Purdue vs Michigan Preview: The Snake Oil Bowl

Prefect timing! It's Halloween and time to preview the infamous Snake Oil Bowl. Many of you will remember that on signing day this spring, Joe Tiller cracked on Rich Rodriguez for taking one of his verbal commits Roy Roundtree by calling Rich a "Snake Oil Salesmen".

Fast forward to Halloween 2008 and both coaches would sell a little Snake Oil for a few more wins. Rich is in his first year at Michigan and his Offense is ranked 110th, averaging less then 300 yards a game. Joe is in his final year at Purdue and his offense is ranked 69th, with less then 370 yards a game. Both teams are 2-6 and heading to the weight room this holiday season. I guess the Snake Oil Bowl will have to do.

This game is hard to predict because both teams (for lack of a better term) "stink". Purdue most likely will be playing with out their former Heisman candidate QB Curtis Painter due to a shoulder separation injury. The closest thing Michigan has to a Heisman candidate is it's Punter - Zoltan the Great. (he gets to punt a lot!)

Rich Rod is yet to win a road game as Michigan head coach and this maybe the best opportunity with road games at ranked Minnesota and Ohio State still on the schedule. Joe Tiller wants to beat the "hated" Wolverines in his final year. Joe never would go public about his true feeling about Michigan, but many believe Joe "wouldn't urinate on a Wolverine if it was on fire". Nobody really knows where his hostile feeling come from but maybe being born in Toledo, Ohio so close to Ann Arbor but so far has something to do with it. Or maybe it's Michigan record of 40-12 all time against Purdue. (it's a toss up really! Hey Joe - Go MudHens!)

Either way, this will be a game you most likely will want to miss. Unless you include myself of course, who bought 4 tickets a year ago and thought it would be a fun trip. So if your still up for some football punishment tune in to the Big Ten Network 12:00 EST and watch these 2-6 teams battle for pride and a 3rd win. One guy will either leave the field with his first road win or his last win against a rival. Times they are a changing............

Now on to the particulars:

• Purdue will be playing their 3rd string QB - Michigan's QB plays like he is 3rd string. (Michigan's backup QB plays like he should be a Safety on punt coverage).


• Michigan has a good pass rush and defensive line, but terrible safeties. Which equal quick "hot routes" that go for touchdowns.


• Sam McGuffie is out for Michigan due to a concussion, Curtis Painter is (most likely) out for Purdue due to a shoulder separation.


• Both offense are ranked 11 and 10 in the Big Ten.


• Look for a lot of turnovers that don't result in points


• A field goal will decide this one


• Both teams are 2-6. Enough said.


• Michigan should win this game, but probably won't.

Purdue 17 Michigan 14

Thought for the day: Can we "Daylight Savings Time" to next season yet?

Big tests passed!

Penn State has passed this year's toughest tests, becoming the first team ever to beat Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ohio State over a 3 week span. Now, they get a week off before heading to Iowa.

BHB Weekly Big Ten Preview and Picks

Well, last week told us a lot about the Big Ten. Penn State is heading to the BCS and the rest of the teams are fighting for the Big Ten Bowl Tie ins. As I reported earlier this week, with two bowl tie ins with both the Big 12 and SEC, the Big Ten is headed for another holiday headache with some bad potential match-ups. With that said, who is excited to see the 2-6 Wolverines vs the 2-6 Boilermakers in the Snake Oil Bowl? I can't tell you how lucky I feel to have bought tickets a year in advance to go see this great match up. Don't you worry, The Big Ten Network is carrying the game.

On to the show.................

Northwestern at #17 Minnesota: Northwestern dropped out of the top 25 with a road loss to Indiana. Yes, they lost to IU on the road. Which is not considered a quality loss. Minnesota won on the road against Purdue, which is pretty good for the Gophers Program. That win popped them up in the top 25 now, which is pretty impressive coming off a terrible 2007 campaign. If these teams played on a neutral field I would say NW had the advantage. Minnesota gets the home field advantage in this one. Vegas has Minn. a 6pt favorite. Minnesota 28 Northwestern 24

Wisconsin at #21 Michigan State: MSU came off a big win against in-state rival Michigan. Yes, I guess you can call a win over a 2-5 team a big win. If I were MSU I would even print up T -shirts. Way to go Sparty! That is just another fine example of why you are the "little brother". Wisconsin on the other hand stopped their 4 game skid by beating Zook and Juice in Madison. So who is better in this one? Expect MSU to let down after all the hugging and back slapping they did this week. Wisconsin is now starting it's second team due to all the injuries. MSU is favored in this one by 4.5 points. MSU 24 Wisconsin 23

CMU at IU: In my stupid predictions post this summer, I predicted Central Michigan would beat a BCS school. This is the last chance for that prediction to be right! Central Michigan 34 IU 21

Iowa at Illinois: By a show of hands how many of you thought at the beginning of the season, Iowa would be the better team the Illinois at this point in the season? Not many I would imagine. Iowa seems to be on the way up in the Big Ten while Illinois fun run to the Rose Bowl has come crashing down. Good thing Zook got that extension last year. Illinois is favored by 2.5 in this one. I have a feeling Iowa is up for the challenge. Iowa 20 Illinois 13

The Snake Oil Bowl will be previewed on the "spooky" Halloween edition.

Crime Dog Doubtful for Snake Oil Bowl

• Sam McGuffie is doubtful for the Purdue game with lingering effects from a concussion. He took a very hard helmet to helmet hit in the MSU game and I thought he was knocked out at one point. With an injury like this I would rather seem him take at least a week off. He hasn't practiced this week. Michael Shaw will most likely take his position on kickoff return.


• LB Austin Painter should be back for the Purdue game


• LB Mike Leach still has a high ankle sprain and will not be available this weekend


• Junior Heminway still recovering from Mono and doesn't have enough strength to play yet. (I wonder if he can get a medical redshirt?)


• Carlos Brown is still having trouble cutting and is still a few weeks out from playing


• Safety Mike Williams is out for the Purdue game with a concussion.


• The left side of the offensive line as left little to be desired this year and John Ferrara a former DT is giving Tim McAvoy a run for his money as a starter.


• Wheat is back as a volunteer on Rich's staff. He helps out in the weight room, etc.

Big Shocker: John Daly Drunk at a Hooters

There are a couple of things you can always count on these days: Michigan losing yards on 1st down, Stevie Brown watching a WR beat him for a TD on a 15 yard slant route, "The Vest" not turning the page on the play book in a big game, and Big John Daly Drunk at a Hooters restaurant.

This from the freep today:

While at the restaurant, police said Daly “appeared extremely intoxicated and uncooperative,” refused repeatedly to be taken to the hospital and was asked to leave the restaurant by several workers. Daly was taken to the Forsyth County Law Enforcement Detention Center for a 24-hour stay, until he was sober.

I had a chance to meet John and walk a charity round with him about 10 years ago. When he hits a golf ball it makes a "shotgun sound" at impact. Many of us wish we had 1/2 the talent John does.

But John has wasted his talent and has an unbelievable "additive" disorder, no matter if it's Gambling, Diet Cokes, Cigarettes, Beers, or Candy Bars. John just can't stop and he doesn't have anyone that stops him. He has lost just about everything (even his PGA card) and looks like he is on a destructive path that won't end well.

What's next for Big John? Who knows, but this won't be the last time we hear he has passed out in a Hooters. For the couple of hours I spent with John he was funny, nice, and really didn't care about golf. I hope John finds something to care about real soon.

Here is to John really understanding that this event has to be his wake up call. Because, I don't think he has many more wake up calls left in this lifetime.

State of the Big Ten

BHB Ranking of Major Conferences:

1. Big 12
2. SEC
3. PAC 10
4. Big 10
5. ACC
6. Mountain West
7. WAC
8. USA
9. MAC
10. Big East

So the Big Ten currently has 4 teams in the top 25 BCS standing. Which isn't bad right? Penn State is undefeated and ranked #3, OSU is ranked 12, Minnesota at 17, and MSU at 21.

With the regular powers of Wisconsin and Michigan having off years and Illinois not living up to it's potential, the Big Ten office sure must be happy with 4 ranked teams.

Let's take a look at the schedule and see how it could play out for the Big Ten and Bowl games:

PSU: off, at Iowa, IU, MSU

OSU: off, NW, at Ill., Michigan

Minn: NW, Michigan, at Wisc, Iowa

MSU: Wisconsin, Purdue, off, at PSU

Northwestern: at Minn, OSU, at Michigan, Ill.

BHB End of the Year Record and Bowl Predictions:

Penn State 12-0: BCS Bowl (NC or Rose)

Ohio State 10-2: Capital One Bowl vs #2 SEC

Michigan State 9-3: Outback Bowl vs #3 SEC

Minnesota 8-4: Alamo Bowl vs #4 Big 12

Northwestern 7-5: Champs Sports Bowl vs #4 ACC

Iowa 7-5: Insight Bowl vs Big 12 #5

Wisconsin 6-6 Motor City Bowl vs MAC Champ

As it stands today, outside of Penn State's fate which is the NC game or Rose Bowl:

Ohio State would play (Alabama, Georgia, Florida or LSU) Not good for OSU.

MSU would play someone from the same group (depending on how many SEC teams go to the BCS you could also throw in Vandy, SC, and Miss in there as well) Really not good!

Minnesota could play (Nebraska, Kansas, OK State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech.) Not good for the Gophers.

Iowa would play 5th team from the above group. Again not good.

Northwestern is looking at (Va Tech, GT, Wake, BC, Maryland) Maybe a chance but NW would not be favored.

When you look at those match-ups, the Big Ten might be in for another year of pain when it comes to the Bowl Tie ins. With two games against the SEC and Big 12 spells a ton of trouble.

I believe the Big Ten continues to be over rated and does not match up well against the better teams from the top conferences. I guess we will see in the next couple months.

Did Michigan win off the field on Saturday?

Time will tell, but most of the feedback has been positive from Michigan's big recruiting weekend:

• “My favorite part was the game, the stadium and the fans,” said Pahokee, Fla., running back and verbal commit Vincent Smith who was one of the eight official visitors. “When I was walking down the tunnel and the team came out, that really rattled me. It was more than I expected.”
• (many have wondered if Texas QB commit Shavodrick Beaver has been looking around) “The record doesn’t bother me because I know what the potential is for this team,” Beaver commented. “The future looks real bright right now.”
• For Travis Bond, a 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive tackle from North Carolina, what stood out most during his official visit was learning about Michigan’s academics and how players juggle their practice schedule with studies.
• Titusville, Fla., wide receiver Willie Haulstead said the opportunity for early playing time was what caught his attention the most.
• Lauderhill (Fla.) Plantation teammates Vladimir Emilien and Josh Robinson were hosted by Brandon Smith and Kenny Demens. “They were pretty cool because they were 18 and 19 years old, and it was just fun to be around them,” said Emilien, a 6-foot-1, 186-pound safety prospect. “Brandon Smith, he's real cool. I had a blast with him. He's hilarious, so we got along real well," added the 6-0, 180-pound Robinson, a wide receiver recruit.
• The rumor mill is saying that top 10 recruit for the 2010 class 5 Star Safety Marvin Robinson made a silent commitment this weekend. That same rumor mill thinking is that the Michigan coaches don't want to discourage Vladimir Emilien from signing with Michigan in the 2009 Class.
• Michigan verbal WR/CB commit Dewayne Peace from Texas, said it was cold in Michigan.

____________

• Even John Beilein earned a basketball commitment over the weekend from Big Man Blake McLimans. Blake is 6"10 power forward and needs to put on some weight.

  “He’s a very intriguing kid,” Worcester coach Ed Riley told Scout.com. “He’s 6-foot-10 ½ and he weighs about 212. He’s a little on the thin side. He’s not your typical high school or AAU product. He was a 3-sport athlete in a small high school. He’s fundamentally sound, knows how to play basketball. He can do lefty-righty, runs and has a high motor. He plays at a guard pace.”
  

Ever wonder where your favorite coach ranks in salary 1-100?

With Rich Rodriguez signing his new contract at Michigan last Friday, I thought I would show you where he ranks nationally. Check out if your coach makes too much money vs his performance or is it time for a raise.

You can be the judge with the list of the top 100 coaches salaries. I have a color scale to show you how I feel; if they are over paid, right on the money, or need a raise.

RED is Over Paid
Green is spot on
Orange is time for a new contract


1 Bob Stoops Oklahoma $6,500,000
2 Charlie Weis Notre Dame $4,200,000
3 Pete Carroll USC $4,000,000
4 Les Miles LSU $3,751,000
5 Nick Saban Alabama $3,750,000
6 Jim Tressel Ohio State $3,500,000
7 Urban Meyer Florida $3,400,000
8 Kirk Ferentz Iowa $3,030,000
9 Mack Brown Texas $2,910,000
10 Bobby Petrino Arkansas $2,850,000
11 Tommy Tuberville Auburn $2,825,000
12 Mark Richt Georgia $2,800,000
13 Rich Rodriguez Michigan $2,500,000
14 Bobby Bowden Florida State $2,500,000
15 Philip Fulmer Tennessee $2,400,000
16 Mark Mangino Kansas $2,300,000
17 Greg Schiano Rutgers $2,250,000
18 Mike Bellotti Oregon $2,100,000
19 Frank Beamer Virginia Tech $2,100,000
20 Butch Davis North Carolina $2.100,000
21 June Jones SMU $2,000,000
22 Al Groh Virginia $1,875,000
23 Gary Pinkel Missouri $1,875,000
24 Tommy Bowden Clemson $1,850,000
25 Jeff Tedford California $1,850,000
26 Mike Sherman Texas A&M $1,800,000
27 Art Briles Baylor $1,800,000
28 Joe Tiller Purdue $1,800,000
29 Steve Spurrier South Carolina $1,800,000
30 Ralph Friedgen Maryland $1,750,000
31 Mike Leach Texas Tech $1,750,000
32 Houston Nutt Ole Miss $1,700,000
33 Sylvester Croom Mississippi State $1,700,000
34 Paul Johnson Georgia Tech $1,600,000
35 Joe Paterno Penn State $1,500,000
36 Randy Edsall Connecticut $1,500,000
37 David Cutcliff Duke $1,500,000
38 Randy Shannon Miami $1,500,000
39 Jim Leavitt USF $1,500,000
40 Jeff Jagodzinski Boston College $1,500,000
41 Ty Willingham Washington $1,470,000
42 Steve Kragthorpe Louisville $1,450,000
43 Bret Bielema Wisconsin $1,400,000
44 Ron Zook Illinois $1,350,000
45 Gary Patterson TCU $1,300,000
46 Rick Neuheisel UCLA $1,250,000
47 Pat Hill Fresno State $1,250,000
48 Brian Kelly Cincinnati $1,200,000
49 Dave Wannstedt Pitt $1,200,000
50 Jim Grobe Wake Forest $1,200,000
51 Skip Holtz East Carolina $1,160,000
52 Mark Dantonio Michigan State $1,150,000
53 George O'Leary UCF $1,150,000
54 Dennis Erickson Arizona State $1,100,000
55 Bo Pelini Nebraska $1,100,000
56 Todd Graham Tulsa $1,100,000
57 Tom O'Brien NC State $1,100,000
58 Greg McMackin Hawaii $1,100,000
59 Dan Hawkins Colorado $1,100,000
60 Mike Riley Oregon State $1,100,000
61 Gene Chizik Iowa State $1,100,000
62 Ron Prince Kansas State $1,100,000
63 Greg Robinson Syracuse $1,100,000
64 Rich Brooks Kentucky $1,075,000
65 Mike Gundy Oklahoma State $1,050,000
66 Mike Stoops Arizona $1,025,000
67 Tim Brewster Minnesota $1,000,000
68 Jim Harbaugh Stanford $1,000,000
69 Bobby Johnson Vanderbilt $1,000,000
70 Tommy West Memphis $950,000
71 Chris Peterson Boise State $900,000
72 Bill Stewart West Virginia $800,000
73 Larry Fedora Southern Miss $800,000
74 Steve Fairchild Colorado State $800,000
75 Ken Niumatalolo Navy $750,000
76 Pat Fitzgerald Northwestern $750,000
77 Rocky Long New Mexico $750,000
78 Chuck Long San Diego State $725,000
79 Kevin Sumlin Houston $700,000
80 Kyle Whittingham Utah $700,000
81 Bronco Mendenhall BYU $650,000
82 Stan Brock Army $650,000
83 Bill Lynch Indiana $650,000
84 Paul Wulff Washington State $600,000
85 Bob Toledo Tulane $600,000
86 Troy Calhoun Air Force $600,000
87 Al Golden Temple $575,000
88 Joe Glenn Wyoming $550,000
89 Mark Snyder Marshall $500,000
90 Mike Price UTEP $475,000
91 Dick Tomey San Jose State $460,000
92 Mike Sanford UNLV $450,000
93 David Bailiff Rice $400,000
94 Frank Solich Ohio $400,000
95 Derek Dooley La. Tech $400,000
96 Mario Cristobal Fla. Int'l. $390,000
97 Tom Amstutz Toledo $375,000
98 Chris Ault Nevada $375,000
99 H. Schnellenberger Florida Atlantic $375,000
100 Neil Callaway UAB $360,000


Interesting Tidbits:

• The delta in salary between #1 and #100 is $6,125,000
• Brian Kelly at Cincinnati makes more then Mark Dantonio does at Michigan State. (Dantonio left Cincy for the MSU job).
• Kyle Whittingham and Bronco Mendenhall are going to be hot prospects in the coming months and will be looking at big raises.
• Brady Hoke is not on the list and will be another "hot" prospect looking to hit the bank.
• Mike Gundy is a "40 year old man!" that needs a raise.
• Did Tom O'Brien take the NC State job for less money?
• Bobby Bowden makes a $1M more a year then JoPa

Buckeye Monday: Big Ten Championship Edition

OSU - Penn State Review

Ahhh….this team is killing me!!! Saturday night brought another chance for both the team and the coaches to redeem themselves on a national level. Their performance was greatly improved from the last several games in the spotlight but the end result was frustratingly the same. In the defacto Big 10 Championship game Penn State took advantage (as a good team should) of a killer fumble by Terrelle Pryor to score the game’s only touchdown and held on for a 13-6 victory.

After the blowout loss at USC, the list of negatives associated with the team was a lot longer than the list of positives. At different points in the year, fingers have been pointed at virtually every aspect of the team. You name it and Buckeye fans have critiqued it in the most emotional of ways. After nine games, most of the negatives have been addressed and the team has been playing better. In my opinion, the biggest remaining problems with the team were on full display Saturday night. This will not be the first time these two problems have been called out in this column. #1 The conservative nature of the play calling. I’m at a loss (again) on this one. When everyone in the stadium knows you’re going to run Beanie Wells into the middle of the line on first down there is only one team that benefits. On Saturday, that team was definitely not Ohio State. If I had a nickel for every time Herbstreit counted the number of defenders Penn State was stacking at the line of scrimmage to stop the run……I know Michigan fans had been asking the same questions about their play calling over the past several years. Why is it so difficult for coaches (Carr and Tressel) to make the changes that seem so obvious to everyone else? In Ohio State’s case it’s (#2) the lackluster play of the offensive line. I can only surmise that Ohio State’s play calling has not gotten any more creative because the line cannot support the types of plays fans are calling for. It would be different if Ohio State was breaking in 3 or 4 new lineman. Sadly, that is not the case. With the abundance of experience returning on the line this year we should not have to ask these questions. For the rest of the year, my finger will be directly pointed at Coach Bollman. I want changes, and I want them…um...after we loose to an SEC team in the Citrus Bowl.

What Worked?

The defense played great for the entire game. Penn State’s dynamic offense was largely shut down. My guess is that Pryor’s fumble knocked the wind out of the entire team and the defense played a little tentative in giving up the late scores. Here’s hoping that Coach Heacock can continue to get stellar play out of this unit. It’s got to be tough knowing that giving up 10-14 points may be too much for this offense to overcome.
It may sound a little contrived but I think Pryor played a good game. He seems to be getting more comfortable in the pocket with each game. Many of his passes are still grossly under thrown or are thrown behind his receivers. I would have hoped for a little more progress in this area after 6 games. Oh well…If the coaches were able to calm Troy Smith down I’m sure they’ll be able to do the same with Pryor. Obviously his fumble was the key play in the game. With his size and strength he should have plowed into the line behind Brewster and made the first down. Like Michigan, we’ll just have to live with the ups and downs of life with an inexperienced quarterback.

What didn’t work?

Bryant Browning is terrible. It seemed like every key play made by the Penn State defense started with somebody running past him to make a play. I know Mike Adams and JB Shugarts are both done for the year but I have a hard time believing that Browning is the best option we have at that position. I wish the coaches would consider giving Connor Smith a shot to get some game experience before the end of the year. It couldn’t get any worse.
Our kick return game is laughable. Mo Wells fumble (out of bounds) on the last drive was just terrible and really doomed any potential for a tying score. It amazes me that we can’t find a player with the right combination of speed and vision to put back there to return kicks.
And last but not least…..the offensive play calling is ridiculous. I’m tired of hashing this point out. Changes must be made.

What’s Next?

Well, this week “Bye” comes to town to take on the Buckeyes. I think the defense will pitch a shut out. That’s the good news. The bad news is the offense still has to go on the field.
I have it OSU 3 - “Bye” 0

Go Bucks!!!

Buckeye John

BHB Review of the Big Ten Title Game

Defense, Defense, Defense.

That was the theme for both teams. Both teams played hard,but the offenses didn't exactly click.

• Did people forget Pryor was a Freshman? There is one thing for certain in college football: if your QB is a true freshman (no matter how good he is) he will make some major freshman mistakes. There is no doubt that his fumble was the difference in the game. His pick late, was just a desperation throw.
• Michigan scores 17 points in Happy Valley in the first half and OSU scored 6 in Columbus? That just isn't right.
• I know Buckeye fans don't' want to hear it, but I have seen some very similar characteristics in Ohio State that I have seen in the Michigan program the last 5 years. You can't play to NOT lose (you have to play to win). The Buckeyes played that way on Saturday and lost. I have been watching the Lloyd Carr lead Wolverines do that same thing for a decade. How about putting in your senior QB and trying to throw the ball around the yard a bit? This philosophy will keep you close against good teams and get you blown out by elite ones.
• Smalls made a huge mistake on his catch late in the 4th quarter. Your on the sideline, get the heck out of bounds and save some clock.
• I'm not on the Penn State band wagon yet. I think they are a solid team but I don't believe they are an elite/National Championship team. The problem is Texas seems to play a top 10 team every week and Alabama still has the difficult SEC to get through. Penn State has to beat an average Michigan State team. Looks like we are going to have another Big Ten team in the NC game. My vote would be for USC to play Penn State in the Rose Bowl.
• Pryor, no need to hang your head after the game. You will have plenty more games to play and to win. Stay in Columbus this summer and live with the QB Coach and fix that delivery. You will be fine.
• Did Ohio State sell it's soul to the devil to beat the #2 ranked Wolverines in 2006? Was that questionable hit on "Heisman Smith" on the sideline the turning point in the program? OSU is 0-4 against top 5 teams since that play.
• Either way Ohio State will finally get a trip to Florida for the Capital One Bowl and play a good SEC team. You also can look forward to putting up 50 points on the Wolverines in a couple of weeks. That sounds fun doesn't it?

Just can't put it all together

Watching Michigan this year is a little like being a Lions fan. You hope they win, but your pretty sure they won't. In fact this year, I have found that loses really don't even bother me. In prior years, it would take me days to shake a loss, now I sort of expect it. In a way it's sort of refreshing, in other ways it's very disturbing.

Michigan played MSU close for 3 1/2 quarters but folded like a cheap lawn chair down the stretch. Memo to Sparty: enjoy your time in the spot light, you beat your in-state rival, and you were the better team. The problem is you weren't much better then the 2 win Wolverines and that should worry you for the rest of the season. But this time is yours, enjoy the Alamo Bowl and we will see you next year.

Now on to the game..............

In the WTF section of today's post, here are a couple of things I just don't understand:

1. Why does our defense have a tendency to let slow "white" receivers beat our Safeties? I know it has nothing to do with race or speed, but for goodness sakes, cover the damn wide receivers. The D line stopped Ringer most of the day and got pressure on Hoyer and our Safeties let the slow State receivers get wide open and go for big plays all day. I am just amazed how bad our safeties are. Stevie Brown must be failing Geometry because he can't find an angle to save his life. This is just plan terrible and the reason Michigan lost the game.
2. Why can't the Michigan Offense get the ball to the WR's? Throw the damn ball down the field! The drive at the end of the half shows that if you throw the ball down field you will open up running lanes for the running backs. BTW: When it's 3rd and 4 we don't need to run a 20 yards out if the WR is not wide open, throw the ball 7 yards and move the chains. WTF is with throwing the ball to the full back when he was covered by a corner back? Come on Threet you have to make better decisions then that. We have 4 or 5 guys in the pattern, someone is open!
3. The first Minor touchdown was a pure gift. But we will take it.
4. Did anyone see the block in the back on first MSU touchdown? I'm pretty sure it was Morgan Trent that got hit in the back.
5. The pass interference on Harrison in the 4th quarter was a terrible call.
6. Why can't our defense stop a 3rd and long? I blame Scott Shafer for that BS Zone that he runs. Michigan's defense has a better chance of stopping it's opponent on 3rd and 2 then it does 3rd and 16. That is just sad.
7. Steve, I know it's a freshman thing to stare down the man your throwing to, but at least look off a safety or something.
8. We are not fooling anyone by running the same damn plays over and over. I know these are Freshman but we need some better play calling to keep the defense on their heels. If a Linebacker is going to cover one of our WR's we need to throw to that guy.

Thing that went well:

1. Minor played well again. Nice to see him step up and play with heart.
2. Brandon Graham was un-blockable most of the day. He will make a nice living in the NFL.
3. Koger is going to be something special, we need to find a way to get him the ball more often.
4. Zoltan put on a show in the punt game and is Michigan's only All American this year.
5. The Defensive Line played very well and didn't let Ringer down the middle at all.
6. Nobody fumbled a kick off return

All in all, Michigan played ok, they just couldn't move the ball on offense enough to keep MSU's offense off the field. The Michigan Defense played well (outside the Safeties) enough for a win.

Purdue is next and they are terrible as well. It should be a "Snake Oil" Classic!

RR's Contract Finalized

Highlights:

• 6 Year contract
• $300,000 base salary
• Additional Compensation is $1.65m a year
• $550,000 deferred-compensation goes directly into a retirement account
• A written provision for the $2.5-million payment U-M is making to West Virginia for Rodriguez's buyout
• Private Box when they are completed
• U-M would pay $4 million to fire in him in any of the first three years, $2.5 million in year four, $2 million in year five and $1.5 million in year six. Should he leave on his own, he owes the university the same amounts across that scale.
• $1.95m for 9 assistants

Big Brother Preview

"If they want to mock us, I'm telling them, it's not over. ... It will never be over here. It's just starting." - MSU Coach Dantonio after last year's loss to Michigan

It doesn't take a crystal ball to wonder what both teams will do this Saturday. MSU will try to run Javon Ringer 50 times so they can play ball control, shorten the game, and on Defense not let Steve Threet run over them like Pryor did the week before. Ok, that last part was bit of a joke.

Michigan on the other hand will try to spread the MSU defense out and open running lanes for Minor and McGuffie. Michigan will also try to keep MSU off balance with some screens and a couple of opportunities to get WR's down field. If you watched last night WVU vs Auburn game (mostly in the second half) you saw how effective Rich Rod's offense can be against a solid defense. Michigan is making strides, but they are not quite there yet. Let's hope we see the Wolverines from the first half of the Penn State for the entire game on Saturday.

This match-up reminds me of Michigan - Wisconsin. The keys to the game will be Michigan's Defensive Line vs Michigan's State Offensive line. Last week, OSU scored so much they basically took Ringer out of the game. The reason they scored so much was MSU's ability to turn over the ball. As we have seen out of Michigan this year, they have that same trait.

Keys for MSU include:

• Javon Touches


• Some type of passing game (Hoyer is banged up)


• 3 and out against the Michigan Offense


• Ball Control


• Can they back up their coaches "big mouth"

Keys for Michigan include:

• Stop Ringer - Stop MSU


• Linebackers need to protect against the long run


• Continue to move the ball on offense


• Keep Threet healthy


• Limit turnovers


• Can they back up "Graham's prediction/big mouth"

When Dantonio took the MSU job he made beating Michigan the #1 Priority for the program. Which he learned from his former Mentor Jim Tressel. It worked for the vest, it didn't work for Dantonio last year when Michigan made a late rally and beat MSU in East Lansing.

Dantonio did not take the loss too well and had this shot for former Michigan running back Mike Hart after his famous "Little Brother" smack. Dantonio said last year, "Does Hart have a little brother or is he the little brother? I don't know. He's that tall." And as he said the last sentence, he raised his hand to his chest.

For the record, Michigan is not very good this year and State is decent even though they weren't last week, when they got embarrassed at home. After the game, even the MSU Hockey team wanted to fight the MSU Football team after that debacle. Michigan hasn't played very well at home this year and I expect sort of the same game, Michigan looks great on offense for 2-4 drives and then things start to go haywire. If MSU can run the ball they will win, Michigan is not well suited for a shoot out. If Michigan can shut down Ringer and not let Hoyer fool the DB's with long passes, Michigan will have a good chance to win a close game. MSU is about a 4.0 point favorite in this one. I think MSU is shell shocked from last week and has a beat up QB. I think Michigan is used to getting blown out and really wants this win to salvage something out of this season. Michigan 24 MSU 13

Side note: RR was 2-0 vs Dantonio while they were in the Big East. Look for the weather to play a role in the game. The prediction is for high's in the low 50's and rain.

GO BLUE!

A quick reminder from last year

Is Saturday's Game More Important on the Field or Off?

In what could end up being one of the most important weekends for Michigan in the next 7 years, Michigan has a unique opportunity to succeed this Saturday.

As we know, Michigan and Michigan State are playing their version of "Big Brother" in Ann Arbor at 3:30. As the game is important for all the regular reasons like; bragging rights, which coach will get their first win against their in-state rival, does Michigan have a shot at the Motor City Bowl, has MSU started their predictable October slide, etc.

What could be more important then the Motor City Bowl you ask? Well..........

Michigan is hosting somewhere in the area of 20+ recruits this weekend. There are high school Seniors, Juniors, and even Sophomores coming to Ann Arbor this weekend to meet and greet the new staff and watch Michigan take on Michigan State.

Thanks to MGOBLOG here are visitors that are planning on attending this weekend:

Tate Forcier ’09 QB Commit
Shavodrick Beaver ’09 QB Commit (Injury, might not come)
Vlad Emilien ’09 DB
Travis Bond ’09 OL
Nu’Keese Richardson ’09 WR
Willie Haulstead ’09 WR
Anthony LaLota ’09 Commit DE
DeWayne Peace ’09 Commit WR
Josh Robinson ’09 ATH
Vincent Smith ’09 RB Commit
Donavan Tate ’09 ATH
Christian Lombard ’10 OL
Brennan Clay ’10 RB
Demetrius Hart ’09 RB
Jeremy Jackson ’10 WR Commit
Ricardo Miller ’10 WR Commit
Marvin Robinson ’10 S/ATH
Lo Wood ’10 CB

(Scouts is saying there will be 25 visitors, so there are probably a few more attending)

As you can see with this amount of kids coming in this really could have a big effect on The Class of 2009, 2010, and even 2011. There is even a strong possibility that 5 Star Marvin Robinson for the class of 2010 might verbal commit on the spot.

Some of these visits are official and some are not "official" but it really doesn't matter. Michigan needs to lock the 09 class (as locked as verbals can be) and really keep the momentum going on the OSU like start they have had with the 2010 class.

Since we are in a re-building process these classes will give us the talent for the future which we all are planning on being golden with a number of National Championship runs.

A win on the field will help but maybe the more important win will come in the minds and hearts of these gentlemen and parents.

Ohio State, 2008. Big Game!

Why the Buckeyes are too much for Penn State????

The Big 10 Weekend Preview and Picks

The Big Ten always seems to be a league with a couple of Haves and many have nots. Last week continued to knock off teams from the Haves group with MSU's blow out loss to Ohio State. This week's match up between the Haves will decide the Big Ten Champion. The other teams are now fighting for Big Ten Bowl Games.

#22 Northwestern at Indiana: The Wildcats are ranked in the top 25 which seems a little crazy, but you heard it here first in the Spring that the Wildcats were no longer the Big Ten's red headed step child. Indiana is and Northwestern will put up 50 points on them this weekend. Should be a great game to watch if your a Wildcat Fan or like college games that last 5 hours. Vegas says IU is getting 9 points at home, they need more. NW 49 IU 21

#24 Minnesota at Purdue: The Golden Gophers are now ranked in the top 25 after winning 1 game last year. I guess there has been a big turn around. I would like to tell you that they haven't beaten anyone but they beat Illinois which blew out the Wolverines. So on second thought, they really haven't beaten a good team this year. This Saturday they again meet another pretty poor team in Purdue. I think it's time for Purdue to step up and beat a ranked opponent. (Minnesota is really ranked, right?). Vegas has this game very close with Purdue getting 1 point at home. I think Purdue wins this game, because The Gophers can't really be good, can they? Minn 14 Purdue 24

Illinois at Wisconsin: Wow both of these teams had big plans early this year, both came crashing down pretty quickly. Wisconsin is on a terrible 4 game losing streak and Illinois just came off a win against IU where they scored double nickels. The Juice will get loose all day in this one and will dominate a Wisconsin team that is heading in the wrong direction. Vegas has The Juice favored by just 1 point. I think Vegas is way off in this one. The Juice 28 Wisconsin 10

The Big Ten Championship Game of the Week:

#3 Penn State at #9 Ohio State: Who says the Big Ten doesn't have a Championship Game? Here it is for anyone that is interested. Ohio State wants to win this badly just to show they can beat a quality opponent, they lose points for that opponent being in the Big Ten. Penn State is just happy to be considered a quality opponent after years of mediocrity. To me this game really isn't that great of match up, both teams have looked pretty poor at times and both have played pretty well at times. Pryor has shown flashes of a great athlete that can move the chains. He still hasn't made that big Freshman mistake yet that cost them a game. Don't worry it will come, just maybe not on Saturday night. Penn State showed some big holes in their defense when Michigan offense was running up and down the field on them last Saturday in the first half. Vegas opened the line with OSU getting 1 now they are getting 2.5 points at home. That seems crazy that Penn State is favored in Columbus. Seems Vegas can't figure out the Big Ten either. OSU 24 PSU 17

The Big Brother Season Finale will be previewed on Friday.

Updates, Updates, Updates..................

• Hockey vs Football: So what seems to be a recent trend is football players and hockey players fighting on different Michigan campuses. It started at U of M last week when a walk on football player put a U of M defensemen in the hospital and it continued this past weekend when a large fight broke out in East Lansing between State's Football and Hockey team. The police are still investigating but the "rumor mill" says there could be 5-10 football players involved and A.J. Sturges, a defenseman for the MSU hockey team is in the hospital. If I also had to guess, we won't see any suspension until after the Michigan game on Saturday. I think there is also a case to be made here, if your a college hockey player, you might want to stay away from the football team. Mostly when both Hockey programs are doing better then the Flagship Football Programs at the moment.
• Both Hoyer for State and Threet for Michigan are planning to start on Saturday
• MSU has lost 8 straight at The Big House
• Wolverines are expecting a ton of official recruit visits this weekend. The list includes current verbal commits: Shavodrick Beaver, Anthony LaLota, Vincent Smith and Dewayne Peace. Also visiting are some recruits that Michigan would like to add to the class including: Vladimir Emilien (6-foot-1, 190-pound safety), Josh Robinson (5-foot-10, 178-pound wide receiver). Windsor, N.C., offensive tackle Travis Bond (6-foot-7, 320) and Titusville, Fla., wide receiver Willie Haulstead (6-3, 220). Since the 2009 class is filling up, the 2010 class is also starting to take some visits and this weekend's visitors include: Ricardo Miller of Orlando, Fla., Jeremy Jackson of Ann Arbor Huron. Eagle Lake, Fla., safety Marvin Robinson (6-foot-1, 190), and Apopka cornerback Lo Wood (5-foot-10, 170). From the un-official visit file for this weekend, Tate Forcier and his junior running back teammate Brennan Clay.
• George Perles wants Michigan in the Motor City Bowl. This is a very sad statement but, so do I. Good Luck finding 4 more wins on the schedule George! Not sure I want another MAC match up anyway. The December practices sure would help this program.
• Is this a wierd year or what? Both Minnesota and Northwestern are ranked. Someone call George Castanza, I think we are in Bazzaro World.
• Michigan has had a recent rash (that needs to be itched) of de-commitments of late: WR Bryce McNeal now looks to be heading to the newly ranked Minnesota Gophers and now Michigan has lost their kicker! Scouts is reporting that Anthony Fera has de-committed from Michigan. Anyone else want to jump off the boat? On a related note: A highly touted equipment manager from Indiana had no comment on whether his verbal to Michigan was solid or not

Hello Josh Chapman! All 6'1" @ 305lb of Him!

When second-ranked Alabama takes the field Saturday at Neyland Stadium for its annual grudge match with Tennessee, it will be Chapman, not Cody, in the starting lineup.

The 6-foot-1, 305-pound Chapman may not have the prestige of his friend, but he brings power to the position. He bench presses 485 pounds and squats 600 in the weight room workouts.

"You won't have that much space left on the bar to put another weight on when he gets on there," Arenas said. "When we're maxing out, everyone crowds around him. He's a monster, man."

Quarterback John Parker Wilson said he first noticed Chapman when he traveled home to watch his brother, Ross, and the Hoover High football team a couple of years ago. Offensive lineman Mike Johnson said he learned a lot about Chapman when the former was a starting lineman last year and the latter was a member of the scout team.

"We were telling other players, 'This kid is gonna be something else,'" Johnson said. "He's the strongest kid on the team. He really knows how to hold down the middle. It was unfortunate for him when Terrence got here. It was good for the rest of us, but it took away some of Chap's playing time. I think he's really made the best of when he's been in there this year."

The two have alternated throughout the season, with Cody playing five plays, then Chapman, with both coming to the sideline on obvious passing downs.

"They both play about the same, so it doesn't really change anything up for us," defensive end Bobby Greenwood said. "There's a big bowling ball down in the middle. Terrence definitely had a big weight factor (advantage) but Chapman is a good player. He hustles to the ball and he's doing all the right things."

Chapman faces tall order

SEC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK - MIKE JOHNSON

SEC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
MIKE JOHNSON
Guard
ALABAMA
6-6 • 299 • Junior
Pensacola, Fla. (Pine Forest HS)


Johnson did not allow a sack or quarterback pressure and did not have any missed assignments in Alabama's 24-20 win against Ole Miss.

Alabama finished the game with 326 total yards (219 passing, 107 rushing) in the win. 219 of those yards came in the first half as the Tide opened up a 24-3 lead.

The honor for Johnson is his second of the season (Week 1) and the third of the year for an Alabama offensive lineman (Andre Smith, Week 4).

SEC Football Players of the Week Announced

The MRI on nose tackle Terrence Cody's knee confirmed that he will be out "at least two weeks," Saban said.

Saban likened it to the injury left tackle Andre Smith had in week one, and he returned two weeks later. That means by the Nov. 8 game at LSU, Cody could be ready to go.

Saban on Cody: "We can't replace him, but it's an opportunity..."

Want to Coach at Purdue? Start Growing the Stache!

Some people will argue that mustaches should be reserved for Porn Stars, Yankee first basemen, or Tom Selleck. We all know the MZone made the Buck-stache famous, but I am here to tell you that the Purdue Boilermakers have a secret mustache society of their own. For some reason, you need a mustache to be able to coach/lead the football team in West Lafayette.

Let me provide you with some proof:

Here is the Head Coach and Retiree in waiting: Joe Tiller. You can see below that Joe sports a thick gray mustache. We call this the Head Pur-stache.

Next is Defensive Coordinator Brock Spack: Brock has been the Defensive Coordinator for 12 years and was hoping to replace the top mustache when he retired to a groomer in Wyoming. Brock has the upper lip hair to lead men and should have been a serious candidate for top Pur-stache. Brock unfortunately did not get the Head Pur-stache (in waiting) job and continues his Defensive Coordinator duties. Many have wondered if his Stache was too powerful and full for the job. Brock is also a recent recipient of the "Jason Giambi" Stache award.

Associate head coach and head coach in waiting Danny Hope. Danny will become the Head Stache after the Top Tiller Pur-stache steps down. Danny as you can see has a thinner but similar style to the current top stache which was the #1 reason he was chosen to succeed the Top Pur-stache next year.

Terrell Williams is in his third season with the Boilermakers coaching the Defensive Ends. Being only at Purdue for three years, Terrell needs some time grow out his Pur-stache. After a couple years of growth, look for Terrell to really "climb the ladder" of the Purdue coaching staff.

Memo to:

Mark Hagen - Assistant Head Coach, Special Teams Coordinator, Linebackers Coach
Ed Zaunbrecher - Co-Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks Coach
Lou Anarumo - Defensive Backs Coach
John McDonell - Offensive Tackles and Tight Ends Coach
Brian Rock - Wide Receivers Coach
Joel Thomas - Running Backs Coach

If you want to get promoted at Purdue University you better start growing the Pur-stache soon.

P.S. For those of you wondering who covers Purdue Football on the radio? Well it's Joe McConnell.

Buckeye Monday: MSU Edition

Ohio State - Michigan State Review

Well, I didn’t see that coming…..

After several weeks of very frustrating play Ohio State finally put all the pieces together and played like one of the better one loss teams in the country. The game was effectively over early in the second quarter with the Buckeyes jumping out to a quick 28 point lead. The best part about watching the second half was that the coaches did not put in the second string and the starters continued to play hard and make plays. The 45-7 final was the most rewarding victory of the year.

What worked?

Pretty much everything. Pryor was efficient running and throwing the ball. It was reported that he approached Tressel before leaving for East Lansing on Friday and told the coach that he should be “benched” if he failed to lead the team to scores early in the game. After leading the Buckeyes on a 90+ yard scoring drive to open the game I think that conversation was quickly forgotten. Asked about it after the game, Pryor stated that he wanted to “challenge himself to play better and to be a better leader.” Mission accomplished. He showed much better poise in the pocket and although he still throws off his “back foot” resulting in under thrown or inaccurate passes at least he avoided making any major mistakes that could have kept the Spartans in the game.

“Beanie being…Beanie” - I’m sure there are several other running backs in the country with as much talent as Beanie but do any of them have the power, speed and the stiff arm capability that he brings to each and every play. Rushing 31 times for 140 yards and two touchdowns he dramatically outplayed hyped Michigan State running back Javon Ringer. I’m not sure if his foot is going to be completely healed at any point during the rest of the season. I’m still irritated that we don’t know the full extent of his injury. If he can continue to run like he did yesterday….all will be forgotten.

The Silver Bullets game to play. 5 turnovers (2 returned for scores), several sacks, holding a Heisman candidate to a third of his normal yards, constant penetration into the backfield. What didn’t this unit do yesterday? They’ve been playing better the last several weeks and seem to be peaking at just the right time. Special recognition goes to Malcolm Jenkins (again), Ross Homan and Thad Gibson. All three played fast and with great intensity.

The playbook. It finally looked like the playbook had been opened up a little bit. Maybe there was some truth to the rumors that Bollman and Tressel had been keeping things under wraps for the last few games. Better play from the offensive line allowed for more creativity in both the running and passing game. I like the fact that Bollman has not been afraid to make position changes across the line. Injuries to Mike Adams and JB Shugarts have taken a lot of depth out of this unit. I think it’s brought on a sense of urgency. The line played its best game of the season.

What didn’t work well?

Not much to report here. Ray Small attempted to receive a punt inside the ten yard line (breaking the most basic special team rule in the process) and when he fumbled the ball it look like an easy six points for the Spartans. Fortunately two Spartan players tried to run with the ball before they had control of it and Austin Spittler was able to recover it for the Buckeyes. Small is a great return-man but he needs to keep his head in the game on every play.

As mentioned earlier, Pryor still has a ways to go as a pure passer. His throwing mechanics are still off when he’s rolling around in the pocket. He needs to do a better job of planting his feet before throwing. With the score being what it was, I find it a little easier to accept these faults and chalk them up to being part of the learning curve.

What’s next?

Ummm…The Lions are coming. Next week’s game against Penn State will be played in Columbus, at night, probably for the outright Big 10 title. That should have everyone’s attention. Ohio State will be looking for a little redemption from all fans (me included) and the national media. I’m pretty sure Michigan State was a little overrated going into last weekend. I think Penn State may be too. They had played the 84th toughest schedule in the country before the Michigan game and that number is not going to go down much after their win on Saturday. I think the defense will be able to keep the Penn State offense in check. Another solid performance by Pryor and the offense should be enough. I have it Ohio State 27 - Penn State. 20.

Go Bucks!!!

Buckeye John

Tennessee has Injury Issues

The Vols lost receiver/returner Gerald Jones and starting offensive lineman Anthony Parker to high-ankle sprains against Mississippi State. That doesn't figure to help Fulmer in a tumultuous season.

COLLEGE BEATS

'Bama 2nd Half, "We don't play with the same intensity."

The Tide has been outscored 78-55 after the half, largely because of those three SEC games.

"We have to find a way to strike more consistency for 60 minutes in the game," Saban said. "That's going to be critical to us in the future."

The plays that really irked Saban were what he regarded as unnecessary penalties, including one in the first half.

That was when receiver Marquis Maze celebrated a 26-yard touchdown catch too much and drew a penalty.

"We keep doing stupid stuff," Saban said. "When you get a penalty for scoring a touchdown, please act like you've been there and act like you've got enough maturity to say, 'I'm a good player, I made a good play. Everybody knows it. I don't need to do all this (stuff) to get a 15-yard penalty.' Now, we've got to kick the ball from the 15-yard line. Selfish, and it hurts the team."

Washington was flagged for a personal foul for giving Snead a little swipe after he had already released the ball. It didn't lead to points but helped move Ole Miss from its own 15.

Saban said those type plays reflect a lack of discipline.

"If there's a common thread," he said, "I'd say that might be it."

'Bama trying to correct second-half letdowns

Terrence Cody, 'I'll be back soon'"

A relieved Terrence Cody told Alabama teammates after Saturday's 24-20 victory over Ole Miss that his knee injury was not severe enough to keep him out of action for long.

"He said, 'I'll be back soon,'" defensive end Lorenzo Washington said.

The Crimson Tide's 365-pound nose tackle hurt his right knee during the third quarter when Rebels ball-carrier Brandon Bolden fell into the back of his leg. Cody will have an MRI to further evaluate the injury, but initial evaluations were promising.

Alabama nose tackle Terrence Cody optimistic about severity of injury suffered against Ole Miss

'Bama No. 2 in BCS

As expected, the University of Alabama football team was ranked second in the first Bowl Championship Series standings of the season, released Sunday.

Although the Crimson Tide (7-0) saw its lead over No. 3 Penn State decrease in both the Associated Press poll (which does not factor into the BCS) and the USA Today coaches’ poll, it had a healthy lead over the Nittany Lions in the BCS due to a strong showing in the computer rankings.

Alabama ranked No. 2 in BCS

At least I bought Gas for $2.37 this morning

So the economy is in the tank, the stock market is going up and down like a super ball, and the Michigan Wolverines have two wins. Not the best Fall we have ever seen.

It's hard to find a silver lining with these Wolverines. I guess you can say, they played good football for a half but still got blown out. We all knew it was over when Sheridan entered the game ( Threet was out with an injury). I like Sheridan, he is tough and I'm sure he practices hard. The problem is, he is a Division 1 special teams player, not a D1 QB.

Threet played well in the first half but the constant banging he took on his injured elbow made him unable to play or be effective.

I think we all know who the key to this team is and it's too bad it has to be a red shirt Freshman, but he is. If he is healthy and sharp, Michigan can beat many teams, if he is injured or not sharp Michigan can lose to the Toledo's of the world. He also seems to be more relaxed on the road for some reason.

We also now know the reason Michigan needs two QB recruits in the 2009 class. Because running this offense will get you hit often, we saw a little bit of how effective this offense can be for three drives in the first half. Next year, I expect Steve Threet to be the starter with Tate Forcier and The Beaver backing him up. I hope in 2009 Threet will be experienced and healthy with two young guns in waiting.

That is what we have to look forward to now, is 2009. Michigan can help it's cause by showing improvement every week and even sneaking out a few wins down the stretch, but don't hold your breath.

News and Notes:

• Carson Butler is no longer a TE. A guy that could have easily been drafted by the NFL if he had showed heart and execution is now fighting for his football life with a move to rush linebacker. Coach Rod only said that Carson was no longer a Tight End and is back to his old #85 number. I expect that Carson is deep in the coaches dog house.


• Hero of the game was Brandon Minor. He ran hard and through tackles all game. This was the kind of effort we have been expecting from him all year. Let's hope he continues that style of punishing running.

Time to get ready for the "Little Brother" game. I expect both teams are looking for a win after the whipping both took on Saturday.

Happy Birthday to The Big House Blog!

Today marks the 1st full year of the Big House Blog, I have enjoyed every moment working on this Blog and would like to thank all the loyal readers that have made this year fly by.


Since BHB is 1 today, I thought I would include a picture of me at my keyboard working on the blog everyday.

With some of the extra cash we have from our fine advertisers, me and the boys at BHB decided to ask JoPa over for an inspirational speech.

We really under estimated the "creepiness".

Will some one keep that talking baby quiet! The stock market is crashing anyways! Seriously, is Yahoo a steal right now?

What do I want for my birthday? Well, I think we all know the answer to that one. My party starts at 4:30.

Thank You for all the support and as always! GO BLUE!

Mississippi at Alabama

Mississippi at Alabama

KICKOFF: Saturday, 3:30 ET

SERIES: Alabama leads 44-9-2

2008 RANKINGS: Rebels: offense 46th (4th SEC), pass 54th (5th), run 49th (4th), defense 53rd (11th), pass 89th (12th), run 35th (9th); Crimson Tide: offense 52nd (5th SEC), pass 104th (11th), run 15th (1st), defense 10th (2nd), pass 66th (10th), run 2nd (1st)

POLLS: Alabama (2nd AP, 2nd coaches)

PREDICTION: Alabama 20-14

KEYS TO THE GAME: The Rebels nearly upset the Crimson Tide last year, falling 27-24 at home, but this Alabama team is on another level. Alabama is outscoring its opponents by 20 points a game even after a close shave with Kentucky last week. The Rebels, who had an extra week to prepare, must take better care of the football to have a chance. They are averaging a healthy 29.2 points per game, but they are minus-6 in turnover margin, having lost five fumbles and thrown 10 interceptions. The success of Alabama's offense can be traced back to its offensive line. Left tackle Andre Smith was out last week with an illness. But he's back, and as long as the veteran front line — a group that Saban has put so much responsibility for leadership on — the rest of the offense can be expected to work just fine. The big stat: The Tide leads the league in time of possession, at just over 33 minutes per game.

FAST FACTS: Rebels — Senior LB Tony Fein is averaging eight tackles over the last three games ... Freshman RB Brandon Bolden leads the Rebels with 297 rushing yards, an indication of how Ole Miss doesn't overload any one back ... The defense is allowing opponents to complete 65.5 percent of their throws. No other SEC team allows even 60 percent. Crimson Tide — The defense is holding opponents to 50.8 rushing yards per game, which ranks second nationally ... Alabama is 9-2 under Nick Saban when it holds opponents to 100 rushing yards or less ... Alabama has scored on its opening possession in four of six games this season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Rebels

DE Greg Hardy — The standout junior, who led the SEC with 10 sacks last year, took heat for a lackluster effort against South Carolina. He still leads the Rebels with two and a half sacks and has three and a half tackles for loss.
QB Jevan Snead — The sophomore transfer from Texas is completing just 55.2 percent of his throws, with nine TDs and nine interceptions. But he's averaging 212 passing yards per game, which ranks third in the SEC.
S Jamarca Sanford — He is averaging 9.3 tackles per game after notching 13 in the loss to South Carolina.


Crimson Tide

RB Glen Coffee — Coffee is the SEC's most productive running back. With 708 yards rushing and five touchdowns, he leads Arkansas's Michael Smith by 109 yards. Coffee is averaging 7.9 yards per attempt.
LB Rolando McClain — He has 44 tackles, averaging 7.3 per game, and ranks 10th in the SEC. Linebacker was supposed to be a question mark for Alabama this season. McClain's play has made sure it hasn't been.
PK Leigh Tiffin — Tiffin is one of nine placekickers in the SEC who has not missed an extra point, but no one has attempted more than the 23 attempted and made by Tiffin.

INJURY WATCH:

Rebels
Coach Houston Nutt dismissed rumors about DE Greg Hardy being kicked off the team. Hardy was criticized for a subpar effort in the loss to South Carolina. "My phone blew up this weekend about his 'dismissal,' and his mom called me to ask if it was true, and I told her absolutely not," Nutt said. "I would probably tell Greg first and then the mom for sure. All that didn't happen. He had a great week last week."


Crimson Tide
LT Andre Smith missed last week with an undisclosed illness, but he is back on the practice field this week — along with everyone else. Saban said, "Everybody is healthy. So everybody is ready to go."

Deeper look at Week 8's key games

The Nightmare Continues: The Penn State Preview

Yum! These Wolverines taste like Zingermans! I'm sure I will wake up before kickoff right?

How fun is this season? I know, I feel your pain. Michigan is coming off it's worst game of the year and now faces the best team on it's schedule on the road. That equation doesn't exactly mean good things. The last time, I thought Michigan didn't have a chance to win was last years Capital One Bowl game and that turned out ok. Right? (I know that team had like a 100 NFL players on it and many of the players on this team weren't even born yet).

So what does this week have in store for us? Well, I like to reference the famous literature buff Mike Tyson for a one of his famous quotes: "Everyone has a plan, until they get hit".

That has sort of wraps up the year so far doesn't it? Michigan has a great offensive plan, that just doesn't work with inexperience players or a drop back passer. It just hasn't worked on Saturday. Minus the few drives in the first quarter and a few in the fourth. Michigan's plan looks good until it gets on the field and gets hit.

So why has the Spread been so successful for PSU but not for Michigan? Well, it sort of the same reason that makes up a successful company over a non-successful company. The answer is: The People. PSU has an athletic QB that keeps the defense guessing and that can beat you with his feet and his arm. No he isn't a great passer but the threat of the run, can keep defensive on their heels. Did I also mention that their offensive line, can actually block people? That is the difference between a #3 ranking and 2 wins.

Michigan is going to face the best defensive line they will see all year. With the situation on our offensive line, that is going to be very ugly for our running backs and QB (whoever plays). Michigan still has a good defense and hopefully, Warren and Graham will be back. But don't expect them to shut out the PSU Spread, because if Juice can beat us, the PSU offense can move the ball and beat us too.

Michigan does not match up well in any way against Penn State. You throw in Michigan's 9 game winning streak and Penn State will want to not only to beat Michigan embarrass them. This game is going to be worse then ugly, its is going to make you want to roll up in the fetal position and sing show tunes all night. It's going to be that bad.

I almost suggest you don't watch it. Can someone please give me the fast forward button to 2010 please? Man, that Tate Forcier is awesome!

Tale of the "Medical" Tape:

PSU Offense vs Michigan D: PSU

PSU D Line vs Michigan O Line: PSU (it's going to be like you or I playing Lebron James in 1:1)

Special Teams: PSU

Intangibles: PSU

Age of Coaching Staff: PSU

Wishing College Football had a mercy rule: Mich

I don't see anyway Michigan can move the ball on offense. The Michigan Offensive Line will get dominated all night, which means no running lanes for the running backs. I expect our QB's to get hit often and our running backs to fumble often. Michigan only chances are a dynamic passing game, scoring on special teams, and shutting down Penn State's offensive machine. Michigan has proved they can't do any of that. Penn State 44 Michigan 5

PSA: Please don't watch this game if you have a weak stomach or just ate a big meal.

Again .. Be Vary of OLE MISS

UPSET ALERT: Ole Miss at Alabama. Everything points to the Crimson Tide. They're at home, rested and ranked No. 2 in the nation, while Ole Miss is coming off of a loss to South Carolina. Call it a hunch, but I think Alabama's still got a little ways to go before coach Nick Saban brings them to the promised land. If Ole Miss can beat Florida, they can win in Tuscaloosa. The Rebels pull a major upset and shake up the polls.

3 Fans

Beware of Ole Miss!!

Ole Miss is a fearless bunch after taking down the Gators in the Swamp on Oct. 27. And remember, the past three Tide-Rebel meetings have all been decided by three points! Ole Miss has lost three games this season in heartbreaking fashion, in some cases after outplaying teams. But the Rebels bounced right back after earlier losses to Wake Forest and Vanderbilt.

No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Alabama face dangerous games

Michigan

It's time to play Michigan. We've lost 9 times in a row. That's about it.

Big Ten Weekend Preview and Picks

What did we learn about the Big Ten last week? Not much. Michigan gets beat by a MAC school, Illinois gets beat at home after blowing out the Wolverines, MSU beats Northwestern, Ohio State and Penn State continue to roll.

So this week should be pretty interesting with a couple of good games.

Purdue at Northwestern: I read an article this week, that Purdue has a pretty easy schedule to finish the year. Well, not so fast my friends. Even with a loss last week to MSU, Northwestern is still a quality Big Ten team and will be difficult to beat at home. I think there will be a ton of points put up in this one. Vegas has NW as a 4 point favorite. NW 38 Purdue 31

Indiana at Illinois: Which Illinois team is going to show up? The team that beat the Wolverines and looked like a top 20 team or the one that just lost to Minnesota at home. Either way they should have enough in the barn to beat IU. Vegas has "The Juice" over two touchdown favorites in this thrilling night game. IU 21 Zook 28

Wisconsin at Iowa: Wisconsin has seen their top 10 rating bottom out as they have had 3 straight tough losses in a row. Iowa beat IU last week after they had 3 losses in a row. If you just look at the programs you would say Wisconsin should win easy, if you look how at how they are currently playing you would pick the Hawkeyes. Vegas has Iowa as the 3.5 favorite. Iowa 14 Wisconsin 13

Big Ten Game of the Week:

#12 OSU at #20 MSU: Here it is: Michigan vs OSU, Bo vs Woody, the rivalry continues. Ok, maybe not, but this game will have to do this year as Michigan tries to find something close to a offense. MSU likes to run the ball with Javon Ringer, OSU likes to run the ball with Beanie Wells. This game should only take 2 hours to play. This is a Mentor vs Mentee match up, where only the strong defense and running back will survive. Both these teams believe in old style Big Ten Football where you only throw if it's 3rd and 9. MSU always fades in October and OSU always rolls, so what should we expect in this one? Lot's of yards on the ground and a field position game. Vegas has MSU favored at home by a field goal. I agree. MSU will find away to win this battle. MSU 21 OSU 14

The game played in Happy Valley will be previewed on Friday.

Threet Questionable for Saturday and Milano Gonzo

• Steve is questionable to play at Happy Valley this Saturday and wore a green non-contact jersey at practice on Wednesday: RR: "It'll be a situation we evaluate during the week," Rodriguez said of Threet's status for Saturday's game at Penn State. "I think he's going to be available, but it really depends on how he can practice. If he's 100%, he'll start. If he's 80% or something, he won't."
• Milano is indefinitely suspended due to his fight this past weekend with a Michigan Hockey Player. RR would not comment on Milano while the University investigates. Look for Milano to be off the team and maybe out of the University.

Hart done for the year in Indy

With the opportunity of more playing time with Joseph Addai's hamstring injury, Mike Hart has seen his season come to a quick end. The Colts today put Mike Hart on the injured reserve, ending his season.

Mike hurt his knee in last week's game against Baltimore. Mike has a total of 9 yards rushing on two carries and 18 yards receiving. Kevin Grady had no comment on who would back fill Mike Hart's role on the team.

AD Support, Tickets, Body Slams, and a New Recruit Offered

• So Michigan's AD Bill Martin spoke yesterday about Rich Rod being the right man for the Michigan job. That the defeat by Toledo was surprising but he is the right man at the right time. The problem is we won't know if that is really true until 2-3 years down the line. As fans, I agree we need to be patient and hope for the best in a Sabin/Alabama turn around in year two.
• So there are still a 1000 tickets available for the Michigan State - OSU game this weekend. Are you freaking kidding me? How can that be. Both teams are ranked and playing pretty good Big 10 Football. Come on Sparty! Go out and support your team.
• Michigan hockey defenseman Steve Kampfer was assaulted on Sunday (possibly) by a U-M football player Mike Milano near East Quad. Milano, 22, is a 5-foot-7, 196-pound running back and a former U-M wrestler. The "word" is that Milano body slammed Kampfer over a girl and that Kampfer has some serious injuries. So a walk on running back on our 2-4 football team body slammed a defenseman on our #2 ranked Hockey team? WTF?
• Speaking of WTF? What is the problem with Jim Leavitt? He seems to love to blast RR when talking about everything. I know they used to be in the same conference and RR stole some of his top assistants a couple years ago, but Jim really seems to be in love with Rich and can't stop thinking or talking about him. His latest blast: "Who would have thought Toledo would go in and beat Michigan, with Rich Rodriguez and all his infamous wisdom, whatever it is there," Leavitt said. Brian from Mgoblog suggest Rich could be taking some of the local talet away from USF and that could be making Jim a little hot under the collar.
• Michigan offers a 2 star CB from Glenville HS in Cleveland. Mike Edwards is 5"10 170 lbs and is planning a trip to A2 soon. (Not a great offer IMO)

Easy Come, Easy Go: Recruitng News

• Bryce McNeal, a 4 star WR from Minnesota has decided to de-commit from his verbal and take some visits and consider some other schools including; Minnesota, Colorado, Florida, and Cal. So what does this mean for the Wolverines? not much at this point. McNeal is a highly rated recruit and Michigan fans would love to have him in the fold next year but there is a ton of time before signing day and he could either re-commit or Michigan can go find another WR to replace him. We also have two very "committed" WR' s coming in 2010. Look for Bryce to get a lot of pressure to stay in-state for the new and improved Gophers.
• Michigan are long shots for highly touted WR's: Shaquelle Evans and Rueben Randle. Long shots yes, but we still have a shot!
• Rumors were circling that maybe Clemson was interested in Coach Rod for their head coaching position. Like Clemson is a better job then Michigan? Ridiculous. BTW: He is still paying to get out of his WVU contract.
• Tajh Boyd a 5 star QB just recently de-committed from WVU. There are currently no plans for him to take a trip to Michigan, but it could be interesting. Would it be possible for Michigan to have 4 different dual threat QB's verbally committed at one time or another this year?
• Lots of positing going on in the 2009 class at many schools. With poor play and coaches being let go or fired on a weekly basis. We will see a ton of kids de-commit and look at other schools.
• The rumor wire is saying that USC was interested in "Big Will" Campbell but believe he is going to Michigan. That is some good news!
• Sam Montgomery, a 4-star DE out of Greenwood HS (SC) has Michigan on his final list of schools.

___________________

• For those of you that follow the NFL: Steve Breaston is playing some good football for the Cardinals and just scored his first receiving NFL touchdown against the Cowboys on Sunday. I watched the game and Stevie made some nice catches. Well done!
• Seems Braylon Edwards might have lost a bet. If I'm not mistaken he had on a Penn State shirt last night doing an interview for MNF. BTW: Braylon had a pretty good game as well!

No. 2 Crimson Tide aren't Going Away

"We're physical, tough, hard-nosed, and we start fast. Opponents have a hard, hard time staying up with us early. And that's a tribute to the veterans and the young guys. This is the closest football team I've ever been around, and I've been playing football for 16 or 17 years in a row." - Senior Center and Captain Antoine Caldwell

Tide center explains why Alabama isn't a fluke

Buckeye Monday

Ohio State – Purdue Game Summary

When does a win feel like a loss…part II?

I think I can use the game summary from the OSU – OU game in week two of the season to cover this week’s game against Purdue. No offense….good/great defense….solid special teams. I know that’s been the working definition of “Tressel Ball” for the last seven years but I’ve seen enough. It’s one thing to play like that when your team is young, inexperienced and looking to forge an identity (see current state of affairs in Ann Arbor). This is a totally different situation. The Buckeyes have loads of returning talent and I don’t think the play calling is helping Pryor develop any confidence or consistency. After 7 games this team has far too many questions and not enough answers. Here are three of my favorites:

#1 Is Beanie Wells healthy….or not? I’m hoping that the number of plays he was on the sideline for Saturday was a result of the flu (he suffered during the week) and not his lingering foot problem. It’s pretty obvious that Bandon Saine and Mo Wells can’t carry any of the load at running back. I hope Herron makes it back for the trip to East Lansing.

#2 What’s with the play calling? Some Buckeye blogs are speculating that Tressel is “holding back” the offense on purpose. The thought being that he can unveil all kinds of potentially explosive plays against Michigan State and Penn State in the next two weeks. I believe that strategy goes against the coaching philosophy Tressel has always followed and is simply not the case. Many people are pointing to the O-line as the reason for the inconsistency of the offense. I agree completely. I think Browning and Person are not showing any signs of improvement on the right side. Boone and Cordel have been only marginally better on the left side. The best player on the line has been Brewster and he’s a freshman. What does that tell you?
#3 How can Pryor go from throwing 4 touchdown passes in his first game to passing for under 100 yards in week 4? The play calling has not necessarily helped his cause but for god’s sake, do we have a medium length passing game at all?

Too many other questions and not enough answers. Maybe it will be easier to diagnose after the next two games. .

What worked? In a word…Defense!!!

Malcolm Jenkins….All American - What a game!!! He was great in man-to-man coverage, getting the interception, supporting the run, blocking the punt. What more can you ask him to do? I’m not sure what he ate before the game but he needs to put it in a bottle and sell it to the rest of the team.

Ross Homan - He’s getting better each week. I think offenses key on getting blocks on Laurinaitis and Freeman. This is allowing Homan to make more and more plays. I think he’s going to be especially busy during the next two games. We’ll see if he’s up to the challenge.

What didn’t work well? Everything else………..

I’m tired of typing the same things in this spot each week. The lack of improvement on the O-line baffles me (at least Bollman is trying new players and positions to try to get it figured out). The only change I saw that I liked was the introduction of Lamaar Thomas returning kicks and seeing more time as the slot receiver. He showed his speed on the opening kick-off and his elusiveness after several catches during the game.

What’s next?

Well…..I think the Big-10 title will be decided in the next two weeks. We get Michigan State on the road and then Penn State at home. All three teams are undefeated in league play. Jevon Ringer is awesome although I think the heavy workload he gotten is starting to slow him down (at least I hope it is). Not sure what to make of Hoyer and the passing game. Their defense appears solid. I have no reason to believe that our offense will figure out a way to put points on the board in this game. I will not predict OSU going for over 30 points in a game the rest of the season. Pryor seems to play with a little more urgency away from home and the defense remains solid. I have it 16-10 OSU.

Go Bucks!!!!

Buckeye John

R.I.P.

- Expectation to win
- Michigan's Bowl Streak
- Michigan's dominance over the MAC
- The 2008 Season
- Michigan's win streak over Penn State
- Michigan's win streak over Michigan State
- 40 years of Bo Ball
- A national ranking in the next two years
- Being able to dominate any team
- Kickers who can't hit chip shots
- The Senior year for all Michigan Seniors
- The I formation
- Drop Back Passers
- The old Michigan Stadium
- Road wins
- Your Daddy's "Michigan Program"

"Sometimes when learning comes before experience It doesn't make sense right away." - Richard David Bach

"Loss is nothing else but change, and change is Nature's delight." - Marcus Aelius Aurelius

"If you don't like something change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain." - Maya Angelou

"He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery." -Harold Wilson

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it." - Mary Engelbreit

"They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom." - Confucius

At the beginning of this season we all wanted "change" to be a sprint, on Saturday we found it is more of a marathon and we just started the race. There will be a lot more Saturday's like yesterday to come with this major change, none of us like it , but most of us agree this program needed change, big change. We have spent the last 40 years beating the Toldeo's of the world and all it brought us was one National Championship. Let's hope this change will bring something wonderful in 2 + years. "Change always comes bearing gifts." -Price Pritchett