Preview: Purdue vs. Wisconsin - October 13th - Noon - BTN

What's with all the downer attitudes?  Yeah, we got crushed by Michigan.   But honestly, if you took a step back, did you really think we were going to beat them?  If so, what made you think that?

Was it the fact they barely lost to Notre Dame even though their quarterback played the worst game of his career?  We lost to Notre Dame too, but we played pretty well.

Did you think that the bye week Michigan was coming off would help Purdue's chances because the Wolverines had an extra week to cry, causing their hands to chap from wiping away all their tears? The extra week just made them more hungry.

Sure, the Boilers played like crap.  But they're not going to play like crap in every game, and I'd much rather they lay an egg when they play a team that:

1. Is not in Purdue's division.
2. Probably was supposed to win anyway.
3. Played lights out and would've probably beaten all but the top 5 teams in the country that day.

GET OVER IT ALREADY!  THIS upcoming game is the game that matters.  THIS is the game that everyone should be going crazy after a win or on the ledge after a loss.  THIS game is the one that very likely will decide who goes to Indianapolis in December.  And for those who say you don't want to back into a one-game playoff for the Rose Bowl?  What is wrong with you??? It's the Rose Bowl!!!

And for the 4 people reading this because everyone else has given up on the season, get yourself out to Ross-Ade this Saturday.  It's going to be 76 degrees and partly sunny!  Seriously!  Seeing empty seats in the stadium will be sickening.

This is apparently the Badger Boiler Service truck.  Shown for obvious reasons.

Why Purdue wins
Purdue has not all the sudden become the worst team in the FBS because they lost to Michigan.  If the Boilers can limit mistakes, they are arguably a better team than Wisconsin.  Purdue struggled last week against the top pass defense in the Big Ten, but the Badgers are giving up 80 yards more per game through the air, which should allow TerBush and Marve to open it up for the Akeems in the backfield.  This is also not the same Badger team that destroyed Purdue 62-17 last year and brings to mind hand offs to the tight end that went for 30 yards on seemingly every play.  For the first time in what seems like 50 years, Wisconsin does not have an offensive line that dominates the line of scrimmage.  This has rendered Montee Ball just ordinary, and without a Russell Wilson-esque quarterback in Joel Stave, Purdue should be able to control the defensive end.  TerBush and Marve can nibble all day with short 5 yard passes, and if they can avoid turnovers, they'll win

Why Wisconsin wins 
Wisconsin's wins have been VERY mediocre.  In fact, they nearly lost to Northern Iowa, Utah State, and UTEP all at home.  I wouldn't call that schedule murderer's row by any means.  Wisconsin's two losses have been on the road, but have actually been much more impressive performances.  The Badgers went into a tough atmosphere at a better-than-advertised Oregon State and fell 10-7, and they nearly knocked off Nebraska in Lincoln, losing 30-27.  They've also played much better since the return of perhaps the top receiver in the conference, Jared Abbrederis.   Sure, they haven't won on the road, but they sure seem to play better away from Camp Randall.  In both games, they were one opponent's mistake away from winning.  Purdue should be counted on for several mistakes a game, and that could be enough to give Wisconsin their first road win. 

Player we're most concerned about since their stock photo may break our TV

#1 A.J. Jordan is a red-shirt freshman WR that's received playing time in 3 of Wisconsin's first 6 games, so we definitely don't want him doing any damage against Purdue.  But he may do more damage to our TV sets with the dreadlock mullet he's sporting in his stock photo.  If there's ever been a more "business up front party in the back" haircut, I'd like to see it.  Actually check that, I never want to see anything like this again.

There's also a red-shirting guy on the sideline named Hugs Etienne.  Please don't ever let J Leman find out about this guy.



Picks of the week
Purdue is favored by 2 (apparently only the bookies agree with my opening rant). This week, Kirk and I will be betting the ticket value of the next concert we're attending.

Kirk's Bet
Kirk will be seeing Trampled by Turtles at the Vogue in Indianapolis next Friday.  If you haven't heard of them, they're sort of an indie, country rock, and bluegrass band.  Tickets are on sale for $20 according to their website, but Kirk told me they were $25.  Either he got screwed, or he's trying to include the ticket fees because he's really far behind me and he's really confident in his pick.  I feel sorry for his negative winnings, so I'll let him bet his $25.

Kirk is done putting his faith in this team "until they prove they deserve it".  I think Kirk should really read my opening remarks. Wisconsin 28 - Purdue 21

Erik's Bet
I'll be seeing Silversun Pickups, Cloud Nothings, and Atlas Genius at the House of Blues in Cleveland next Sunday.  This is a really high-powered lineup with a good headliner and two great up-and-coming bands.  Tickets are on sale for $30 plus $9 in service charges.  Since I hate service charges, I'm only betting my $30 ticket price.

Ralph Bolden remarkably makes his season debut in the second quarter to a standing ovation.  While he doesn't make much of a difference on the field, the buzz around the stadium ignites Purdue to play even more inspired ball and lead for most of the game.  The Boilermakers give up a touchdown late to tie the game, but drive down the field behind a hobbled Robert Marve.  It's going to be Wisconsin's 5th game decided by less than 5 points, but unlike the Utah State game, Paul Griggs makes the game-winning field goal and Purdue becomes the favorite to head to Indianapolis. Purdue 27 - Wisconsin 24

Three Final Things
1. We're four weeks away from Purdue basketball's season opener against a very good Bucknell team that won their conference last year.  Bucknell returns their top 4 scorers, meaning the young Boilers will have their hands full from day one.  If headed to the game this weekend, make sure to check out the new wave of Baby Boilers by heading to Mackey Arena for The Tip-off Before the Kickoff on Friday night at 8:00 pm.  In other basketball news, Wisconsin's Mike Bruesewitz is out 4-6 weeks after having surgery on his right leg for a laceration.  That must have been one nasty cut.

2. According to the Purdue website:

Fans with tickets in sections 101-105 and 116-124 have been asked to wear gold, while fans with seats in sections 106-115 and 125-134 have been requested to don black attire for the showdown with the Badgers.

I like to think of myself as pretty "in the loop".  However, this was the first I heard about it and it was buried in the "Tip-Off" article I linked above.  No email.  No big banner on the front page of their website.  No discussion on the message boards.  Perhaps it's being advertised locally, but they're not doing a very good job advertising to out-of-town alumni who might be going to the Homecoming game.  Typical Purdue promotions department.  You know, now that it's going to be 76 degrees, they could actually hand out t-shirts to all fans!  We all know that's not going to happen though.

Actually, GoBoilers.net may now the most prominent place this information is featured on the internet.  So, send everyone the link to this page and if the stadium looks awesome on Saturday, it'll be because of your friends at GoBoilers.net.  If not, it's the Purdue promotion department's fault.

3. Boiler Up!

This will look great from BTN's blimp.

Tweet

Big Ten Football Power Rankings - Week 6

As a Purdue fan, I'd like to forget the last week of football actually happened, but my sorrow is shared by a lot of the conference as there's just so much dang mediocrity to go around.  Other than Ohio State, no one looks great, everyone looks content to win a few and lose a few, and there is a huge black-eye for the conference as no team is ranked in the coaches poll.  New slogan this year: Big Ten Football, Feel the Apathy!

On to the rankings, where the top team stays the same, as do the cellar dwellers, but we see a meteoric rise for a team previously ranked dead last.

1.   Ohio State (6-0, 2-0 conference) [Last week's rank: 1] 

The rich get richer, as the Buckeyes destroyed Nebraska last weekend.  Braxton Miller only had to complete seven passes (throwing 14 total), because Ohio State could move at will on the ground, racking up 371 yards rushing and taking advantage of four turnovers (three INTs thrown by Taylor Martinez).  Expect another big win for the Bucknuts this weekend at Indiana.  Isn't it just fantastic when the best team in the conference, by far, isn't even eligible to play in the conference title game or postseason?

2.   Michigan (3-2, 1-0) [Last week's rank: 5]

I don't want to give this much love to the hated Wolverines, but they rocked the Boilers and showed how they possess the talent to put up lots of points and actually play some rush defense.  Of course, it was against a seemingly nonexistent Purdue game plan, so maybe I'm overrating them just a bit, but still, it's the old days of the Big Ten with OSU and Michigan sitting atop the conference power rankings. Denard Robinson is a very good player, don't get me wrong, but some team (like Notre Dame) can figure him out and not give up 235 yards to his legs on 24 carries.  That team might not appear on their schedule until late November at Columbus though.

3.   Penn State (4-2, 2-0) [Last week's rank: 8]  

That's right, the Nittany Lions, formerly dead last in the power rankings, are now sitting in the top three.  What is going on?  I thought Northwestern would win in Happy Valley, but Penn State had a great fourth quarter to pull out the victory.  Do I think they are a phoenix rising from the ashes with the chance to win the division?  Definitely not, but they are going to be a much tougher game on the schedule than many people thought (myself included), and I'm glad Purdue gets them at home later this season.

4.   Northwestern (5-1, 1-1) [Last week's rank: 2]

Wilbon is not happy with you

I'm so disappointed in you Wildcats.  Here I was promising a 7-0 start, and you blow your first solid chance to win at Penn State since 2004.  You were even ranked, and now no one will take you seriously.  What went wrong for Northwestern?  Leading after three quarters, they gave up three fourth quarter touchdowns.  We knew the defense was a problem, after watching them have trouble stopping Indiana the week prior, but the offense wasn't as effective with Kain Colter shutdown.  The two-headed QB monster was really just a short passing game from Trevor Siemian, and that's not going to cut it in the Big Ten.

5.   Michigan State (4-2, 1-1) [Last week's rank: 6]  

Michigan State should have beat Indiana by more, but they won, and they stay above Nebraska in the rankings thanks to their narrower loss to common opponent Ohio State.  This MSU team is a perfect example of the mediocre middle of the Big Ten.  Team's that should be better are underperforming for unknown reasons, and all the mediocrity is going to beat up on each other this season, leading to no clear top team(s) (at least none that are post-season eligible).

6.   Nebraska (4-2, 1-1) [Last week's rank: 3]

Nebraska got destroyed by Ohio State, as many teams likely will this season, and they drop considerably in the rankings because of it.  The Huskers still stay above Wisconsin thanks to their head-to-head win, but no team in the Legends division is looking dominating, so they still have a great chance to make it to Indianapolis.  Nebraska has the week off, so they can sit in a corner and think about what they've done wrong, especially Taylor Martinez and his three interceptions.

7.   Wisconsin (4-2, 1-1) [Last week's rank: 7]

You really don't get to move up much in the power rankings when you beat Illinois, since the Illini are playing like an FCS team right now.  I still don't think Wisconsin is that good, but we'll see how they handle Purdue this weekend.  Losing to Purdue will prove my point, although the Boilers are struggling just as badly. Other rankings are still giving the Badgers too much love based on their potential and lofty preseason expectations.

8.   Purdue (3-2, 0-1) [Last week's rank: 4]

Mitch showing how much faith he has in Purdue Football

Boy did the Boilers suck against Michigan.  I'm not sure if they should be ranked even lower, but we'll find out when they host Wisconsin this weekend for Homecoming.  I've lost a lot of faith in this team, but I'm looking forward to being proved wrong, I'm just not holding my breath for it.

9.   Iowa (3-2, 1-0) [Last week's rank: 9] 

Bye week. Iowa will face Michigan State this weekend and might be able to take advantage of the plummeting Spartans.

10.  Minnesota (4-1, 0-1) [Last week's rank: 10] 

Bye week.  The Gophers still have to prove they can beat a conference opponent, and they get a chance against a beaten up Northwestern team.

11.  Indiana (2-3, 0-2) [Last week's rank: 11]

IU fans doing what they do best

The Hoosiers squandered a 13-point halftime lead and fell to the Spartans.  IU could only muster 47 second-half yards.  Give them a little credit for hanging close with MSU and building a lead, but that's both a testament to how over-rated the Spartans were this year, and how bad Indiana is at playing all four quarters. A week after running the ball decently against Northwestern, they couldn't even manage 40 yards on the ground, but the passing game with Casey Coffman looked decent.  Indiana has the ability to maybe win a couple Big Ten games this year (obviously Illinois being one of them), and pull and upset here or there, if they can play a complete game.  Good luck doing so against Ohio State this weekend.

12.  Illinois (2-4, 0-2) [Last week's rank: 12]

Another week, another Illini loss.  Scheelhaase threw for a touchdown and was the team's only rushing threat, which isn't nearly enough to beat a good or even mediocre team.  He's no Braxton Miller. It's going to get ugly when they face Michigan this weekend.

These guys are dancing because they couldn't actually see the game

FYI: teams on bye weeks don't get photos, since their fans had nothing to react to

Tweet

Broadcast Recap - Michigan Edition

If you can stomach it, make sure to check out the recap of Saturday's game.  Meanwhile, here are a couple of things you missed if you didn't watch the game on BTN...

Screenshot of the week:  I'm not in the mood for a funny, humorous screenshot of the week.  As you may remember, I complained about how Purdue's most important two games of the season were relegated to BTN.  While it may have been a blessing in disguise that the nation didn't get to watch the drubbing, BTN made it even more painful to watch for those of us who actually were watching.  Check this screenshot out as the ball is being snapped in midair to Denard Robinson.  Notice anything missing???

That's right. NO down and distance.  NO first down yellow line.  The only reason I knew I wasn't watching a Purdue-Michigan game from the 70's was the scoreboard and the fact it was in HD(ish).  In the first half, BTN went nearly every down either not showing the down and distance or showing it as the ball was getting snapped...pretty useless if you ask me.  Plus, I'm pretty sure BTN has a quota of 10 first down yellow lines per game.  This technology has been out for years - why can't you do this on a regular basis??? I'm not asking for all camera angles to show it, just show us the first down line or at the least zoom out so we can see the marker on the side of the field.  If I could watch the game again without throwing up, I'd put up 3 more screenshots where they had the yellow line and line of scrimmage switched.  Glad I'm going to the next two games...I can't put up with this crap much longer.

Thing I learned from BTN: BTN showed a stat that Michigan is 15-9 vs. Purdue all-time in West Lafayette, but leads the series 43-14.  Further research says that, sure enough, Michigan is 24-5 vs. Purdue in Ann Arbor.  Both teams joined the Big Ten in 1896 which leads to 2 questions.  Why have they played each other only 57 times? And why have they played 5 more games in Ann Arbor?

The first question can be further narrowed down to the 20's, 30's, and 50's in which Purdue played Michigan only once in each of those decades, but I have no explanation why.  The second question also baffles me.  Anyone who can figure out an answer deserves a guest post...let us know in the comments.

Anyway, the thing I learned is that BTN can actually show a stat that I'm interested in.  Now, if they could only answer my questions, maybe they'd be tolerable.

Announcer complaint: Derek Rackley in his ever present wisdom pulled out this nugget at 13:03 to go in the 3rd quarter:

"When the offense comes on the field they've got to put a drive together to... give that defense a breather that's been on the field a lot this afternoon."

Yes Derek, I'm sure the defense needs a breather after playing 1 minute and 57 seconds coming out of a 20 minute halftime. 

Note that Kevin Kugler, Chris Martin, and Jon Jansen will be doing this week's game on BTN.  They are clearly a better broadcast team since all 3 of them actually have full first names.  Something tells me we haven't seen the last of J Leman though...

Comment of the Week - Wife Edition:  "You're not going to be in a good mood after this, are you?"

Tweet

Purdue - Michigan Recap: "Oh what a disastrous first half for Purdue!"

I give the BTN announcers a lot of crap.  However, they got that one exactly right.

Overview:

A horrible start doomed the Boilermakers as they fell down 28-3 before a last second touchdown in the first half.  Robert Marve provided a slight spark in the second half, but Purdue still only was able to score 3 points in the 2nd half resulting in an embarrassing 41-13 home blowout to an unranked team.

There were a thousand pictures of black jerseys chasing #16.  This is one of them.

The Offense:

While the defense was pretty much a no show, the tone was set by the offense.  Two 3 and outs to start the game were followed by two Michigan touchdowns, meaning Purdue was down 14 points after running just 6 plays and getting the ball to start the game!  The big play then came on 4th and 2 when Purdue decided to go for it, thinking 14 points was too big of a deficit to overcome if they pinned Michigan deep.  Instead of converting, TerBush made a poor throw to an open OJ Ross, and it turned into a gut-wrenching pick six.  Down 21-0 after 11 offensive plays, it's tough to evaluate the running game.  However, it seemed like Purdue's running backs couldn't get anything going, which is very concerning against a poor rush defense.

With Michigan having the best pass defense in the Big Ten, coming back from an early 21-0 deficit was going to be difficult.  TerBush struggled all afternoon and ended with only 105 passing yards.  The big story was the benching of TerBush near the end of the 3rd quarter in favor of Robert Marve.  Marve looked very impressive in his first drive, but I think it's because offensive coordinator, Gary Nord, opened up the playbook with some tricky runs and reverses.  Did anyone else cringe every time he even came close to getting hit?

The Defense:
Well that looked familiar.  The defensive mirage we were seeing at the beginning of the season has disappeared completely and now we're left with a group that can't get a stop against a team that scored 6 points against Notre Dame.  I have no idea what the game plan was, but it clearly wasn't what it should have been.  Regardless of how poorly Denard Robinson played against Notre Dame, Michigan IS Denard Robinson.  How you set up a gameplan against Michigan without the #1, #2, AND #3 priorities being keeping Robinson's rushing in check absolutely floors me.  Let Robinson pass (he made some decent passes, but nothing that Purdue couldn't contain). Let Toussaint run (he's struggled recently and he's not nearly as dangerous as Robinson).  Yet how many times did the Purdue defense send 3 guys to tackle Toussaint in the option while Robinson ran for 10+ yards?  235 rushing yards on 24 carries. Awful awful awful. 

Special Teams:
Paul Griggs appears to have taken over the starting placekicker position and looked quite impressive yesterday.  Also, Raheem Mostert is clearly respected as one of the most dangerous returners in the game - Michigan kicked it away from him all day.  That meant Akeem Hunt needed a big day and 4 of his 5 returns were excellent.  However, the other was absolutely horrendous and was one of the few times you'll ever see a "muffed kickoff" turn into a turnover.  The fact that it came immediately after the pick six was just adding salt into the wound.  While I love the big play potential of this group, I'd trade it in any day for a bunch of sure-handed 20 yard returns.


Coaching:
Best coaching decision: The first play of the fourth quarter was 4th and inches.  Robert Marve had led the team down the field and looked to be in control.  Yet the coaching staff decided to go for it with a TerBush sneak instead.  The announcers mentioned this was due to Caleb's size, however it was clearly because of Marve's fragile knee.  The LAST thing you wanted was Marve to get injured on a play that TerBush could make just as easily.  Marve came back in to continue the drive - a great decision by the coaching staff.

Worst coaching decision: I've already touched on the decision to let Denard Robinson beat you with his feet.  Why you don't have a spy at all times against a quarterback with a questionable arm is beyond me.  While that's more of a pregame decision, I'd say the decision to run on 2nd and 16 from the 17 yard line early in the 4th quarter was mind boggling.  You're down 21 points!  Throw the ball!  What do you have to lose???  The play went for a loss and the Boilers would ultimately settle for a field goal.

Worst Call by a Zebra:
The refs surely didn't cost us the game, but there were a series of plays on the Michigan's marathon first drive that made me wonder if they saw the rare lights at Ross-Ade and thought the game didn't start until later that night.  Most obvious was a 2-yard 2nd and 3 run aided by a blatant block in the back.  Michigan wound up converting the first down, but you wonder how the game would have changed if the call had been made, Purdue made the stop, and the Wolverines didn't score on that first drive.

Most Important Play:
With an honorable mention to Michigan's 4th and 4 conversion on the first drive, the most important play was clearly the pick six by Raymon Taylor to put Michigan up 21-0.  Purdue had finally started driving and tried to keep the momentum by going for it on 4th down.  Poor throw, poor catch, ballgame.

The "My sister could have executed that play better" Award:
Robert Marve came into the game down 31-10 and led the team into the red zone.  Facing 1st and 10 from the 11 early in the 4th quarter, Marve had a chance to make it a 2 score game with a touchdown.  Instead, he was chased out of the pocket and ran out of bounds SIX yards behind the line of scrimmage.  2nd and 16 pretty much ruined any lingering chances the Boilers had of a miracle comeback.  My sister could have executed that play better since she can throw the ball 6 yards and that's all Marve had to do.  THROW THE BALL OUT OF BOUNDS!  Throw it to a fan.  Throw it out of the stadium.  Throw it through the goal posts.  Just don't run out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage.  This is one of my biggest pet peeves.

The Biggest Missed Opportunity
A stop by Purdue's defense on 4th and 4 on Michigan's first drive would have changed the complexion of the entire game.  Instead, Denard Robinson completed a wide open 7-yard pass, leading to an eventual touchdown.

Picks of the Week Update:
I unfortunately picked this game correctly against the spread (although neither of us expected a blow out).  This means I now have a dominant lead with $39 while Kirk missed and has a miserable -$13.50.  Does Kirk need to pay interest on his debts?

In Conclusion:
Michigan's 2 weeks of preparation and healing from the Notre Dame debacle along with Purdue's multitude of early mistakes meant Purdue was out of this game embarrassingly early.  But the game's over.  Purdue laid their early season egg.  Luckily it was against a team they weren't necessarily supposed to beat and it was against a team in the other division.  Regardless of the final score, general consensus is that the Boilers just need to win 1 of the first 3 games to have a good shot at Indianapolis.  A win next week erases all the bad vibes from this week and amazingly puts Purdue in the driver's seat for the Big Ten Championship.  Keep the faith and no matter how difficult it is, Boiler Up!

Tweet

Preview: Purdue vs. Michigan - October 6th - 4:00 pm - BTN

Big Ten season is finally here, and the Boilers face off against the Wolverines Saturday as both teams begin conference play.  The Wolverines hail from that state to the north known as "the hand," right near the heel, which I find very fitting.  This is the first game in a doozy of a three-game schedule for Purdue, who faces Michigan and Wisconsin at home, followed by Ohio State on the road.  Those should be the Boilers' toughest three games left on the schedule, so it's important they start off on the right foot with a win.

I spent eight days in Ann Arbor last week (you know what they say about her, right?) while the Wolverines had their bye week and twice as long to prepare for Purdue, and I learned a few things:

1. The Michigan fans don't really like Denard Robinson.  Of course, he had his worst game ever last week, and some are sick of living or dying by his play, but it seems like there are other reasons why they aren't in full support. [coughracecough]
2. Most people were pretty pessimistic, having two weeks to think about how horribly the team played against Notre Dame
3. They are legitimately afraid of Purdue, but still cocky they'll win.
4. The best things to come out of Ann Arbor are the beer, the cheese, and the bread.

Why Purdue wins
If the Boiler defense can play like they've been, it should give Michigan a lot of trouble.  It's all about containing Denard Robinson, and Purdue has the athletes to do that and apply a lot of pressure in our out of the pocket.  Coming off a stellar game against Marshall, stud cornerbacks Ricardo Allen and Josh Johnson could torture Robinson worse than Notre Dame did.  If Purdue can force some turnovers and get in Robinson's head, they could pull out the victory.  Also, the defense should be able to keep Fitzgerald Toussaint in check this year, as he hasn't been dominant yet.

The Michigan defense is good, but by no means great, and they rank near the bottom of the conference in rush defense.  Expect the Akeems to have a good day in order for the Boilers to win

Why Michigan wins 
I think the biggest factor for Michigan will be the fact they are coming off a bye week.  They had two weeks to prepare for Purdue, two weeks to forget about their bad loss to Notre Dame, and two weeks for Denard Robinson to relearn the game of football.

Michigan also boasts the best pass defense in the conference, so they could likely give Caleb TerBush fits on Saturday.  If they force some picks, and TerBush always seems willing to give one bad interception away each game, it could snowball.  Offensively, Robinson has the ability to change a game in a heartbeat and can beat you in a variety of ways.  If he plays at his talent level and doesn't get careless, like he did against Notre Dame, he's one hard dude to stop.  Remember that Toussaint rushed for 170 yards against Purdue last year, so even a modicum of that production could be the difference.

Player we're most concerned about since their stock photo may break our TV
I couldn't find any Wolverines to make fun of, but check out Delonte Hollowell, who just looks hilariously awesome. Like he's a member of TV on the Radio or something.

And likewise, we appreciate Elliot Mealer's tremendous neckbeard.

So instead, let's remember how much we dislike this punk:

Picks of the week
Michigan is favored by three points, and this week Erik and I will be betting the value of the last good lunch we had at a restaurant.

Kirk's bet
I work from home, so I don't get out for many lunches, and even during my week in Ann Arbor I was working from my in-laws' house.  They served me gourmet lunches while I diligently helped save the world, but I suppose those don't count.  I'll think back to my most recent monthly trip to New York City, where I had essentially an all-you-can-eat meal at BonChon Chicken.  They do Korean fried chicken in soy garlic or hot sauce, and I ate my fill of wings, drums, strips, fries, pickled daikon radish, and kimchi coleslaw.  Probably about $20 worth. Good stuff.

The head or the heart? I think there's a decent chance Purdue pulls out the victory, and although the safe bet is to pick a UofM win, I'm backing my Boilers all the way to Indianapolis.  I have confidence in confidence. Purdue 27 - Michigan 24 

Erik's bet
Because he's attended about two dozen weddings this summer (he makes a pretty bridesmaid), Erik was in Colorado Springs last week and enjoyed lunch at Phantom Canyon Brewing Company.  He doesn't remember what he ate (drunk before noon?), but he loved their Railyard Ale, and his bill came to about $25.

Erik predicts that the Wolverines cover the spread, Michigan 24 - Purdue 20 (Erik, I'm so disappointed in you).

Three Final Things
1. Will Robert Marve and Ralph Bolden return and be a factor in the game?  I don't expect either to, with so much on the line, unless the Boilers are struggling, but it's fantastic news that they each are recovering from injuries sooner than expected.  At a minimum it could give the Michigan coaching staff additional things to worry about.

2. Totally not football related, but I give Ann Arbor credit for bringing Ben Harper to the Michigan Theater for an amazing three-hour solo show while I was in town.  Erik's mentioned before on the blog that I'm a bit of a fan, and it was the best performance of the seven times I've seen Ben live.  Just him on stage with ten guitars, a piano, a vibraphone, and a ukulele.  I highly recommend seeing him on this short tour, especially Carnegie Hall next week.

3. Boiler Up!

Tweet

Broadcast Recap - Marshall Edition

Make sure to check out Kirk's recap of Saturday's game and his always entertaining (and 100% accurate) power rankings!  Meanwhile, here are a couple of things you missed if you didn't watch the game on BTN...

Screenshot of the week:  Jordan Foster, one of the Silver Twins, appears to be celebrating the win early as she shows the proper way to drink a shot of tequila to the Golden Girl and Girl in Black.  Thanks to BTN, the whole world now knows that you need to lick the salt BEFORE taking the shot.

Also note the guy in yellow checking out the Girl in Black.  You can't hide behind those sunglasses!

Thing I learned from BTN: Color commentator, Derek Rackley, sounds a lot like Norman Chad on ESPN's World Series of Poker broadcasts.  Except less funny.  Don't believe me?  You'll get a chance to hear it from yourself next week, because...

Announcer/BTN complaint: Purdue's biggest game in years is on BTN this Saturday.  Your favorite commentators, Eric Collins and Derek Rackley might have spent all week hanging out at the Union Club, where they're joined by linebacker turned faith healer turned sideline reporter, J Leman.  Oh Charrisa Thompson, we miss you!  Even worse, is that next weekend will again be Purdue's biggest game in years and will almost definitely feature a team in the Big Ten Championship.  Yet that game is ALSO on BTN.  Where's the love?  ESPN/ABC might pick up the Ohio State game, but if Purdue makes the Big Ten Championship, the nation's going to have missed 2 of the 3  biggest games of a team that will be one game away from the Rose Bowl.  Oh, and please don't let us have J Leman for a third straight week.

Irrelevant Comment of the Week - Wife Edition:  "Are you seriously watching the game on your phone while on vacation?  You're pathetic."

As much as I dislike the announcers and production value on BTN, thank goodness for BTN2Go!

Tweet

Big Ten Football Power Rankings - Week 5

What an exciting week of conference action!  Even though Purdue was the lone Big Ten team battling a non-con foe, their game was just as exciting.  We saw some of the questionable conference teams rise to middle, the poor get poorer, and Michigan State fall at home to a ranked opponent yet again.

On to the rankings, where we feel dirty switching out our top team, choosing cheaters over scholars.


1.   Ohio State (5-0, 1-0 conference) [Last week's rank: 3] 

The Buckeyes take over the top spot after beating Michigan State on the road by one point.  It's pretty sad when your conference's top team isn't even eligible for the postseason, but we'll see if Ohio State can make count late in the season when they have nothing to play for.  Braxton Miller had a good game against the Spartans, running great (136 yards on 23 carries) and throwing decently (16/23, one TD, one pick).  The defense was stout against MSU, but maybe that's more telling about how bad the opponent's offense was.  Either way, we'll repeat it for the fifth straight week: stop Miller on the ground and OSU is beatable; let him run all over you and you'll probably lose.

2.   Northwestern (5-0, 1-0) [Last week's rank: 1]

The Wildcats fall a spot after letting Indiana get a little too close for comfort.  I still expect them to start 7-0, and the two-headed QB monster of Siemian and Colter continues to look good. Colter ran for 161 yards on 14 carries and Venric Mark had 139 yards on the ground.  Of course, this was against a horrible IU defense, but getting 704 total yards is very impressive for Northwestern. Their defense, however, got lazy, let the Hoosiers back in the game, and could be their undoing against the stronger conference teams in a few weeks.

3.   Nebraska (4-1, 1-0) [Last week's rank: 2]

I was expecting a big win at home against Wisconsin, but Nebraska just barely squeaked one out.  Boilermakers across the nation, hug a Husker if you see one, because the Wisconsin loss greatly helps Purdue's chances to win the division (I hope!).  The Nebraska defense was bad in the first half, but then great in the second, and the offense rallied just enough behind Taylor Martinez and the backfield duo of Ameer Abdullah and Rex Burkhead.

4.   Purdue (3-1, 0-0) [Last week's rank: 4]

Purdue had an amazing first half on both sides of the ball to put enough distance between themselves and Marshall, despite the Herd's dizzying offensive attack.  This was a potential trap game, and the Boilers escape and await a showdown with Michigan this weekend.  Also, I dare you to find a more excellent five minutes in football than what Purdue produced in the second quarter.

5.   Michigan (2-2, 0-0) [Last week's rank: 7]

Michigan had a bye week, which gave them lots of time to prep for Purdue this weekend.  Should be a big game in West Lafayette!  Maybe Denard Robinson studied up on how not to throw interceptions.

As pathetic as their team was

6.   Michigan State (3-2, 0-1) [Last week's rank: 5] 

The Spartans fell a spot after losing a close game against Ohio State. A one-point loss at home against the conference's top team isn't demoralizing, but watching the MSU offense sure is.  They can't seem to get anything moving, in the air or on the ground. Le'veon Bell ran less effectively than a 40-year old woman.  The defense once again played like they've been hyped, forcing three turnovers, but there are major concerns placing Michigan State in the top tier of the conference, since they may not be able to score much all season against good opponents.

Sad, sad faces

7.   Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1) [Last week's rank: 8]

The Badgers move up one spot after nearly beating Nebraska on the road.  I thought the Huskers would easily handle Wisconsin, but those northerners proved that they are still vying for the division title and a trip to Indianapolis.  The Badgers were up 20-3 in the second quarter before the Nebraska offense started to get going and chisel away at the lead.  At halftime I was pretty disappointed, as I honestly believed Nebraska was done and Purdue's chances of winning the division were going to take a major hit, but the Wisconsin defense wore down, and the offense failed to score for the final 25 minutes of play.  That had to drive the cheeseheads crazy, as Wisconsin is showing flashes of their superior talent but failing to put it all together in big games.

8.   Penn State (3-2, 1-0) [Last week's rank: 9] 

Beating Illinois doesn't really win you many points, since the Illini are horrible, but Penn State moves up one spot as they appear to be figuring out their offense.  Matt McGloin is getting better, and Mike Mauti had two interceptions and really stuck it to Illinois, after criticizing them in the off-season for recruiting potential transfers on Penn State's campus.  I agree that Illinois's coaching staff deserved that beat down.

9.   Iowa (3-2, 1-0) [Last week's rank: 11] 

Iowa is no longer a laughing stock after easily beating Minnesota, but they still aren't worthy of a bigger jump in the power rankings.  Vandenberg didn't do much wrong, and the Hawkeyes held onto the football while playing tough defense and forcing four turnovers.  They aren't going to challenge for their division, but they could definitely pull some upsets this year.  Here's hoping the Boilers aren't one of them!

10.  Minnesota (4-1, 0-1) [Last week's rank: 6] 

I'm dropping the Gophers pretty low this week since they were finally exposed after losing to Iowa 31-13 (and they were down 24-0 at halftime).  I was afraid it was going to be one of those years for Minnesota, where they easily handle their non-conference schedule, only to falter against real competition in the Big Ten. Max Shortell is not the answer at quarterback, throwing three interceptions and not getting enough done on the ground with his rushing attempts.

IU doesn't have fans

11.  Indiana (2-2, 0-1) [Last week's rank: 10]

Indiana gave Northwestern a scare, losing by 15 in Evanston, but they were down 27-0 in the second half before the Wildcats turned a little mild.  Kevin Wilson is going to have trouble deciding which quarterback to play, and while the offense can certainly score, the defense isn't stopping anyone.  Northwestern had 704 total yards, yikes!

12.  Illinois (2-3, 0-1) [Last week's rank: 12]

After getting blown out the week prior by Louisiana Tech, which led me to place them last in my power rankings, Illinois did me proud and got smoked by Penn State.  Lots of turnovers, inconsistent passing, and too much reliance on Scheelhaase, and the Illini fall at home to an improving, but still mediocre, Nittany Lion team. It really is a two-team race in the Leaders Division, and Illinois is wretched.

FYI: teams on bye weeks don't get photos, since their fans had nothing to react to

Tweet