| The Big Ten Conference has become a two-team | | | | in Iowa City. |
| race and we are now just one week away from | | | | |
| the dream match-up between Michigan and Ohio | | | | But the biggest story of this game was the |
| State. These two teams were looking ahead | | | | broken leg suffered by 79-year-old coach Joe |
| last weekend and both survived single-digit | | | | Paterno. He was knocked over on a pass play |
| victories over bad teams. After these two | | | | that went to the sidelines and one could |
| programs, there is a clear-cut No. 3 team | | | | easily tell that he was in pain. He was |
| that plays just 25 minutes away from our main | | | | holding his leg for several minutes before |
| office in Wisconsin. | | | | doctors finally convinced him to sit down. He |
| | | | eventually agreed to a leg brace before being |
| I stated a couple of weeks ago that Wisconsin | | | | carted off the field and flew back to State |
| and Iowa would be vying for the third spot | | | | College ahead of the team. My guess is that |
| and a berth in the Capitol One Bowl when the | | | | Joe Pa will be back next week when his team |
| two teams met on Nov. 11. But since then Iowa | | | | host Temple in some capacity. That being |
| has fallen apart and it will be interesting | | | | said, State is favored by 35 points against |
| to see what kind of effort they give this | | | | the in-state rival and I could easily coach |
| week. Coach Ferentz has won the last four | | | | this team to a victory, so a week of rest may |
| meetings in this series and it well be | | | | not be that bad of an idea. |
| interesting to see if he can get his team up | | | | |
| for this border rivalry after such a | | | | Finally, Purdue moved within one triumph of a |
| disappointing 2006 season. The following will | | | | bowl game with a victory in East Lansing, |
| recap some of the highlights from last | | | | 17-15. The Boilermakers led throughout this |
| weekend and preview a very important week | | | | contest until early in the fourth quarter |
| ahead: | | | | when T.J. Williams caught a 21-yard touchdown |
| | | | pass from QB Drew Stanton. Sparty went up by |
| Iowa hosted Northwestern and it appeared that | | | | one point, but like so many games this season |
| they would have no problem notching their | | | | they could not hold the lead. The loss was |
| seventh victory on the season. They entered | | | | disheartening for Coach John L. Smith, who |
| as a 20-point favorite and another sports | | | | learned last week that his remaining two |
| service released them as the Midwest Game of | | | | years on his contract would be bought out. |
| the Year. This was too much weight to put on | | | | Purdue drove down the field late in the |
| the shoulders of QB Drew Tate, as his team | | | | fourth and with 4:49 remaining in the game |
| came out flat and was dominated by the Cats. | | | | Casey Welch kicked a 19-yard field goal to |
| Northwestern controlled the first half, | | | | give them the lead for good by two points. |
| scoring two touchdowns and picking up a key | | | | |
| interception in the endzone to thwart a | | | | The statistics in this game were even with |
| Hawkeye drive. This score could have been | | | | both teams having more than 300 total yards, |
| much worse than 14-0, as the Cats came away | | | | but Michigan State was much more balanced as |
| empty on two other trips into the red zone. | | | | they rushed for 145 yards. This team seems to |
| | | | find ways to lose football games and that is |
| The second half was much like the first. | | | | a nightmare when trying to handicap. Nobody |
| Neither team was able to generate much | | | | knows what type of effort to expect from them |
| offense, and each team managed just a | | | | and thus they are a team to stay away from |
| touchdown apiece. The Cats did not luck their | | | | when gambling. |
| way into this victory, as they dominated the | | | | |
| total yardage, 445-266. They had great | | | | This is a nice victory for Purdue, who will |
| balance going for more than 200 yards in | | | | now take on two bottom feeders to close out |
| rushing and passing and this reminded me of | | | | conference play. Both of these games are |
| the days when Randy Walker was at the helm. | | | | winnable before their season ends with a trip |
| This was their first conference win on the | | | | to Hawaii. It's very possible this team could |
| season and I would expect them to play well | | | | record nine wins. They will enter Champaign |
| for the remainder of this campaign. They have | | | | next weekend as a two-point underdog and I |
| another winnable game in two weeks when they | | | | would take a serious look at the road team. |
| host Illinois. | | | | Michigan State will host Minnesota and the |
| | | | line in this game is even. But like I said, |
| As for Iowa, this was their second | | | | State is a team that cannot be trusted and I |
| embarrassing loss on the season. They | | | | would expect a double-digit winner in this |
| suffered a loss to Indiana as well and now | | | | game whichever side that it may be. |
| may struggle to win another game this season. | | | | |
| They will host Wisconsin this weekend and | | | | As it stands now, just six of the eleven |
| currently the line is off the board because | | | | teams in the conference will be going |
| of the status of Badger QB John Stocco. The | | | | bowling. The conference could receive a |
| Badgers will never get a more favorable | | | | seventh bid if Indiana could pull an upset in |
| situation to end their current losing streak | | | | one of their last two games, but they will be |
| against the Hawkeyes. Iowa has already | | | | a big underdog in both of these contests |
| qualified for a bowl game but it will be one | | | | (Michigan +19, at Purdue). The conference |
| taking place before New Year's Day. | | | | should receive two BCS bids with the loser of |
| Northwestern will host Ohio State next | | | | the Ohio State-Michigan game going to the |
| weekend and currently enter as a 23-point | | | | Rose Bowl and the winner going to Glendale. |
| dog. Unlike last week, I do not expect Ohio | | | | |
| State to be looking ahead in this one. | | | | Final Thoughts from Around College Football |
| | | | |
| The Wisconsin Badgers all but wrapped up a | | | | 1) Arkansas continues to win football games, |
| trip to Orlando with their victory against | | | | but fails to impress people in the standings. |
| Penn State last weekend. We had the 'under' | | | | They have three tough games ahead and I |
| in this game and everything worked out | | | | expect them to lose at least two of them |
| perfectly with only 16 points being tallied. | | | | because of the lack of a passing game. |
| State did move the ball between the thirties, | | | | |
| but their drives seemed to stall once they | | | | 2) The Louisville/West Virginia game lived up |
| got near the red zone. The Lions did force | | | | to expectations and I feel that if Louisville |
| two turnovers but that could have easily been | | | | can run the table, they will be in Glendale |
| more were it not for some dropped | | | | playing for the National Championship. This |
| interceptions by the secondary. Wisconsin | | | | will not be a cakewalk game either since this |
| broke a 3-3 tie late in the second quarter | | | | team can put points on the scoreboard and may |
| when Paul Hubbard caught a 14-yard touchdown | | | | be worth a look as an underdog. |
| pass from Stocco. This would be the only | | | | |
| touchdown scored in the game and Stocco would | | | | 3) I still believe Florida will win the SEC |
| go out with a shoulder injury in the fourth. | | | | having played a brutal schedule and will |
| | | | defeat Arkansas easily if the two teams would |
| The Badgers went up by two scores early in | | | | happen to meet in Atlanta. If a one-loss team |
| the fourth quarter when Taylor Melhaff kicked | | | | would emerge into the title game, I would |
| a chip shot field goal to give Wisconsin the | | | | suspect it would be them. |
| lead, 13-3. This scoring drive was set up | | | | |
| when a punt bounced off a Lion player deep | | | | This week we will be going with our, "College |
| inside the red zone. The Badgers looked bad | | | | Game of the Year" after our one in September |
| all day on offense and did not ask back-up QB | | | | pushed. We will earn the victory with this |
| Donovan to light up the scoreboard. He threw | | | | game and would like you to jump aboard, as we |
| just one pass and Badger fans will be worried | | | | have had three remarkable weekends in |
| if Stocco cannot return to action next week | | | | football. |