B1G is back!!!!

 
I do believe that Jack Coan just got Wally Pipped last night.

Graham Mertz appears to be the real deal. Now, we need to see him against some better teams and defenses, but every indication he gave last night is that this kid is ELITE.

My son follows recruiting a lot closer than I do. I just can't get too wrapped up into how a 17 year old boy is feeling about his future this week, as opposed to last week. But he sent me some HS tape on Mertz a couple years ago because OSU was recruiting him, and I was super impressed.

As evidence of how strong a culture can be, when he signed at Wisky, I told some Badger fans I know that this kid has the potential to take Wisky from King of the West and B1G runner up to a legit CFP contender. They scoffed. "No, we need a guy to hand off, manage the game, complete a 6 yard pass every now and then, and get us in good punting position." I couldn't believe it. I told them that this guy can make accurate throws 30-40 yards downfield and put balls in tight windows to keep drives going. I then argued with them last year that Coan would do what Wisky QBs have always done (Wilson excluded) and they will lose 2-3 games to elite teams, but that Mertz had the potential to take them to higher places.

I got some texts last night from some happy and repentant Badger fans.
 
If the Penn State coaches did not tell their RB to fall to the ground if IU let them score then Franklin should be fired,. No matter how this game goes in OT. EVERYONE knew IU would let then score. EVERYONE except the Penn State coaching staff.
 
If the Penn State coaches did not tell their RB to fall to the ground if IU let them score then Franklin should be fired,. No matter how this game goes in OT. EVERYONE knew IU would let then score. EVERYONE except the Penn State coaching staff.
Been one of the weirdest games I’ve ever watched. Indiana offense has done nothing outside of one drive and it’s tied at 28.
 
Been one of the weirdest games I’ve ever watched. Indiana offense has done nothing outside of one drive and it’s tied at 28.

Why didn't Franklin run one more quick play to gain 5 yards? If they gain even a couple of yards they win the game on a FG. Franklin is dumb as a rock.

I'm really curious what instructions Clifford and the RB were given after they took the ball back at the end. It's hard to imagine that the RB was told NOT to score and forgot. If this coaching staff didn't tell the O NOT to score they are incompetent.
 
Why didn't Franklin run one more quick play to gain 5 yards? If they gain even a couple of yards they win the game on a FG. Franklin is dumb as a rock.

I'm really curious what instructions Clifford and the RB were given after they took the ball back at the end. It's hard to imagine that the RB was told NOT to score and forgot. If this coaching staff didn't tell the O NOT to score they are incompetent.
He doesn’t seem to coach well in close games ie Ohio State in 2017 and 2018 when they blew big leads in the 4th quarter.
 
Wow talk about a game of inches.

If the refs had ruled he was short of the EZ that would have stood to. Couldn't get any closer either way.

As an aside it's not good that the #8 ranked team from the B1G goes down to defeat to an unranked team.
 
If the refs had ruled he was short of the EZ that would have stood to. Couldn't get any closer either way.

As an aside it's not good that the #8 ranked team from the B1G goes down to defeat to an unranked team.
Looking ahead to Ohio State? Not having Journey Brown and Micah Parson’s makes them a different team also. I think Minnesota Wisconsin and possibly *ichigan are better.
 
Looking ahead to Ohio State? Not having Journey Brown and Micah Parson’s makes them a different team also. I think Minnesota Wisconsin and possibly *ichigan are better.

Bingo.

Looking at Ohio States schedule will they even have an opportunity to beat a top 10 team before the conference championship? I figure PS will drop to 15 or lower which leaves Michigan as the only viable team that could be top 10 when they play the Buckeyes. And there are several scenarios where Ohio State doesn't play anyone in the top 15. That can prove problematic when the committee gets together to cast their bones.

IU will crack the top 25 but like you noted they actually sucked on the field but somehow against all conventional football wisdom they won. In the future I see them losing to teams that triple them up on yardage.
 
It'd be best for Ohio State to have Wisconsin run the table and be a Top 8 team for the conference championship game. The Wisconsin/Michigan game will be a big one for the Buckeyes, but it won't be too difficult to root for the Badgers

Also the Buckeyes don't play Purdue this year so they've evaded that loss
 
Bingo.

Looking at Ohio States schedule will they even have an opportunity to beat a top 10 team before the conference championship? I figure PS will drop to 15 or lower which leaves Michigan as the only viable team that could be top 10 when they play the Buckeyes. And there are several scenarios where Ohio State doesn't play anyone in the top 15. That can prove problematic when the committee gets together to cast their bones.

IU will crack the top 25 but like you noted they actually sucked on the field but somehow against all conventional football wisdom they won. In the future I see them losing to teams that triple them up on yardage.
Turnovers are the great equalizer.
 
Someone tell OSU D, season has begun.
While we dont have any good recent evidence, Frost is a heckuva coach. For sure, he knows how to scheme against a defense - esp if you give him a month.

The first 1 1/2 qtrs, the Huskers did exactly what they had to do to keep it close. They played clean, didnt turn the ball over, and on defense they were selling out to stop RB run. They were forcing Fields run and throw, and he was hurting them, but Ohio St was plodding down the field instead of getting explosive plays.

Good plan. I guess if I was a Husker fan I would be frustrated that this plan was designed to keep it close, not win. Nebraska needed to try, or at least threaten, to throw the ball down the field. As it was, eventually the Buckeye safeties were lining up 7 or 8 yards off the ball!

That first half was an example of Nebraska's plan working for a while, and Ohio St having some first game kinks to work out and adjustments to make. Eventually Nebraska didnt play clean and the talent of the Bucks broke the game open.

52-17 was about what I expected. The problem was at half it didnt feel like the game would go there.
 
The Wiscy QB situation is a hot mess due to the Covid for the next 3 weeks. I would love to see the contact tracing report on how Mertz and the other back up caught the virus.
 
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