensen, I’ve just got a gut feeling that this Iowa team might win 9 games without impressing anyone all year. Coming to Iowa City this Saturday is Syracuse, a bad team that just got power bombed by Washington, 42-12. The ‘Cuse only got 8 rushing yards in that contest, so how do you think they’ll do as the first course on the 2007 Kinnick Stadium platter? Not well…not well.
Ohio State 38, Youngstown State 6
Overview: The Buckeyes had a good Saturday. An efficient, precise victory, in the morning over Jim Tressel’s springboard school, and an afternoon upset of the ages against their arch rival. Guess which created the louder roar from the outdoor patio at Mickey’s, an Ohio State bar in Chicago, where I spent my Saturday? Yeah – the blocked field goal.
Where do the Buckeyes Go From Here: Sure, they didn’t learn a lot about themselves, but Todd Boeckman got valuable reps, everyone played efficiently, the defense was tough and got off the field quickly, and Tressel cut a nice check to Youngstown. Akron will be a big, big dog coming in to Columbus this week, but JD Brookhart will have the Zips ready to play. Watch for the Bucks to make a concerted effort to assert dominance in the trenches.
Purdue 52, Toledo 24
Overview: The MAC yanked two other BCS schools, but couldn’t get the one big program they battled on their turf. Toledo’s weak secondary was no match for Purdue’s almost surprisingly multifaceted attack, with QB Curtis Painter tossing 14-30 for 244 yards and 4 TD. Kory Sheets and Jaycen Taylor combined for 20 car, 174 yards on the ground, giving Purdue an interesting ground attack. No one caught more than 3 balls from Painter, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Boilers emerge with one big threat, or Painter can spread it like that every game.
Where do the Boilers Go From Here: Eastern Illinois opens the 2007 Ross-Ade stadium, and its almost a given that Purdue will post some more sick offensive numbers while feasting on undersized, inferior secondaries. This team will be favored in its first five games, and could become a trendy upset pick if they’re sitting at 5-0 when Ohio State comes to town on October 6.
Wisconsin 42, Washington State 21
Overview: Tyler Donovan was easily the story of the Badgers’ successful ’07 opener against Washington State. Donovan looked sharp against the Cougs, tossing 19-29 for 284 yards and 3 TD, appearing every much the worthy successor to John Stocco, and then some. PJ Hill’s numbers were off-pace a bit, but no one is really concerned.
Where do the Badgers Go From Here: Wisconsin is Vegas bound this week to face a UNLV squad that lives and dies with prodigal QB Travis Dixon. Dixon rushed and passed for 120 yards each in last week’s 23-16 triumph over Utah State, and is really the only offensive threat. Look for PJ Hill to get plenty of carries as the football Badgers do what the hardwood outfit couldn’t in last spring’s NCAA tournament: beat UNLV.
Booorrrrrrrrrrring
Northwestern 27, Northeastern 0
Overview: Nobody did anything extraordinary for the Wildcats, although C.J. Bacher did look awfully sharp, going 23-29 for 243 yards. Tyrell Sutton gave a workmanlike effort (24 car, 108 yds), and the defense gave indications that maybe they’re starting to mimic the mentality of their leader, former ‘Cat LB Pat Fitzgerald. The ‘Cats dominated rushing, passing, time of possession and first downs.
Where do the Wildcats Go From Here: A very interesting clash with Nevada at Ryan Field on Saturday presents a great opportunity for the ‘Cats to make a mini-statement for bowl eligibility early on in 2007. Nevada got bombed 52-10 at Nebraska Saturday, but is better than they looked, and no doubt they’ll top the 185 yards they mustered against the Blackshirts. Really, the year couldn’t have started much better for Northwestern, but the result didn’t tell us much.
Indiana 55, Indiana State 7
Overview: The temptation is to go nuts on the Hoosiers right now, after the pounding they put on in-state “rival” Indiana State. But the Sycamores are Stinkamores, and there was no way Indiana wasn’t going to deliver on a night designed to honor their late Coach, Terry Hoeppner. Kellen Lewis only completed 12 passes, but averaged 24 yards per completion, and James Hardy caught some long balls, tallying 153 yards on just 3 receptions. The lines looked good against the woefully undermanned Indy State.
Where do the Hoosiers Go From Here: On to two crucial matchups against a couple of the better MAC programs: Western Michigan and Akron. The Broncos are the media pick to win the MAC, and have arguably the best home field advantage in the conference. If Indiana heads to Kalamazoo and wins Saturday, the Hoosiers will emerge as the early leader in the second pack of Big Ten teams scratching it out for one or two bowl spots.
Penn State 59, Florida International 0
Overview: What do you need? It was 59-nothing. As usual, if the Nittany Lions have a shot at the Big Ten title this year, it starts with the defense, which looked like world beaters against FIU. The Panthers mustered only 7 first downs, 1-15 on third downs, and -3 yards rushing. Aaiii yow. The PSU offense looked fine and dandy, but I refuse to draw any conclusions in a laugher like this.
Where do the Nittany Lions go from here: Its one of the hardest tickets in college football this season as Notre Dame heads northeast to Happy Valley to take their shot at redemption after taking a major humbling from Georgia Tech, 33-3. Apparently Jimmy Claussen is getting the start for ND, and where better to launch your career as the next Ron Powlus than in front of 105,000+ Nittany Lions?
No comments:
Post a Comment