The Awful Politics of The BCS

My finals are all done, and my computer has been fixed to optimum blogging efficiency.  Now with some time off, let the ranting begin!

Bowl season is supposed to separate great teams from the good, give us a national champion, and continue the wonderful pageantry of college football.  Now, more than ever, college football is big business and some of their actions would make the NFL say enough.  Sadly, college football has ruined most of what made college football great, all for a few dollars more (great Clint Eastwood reference by me).

Remember when the Rose Bowl was the biggest bowl game, and it was always the Pac-10 champ vs the Big Ten champ?  It was still like that when I was a kid.  Now it has been made into a money making glorified exhibition.  TCU is playing in it this season.  Sure, Oregon, the Pac-10 champions, are playing for the National title, but Stanford is a more than worthy candidate.  But as a consolation prize for another fraud mid major, Big Ten fans (who are constantly beat up) has to watch another Rose Bowl with a dumb match up.  Ruin the Fiesta Bowl, don't touch the sacred games.

I don't want to come off as an old fashioned fan who doesn't know how things work.  I know money is key, and these match ups are over who will sell tickets and spend money in the area.  But why is a 8-4 Temple team, who beat the BCS Bound UConn Huskies (another joke, the Big East getting a automatic bid and now with TCU joining, that joke will only get worse) not going bowling, but more than one less deserving 6-6 team get to go?  There are far too many bowls.  35 games, 70 teams and this year 72 teams were eligible.  One of those were my Broncos.  You don't even have to beat half of the Division I teams you play anymore.  All you have to do is front load your schedule with cupcakes and you're in.  You are rewarded for being mediocre. and given cash to celebrate you being average.

I know they will never eliminate Bowl games.  It happens rarely, and they are usually replaced by some other .com sponsored event.  Some new ideas are interesting, for example the bowl in Yankee Stadium, and I am a fan of having a separate national title game.  But the bowls are well set up for a playoff.  We won't get a playoff, not until enough people are upset, or we see an embarrassing title game, for example Boise State and TCU squaring off in the What else is on TV Bowl.  Until then we will have to suffer.  I would love college football even more if they had a playoff.  Every other sport does it, but because of dumb rules and cash college football is

This Weekend In Football

Just have some thoughts in the world of football this weekend.

I have some personal crusades.  I hate Boise State, I love pointing out how ESPN does stupid stuff constantly, I think the Situation should win Dancing With The Stars, and talking about how the Jets are just a slightly above average team.  And I love pointing out crappier NFL teams and college football facts.  Mark this all down.

The Vikings and Bears are overrated and have frauds written all over them.  The Vikings are 0-2 and look old and sluggish.  I don't expect them just to turn it on.  Too many people are picking the Lions this weekend, but the Vikings are going to be chasing the Packers.  The Bears (didn't) beat the Lions and then beat the 0-2 Cowboys.  The offense isn't going to not turn the ball over or keep Cutler safe for long.  They will start to lose in bunches.

The Lions will struggle to win more than 3 games this year, mostly because of Stafford being out.  Even with Jahvid Best being able to carry the offense, the Lions defense showed they have a long way to go.  Stafford was the key this season, and with him gone I don't like our chances in many games.

I feel less confident about the Bengals every week.  Even when they win, Palmer will never be the same.

Kansas City and Tampa Bay are the top teams in the basement.  Both 2-0, but it doesn't matter.  KC will end up with 7 wins and Tampa Bay less than that.  They are going to be hurting come December.

 The Miami Dolphins are very good, like Wild Card good. 

Alabama is the best team in the nation.

Jake Locker has pulled a Brian Brohm and turned down huge money to be drafted later in the year.

Ro-Tel and Velveeta is the best combination in the world.  

The Big Ten is the second best conference in the nation, and the gap between them and the SEC is pretty close. 

USC keeps winning and will keep winning.  Thanks, Pete. 

Nebraska will win the Big 12 (10) and has an amazing chance to win the Big 10 (12) next season.

So enjoy this weekend of football!

MSU, Michigan Dominates, Directional Schools Results Mixed

The Matchups: 

Michigan State University vs Western Michigan University:  MSU looked like a good team playing their first game.  The conditions were for a Big Ten October, and MSU played like it.  Le'Veon Bell was the monster the Big Ten Network Presented by Ro-Tel said he would be.  He is huge and fast and his 75 yard TD was very impressive.  I'm pretty excited to see him play some more.  Baker showed his quickness all day, being a great compliment to Bell.  Caper sat out for the day, and could rest even more, maybe until Notre Dame in two weeks (the Spartans should destroy Florida Atlantic in the Little Caesars Pizza Pizza! Bowl Part 1) and when he does return he should create the terrible trilogy of backs.  Keyshawn Martin looked bad, and Keith Nichol looked good.  Cousins played well.  Its hard to tell how good they were because of the competition.  WMU should contend for the MAC title this season.  Alex Carder, a redshirt sophomore starting his first game, looked very promising.  He needs to fall out of love with short passes and getting hit so much, or Tyler Van Tubbergen will see some unscheduled playing time.  Also, WMU has a great punter in Ben Armer.  WMU gets an FCS school this weekend, so we won't know how good the Broncos are for a few more weeks.

University of Michigan vs Conneticut:  Michigan looked much better than I thought, and people will still come out in droves to see them play.  Denard Robinson looked good and the defense played probably their best game they will all season.  If the offense can play like that all season, they will be very good.  Tate Forcier will probably transfer soon, because there is no way he should play over Robinson or Gardner.  Hope you didn't buy one of the stupid Tater tot shirts, or a jersey.  Because they will be worthless soon enough.  UConn should contend for the Big East this season, so the talent level is good.  Now Michigan has to take on the rebuilding Fighting Irish, who beat Purdue at home fairly easily.  That game should be a toss up.  It is in South Bend though.

Central Michigan University vs Hampton:  In Enos' first game as head coach, the Chips won big over an FCS foe, 33-0.  I don't really count these games, because unless your awful (Ole Miss, Kansas) you should win these and inflate your stats.  In other news, Dan LeFevour was cut by the Bears and picked up by the Bengals, who let go JT O'Sullivan.  Now they are one sack from Jordan Palmer or Danny boy starting an NFL game.  CMU plays Temple next week, which could be a MAC championship preview.

Eastern Michigan University vs Army:  Army pulled out a close win in the last second.  EMU hasn't won a game in over a year, and this was a golden opportunity for them.  This rough loss could signal another double digit losing season for the Eagles.  Army is much improved and should make a bowl game this year.  But it is really really hard to give up a late touchdown drive to an option based team.  EMU did pull it off though.

Also, Grand Valley State won their first game and Notre Dame beat Purdue to start the Kelly era. 

You're Welcome! FOOTBALL!!!!

Yesterday college football kicked off and the world was a better place.  We saw some great upsets, big plays and an almost shocking win by the decimated UNC Tar Heels.  This is the beginning of the best time of the year in sports.  A special thanks to my fans, STWWC went over 10,000 views this week.  I really appreciate if you read this blog, be it once or every day.  Keep reading, because it is only going to get better. 

1.  Michigan Wolverines:  In front of the biggest crowd in college football history, the Wolverines dominated a team in contention for the Big East title this year.  Denard Robinson, off the momentum of my You're Welcome shout out, had almost 400 yards total offense and looked like a real RichRod Spread Option QB.  With a win over the rebuilding Irish next week, Michigan fans will return to their former annoying glory.

2. Jacksonville State and North Dakota State:  2 more FCS schools won yesterday, showing scheduling these cupcakes aren't always a good idea.  ND State held the new look Kansas Jayhawks to 3 points in Turner Gill's debut.  The team is missing a lot of talent from past success and the Jayhawks will occupy the bottom all year long in the Big 12.  Jacksonville State came back from a huge deficit in the last quarter to upset Ole Miss, a team who only been a disappointment when a Manning isn't under center.

3. The Nine Teams Who Passed On Matt Leinart: Leinart just got released by the Cardinals, losing the starting job at least twice to Kurt Warner (would have made it a trilogy if Warner came back this year) and now Derek Anderson.  The job was basically handed to him this year and he still lost it.  Arizona would rather have Derek Anderson, who had only one good year, and two rookies as backups.  If not for the signing of some free agent QBs, Arizona would be very very awful right now.  Jay Cutler was taken with the pick after Leinart by the way. 

Big Ten Season Preview 2010

This is the last season with the Big 11 format before the conference moves to the Big 10 with a twelve in the logo.  Then the divisions will change the scheduling and league games (maybe 9 league games) and the championship game will make this a little harder to pick.  The De facto Big Ten title game is Ohio State at Iowa in late November.

1. Ohio State:  Easy pick here.  Terrelle Pryor could be an All-American QB if he can throw the ball better.  The defense will be very good as usual and Saine should be a very good RB for OSU, not legendary like Beanie, Zippy, and the other cute nickname runners.  Iowa is the only one who has a shot to get the title.

2. Iowa:  Ricky "Captain America" Stanzi can probably put together his game manager, screw up just enough to keep games close style and keep the team rolling.  The Oline isn't going to be as good but then again Kirk Ferentz just produces talent.

3. Wisconsin:  A typical Wiscy team takes the field this year.  A huge offensive line, a big physical running back, a stout defense, a solid special teams and a game managing Quarterback who has a few weapons.  I love how old school Big Ten team this is.  They should be just below OSU and Iowa this year, and with a few breaks they could be in the Rose Bowl.

4. Penn State: Evan Royster is darn good, but with no Darryl Clark we need to see how good the offense can be.  The defense usually reloads well after losing linebackers.  Penn State has a difficult time breaking in new Quarterbacks recently.  Don't count out JoePa.

5. Michigan State: With an electric offense featuring Kirk Cousins, Larry Caper, Edwin Baker, Keyshawn Martin and company, the Spartans could be making a very good bowl this season.  If the secondary and offensive line improve at all, this team could be very good.  Some good players must be replaced (Trevor Anderson, Brett Swenson) but Dantonio's recruiting classes need to come through.

6. Purdue:  Beating Ohio State and finishing strong has this team looking up.  Danny Hope had a tough go in his first season, but gets rescued a bit with Robert Marve transferring to play QB.  Purdue will make a bowl this year, mostly on their offense.

7. Northwestern: The Wildcats played in the most exciting bowl game last season but must reload at QB.  Luckily for the Wildcats, they have a very good coach in Fitzgerald and they can get another good QB very quickly.  Look at the list of successful Wildcat QB's.  They'lll be all right.

8. Michigan:  The offense should be very good this year as long as the QB play is better.  The defense will be very awful.  The schedule is a little easier for them, and they will make a bowl.  But it won't be enough to have RichRod keep his job and they will lose to OSU again.  But it could be the change they need.

9. Minnesota: Adam Weber is back, and the talent level is higher.  The new stadium is beautiful, and USC is coming to town this year.  But the Gophers play a tough smaller school non conference schedule and the Big Ten will improve.  They will snap their 2 bowl streak.

10. Indiana: Ben Chappell and the pistol will be pretty solid this season.  And the Hoosiers have a fairly easy schedule this season.  They could sneak up on people and make a bowl with a few breaks, but the Hoosiers should be expecting another 4-8 season.

11. Illinois: Ron Zook is in a make or break season, but is realying on new coordinators and a new QB.  Benn is gone, and Zook's miracle recruiting classes must step it up huge.  I can't see a way Illinois wins more than 5 games tops.  The non conference starts with the Slaughter in St. Louis vs Missouri and two weeks later a game versus a strong Northern Illinois team.  Zook will be looking for a new job.

Conference Alignments:

When Nebraska joins the league in 2011, the Big Ten (who I bet keeps their name, not changing to the Big-Midwest or anything like that) will split into two divisions.  I see the divisions being named the Hayes and Schembechler divisions.  They will split up U of M and OSU to keep the balance level.  I have heard that 9 conference games will played, meaning 3 non conference games (everyone can still play Notre Dame weeeeee!!)  and you'll play the 5 teams in your division and 3 intra-division games.  Here is how I see it shaping up:

Schembechler:      

Michigan
Wisconsin
Michigan State
Purdue
Illinois
Indiana

Hayes:

Ohio State
Penn State
Iowa
Minnesota
Northwestern
Nebraska

Both conferences are a little top heavy, but every rivalry can be kept intact.  Michigan vs Ohio State should not be played the last week of the season, to avoid a possible rematch in the championship game.  It should be prime time earlier in the year to get people interested in this game again.  The last decade has been lackluster.  This format is good too for when the Big Ten goes to 14 teams, as they can split the new teams and add one each.  The championship game will be in early December.  I would like to see a bye week to help get attention.  The Big Ten will announce their plans in the next few weeks.

Conference Expansion: Who Does It Hurt Or Help The Most

The Pac-10 has taken over for the Big Ten in the making huge offers department. The Pac-10 has offered half of the Big 12 (or the entire Big 12) to join and increase revenue. The Pac-10 doesn't make a lot of television money compared to the Big 12, Big Ten or SEC. Outside of USC, who is going to get in a ton of trouble really soon, most Pac-10 teams are on the down in the last decade. They have trouble beating Mountain West teams in recent years. The Big Ten should expand, and the Big 12 will be ripped apart. Then the scraps will be picked apart by mid-major vultures. Here are programs who would be winners and those will be left behind.

Winners:

Boise State: They need to get out of the WAC badly. If they ever want to compete for the National Title, they can't play San Jose State or Hawai'i for conference games. The logical choice is the MWC, although the Pac-10 would be a home run. Both would mean a year or two off from competing, but this is the only move they can make to succeed.

Pac-10: They need money to compete with the other conferences, and a larger fan base. They are basically stuck in California, Oregon and Arizona and those aren't great football states like the Midwest, Texas and the South. They have huge markets but need more power. Whoever they get, MWC teams, Big 12 teams, Boise State, it will be an improvement.

Independents: Notre Dame, Army and Navy are dinosaurs in football. They don't have a conference. Now, if the Big East sticks around (if the Big Ten doesn't rip it apart) ND and Navy could (and would) join the Big East in football, and still compete very well. Navy is a very good football program and ND will need a home. ND would fit better in the Big Ten, but with basketball ties, they could go that route. Army would fit best in the MAC. They should shoot for a mid major, they already play a lot of MAC teams and it would help the conference out. CUSA didn't work out, but they should be scared to try again.

Losers:

Mid-Major Conferences: With this money grab, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Sure, television revenue could increase (with most games being on the conference's own network, ESPN will have to show somebody) but with these super conferences combining money, almost every school (above 90%) would increase their cash flow, get more attention and create more buzz on the ESPN talk machine. The Mid Majors will be represented less and won't get match ups with bigger teams because they can use intra-conference games (they'll have a ton of teams to pick from). College football could be turned into 4 conferences who matter and 4 who don't.

BCS: Hooray! Right? Well, with these ultra-conference the winners of each will truly be considered the best by the voters, and more elite match ups would mean the BCS will bury Cinderellas and. Could this mean the Championship winners all meet for a playoff? Maybe, in a few years. But the BCS will suffer, which will be celebrated by fans.

The Conference With The Scraps: Someone is going to lose on the Notre Dame, Texas, Oklahoma and MWC sweepstakes. You really want to be the ACC and get the Big East leftovers? Thats just expanding to keep up. It could get ugly. You have to take the good with the bad.

Expansion should be fun and create better football for all. It could take a year to start, maybe two, but within 3 years we will see all the fallout from this. In this economy, this will help the schools and bring some hype. When the dust settles, we will see where everybody stands. Until then, your guess is as good as mine.

You're Welcome: Baby, There's No Other Superstar

This weekend saw a great deal of blowout football but more competitive match ups are in store for us. As football wraps up, we will see who the real champion is in the NFL. Because it sure isn't clear right now.

1. Early Doucet- I remember you in your LSU days and you have a great deal of hype around you. It all came together on Sunday's pass happy slug fest of two heavy weight offenses as Mr. Doucet had two big touchdown catches. Filling in for Steve Breaston (who was filling in for Anquan Boldin) Doucet came up big when his team needed him.

2. Garrett Gilbert- Freshman QB coming in for a living legend in the National Championship game where you are already playing a team picked by many to be far superior. Their defense had dominated Tim Tebow and yet you put it together to give the Longhorns a chance to win. Texas fans have a lot to look forward to with Mr. Gilbert. Honorable mention to Colt McCoy for being a total class act in the post game conference.

3. Pete Carroll- You turned a mediocre NFL career into a world class college football one to another shot at the NFL. After a down year and losing more talent and possible scandal coming to USC, Carroll got out and turned it into a 5 year 35 million dollar deal with team control. Not bad at all. USC is as close to a NFL job as anyone can get in college, and Carroll will try to turn that into winning in Seattle.

National Championship Game: More David vs. Goliath Then You Think

Alabama has everything going for itself coming into this game. They just won a playoff game against defending champs Florida and their sophomore running back just won the Heisman. They have a dominant defense and a steady offense. They have a coach who may be a mercenary but has won a national title before. Texas may have the best Quarterback in the nation, but they lack the all around dominance and talent that Alabama can bring to the table every down. Rolando McClain and Terrence Cody are both first round talents on defense. Greg “John Parker Wilson Jr.” McElroy is steady and makes plays when you need it and delivers the ball to playmaker Julio Jones. They are hard to beat because they are so well rounded in so many areas that you can’t just shut down one player or stack the box because they will still beat you. The strategy you have to take is bend but don’t break and tackle solid.

Texas has maybe the most versatile Quarterback in the nation with McCoy (a better passer than Tebow, who is a better rusher) and the dynamic defensive end/outside linebacker in Sergio Kindle. Kindle is a first rounder and McCoy is no lower than a third rounder. Jordan Shipley is a solid wide receiver who can slip through any coverage to get a big gain. The Big 12 was down this year and it showed when Texas was in crunch time against Nebraska and almost blew it and set up a domino effect that would have sent either Boise State or Cincinnati or TCU in the National Title game. Still 13-0 is tough to do in major college football and they are one of the top two teams in the nation. Anybody who doesn’t believe this is too much into smaller schools to see how talented Texas is. Who did Boise State play this year? Oregon and 12 nobodies. TCU is a very good team but it’s not the same as playing Big 12 talent (even in a down year) week after week.

Texas needs to spread out and use their speed against Alabama’s defense. The Tide sees a spread every week in the SEC and even Florida couldn’t solve their defense.
Texas just needs to use medium passes like Florida did to set up bigger gains. They can try and run the ball but must do it outside to avoid Mount Cody. McCoy is faster than Tebow and can use a spread option to pick up yards. Shipley is a nice target and can be used as a deep threat. Alabama isn’t a great blitzing team and the Texas offensive line needs to give McCoy time to throw to have a chance. I feel confident that Texas’s defense can hold Alabama’s offense down enough to give them a chance to win. Julio Jones has great speed on the outside and needs to have two players (safety help over the top) to make sure he doesn’t kill you. Ingram can be contained but not stopped. He is healthy and rested and ready to keep proving himself. Kindle needs to have a huge game and cause havoc for McElroy (who hasn’t lost a game since Middle School) and force him to make mistakes. McElroy is safe with the ball and needs to be pressured to make bad throws.

Alabama needs to play their game and shut down Shipley to make McCoy to throw to less talented targets. The Tide can use their power running game and overall size to physically dominate the Longhorns. Alabama had a playoff game to get here and are more tested. They are the favorites for a reason. Even if Texas took care of Nebraska easily, they would still be underdogs. I see the Crimson Tide beating Texas like they beat Florida. It will be close for a while but Alabama will pull away and chew up clock.

Final Score: Alabama 27 Texas 17

All Michigan Football Team

I thought it would be a fun idea to look at the top college players in Michigan. Michigan is lucky enough to have 5 Division 1 programs and all have been pretty good at one time or another. This year the state champs was obvious. CMU would probably have beaten Michigan anywhere, but they defeated the other 3 teams in state. I'll pick one player at each position for the All Michigan team.

All Michigan Team

Offense:

QB: Dan Lefevour Sr, Central Michigan University- Maybe the best player in MAC history. This dual threat QB is a powerful runner and good passer. He has taken CMU to a new level and have won 3 MAC Championships in his time at Mount Pleasant. He looks to be a project in the NFL and could see success on Sundays. Honorable Mention: Kirk Cousins, Michigan State

RB: Brandon West Sr, Western Michigan University- Turned in another 1,000 yard campaign and broke the record for most all purpose yards in NCAA history. He is a dynamic kick returner and overcame the death of his step brother this season. He is a touchdown machine and spark plug for a struggling Bronco offense this season. He will be miss in Waldo Stadium. He could be picked later in the draft.

RB: Larry Caper Fr, Michigan State University- Distanced himself in the MSU running back by committee and took the job for himself after most of the competition transfers or is in prison. Has a nice tandem with Edwin Baker. He came out as the undisputed starter in Overtime having the winning touchdown against rival Michigan. He could be really good for the next three years.
Honorable Mention: Carlos Brown, Michigan

WR: Blair White Sr, Michigan State University- Probably the only guy who can catch besides Keshawn Martin in East Lansing. He is a tough possession receiver who doesn't bring in a whole bunch of YAC but is very solid. He is a former walk on who doesn't have the physical tools that other wide receivers have. A good story and a good person. He may not be able to play at the next level but a lot of people thought he couldn't play at MSU.

WR: Antonio Brown Jr, Central Michigan University- Great on special teams too, Brown is fast and has all the moves you see on NCAA Football 2010. He can run reverses and is a good receiver anywhere on the field. Easily Lefevour's favorite target and with a good senior campaign could play in the NFL.
Honorable Mention: BJ Cunningham, MSU Juan Nunez, WMU

TE: Charlie Gantt Jr, Michigan State University- This one was easier to pick since only WMU and MSU use "true" tight ends anymore in the state. Gantt was a physical blocker needed for MSU's run first attack, but was also a solid receiver. Every good QB needs a good TE and Cousins has found one in Gantt.
Honorable Mention: Matt Stevens WMU

OT: Anthony Parker, WMU
OT: Rocco Cironi, MSU
OG: Stephen Schilling, Michigan
OG: Andy Fretz, EMU
C: Colin Miller, CMU
Honorable Mention: Joel Foreman, MSU Rocky Weaver, CMU

Defense:

DE: Brandon Graham Sr, Michigan- A powerful pass rusher and probably the best player on the team this year. A first round talent that should fit in very nicely in a 3-4 system. He uses great moves and speed to cause trouble in the opposition's backfield. A little undersized but makes up for it easily.

DE: Trevor Anderson Sr, MSU- The best pass rusher on the team. Followed Dantonio to MSU from Cincinnati and has been very good for MSU. Could be drafted in the middle rounds and see time on Sundays. He has his best games in big moments.
Honorable Mention: Justin Braska, WMU Brandon Downs, EMU

DT: Jerel Worthy Fr, MSU- Athletic and quick and gets into the backfield often. A run stopper for the Spartans. A little small but has time to grow. Gets into the backfield often and collects a good amount of sacks for a DT. Very bright future.

DT: Cody Cielenski Sr, WMU- A run stopping defensive tackle that causes havoc in the backfield. Good size for the MAC. A team leader and two year starter for a defense that struggled at times in his senior year.

LB: Greg Jones Jr, MSU- An All American and tackle machine. A little undersized but doesn't play like it at all. He goes all over the field and can make plays anywhere with his speed. A good student and person and is a natural leader. Is projected as a second round pick now but will probably return for his senior year. Not the best cover linebacker but doesn't have to be.

LB: Obi Ezeh Jr, Michigan- Played very well and did a lot of things right for a bad defense last season. Good size and speed and is a good pass rusher as well. He can cover well for a LB. Should return for his senior season to help his stock and become a leader on this team.

LB: Austin Prichard Sr, WMU- Very tough physical LB. Can make a tackle anywhere. Quick and versatile and is a team leader at WMU. A two year starter and played all three LB positions in Kalamazoo. Solid player.
Honorable Mention: Eric Gordon, MSU

DB: Donovan Warren Jr, Michigan- Good size and speed at Michigan. Played very well despite being left on an island by a bad defense. He can cover and tackle very well. Is going to leave a year early for the NFL and should be a middle round pick.

DB: Josh Gordy Sr, CMU-Made a poor pass defense much better. Only 5'11'' but is a great cover corner and broke up or intercepted a lot of passes. Had to cover a lot of talented MAC WR in the spread but still excelled. An excellent tackler too. May get drafted.

DB: Doug Wiggins Jr, WMU- A hard hitting safety in the mold of Louis Delmas. Transferred to WMU from Miami. Had some discipline problems early in the season but seemed to straighten out as the season went on. Good as a run stopper and blitzer off the edge.

DB: Chris L. Rucker Jr, MSU- Started poorly but turned it on near the end. Struggled when the whole defense did, but may be because of poor schemes. Can play tight in coverage and help stop the run. Needs to improve next year.

Special Teams:

KR: Brandon West Sr, WMU
PR: Keshawn Martin So, MSU

Kicker: Brett Swenson Sr, MSU-A booming leg and incredible accuracy. Will kick on Sundays someday. He has bailed out the Spartans with multiple clutch kicks. His kickoffs usually end up in touchbacks.

Punter: Zoltan Mesko Sr, Michigan- Could play on Sundays soon with his long booming punts. Doesn't out kick coverage and is smart. Can pin opponents deep and make any punt. Very solid player.

Michigan State vs Texas Tech: Convicts vs Cowboys

This Alamo Bowl (Saturday January 2nd ESPN at 9 pm) puts the MSU Spartans against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. MSU lost many players (a lot of wide receivers) for this bowl because of on campus fight (Dorm Brawl I) and even had to work out Keith Nichol at wide out. Texas Tech's Head Coach Mike Leach was fired a day before he was set to get a $800,000 bonus. I don't think that will be enough for State to get a win.

For State to win: They need to churn out yardage on the ground and keep the Tech's offense on the sidelines. State needs to score touchdowns, not field goals. Turnovers would be key for MSU and to win that battle would go a long way. Captain Kirk needs to lead the offense efficiently. And Narduzzi has to play in the nickel defense the whole game. Don't blitz one bit. They work out of the shotgun and nothing will even bother the QB.

For Texas Tech to win: Throw the ball, throw the ball, and when you see MSU play in the base 4-3 (which is usually from the 1st to 4th quarter) throw some more. Tech's defense doesn't need to do much besides stack the box and dare MSU to beat them throwing. It can be done, but without the wide receiver talent, MSU probably will struggle. Use your "home field" advantage and win a game your supposed to.

Outcome: Texas Tech will win. I think MSU will make a game of it for a while but will lose in the end when they can't keep up offensively.

Final score: 42-27

Now I will take a look at Michigan's Bowl.

Take Velveeta cheese and heat until melted. Add Ro-tel chili peppers and mix. Heat until mixed and melted together and put into a bowl. Eat with nacho chips or crackers or even pita bread. Then sit down and watch a real football team play. You have many options this weekend. You can even watch the Big Ten teams you lost to!

Happy New Year!

Top Five Reasons The NFL Is Better Than College Football

I often have this discussion with my friends about what is better, College or Pro football? I am a professional football fan first but I have thought about this a lot. Here are my Top Five reasons to watch the NFL over the NCAA.

5. Both make money, but at least the pro players make money (legally). Texas made 120 million dollars on football last year, and all the players got was free college. As a college student, I know how important college funds can be, but don't the players deserve a piece of the pie? The school gets money for selling number 15 Florida jerseys, but Tebow won't ever see a dime. Ohio State gets a cut of the video game profits but Pryor won't ever get a check. The players put in a lot of time (some more than others, Michigan), and deserve more than what they get. The NFL may overpay their players, but at least they make money.

4. Every game truly matters in the NFL. Yeah, every game of college football matters, but how many boring games are there a week. I don't want to see Michigan play Eastern Michigan, Michigan State play Montana State or Florida play the Florida International. We barely see meaningful non conference games anymore so that makes almost a third of the season worthless. The BCS doesn't factor in strength of schedule so who cares? Conference schedules are usually pretty good, but they don't make up for the start of the season. In the NFL, every week is usually competitive (this season is a fluke with so many good and bad teams) and the playoffs are usually settled on the last game of the year.

3. The talent level is much more equal. Even in these recent years where college football is evening out a little bit, the top teams are far superior to weaker teams. Look at conferences even, whats the difference Oregon and Arizona State? Alabama and Vanderbilt? Texas and Kansas State? The difference is too much to balance anything out. You can almost pick with certainty who will win conferences at the beginning of the year. The NFL sees almost 50% turnover in division winners and playoff teams every year. The Dolphins and Falcons went to the playoffs after awful seasons. I'd bet a ton of money that Vanderbilt doesn't win the SEC next season.

2. Its better football. Who doesn't want to see tons of vertical passing and quick running backs blowing past defenders? The spread is based on short passing and running. The spread is making its way into the NFL but still its just more entertaining to see NFL football. Their are usually less blowouts and higher scoring by both teams. You are watching the best athletes playing the best football with the best coaches. Its going to produce good football.

1. There are playoffs. We know far and away who is the champion of pro football. There isn't any doubt who the number 1 team in the league is. 12 out of 32 teams make the playoffs and all 12 teams have a shot at winning it all (a 6 seed has won the Super Bowl before) and usually many teams are gunning for a few spots in the regular season. By about Thanksgiving the NFL really heats up and becomes even better. Sunday and Monday Night Football use flex scheduling to get the best games on prime time. College sees such a difference in conferences that some teams need to win their cupcake schedule (example: Texas 2009) and they have their ticket to the championship game. Playoffs in college football would be ideal, but the same stupid excuses are used now that were in 1999 and will be used in 2019.

The NFL will be better than college football for some time, until college football can even out the talent levels on teams and conferences and make a legitimate playoff system to serve the entire league the best. I love both college and pro football, but I would rather watch the NFL any day.

When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Notre Dame got the coach they wanted. Unlike the last coach, who's name will not be mentioned, Kelly has what most schools are looking for in a Head Coach: up and comer, winner in college, college coaching experience, midwest recruiting ties, (hes Irish), and hes willing to start right away. He is leaving Cincinnati and not coaching them in their bowl against Florida (almost guaranteeing a slaughter) and will start by trying to save a number of ND recruits.

Kelly separated himself from Randy Edsell by his ability to build up programs (some of his Bearcats are Dantonio recruits) and win on a big stage. UConn never really were a contender in the Big East, and Kelly seemed to have more support from the alumni. His personality is perfect for the job and outside of Urban Meyer or Bob Stoops, he had to been the favorite.

What does this mean for Notre Dame? They will have another tough year next year losing most of their great players and switching to more of a spread offense that Kelly prefers. They will start to land some bigger recruits and it will take 3 or 4 more years before they start winning again. Notre Dame may learn from past mistakes. Maybe they will give him 6 years, and not sign him to a 10 year extension after his first sign of success. Kelly can turn Notre Dame into a consistent winner (not a consistent National Title contender) and be a solid hire. With so much salary being eaten, don't expect to see Kelly going anywhere for a while.

In Cincinnati, they may hire Butch Jones, the man who replaced Kelly in Central Michigan. Jones has 2 MAC titles and a trip to the GMAC Bowl ranked 25th in the nation. But with Mr. Everything Lefevour graduating, now could be a good time to get another, higher paying, higher profile job. He is also interested in the Marshall job, but Marshall will lack the BCS conference power and probably some of the money. Marshall did finish with 2.5 million dollars in profit so they can invest in facilities and attract better recruits and coaches, like Jones. He could go and try to dominate Conference USA and land a better job down the road. We should see plenty more coaches move around as the season draws to a close.

You're Welcome: College Football Shines

Before this week's You're Welcome, I will do a mock Heisman Ballot (because I don't get a real vote...yet). This is what it would look like:

1. Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska
2. Mark Ingram, RB Alabama
3. Toby Gerhart, RB Stanford
4. Colt McCoy, QB Texas
5. Tim Tebow, QB Florida

This may be the deepest 1-5 in the Heisman ballot that I can remember. Tebow may have gotten there because of Florida's success and past triumphs. Still a very solid group of talented football players.

My pick for this week's Thursday Night Football game is Steelers over Browns. Now for You're Welcome!

1. Cincinnati Bearcats: Down by 21, on the road against a stellar defense and outstanding opponent in Pittsburgh, you jumped on Marty Gilyard's shoulders and he carried you to Big East promise land. Tony Pike shook off an awful game to deliver in crunch time. Sure, your coach was lying and was jumping to go to Notre Dame but still you hung in tough. Dion Lewis touched the ball over 50 times and you were able to slow him down in the end. The whole game I was sure Pitt would hold on for the win and take the Big East Crown and automatic BCS birth. But the resilience of Cinncy was too much and now they get the privilege to play Florida on the national stage.

2. Ndamukong Suh: You completely dominated Colt McCoy and his offensive line. Suh propelled himself into the Heisman race and at least is a top ten pick in the next April's NFL Draft. I sure hope he is wearing Honolulu Blue and Silver next season. His performance reminds me of Reggie Bush's thrashing of Fresno State that shot him to the Heisman. If he dominates his bowl and works out well, he can easily be the first pick taken. He has all the talent in the world and its great he can display it to everyone.

3. Mark Ingram: In another Heisman audition game, Ingram completely dominated the best, veteran defense in the nation with 3 touchdowns and over 100 very tough well earned yards. He came up with highlight reel plays just when Alabama needed it and put away the Gators for good in the second half. I bet he will win the Heisman, with the offensive bias, and may leave for the NFL draft (not as likely). But I hope the Flint native sticks around so we can see him run over defenders all over the field.

The BCS Works

The National Title game is set, and if your not a fan of the BCS Busting Three Amigos, you have a lot of people to convince that they should be there over Texas or Alabama. The Big 12 is better than the WAC, Mountain West and Big East. They played a better schedule and I believe that they could beat all three at a neutral site. That being said, Texas barely beat the Nebraska Ndamukong Suhs (Cornhuskers) and are up there because they were ranked higher than the other three were. I'll make my opinion known now, my vote for Heisman would go to Suh, and I want the Lions to take him with their first pick. He has been a beast and could vastly improve any defense he would be on. How many defensive tackles can get so much penetration and be a force? Mark Ingram will probably win the Heisman with his domination of the vaunted Florida defense and he could be a very solid pro, but Suh is something special.

Enough about the Heisman, lets get to the Bowls:

Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech vs Iowa: The Triple Option vs Good Ol' Midwest corn fed defense! How fun! This should be a dark horse for bowl game of the season. The Big Ten needs a win, but the ACC is 1-8 in BCS Bowl games, yet we never hear how bad that conference is. A lot of talent will be on display this game, and QB Ricky Stanzi should be back for the Hawkeyes. Nesbitt and Dwyer should be running all day. Prediction 28-21 Iowa

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs Oregon: This has a shot to be a great game, and an equal shot to be a blowout. Oregon's defense is nothing special but their offense can control the game. Ohio State and Sweatervest need to get their act together and not embarrass the Big Ten anymore. OSU has an elite defense that no one seems to talk about, but the offense is the key. Pryor and his running backs (all with cute nicknames) need to put up points and take home the Rose Bowl trophy. Prediction: OSU 35 Oregon 34

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs Cincinnati: No way does Florida lose this game. Tebow and all those seniors want to go out with a win, and unlike Alabama last year who lost to Utah, they will be motivated and have something to prove. Florida is far more talented than Cincinnati. The Bearcat offense is too inconsistent with Pike at the helm, and if they run into a world class defense they'll have problems. They're defense is nothing special and Tebow could pick them apart. You better believe Tebow will play hard after the struggles on Saturday. Prediction: Florida 35 Cincinnati 14

Fiesta Bowl: TCU vs Boise State: In the Consolation Bowl, the two best BCS Busters square off. Boise has been here before and TCU is very balanced. This should be a very fun, hard fought game. Both teams have solid offense and TCU's defense is top 5 in the nation. Both fan bases will travel well and this game will be a good one. I wish they would have split these teams up (one play Georgia Tech, one play Iowa) so they can prove themselves against the big boys. Watch for a tough battle with both teams giving all they got. Prediction: TCU 21 Boise State 17

BCS National Title Game: Alabama vs Texas: In the Rose Bowl, Part 2, we see the Crimson Tide come in red hot after their playoff victory over Florida. Texas barely got past Nebraska (underrated) basically at home. Colt McCoy almost blew the whole season by not throwing the ball out of bounds earlier (Awareness: 75). Bama has a great defense and underrated offense with Ingram and Jones leading the way. McElroy is a solid QB in the mold of a game manager. This will be a better game then some people think, but Alabama will come out on top. Prediction: Alabama 28 Texas 17

You're Welcome: I'm Thankful For Football

I'll start this week by picking the NFL Thursday Night game with the Bills over the Jets. Now here is the weekly You're Welcome post!

1. Vince Young: This one could probably be chalked up for the entire Titan team, and even the owner who kicked this off by asking for Young to replace aging vet Kerry Collins. Young is now playing a style of football that suits him more, with option plays and shotgun passing systems like the ones in Texas. He recently set a career high in passing yards. He also led a 99 yard game winning TD drive against the Cardinals at home. I hate announcers that say "he just wins" or "hes a competitor" but he has taken steps to show he is maturing and could be the QB of the future for the Titans or possibly another team.

2. New Orleans Saints: Putting away doubts about if you're the real deal is always tough when your a team that has been pitiful for the majority of their existence. By beating the Patriots by 21 on Monday Night Football will do the trick most of the time. Maybe the Pats have slipped a bit and aren't the team we are all used to but they are still a top 10 team in the NFL. The Saints now have a lot to play for at the end of the year, trying to distance themselves from the Vikings for home field advantage. They have a surprisingly potent defense and a legendary offense that could score on about anyone. They have only a few losable games before the playoffs when they are going to be the favorites. We could certainly see a New Orleans Super Bowl appearance.

3. BCS Busters: TCU, Boise State and Cincinnati all have taken care of business (the Bearcats still have Pitt to take care of to get the Big East title) and avoided upsets that would have left them in a bowl that they are more accustomed to. The only way a playoff system will ever be implemented is if we see a Cinncy vs Boise State National Title game. I know it is unrealistic that we will ever see a playoff system (since the SEC title game is a playoff) and the money tied up in the Bowl games. Its always fun to root for the underdog and see how far they can go with none of the perks big programs enjoy.

College Football This Weekend

WMU vs Buffalo: Western played a great back and forth game on a raw cold day in October. Western's homecoming only brought out about 12,000+ fans but the Broncos played well enough to get a win. Right now all I care about are wins and losses. This game is probably the game that decides if we go 6-6 or 7-5. Right now it seems highly unlikely that WMU can upset MSU. Luckily the Broncos feature the cupcake MAC schedule of Kent St, Eastern Michigan and Ball State. Only one home game remains but the Broncos are playing much more to their potential. Tim Hiller continues to smash WMU and MAC records in the twilight of his great college career. We are showing much more depth and promise from their young players than in past seasons. They are a little banged up at wideout. A second straight bowl and third in four years (which is pretty impressive for a mid major team) looks to be very attainable for the Broncos, with a good core of young talent for the future.

Michigan vs Penn State: Penn State destroyed Michigan in ways we haven't seen since last year. RichRod is 3-9 in the Big Ten so far in his career (in a time when the Big Ten is very awful) and the teams looks to be regressing. Tate Forcier (who if you ask a Michigan backer is "always injured") looks to be playing worse than ever before. Given he is a freshman but he is not developing into anything more polished. The defense is still awful and their two best players are Carr recruits and leaving for the NFL next season. Teams like Wisconsin and Michigan State are going to love U of M's smaller front seven while they run all over it for the next few years. A bowl is still very likely but expecting more out the Wolverines is too much right now.

MSU vs Iowa: Michigan State played a great game, well enough to deserve a win. They made some great offensive plays and Kirk Cousins is developing into a hero as he led the team down the field to take the lead. But of course the Spartan secondary was the weak link and gave up the winning touchdown on fourth down with no time remaining. Pat Narduzzi is the much criticized defensive coordinator for the Spartans, but what do you expect to get from the fan base when after two fade routes to leave Chris L. Rucker on an island? Hes always getting picked on, for goodness sake give him some safety help. This is not SOS by any means, but MSU needs to start winning some big games. I still think Blair White is very awesome.

Notre Dame just survived a game against Boston College.

TCU beat BYU 38-7 on the road in prime time. They should be fifth in the nation, not one loss USC. If USC wants a trip back to the National Title game, then win all your games in the PAC-10. Stop losing a game early and then route everybody else. It's getting old.

Sam Bradford is going to get surgery and enter the NFL draft. This has been a season with nothing but disappointment for the Sooners.

The Crimson Tide barely hung on to beat Tennessee. Bama and Florida will be a playoff for the National Title.

Western vs Central: Second Best Football Rivalry In Michigan

The Western-Central game is the top rivalry game in the MAC and is almost always a great game. The Broncos lead the series by 8 games but have only won 9 out of the last 20. Central has the upper hand even more recently, taking 2 straight against Tim Hiller and the Brown and Gold. Hiller vs LeFevour has been very underwhelming, with this going to be the second and final meeting. The pocket passer and the scrambler. The spread vs pro style. The Heisman hopeful and the steady vet. This should be another classic in the series. Waldo Stadium should be buzzing come Saturday.

How Western Can Win: Western can't let this game turn into a shootout. The Bronco defense has not been good enough to take over a game or even be steady throughout a game. They just have to bend a ton but not break. A vital turnover late in the game could make all the difference. Western will need to keep the scoring going after last week's 58-26 drubbing of a improved Toledo squad. Brandon West and Co. need to churn out yardage and keep LeFevour on the sidelines. The running game will be vital for both teams with colder than usual weather in breezy Waldo Stadium. Hiller will have to take care of the ball but also make big plays. They are going to have to gamble to beat a better team.

How Western Can Lose: There is a standard WMU losing pattern in the Cubit era. They get behind early with turnovers and stupid plays. WMU never looks like a winning team and the Broncos lose. It has happened multiple times in my experience as a Bronco. Ball State last year, Central last year, Indiana this year its all the same. If they fall into that trap, the game may be over before it really gets started. Turnovers and poor defensive play and bad third down conversion will doom the Broncos on Saturday.

How Central Can Win: Don't get behind early on the road. Putting up big offensive numbers will only increase your chances of winning. The defense needs a few big plays to take the Bronco attack out of rhythm. Stop the running game and make the Bronco passing attack beat you. Let LeFevour run and pass to keep the young Bronco defense off balance.

How Central Can Lose: Let the Broncos hang around all game. Then the Veteran Hiller can work his magic with the surprising Jordan White and deep threat Juan Nunez. Brandon West can not be allowed to put up 100+ yards to eat up clock. Don't let the weather or Waldo faithful keep you off rhythm. Rhythm is so crucial to a spread attack. You can win a shootout, so don't take your foot off the pedal.

The game will be on FSN Detroit+ at 3:30 PM on Saturday. This is the first Saturday Central game at Waldo since 2005. The game has already sold more tickets than any WMU game in over 3 years. Western will have to play very well against a better team and to stay in the MAC West hunt. I really hope the Broncos can pull off an upset. I was right in the MSU vs U of M game so here is my prediction:

WMU 35 CMU 31

College Football Recap

Michigan State vs Illinois: On Illinois' Homecoming MSU ruined the celebration. With the 24-14 win, MSU got their season back on track and beat a clearly inferior opponent on the road. Sadly, comeback kid Glenn Winston was lost for the season with an ACL tear. It is too late for him to get a medical redshirt, but could redshirt if he does not return from knee surgery well next year. He was the power runner for MSU and the best kick returner so their will be a hole to fill. Larry "The Real Deal" Caper will get most of the snaps with former starter Caulton Ray backing him up, with Ashton Leggett trying to live up to the Baby Caulcrick title. Edwin Baker will most likely redshirt this season. Kirk Cousins missed the game with Keith Nichol taking all the snaps. He injured his non throwing elbow but is day to day and should play against Northwestern. Cousins should be able to play against Northwestern. MSU does not want to pull Andrew Maxwell's redshirt as well. Four Star recruit Joe Boisture has committed to the Spartans so their should be amazing QB depth for MSU the next 6 years or so. Eddie McGee is not as good as Juice Williams. Now we know that for sure.

Michigan vs Iowa: Iowa played worse and U of M played better than expected. For some reason, Tate Forcier was benched on the last two drives while Denard Robinson took over. When given time to run, Robinson can be good. But mark this down U OF M WILL NEVER WIN WITH ROBINSON GETTING MOST OF THE PLAYING TIME!. Robinson can not throw. Unless he does a total 180, he won't ever be a good QB. I can't understand why RichRod would work him out at RB and then throw him out there with the game (and possible Rose Bowl) on the line. U of M did play better, but bottom line, aren't there yet. Their defense is awful and they have some problems on offense with passing. Iowa is a real deal Big Ten contender now.

Florida beat LSU: The Tiger's offense is awful. Tim Tebow played decent returning from a scary concussion. Florida is in the driver seat to win the National title.

Jevan Snead is showing his true colors. He isn't playing well at all this season against any type of talent. He has dropped from first rounder to mid rounder this season. He will almost assuredly return his senior season since he is probably behind Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, Jake Locker Jimmy Clausen (who looks to come out early) Dan LeFevour and possibly Tim Tebow. Tim Hiller's draft stock has also taken a hit, until he exploded Saturday with a blowout with against Toledo.

MSU vs. U of M Reaction

When watching the MSU vs. U of M game this weekend I was surprised by a few things. State’s defense looked much better. The offense was as predictable as ever and only big plays from Cousin’s arm (and his feet, he must practice with Nichol on that) kept drives alive. The dumbest moment on the afternoon was U of M faking a punt on fourth and short on their own 17 yard line. And the announcers tried to make it sound like it was Mesko’s call. I know that Zoltan Mesko is one of the more popular players in Ann Arbor (why?) but that was a dumb play all around. I wouldn’t even call that in NCAA Football 2010.

How did MSU’s defense shut down Michigan’s offense at all? They made the “anointed” one Tate Forcier look like a freshman. They were pressuring him and forcing him to make bad decisions. I’m sure Michigan fans will say how hurt he is and all, but that’s no excuse. It’s like saying how Randy Moss didn’t block because his back was hurt, yet he was healthy enough to make ten catches.

Both teams were put in great situations but could not come away with points, which is odd. Both defenses are struggling this season and the weather was not bad enough to affect the offenses too much.

In the end MSU came through in Overtime in an instant classic. Freshman Larry Capers took a run to the house after a toss play lost 9 yards. This is a game that MSU used to lose. Good for Dantonio for getting his guys to play.

From the broadcast:

The announcers were awful. I know it was the Big Ten Network but still. All they did was talk about how much moxy Forcier has or how much of a warrior he is or how he lives for these moments. Then he throws an interception in the end zone in OT. Ooops. I hate how he always limps to the huddle or bends over in pain after every throw. Unless I find out Monday he has swine flu/broken back/broken leg/dislocated shoulder then I will have to label him a “diver” (there you go hockey fans). I get it, he’s pretty good. But he isn’t Tim Tebow. He takes dumb hits and struggles with accuracy. That is all I have to say about Forcier.

MSU has looked very Un-MSU like this season. They are very sloppy and took too many stupid penalties. They have not played to their potential all season and its upsetting. They did continue to play in the 4-3 almost exclusively and shuttle in QBs all day. It reminds me of playing in the sand lot and you would tell a guy, all right I’ll play QBs odds and you even. Nichol did not ruin any drives but did not add much. Kirk Cousins had some big runs (I know!) and made some great throws. The kid looks great sometimes. The running game was much better and continues to improve. If we can build off this success and learn to play defense and run the ball we may be all right.

Michigan State vs Michigan The Rivalry Continues

This weekend when Michigan State and Michigan kick off, a lot more will be at stake than bragging rights. MSU is looking for something to rebound its season. U of M is looking to legitimize its season after winning four games, all at home, with a weaker schedule. Both teams look forward to this game (don't let U of M tell you this game doesn't matter to them, because it does) and although its too early on the calendar for me (the weather wont let you believe that) this should be as big of a game as we have seen in a while.

What MSU needs to do to win: Play defense. Make tackles. MAKE PLAYS! That is probably what the game will come down to. U of M has a poor defense too, and I have confidence that MSU won't shuttle in Nichol at inappropriate moments after last weeks fiasco. Nichol can be used as a change of pace and a spark for the offense. Glenn Winston and Larry Capers needs to churn out yardage and open up the passing game for Kirk Cousins. The defense needs to make tackles, cover people, rush the passer better, basically everything. A spread is exactly what the defense doesn't need. Forcier is hurt (separated shoulder? may not play) and Denard Robinson could shred MSU. Special teams is obviously not going to be a problem for the Spartans.

MSU Can lose if: They turn the ball over, putting an already bad defense in bad situations. If they don't tackle or over pursue the spread they could get killed. They need to be patient on offense and put up a ton of points. Use the cold weather to get another edge at home, don't let it hurt you.

What Michigan needs to do to win: Rack up as many points and yards on the Spartans as you can. There defense is not going to stop you much and you should not lose because you didn't score enough points. On defense, load up on the run and make Cousins or Nichol beat you. The passing game has its own problems, like dropping passes or giving up sacks. You have to use Mesko to your advantage and get good field position to put them in bad situations. Its the first road game for a lot of your players (QB most importantly) and the cold weather could hurt the spread attack. Run the ball and take safe passes until your settled.

Michigan can lose if: They let the road environment get to them having them make mistakes and penalties. If Forcier doesn't play, play to Robinson's strength by throwing less. Him throwing will hurt them, period. The defense needs to make big plays, not be perfect.

I see this game as a shootout with the weather playing a factor. If this game was at Michigan and Forcier was totally healthy, I might go with the Wolverines. But since it is at MSU, and MSU has played a tougher schedule, the Spartans will pull this out. It will be a close, great game so get ready.

MSU 37 Michigan 31