2008 Big Ten Football discussion

[Sportsbuck28]

Originally Posted by Buckeyeskickbuttocks

Penn State?

Can we please do away with the tradition-thought and just admit that PSU is no longer any good? Thanks.

Honestly, I think they may surprise this year if Clark turns out to be any good at running the spread. Not the way the banned guy said, because no way in hell will they go undefeated in conference, but I do think they'll be better.

[utgrad73]

I hear JoPa is looking for a quaterback... Someone that won't be owned by our defense. Seriously unless they have a really good recruiting year or years I don't see Penn State winning much in the Big Ten.

[BB73]

The composite Conference schedule, week by week, with key games highlighted.

cfn

2008 Big Ten Composite Schedule


Top Ten Big Ten Games
1. Ohio State at Wisconsin, Oct. 4
2. Michigan at Ohio State, Nov. 22
3. Ohio State at Illinois, Nov. 15
4. Illinois at Wisconsin, Oct. 25
5. Wisconsin at Michigan, Sept. 27
6. Penn State at Ohio State, Oct. 25
7. Michigan at Penn State, Oct. 18
8. Penn State at Wisconsin, Oct. 11
9. Illinois at Michigan, Oct. 4
10. Illinois at Penn State, Sept. 27

Top Ten Non-Conference Games
1. Ohio State at USC, Sept. 13
2. Illinois vs. Missouri, Aug. 30
3. Michigan at Notre Dame, Sept. 13
4. Oregon at Purdue, Sept. 13
5. Notre Dame at Michigan St, Sept. 13
6. Wisconsin at Fresno State, Sept. 13
7. Michigan State at California, Aug. 30
8. Iowa at Pitt, Sept. 13
9. Utah at Michigan, Aug. 30
10. Oregon State at Penn State, Sept. 6

Cont'd ...

[BB73]

A look at each team's schedule.

cfn

2008 Big Ten Team-by-Team Schedule Breakdown

It's all about what teams you miss in the Big Ten. While some don't have to deal with Ohio State and Michigan, others, like Sean Lee's Penn State, have a brutal run of top conference teams. Check out the analysis and breakdown of each Big Ten team's schedule.

Ohio State
Realistic best case record with this schedule: 12-0
Barring total disaster worst case record: 8-4
Realistic record: 11-1

The entire sports world will focus on the September 13th mega-showdown against USC that'll be certain to have national title implications, but there are other landmines to worry about. Going to Wisconsin won't be easy and dealing with a road trip to Illnois won't be a plus. The Michigan game is in Columbus, but it comes after going on the road to face Northwestern and the Illini. If this is the national title contender it's supposed to be, the home schedule, including the date with the Wolverines and the October battles with Purdue and Penn State, shouldn't be a problem. Outside of the USC game, the non-conference slate is a breeze facing Youngstown State, Ohio and Troy. The Buckeyes miss Indiana and Iowa.

Cont'd ...

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Maturation process for Illinois' Williams coming full circle - College Football

Originally Posted by ESPN.com

Maturation process for Illinois' Williams coming full circle

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Quarantined to his room by a surgically repaired knee, Illinois wide receiver Chris James was enjoying another quiet afternoon last November when the door suddenly swung open.

Illini quarterback Juice Williams didn't bother to knock. He nearly took the thing off its hinges.

"He just busted in my room with his notepad, like, 'They do this, they do that. When they play Cover 3, I'm gonna get 'em,'" James recalled. "He was coming in every day, bothering me."

But James didn't get the worst of his flatmate's harassment that week. Ohio State did.

Contd...

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Originally Posted by Sportsbuck28

Honestly, I think they may surprise this year if Clark turns out to be any good at running the spread. Not the way the banned guy said, because no way in hell will they go undefeated in conference, but I do think they'll be better.

Ah, yes... the same old "Honestly, I think they may surprise this year"

Not me. I'll believe it when I see it. Penn State is done getting a pass from me. Until they prove otherwise on the field, they're soundly an also-ran.

[Sportsbuck28]

Originally Posted by Buckeyeskickbuttocks

Ah, yes... the same old "Honestly, I think they may surprise this year"

Not me. I'll believe it when I see it. Penn State is done getting a pass from me. Until they prove otherwise on the field, they're soundly an also-ran.

I've changed my sentiment since then after taking a look at what they have..

[HailToMichigan]

Originally Posted by BB73

A look at each team's schedule.

cfn

I don't really get that breakdown. For Michigan, Ohio State is a likely loss, but for Ohio State, the Michigan game "could go either way." There are a few examples of that.

[Coqui]

Originally Posted by HailToMichigan

I don't really get that breakdown. For Michigan, Ohio State is a likely loss, but for Ohio State, the Michigan game "could go either way." There are a few examples of that.

Depends if we go in sleeping or not is probably what they're saying. With Michigan, it's basically due to depleted athletes, and learning a new system. With Ohio State, it's going against athletes bringing the best they have against either athletes who are walking through to a bowl game or ones who want to put their own mark on the rivalry.

From an outsider point of view, I don't think they realize how much this rivalry means to both schools.

[Taosman]

State Penn will look better on offense then some think. But.
That defense will take a step back and their secondary won't get better by losing an over rated King.
And I believe their kicking game is all new.

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Originally Posted by Sportsbuck28

I've changed my sentiment since then after taking a look at what they have..

In that case,

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Link

Larry Phillips: All the Big Ten bashing is unwarranted



Wake me when the national Big Ten bashing bottoms out. Was it a dream or did I watch a No. 1 vs. 2 matchup in the final regular season game of football (Michigan at Ohio State) and basketball (Wisconsin at Ohio State) just a year ago? I saw a Big Ten basketball player (Greg Oden last year) and a football player (Jake Long today) top the pro draft charts, too, right?


Continued.....

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

Great line from OBJ's link above:

Apparently, Ohio State should lose multiple regular-season games, one of them at home to a conference doormat, sneak into a BCS bowl game played at Dayton and pound the snot out of another conference's runner-up. That's the blueprint USC has taken to Rose Bowl wins the past two years. Does anyone want to compare the national perception of Ohio State and USC?

It's about damn time someone in the media look at reality.

[mercer_buckeye]

That might be the greatest thing I've ever read!

[MD Buckeye]

ESPN - Can't wait to see these things this fall - College Football

Originally Posted by ESPN.com

Can't wait to see these things this fall

Three Things I Can't Wait To See This Fall In The Big Ten

Ivan Maisel:
1. Ohio State is the overwhelming favorite to win its fourth consecutive championship. The Buckeyes are loaded on both sides of the line. Yet all anyone wants to know is whether the name "Terrelle Pryor" will be recognized by anyone outside of Columbus in October. Will offensive coordinator Jim Bollman create a Tebow-like package of plays for Pryor? Or does Pryor disappear until he learns starter Todd Boeckman's playbook?

2. Behind the Buckeyes, the race gets interesting. Wisconsin will challenge. After the Badgers, which team comes next? Is Illinois ready to handle being the hunted? Can quarterback Juice Williams run for 755 yards again, without first-round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall there to distract the defense? Some challenger will emerge from mediocrity. Penn State? Iowa? Michigan State? Northwestern?

3. Linebacker U could use a linebacker. When Sean Lee blew out his right knee late in spring practice, Penn State lost one of its seven returning starters, and no longer had a preseason All-American at outside linebacker. The guy behind Lee on the depth chart, sophomore Navorro Bowman, remains suspended because of a felony assault charge from a campus fight last fall. That leaves sophomore Bani Gbadyu, who has made all of six tackles, as the man to watch.

Mark Schlabach:
1. What will Michigan look like under Rich Rodriguez? Only the maize-and-blue uniforms figure to look the same. Does Rodriguez have the right personnel to run his spread offense? A winning record might be a heck of an achievement in his first season.

2. Was Illinois' success in 2007 a fluke? Illini coach Ron Zook has recruited like a madman in Champaign, but can he match last season's unexpected success, without Rashard Mendenhall and J Leman?

3. Can Ohio State return to a third straight BCS title game? Perhaps only Buckeyes fans want them back there, but Ohio State is deep and experienced. Winning at USC on Sept. 13 would silence a lot of the Buckeyes' critics and pave the way to Miami.