Big Ten Rundown
September 17 2007 09:19 PM -- Filed in: Sam Anderson
Preface: For all the talk of the Big Ten being
down this year, I challenge anyone to show me another
conference that has three teams in the AP top 10
right now. Maybe people should ask Jake Locker about
just how down the Big Ten is...
Pittsburgh(2-1) at Michigan St.(3-0)
Score: 17-13 MSU
A few stats: Brian Hoyer(MSU): 14-28, 183 yards; Devin Thomas(MSU): 3 receptions, 53 yards. Javon Ringer(MSU): 20 carries, 92 yards.
A couple words: Defensive touchdowns and hard play helped Mark Dantonio’s Spartans to improve to 3-0…Pittsburgh is riddled with injuries…Kellen Davis may be the best tight end in the Big 10…The Enlightened Spartan talks about penalty issues and “ugly wins” but I say congrats to Dantonio because there is nothing like a 3-0 start as a new head coach.
Game Changer: Travis Key(DB/MSU): His “pick 6” helped the Spartans win a close one.
Notre Dame(0-3) at Michigan(1-2)
Score: 38-0 Michigan
A few stats: Mike Hart(UM): 35 carries, 187 yards, 2 TD’s; Ryan Mallet(UM): 7-15, 90 yards, 3 TD’s. Jimmy Clausen(ND): 11-17, 74 yards, 1 int.
A couple words: Charlie Weis:
…Can one win over a depleted Notre Dame program give Michigan the confidence boost for Penn State this weekend? MGoBlog discusses this, recruiting, and has more than a few videos on display.
Game Changer: Mike Hart’s mouth(the mouth alone is capable of taking the Irish this year)
Buffalo(1-2) at Penn State(3-0)
Score: 45-24 Penn State
A few stats: Anthony Morelli: 20-27, 202 yards, 4 TD’s; Rodney Kinlaw (PSU): 23 carries, 129 yards, 1 TD. Buffalo: 339 yards passing.
A couple words: Yet another game where you wonder what is going on as Buffalo led 3-0 after 1 quarter…Austin Scott was replaced with Kinlaw after being diagnosed with “fumbleitis”…Morelli will see a slightly better defensive backfield this week in Ann Arbor…Buffalo has won just 13 games in the past 8 seasons.
Game Changer: Anthony Morelli (PSU): 4 touchdown passes.
Akron(1-2) at Indiana(3-0)
Score: 41-24 Indiana
A few stats: Kellen Lewis (Ind.): 19-24 137 yards, 3 TD’s, 18 carries, 199 yards, 2 TD’s.
A couple words: Kellen Lewis had a career day as you can see from the stat line above…Indiana improves to 3-0 and faces Illinois this week…James Hardy also scored on a 21 yard pass from Lewis…Akron scored 17 points in the second quarter but was unable to stop Lewis all day long.
Game Changer: Kellen Lewis
Illinois(2-1) at Syracuse(0-3)
Score: 41-20 Illinois
A few stats: Juice Williams (Ill.): 13-18, 97 yards, 1 passing TD, 1 rushing TD; Rashard Mendenhall (Ill.): 16 carries, 150 yards, 3 TD’s
A couple words: Illinitalk didn’t have much to say after the game, then again they played Syracuse…Jason Reda kicked a 50 yard field goal for Illinois…Syracuse didn’t get a first down until the second quarter…Illinois rolled up over 500 yards of total offense.
Game Changer: Rashard Mendenhall(Ill.)
Citadel (2-1) at Wisconsin(3-0)
Score: 45-31 Wisconsin
A few stats: P.J. Hill(Wisc.): 25 carries, 168 yards, 5 TD’s. Tyler Donovan (Wisc.): 14-20, 201 yards, 2 TD’s; The Citadel: 254 yards passing
A couple words: At this point I am very skeptical about Wisconsin’s speed on the defensive side of the football…P.J. Hill set a Wisconsin record scoring 5 touchdowns…While it looks bad that The Citadel played with Wisconsin for awhile, keep in mind that The Citadel’s only loss in the last seven games was to Appalachian State...Again, Wisconsin has issues in their defensive backfield making Duran Lawson look like Joe Montana.
Game Changer: P.J. Hill
Iowa(2-1) at Iowa State(1-2)
Score: 15-13 Iowa State
A few stats: Bret Culbertson (ISU): 5 field goals; Jake Christensen (Iowa): 12-23, 118 yards
A couple words: Turns out that Iowa’s energy level wasn’t where it needed to be after all…ISU was 0-2 going into the game losing to Kent State and Northern Iowa…Both teams are in serious need of some speed…Iowa goes to Madison to play the Badgers this week. They had better hope P.J. Hill doesn’t have as many touchdowns as Culbertson did field goals.
Game Changer: Bret Culbertson for his game winning field goal.
Duke(1-2) at Northwestern(2-1)
Score: 20-14 Duke
A few stats: C.J. Bacher (NW): 30-50, 368 yards, 1 rushing; Brandon Roberson (NW): 21 rushes, 80 yards, 1 TD; Thaddeus Lewis(Duke): 19-23, 246 yards, 3 TD’s.
A couple words: Duke owned the nations longest losing streak until Saturday… Thaddeus Lewis entered the game 0-13 as a starter but threw touchdowns to Jomar Right, Ronnie Drummer, and Brandon King…368 yards passing was a career high for C.J. Bacher…Not a good way for Northwestern to ready themselves for The Shoe.
Game Changer: Thaddeus Lewis
Minnesota(1-2) at Florida Atlantic(2-1)
Score: 42-39 Florida Atlantic
A few stats: Amir Pinnix (Minn.): 16 rushes, 92 yards. Adam Weber (Minn.): 31-47, 335 yards, 4 TD’s, 4 int’s. Rusty Smith (FAU): 27-44, 463 yards, 5 TD’s. Eric Decker (FAU): 12 rec., 165 yards, 1 TD.
A couple words: Florida Atlantic had 7 forced turnovers…Adam Weber had 4 interceptions but also threw 4 touchdowns. He is going to be very good and seems to be an early front runner for Big 10 Freshman of the Year…It was FAU’s first win over a team from the Big Ten ever…Minnesota is struggling the way a team that fired their coach last year should be.
Game Changer: Rusty Smith piled up enough points early to hold off a late Gopher rally.
Central Michigan(1-2) at Purdue(3-0)
Score: 45-22 Purdue
A few stats: Curtis Painter (Purdue): 29-39, 360 yards, 3 TD’s. Dorien Bryant (Purdue) 6 receptions, 95 yards. Kory Sheets (Purdue): 21 carries, 144 yards, 2 TD’s. Bryan Anderson (CMU): 10 receptions, 101 yards. Purdue: 583 total yards.
A couple words: Purdue is a good football team. The score could have been a lot worse as Purdue led 31-0 at the half…Joe Tiller’s spread attack seems to be back in full effect this year and the Buckeyes need to be ready when we go to West Lafayette for an 8pm kickoff later this year.
Game Changer: Curtis Painter (Purdue)
Pittsburgh(2-1) at Michigan St.(3-0)
Score: 17-13 MSU
A few stats: Brian Hoyer(MSU): 14-28, 183 yards; Devin Thomas(MSU): 3 receptions, 53 yards. Javon Ringer(MSU): 20 carries, 92 yards.
A couple words: Defensive touchdowns and hard play helped Mark Dantonio’s Spartans to improve to 3-0…Pittsburgh is riddled with injuries…Kellen Davis may be the best tight end in the Big 10…The Enlightened Spartan talks about penalty issues and “ugly wins” but I say congrats to Dantonio because there is nothing like a 3-0 start as a new head coach.
Game Changer: Travis Key(DB/MSU): His “pick 6” helped the Spartans win a close one.
Notre Dame(0-3) at Michigan(1-2)
Score: 38-0 Michigan
A few stats: Mike Hart(UM): 35 carries, 187 yards, 2 TD’s; Ryan Mallet(UM): 7-15, 90 yards, 3 TD’s. Jimmy Clausen(ND): 11-17, 74 yards, 1 int.
A couple words: Charlie Weis:
“My confidence isn’t shaken, but as an organization we haven’t done a very good job.”
…Can one win over a depleted Notre Dame program give Michigan the confidence boost for Penn State this weekend? MGoBlog discusses this, recruiting, and has more than a few videos on display.
Game Changer: Mike Hart’s mouth(the mouth alone is capable of taking the Irish this year)
Buffalo(1-2) at Penn State(3-0)
Score: 45-24 Penn State
A few stats: Anthony Morelli: 20-27, 202 yards, 4 TD’s; Rodney Kinlaw (PSU): 23 carries, 129 yards, 1 TD. Buffalo: 339 yards passing.
A couple words: Yet another game where you wonder what is going on as Buffalo led 3-0 after 1 quarter…Austin Scott was replaced with Kinlaw after being diagnosed with “fumbleitis”…Morelli will see a slightly better defensive backfield this week in Ann Arbor…Buffalo has won just 13 games in the past 8 seasons.
Game Changer: Anthony Morelli (PSU): 4 touchdown passes.
Akron(1-2) at Indiana(3-0)
Score: 41-24 Indiana
A few stats: Kellen Lewis (Ind.): 19-24 137 yards, 3 TD’s, 18 carries, 199 yards, 2 TD’s.
A couple words: Kellen Lewis had a career day as you can see from the stat line above…Indiana improves to 3-0 and faces Illinois this week…James Hardy also scored on a 21 yard pass from Lewis…Akron scored 17 points in the second quarter but was unable to stop Lewis all day long.
Game Changer: Kellen Lewis
Illinois(2-1) at Syracuse(0-3)
Score: 41-20 Illinois
A few stats: Juice Williams (Ill.): 13-18, 97 yards, 1 passing TD, 1 rushing TD; Rashard Mendenhall (Ill.): 16 carries, 150 yards, 3 TD’s
A couple words: Illinitalk didn’t have much to say after the game, then again they played Syracuse…Jason Reda kicked a 50 yard field goal for Illinois…Syracuse didn’t get a first down until the second quarter…Illinois rolled up over 500 yards of total offense.
Game Changer: Rashard Mendenhall(Ill.)
Citadel (2-1) at Wisconsin(3-0)
Score: 45-31 Wisconsin
A few stats: P.J. Hill(Wisc.): 25 carries, 168 yards, 5 TD’s. Tyler Donovan (Wisc.): 14-20, 201 yards, 2 TD’s; The Citadel: 254 yards passing
A couple words: At this point I am very skeptical about Wisconsin’s speed on the defensive side of the football…P.J. Hill set a Wisconsin record scoring 5 touchdowns…While it looks bad that The Citadel played with Wisconsin for awhile, keep in mind that The Citadel’s only loss in the last seven games was to Appalachian State...Again, Wisconsin has issues in their defensive backfield making Duran Lawson look like Joe Montana.
Game Changer: P.J. Hill
Iowa(2-1) at Iowa State(1-2)
Score: 15-13 Iowa State
A few stats: Bret Culbertson (ISU): 5 field goals; Jake Christensen (Iowa): 12-23, 118 yards
A couple words: Turns out that Iowa’s energy level wasn’t where it needed to be after all…ISU was 0-2 going into the game losing to Kent State and Northern Iowa…Both teams are in serious need of some speed…Iowa goes to Madison to play the Badgers this week. They had better hope P.J. Hill doesn’t have as many touchdowns as Culbertson did field goals.
Game Changer: Bret Culbertson for his game winning field goal.
Duke(1-2) at Northwestern(2-1)
Score: 20-14 Duke
A few stats: C.J. Bacher (NW): 30-50, 368 yards, 1 rushing; Brandon Roberson (NW): 21 rushes, 80 yards, 1 TD; Thaddeus Lewis(Duke): 19-23, 246 yards, 3 TD’s.
A couple words: Duke owned the nations longest losing streak until Saturday… Thaddeus Lewis entered the game 0-13 as a starter but threw touchdowns to Jomar Right, Ronnie Drummer, and Brandon King…368 yards passing was a career high for C.J. Bacher…Not a good way for Northwestern to ready themselves for The Shoe.
Game Changer: Thaddeus Lewis
Minnesota(1-2) at Florida Atlantic(2-1)
Score: 42-39 Florida Atlantic
A few stats: Amir Pinnix (Minn.): 16 rushes, 92 yards. Adam Weber (Minn.): 31-47, 335 yards, 4 TD’s, 4 int’s. Rusty Smith (FAU): 27-44, 463 yards, 5 TD’s. Eric Decker (FAU): 12 rec., 165 yards, 1 TD.
A couple words: Florida Atlantic had 7 forced turnovers…Adam Weber had 4 interceptions but also threw 4 touchdowns. He is going to be very good and seems to be an early front runner for Big 10 Freshman of the Year…It was FAU’s first win over a team from the Big Ten ever…Minnesota is struggling the way a team that fired their coach last year should be.
Game Changer: Rusty Smith piled up enough points early to hold off a late Gopher rally.
Central Michigan(1-2) at Purdue(3-0)
Score: 45-22 Purdue
A few stats: Curtis Painter (Purdue): 29-39, 360 yards, 3 TD’s. Dorien Bryant (Purdue) 6 receptions, 95 yards. Kory Sheets (Purdue): 21 carries, 144 yards, 2 TD’s. Bryan Anderson (CMU): 10 receptions, 101 yards. Purdue: 583 total yards.
A couple words: Purdue is a good football team. The score could have been a lot worse as Purdue led 31-0 at the half…Joe Tiller’s spread attack seems to be back in full effect this year and the Buckeyes need to be ready when we go to West Lafayette for an 8pm kickoff later this year.
Game Changer: Curtis Painter (Purdue)
