Iowa vs Penn State 2009

Iowa vs. Penn State

I have nothing against Iowa, I am sure they are a pretty good team, but I have a place in my heart for Joe Paterno.

I say that because years ago I wrote to Penn State for a media guide and I received one from them, to which I was most grateful. I also wrote a letter to Joe Paterno a few years ago and he actually answered it. It takes a nice man to take the time to answer a fan’s mail…not EMAIL, but land mail.

So you better believe I pull for Penn State when I can. But I also know that this game against Iowa is critical, because one loss can possibly knock you out for a shot at the BCS Championship. I have nothing negative to say about Iowa, so there are no hard feelings for them, but having said all that, let’s look at this matchup:

Iowa is one of those mid card teams that can have a banner year at any time. Last year they went 9-4, which in itself is great, but there are head scratchers to the teams they lost to. Losing by one point to Pittsburgh on the road is something you can live with, because Pittsburgh is a pretty good team.

Losing to Northwestern at home 22-17 is kinda iffy, I mean, Northwestern is not a long-time power in the Big 10. Losing to Michigan State 16-13 seems to set the table that this Hawkeye team plays to the competition. Losing to Illinois on the road seemed to clinch that thought.

Some might say the only credible win was against Penn State, winning 24-23 at home…sets the stage for this weekend. And losing an excellent rusher and some receivers makes this Iowa team touchable to the team the barely beat last year.

Penn State last year enjoyed huge success with an 11-2 record. As mentioned before, they lost to Iowa on the road, and lost to Southern Cal 38-24 in their final game of the year. Not bad, when you sprinkle good wins over Oregon State, Ohio State and Michigan State. We know that key elements in the offense are still there, and Penn State seems quite equal on the passing and the rushing…it will be hard to figure them out.

But maybe the biggest problem for the Nittany Lions is the hype the media puts around them. Being ranked in the top 5 now, is it possible for Penn State go to perfect? It would mean besting Iowa, a constant thorn in their side, and beating Ohio State, but it certainly is possible.

Both teams come in 3-0, with Iowa having wins over Northern Iowa by one point (errr?), Iowa State big, and Arizona by 10. Close games at home, great game away. Penn State has 3 of a 4 game home stand, beating Akron, Syracuse and Temple. To be sure, none of these teams will be crashing the gates of the BCS, but Penn State allowed only 6.5 points a game…that spells very tough defense, while averaging 30 points a game.

If there was a top 30, Iowa would not be on one poll, and barely clinging to the other. This tells me that even at 3-0, voters are not that impressed with the Hawkeyes, even though they beat Penn State last year. But with the Nittany Lions home, can the Hawkeyes repeat the performance of last year?

My heart tells me to go with Penn State, but logic says the same thing. I will admit though, I don’t think Penn State has been properly tested yet. I mean, Akron, Syracuse and Temple were 13-23 last year combined. This year they are currently 2-6...ugh.

We’ll learn much more about Penn State and their chances to play in the BCS Championship after this win, one they simply must have. To them, a loss here ruins the season…at the hands of a familiar foe.

But I see Penn State winning this handily, by 10 points, although that may still be too close for comfort. But we shall see…….

Syracuse vs Penn State

Syracuse vs. Penn State

Speedblog

Today Penn State has a chance to take a closer shot at the National Title, being ranked #7 and at home today against the mighty Syracuse Orangemen….

Ok, so they’re not so mighty…but can they give Penn State a run?

Only Iowa and USC beat the Nittany Lions last year as Penn State gave their fans every reason to laugh in the face of those critics that kept saying that Joe Paterno ought to retire. I for one was one of those guys that just got sick of so called “analysts” who felt that Joe Paterno ought to just give it up. Isn’t that age discrimination?

I am happy for Joe Pa, so I am pulling for them, but I also saw Syracuse last week and was impressed with Paulus the former Duke basketball player. I gotta say, he is pretty good. Their team lost last week to Minnesota, and went 3-9 last year, so the expectations are not that good.

Is there any chance for Syracuse to pull an upset? Well, as the universe turns, yeah. But if you asked me if it was likely, I can’t see it. The goal for Penn State is far, far higher than what Syracuse can expect, and let’s face it, Minnesota wasn’t one of the greatest teams last year, with a 7-6 record. In fact, Minnesota lost their last 6 games last year, when it mattered.

But this is about Syracuse and Penn State. Syracuse beat Northeastern, Louisville and Notre Dame last year. Granted that ND win was a good one, this has been the extent of the Orangemen. I do expect maybe a couple of more wins if Paulus plays well as he seems to play, but I just cannot see any victory over Penn State.

This will be a REAL test for the Syracuse quarterback, playing in an opponent’s field against a top 10 contender…it won’t be pretty for him or Syracuse, but I am very sure that Paulus has the poise. Playing with Duke and Coach K would have prepared him for that, and when I saw him play, he looked like a veteran, almost “Manning-like”.

I’m pulling for him to do well, but I am pulling for Penn State to win…won’t need to put that much effort into that. I see Penn State winning by a couple of touchdowns.

#5: Mississippi, Penn State or Oklahoma State?

#5: Mississippi, Penn State or Ok State

Speedblog

Ah, an interesting debate.

Who SHOULD be the 5th best team in the nation? Mississippi, Penn State or Oklahoma State?

On the two major polls, one has Oklahoma State, Penn State and Mississippi, in that order. The other has Penn State, Oklahoma State and Ohio State, in that order, with Mississippi trailing the three.

So I guess in theory one might say that Mississippi is not in this argument as the top 5 candidate. I would agree.

The Rebels had a great year last year, in fact beating Texas Tech in a bowl, and also handing Florida their only defeat, so there is credibility to the team. And with a lot of offensive returners, this is indeed a good team initially. And with no Florida and Georgia on the schedule, the greatest fears are teams like Alabama, South Carolina, LSU and maybe Auburn or Tennessee. But I don’t think anybody is predicting the Rebels to go undefeated, even with a “softer” schedule in the SEC than some will admit.

So the real debate is, who is better at this point of the year, Oklahoma State or Penn State? If you are basing it off last year, Ok State had a great year but ran up on some of the best teams in the nation, that being Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma, and lost in the bowl game to Oregon. Those are four HARD games folks.

Some may argue that their only real quality win was over Missouri, meaning their wins might be kinda…inflated. But beating Georgia was exactly what the doctor ordered. I can’t see them going undefeated, but the way things have gone already this year, be mindful of injuries and upsets.

Penn State lost two games last year, a loss to USC and an embarrassing loss to Iowa just after beating Ohio State. They have the ability to repeat from last year, and I think the Big 10 is a very quality conference, so wins do mean a lot. Losing to a 9-4 Iowa team isn’t that bad, especially when you lost at their house. I think the Nittany Lions has what it takes to at LEAST repeat last year’s record.

If that is true, then I would give the nod, by slightest of margins, to Penn State over Oklahoma State. But mind you, this is only after 2 weeks, so whether one is #5 and the other #6 has no real bearing right now, it’s what they do over the next 10 or so weeks that will determine that.

Speedblog; Alabama or Penn State

Speedblog: Alabama or Penn State

Well, which is it?

In light of the games over the weekend, we know that both Alabama and Penn State are fighting for that second spot in the polls, ensuring a shot at the National Championship. From what we know at this very second, Texas is still going to be #1 (and should be) but now the question is raised; who is second?

I am sure many SEC fans want Alabama to stay #2, after all they didn’t lose, but now the question has to be raised, what about Penn State?

Both Alabama and Penn State are undefeated and deserve a chance at the championship, but the fact is only one can go, if all three teams finish out undefeated. There is no doubt that if Texas sweeps the schedule and win the Big 12 Championship, they deserve to be the best team in the nation. But now you’d have to create the argument about who is second.

And with both teams still perfect, you’d have to look at the strength of schedule and then look in the future for both teams. Let’s start with Alabama.

When you look at Alabama’s schedule thus far, only 3 games really stand out. Their big win over #9 (at the time) Clemson, the win over #3 Georgia and the close game vs. Kentucky. These are the signature wins thus far, but we could also add in some close games that a #2 team should not have had a problem with.

We know that Clemson was over rated and may not even qualify for a bowl, and while Georgia is still “in the mix”, we may be finding out that Kentucky also overachieved as well. The close win over Mississippi can have some people wondering how legit this team is, especially when you compare it to other teams that dominate their games, but may have one loss.

Penn State would make it’s argument in that they defeated Oregon State, Wisconsin, Michigan, #20 ranked Illinois and recently, #9 Ohio State. But you’d have to factor out Michigan because like Clemson, they may not make a bowl. And although Wisconsin started out good, they have stumbled heavily. But that win last night AT Ohio State was huge, and you now have to wonder if this team should be ranked ahead of Alabama.

The BCS rankings at this moment have Alabama with a .9487 and Penn State with a .8666. That’s quite a difference between two teams in the top 3, meaning Penn State needs the wins, and quality ones at that. They got that last night, while Alabama beat a Tennessee team that is currently 3-5. So who is the better team?

According to Alabama’s schedule, their next game is against Arkansas State, then they play slipping LSU, Mississippi State and finally Auburn. IF they get through all this, they’ll play in the SEC Championship against Georgia or Florida. I still don’t see them winning all their games, but if they do, it might be enough to have them #2 in the nation.

But it is possible they might flip with Penn State before then. Remember that the voters have a sway in this, and some might feel that Penn State’s win at Ohio State was enough to jump over Alabama. With just 3 games left, Penn State plays Iowa, Indiana and finally, Michigan State. Only one quality game left, and their regular season is over. For Penn State to stay #2, they need Michigan State to get back on the top 25 rankings so that game will have a greater meaning.

If both teams go undefeated, Alabama might get the nod because their schedule is slightly tougher. But Penn State might get the nod this week because of the big win. Alabama won’t help themselves next week with a weak game, but they still have a chance to step over Penn State if they win out, and win the SEC Championship.

But the odds are against them, I don’t see Alabama going undefeated, and it looks like Penn State just might be in the BCS Championship…any chance of a Rose Bowl look-alike (hint, USC?)

Alabama VS Penn State

Alabama Football: Can they go Undefeated?

As of Monday, October 20th of 2008, we can all agree to some degree that Alabama is the second best team in the nation. With the current BCS poll out, we see that the clear number 1 at the moment is Texas, and I don’t think anybody is going to argue that.

Second place is Alabama, with Penn State behind. These three teams are all undefeated, and come out of three different conferences. It’s a cinch that any two teams that finish undefeated will play in the Championship Bowl, especially if they come out of the Big 12 and the SEC.

But I wondered if Penn State might be slightly better than Alabama, and thus should have maybe moved up over the Tide. Well, let’s look at this and see if there is any credibility to my argument.

What I am going to do is look at each game and see who should have the upper hand between Alabama and Penn State. We’re going on a wide assumption that Texas will go undefeated, but understand that this is just speculation. Any team can lose on any Saturday.

The fact that Alabama’s BCS rating of .9487 and Penn State’s rating of .8666 seems to imply that there is a pretty valid argument for Alabama is better suited for the second spot, let’s examine this game by game:

First game: Alabama beats #9 ranked Clemson in Clemson 34-10 while Penn State beats Coastal Carolina at home 66-10.

At the beginning of they year, there is no question that of the two games, Alabama looked MUCH better. Penn State beat a team they were supposed to beat, while Alabama pulled off one of the early surprises of the year. This is what rocketed the Tide off to a great start.

Second game: Alabama beats Tulane at home 20-6 while Penn State crushes Oregon State 45-14 at home.

Of these two games, Penn State had the tougher challenge, and proved that a good team can beat another good team with that kind of margin. Alabama handles their business against a lesser foe, but maybe the low score comes of the high of beating Clemson the week before. If I said Alabama was the better of the two schools after the first game, I might still have Alabama better but with Penn State gaining on a slim margin.

Third game: Alabama beats Western Kentucky 41-7 at home while Penn State beats Syracuse AT Syracuse 55-13.

This one is almost even, since neither of the two losing teams makes a heavy impact on the National Championship team. But if you forced me to pick a better team from this, I have to say Penn State ONLY because Syracuse is from a power conference school. This also implies that if Syracuse was to play Western Kentucky, then the Orangemen should win. But that’s theory. So after three games, I might have both Alabama and Penn State about dead even.

Game four: Alabama beats Arkansas AT Arkansas 49-14 while Penn State beats Temple at home 45-3.

I give Alabama the nod here because even though Arkansas is rebuilding, it is still a conference game and Alabama had to win that away from home. Penn State has a home game against Temple…even I could win that game if I had some friends come over and suit up. So I give the nod to Alabama after four games.

Game five: Alabama slaps #3 Georgia in their face, in the Bulldogs’ home 41-30 while Penn State beats #22 Illinois 38-24 at home.

Both quality wins to be sure, but there is no denying that to beat a then high ranked team in their house is much better than beating a lower ranked team while at home. That is not to take anything away from Penn State, it’s just that Alabama’s win was clearly more impressive. Give a strong nod to Alabama.

Game six: Alabama escapes Kentucky 17-14 at home while Penn State travels to Purdue and win 20-6.

Two key conference games, but different looks on it. Sure, Alabama won, but it was close to a team many thought was overachieving with a soft schedule. You could justify it by saying it was a letdown after the big win at Georgia. Penn State wins a game against a mid-card team in Purdue, but a conference game nevertheless. I’d like to say this one would be about even, but if forced to pick I would say PSU’s win is slightly better ONLY because it was an away game. But overall, I still have Alabama as the better team of the two.

Game seven: Alabama survives a home game vs. Ole Miss 24-20 while Penn State stomps on Wisconsin AT Wisconsin 48-7.

I know the Badgers ain’t what they were last year but this is still a big win for Penn State to beat a conference foe in their house by this much. Alabama has actually had a few games that were too close for call, and it could signal the actual strength of the team. Granted every conference game can be tough, but beating Ole Miss by 4 points in your house does not compare to crushing a conference foe known for winning by over 40 points. Huge nod to Penn State for this week, and it draws the two teams even to me.

Now we know Alabama has not played an 8th game yet, but Penn State has, defeating Michigan at home 46-17. This win, even against a rebuilding conference foe, is a strong indication of how well Penn State is playing. If I give credit to Alabama for beating a rebuilding Arkansas, I must give the same to PSU. So although with unbalanced games at this point, I might have Penn State ahead of Alabama with a slight nod.

But let’s look at the strength of schedule. Alabama’s foes are currently 24-25, with key teams being Georgia at 6-1 and Kentucky at 5-2. Penn State’s foes are currently 22-35 with strong teams being Illinois at 4-3 and Oregon State at 4-3. If you had to look at it this way, I might have to agree that Alabama is currently slightly better than Penn State, but not by a whole lot.

I think the game vs. Costal Carolina may hurt Penn State’s strength of schedule, but I guess I cannot argue about Alabama being #2. This does not mean it will end that way, because if Alabama loses any games, they will fall hard, and I just can’t see Alabama running the tables in the SEC AND winning the SEC Championship. In fact, it would not surprise me if they lost 2 games before the end of the season. The LSU game is their biggest, but they better not forget Tennessee or Auburn. Penn State has a huge game against Ohio State and one at the end of the season against Michigan State.

It’s not a cakewalk for either team, but if both finish out, and go perfect, you have to give the nod, however slight, to Alabama.

Before the college games begin today....

Before Today’s College Games Begin…

I blog on this less than an hour before the day begins with wonderful college football, and I have to go back and mention the Connecticut vs. Louisville game. I had predicted Louisville to win, but who could have seen all the injuries on both sides. Louisville had their chance but a wounded quarterback in any backfield can spell trouble when pressed to throw. Louisville played well, but Connecticut did what it took to win and walk out 5-0...

But it cost them, something that might show down the road.

Anyway, with today’s games there are lots of storylines. With the king (USC) dethroned (maybe temporarily) there will now be a mad dash for the top two spots. Ohio State can still lay claim if they sweep the Big 10, as they play Minnesota. The Buckeyes are going to have to find their face after getting it smacked off by USC a few weeks ago. I think Ohio State, at home, should take this one…but it may not be easy.

Clemson also needs to find face after being humiliated at the beginning of the year. They were predicted to be the best team in the ACC…yeah, right. Right now that belongs to Wake Forest, but there is a whole season to play. For that reason, Clemson can get back in the race with a win at home vs. Maryland. Seems like an easy win, I mean, didn’t Maryland get spanked by Middle Tennessee? But isn’t this the same Maryland team that seems to be increasing their points every week. They lost to Middle Tennessee scoring only 14 points…then scored 35 in a win over then ranked California, then 51 against Eastern Michigan…be careful Clemson. None of your wins were really that impressive, and we can forgive that loss to Alabama. But beating South Carolina State and Citadel isn’t impressive, and the win over NC State is just a gentle nod. Let’s see if you are worthy of that ranking.

The Virgina vs. Duke game will be interesting too, I mean, both teams figure to be in the basement this year, but lots of people are swearing that Duke will scare some folks this year. You lost to Northwestern, and beat a Navy team that may not make a bowl this year…you are better than last year…but still Duke.

But Virginia, what is the deal? Outside of the Richmond game you won (and not impressively) you have been outscored 97-17. Southern Cal murderfied you, and Connecticut took you to the woodshed…where’s the points? Your last 5 games of they year may be impossible to win, so any chance of a bowl game will rest directly on your ability to beat the teams you are SUPPOSED to beat…meaning Duke.

But this year…I really don’t know if that is a guarantee.

Wisconsin and Michigan…oh boy……

What’s up with Michigan…it sure isn’t the wins. I used to be a big fan of Michigan until they got their new head coach. I am not hating on the move, I just got kinda disappointed in how Rich Rodriguez has been acting. I remember during the Miami OH game on tv he refused to talk to the media during the halftime. That kinda stuck up attitude is not the way you coach a team. It’s so ironic that this cat ducks out of West Virginia, comes to Michigan and “lays down the law” on how he expects his athletes to act by not celebrating and all that kinda jazz, but when it comes to HIM acting like a professional, he balks out on it.

I was really, REALLY pulling for them when they played Notre Dame, but this team just does not have anything in them. Even though they are home against Wisconsin, I don’t see them winning. It is possible that Michigan may finish one of the two worst teams in the conference. Can they win more than 3 games????

The Oklahoma vs. TCU seems like a tempting match, because if Oklahoma wins, they should be guaranteed a number 1 spot, but let’s hold on there a second. Averaging 50 points a game is fine and swell, but nobody of caliber was on the schedule. This is not saying that they are superior because after all, didn’t we say the same of USC? I think this team has not been truly tested, and TCU could be that team to do it. Yeah, I know TCU hasn’t had a lot of quality wins either, but they score a lot too. This could be a very exciting game to watch. I still think the Sooners will take the win though.

The Alabama vs. Georgia is one of a bunch of big time SEC matchups this year, and this one is for a heck of a lot of marbles. Even if you say that the Clemson win was impressive, time will tell if they really beat a quality team or an over rated team. Outside of that, the other wins were so-so. Georgia has a decent record too, but they had the task of going TO South Carolina and Arizona to earn their wins. That is worth something.

Alabama had to go to Arkansas to earn their win, but there is a phrase in wrestling that applies to Arkansas….midcard for life. Alabama beat an average team at best in Arkansas, but a win is a win.

At home Georgia is favored…but I can’t help but wonder if Georgia is really ready for the most difficult schedule that is SEC. I personally LOVE what Georgia did last year, when the team ran out on the field after that touchdown, even though it brought them 2 penalties stacked on one another. I think the referees of the NCAA are some of the most stiff-necked, out of touch old farts in the world…but that leads me to another blog about celebrations…for another time.

Finally, there is the Big 10 matchup in Illinois vs. Penn State. Two top 25 ranked teams in a huge matchup. I am personally rooting for old Joe Paterno because several years ago I sent him a letter and he actually answered it. Any person that cares that much about a fan or a person who writes is ok in my book…GO PENN STATE!

Now, can they win? Even though they are one of 4 undefeated teams in the conference, some might suggest their schedule has been a little…light. Coastal Carolina, Syracuse and Temple are light muffins in the oven, but what of Oregon State? It will be very interesting to see if Penn State can knock off the first real test of the year at home. Like I said before, I am personally pulling for Penn State, but that does not guarantee a win.

Illinois could scare some folks this year because they had a high scoring affair with Missouri earlier this year in a 52-42 loss, but then whipped up on two lesser teams in Eastern Illinois and Louisiana-Lafayette. Now comes their second big test in a conference war at Happy Valley. Good luck fellas, you’ll need it.

And so begins a glorious day of football….I am sooooooooooo ready!

PS: Don’t forget to check out my “Greatest Running Backs EVER” blogs.