Big Ten Blogger Roundtable - Week 3

Week 3 of the BTB Roundtable has LTP lamenting fact that Weis is doing everything he can to diminish 9/2/95 so I want ND back on the schedule. See below for the rationale.

Dave at Maize & Brew gets the distinguished honor of hosting this week's blogger roundtable. Let's jump in...

M&B: We're two weeks in and everyone in the Big Ten, minus the two Michigan schools and the Illini have a loss to their names. This week marks the end of your early"tune-up" or serious OOC play. Are you satisfied with the way your team has played against the cupcakes on your schedule, or happy with the way they've competed against serious competition?

LTP: Did you not watch the Ohio Bobcats gift-wrap the game to the Buckeyes? We are far from through the OOC play with two games left. The good news is week four will get some attention as we host the Bobcats in Evanston, however, we've got an in-state battle with Southern Illinois this weekend for our week three opponent. Quick fact - the Cats are the only Big Ten team to play two BCS opponents to date - granted Syracuse is indistinguishable from the worst team in the country - but to answer your question, I'm not happy just being 2-0. Our offense has yet to click, which is a puzzle, as we're loaded with both depth and seniors at the skilled positions. Our speedball offense backfired this weekend against Duke as we had way too many quick series. Bottom-line? We need to convert on 3rd down as we're an anemic 7-30 on 3rd down conversions against Syracuse and Duke. The Cats are in need of a statement game - one in which we dominate from start to finish - something a Pat Fitzgerald coached team has yet to do.

M&B: You knew this was coming. This week's OMG Game of the Century!!!!1!!1!! until next week's OMG Game of the Century!!!!1!!1!!is Ohio State versus Southern Cal. Who are you pulling for and why?Further, if you're pulling for one particular team tell me why they'll win, or won't. If you're like me and will be attempting to cure a sunburn from over-exposure to the sun during the Michigan-Notre Dame game by drinking large quantities of whiskey instead of watching the game, state your excuse.

LTP: The "most anticipated game of the season" as ABC Sports/ESPN are billing it, took a major punch to the stomach with last weekend's "what the hell is going on?" outing in which a back-up QB with absolutely no ability to complete a pass (Boo Jackson), but an eye-popping ability to escape sacks sent ESPN programming execs scurrying. Personally, I dropped Ohio State from #1 to #5 in this week's BlogPoll and I was kind. Of course I'm rooting for the Buckeyes and even Michigan fans should do so as our league's brand is on the line. The Buckeyes win, our conference is "up", we lose we're "down". I think the hidden gem game of the weekend is Purdue-Oregon. A win over the Ducks for those in the "know" will go a long way to proving the weight of the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. The Michigan-Notre Dame is the least appealing match-up of traditional heavyweights in my lifetime, but of course, I'm rooting for the Wolverines. I simply do what will make the Cats look best. I want Michigan, and every Cat opponent, though impossible, to run the table so that when we beat them we look better.

M&B: Besides the above mentioned Game of the Century, there are actually some decent match ups this week in the Big Ten. Purdue v. Oregon; Wisconsin v. Fresno State; Michigan v. Notre Dame; Michigan State v. Florida Atlantic; or Iowa v. Iowa State. I said decent. I didn't say they were all good. Pick the best game from that group, pick the worst game from that group, and Minnesota and Illinois bloggers must post an apology for scheduling Montana State and Louisiana Lafayette respectively.

LTP: While SIU is not Appalachian State, they are the 9th most successful program in the past 5 years (at all levels), averaging 10 wins per year during that span. I HATE playing FCS teams since I rarely see upside, but this game may actually help improve Northwestern's inexplicably piss-poor home attendance. Michigan-Notre Dame will be painful to watch, and as mentioned all eyes are on USC-Ohio St. If I had to pick one it would be a toss-up between the Purdue-Oregon game, which I'm pulling hard for the Boilers and Iowa vs Iowa State in the rubberneck game - you know, the car wreck that you shouldn't watch but simply can't avoid finding out how the Hawkeyes will blow yet another game against their in-state rivals. Iowa is the early season surprise in my mind. Yes, they were predicted to go 2-0, but are doing so in Buckeye-like beatdown fashion. I envy the domination factor.

M&B Out of Conference scheduling is always something that draws the ireof journalists and bloggers alike. You all know how weak your OOC really is. Admit it. You're sad. So fix it. Pick two teams out of conference you really wish your school would schedule. Nursing colleges and the Center for Veterinary Sciences are verboten. Pick two major conference middle-to-heavyweights or two heavy weight non-BCS conference programs to add to the schedule. (Please note you get to keep your two patsies per season).

LTP: Wow. Great question. I'm a little to hyper-sensitive to boosting attendance, but also value the maximizing OOC wins, until Northwestern puts together a 4 or 5 straight year bowl appearance streak. I would pick NIU and Notre Dame, but on my conditions. We play a 3-1 home, home, home, road with Northern Illinois and a home and home with Notre Dame and NO Solider Field game for our "home" game. Northern Illinois is a team on the rise with the very successful former SIU coach, Jerry Kill, and is also the best draw we've had in the non-conference in the past decade. So, I'm taking NIU for attendance and local interest and I'm taking Notre Dame b/c they've fallen to the point where I'd expect to beat them at least every other game and thus chip away at the media share the Irish get here in Chicago. Obviously, a Notre Dame game would be a guaranteed sell-out and so the NIU/ND combo would give us the early season ticket boost we need to sustain the momentum towards packing Ryan Field regularly.

With each passing week sending ND further into CFB obscurity, I somehow finding myself wanting the evil empire to be good for the good of college football. The landmark landing out of Northwestern's dark ages is 9/2/95, our monumental 27 1/2 point underdog victory over the then potential national champion Irish, somehow is starting to lose relevance. I'm going to have to start spending more energy reminding young fans why and how this game was important if it keeps on "in my day, Notre Dame was very good...". Despite this, I can't help but root for the Big Ten for a September beat down. Go Michigan. Go Michigan State. Go Purdue. Let's get the hattrick.

M&B: All college football fans love to tailgate. Even you, you mothers' basement dwelling bloggers, you. Name your beverage of choice on gamedays. Alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage, your readers need to these things about you, to judge you. Confirm all their suspicions.

LTP: Hey, I take offense to that. What about the omission of my boxer shorts?!!! Let's see, considering I'm in my seats well before 11 am CT, I actually don't drink until post-game. I'm too much of a dork and want to enjoy the game free of mental impingements. After a win, I'll go pretty much anything since it all seems to taste good. When we lose? Fat Tire, as I try to mentally go to the mountains of Colorado and wax philosophical about the fact 18-year-olds running up and down a field with a piece of leather really is not going to change the universe.

BONUS:

M&B: Rivalry games dot the schedule this week. If your team is playing in a rivalry game, say something nasty about your opponent then predict a lopsided score to infuriate the opposing fanbase. If you're not playing a rival, then start a rivalry by saying something nasty about your opponent and then predict a lopsided score to infuriate the opposing fanbase. Or just give me a non-offensive prediction and areason to watch.

LTP: Are you kidding? Give an opponent bulletin board material? I'll cling to the fact that the first ever match-up with SIU does, by definition, not constitute a rivalry, even though I think it has the potential to evolve into one. I can only say nasty things about Iowa and Michigan State because it is too easy, just like the Iowa and Michigan State...