The Big Ten is hitting the midway point and makes this a perfect time to take a look at who’s for real and who’s not.
Contenders:
Ohio State-If the Buckeyes lose in the regular season, it’s usualy a midseason road game under Tressell. They went into A Badger Trap last nite and got nipped. Nipped as in, in the end they will be right there when the dust settles. Iowa on the road is the last real opportunity for a stumble. The Buckeyes usually get stronger in the last half of the season, and this year will be no different. OSU is probably out of the BCS Championship but quite probably for BCS game. As usual, the Buckeyes are among the elite in the nation.
Michigan State-What can you argue with? They have beat everyone on their schedule. Not overly impressive at times, and with the only real test awating them is in Iowa City in couple weeks and Penn State at the end of the season. Still, there is always something a little snakebitten about Michigan State so laying an egg at Northwestern next week would be par for the course.
Iowa-How good? The Big 10 game of the week next week is clearly Iowa vs Wisconsin. Strength of schedule is a little suspect as their signature wins are Michigan and Penn State(see below). Still a solid team that controls their own fate.
Wisconsin-I think they hit their high water mark against the Buckeyes. Alvarez was running his mouth last night like they just one the national championship. “Basketball is basketball; football is football. We play football. And I love it.” That said, they do finish out with Indiania, Michigan, Purdue , and Northwestern.” Still look for one stupid loses.
Pretenders:
Michigan: Rich Rod is looking at 3 or 4 loses the last half of the season but at least it’s a winning season. He lives to coach another season.
Purdue: You gotta be kidding me, 4-2. ROCKETS….ROCKETS……
Northwestern: They are scrappy, but I am not expecting the world out of the Northwestern. It may not be fair to call them pretenders because I don’t think anybody takes them all that serious even though they are 5-1. Call them 7-5 and say nice season Wildcats…….
Penn State: Joe, it’s time to go. You are slipping like Bobby Bowden at the end.
And finally, Bring out your dead….
Indiania: Wouldn’t win the MAC West. They would even contend. There schedule is an embarassment. Them at 4-2 is a joke. It’s too bad Tim Brewster didn’t have them on the Minnesota schedule earlier this year. WOW.
Minnesota: Probably a better team than Indiania. But still horrible…
