Northwestern is an unimpressive 2-3, but there are those that would argue Penn State's 4-0 record is equally without awe. I don't know about you, but wins and undefeatedness trumps any lame attempt to compare Cal to Rutgers or Northern Illinois to UCF.
The betting line is 10.5 in favor of the home team.
Penn State pwns the all-time record between these academic institutions with a 13-3 advantage. (This is obviously a rivalry game!) It is HOMECOMING for the PSU faithful. The Lions are 4-0 and looking to take one more step closer to bowl eligibility.
So it doesn't really matter if the Wildcat's show up? Well, I wouldn't go that far. Our offensive line still has some proving to do. Our running game, which hinges on the aforementioned offensive line and its success therein, has yet to prove consistency (other than being consistently non-existent.) Hack might have a great day. He might not. We won't know until about 12:15 tomorrow, or maybe not even until the fourth quarter, say 2:45 give a timeout or two.
The last game versus the men in purple was in Bill O'Brien's first year. It was also homecoming. The Lion's trailed by 11 at one point, but scored 22 unanswered points, including a two-point conversion, to win 39-28 in the fourth quarter. Interestingly, the Wildcan'ts were 5-0 that season going into this game. It is also the game where Pat Fitzgerald, in a decidedly un-Fitzgerald like moment, mocked Bill O'Brien who was chewing out the refs over a bad PI call, while assistant coaches and players taunted the Beaver Stadium crowd who were cheering The Chin's assault on the myopic refs. It was not their finest moment, nor their finest game--the Wildcan'ts that is.
So what do we know of this foe?
That just about says it all.
Northwestern is a private institution of higher learning in Evanston, Ill. Now we could argue until we're purple in the face as to whether it was smart to build anything in Evanston, but it really won't get us anywhere, especially if the planes are still grounded at O'Hare.
Most learned people would agree, that northwestern is a compass direction, not a school. Compasses were around before colleges. Just sayin . . .
Their school motto is: Quaecumque sunt vera which means something in Latin. (I think it might mean compass for a school.) They say it means "whatsoever things are true," but who really knows, since Latin hasn't been used as a legitimate language since the Roman Empire. Worked out well for them, didn't it?
Among their many famous Alumni, is Charlton Heston. Can any one forget this scene:
In the Big Ten this week:
Michigan State takes on Wyoming. GO SPARTANS!
THEM opens as an 8.5 point favorite over the gophers. GO MINNESOTA! (even though a win by THEM helps our strength of schedule. I'd also rather the wolverines not have any confidence coming into our match-up if its all the same to you.)
The Hoosiers, coming off an upset of Missouri, are favored by 3 over the Terps. GO INDIANA!
The Badgers are 33 point favorites over South Florida. Guess we'll root for Bucky this time!
Rutgers hosts Tulane and is favored by 11.5 points. Don't like Rutgers, but strength of schedule, baby! GO KNIGHTS!
Iowa is favored by 13.5 over Purdue. We don't play either one. Flip a coin and root for whomever you wish!
The Buckeyes square off against Cincinnati. GO BEARCATS! (We screw the strength of schedule argument if it means seeing Urban Meyer lose. That's priceless.)
The Huskers over the Illini. GO BIG RED!
In games featuring past opponents:
UMass looks for their first win against Bowling Green. GO MINUTEMEN!
Akron is a 17.5 point underdog to the panthers. GO ZIPS!
Prediction:
Penn State wins, 24-10.
GO STATE! BEAT CATS!
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