Observations from Section 28A - Northworstern

[MaxBuck]

1. This Mildcat team does not deserve to be D-1A. Wofford would have a field day with them. I knew when Dook beat them they couldn't be much, but they are, as Bret Easton Ellis might say, less than zero.

2. Wow, I hope Brandon Saine gets healthy soon. We need at least something in the way of a threat when Beanie needs a blow.

3. Chimdi Chekwa continues to show that he will be our next fine Buckeye corner. Sticky hands, man!

4. Vernon Gholston. Glad he's a Buckeye, and I sure don't want to get on his bad side in any way, shape or form. His musculature is almost unbelievable. And NW had no defense against him whatever.

5. Todd Boeckman continues to impress, more and more. Buckeyes are certainly fortunate he chose to grayshirt here instead of playing more immediately somewhere else. (I know there was little in the way of defense, but still. Those throws would have been impressive in pregame warmups.)

6. Austin Spitler was in on the action on nearly ever defensive snap he was in on. Good player.

7. Although it was neat that all the walk-ons and seldom-used players got a chance at live game action, as a spectator unrelated to any of the young men it was a less than totally entertaining 4th quarter. It was good to see Mark Johnson on the field, though, after all the young man has gone through health-wise.

[BB73]

I agree with points 2 through 7.

Originally Posted by MaxBuck

1. This Mildcat team does not deserve to be D-1A. Wofford would have a field day with them. I knew when Dook beat them they couldn't be much, but they are, as Bret Easton Ellis might say, less than zero.

While it's true that they are currently struggling, I'm not willing to call for kicking them out of the Big Ten, let alone the FBS (1-A). Since 1993, when Penn State joined the conference, the Nittany Lions have 1 less Big Ten title in football than Northwestern does.

Admittedly, they didn't play tOSU in any of those 3 seasons, but it's still worth noting.

[brutus2002]

^ Northwestern did beat Nevada. Although Duke beat NW dike almost upset Navy this weekend. IMO this is the best Duke team since Spurrier coached there.

[DaddyBigBucks]

Originally Posted by brutus2002

^ ... the best Duke team since Spurrier coached there.

Isn't that like saying "the best Nicaraguan Hockey team since the last ice-age"?

[Dryden]

Originally Posted by MaxBuck

1. This Mildcat team does not deserve to be D-1A. Wofford would have a field day with them. I knew when Dook beat them they couldn't be much, but they are, as Bret Easton Ellis might say, less than zero.

A lot of speculation about this right now, even by the Wildcat faithful on their own boards. Given their admissions standards, status as a private school, and limited student body to pool athletes from, I'm beginning to agree. Northwestern wasn't just bad Saturday -- they were completely non-competitive. What's worse is that they can't even hang their hat on men's basketball like their academic peers in the ACC, since Northwestern is usually awful on the hardwood too.

I think Northwestern needs to consider going the route of the University of Chicago. What is the value of a programs' standing as a charter member of the Big Ten, when they're a doormat in virtually every single sport?

They put together a nice little run between the tenures of Gary Barnett and Randy Walker, but what parity scholarship reductions initially brought is steadily being offset by a facilities arms-race and recognition that college football is a 24/7/365 sport.

Saturday was a day that called for a mercy rule in college football. Our third and fourth string were better prepared and better conditioned than Northwestern's starters.

[MaxBuck]

Against the Kent State Golden Flashes:

1. Chimdi Chekwa continues to impress. He is a terrific cover corner, and he is a sure tackler. He is the next all-Big-10 cornerback from tOSU.

2. Brandon Saine is our best tailback, right now. I appreciate Mo Wells's ability to protect our QB, and Beanie is a strong inside presence when healthy (and he isn't at the present). But Saine gives us a strong inside runner who is a threat to take the rock all the way, every play. We will love seeing this guy in scarlet & gray for the next couple of years.

3. Brian Rolle is a playmaker, pure and simple. Love watching this kid play football, and clearly he loves to play the game.

4. Todd Boeckman is a pretty good QB already, and a lot better than I expected him to ever be. He will not win the Heisman, but he will be a very serviceable passer and good field general for us this year and next.

5. Sorry to have to say this, but I see us losing at least one game and maybe two before bowl season. Buckeyes are good, but not the best team in the US. We may lose to State Penn, and we will likely lose to Michigan, who is playing better right now than any other team in the conference. Granted they are less well-coached than the Buckeyes, but their talent is just fine, and they seem to be coming together as a team, finally.

[Taosman]

The wolverines have 3 interesting away games coming up.
At Illinois
At Sparty
At Wiscy
Their history suggests they lose alot on the road.
Let's just see how the handle being away from home in those games.