 Mike HlasHi, I'm Gazette/TheGazette.com sports columnist Mike Hlas. This is the Hlog. We will meet here, discuss things, and then go [...] |
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Iowa could be alone atop the Big Ten Legends Division by late Saturday night, and it’s not that big a reach
Three things must happen for Hawks to be last Legends-unbeaten, and none would be huge upsets
I wouldn’t wager on it, but Iowa could gain ground this week by not playing football.
Are you Legends just because you call yourself that?
Here are the Big Ten Legends Division standings:
Iowa 1-0
Nebraska 1-0
Northwestern 1-0
Michigan 0-0
Michigan State 0-1
Minnesota 0-1
Here are Saturday’s games involving Legends (dumb name) teams:
Northwestern at Penn State
Michigan at Purdue
Michigan State at Indiana
Nebraska at Ohio State
Hawkeyes could be lonely at the top come Sunday
MSU beats Indiana, OK, fine. The Spartans go to 1-1.
Penn State is a 2.5-point favorite over Northwestern. I see this game as a coin-flip. Northwestern does what it has to do to win, and it’s a handful to defend. But Penn State has surprised me with its current 3-game winning streak. I thought the Nittany Lions might go 3-9 this season.
Sure, the wins were over Navy, Temple and Illinois, some flotsam and jetsam of college football. But the win at Illinois was dominant, and Matt McGloin is doing a terrific job at quarterback with 10 touchdown passes and just two interceptions, and he’s getting pretty good pass-protection.
So let’s say the Lions pull this one out, and Northwestern goes to 1-1 in the Big Ten. I’m not predicting that will happen, but let’s say it will.
Then, Michigan is a 3-point pick over Purdue. For those who haven’t noticed, Purdue isn’t bad. It is averaging 42.5 points per game, and is 3-1 with its lone loss a 20-17 decision at Notre Dame that the Irish won with a last-minute field goal.
That was Notre Dame’s toughest game of its three against Purdue, Michigan State and Michigan.
Speaking of Michigan, the Wolverines laid eggs against Alabama and Notre Dame, and had to hold on tightly for a 31-25 home win over Air Force.
Purdue gave up a lot of yards and points in its 51-41 win over Marshall last week, but it was 42-14 at halftime. The difference in the game was the Boilermakers returning two touchdowns for interceptions.
With a howitzer to my head, I pick Michigan, thinking Denard Robinson will do what he does best against the PU defense. But a Purdue win would hardly qualify as the upset of the year, let alone the upset of the time slot. So let’s say Purdue finds a way, and Michigan loses its league-opener.
OK, Ohio State is a 3.5-point favorite over Nebraska. Sounds about right.
The Cornhuskers probably spent a lot of emotional capital coming out of a 17-point hole to beat Wisconsin last week in Lincoln, 30-27. The Buckeyes will be remembering the way they coughed up a huge lead at Nebraska last year, so they’ll be motivated.
Plus, Nebraska is 0-1 on the road, having had its defense shredded in Pasadena against UCLA.
So let’s say Ohio State prevails, and Nebraska drops to 1-1 in the conference.
Now these truly are legends
Your updated Big Ten Legends standings:
Iowa 1-0
Michigan State 1-1
Northwestern 1-1
Nebraska 1-1
Michigan 0-1
Minnesota 0-1
Even if all that comes to pass, Iowa still plays at Michigan State next Saturday. And then plays six more games after that. But until then, enjoy your time alone at the top, Hawkeye fans.
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Certainly possible, Mike. And no matter what happens Saturday, Iowa has its destiny in its own hands. Let’s see what the $4 million dollar man can do with it.
Many people are making excuses this year based on Iowa’s new OC and DC, other coaching changes, and having a young team. OK. But just for the possibility of some perspective, I wanted to throw in a few facts from days gone by.
Hayden Fry’s first year at Iowa, the Hawkeyes had a whole new philosophy about everything, and a virtually whole new coaching staff. Fry took over a team that hadn’t had a winning season in 17 years. He installed a senior who had been a 5th string D-back under Bob Commings as his starting QB. And from the first play of the season to the last, Iowa’s offense ran like a well-oiled machine. In its season-opener, Iowa ran up a 26-3 halftime lead on a decent Indiana team. For another example, Hawkeye QB, Phil Seuss, outdueled 1st team All-American Mark Hermann of #15 Purdue in a classic in Iowa City that Purdue was fortunate to win 20-14. Like I said, just a few facts.
So some might wonder why, after FIVE games against poor competition, Iowa still can’t generate an offense with a 5th-year senior QB. Some might wonder why Iowa looks like it has never been coached on offense. The only thing working is give the ball to the unknown walk-on and let him run over people. Not much coaching in that.
Mr. Davis is supposedly known for adjusting his scheme to fit his players’ skills. Everyone and his dog knows the best this Iowa QB has looked has been in the hurry-up offense that decimated Pitt in 15 minutes. So Iowa has not really gone there since. The Iowa QB is not a pocket passer. He’s not adept at the 3-step drop. He’s afraid to throw the ball down the field. He looks as bad now as he did in his first game against NW after the Stanzi injury.
So again, do the excuses make sense? Is there really any valid reason for this train wreck of an offense? How do you explain Fry installing a whole new offense, with a whole new coaching staff, with a former scrub DB running it, and having it clicking from the first play against FAR better competition (first three games: Indiana, #3 Oklahoma, #7 Nebraska), yet all we hear this season is a litany of excuses? Just wondering…
Sounds good to me, Mike! And quite possible too. I’ve been telling some grumblers & “Fire Ferentz” guys over at CBS to enjoy it as much as possible now, being 3-2 [should be no less than 4-1] & having to whole weeks sustaining a winning season. I said .500 at beginning of season but I sure didn’t plan on the CMU loss nor do I accept the ISU loss. Losing to NIU at start of year would look much better, knowing it was the first game for many of our young, inexperienced players. AND I saw just a little of “Weisman for Heisman” but liked what I saw. I sure hope he remains healthy, Bullock & others get healthy & we finish with a respectable season at least. And that means at least 7-5 now with the loss to the Chippewas. Oh, yeah! And whatever happened to us being kind of snobby by not playing anyone with Indian mascots/team name? Hmmm?
I meant ”two whole weeks” not ‘to’—-darn dirty keyboard. lol!