SB Nation User Blog: Bama Hawkeye

Helping Michigan Schedule

Bama Hawkeye — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:23:12 -0000

We at The Rivalry, Esq. have always held ourselves out to help any of the Big Ten teams in pursuing their optimal football performance. Yesterday, I posted a quick note referencing a story that Michigan and Georgia were in talks about opening the 2010 season at the newly renovated Big House. Within hours, multiple sources threw cold water on this hot idea. MGoBlog summed up the reasons why a Bulldog visit was unlikely. So, maybe that won't happen.

Remind the Blue that there is no preseason in college football.

But, Michigan will need to open the season against someone. And since the Wolverines have has a difficult time scheduling home openers recently, I put together a list of available BCS conference teams. Details below the jump...

Here are the rules that I followed in coming up with this list of teams:

Only BCS conference teams. Michigan apparently thinks it will have a better chance against the bigger names. It also makes it more fun to dream.
No opponent will be forced to have a sixth road game.
No rescheduling legitimate season openers If you're playing Western State Tech, we'll move it. Not if you're opening against Clemson.
No opponent will be forced to play three BCS teams in their non-con.
Michigan will play a return game at the opponent in 2011.

That's not to say that Michigan may not get a school to break all of these rules. These were my parameters to start. Using the awesome listing of future schedules that NationalChamps.net keeps, I found these seven potential dance partners:

Arkansas
The only scheduled game for the Hogs is their new annual match-up with Texas A&M in Dallas. Considering that the profits of that game are split, Arkansas can take the money hit of only six home dates. However, this may be more courageous than they'd like to schedule.
California
Cal would have to move a game against Louisiana Tech, but this is possible. Cal has also shown a willingness to travel to the Midwest (scheduling games at Minnesota, Michigan State, Illinois, Nebraska, and Oklahoma and a game against Kansas State in Kansas City in the past 15 years. The Golden Bears will also head to Columbus next decade.)
Mississippi State
These Bulldogs would need to move a game at Houston to not violate rule 2. Otherwise, the date is free and the team has a open slot in their non-con. Much will depend on how new head coach Dan Mullen wants to schedule. If he a Kansas State or a Washington?
Oklahoma State
There are home games scheduled with Troy and Tulsa. The date is free, and Okie State is wrapping up a home and home with Georgia this year, so the courage is there.
Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights would need to postpone one of their three home layup games (Norfolk State, Tulane, and Army). This might help answer the question if it's all teams in scarlet that can dominate Michigan, or only ones from Ohio.
Texas A&M

The Aggies would need to postpone one of their three home layup games (Florida International, LA Tech, and Stephen F. Austin). The Arkansas date in Dallas is the only other game on the schedule
Washington State
C'mon, could we get Ryan Leaf out of the slammer for the coin toss? The Cougars would need to move a date at SMU on 9/18 to not violate Rule 2. The opener is free as is the non-con slot in their schedule.

The ball is in your hands, Blue. Make your fans happy. Do the Big Ten proud and get a real team in the Bigger House. Then win the opener. For a change...

Michigan vs. Georgia? Yes, please!

Bama Hawkeye — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:28:14 -0000

Michigan vs. Georgia? Yes, please!

Make this happen. And then make ten other match-ups between the conferences happen too...

Football Outside of the Big Ten - The Independents

Bama Hawkeye — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:43:24 -0000

From time to time, it's important to look outside the Big Ten and remind ourselves that there is football being played by other teams in other conferences non-affiliated FBS stadiums. The Rivalry, Esq. continues its look at those other conferences institutions with a glance at the Independents. This year, that means focusing on the three last vestiges of rugged American individualism. Seems appropriate that two of them are service academies..

The Rivalry, Esq. has already looked at these conferences:

Sun Belt

MAC

1) 2008 Recap

a. Who Won the League

No league for these three teams to win, so you can pick your winner one of three ways:

1) Notre Dame beat Navy who beat Army. Notre Dame wins!

2) Navy finished 8-4; Notre Dame finished 6-6; Army finished 3-9. Navy wins!

3) Army wore camo uniforms. Army wins!

b. Games of Note

It starts and ends with the Army/Navy game doesn't it? Navy won 34-0, and the difference between the two teams seemed at least as large as that final score. That makes the tally favor Navy 72-3 over the past two years and the all-time series favor Navy 53-49-7 -- Navy's largest ever lead in victories.

Navy had a strong September win against Wake Forest in Winston-Salem (more on that later), and also beat the Air Force again to keep the Commander's Cup in Maryland.

Notre Dame beat one of its main rivals, topping Michigan 35-17, but lost to USC, Michigan State, and Boston College. The up and down season reached its lowest point as a lame-duck Syracuse squad beat the Irish 24-23 on Senior Day in South Bend. Did I mention that Greg Robinson was coaching Syracuse? Not good...

c. Bowl Teams

Navy agreed to play in the Eagle Bank Bowl in Washington, DC before the season. They were to be paired with the 7th Choice of the ACC. You can imagine their joy when they were assigned Wake Forest as an opponent. There is nothing worse than a repeat of a regular season game in a bowl game. This should be avoided at all costs. Navy dropped the rematch 29-19.

Notre Dame traveled to Aloha Stadium to face Hawai'i in the Hawai'i Bowl. Just to show how times have changed, in 1996, 8-3 Notre Dame turned down bowl invitations, because their season ending loss to USC kept them from earning a prestigious enough bowl bid. In 2008, Notre Dame over-powered the weaker Warriors, OR Notre Dame showed that it was coming together and a team to watch in 2009. Opinions differ.

I'm not allowed to show pictures of Mr. Clausen's hair on this site.

d. Games Against the Big Ten

Date	Independent Team	Score	Big Ten Team	Score	Location
September 13, 2008	Notre Dame	35	Michigan	17	South Bend, IN
September 20, 2008	Notre Dame	7	Michigan State	23	East Lansing, MI
September 27. 2009	Notre Dame	38	Purdue	21	South Bend, IN

Notre Dame faced its three traditional Big Ten Rivals. The better team was at home in each game. There were no upsets. Ho-hum...

2) 2009 Preview

a. Games of Note

Date	Independent Team	Opponent	Location
September 12, 2009	Army	Duke	West Point, NY
September 19, 2009	Navy	Pitt	Pittsburgh, PA
September 26, 2009	Army	Iowa State	Ames, IA
October 17, 2009	Notre Dame	Southern Cal	South Bend, IN
October 24, 2009	Notre Dame	Boston College	South Bend, IN
November 14, 2009	Notre Dame	Pitt	Pittsburgh, PA

Again, it all starts with the Army/Navy game on December 12, 2009. After that, the games reflect the status of the schools.

USC may be the only game in which Notre Dame is an underdog (maybe MSU too?). The Notre Dame schedule sounds great. It is full of traditional football powers and former champions. But if you start looking at it, the Irish are playing a lot of schools who will end up with 7 wins or less. It's a great opportunity for a big year.

Army has a schedule that would ensure six wins for most teams. It could happen for them, but not if they can't beat either Duke or Iowa State.

Navy's schedule isn't that taxing outside of the games against the Irish and Buckeyes. A win at a rebuilding Pitt could set up a strong season.

b. Games Against the Big Ten

Date	Independent Team	Big Ten Team	Location
September 5, 2009	Navy	Ohio State	Columbus, OH
September 12, 2009	Notre Dame	Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI
September 19, 2009	Notre Dame	Michigan State	South Bend, IN
September 26, 2009	Notre Dame	Purdue	West Lafayette, IN

Notre Dame plays the usual suspects. Navy opens the season at Ohio State. It will be interesting to watch an inexperienced defense face the option. Will Ohio State have the discipline to stop the rushing attack? Yes, and the game won't be close.

c. Bowl Affiliations

Army has agreed to play in the Eagle Bank Bowl in DC. Now they just have to get that pesky sixth win.

Navy has agreed to play in the Texas Bowl in Houston. The last time they bowled in Houston, this happened. Not cool.

Notre Dame has their sights set on returning to the BCS. If a BCS bid doesn't come through, a 7 win or better Notre Dame team will go to the Gator Bowl and face the second non-BCS selection from the ACC.

3) 2009 Projections

a. Who Will Win the League?

Again, no real winner here, but I'll venture this guess: Notre Dame beats Navy, who beats Army. But this year, Notre Dame has the best record of the three schools.

b. Any wins against the Big Ten?

Absolutely one (Purdue). Should be two (Michigan). If it's a BCS season for Notre Dame, there will be three (Michigan State). There won't be four.

He'll sink your battleship.

c. Who Goes Bowling?

Navy will get their six wins and go to Texas. I think that Notre Dame will have a huge year. Anything less than a Gator Bowl and 9-3 is a disappointment. I see more, though. I think the Irish will be an at large BCS selection at 10-2.

d. Any MNC Hopes?

Absolutely. Notre Dame has a one game window. Beat USC and an undefeated or one-loss Notre Dame will be in the discussion. An 11-1 Notre Dame team, with a loss to USC, probably doesn't have the schedule to make it.

e. The Rivalry Notes

Normally, this is a question posed to one of the site's founders that relates the conference at hand with the Big Ten. We're focusing more on the acadamies this holiday week. Graham Filler does the honor.

Do you actually watch the Army/Navy game, and if so, do you root for either squad?

I actually do watch the Army/Navy game, but not the whole damn thing. That would be unnecessary. I will watch about 2 quarters of it, because I love watching throwback rushing offenses. Its also good to see all those cadets in uniform going ape-shit and doing push ups. This game is all about passion and it's fun to watch -- I remember when I visited West Point and they had "Beat Navy" painted in huge block letters in the grass; that's just an impressive spectacle.

Yearly, I root for Army, for the same reason that someone roots for Western Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Army has been getting slaughtered by Navy for the past seven years and inequality in a rivalry isn't fun for anyone, so I'd like to see the sprightly underdog win one.

Football Outside of the Big Ten - The MAC

Bama Hawkeye — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:29:33 -0000

I'm still not used to the new logo.

From time to time, it's important to look outside the Big Ten and remind ourselves that there is football being played by other teams in other conferences. The Rivalry, Esq. continues its look at those other conferences with a glance at the Big Ten's little brother: the Mid-American Conference. Little brother seems to manage at least one upset over the Big Ten each year (and FOUR last year). Whose number will be up in 2009?

1) 2008 Recap

a. Who Won the League?

The Buffalo Bulls won the Eastern Division with a 5-3 record. The Ball State Cardinals won the Western Division, going an unblemished 12-0 (8-0). The Bulls ended Ball State's unbeaten season with a 42-24 victory in the MAC Championship game.

b. Games of Note

Obviously, Buffalo ending Ball State's unbeaten season was huge. It also put the capstone on the incredible building job that Turner Gill performed (can't call it re-building if it was never built to begin with, can you?). Buffalo was one of the three worst teams of the first half of the decade. To win the league and go bowling was an accomplishment of monumental proportions.

Ball State also played in a great Wednesday night game to conclude their season. The Cardinals managed a 31-24 victory over CMU in the snow. That game clinched the Cardinals division title.

The best of the bad weather games didn't involve snow, but rain. On September 6, 2008, UConn visited Philadelphia to face off against Temple. A driving rain started about 10 minutes before kickoff and continued for the next four hours. The game was ugly. The game was beautiful. It's all in the eyes of the beholder. The Huskies won 12-9 in overtime.

c. Games against the Big Ten

Date	MAC Team	Score	Big Ten Team	Score	Location
August 30, 2008	Northern Illinois	27	Minnesota	31	Minneapolis, MN
August 30, 2008	Akron	17	Wisconsin	38	Madison, WI
September 6, 2008	Miami (OH)	6	Michigan	16	Ann Arbor, MI
September 6, 2008	Ohio	14	Ohio State	26	Columbus, OH
September 6, 2008	Eastern MIchigan	10	Michigan State	42	East Lansing, MI
September 6, 2008	Bowling Green	17	Minnesota	42	Bowling Green, OH
September 20, 2008	Temple	3	Penn State	45	State College, PA
September 20, 2008	Ohio	8	Northwestern	16	Evanston, IL
September 20, 2008	Central Michigan	25	Purdue	32	West Lafayette, IN
September 20, 2008	Ball State	42	Indiana	20	Bloomington, IN
October 11, 2008	Toledo	13	Michigan	10	Ann Arbor, MI
November 1, 2008	Central Michigan	37	Indiana	34	Bloomington, IN
November 8, 2008	Western MIchigan	23	Illinois	17	Detroit, MI

This was a relatively down year for the MAC as September ended. In ten games, the conference had managed only one victory against the Big Ten - and that was against the team that was obviously the worst in the league. And then, the Toledo Rockets did something that no MAC team had ever - EVER - done before. They knocked off Michigan. The two wins over Indiana were nice. And Western MIchigan's victory at Ford Field over the Illini was a nice win (one that would end up sending Northern Illinois to a bowl game instead of Illinois), but Michigan. MICHIGAN. Yes, MICHIGAN! That was the game that made for a memorable MAC season.

We can confirm that these are the ugliest blue and gold uniforms to ever win at the Big House.

d. Bowl Games

The good news was that the MAC sent five teams to bowl games. The good news ends there. In order...

Central Michigan lost in the Motor City Bowl to Florida Atlantic. Northern Illinois lost in the Independence Bowl to Louisiana Tech. Western Michigan lost in the Texas Bowl to Rice. Buffalo lost in the International Bowl to UConn. Ball State lost in the GMAC Bowl to Tulsa. The worst part for the league was that the two teams in the MAC Championship Game managed to lose their Bowls by a combined count of 83-33.

At least you got to see Shreveport, men.

2) 2009 Preview

a. Games of Note

Obviously, many of the games of note for the MAC will be against the Big Ten. Those games are listed below. Here are a half dozen games that the MAC teams could win and get some nice things said about the league. If it's a good year for the league, they beat Troy and two other teams. An average year would mean Troy and one BCS team. A bad year would be crapping out on all six contests.

Date	MAC Team	Opponent	Location
September 3, 2009	Bowling Green	Troy	Bowling Green, OH
September 5, 2009	Miami (OH)	Kentucky	Cincinnati, OH
September 11, 2009	Toledo	Colorado	Toledo, OH
September 12, 2009	Buffalo	Pittsburgh	Buffalo, NY
September 19, 2009	Kent State	Iowa State	Kent, OH
September 26, 2009	Bowling Green	Boise State	Bowling Green, OH

The Miami (OH)/Kentucky matchup is fascinating. If it was a basketball game, the 'Cats would travel enough people to sell out the football stadium. Because it's a football game, Kentucky might travel enough folks to sell out the basketball arena.

b. Games Against the Big Ten

Date	MAC Team	Big Ten Team	Location
September 5, 2009	Akron	Penn State	State College, PA
September 5, 2009	Northern Illinois	Wisconsin	Madison, WI
September 5, 2009	Toledo	Purdue	West Lafayette, IN
September 5, 2009	Western Michigan	Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI
September 12, 2009	Central Michigan	Michigan State	East Lansing, MI
September 12, 2009	Eastern Michigan	Northwestern	Evanston, IL
September 12, 2009	Western Michigan	Indiana	Bloomington, IN
September 19, 2009	Akron	Indiana	Akron, OH
September 19, 2009	Temple	Penn State	State College, PA
September 19, 2009	Toledo	Ohio State	Cleveland, OH
September 19, 2009	Eastern Michigan	Michigan	Ann Arbor, MI
September 19, 2009	Northern Illinois	Purdue	West Lafayette, IN
October 10, 2009	Miami (OH)	Northwestern	Evanston, IL
November 7, 2009	Western MIchigan	Michigan State	East Lansing, MI

Only one true home game for the MAC, but it does make Akron's game against Indiana a distinct possibility for a victory. While it may be 25 miles closer to Cleveland, I somehow feel Toledo will be outnumbered in the stands at the Browns' Field.

c. Bowl Affiliations

While the MAC keeps the same three bowl affiliations for 2009, there is one change. The GMAC Bowl will no longer pit a MAC team against a member of Conference USA. Instead, it will be a showdown against the 9th ACC Selection. This is a win for both conferences. The MAC gets a shot at a bigger scalp, and an ACC team travels to Mobile instead of Boise.

3) 2009 Projections

a. Who will win the League?

For the second straight year, the balance of power in the league will tip west. I don't see Ball State repeating as division champion - I think that the losses of Coach Brady Hoke and QB Nate Davis will prevent that from happening. I see the Western Division decided by the October 17 matchup, Central Michigan @ Western Michigan. It says here that the Chippewas walk out of Kalamazoo with a win. The CMU offense should be strong, with Dan LeFevour, the wide receiver corps, and three of the linemen returning. If the defense can match last year's level, the team looks ready to go.

Out east, Buffalo returns enough from their championship squad (including shockingly, Coach Turner Gill) to be declared the pre-season favorite. Frankly, I don't see the Bulls repeating. I declare the East wide open, and think that a 6-2 or 5-3 team will win the division. I like Kent State as a potential sleeper, but I'm picking Temple. Seriously, did I just write that? Sure, why not? Al Golden has the team pointed in the right direction, and if Buffalo can win the crown, why not the Owls?

In the end, though, the west will best the East.

b. Any Wins Against the Big Ten?

Probably. The MAC has won games against the Big Ten in 10 of the last 15 seasons. They've beaten bad Big Ten teams (like last year's multiple wins over Indiana); they've beaten mediocre Big Ten Teams (like Western Michigan's win over the 2007 Hawkeyes that kept Iowa from bowling); they've beaten good Big Ten teams (like Miami being the only team to beat the 1995 Northwestern Wildcats during the regular season).

If you're looking to pick games for this year, I'd look to Indiana again. I bet they drop one of their two MAC matchups.

c. Who Goes Bowling?

The MAC has slid extra teams into bowl games over the past couple of seasons, and I'm guessing that they do it again. I'll guess that Central Michigan stays in Detroit to play a Big Ten team. I can see Temple going to the International Bowl. I'll take Western Michigan traveling to Mobile for the GMAC. And let's guess that Kent State slips into some bowl that can't fill it's assigned slot.

d. Any MNC Hopes?

No. If someone can run the table, they'll have a shot at a BCS Bowl, but even that will take a perfect storm.

e. The Rivalry Notes

This will be a question posed to one of the site's founders that relates the conference at hand with the Big Ten. This week, Graham Filler does the honor.

Michigan lost to a MAC school for the first time ever last year. It sucks, doesn't it? If you could go back in time and give the 2008 Wolverines one extra win, would you prefer it be against Notre Dame or Toledo (I'm not asking Ohio State - that's too easy)?

Notre Dame. No question. 3 main reasons: A win over Notre Dame (considering we beat Wisconsin), makes us 3-1 at the start of the year and would have given some hope, no matter how fleeting that hope was. Our 2008 record wasn't going to be great anyways, we might as well have saved some face by beating hated Notre Dame and Jimmy Clausen's hair. The worst part of 2008 is this: We lost our 4 most important games: ND, MSU, OSU, PSU all by double digits. Not only are those L's, those are "turn the game off in the 3rd quarter" losses...sigh.

So losing the ability to say "Michigan has never lost to a MAC school" didn't mean anything?

You know that patented Michigan arrogance? Arrogance doesn't usually pay attention to what the scrubs are doing. Losing to Toledo simply reinforced the fact that 2008 didn't really "count"...I'm sure the snobbiest of the snobby UM fans loved hating on MAC people for "trying hard" but never succeeding...but the rest of us kind of accepted that 2008 was an aberration and would like to get back to competing against our rivals, something we didn't do in '08.

Big Ass Turkey Legs

Bama Hawkeye — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:12:07 -0000

Big Ass Turkey Legs

A tribute to the tailgating tradition checks in on the 80 reasons to love the Big Ten list.

Football Outside of the Big Ten - The Sun Belt

Bama Hawkeye — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:33:49 -0000

From time to time, it's important to look outside the Big Ten and remind ourselves that there is football being played by other teams in other conferences. The Rivalry, Esq. begins its look at those other conferences at the bottom: the Sun Belt. Frequent fodder for September victories, in 2008, the league actually made gains in their attempt to catch the MAC.

In 2009, Western Kentucky will move from the ranks of the Independents and join the league. The Hilltoppers won't be good, but they'll be in the league. This will give the league nine members and a more balanced schedule. Of course, we in the Big Ten have never cared much for balanced schedules...

1) 2008 Recap

a. Who Won the League?

The Troy Trojans, which I suppose is no more or less redundant than the Illinois Illini, won the Sun Belt with a 6-1 conference record.

b. Games of Note

As with the MAC, the Sun Belt's games of note are the times that they can catch one of the BCS teams sleepwalking through a gimmie non-con game. In the season opener, Arkansas State upset Texas A&M 18-14 in College Station. The following week, Middle Tennessee State beat Maryland 24-14 in Murfreesboro, TN. Why Maryland took the game at MTSU remains a mystery. In conference, on November 1, Louisiana-Monroe gave champion Troy their only defeat, a 31-30 Warhawk victory in Monroe. Four weeks later, a shootout in Dolphin Stadium saw Florida Atlantic defeat Florida International 57-50 in overtime. That's right. 50 points each at the end of regulation. Now that's fun.

However, the game of the year was the one that got away: November 15, 2009, Troy at LSU. It was a game that was scheduled for September, but postponed due to Hurricane Gustav. The Tigers were ranked #20, but were coming off of an overtime loss at home to Alabama. With two minutes left in the third quarter, Troy led LSU 31-3. Let me write that again in bold: With two minutes left in the third quarter, Troy led LSU 31-3. I remember being at Bryant-Denny Stadium and the stadium erupting when the score was announced. And then, Troy stopped playing. LSU scored a touchdown in the third, and then piled on the only thirty points of the fourth quarter for the 41-31 win. Of course, game stories indicate that many of the purple and gold clad fans missed it because they left while their team was down. This would be LSU's only win in their last four regular season games.

c. Games against the Big Ten

Date	Sun Belt Team	Score	Big Ten Team	Score	Location
August 30, 2008	Western Kentucky	13	Indiana	31	Bloomington, IN
September 6, 2008	Florida International	0	Iowa	42	Iowa City, IA
September 13, 2008	Florida Atlantic	13	Minnesota	14	Minneapolis, MN
September 13, 2008	Louisiana-Lafayette	17	Illinois	20	Champaign, IL
September 20, 2008	Florida Atlantic	0	Michigan State	17	East Lansing, MI
September 20, 2008	Troy	10	Ohio State	28	Columbus, OH

Minnesota escaped against a good Sun Belt team, Troy was over-matched, yet acquitted themselves well against Ohio State, but the game of note is the Illini-Ragin' Cajun matchup. Although Illinois came out on top, it should be noted that this was a mediocre team that they were playing. U.LA-La (I like to pronounce it "ooo la la" for fun) had come off a 51-21 loss to Southern Miss. This game, more than the loss to Mizzou two weeks before, should have tipped us off that the Illini would not be heading back to Pasadena.

d. Bowl Games

As champion, Troy traveled to the New Orleans Bowl, where they played in a sloppy, but fun, game against Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagles won 30-27 in OT after blocking Troy's field goal attempt. I'd be remiss if I didn't include a photo of the uniforms together.

Florida Atlantic, coached by handsomest man in college football, upset Central Michigan 24-21 in the Motor City Bowl. The Owls got the invite when the Illini couldn't beat Northwestern to get their sixth win and bowl eligibility.

2) 2009 Preview

a. Games of Note

The conference game of the year looks to be the clash between Arkansas State and Troy in Jonesboro, AR on September 26, 2009. The winner of that early contest should be in the driver's seat for the conference title. As for the non-conference schedule, there are the usual unwinable games against Florida, Texas, and Alabama. But here are nine games in which the Sun Belt has a chance to get a quality (it's all relative down here) non-conference victory. Beating teams from the non-BCS leagues may be more important than a shocking win over a BCS power. These are the games that establish the pecking order for the lower tier leagues. The Sun Belt has nowhere to go but up. Five wins in these nine games would build on last year's positive season.

Date	Sun Belt Team	Opponent	Location
September 3, 2009	Troy	Bowling Green	Bowling Green, OH
September 3, 2009	North Texas	Ball State	Muncie, IN
September 12, 2009	Middle Tennessee	Memphis	Murfreesboro, TN
September 12, 2009	Western Kentucky	South Florida	Bowling Green, KY
September 12, 2009	North Texas	Ohio	Denton, TX
September 12, 2009	Louisiana-Lafayette	Kansas State	Lafayette, LA
September 26, 2009	Florida International	Toledo	Miami, FL
October 3, 2009	Florida Atlantic	Wyoming	Boca Raton, FL
October 31, 2009	Arkansas State	Louisville	Louisville, KY

b. Games Against the Big Ten

The Big Ten has been slow to choose Sun Belt teams to fill out team schedules. Having the MAC in your backyard will do that. In fact, the 2009 brings back more MAC and less Sun - just one game on the docket.

Date	Sun Belt Team	Big Ten Team	Location
October 3, 2009	Arkansas State	Iowa	Iowa City, IA

c. Bowl Affiliations

The league champion goes to the New Orleans Bowl to face a team from Conference USA. The only other way another team gets selected is if there are too few 7-win teams to claim spots. That has earned the Sun Belt multiple bids in the past few years.

3) 2009 Projections

a. Who will win the League?

Arkansas State is experienced and talented. QB Corey Leonard will be a fourth year starter, and ASU may well have the best two backs in the Sun Belt, with Reggie Arnold and Derek Lawson. Both lines will be strong. Troy will take a step back; Florida Atlantic and Middle Tennessee State aren't quite as good. I'm thinking that this is the year that the Red Wolves (Indians is so 2006) head to New Orleans.

b. Any Wins Against the Big Ten?

There better not be. Iowa should be too big and deep for Arkansas State. A team competing for a Big Ten title should be dominant over even the best the Sun Belt has to offer. That said, if Arkansas State was playing one of the lesser 2009 Big Ten Teams (I'm looking in your direction Hoosier State), they'd have a decent shot at the upset.

c. Who Goes Bowling?

Arkansas State will go as the league champion. After that, it will depend upon the mediocrity of the other conferences. Troy or Florida Atlantic could sneak a second bid to a lower tier bowl.

d. Any MNC Hopes?

No. Well, let's be fair. If Florida International runs the table, I think that they have to be on the short list of teams in consideration for the trip to Pasadena. Of course, that will require them winning at Florida, at Rutgers, and at Alabama...

The End of the Sun Belt's National Title Hopes.

e. The Rivalry Notes

This will be a question posed to one of the site's founders that relates the conference at hand with the Big Ten. Law Buckeye is up first

For Big Ten schools, is there any difference between scheduling a Sun Belt team and a I-AA team?

Unquestionably, yes. There are pronounced differences in perception and competitiveness. To qualify to play in the FBS every program has to meet minimum attendance and financial disbursement requirements. FBS schools spend more on their programs, commitment that's felt in facilities and, ultimately, on the field. The bottom line is regardless of what Michigan fans tell you, non-BCS schools are simply more competitive as a unit than their I-AA brethren.

Additionally, there's a soft factor here in perception. Factors like strength of schedule favor putting non-BCS teams on the slate.

So why do major BCS programs keep showing up to the prom with middle school dates? In Ohio, it's a matter of spreading the wealth around the state. It's no coincidence we scheduled Youngstown State, Tressel's former I-AA haunt, in 2007 and 2008.

Forget the Alamo?

Bama Hawkeye — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:17:52 -0000

Forget the Alamo?

OK, the title is a bit of a stretch, but apparently the Alamo Bowl is in talks with the Pac-10 conference about that conference replacing the Big Ten.

The Pac-10 would be rotating it's top and second non-BCS choices between the Holiday and Alamo Bowl.

Frankly, I don't see this happening. The Big Ten has traveled well and produced huge ratings for the game. As I wrote earlier this year, this is one that Big Ten will want to keep. My guess is that the Big Ten will stay in the game, but will have to agree to send the #4 team each year (instead of letting the Champs Bowl jump the Alamo Bowl in the selection order two years).

Plow Horses - The Case Against Penn State

Bama Hawkeye — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:59:14 -0000

The case against Penn State is based upon an idea that I've had brewing for the better part of two months. Each year, the preseason picks come out with surprising unanimity. Sure, some might have Oklahoma at 2 and others might have Texas at 2, but it's not like there is a pollster who is picking Kentucky to finish in the Top 10. And yet, last year a team coming off a 7-6 season, in the same division as the defending national champion, with a road game at the defending champion, ended up 12-2 and #6 (Alabama). I'm not picking Kentucky to pull that off. But...if all you do is think like the group, all you'll get is the group's answers. Picking which near .500 team will end up in the Top 10 is too tough for my simple mind. Sure, I can see Notre Dame, Colorado, Clemson, North Carolina St., or Minnesota pulling it off, but I wouldn't predict which one (though I listed them in my guess of likelihood). However, I think that it is safe to predict that a BCS team that finished with 5-7 wins last year will end up in the Top 10 this year.

But picking which team is being overrated - which team is a flop waiting to happen? That seems easier. Last year, I thought that Clemson was being given far too much love as a Top 15/borderline Top 10 team at the start of the season. This wasn't because of a lack of faith in Tommy Bowden. Instead, I looked for my personal recipe for over-ranking: too many show ponies and not enough plow horses.

JoePa finds out how this ties in with Penn State after the break...

When I clerked as a summer associate at a large firm in a Big Ten city, I had a wonderful experience working with a labor and employment attorney who handled union negotiations for a number of major employers. One of the things he said stuck with me in my practice, and is relevant here as well. "Some lawyers," he said, "you might think of as show ponies. They look good when you put them in a hearing or in front of a jury. But, they don't win because they're good show ponies. They win because they're better plow horses. For every day that they get to show off how good they are, there are twenty days that no one sees in which they just have to do the dirty work. That's why they win. They win because they're plow horses."

When I see a team that returns its quarterback and skill position players, but loses the offensive line, I immediately think about show ponies and plow horses. On the defense, I look to the front seven to see what's coming back. I don't trust a team that has too many holes there (unless that team has a mascot that rhymes with "Grojans." Until proven differently, these rules do not apply to them.)

Let's look at Clemson in the Summer of 2008. Returning quarterback? Yes. Cullen Harper was a Senior who was second team All-ACC the season before. Returning Skill Players? Yes. There was first team All-ACC RB James Davis, who was backed up by speedster and second team All-ACC RB C.J. Spiller. Throw in four returning starters at WR and TE (Clemson operated out of a three WR formation as its base), and you have a ridiculous amount of talent coming back. Give those pretty looking show ponies a BCS bid!

Or...we can look at their plow horses. The D-Line actually wasn't in too bad of shape, returning three of four. It was the linebackers that were the problem. The lone returning backer was kicked off the team over the summer. That meant four new faces in the front seven. Not great, but not awful. No, the awful part was on the other side of the ball - four new starters for a line that had problems the year before. None of the starters were seniors. That's a huge red flag. Where are the experienced plow horses? Send them to a lower-tier bowl!

You'll notice Clemson's Offensive Line in the background. It's busy not blocking.

Sure, the truth (due to a fantastic fan base) is somewhere in between, but here's the thing. Experience matters, but it matters in some places more than others. The three positions where it matters most are at QB, OL and D-Front Seven. I can only offer my reasoning as to why. Quarterbacks and linebackers are thinking positions. The more you've seen in-game conditions, the more prepared you are to properly react. The O-Line and D-Line require size and repetition. By nature, a man will grow bigger and stronger between the ages of 20 and 22 (and if a lineman doesn't, that's the strength coach's issue). More than that, a Sophomore isn't going to have the repetitions and experience that the Senior will.

So let's look at Penn State.

Skill Positions: Daryll Clark was very good last year. He's back for a 6^th season. Evan Royster was very good last year. He's back for a second year starting. Those are two impressive show ponies. The experience isn't there at WR, as the top three from last year have moved on (Deon Butler, Derrick Williams and Jordan Norwood combined for 132 catches for 1,932 yards and 17 touchdowns). When you really look at it, Penn State is a little light on show ponies. Clark and Royster deserve the accolades, but I'd be concerned about the loss of the entire wide receiver corps.

Defensive Front Seven: Depending on how you count it, you either have three or four starters returning. The linebacking corps will be very good, but the rush ends, including first round draft pick Aaron Maybin, need to be replaced. I feel compelled to mention that the front seven better quickly learn how to get good pressure, because the ENTIRE secondary will be new. That's seven or eight new starters on the defensive side of the ball. That would make me nervous.

Offensive Line: Last year's offensive line had three All-Big Ten selections. It was the best line in the Big Ten and one of the best at Penn State in the last twenty years. They're gone. This will be a problem. Phil Steele compiled the data of returning starts by offensive linemen. I love these numbers. Obviously, it doesn't mean that the team with more returning starts will beat the team with fewer starts, but it does give hard data for my plow horses. Any school with more than 90 starts returning is in the Top 20% of Division I. Any school with fewer than 50 starts returning is in the bottom 25% of Division I. Everyone else is in the middle, where experience is unlikely be a strength or weakness.

Big Ten - Returning Offensive Line Starts
Minnesota	102
Iowa	99
Indiana	84
Michigan	76
Purdue	68
Northwestern	64
Ohio Sate	62
Michigan State	52
Illinois	49
Wisconsin	49
Penn State	39

Not good for Penn State, wouldn't you say?

So what do I see for Penn State? I envision Evan Royster swallowed up before he gets a chance to move out of the backfield. I picture Daryll Clark constantly throwing on the run to new receivers. I see a new secondary picked apart after the front seven fails to get pressure. But, I still see Penn State picking up 7 or 8 wins because of the schedule. They'll breeze through their four non-con games (Akron, Temple, Syracuse, Eastern Illinois...seriously?). But, I see the Lions losing at least four of their conference games. I think that they'll split with Iowa and Minnesota in Happy Valley. They'll blow out Indiana, but they'll lose to the OSU. On the road, they could lose each one. They won't, but it's in the realm of possibility. I'll take losses at the Big House and East Lansing and wins in Evanston and Madison Cham-bana (I was thinking Illinois and typing Wisconsin. My bad). That equals 8-4, with two losses in their last three weeks (in what will still be considered a weak Big Ten). I bet that ends up outside of the Top 25. I still see this comment being true.

2009 Spring Preview Series - Wisconsin Badgers

Bama Hawkeye — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:32:08 -0000

Three Yards and a Cloud of Rubberized Pellets

I like Wisconsin football. I really do. In so many ways, the Badgers have become the Big Ten's flagship institution. Let me clarify. As I've written extensively, this is still the Buckeyes' and Wolverines' league. But when the rest of the country talks about Big Ten football, they think of power. Slow, plodding power. Slow, plodding, corn-fed, dairy-fed power. And while every other team in the league has at least flirted with opening up their offensive systems, Wisconsin has not. Since the day that Barry Alvarez followed the Hayden Fry blueprint to rejuvenate a dormant program, the focus has been on running the ball and stopping the run. When it's been effective, the Badgers could beat anyone in the country. When it hasn't been, the Badgers have looked bad. Really bad.

But what will we see from the Badgers in 2009? Let's start somewhere different.

Seriously, Wisconsin has a wide receiver tradition.

Putting the 'Flying W' in Wide Receiver

If you were to pick a pair of Big Ten wide receivers in the NFL, you could do a lot worse than to take Lee Evans and Chris Chambers. These two Wisconsin alumni were crucial for the success of their Badger teams. Both stretched the defense, and forced the safeties to play something closer to an honest defense. That opened up holes for the running game. When the offense has stagnated, it's most often been because the 8th or 9th man in the box has been able to hold the tailbacks to two yards or less. Wisconsin doesn't need big numbers from the passing game, but it does need enough of a threat to open holes.

Can we all agree that putting the 10th man in the box (count 'em) was a mistake?

That's where Nick Toon comes in. Son of former Badger and NY Jets WR Al Toon, Nick showed some potential in the second half of last season. Reports from Spring ball were that he seemed poised to take the next step. If the Sophomore can develop a connection with Senior QB Dustin Sherer, and if David Gilreath takes another step forward, it may mean that the running lanes open up. That will benefit...

Feet of Clay

Meet the next in the long line of Wisconsin running backs. John Clay was very highly regarded coming out of high school (Rivals had him as the 4th best running back), and he did not disappoint while spotting PJ Hill. Now that PJ has moved on to the NFL (he signed as an UFA with the New Orleans Saints), it's Clay's world. This has Badger fans very excited, because Clay has all of Hill's power and much more speed.

Don't get in front of this.

If Clay can produce at a level greater than Hill's production last year (5.1 yards per carry; 13 TD), there will be good times in Madison.

Room to Improve

OK Armchair D-Coordinator, which of these stats worries you the most?

Almost 4 yards a carry?
Better than 50% completion rate
40% 3rd Down success rate
Almost 30 minutes in opponent time of possession
92.9% opponent red zone success rate
26.5 ppg allowed

Here's a hint.

Look at the 1:54, 3:10, and 6:04 marks

If Wisconsin can't stop the run, their defense will not succeed. It may not be realistic to hope for a 2.7 ypc performance like the 1998 Rose Bowl team had, but improvement is mandatory. If not, the other horrible statistics from the 2008 Badger defense will reappear. It's hard to judge too much off of Spring scrimmages, but early returns were good...for the Badger offense. Not so much for the Badger defense. It says here, the Wisconsin offense will be good enough for a run to one of the Top Three Bowls. The Badgers defense will prevent that from happening.

2009-2010 Schedule
9/5/09	Northern Illinois	Madison, WI
9/12/09	Fresno State	Madison, WI
9/19/09	Wofford	Madison, WI
9/26/09	Michigan State	Madison, WI
10/3/09	Minnesota	Minneapolis, MN
10/10/09	Ohio State	Columbus, OH
10/17/09	Iowa	Madison, WI
10/24/09	Purdue	Madison, WI
10/31/09	Indiana	Bloomington, IN
11/07/09	Michigan	Madison, WI
11/14/09	Northwestern	Evanston, IL
12/05/09	Hawaii	Honolulu, HI

Must Win Game

9/26/09 vs. Michigan State

While Fresno State may be frisky, Wisconsin should (read: better) run through their three non-con games without a blemish. The conference schedule is ridiculously front-loaded, though. If the Badgers want to have any chance at competing for a Big Ten title, they cannot lose their opener. Trips to Minnesota and Columbus, followed by a Hawkeye visit make a 1-3 Big Ten record a real possibility. Starting with a Spartan loss may well make it a reality.

Rivalry Comment

This is Year 4 of the Brett Bielema era. His first three years amounted to a .718 winning percentage. That's good. His teams have gotten worse each of his three years. That's not. It's probably not realistic to expect a conference title out of this squad, but another season of 7-5 may indicate that Wisconsin has moved down a couple of notches in the Big Ten pecking order. Anything less than 8-4, and Bielema enters 2010 on a very hot seat.

Predicted Finish: 7-5 (3-5)

2009 Esquire Rating: 3 out of 5 Cigars

The OSU Completes Southern Trifecta

Bama Hawkeye — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:27:31 -0000

The OSU Completes Southern Trifecta

We don't cover college baseball much at The Rivalry, Esq. because...well, we're the Big Ten. We don't really DO college baseball. But if ever there was a time to glance at the quaint sport, this was the weekend.

Sure, you remember The Ohio State University getting pounded by Southern schools in back to back BCS Championship games. You likely also remember The Ohio State University getting soundly beaten by a Southern school while playing for the Men's Basketball Championship. Those losses were embarrassing and put a stain upon the school and the conference. But nothing, and I mean nothing, equates with what The Ohio State University did this weekend.

Playing in a regional championship (against a Southern school), The Ohio State University, the Big Ten regular season champion, managed to plate six runs. Sadly for the boys in scarlet and gray, the Seminoles of Florida State managed to plate more. 31 more.

OHIO STATE LOST A BASEBALL GAME 37-6.

I don't care if they were playing Manny Ramirez's Steroid All-Stars, you don't lose by 31. At some point, you start taking people down. Congratulations, Buckeyes! You've found a new way to be laughed at in the South.

SB Nation User Blog: Bama Hawkeye

Helping Michigan Schedule

Arkansas

California

Mississippi State

Oklahoma State

Rutgers

Texas A&M

Washington State

Michigan vs. Georgia? Yes, please!

Michigan vs. Georgia? Yes, please!

Football Outside of the Big Ten - The Independents

1) 2008 Recap

a. Who Won the League

c. Bowl Teams

d. Games Against the Big Ten

2) 2009 Preview

a. Games of Note

c. Bowl Affiliations

3) 2009 Projections

a. Who Will Win the League?

b. Any wins against the Big Ten?

c. Who Goes Bowling?

d. Any MNC Hopes?

e. The Rivalry Notes

Football Outside of the Big Ten - The MAC

1) 2008 Recap

a. Who Won the League?

2) 2009 Preview

a. Games of Note

c. Bowl Affiliations

3) 2009 Projections

a. Who will win the League?

c. Who Goes Bowling?

d. Any MNC Hopes?

Big Ass Turkey Legs

Big Ass Turkey Legs

Football Outside of the Big Ten - The Sun Belt

1) 2008 Recap

a. Who Won the League?

c. Games against the Big Ten

d. Bowl Games

a. Games of Note

b. Games Against the Big Ten

c. Bowl Affiliations

3) 2009 Projections

a. Who will win the League?

c. Who Goes Bowling?

d. Any MNC Hopes?

Forget the Alamo?

Forget the Alamo?

Plow Horses - The Case Against Penn State

2009 Spring Preview Series - Wisconsin Badgers

Three Yards and a Cloud of Rubberized Pellets

Feet of Clay

Room to Improve

Must Win Game

Rivalry Comment

Predicted Finish: 7-5 (3-5)

The OSU Completes Southern Trifecta

The OSU Completes Southern Trifecta