| Week 12 preview: Plenty left to be determined in final week | |||
| Nov 18 2009, 1:44 PM | Blogger: Brent Yarina | ||
Just because we're entering the final week, though, doesn't mean there's nothing left to be determined. Other than Ohio State earning the Big Ten's automatic BCS berth, in fact, very little is set in stone. Sure, seven teams are bowl eligible, one more has a chance to go bowling (Michigan) and three are guaranteed to stay home (Illinois, Indiana, Purdue), but there's plenty still in doubt. That said, let's take a look at some of the biggest questions remaining as we enter Saturday's games: 1: Will Ohio State win the title outright? The Buckeyes already own a share of their fifth straight Big Ten crown, but they can make it an outright title with a victory at Michigan. You can bet Iowa, Penn State and Wisconsin will be cheering hard for the Wolverines, though, as all three can claim a share of the title with a win, coupled with an Ohio State loss. So, the Big Ten could have a sole champ, co-champs, tri-champs, or even quad-champs, depending on Saturday's results. 2: Can Michigan become bowl eligible? Sitting on five wins, Michigan needs to upset rival Ohio State if it hopes to avoid an unthinkable second straight bowl-less season. Six-win teams aren't guaranteed a bowl invitation, of course, but this is Michigan and bowl reps love tradition-rich programs that travel and attract eyeballs. You have to think some bowl would love to have the Wolverines -- assuming they win Saturday -- even if they are a 2-6 Big Ten team. 3. Bowl eligible, have Michigan St. and Minnesota done enough to go bowling? On the other end of the spectrum, fair or not, Michigan State and Minnesota aren't exactly Michigan. As a result, the Spartans and Gophers, who both own the required six wins, would be wise to win their finales against Penn State and Iowa, respectively, to bolster their resumes. Should one lose and Michigan win, it's hard to believe the Wolverines won't get the nod over the other. 4. Who will finish in the Big Ten cellar? It's between three teams: Illinois, Indiana and Michigan. The intrigue comes in when you consider if Michigan falls it would guarantee the Wolverines, at best, a share of last place, depending on Indiana's result against Purdue. The Wolverines haven't finished in last since 1962, mind you. Illinois, which is idle and finished the Big Ten slate with a 2-6 clip, can only finish in a three-way tie for last, assuming both Indiana and Michigan win. 5. Will a second Big Ten team earn a BCS invite, and if so, who will it be? Iowa, Penn State and Wisconsin are all in the running for an at-large BCS berth. All three are enticing options for high-profile games, so it's very likely one will be selected. A loss for any of the three, however, would eliminate it from contention. As we stand, it's a neck-and-neck race, with Iowa No. 13 in the BCS Standings, Penn State No. 14 and Wisconsin No. 16. Of the three, the Badgers have the best remaining opponent, at Northwestern, and also have the luxury of another game, at Hawaii, which keeps them fresher in the voters' minds. Should all three win, the decision will come down to which program a bowl thinks will travel the best and yield the highest television ratings. WEEK 12 PREVIEW Game of the week: Wisconsin at Northwestern - Shocker, I know. I surprised myself when I looked at the all matchups and was most intrigued by this one. To be honest, the way Michigan is playing, it doesn't seem like "The Game" will be all that interesting and the other headliner, Penn State-Michigan State, pits two underachieving teams. The Badgers and Wildcats have overachieved most of the season and both bring modest winning streaks into Ryan Field. On top of that, each team can greatly improve its bowl fate with a victory. Under-the-radar game of the week: Purdue at Indiana - Last year's game in this series was as bad as it gets. Two years ago, however, it was just about as good as it gets, and that's the likelier scenario this week. If you like passing, you're going to love what these two teams bring to the table. With Joey Elliott and Ben Chappell under center, the ball is certain to be in the air a lot. Making matters worse (or better for the viewer), neither team has a defense that strikes fear into the opponent, so fireworks are very likely at Memorial Stadium. Matchup of the week: Joey Elliott vs. Ben Chappell - Admittedly, neither guy will be on the field at the same time, but they'll be in direct competition. No Big Ten quarterbacks throw more often than Elliott (36.7 attempts per game) and Chappell (35.4), but it should be an even bigger aerial assault than usual because both defenses struggle against the pass and each team is notorious for losing big leads. Player I'll be watching the closest: QB Tate Forcier, Michigan - He didn't exactly come out and say, "I guarantee we beat Ohio State," but he put words out there that could be used as bulletin board material. As good as Forcier started the season, the true freshman has struggled against top defenses, going a combined 21 of 49 for 234 yards, no TDs and two INTs in losses to Iowa and Penn State. He improved last week against an underrated Wisconsin unit, sure, but he'll have his hands full against a scary Ohio State defense. Team with the most to prove: Penn State - It's been said before, and I couldn't agree more. Go down the Penn State schedule and find yourself a signature win. Right now, the clear-cut winner is the victory at Northwestern, which wasn't as impressive as it looks today. A victory at Michigan State isn't going to register as a signature win, either, but it would go down as one of the better triumphs in a season full of wins over cupcakes. Fantasy star of the week: QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State - Over the past four games, Michigan hasn't allowed fewer than 35 points and Ohio State has averaged 33.5 points per game. It doesn't matter how a team attacks the Wolverines, it is chewing up big-time yardage on the ground and through the air. Pryor still isn't a finished product as a passer, but he's plenty good enough to throw for 150-200 yards and a couple of scores, to go along with 75-100 rushing yards and a score. Bold prediction of the week: Iowa's James Vandenberg throws at least 3 TDs - Vandenberg earned himself a lot of believers with his impressive performance in last week's overtime loss at Ohio State. Thing is, his numbers could have been a lot better had it not been for several dropped passes. With another week of full-time practice as the No. 1 guy under his belt, Vandenberg and his rifle-like arm should have no trouble exploiting a weaker Minnesota defense. |
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| Offering some early-season Big Ten basketball observations | ||||
| Nov 17 2009, 12:44 PM | Blogger: Brent Yarina | |||
The cupcake, tuneup games are in the past, and now things are about to get a lot more interesting and competitive. I mean, instead of the USC-Upstates of the world, the Big Ten also plays Butler, Mississippi and reigning national champ North Carolina, to name a few, this week. Before we turn our attention to those anticipated games, I thought I'd offer some of my early-season observations. Here goes: Living up to the hype: We heard plenty about how talented Tom Crean's freshman class was entering the season, but the group may be better than advertised. It's only two games and Indiana doesn't boast the most talented returners, of course, however Christian Watford and Maurice Creek, the two jewels of the class, have accounted for 41 percent of Indiana's total scoring (62 of the team's 152 points). That figure doesn't include fellow freshman Derek Elston, an athletic and strong big man who has hit 10 of his first 13 shots and boasts a nice inside-outside game. If Elston keeps it up, he could be the best freshman you haven't heard of in a talented class across the Big Ten. Speaking of the first-year guys ...: Through the first two weeks, it's become clear the Big Ten is in good hands should members of this year's loaded junior class opt to forgo their senior season. Just about everywhere you look, there's a freshman who is producing well beyond his years. With guys such as Illinois' D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul, the aforementioned Indiana guys, Minnesota's Rodney Williams, Michigan's Matt Vogrich, Michigan State's Derrick Nix (assuming he trims down) and Wisconsin's Ryan Evans, the conference isn't short on young talent. Making it look way too easy: Triple-doubles are rare -- so rare, in fact, that it hadn't happened in the Big Ten since 2001. Well, there has been a pair of them already, with Ohio State's Evan Turner doing it first against Alcorn State and Michigan's Manny Harris following suit versus Northern Michigan. The stat-stuffing nights didn't come against top-of-the-line competition, to be sure, however it should come as no surprise Turner and Harris, two of the conference's best all-around talents, made the history. The way these guys play and the systems they are in, don't expect another long drought before the conference's next triple-double. And if it isn't one of these two compiling it, Penn State's Talor Battle and Minnesota's Damian Johnson could be the guy.
Dynamic duos: Entering the season, it seemed as though Michigan's Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims formed the conference's clear-cut elite duo. The Wolverine pair has done nothing to disprove this belief, but it has some serious competition from rival Ohio State. As long as William Buford continues his early improvement as a defender and rebounder, he and All-Big Ten player Evan Turner could be the Big Ten's most prolific pairing. Talk about a wild card: On a team as talented and deep as Michigan State, the up-and-down Raymar Morgan is the biggest wild card in the Big Ten. To be fair, Morgan received so much praise early in his career that he was almost set up to disappoint. Last season was Morgan's most frustrating, though, as injuries and inconsistencies kept him from playing the way everybody expected. Should he stay healthy and finally live up to the hype, Michigan State is as dangerous as any team in the nation, let alone the Big Ten. Feel for the 'Cats: If the Wildcats were going to make the NCAA tournament for the first time, this seemed to be the year. Unfortunately, Bill Carmody and Northwestern might have to wait another year following Kevin Coble's season-ending foot surgery. The Wildcats still have talent, with Juice Thompson and John Shurna, but it's going to be extremely difficult to overcome Coble's absence. Dreams of dancing: Considering Kevin Coble's injury, it seems as though the Big Ten will have a maximum of seven teams dancing this spring. With a healthy Coble, I thought Northwestern gave the conference a great shot at having eight teams. Now, however, I see Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Purdue as locks, Wisconsin as a likely player and Penn State on the fringe. Random thoughts: Michigan freshman Matt Vogrich has some work to do on the defensive end before he becomes a big-minute guy, but he has the stroke and range to be a Craig Moore-like shooter ... With Dallas Lauderdale healthy, there may not be a better starting 5 than Ohio State's ... The Barn looks a lot brighter/better with the new court ... One word for Wisconsin's Ryan Evans and his flattop: Awesome! ... The race for the Big Ten Player of the Year is going to be a highly competitive one, one that will end with Evan Turner on top ... At his size, 6-0, Talor Battle is the Big Ten's best pound-for-pound rebounder. |
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| Breaking down Harris and Turner's eerily similar triple-doubles | |||||
| Nov 16 2009, 7:08 PM | Blogger: Brent Yarina | ||||
| In case you missed it, there were a pair of triple-doubles in the opening week of Big Ten basketball. Ohio State's Evan Turner did it first, then Michigan's Manny Harris followed suit to give the Big Ten its first triple-doubles since 2001, when Illinois' Sergio McClain did it. Who's triple-double was better, though? One look at the numbers tells you it's pretty much a wash, from the points to the assists to the time the triple-double was registered. Guess that shouldn't come as a surprise when it's two of the conference's best all-around stars stuffing the stat sheet.
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| Week 11 in review: Ferentz, Hawkeyes deserve credit despite recent losses | |||
| Nov 14 2009, 2:32 PM | Blogger: Brent Yarina | ||
What Ferentz has done with this Iowa team is absolutely amazing. Remember, the Hawkeyes were projected to finish fourth or fifth by most of the experts in the preseason, and that's when they had starting running back Jewel Hampton. Well, Hampton was ruled out for the season before the opener and Iowa has lost valuable contributors ever since, highlighted by starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi. Injury after injury, Iowa has found a way to win games it had very little reason to win. We all know about the close encounters, whether it be the ones against Northern Iowa and Arkansas State or the ones against Indiana and Michigan State, but the Hawekeyes have come to play in EVERY game despite the rash of injuries. That's tough to do in a BCS conference when you're facing a big, physical team every week, but it's what the Hawkeyes have done week in and week out. It's amazing when you think about it. Maybe more than any of its nine wins, though, Saturday's overtime defeat in the Horseshoe proved Iowa is for real and not just the lucky team that many people thought they were. Credit Ferentz and his resilient players for that. Night to remember: The Big Ten couldn't have asked for anything better than what Iowa-Ohio State delivered in what was essentially the Big Ten title game. The game was entertaining and, needless to say, extremely dramatic, but it also showed Big Ten teams can do more than sit on the ball and play strong defense. Fifty-one points in a contest that featured two elite defenses and a redshirt freshman QB making his first start is nothing to yawn at. Is luck about to turn?: With Penn State winning earlier Saturday, the loser of the Iowa-Ohio State game knew its BCS bowl hopes were going to take a significant hit. As a result of Saturday's overtime defeat, Iowa, which beat Penn State earlier this season, is most likely going to fall behind the Nittany Lions in the BCS Standings on Sunday. It isn't fair one bit, although it's the reality of this current system we have that puts more importance on when you lose than who you lose to or beat. There's no way Penn State should be ahead of Iowa in the BCS Standings when the Hawkeyes won the head-to-head encounter, have the same number of defeats (2) and have far more impressive wins. It's almost a certainty, though. Just a heads up, Hawkeye fans, power rankings are different than polls, in my mind. WEEK 11 SUPERLATIVES Offensive Player of the Week: QB Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin - Tolzien tied a career high with four touchdown passes and also ran for a score to help send the Badgers to a 45-24 victory over struggling Michigan. The five scores tied a program record and marked the first time a Badger scored that many times since Brian Calhoun ran for five scores against Illinois in 2005. For the day, the redshirt junior completed 16-of-24 passes for 240 yards. Defensive Player of the Week: LB Navorro Bowman, Penn State - The score was tied and Indiana was driving, that is until Bowman came up with the play of the game, picking off Ben Chappell and returning it 73 yards for his second score of the season. Bowman, who also tallied 12 tackles, gave the Nittany Lions a 17-10 lead, and they never looked back en route to a 31-20 win on senior day at Beaver Stadium. Special Teams Player of the Week: K Brett Swenson, Michigan State - The Big Ten's best kicker, Swenson proved his worth again Saturday, connecting on four field goals, including the game-winner with 1:51 remaining at Ross-Ade Stadium. Swenson's final kick was clutch and all, sure, but it was his pair of 52-yarders that were most impressive. Play of the week: WR Nick Toon's second TD reception - There were bigger momentum-changing plays, such as Navorro Bowman's pick six, but Toon's third-quarter touchdown grab was ridiculous. Not only did the 15-yard reception come against shutdown corner Donovan Warren, but Toon also was interferred on the play. It didn't matter. The rising star kept his balance, jumped and reached over Warren to haul in the pass before he tapped his right foot inside the chalk to give the Badgers a 28-17 lead. Game of the week: Iowa vs. Ohio State - Few expected this game to be in doubt much past halftime. At the same time, though, few thought James Vandenberg would be able to go into Ohio Stadium and do much of anything in his first career start. He did, and the injury-riddled Hawkeyes gave the Buckeyes everything they could handle before Devin Barclay kicked the game-winning field goal in the season's biggest Big Ten game. Bowling 101: Saturday's outcomes made the Big Ten bowl picture a whole lot clearer. Five teams entered the day bowl eligible and two more joined them following Michigan State and Minnesota's victories. Meanwhile, Illinois, Indiana and Purdue were all eliminated from bowl eligibility with their losses Saturday. Michigan, which has five wins and faces Ohio State in its season finale, is the only conference team that can still gain bowl eligibility. In all, as many as eight Big Ten teams could go bowling this winter. Understatement of the week: "Defensively, we are reaching to find an answer to stop people." -- Rich Rodriguez, on his defense that has allowed at least 35 points in each of the last four games. Random thoughts: Iowa's James Vandenberg is a lot better than everyone thought and his receivers cost him plenty of completions and yards with a heavy case of the drops ... Wonder if Kirk Ferentz had it to do over again if he'd go for the win on that final drive in regulation ... The depth of Michigan's backfield continues to show, the latest example being freshman Vincent Smith, who has some serious speed and agility in the open field ... Indiana coach Bill Lynch can't buy a break and really needs a hug ... Speaking of Indiana, the Hoosiers may feature one of the conference's elite offenses next year. Seriously, check out all the weapons they'll return from what is a pretty good unit right now ... Michigan's Darryl Stonum has to be more decisive if he's going to return a kick, let alone two, from deep inside his end zone ... Northwestern's Mike Kafka might be the conference's most underrated player this season. |
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| Ohio State unveils tribute uniforms for Michigan game | |
| Nov 14 2009, 10:10 AM | Blogger: Brent Yarina |
| If you haven't checked out the Ohio State "throwback" uniforms for this year's Ohio State-Michigan tussle on Nov. 21, check out the photo gallery right here. First impression: The pants are pretty sweet and the jersey is OK, but what's up with the Buckeyes print on the right bicep? |
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