The Rivalry, Esq.

Big 10 Football Links for 1/6/9: Bowls, Recruits, '09 Outlooks

2009-01-07T01:31:08Z

Michigan

Great overview of the William Campbell signing, the Michigan 5 star recruit who claimed he was taking Michigan off his list, than picked Michigan at the Army Game...the video of a 320 pounder posing is worthwhile...

Michigan State

Lansing State Journal covers the Capitol One Bowl for MSU. The photo of a dejected Brian Hoyer "aka Bobby Hoying" says pretty much everything about this game.

Ohio State

Eleven Warriors bulletpoints the basics of the Fiesta Bowl. Kudos to Eleven Warriors for complimenting Colt McCoy; humility is an attractive trait.

Purdue

Boiled Sports attacks Bowl Games for being meaningless, inconsequential, and uninspiring - oddly enough, Purdue didn't play in one! Off the Tracks gives an extensive preview of 2009 Purdue football - Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Penn State

I was pissed after watching Penn State get murdered in Pasadena; the defensive backs were never in position to make plays and the game score was deceivingly close. Black Shoe Diaries takes a bit of a different, more optimistic look at the Rose Bowl beatdown that further promulgated the "Big 10 Football Sucks" ~~legend~~ truth.

Iowa

BGHP gives quick discussion of Shonn Greene's decision to leave for the NFL and the draft prospects for this hammer nosed runner.

The Rivalry Travels: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Phoenix, AZ) - I Don't Know Who Is The Best Team In the Country, But It Ain't Texas

2009-01-06T08:09:46Z

Hats off to the stoic Ohio State defense and quick-strike Texas offense that delivered a Tostitos Fiesta Bowl worthy of the ages.

But let's get something painfully, predominately straight: The Longhorns aren't the best team in the country, they're not even close.

Sure, Texas is guilty-by-association, catching the scarlet and gray on the up-swing; but let's face it: they struggled -- badly; the great no-huddle offense and Heisman Laureate quarterback stumbling to put together successful drives, riding penalties, and miss-sets to victory.

Meanwhile, Ohio State, with it's garden 2-stroke little engine that could, put up almost as many points -- coming back and pushing the burnt orange to their absolute edge.

I'll have a lot more to say when this beer buzz wears off, and I sleep for twelve hours, but for now let's agree:

1. No one in their damn minds is voting the Texas Longhorns No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll.

Why? Because other teams deserve it more: namely Utah, USC, and the winner of Thursday night's suddenly less interesting barnburner.

2. Oklahoma is in big trouble.

The Big 12 has been exposed for what it is: an experiment in nuclear fission. When they play real man coverage, they melt.

3. Our quarterback caught a touchdown pass.

Time for the pillowcase.

The Rivalry Travels: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Phoenix, AZ) - Can OSU stop the Rodeo?

2009-01-05T17:32:23Z

Morning; game day. I wake to find a surprisingly thick mountain of fog laid out over the desert, turning a landscape of pastels into something out of an Edgar Allen Poe short story.

I take this as a good sign. Columbus' trademark pillow grey sky has come to drown the west.

We're off to Mesa for breakfast at a small, family-owned restaurant we discovered in 2006.

Are they ready? I think so.

But can they stop the Rodeo? This, I'm not so sure of. I think we have yet to see this Ohio State secondary, plush with All-American Malcolm Jenkins, truly disembowel a hearty pass attack. The Bucks allow an average of 187.4 aerial yards on the road -- good enough to place seventh nationally, but they haven't faced a pass engine anywhere close to that of the tenth best Longhorns. (Illinois is the next closest, at twentieth).

The key for the defense, naturally, is locking onto Jordan Shipley and staying the hell with him. If the scarlet can take this all-purpose weapon out of contention, Texas will be without a true decoy, and will become strikingly more predictible.

We've got the talent, but I'll believe it when I see it.

After breakfast we're off to the stadium. Coverage in the east begins at 8:00 p.m.

Here's hoping we show up. I can deal with a loss -- we just need to compete. Go Bucks!

The Rivalry Travels: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Phoenix, AZ) - Can Beanie do it one more time?

2009-01-05T06:47:04Z

So the word on the streets is that the key unanswered question hanging over the head of tomorrow's Tostitos Fiesta Bowl match is whether Ohio State's Chris "Beanie" Wells can get any traction on the ground against Texas' rush defense, a unit that ranks second in the country (allowing a scarce 73.58 yards per game)?

Burnt Orange Nation, predicts that Beanie will stumble, limping to just 115 yards on 21 carries -- a mark bolstered by a 30 yard "pop" that "boosts" the final total.

You mean, like this:

Or this:

The thing is, I haven't seen a single defensive configuration that has absolutely disrupted Beanie's ability to break into the backfield.

lf anyone were capable, it would have been Louisiana State last year who brought a virtual Stalingrad; a super line, anchored by Defensive Tackle Glen Dorsey and Defensive End Tyson Jackson. Though second-half adjustments neutralized Well's overall effectiveness, the Tigers got cut.

Which begs the question? Can Texas do any better?

The key here is to throw out the medals, and focus on what the Longhorns -- who competed in the rush-adverse Big 12 -- did against quality ground attacks.

They faced two: Oklahoma State, who rank eighth nationally in rushing yards, and Oklahoma, who rate seventeenth.

The Cowboys laid down 217 yards against the Horns. The Sooners managed just 48.

So it's clear, if these OSU Buckeyes can rush like those OSU Coyboys, Ohio State's offense will have the freedom to pick on the Longhorns through the air. It's something they'd love to do, as Around the Oval reports, Texas' pass defense ranks an embarassing 108th nationally. They're also 60th in pass efficiency D.

But, if the Bucks can't open lanes, they're dead in the water -- as a predictible Jim Bollman attack stalls on the line.

When on vacation, the Rivalry Drinks...

Silver Palm Cabernet Savingnon (2005 North Coast). Self-described as "sumptuous," and "seamless," this Cab lacks the structure of its Napa brethern -- but trades bite for poise; with a rich cinema-palace velvet seat texture, and ripe plum overtones.

Enjoy a glass around a fire pit, and watch the Coyote dance.

OPC Bowl Edition Scoreboard - 1/4

2009-01-05T05:35:34Z

We're coming down the home stretch. Just three games separate FSUncensored from unbridled notoriety, immortal fame, and one phenomenally average trophy.

1. FSUncensored	69
2. Estrada	63
3. Law Buckeye (-1)	61
4. Bama Hawkeye (-1)	57
5. Cubs2k8isnxyearPicks (-1)	49
6. Lady Bama Hawkeye (-1)	48
7. PaternosGrandaughter (-1)	47
8. Lakeeriemonster (-1)	45
9. Blackops (-2)	43
10. BaconNinja (-2)	39
11. Grahamfiller10 (-2)	35
12. Studbucket (-2)	34

(+/- Denotes change in rank from previous standings.)

The Rivalry Travels: Insight Bowl (Phoenix, AZ) - Where's the Beer??!!

2009-01-04T21:11:04Z

For those rare few of you who have NFL Network and were able to catch the Insight Bowl game, you already know that an above average Kansas team dominated a slow Gopher squad that failed to make key defensive adjustments as the game wore on. And I assume that if you're a Minnesota fan, you're pretty unhappy about the four game losing streak that capped this otherwise uplifting Gopher season.

But the magic of college football is that joy and happiness can be found in so many avenues of culture that are attached to the game itself. How many of your friends did you share a drink with during the game? Did an old alum of your school offer you a job interview over brats in the stadium parking lot? As part of The Rivalry's attempt to bring all kinds of Bowl coverage to your e-door, our friend at Golden Gopher Football has been so kind to offer us a write up by a fellow Minnesota fan concerning his Insight Bowl experience.

(Note: Golden Gopher and I had a minor beef surrounding my original Big 10 Quarterback Rankings. I rebutted and life moved on.)

"I have been fortunate enough to attend a few bowl games in recent years. I drove from Tucson, where I now live, to see the Gophers defeat Oregon in the 2003 Sun Bowl at El Paso. I made the trip to Nashville to take in a gopher victory over Alabama at the Music City bowl in 2004. A couple years ago I met my parents in Tempe to watch the Gophers take on Texas Tech in their first visit to the Insight bowl. Yesterday I returned to Tempe to cheer on my beloved Golden Gophers as they faced the Kansas Jayhawks in another Insight bowl.

Insight Bowl...Worst Trophy in Sports?

It's always great to see your favorite team in a bowl game. There's a different kind of energy that surrounds a bowl game. It feels like everyone is on vacation, and I suppose that's because most of the fans that travel to the game actually are on vacation. Anyway, everyone likes vacation, and it's always fun to travel to see an away game, especially if it's in beautiful sunny Arizona late in December. Of course, at bowl games there are always a lot of people who go to the game without any allegiance to one team or another. My friend overheard a "fan" on his phone saying "I'm at a bowl game in Tempe....Oh, it's like Kansas and Missouri or something..." There are plenty of people who simply enjoy the game for the sake of the game, and I suppose they balance out those of us who bleed our team's colors.

The Kansas fans were great. They outnumbered the gopher fans at least 2:1, but they were good spirited, courteous, and excited. I respect the fans of Jayhawk football; they are nothing like those low-down dirty fans of Iowa. I'm disappointed in my Gophers, but I am happy the Kansas fans got to enjoy a well deserved victory yesterday. It's a good thing for their program, and I hope they rise to power in the Big 12.

I was a little bit disappointed in the pregame festivities this year. Prior to going up to Tempe I did some internet research in search of designated tailgating parties or at least some sort of chatter regarding pregame festivities. The only thing I could find was the party sponsored by the Goal Line Club, an organization to which my parents faithfully belong. This party was off site at a hotel near the stadium, and reservations were required. I am sure the Goal Line Club threw a great party, as they always do, but it wasn't the scene I was looking for. I was looking for the lines of cars crowded with college kids holding red plastic cups, stereos blasting, with the occasional outburst of excitement and heated game of bean-bag-toss. I admit, perhaps I didn't search long or hard enough, but I got to the stadium a few hours before game time, drove a circle around some $20 parking lots, where there was little if any pregame partying, and settled for one of many free parking spots curbside. I was disappointed that there wasn't a more obvious and organized pregame party or student presence, but I didn't let that get me down. My buddy and I made the best of it; we had a great time at our own little pregame party.

Last time I went to the Insight bowl there was a great tailgate party with music, food, pretty girls doing face painting, and of course beer. Lots of beer. This year no such party could be found. Maybe it's the economy, maybe there weren't enough tickets sold to justify the expense. Whatever the reason, it's a bummer that there wasn't more of a pregame party. I would think the organizers of the bowl game (especially a lower tier game like the Insight bowl) would want to get people talking about how great the party was. If you want people to travel to see the game, or at least attract locals and sell some tickets, you need to get people excited about the festivities. I wish the Insight bowl would have put together a better pregame party, and advertised to fans where such a party could be found. I wish more students would travel to the bowl game, and I wish these students would make it known they were there to get crazy and support their team.

My thanks go out to the loyal Gopher fans that made the trip. They were great (as always). I had a fantastic time at the Insight bowl this year, despite my disappointment. I recommend that Gopher football fans make the trip to the bowl games, regardless of how the season finishes up. After all, fans are what make a fan base, and the party is where you throw it."

The Rivalry Travels: Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (Phoenix, AZ) - Is the Big 12 South Anything Special?

2009-01-04T07:21:35Z

Greetings from the hazy sandstone splendor of JW Marriott's Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona. This half of The Rivalry, Esq. has braved multiple connections, NWA snack boxes, and jet lag to reach the Valley of the Sun. Now, I'm stuck with three days of golf, Mexican food, margaritas, and cigars under the stars.

It's tough to be an underdog.

Outside the JW Marriott, Phoenix.

We landed at Sky Harbor last night a little after 9:30 p.m. I was surprised and slightly encouraged to see a decent number of scarlet and grey clad-faithful at the baggage carosel. Like the Buckeyes this is my third trip to Phoenix in almost as many years. In 2005, I watched A.J. Hawk keep it all in the family as Ohio State buried Notre Dame -- celebrating afterwards at Roy's to the chagrin of the entire Irish team who happened to be staying at our hotel. The next year, I reaped what I had sown, bowing out of the cheap cinder block palace (The University of Phoenix Stadium) that replaced the more authentic Sun Devil stadium in the wake of the shocking collapse of our great dynasty. Hungry and depressed, we wondered into a T.G.I. Fridays by the airport, drowning our sorrows with cheap corn drafts and $1.50 sliders.

And now, we're back to this cherished, purple postseason home.

I'll do my best over the coming days to keep the curious homestead abreast of the scene leading up to and during the bowl. I'll also cover the philosophical politics leading up to the game. For our first entry:

Is the Big 12 South a Great Imposter?

A few days ago on the site, having just witnessed Northwestern's coming within inches of upseting Missouri, I wrote the following:

Is the Big 12 an illusion; a league of miniature, one-dimensional facades more suited for Hollywood backlots than cross-conference challenges?

Since then, No. 13 Oklahoma State got the big stiff by Oregon. No big deal, right? After all, the Ducks were playing their best ball of the season coming into the Holiday Bowl.

But then, No. 8 Texas Tech was outed in an equally embarrassing way, this time at the hands of twenty-fifth and defensively-minded Mississippi.

And suddenly, the Big 12 South -- the model for kinetic football in 2008 -- is 0 for 2 in favored matchups.

This gets a Buckeye thinking. Could it be that the league that enjoyed five of the top ten total offenses in the nation only got there because it didn't have a single team that ranked in the top fifty on defense? Or, is it simply that the no-huddle leads to more plays on the front end, and accordingly, more yards on the back end?

I don't think there's a clear answer. But one thing that can't be denied is that, at present, the Emperor has no clothes.

When in Phoenix...

Drive North to the small, rural cantina that is Cave Creek to dine at El Encanto, a wonderful rustic watering hole that features authentic Mexican cusine, oversized frozen margaritas, and al fresco, waterside seating on a terra cotta sidewalk that wraps around a man-made duck pond.

Patio nights at the El Encanto.

We first discovered the Encanto in 2003, and never miss the chance to spend an evening on the patio with cold draft beer and homemade fire-roasted salsa. The Rivalry, Esq. recommends Camarones de Tequila con Limon: five jumbo shrimp based in fresh garlic, citrus, and Sauza Gold Tequila, simply grilled on a easy bed of corn rice and local vegetables.

Capitol One Bowl in Review: No Surprises

2009-01-03T06:25:54Z

As the immortal Denny Green once remarked, they are who we thought they were. That oft-repeated statement applies nicely to the Capitol One Bowl. Georgia played like the ultra talented but injury and mistake prone team that lost three big games, while Michigan State's vanilla offense continued its struggles against above average defenses. And the Big 10 continued it's well documented ineptitude...

The Other Side of the 50

This unbelievable statistic jumped out at me instantly as I was going over the post game recap:

Michigan State's first six drives all ended on the UGA side of the field. Result of these six drives? 2 field goals, 1 missed field goal, 1 turnover on downs, 2 punts.

The Spartans couldn't run between the tackle's to sustain drives, hence the premature stoppages in UGA territory. Was it the Georgia defense, an injury riddled frontline that got convincingly run over by Florida, Georgia Tech, and Alabama? Or was it season long revelation that the MSU power run game just doesn't translate into success against decent linebackers and teams with winning records? It's not like Dantonio altered the run game that much over the season - the basic set up was a pro form formation with 2 WR's, FB, and tight ends. Ringer was so successful early running behind a line that consistently caved in defenses and allowed him to squirt out of the middle for big runs. This success dissipated when teams put 8 in the box and showed no respect for Brian Hoyer. Georgia proved that film study is effective, following the aforementioned formula to holding Ringer to 47 yards.

We Got Linebackers

Greg Jones and the Spartan LB's looked excellent against Knowshon Moreno, the Cover Boy of ESPN the Mag's preseason coverage, holding the dynamic runner to 62 yards rushing. This linebacking corps, made semi-famous by stuffing Shonn Greene to preserve the Iowa game, didn't miss tackles and didn't allow Matthew Stafford to get in any kind of rhythm during the first half. All-Conference LB Greg Jones will be back for his junior year along with LB Adam Decker; these two will continue to give Michigan State a veteran presence in the middle of the generally solid Spartan defense.

Of course when Stafford got locked in, the Bulldogs took the reins to this game and rode his obscenely good 2nd half performance to victory. At one point, the soon to be Detroit Lions QB (just kidding, someone pull him away from the ledge) was something like 11-13, 120 yards and 1 touch in the 2nd half. Those are the numbers that allow talking heads like Gary Danielson to talk so reverently about the junior QB.

Not Inconsequential, But Close

Michigan State sealed its successful season long before this game was ever played. The Green and White were 9-3 with a sound beating of UM, while their coach avoided the pitfalls of his predecessors. People in East Lansing won't get riled up about any SEC-Big 10 inferiority complexes or whether the Spartans were only good because UM was down. All they should concentrate on is that MSU football is relevant again and returns many impact players for next year.

That said, Coach Dantonio does need to address his inability to score against quality opponents. 16 points against Iowa, 7 against OSU, 18 against Penn State, 12 v Georgia...The Spartans had solid receivers, a top notch running back, and a veteran quarterback - How do you explain the lack of offensive umph against decent opponents? Furthermore, how do you explain Dantonio's inability to mix up the playbook or try zone reads when the man blocking was so obviously ineffective at the end of the year?

Is the Big 10 Really as Bad as it Seems?

2009-01-02T16:41:38Z

I leave tonight for Phoenix where I'll report amidst the purple rocks on the build up to No. 10 Ohio State's Tostitos' Fiesta Bowl Clash with No. 3 Texas. Before packing my bags for the largely symbolic celebration, let's inventory our conference's bowl stock.

It's hard to argue with 1-5, but I'd like to suggest that the Big Brutes have actually performed admirably in light of disparities in matchups. If you're the kind of person who likes to take notes here's what I'd write down:

The Great: Iowa's 31-10 impaling of SEC scapegoat South Carolina in yesterday's bacon and eggs Outback Bowl. The Hawkeyes controlled virtually every aspect of the contest; capitalizing on Garcia's hilarious inability to read simple coverages, and manhandling the line of scrimmage. Kirk Ferentz's blond boys looked powerful and in control.

The Good: No. 23 Northwestern's showing against No. 21 Missouri and it's "national championship" caliber offense and playmakers. The Wildcats dominated the first quarter and a half of play: picking on Mizzou's miserable secondary and keeping them honest up front. Pat Fitzgerald coached the purple to within a drive of searing the win and the Big 12's reputation. (See also Michigan State's solid showing against a simply more talented Georgia team).

The Bad: Wisconsin's slowpoke strategy versus Florida State. Wisky demanded respect for two quarters before burying itself in a mountain of turnovers and reminding us why they lost four straight in conference. The especially bad: Coach Bret Bielema's sneeringly ill-fated response to halftime reporters: "They don't want anything to do with (the running game). We're going to keep giving it to them." He might have been more honest if he was talking about the ball. (See also Minnesota's second half collapse against Kansas).

The Bad (Take 2): No. 8 Penn State's backwards blundering against the NFC West (ahem, Pac 10) Champion USC Trojans. Sure, they played four whole quarters, and didn't quit when it looked like they might be turned into pillars of salt by the stratospheric talent differential, but I'm not here to sugar coat things. The Nittany Lions were the epitome of uncool: from Daryl Clark's soft in the belly shyness after a successful quarterback draw led to Penn State's only first half points, to Joe Pa's falling asleep at the wheel strategy late in the game (i.e. opting for a field goal down 14-38 with 7:22 left to play). The apparent justification? He wanted to give Kevin Kelly the chance to kick a field goal in a Rose Bowl Game. Aww, shucks, that's nice.

No wonder the Lions were wearing white: it's universal for "we surrender."

On the Other Hand: Can you blame them? Let's face it: when they come to play USC competes on another level. With nine out of eleven defensive starters primed to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft we're not exactly comparing apples to apples. In my opinion, praise for this victory belongs to Pete Carroll and what he's done over the past seven seasons. USC has continuously and systematically obliterated and exposed apparent "equals," drawing from a common pool of talent. It's no secret that the Trojans were one game away from playing for and winning it all and if your head still hurts when you try to figure out how they lost to friggin' Oregon State remember this axiom I first wrote in September:

Columbus can't slay the dragon, Los Angeles can't swat the fly.

What's really happened here is that the Big 10 has been unevenly yoked from top to bottom in this bowl season and Ohio State and its maniacal fan base (myself included) is to blame.

I'm convinced that the conference is a more competitive entity across the board and (with the exception of Wisconsin) can escape the post-season David and Goliath gauntlet with its head up, having gained the invaluable experience of trial by fire.

Oh yeah, and we've still got the Buckeyes.

Is anyone holding their breath?

OPC Bowl Edition Scoreboard - 1/1

2009-01-02T05:36:55Z

Happy New Year (Iowa). Almost Counts for Something (Michigan State). Hate to say I told you so (Penn State).

1. FSUncensored	63
2. Law Buckeye	60
2. Estrada (+1)	60
3. Bama Hawkeye (+3)	56
4. Cubs2k8isnxyearPicks (+4)	49
5. Lady Bama Hawkeye (-1)	48
6. PaternosGrandaughter (+1)	47
7. Lakeeriemonster (-2)	43
7. Blackops (+2)	43
8. BaconNinja (-3)	38
9. Grahamfiller10 (+1)	35
10. Studbucket (+1)	33

(+/- Denotes change in rank from previous standings.)

OPC Bowl Edition Scoreboard - 12/31

2009-01-01T04:53:20Z

The good guys improve to 0-3.

1. FSUncensored	46
2. Law Buckeye (+1)	43
3. Estrada (-1)	41
4. Lady Bama Hawkeye (-1)	39
5. BaconNinja (-2)	35
5. Lakeeriemonster	35
6. Bama Hawkeye (-2)	34
7. PaternosGrandaughter (-1)	32
8. Cubs2k8isnxyearPicks (-1)	28
9. Blackops (-5)	28
10. Grahamfiller10 (-4)	27
11. Studbucket (-3)	23

(+/- Denotes change in rank from previous standings.)

Crystal Ball Call: HOUSTON by 6 (Cubs2k8isnxyearPicks). This perfect spread couldn't have come at a more perfect time. UH 34, Air Force 28.

Honorable mention: VANDY by... 7 (Law Buckeye, FSUncensored), 14 (Estrada), 9 (PaternosGrandaughter), 3 (Lakeeriemonster). Kudos to the Commodores for netting their first bowl win in 53 years. Don't forget this was an upset pick. Vanderbilt 16, BC 14.

Hindsight is 20-20: GEORGIA TECH by 10 (Cubs2k8isnxyearPicks). You win some, you lose some. Unfortunately for the triple option, it was Clemson/Alabama all over again in the home dome. LSU 38, GT 3.

The Rivalry's Big 10 Bowl Previews: Capitol One Bowl

2008-12-31T15:27:40Z

A perfect tagline for this matchup would harken back to Charles Dickens and his epic book, "A Tale of Two Cities." For as East Lansing citizens pile onto jets to excitedly follow Sparty and Mark Dantonio to their first New Years Day bowl in 10 years, the Bulldogs will disappointingly stroll over to Tampa, burdened with unmet expectations and negative comments from all sides of the Georgia Blogosphere...

Capitol One Bowl Preview: Michigan State v Georgia

Christmas Theme Song: "Come All Ye Faithful"

And all those faithful fans and boosters from MSU will come to Tampa, joyful and triumphant. You may not know why a 9-3 season, complete with losses against the three best teams on the Spartans schedule, would be cause for such positive thinking. But you obviously have not spent much time following Spartan football then. As I chronicled earlier this year, the Spartans have suffered through bad coaching, coked up star players, and continous beatings from their Ann Arbor brethren. This season showed so many building blocks, so many good signs, you can almost hear the joyful footsteps on this happy morning. Let me bulletpoint these signs quickly:

Better endgame coaching: The Spartans avoided mistakes and late errors to beat Iowa and Wisconsin with clutch defensive and special teams plays. This tactical improvement is almost enough to wipe out the memory of those John L. Smith 4th quarter breakdowns.
Ability to adapt: Teams stacking the line to stop sparkplug Javon Ringer? Introducing soph WR Blair White, whose Gossip Girl-esque name doesn't obscure the brilliant way he was used to defeat Michigan and Wisconsin.
Recruiting: Not only does MSU have the #14 recruiting class in America, but Dantonio has mined the somewhat lush football fields of Michigan to pull verbal committments from players who would normally trek to Ann Arbor or out of state.

But let's not get too wrapped up in our Spartan praise. They still have to beat the #1 preseason team in America, a Bulldog team featuring players that can quickly take the joy out of this Capitol One Bowl for those traveling Spartan fans. Matthew Stafford, frosh All American wide receiver A.J. Green, Knowshon Moreno, and a stellar defense led by LB Rennie Curran are heavily favored to slam the Spartans back down to reality. And let's face it, Georgia lost to three of the hottest teams in America (Georgia Tech, Florida, 'Bama). But when your #1, you get finicky and demanding, you expect the best, and that's why articles like this exist, and why quotes like this exist. "It was an OK season - disappointing at times," said Georgia junior cornerback Asher Allen."

How will Michigan State's "simple but effective" offense match up with the battle tested UGA D? Probably not well, if history and analysts have anything to say. Wisconsin brought their conservative, somewhat one dimensional offense into the Champs Sports Bowl and got hammered by a more athletic team that was in better shape. And the well documented struggles of Michigan State's running game against solid defenses comes through loud and clear:

Against the five Big Ten teams on MSU's schedule that are playing in bowl games, Ringer carried the ball more than 25 times against only one (Northwestern) and didn't average more than 4.2 yards/carry in any of the five games. Opposing defenses know that MSU's preference is to run the ball three out of every four times on first down and adjust their gameplans accordingly. Georgia will be no exception. (Spartan Weblog)

These are two storied programs, one that is peaking and one that peaked (apparently) during the offseason. Everyone loves the Mascots and both coaches look to be around for awhile. Although the East Lansing supporters may echo the lyrics from our aforementioned hymn and begin adoring Coach Dantonio, a strong performance against this SEC power would certainly do wonders for the Spartan program.

Alamo Bowl in Review: Great Journalism, Great Football Game

2008-12-30T14:19:16Z

These two schools haggled over who has better journalistic presence in America and then took that fierce literary argument to the field, combining to play the best bowl of the young postseason. The Alamo was full of long touchdowns, late game drama, and way too many shots of Chase Daniel's family (note to ESPN: Isn't that nice, Chase Daniel has a family. I understand. You could have shown this with 5 camera shots, not 159. If there was a pregame puff piece too than woah, overdone).

Good Northwestern Defensive Coaching!

I am sure that someone on the Mizz or NW sidelines can explain this a little better than I can, but strategically, each sideline made adjustments before and during the game that altered the course of the game. Northwestern came out in a tightly packed defense which showed no respect for Chase Daniel's ability to complete long passes. Each time a Mizz receiver would catch a 5-7 yard pass, he would be hit quickly by numerous defenders, limiting the YAC and testing the patience of Daniel. The 2007 Big 12 Player of the Year rewarded good Northwestern defensive plans by throwing a couple of game changing picks in the 2nd half.

But there is always a counterpunch to good defense and Mizz had the skill and variety of offensive weapons to carry it out. Seeing that NW was controlling the middle of the field, the Tiger offensive coaches decided to hammer the outer portion of the field with quick screens and a steady stream of reverses. Jeremy Maclin, he of 10.2 hundred meter speed, changed the game with his 8 and 9 yard runs, and also allowed the Tigers to take the ball out of the inaccurate Daniel's hands.

Good Northwestern Offensive Coaching!

It helps your ball control offense when CJ Bacher throws for 304 yards and completes almost every single 6 yard slant perfectly. It also helps when your future NFL scatback returns from a horrific hand/wrist wound that doctors compared to a car crash injury. But what really helps is that you understand how to tailor your system to the opposition successfully. Pat Fitzgerald understood that Mizz had one of the worst pass defenses in America and exploited it early with underneath throws early and deep passes late. I decided not to call out the Missouri secondary players specfically, but I get the feeling that giving up three long touchdown passes to a quick pass offense pretty much says it all.

Of course Mizz counterpunched again (note: The Tigers were the overwhelming favorite here, but played from behind the whole game, constantly changing their strategy to faciliate a comeback. That says a lot of good things about Pat Fitzgerald and the spirit of this Wildcat bunch). The Mizz defensive ends split a little wider and beat the young offensive linemen constantly in the 2nd half, smacking Bacher and forcing an overtime fumble that essentially ended the game. The linebackers began crashing the middle and stuffed the NW run game in the 2nd half.

Stars

Chase Coffman: Best hands in CFB? Maybe. Caught everything Monday.

Corey Wootton: Pulled up late with injury and did it while being steps from sacking Daniel. Dominated the game with an interception, sack, and constant presence in the backfield.

Bacher: Outplayed Daniel, even while the announcers were praising the Mizz QB for being 2nd only to Jesus. Beat Daniel in the "who can throw the prettier six yard slant/out route" competition.

Sean Weatherspoon: Went nuts against NW with 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 13 tackles. Did everything except propose to a cheerleader.

Northwestern Receivers: Save one drop by Brewer, this no name group was unbelievable. Tough endzone grabs, low thrown slant routes...everything ended up in their hands.

OPC Bowl Edition Scoreboard - 12/30

2008-12-30T05:47:33Z

Is the Big 12 an illusion; a league of miniature, one-dimensional facades more suited for Hollywood backlots than cross-conference challenges? Or, will it continue to stand up to the rest of the nation?

Northwestern's noble defeat raises more questions than it gives answers. Fortunately, there's always the scoreboard.

1. FSUncensored	30
2. Estrada (+3)	29
3. Law Buckeye (-1)	28
3. Lady Bama Hawkeye	28
3. BaconNinja (+1)	28
4. Bama Hawkeye (+2)	21
4. Blackops (+3)	21
5. Lakeeriemonster (+3)	20
6. PaternosGrandaughter (+4)	18
6. Grahamfiller10 (+5)	18
7. Cubs2k8isnxtyearPicks (+2)	15
8. Studbucket (+4)	12

(+/- Denotes change in rank from previous standings. Note: I've adjusted the ordering to account for ties. This explains the apparent race to the top.)

Crystal Ball Call: LOUISIANA TECH by 7 (Estrada). Pitch perfect foresight catapulted this contender into the top two of the standings. Nevermind no one watched the game. LATECH 17, NIU 10.

Hindsight is 20-20: NORTHWESTERN by 7 (FSUncensored). Actually, this was a great pick. But in this sport a missed block is the difference between genius and guess. I'll bet FSU is losing sleep from the incipient thundering of hooves.

The Rivalry's Big 10 Bowl Previews: Outback Bowl

2008-12-30T02:20:00Z

This years Outback Bowl is a popular one in the Midwest due to the overdog status enjoyed by the mouth-smashing Iowa Hawkeyes and the Big 10's Offensive Player of the Year, RB Shonn Greene. This former furniture mover has used his shifty 230 lb frame and an earth-moving O Line to become the #1 running back in the nation. Greene may be the best player in the bowl, but he isn't the only key to a successful Iowa gameplan. Enjoy The Rivalry's look at these other key elements of the 2008 Outback Bowl.

Outback Bowl Preview: Iowa v South Carolina

Christmas Theme Song: "We Three Kings of Orient Are"

This classic hymn implores an actual and metaphorical star to guide the weary travelers to their destination. Iowa would do just fine by calling on their own stars to defeat the underwhelming South Carolina Gamecocks. Kirk Ferentz's defense is led by its emotional and physical leader, Mitch King, a senior DT who dominated Penn State and was voted Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year by the coaches. Having a leader like King can probably explain why Iowa boasts the 8th best scoring defense in America and the 13th best rushing defense.

Some Paint for Iowa and the Wisemen.

While the Three Kings offered valuable gifts when they visited Bethlehem, it seems to many Big 10 fans that South Carolina comes to the Outback offering nothing but some wasted potential and a famous coach. Coach Spurriers best unit is his linebacking corps, led by NFL prospects Eric Norwood and Jasper Brinkley. These talented all-SEC performers will stack the box to force Iowa to throw the ball (just like everyone else did in the Big 10). On the offensive side of the ball, USC brings an inconsistent quarterback combination of Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia. The latter will start against Iowa and attempt to coax some big plays out of an offense that struggled against every top notch defense they faced (with the exception of a 30 point "explosion" against Miss). Smelley and Garcia have combined to lead the SEC in interceptions (24), including 4 in the lopsided regular season loss to Clemson.

Want to talk about people who followed through under pressure and lived to their full potential? How about those three kings memorized in the carol? They busted their butts to get to Bethlehem and then refused to sell out Jesus's location to Herod. The "panache under pressure" shown by the wisemen has been lacking for Spurrier's Gamecocks, losers of four out of five games against FBS opponents with winning records. While Spurrier was known as a big game coach at Florida, boasting 1 national title and victories over Tennessee and superpower Florida State, his USC teams have been unable to secure a high profile, program altering win during his four year tenure.

It seems the stars of the Midwest should shine in the Outback Bowl, but one question remains: Is a powerful and above average Big 10 team better than a non, descript mediocre SEC team?

Ohio's Coaching Supremacy

2008-12-29T21:07:43Z

Ohio's Coaching Supremacy

As The Wall Street Journal observes, "[l]ess than 4% of the country's population lives in Ohio, but 15% of college football's major-conference head coaches were born there -- the most for any state. And this volume is more than matched by quality: 14 of the last 18 teams that have made it to the national title game have had head coaches with Ohio connections.

[A]t a time when the best football is generally played in the South...the rise of a new generation of Ohio coaches belies the popular perception that Midwestern football is slow, staid and increasingly obsolete."

The Journal argues that Ohio's "...passion for football is fed by a history of tough, lunchbucket labor in mining, manufacturing and steelmaking."

See for yourself.

The Rivalry's Big 10 Bowl Previews: Valero Alamo Bowl

2008-12-28T21:34:31Z

Most Americans know the Alamo for its blazin' place in Texas history as the bulwark of the revolution. Notably, it was a fall of the favorites.

Since 1963, the insurgent tradition has been transplanted from the San Antonio de Bexar mission to the 65,000 seat Alamodome stadium where a battle for liberty becomes a battle for bragging rights between the fourth choice entries in the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences.

Think December bowls lack prominence and tradition? Let me remind you of the 1996 Alamo Bowl where "the Iowa Hawkeyes wore plain black helmets (removing their tigerhawk logo and gold stripe) in honor of linebacker Mark Mitchell's mother, who died in a car accident while traveling to San Antonio for the game." Or the 2005 Alamo which "ended on one of the most controversial plays in bowl game history: a multi-lateral...in which almost the entire Nebraska team and coaching staff (as well as a few Michigan players, Michigan coaches and media) entered onto the field, and Nebraska gave their coach the Gatorade Dunk before the play was blown dead, bringing up memories of 1982's "The Play", 2000's "Music City Miracle", and 2002's "Bluegrass Miracle." (See here).

Precedence is clear: the Alamo is more often than not a rubber match for proud conferences with storied consistency.

Valero Alamo Bowl Preview: No. 21 Missouri v. No. 23 Northwestern

Christmas Theme Song: "Little Drummer Boy"

This year's game is an unlikely cat fight between the fiesty and ambitious Northwestern Wildcats, and the Missouri Tigers; a disappointing dynasty of calicos who alternate between clutch and chaos on a whim.

"Little baby/I am a poor boy too."

As ESPN's Adam Rittenberg describes "A season that began with national-championship dreams for Missouri and Heisman hopes for quarterback Chase Daniel ends in San Antonio." A demoralizing loss to Oklahoma State as well as a dominant disemboweling by Texas broke the Tiger's will early on, leaving a spotty, wildly inconsistent offense and lame defense to guide Mizzou through the nation's best conference.

On the other end of the spectrum there's Northwestern. Despite being a surprise in conference play, the Wildcats also enter the Alamodome at a loss as twelve and a half point underdogs.

"Shall I play for you?"

Star passing signatory Chase Daniel (4,135 yards) and aerial wideout Jeremy Maclin (2,646 all-purpose yards; first in the nation) will face a stoic Northwestern defense led by DE Corey Wootton (9 sacks, 15 tackles for losses). Look for the eighth-ranked passing defense in the Big 10 to try and knock the third-best passing offense in the Big 12 off-rhythm by getting pressure on Daniel early. If they can't, they'll face an insurmountable flurry of points.

"Pa rum pum pum pum."

Meanwhile, the Wildcat offense can eye the neutral zone with some confidence. They'll rub shoulders with the 100th ranked defense in the country; a loose confederacy of featherweights who struggle mightily against the pass (118th nationally). My advice to C.J. Bacher and Mike Kafka: throw the damn ball.

Champs Sports Review: Black Eye Blow Out

2008-12-28T19:04:52Z

It was hard to watch Florida State shred a Wisconsin team that was ranked #8 nationally in the preseason and had seemed to discover it's offensive rhythm of late. Just about everything that could go wrong went wrong for the Bagers. Penalties, back breaking turnovers, lack of defensive intensity, inability to finish drives with touchdowns...The Madison faithful who skipped this game were probably secretly patting themselves on the back.

Stop Giving the Ball to the Other Team

Blowouts usually include some version of Team A's mistakes directly leading to Team B's points. The Champs Sports Bowl followed this recipe for disaster, as Wisconsin turned the ball over three times, each TO having worse consequences than the next. FSU took a Dustin Sherer fumble 80 yards to the house, than PJ Hill coughed up a fumble to stall another promising Wisconsin drive...Finally, the tastefully named Dekota Watson picked up another Sherer fumble and ran 51 yards to paydirt. FSU did a good job of maintaining pressure on the passer when Wisconsin was forced to throw. The Seminole D obviously didn't respect the deep passing of Wisconsin, blitzing on any down, even typical "rush 3, sit back 8" downs.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

Then keep running the ball. FSU's offensive line was manhandled the entire first half, getting no push and allowing QB Christian Ponder to absorb some monster hits. After some halftime adjustments, such as widening the splits of the lineman, Florida State ran for 114 second half yards and 2 touchdowns. The Wisconsin strategy to not run blitz with linebackers became impotent and resulted in Seminole RB's not being touched until they hit the 2nd level of the defense.

Don't Switch Horses in Midstream

Bret Bielema didn't/couldn't change his teams MO (read: power running) for the Champs Sports Bowl. And while the Badgers did run for 201 yards against a solid ACC defense, it's extremely hard to score touchdowns without any offensive versatility. A typical Wisconsin drive from Saturday's rout would involve 3-4 effective running plays and then quickly get bogged down, only to end in a TO, FG, or punt.

What Does it All Mean?

Florida State will be solid/spectacular next year, returning Christian Ponder and most of the offensive and defensive starters to compete with Georgia Tech for ACC supremacy. Bret Bielema will survive to coach next year, albeit with a low rated recruiting class and a complimentary hot seat from the Madison admin. For the Big 10, this was a black eye. The 3rd best Big 10 football program from the past 10 years looked slow and predictable. Hopefully following bowls will show a different side of the Big 10, but the Champs Sports Bowl didn't ease any Midwestern minds.

OPC Bowl Edition Scoreboard - 12/28

2008-12-28T07:16:12Z

There's no getting around it. Today was a rough day for the conference.

1. FSUncensored	27
2. Law Buckeye	22
3. Lady Bama Hawkeye	22
4. BaconNinja (+3)	19
5. Estrada (+1)	18
6. Bama Hawkeye (-2)	16
7. Blackops (-2)	15
8. Lakeeriemonster	14
9. Cubs2k8isnxtyearPicks (+1)	13
10. PaternosGrandaughter (-1)	12
11. Grahamfiller10	11
12. Studbucket	5

(+/- Denotes change in rank from previous standings)

Crystal Ball Call: FAU by 3 (Lady Bama Hawkeye). She was the only one to pick the Owls, and she played it flawlessly. FAU 24, CMU 21.

Hindsight is 20-20: WISCONSIN by 10 (Grahamfiller10). I suppose this one is self-explanatory, even if Florida State's kicker is a faker.

Live Blog and Update of Wisconsin v Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl

2008-12-27T22:00:06Z

I'll keep statistical and scoring updates going, leave comments if you would like...

C'mon Wisky!