Big Ten West After Week 9

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MNVCGUY

MNVCGUY

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And just like that it looks like the West is going to be a 2 team race. Iowa may not be done being a factor, but their offense is bad, really really bad, and they have been exposed over the past few weeks.

Contenders
Minnesota - 4-1 - Can they keep RB healthy, does it matter behind that offensive line? Taking care of business during this 3 game stretch was key (Maryland, Northwestern, Illinois). So far they are 2 for 2. Iowa looms in a few weeks but they look very vulnerable now and the Gophers seem to be getting better.

Wisconsin - 3-2 - Feels like we are headed for a showdown at the Bank for the Big Ten Title. Their Defense is really good, their offense is just average. I don't think their passing game is strong enough if they have to rely on it. Trick is if any of the remaining teams on their schedule can force them to throw.

Technically still in it....but just barely
Purdue - 3-2 - Given that their 2 losses are to Wisconsin and Minnesota their title hopes look pretty bleak. Gonna take some chaos for them to end up winning the division. Solid team but nothing spectacular.

Iowa - 3-2 - They have been exposed the last 2 times out. If you don't turn it over and make them have to execute on offense they are toast. Defense is still good, offense is a joke. They are in trouble.

The Rest
Illinois - 2-4 - Beat Penn State but this is still not a very good team. Better than the other 2 below them but still a bottom of the division type team.

Nebraska - 1-5 - Another week, another 1 score loss. I don't know what to think of this team anymore. They have talent but they just can't get it done. End could be coming soon for Frost if they don't win a couple games down the stretch.

Northwestern - 1-4 - Just not a good team at all this year.
 



RememberMurray said:
It's a round robin, from now on. Head-to-head.

Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin. Purdue is just barely hanging on.
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I think Iowa is just barely holding on as well at this point. Every team in the Big Ten knows what they have to do to beat Iowa now. Protect the football and make Iowa have to drive the field, because they can't. If you don't help them with short fields their offense is toast.
 

MNVCGUY said:
I think Iowa is just barely holding on as well at this point. Every team in the Big Ten knows what they have to do to beat Iowa now. Protect the football and make Iowa have to drive the field, because they can't. If you don't help them with short fields their offense is toast.
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I would say the same thing about Wisconsin's offense -- but Mertz impressed me with throwing today. Did well in the intermediate game and kept the chains moving on some of their drives.
 


The stars aligned for MN this year with a veteran QB, offensive line, an adequate defense and a very easy schedule compared to WI and IA.
If MN cannot win the West this year when will they?
 

Plato said:
The stars aligned for MN this year with a veteran QB, offensive line, an adequate defense and a very easy schedule compared to WI and IA.
If MN cannot win the West this year when will they?
Click to expand...
Quit using facts. This board is for fanatical takes!
 


Plato said:
The stars aligned for MN this year with a veteran QB, offensive line, an adequate defense and a very easy schedule compared to WI and IA.
If MN cannot win the West this year when will they?
Click to expand...
Ok. Facts matter. Minnesota has OSU, MD, and Indiana. Iowa has PSU, MD and Indiana. I would say Minnesota's is harder as OSU>PSU. Agree?
Wisconsin has Rutgers, PSU and Michigan. I would give you that Wisconsin's a bit tougher. Not a lot though as it turns out PSU is not much better than MD and Michigan is worse than OSU.
 




TNGophfan said:
Ok. Facts matter. Minnesota has OSU, MD, and Indiana. Iowa has PSU, MD and Indiana. I would say Minnesota's is harder as OSU>PSU. Agree?
Wisconsin has Rutgers, PSU and Michigan. I would give you that Wisconsin's a bit tougher. Not a lot though as it turns out PSU is not much better than MD and Michigan is worse than OSU.
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I use Sagarin's SOS.
If anyone has a better source I would be happy to know.
 

Plato said:
The stars aligned for MN this year with a veteran QB, offensive line, an adequate defense and a very easy schedule compared to WI and IA.
If MN cannot win the West this year when will they?
Click to expand...
Some other year
 




Plato said:
The stars aligned for MN this year with a veteran QB, offensive line, an adequate defense and a very easy schedule compared to WI and IA.
If MN cannot win the West this year when will they?
Click to expand...

The only elite team in the Big Ten is OSU. The Badgers and Hawks got a nice draw missing them. Super easy schedule compared to the Gophers.

Next.
 


Plato said:
The stars aligned for MN this year with a veteran QB, offensive line, an adequate defense and a very easy schedule compared to WI and IA.
If MN cannot win the West this year when will they?
Click to expand...

The Gophers might very well be the favorites to win the West this year (they are alone in first, after all, with 4 games remaining).

Assuming we can retain this coaching staff, I see them winning it on a fairly regular basis going forward.
 

Some guy said:
The SOS difference has more to do with Notre dame, eastern Michigan, and army vs Miami, bowling green, Colorado than it does conference schedule
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Plato is just getting a little nervous. He has been trying to hide his Badger side a little of late but now that it looks like it is going to come down to MN and Wis he is going to go back to his Badger defending ways.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Plato is just getting a little nervous. He has been trying to hide his Badger side a little of late but now that it looks like it is going to come down to MN and Wis he is going to go back to his Badger defending ways.
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I mean I picked Iowa preseason but beginning Purdue week I changed to thinking wisconsin is the favorite.

I don’t get the “if it doesn’t happen now it will never” thinking.
It’s not true, it’s not provable, it serves no purpose than to troll
 


Some guy said:
I mean I picked Iowa preseason but beginning Purdue week I changed to thinking wisconsin is the favorite.

I don’t get the “if it doesn’t happen now it will never” thinking.
It’s not true, it’s not provable, it serves no purpose than to troll
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Yeah the now or never bit is a total troll move.

Co-Champs of the West in 2019 and now we look to be firmly in the mix for the division title in 2021. Not sure why our good buddy would think there won't be future opportunities when Fleck has already put the team in position to win the division twice in his first 5 years and one of those 5 years was royally messed up by a pandemic.
 


bonin21 said:
Gonna be the same old story in the end. Lose to uw and IA, uw goes to the championship like always.
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Any giving Sat, we can lose if we don’t show up. Look at our BG game?

I can tell you this, I’d be pissed if that happens and I’ll pull my donations to the football program if we lose to WI at the end this year! 🤷🏻‍♂️ Tired of losing to them MFs 😠
 

MNVCGUY said:
And just like that it looks like the West is going to be a 2 team race. Iowa may not be done being a factor, but their offense is bad, really really bad, and they have been exposed over the past few weeks.

Contenders
Minnesota - 4-1 - Can they keep RB healthy, does it matter behind that offensive line? Taking care of business during this 3 game stretch was key (Maryland, Northwestern, Illinois). So far they are 2 for 2. Iowa looms in a few weeks but they look very vulnerable now and the Gophers seem to be getting better.

Wisconsin - 3-2 - Feels like we are headed for a showdown at the Bank for the Big Ten Title. Their Defense is really good, their offense is just average. I don't think their passing game is strong enough if they have to rely on it. Trick is if any of the remaining teams on their schedule can force them to throw.

Technically still in it....but just barely
Purdue - 3-2 - Given that their 2 losses are to Wisconsin and Minnesota their title hopes look pretty bleak. Gonna take some chaos for them to end up winning the division. Solid team but nothing spectacular.

Iowa - 3-2 - They have been exposed the last 2 times out. If you don't turn it over and make them have to execute on offense they are toast. Defense is still good, offense is a joke. They are in trouble.

The Rest
Illinois - 2-4 - Beat Penn State but this is still not a very good team. Better than the other 2 below them but still a bottom of the division type team.

Nebraska - 1-5 - Another week, another 1 score loss. I don't know what to think of this team anymore. They have talent but they just can't get it done. End could be coming soon for Frost if they don't win a couple games down the stretch.

Northwestern - 1-4 - Just not a good team at all this year.
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Nice post. A few comments:

Iowa should have lost the game at home against Penn State, and might have gotten crushed that night had Sean Clifford not gone down for PSU. As for Iowa's offense, yes it has looked lost the past two weeks, but it was plenty good early season and won the game for them in the comeback against Penn State's stout D. They are vulnerable, but always a tough out at Kinnick.

Wisconsin - I'm afraid of their ability to run the ball and to stop the run. Wisconsin also has long had our number. We are due, but given a similar chance, failed to capitalize on it in 2019 with probably a better team than 2021. *#&! Wisconsin, regardless.

Illinois is better these days as Bielema does do a decent job with the line. Can he do anything else with the team, though? His Arkansas record suggests not. Doesn't mean the upcoming game will be anything other than difficult, though.
 

MNVCGUY said:
Yeah the now or never bit is a total troll move.

Co-Champs of the West in 2019 and now we look to be firmly in the mix for the division title in 2021. Not sure why our good buddy would think there won't be future opportunities when Fleck has already put the team in position to win the division twice in his first 5 years and one of those 5 years was royally messed up by a pandemic.
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Messed up by response rules.
 

Iowa is absolutely still in it. Their hardest games are behind them (not counting us). If we lose to them at Kinnick and we beat wisconsin, Iowa will have the tiebreaker.
 

Iowa disappointed me by not getting much pressure on Mertz. He will fold up like a cheap suit under pressure. Kudos to him for hitting some key throws, though even if his overall stat line is mediocre at best.

Mertz had the benefit of an early lead that snowballed as their D absolutely massacred Petras repeatedly leading to some key turnovers and points. Iowa laid an egg, pure and simple. You disappoint me, Kirk.

It will be interesting to see how MN approaches Wisconsin. Chenal and Sanborn are one man wrecking machines. Their line and linebackers cause confusion and bring pressure. Morgan has to have options to get rid of the ball in 2-3 seconds as that’s all he’s going to have. Iowa ran for 0.8 yards per attempt. 0.8. On the other side they have to frustrate Mertz and not let him get too comfortable. Special teams can’t crap the bed.

MN and Wisconsin most complete teams going into November. Clash coming, hopefully for the title if MN takes care of business.
 

noamfromm said:
I would say the same thing about Wisconsin's offense -- but Mertz impressed me with throwing today. Did well in the intermediate game and kept the chains moving on some of their drives.
Click to expand...

The difference is that Iowa isn't particularly good at running or passing the ball. At least Wisconsin has a very good rushing attack.
 

noamfromm said:
I would say the same thing about Wisconsin's offense -- but Mertz impressed me with throwing today. Did well in the intermediate game and kept the chains moving on some of their drives.
Click to expand...

Mertz (Wisconsin): 11 of 22 (50%) for 104 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

Petras (Iowa): 9 of 19 (47%) for 93 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Padilla (Iowa): 3 of 6 (50%) for 39 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
 

RememberMurray said:
Mertz (Wisconsin): 11 of 22 (50%) for 104 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT

Petras (Iowa): 9 of 19 (47%) for 93 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT

Padilla (Iowa): 3 of 6 (50%) for 39 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Click to expand...
I always appreciate you posting statistics without commentary in your responses. Where are you going with that stat lines of the quarterbacks who played in that game?
 

noamfromm said:
I always appreciate you posting statistics without commentary in your responses. Where are you going with that stat lines of the quarterbacks who played in that game?
Click to expand...

You said you were impressed with Mertz's passing in the Iowa game. So I posted the stats of the 3 QBs who played in that game.

I can see why you were all agog over Mertz; the numbers tell the story.
 

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