BiG Ten (11) need a twelve

[BUNK MORELAND]

Schedules are so important in my opininion with this conference..

Figured i'd get the ball rolling a little bit with some MID JULY BIG TEN TALK ..

Couple Questions to be asked :

I think there are some very exciting players in this conference.. For all the talk of the LACK OF SPEED in the Big Ten, i believe this year they have some of the best offensive talent in the country.WHO IS YOUR B10 Offensive Player of the year ?

- M Hart,Manningham, or Henne
- Dorien Bryant - speedster from Purdue , quietly one of best wr in the country last two years
- Juice Williams
- A Penn St Receiver
- Chris Wells
- PJ Hill
- Tyrell Sutton - another speedster

2. Will Wisky be 9-0 when they travel to Columbus on Nov 3. It could be a "NOVEMBER to Forget,Not to Remember for the Badgers as they could be in the hunt for a national title come November 3rd when they take on THE BUCKEYES at the Shoe. Then they get BIG BLUE at home in Madison the following week ..

Scheduling is always funny in the Big Ten with the lack of an even number teams and the long layoff from final regular season game to the bowl game always being a factor.

Michigan looks to have a favorable schedule this year. The non conference competition comes to the Big House and besides the trip to Madison on November 10th, the Big 10 road schedule is relatively easy.

IMO Ohio St will not be much of a factor in the Big Ten Race. My sleeper is Purdue so to me that will be a tough road trip,along with road games at Penn St and at Michigan. IMO Ohio St will get to 9 wins only for the simple fact that they have a cupcake non conference schedule : Washington,Kent St,Akron, and Youngstown.


My Predicted order of Finish :

Mich
Wisky
Penn St
Purdue
Ohio St
Iowa
Illinois
Northwestern
Minnesota
Indiana
Michigan St

Let's get some BIG TEN TALK ROLLING .. only about 40 days away fellas ...

[irishmike]

The Big 10 should be much better in 2007!!!

1.tOSU-They will reload on "O". Wells will rush for over 2000yds. the "D" gives up less than 10pts a game. They get beat by USC in NC!!! 12-1

2.tsun-They will score lots of pts. They have way too many holes to fill on "D"! Carr makes a major blunder in "The Game"! tOSU 28 tsun 24. They beat UCLA in Rose!
12-1.

3.PSU-Lions have the potential and talent to win it all. Jay Paterno calls the plays, so look for a 3 loss season. 10-3.

4.Wisky-The most OVERRATED team in the country. No way the beat Bucks, tsun, with a new QB. Hill will have a big year, but 10-3 is the final record.

5.Purdue-They should be inproved on "D". The "O" should score lots of pts. I agree, Bryant is a great player!!! 9-4 with a bowl victory!!!!

6.MSU-The new coach is great!!! they have too much talent to finish any lower. Hoyer will be a pleasant surprise at QB, and Ringer should be healthy.
7-6, probably a bowl game loss.

7.Iowa-The most overrated coaching staff in the country. Graduation will hurt them this year. Look for the kid from Cleveland to take over at QB by mid season. 7-6.

8.Illini-Lots of young talent, but still not very good on the road. they should hang around until the 4th in most games. 5-7.

9.NU-I think PF does a great job, not much talent, but they play tough.
4-8.

10.IU-this team is in trouble. Coach Lynch will try his best, but they have very little talent. HS football in Indiana absolutly sucks, and until IU hires someone like Coach Mallory that can recruit, they will remain at the bottom.
3-9. They will get beat by Akron. Note to AD- HIRE CURT MALLORY!!!

11.Minny-After the commets from the House of Rep Muslim, I hope they go 0-12, What kind of person thinks like that????

My top 5 games:

1.tOSU @ tsun
2.tOSU @ PSU
3.Wisky @ tOSU
4.tsun @ Wisky
5.PSU @tsun

Good luck to all this season!!!

[redsfann]

7.Iowa-The most overrated coaching staff in the country. Graduation will hurt them this year. Look for the kid from Cleveland to take over at QB by mid season. 7-6.


WTF? The most overrated coaching staff in the country? What do you base that on? And the kid from Cleveland being the QB by mid-season? Only if Christensen is hurt--

Sept 1st in Chicago to kick off the season against N. Illinois in Soldier Field--can't wait!

[Daws1089]

that's all fine and dandy, but what the hell is tsun?

[BUNK MORELAND]

Originally Posted by Daws1089

that's all fine and dandy, but what the hell is tsun?

THE SCHOOL UP NORTH

[Larry]

Originally Posted by Daws1089

that's all fine and dandy, but what the hell is tsun?

THE 2007 BIG TEN CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CuseFan10]

Originally Posted by irishmike

1.tOSU-They will reload on "O". Wells will rush for over 2000yds. the "D" gives up less than 10pts a game. They get beat by USC in NC!!! 12-1

4.Wisky-The most OVERRATED team in the country.

7.Iowa-The most overrated coaching staff in the country.

These are three pretty ridiculous statements, IMO.

OSU STUFF: First off, you're such a homer you won't even refer to Michigan by their name. Second, Chris Wells has never rushed for 100 yards in a game, nevermind 2,000 in season. Also, OSU is replacing every skill position starter this season, not to mention two lineman. I know Well,s Hartline, and Robiskie have talent but let's be serious here for a minute, eh?

WISKY STUFF: This team is overrated because they have a new QB? Yet Ohio State is not? That's slightly biased don't you think? Wisky returns every starter on offense, but the QB and one (studly) lineman. The TE is a beast, and the WR's are above average, plus they have the Hill guy, who ran the ball to the tune of 1,500+ yards and 15 TD's last year. On defense, they gave up the second fewest total points in the nation last year, and only lost 4 starters. I don't think "overrated" is the word you were looking for. I think you meant to say "good".

IOWA STUFF: Pretty dumb statement with Ferentz's track record. Iowa has a legit shot to finish in the Top 20-25 this year if they can fix the offensive line. They also don't play Michigan or Ohio State.

My picks would be:

1- Michigan
2- Wisconsin
3- Ohio State
4- Iowa
5- Purdue
6- Penn State
7- Illinois
8- Michigan State
9- Northwestern
10- Indiana
11- Minnesota

[fitter]

Cuse...PSU ranked 6th is the big 10-12!! Man, I hope you're wrong on that one. Awfully quiet in Happy Valley as of late. You could end up being on the money....just hoping not, here from a homer.

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by CuseFan10

OSU STUFF: First off, you're such a homer you won't even refer to Michigan by their name.

he's not a homer....he's a buckeye baby.....


never too early for an....





O-H

[CuseFan10]

Originally Posted by FlyersFan

O-H

haha

[CuseFan10]

Originally Posted by fitter

Cuse...PSU ranked 6th is the big 10-12!! Man, I hope you're wrong on that one. Awfully quiet in Happy Valley as of late. You could end up being on the money....just hoping not, here from a homer.

fitter - I think that middle tier will be all jumbled up so they can finish anywhere from 4th to 7th if a game goes the wrong way on them. Just went with recent history that PSU will find a way to stub it's toe and finis lower than expected.

[NittanyLions94]

Originally Posted by CuseFan10

fitter - I think that middle tier will be all jumbled up so they can finish anywhere from 4th to 7th if a game goes the wrong way on them. Just went with recent history that PSU will find a way to stub it's toe and finis lower than expected.

Joepa always has his best seasons with Sr. QBs, which Morelli will be this year. Little known fact, Morelli's Jr. year stats were way ahead of the stats Kerry Collins put up his Jr. year. Now if we can only take some years off Ki-Jana Carter and get him 2 new knees we'll be in business. But in all seriousness, PSu should be no worse than 3rd in the Big 10 and home games against ND and tOSU should be ROCKIN',

[joepa66]

Lions will roar louder this year than last for sure! A fine stable of receivers, a senior QB, and some pretty reliable running backs.....D will be much the same, that bend but don't break kind with strengths at DBacks and still at linebacker. I see them in the 3rd or 4th spot in the league per usual.

[FlyersFan]

Originally Posted by joepa66

Lions will roar louder this year than last for sure! A fine stable of receivers, a senior QB, and some pretty reliable running backs.....D will be much the same, that bend but don't break kind with strengths at DBacks and still at linebacker. I see them in the 3rd or 4th spot in the league per usual.

they get 2 of the other top 3 teams at home, though, in Wisconsin and Ohio State. I don't think OSU has ever won at happy valley when PSU has had a decent team. If they can go 2-1 vs. those 2 and little boy blue, i don't see them finishing worse than 6-2 in the big10. They love to lay eggs on the road, though, in places like ILL, NWU, IU and MSU.

[joepa66]

Gonna also take some of Willi's thread to give my short takes on the league teams this year!

I - O -

The Buckeyes will look like new this year with many changes that will alter their offense, defense and even the special teams. The best thing about the 2007 season for TOSU is that Jim Tressel remains their constant as head coach.

OFFENSE - I don't think they'll attempt to match the aeronautical show they had the last few years with Troy Smith at QB, they'll have a new QB and also lost WRs Teddy Ginn and Tony Gonzalez. They also lost RB Antonio Pittman but fully expect them to establish the pride of Woody Hayes' past teams by running the ball early and often while easing in new QB Todd Boeckman into the driver's seat.
Chris "Beanie" Wells was brilliant at times running the ball during his freshman year, and the rugged running back will shoulder much of the load with Maurice Wells a speedster who creates opportunities of his own and just needs the line to bust open a crack or two in the defense. When Boeckman does get the chance to throw he'll more than likely rely on TE Brian Hartline and WR Brian Robiskie first, as they are high percentage throws to these two possession-type receivers. If Ray Small can get some room, he could help the running game but stretching the field as a deep threat at wideout. Up front the Bucks have a very capable and talented group of lineman headed by Alex Boone and Kirk Barton.

DEFENSE - Hey didn't that Laryngitis graduate? Nope, the All-American linebacker, James Laurinaitis is back as the Bucks top tacker from 2006 as well as second-leading tackler Marcus Freeman. DB and first-team All Big Ten star Malcolm Jenkins is also back, along with Big Vernon Gholston who will be a dominating force at defensive end.

SPECIAL TEAMS - TOSU is happy to have their punter and kicker both returning from last season.....A.J. Trapasso and Aaron Pettrey. But the special teams have been decimated from the losses of kick/punt returners Ginn and Gonzo. Long snapper Drew Norman must also be replaced....nice how I slipped my cuz in there huh?! Maurice Wells has limited return experience and in the spring Ray Small participated on special teams but both are virtually unproven.

THE SCHEDULE - Tough conference roadies at State College and Ann Arbor this year against two teams the "experts" are saying will contend for the conference crown, and Wisky comes a calling in C-Bus this year. The early season schedule is favorable with wins against Tressel's former team at The Shoe vs. Youngstown State (1AA), Home vs. Akron, @ Washington, Home vs. Northwestern (a team that always gives the Bucks fits), @ Minnesota (they Buckeyes own them), then a possible stumble @ Purdue, a Homer vs. Kent, and Home vs. Michigan State, before a grueling stretch @ Penn State, Home vs. Wisky and a dangerous Illinois team, then the big matchup in Ann Arbor vs. Michigan. I can see the Bucks being 7-1 before that final four stretch where they may lose 2x and possibly a 3rd time. Final result 9-3 or 8-4 depending on how the early portion of the schedule benefits the maturation process of the new skill position players on offense!