.I thought it would be good to take a wider perspective of Us in the context of the overall Landscape of College Football.
1. We have won our first two games of the Season, and haven't played our best football. After Illinois destroyed Virginia yesterday, our victory over them looks better than it did a week ago. Not that Virginia is great, but when you dominate another team from a major Conference to that extent, You are a good team.
2. Next Week we have Western Kentucky at Home followed by Road Games at Cincy and Nebraska. UC lost a lot of good players from last Year and won;t be nearly as good as last year. Nebraska is a poorly Coached Team playing with no confidence. All 3 of these games are winnable, We have a decent possibility of being 4 and 1 and a chance at 5-0 at the end of the stretch. On October 2, We could be one win away from Bowl Eligible.
3. Looking around the Big 10, things are changing.
a. Iowa has scored 7 points in each of it's first two games. Watching them playing Offense is like watching a Root Canal. The old formula of conservative Offense and suffocating Defense isn't working.
b, Wisconsin scores 7 points at Home and loses by 10, Same problem as Iowa.
4, It's early in the Season. but I'm not seeing 4 teams that jump out at you as locks for the playoff. Alabama is rated Number 1, But The really struggled yesterday against Texas and should have lost that game, They look like they are capable of coughing up another Hairball and losing a regular Season Game. Georgia is certainly in that Group. Clemson? Maybe but they benefit from playing in a weak Conference and they aren't challenged week in and Week Out. Put them in the Big 10 East, and they would average 2-3 Regular season Losses. Ohio State looks to be the 4th of the group.
Biggest overrating in the ESPN top 25? Notre Dame at number 18 I don't know how you can be in anyone's Top 25 with an 0-2 Record including a loss at Home to man Underdog Marshall Team while scoring only 7 points.
5, There are some seriously overpaid coaches out there.
A. Jimbo Fisher - number 6 Team in the Country and loses at Home to App State. Statistics of the Day? App State controlled the ball for over 40 Minutes and A&M ran only 2 plays from Scrimmage in App State Territory.
B. Steve Sarkasian - Keeps showing the uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the Jaws of Victory in close games.
C. Scott Frost - Has reached the point of having a Moving Company on speed dial Dead Man walking.
D. Marcus Freeman - Notre Dame may be having Buyer's Remorse and looking for the return desk. Not a good idea to give a guy his first Head Coaching position at Notre Dame. This may turn out to be worse than Gerry Faust moving from High School to the Head Coaching position. Wonder what Coach McCullough thinks about his move from IU to South Bend.
6. What does all this mean for IU? If You are the favorite You can't just show up and count on superior talent to get You through (like next week). Conversely, You have the opportunity to get some unexpected Wins against "better" teams if You are well prepared and put forth the effort.
1. We have won our first two games of the Season, and haven't played our best football. After Illinois destroyed Virginia yesterday, our victory over them looks better than it did a week ago. Not that Virginia is great, but when you dominate another team from a major Conference to that extent, You are a good team.
2. Next Week we have Western Kentucky at Home followed by Road Games at Cincy and Nebraska. UC lost a lot of good players from last Year and won;t be nearly as good as last year. Nebraska is a poorly Coached Team playing with no confidence. All 3 of these games are winnable, We have a decent possibility of being 4 and 1 and a chance at 5-0 at the end of the stretch. On October 2, We could be one win away from Bowl Eligible.
3. Looking around the Big 10, things are changing.
a. Iowa has scored 7 points in each of it's first two games. Watching them playing Offense is like watching a Root Canal. The old formula of conservative Offense and suffocating Defense isn't working.
b, Wisconsin scores 7 points at Home and loses by 10, Same problem as Iowa.
4, It's early in the Season. but I'm not seeing 4 teams that jump out at you as locks for the playoff. Alabama is rated Number 1, But The really struggled yesterday against Texas and should have lost that game, They look like they are capable of coughing up another Hairball and losing a regular Season Game. Georgia is certainly in that Group. Clemson? Maybe but they benefit from playing in a weak Conference and they aren't challenged week in and Week Out. Put them in the Big 10 East, and they would average 2-3 Regular season Losses. Ohio State looks to be the 4th of the group.
Biggest overrating in the ESPN top 25? Notre Dame at number 18 I don't know how you can be in anyone's Top 25 with an 0-2 Record including a loss at Home to man Underdog Marshall Team while scoring only 7 points.
5, There are some seriously overpaid coaches out there.
A. Jimbo Fisher - number 6 Team in the Country and loses at Home to App State. Statistics of the Day? App State controlled the ball for over 40 Minutes and A&M ran only 2 plays from Scrimmage in App State Territory.
B. Steve Sarkasian - Keeps showing the uncanny ability to snatch defeat from the Jaws of Victory in close games.
C. Scott Frost - Has reached the point of having a Moving Company on speed dial Dead Man walking.
D. Marcus Freeman - Notre Dame may be having Buyer's Remorse and looking for the return desk. Not a good idea to give a guy his first Head Coaching position at Notre Dame. This may turn out to be worse than Gerry Faust moving from High School to the Head Coaching position. Wonder what Coach McCullough thinks about his move from IU to South Bend.
6. What does all this mean for IU? If You are the favorite You can't just show up and count on superior talent to get You through (like next week). Conversely, You have the opportunity to get some unexpected Wins against "better" teams if You are well prepared and put forth the effort.
