CFN and Rittenberg both predict Wisky Victory

[JPIIGopher]

Usually these guy are pretty good. This weeks Wisky Minne game is about as hard to pick as they come. Boy do we need our secondary to step it up!

http://cfn.scout.com/2/904755.html

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/4616/big-ten-picks-week-5

 

[grunkiejr]

Didn't Rittenberg predict a Northwestern victory last week? The trend is our friend.

 

[gopher7]

Didn't Rittenberg predict a Northwestern victory last week? The trend is our friend.

Yes. Rittenberg used to cover the Wildcats though and in my opnion seems like a bit of a homer towards them.

 

[FireDaveLee]

CFN & Rittenberg say Wisconsin.

Yet you can still get Wisconsin in the +130 to +135 range with Vegas.

"C'mon....pick Wisconsin with the money line. It's a great play!" -Las Vegas

 

[Gopher07]

I predict ...


Wisconsin sucks.

 

[GophBen]

I predict ...


Wisconsin sucks.

Way to go out on a limb there.

We played those things evenly last year when they were a better team and we were a worse team over in that place. Now we've improved, they've gotten worse, and we're home. This should be a gimme.

 

[Brewscrew]

CFN also says we have a week front 7, there goes any freaking credibility that site EVER had. They are fine when it comes to the top 15 teams, after that they are worse than you or I. There is a reason Vegas has us as favorites.

 

[Iceland12]

CFN regular weekly experts also have it pretty close. 4 for the Badgers, 2 for the Gophers


12:00 Wisc at Minn -2.5 WI MN MN WI WI WI

 

[Schnauzer]

I am not sold on this "Wisconsin is worse" thing. Believe me, I hope this is the case and I would like nothing better than to pull some grandkids up on my knee one day and tell them all about the day back in 2009 when I watched the end of Wisconsin's 15 year run as the better team. I DID think Wisconsin's program was sliding and worse even a couple weeks ago but the rise of Tolzien in my mind has been the great equalizer compared to the other areas where I am happy to know the Gophers have caught up to, and even surpassed the Badgers. I would feel a lot more confident about the game if sconnie hadn't found this out-of-character passing game. Mix in a little suspension here and a little nerves there... and my once confident feeling has eroded a lot.

I am not without hope though. I still think the Gophers will win a tight one. Although I am not completely convinced... I do think there is some merit to the impact of the non-impressive Wisconsin non-con schedule coupled with a first road game being a rivalry game. Conventional wisdom says that if the horrid '07 squad could hang with a much better Wisconsin team, and a Decker-less team could nearly beat a margionally better Wisconsin team in '08, an improved Gopher team should clearly win in '09. I just wish the improved passing game for the bad guys hadn't cropped up.

To make a long story short: I'm freaking out.

 

[UptownMaroon&Gold]

Nothing makes me happier to see the 'experts' picking wisky....If I were one, I would pick them too... keeps us hungry.

 

[UptownMaroon&Gold]

To make a long story short: I'm freaking out.

Agreed, 11am on sat. can't come soon enough...

 

[GVBadger]

I never understood why anyone cares who someone picks in a game. Unless they are canceling the game and giving the Badgers the victory based on this prediction, I would not lose much sleep over it.

I would be surprised if it is more then a 7 point game, but I fully expect a Badgers victory. But, I always expect a Badgers victory so this week is not any different.

As Schnauzer said, the Badgers are a different team with Tolzien. If he were ready to play last year, then I would not have had to read a year of posts about the program declining. But alas, it will make this years win even more enjoyable.

 

[gopherfaith]

I never understood why anyone cares who someone picks in a game. Unless they are canceling the game and giving the Badgers the victory based on this prediction, I would not lose much sleep over it.

I would be surprised if it is more then a 7 point game, but I fully expect a Badgers victory. But, I always expect a Badgers victory so this week is not any different.

As Schnauzer said, the Badgers are a different team with Tolzien. If he were ready to play last year, then I would not have had to read a year of posts about the program declining. But alas, it will make this years win even more enjoyable.

I'm glad to hear you'll enjoy watching the Gophers win.

 

[calminnfan]

This may not be a popular response, but until MN knocks them off, they should be, especially after the suspensions and other distractions the team is having to endure.

 

[Monty519]

It mentions Weber's picks, but really two of those were at the end against Cal on 4th down heaves, and also last week's on 4th down against NU. So really, he only has 2 legitimate picks. In four games? I'll take it.

I don't disagree with the pick, just some of the reasonings are questionable at best.

 

[GophBen]

...then I would not have had to read a year of posts about the program declining.

If I were a Badger fan, I'd hate to have to read and hear about my program being in decline. It's got to be bad enough just to see it happening on the field for the past 2+ years now.

 

[Goldteam]

this is bucky's first road game

i am quite confident

 

[LloydChristmas]

As Schnauzer said, the Badgers are a different team with Tolzien.

Tolzien will be tested on the road and WILL fail, and it will be fun to see all the Becky flamers make excuses over his inexperience.

He has been impressive against NC opponents (completions, TD's, lack of turnovers) but he clearly wasn't the best QB on the field last week. Did anyone see the lasers that Cousins was throwing??? Holy Shi'ite, that was impressive!

 

[Buckybacker]

but he clearly wasn't the best QB on the field last week. Did anyone see the lasers that Cousins was throwing??? Holy Shi'ite, that was impressive!

I presume you wrote this solely to irritate Badger fans, but...

Tolzien - 19/31 for 243 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INT, no sacks allowed
Cousins - 17/34 for 201 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 2 sacks allowed

 

[gophergrad]

I presume you wrote this solely to irritate Badger fans, but...

Tolzien - 19/31 for 243 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INT, no sacks allowed
Cousins - 17/34 for 201 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 2 sacks allowed

He was referring to the quality of Cousins passes. Nice additional stat at the end there with the sacks allowed, not sure that says a lot other than Cousins was under more pressure than Tolzien.

 

[Schnoodler]

There are games you just don't want to touch if your a betting man, and I think this one qualifies unless someone gives you good odds. Of course this is a gimme game to some of the local scribes. So maybe money should flow to the gopher side.

 

[southfew]

If I were a Badger fan, I'd hate to have to read and hear about my program being in decline. It's got to be bad enough just to see it happening on the field for the past 2+ years now.

I do not think the Wisconsin football program is in decline. GophBen, even though you may not have a clue about what you are talking about, I am assuming you do, and, therefore, I am responding to your post.

Your belief that the Wisconsin program is in decline has been a popular thesis on Gopher Hole for about a year. I respectfully disagree. Since Barry Alvarez arrived in Madison the team has averaged about 8 wins a year. Wisconsin will win at least eight games this year. I will bet you five katrillion dollars on that.

Bret Bielema is maligned. He's young. He's cocky. He is a good coach. He is 32-11. If your coach was 32-11, you would take it. You would definitely. Some of you crazies might even consider asking Badger Joel to put Tim Brewster's name on your brand new stadium.

Bret Bielema was with the UW program in 2004 and 2005, Barry Alvarez's last two years. He recruited many of the players that made up his first 12-1 team.

You can hope he sucks. You can hope the UW program is in decline. But it ain't the case. It is true the the resurgence of the Minnesota program will make things more competitive and tougher to recruit in Minnesota. Minnesota is good and the fancy new stadium makes them better.

But Wisconsin will continue to average at least eight wins a year with the odd outside chance at a national championship every six years or so, if everything falls exactly right. (See 1993, 1998, 1999, 2006).

 

[sonnygarcia]

I do not think the Wisconsin football program is in decline. GophBen, even though you may not have a clue about what you are talking about, I am assuming you do, and, therefore, I am responding to your post.

Your belief that the Wisconsin program is in decline has been a popular thesis on Gopher Hole for about a year. I respectfully disagree. Since Barry Alvarez arrived in Madison the team has averaged about 8 wins a year. Wisconsin will win at least eight games this year. I will bet you five katrillion dollars on that.

Bret Bielema is maligned. He's young. He's cocky. He is a good coach. He is 32-11. If your coach was 32-11, you would take it. You would definitely. Some of you crazies might even consider asking Badger Joel to put Tim Brewster's name on your brand new stadium.

Bret Bielema was with the UW program in 2004 and 2005, Barry Alvarez's last two years. He recruited many of the players that made up his first 12-1 team.

You can hope he sucks. You can hope the UW program is in decline. But it ain't the case. It is true the the resurgence of the Minnesota program will make things more competitive and tougher to recruit in Minnesota. Minnesota is good and the fancy new stadium makes them better.

But Wisconsin will continue to average at least eight wins a year with the odd outside chance at a national championship every six years or so, if everything falls exactly right. (See 1993, 1998, 1999, 2006).

If you change your last sentence from "national" championship to "Big Ten" championship (and remove "odd outside"), I would say your comments are pretty accurate. I don't see Wisconsin becoming irrelevant in the BT like many of us would like, but I just don't see them being a team you bring up at the beginning of each year as a BT favorite, heres where your once every six or so years would be appropriate (and talk of an outside chance for a national championships possibly a couple times a decade is just plain silly).

 

[Radio Badger]

He was referring to the quality of Cousins passes.

TJack throws a beautiful ball too, but that doesn't mean I want him starting for the Vikings.

I, too, think it's funny when I see people writing that the Badgers have dropped off this year. Ask anyone who has watched both teams play (2008 Badgers and 2009 Badgers), and I don't think you're going to find a single person that would say last year's version was better. On paper maybe, but there was something off about that team from the get-go.

This year's team has the kind of offensive balance they haven't had in years and with the offensive line finally healthy should hopefully be better moving forward. Now whether or not anyone is able to step up and even limit Decker is another question. We'll just have to see about that. If the Badgers are able to create pressure up front with Schofield and Watt, the pass defense should suffice. If Weber has a lot of time, it could be a long day.