2013 B1G title wide Open?

[Smart]

LOL@ Wisky. And you know if you still lose close it is still counted as a loss.

I'm more than willing to admit we lost to OSU. You should also be more than willing to admit that SPECIAL TEAMS were the deciding factor last year. We outgained you by 130 yards and pretty much controlled the entire game. As I posted after the game,

It's always the special teams that cost us these games. Today, it was special teams fuckup overload. We had:
A. A missed easy field goal
B. A punt return given up for a TD.
C. A touchback when we were punting from our the OSU 32 (that's a +12 net).
D. Repeated punts from midfield area that ended in the OSU 15-20. They were never pinned deep.
E. Had a punt get us pinned at the one yard line.
F. Awful coverage meant that Meyer's one good punt rolled into the endzone.
G. Had 4 total punt return yards

Get rid of any of these and we win. If this was an anomaly, it would be one thing. It isn't. Of the 12 losses the last four years, 11 are due to special teams. I kid you not. The only exception was the Rose Bowl last year.

Special teams are an important part of football. They can also be fixed easily. Crossing my fingers, I think the Andersen staff can fix our special teams woes.

 

[NickVT10]

Haven't lost by more than a TD since 2011 is good, but not losing at all since 2011 is a bit better. Gotta give the nod to tOSU

 

[Smoke]

I can read a scoreboard. We're not the ones who lose and then claim to be the better team.

You gotta love them Huskers fans

 

[Shanemansj13]

I'm more than willing to admit we lost to OSU. You should also be more than willing to admit that SPECIAL TEAMS were the deciding factor last year. We outgained you by 130 yards and pretty much controlled the entire game. As I posted after the game,



Special teams are an important part of football. They can also be fixed easily. Crossing my fingers, I think the Andersen staff can fix our special teams woes.

Yeah, bad special teams can cost games even if you are the better team. And if it has costed you so many games in past, you need to change everything about special teams bc that is ridiculous. No reason that should happen consistently for that long.

 

[ForkEmBucky]

Well... Bielema WAS the special teams coach during the two most awful seasons of special teams play. Looks we've already taken care of step one.

Personally I don't think it's been a problem for that long. Gilreath's run back against tOSU was a perfectly executed play. We even got Ewing up field to hammer the kicker. Couple little moves by Gilreath and it was over. I'm not using it as an example because Shaneman has shamelessly entered the conversation. I'm saying that before Bielema took over special teams, they were pretty solid.

 

[ugafan6612]

Wisconsin will be the best team in the B1G this year. We haven't lost a game by more than a TD since 2010, and we haven't been blown out since 2008. All of those close games featured either a special teams meltdown or a horrid Bret Bielema coaching mistake (or in most cases, both). Bielema is gone. We have a new special teams coach. If we can play with the same level on offense or defense, we will essentially be the same as a team riding a 50 game winning streak.

As for the talent, we return a very good quarterback (Joel Stave) who put up above average as a Freshman. We return a sixth year senior QB who is an outstanding leader and can spread the field. We return the nation's #2 returning RB in career yards (James White)....and he probably won't even start. Instead, Melvin Gordon (620 Rushing yards on 10.0 YPC) will likely be the starter and could be the most explosive RB in America. Throw in the best receiver in the B1G (Abbredaris), and a solid (if unspectacular) Wisconsin line, and we will have the best offense in the league.

On defense, we return 5 of our excellent front seven, including Chris Borland (the best ball hawk in America). Secondary is the only huge concern, but we have two guy at CB who looked god in limited time and a true Freshman who has supposedly been the best guy in camp this Spring (former FSU recruit Sojourn Shelton). We have a likely NFL draft pick back at safety (Dezmen Southward) who was finally starting to find his game at the end of last year.

In other words, this team is stacked. If we can avoid giving up punt blocks or punt return TDs, this team will go at least 11-1. We have an easy schedule outside of OSU, and we proved last year we can shut down Braxton.

The new kings of the B1G Conference will rule again.

alright OD,
although I think it's a toss up between u and tHuskers, I mean tGOAT

 

[rmilia1]

Iowa will win the B10 because we have a great stable of RB's with Mark Weisman, Damon Bollock and Jordan Canzeri. Our OL will be extremely solid and the growth of TE CJ Fiedorowicz will give a great security blanket to new QB Jake Ruddock. Ruddock will get time to get his feet wet as the OOC schedule is pretty soft. Iowa should be 4-0 going into B10 play. The defense has GREAT LB's and the DL returns a solid nucleus as weel. In the secondary we return 3 of our 4 starters and the kicking game should be solid as well. Oh and Iowa will also win the B10 IF OSU, Michigan, MSU, Wisconsin, Nebraska, PSU and NW all have their teams perish in some sort of hideous inferno at the same time...... The last one may actually be the only way Iowa wins the B10... Forget that first part, go with the second part.

 

[herky]

Wisconsin will be the best team in the B1G this year. We haven't lost a game by more than a TD since 2010, and we haven't been blown out since 2008. All of those close games featured either a special teams meltdown or a horrid Bret Bielema coaching mistake (or in most cases, both). Bielema is gone. We have a new special teams coach. If we can play with the same level on offense or defense, we will essentially be the same as a team riding a 50 game winning streak.

As for the talent, we return a very good quarterback (Joel Stave) who put up above average as a Freshman. We return a sixth year senior QB who is an outstanding leader and can spread the field. We return the nation's #2 returning RB in career yards (James White)....and he probably won't even start. Instead, Melvin Gordon (620 Rushing yards on 10.0 YPC) will likely be the starter and could be the most explosive RB in America. Throw in the best receiver in the B1G (Abbredaris), and a solid (if unspectacular) Wisconsin line, and we will have the best offense in the league.

On defense, we return 5 of our excellent front seven, including Chris Borland (the best ball hawk in America). Secondary is the only huge concern, but we have two guy at CB who looked god in limited time and a true Freshman who has supposedly been the best guy in camp this Spring (former FSU recruit Sojourn Shelton). We have a likely NFL draft pick back at safety (Dezmen Southward) who was finally starting to find his game at the end of last year.

In other words, this team is stacked. If we can avoid giving up punt blocks or punt return TDs, this team will go at least 11-1. We have an easy schedule outside of OSU, and we proved last year we can shut down Braxton.

The new kings of the B1G Conference will rule again.

Already counting Iowa as a loss?

 

[herky]

Iowa will win the B10 because we have a great stable of RB's with Mark Weisman, Damon Bollock and Jordan Canzeri. Our OL will be extremely solid and the growth of TE CJ Fiedorowicz will give a great security blanket to new QB Jake Ruddock. Ruddock will get time to get his feet wet as the OOC schedule is pretty soft. Iowa should be 4-0 going into B10 play. The defense has GREAT LB's and the DL returns a solid nucleus as weel. In the secondary we return 3 of our 4 starters and the kicking game should be solid as well. Oh and Iowa will also win the B10 IF OSU, Michigan, MSU, Wisconsin, Nebraska, PSU and NW all have their teams perish in some sort of hideous inferno at the same time...... The last one may actually be the only way Iowa wins the B10... Forget that first part, go with the second part.

 

[WhiteMamba]

Thanks B1Gers. Learning alot already. Over on the bs site all we had was tOSU, Michigan, and Huskers.

Good to get fans insight on all the other B1G schools...

 

[olympicoscar]

The Big 10 will be close: For second place.

OSU will run the table again.

 

[Shanemansj13]

Iowa will win the B10 because we have a great stable of RB's with Mark Weisman, Damon Bollock and Jordan Canzeri. Our OL will be extremely solid and the growth of TE CJ Fiedorowicz will give a great security blanket to new QB Jake Ruddock. Ruddock will get time to get his feet wet as the OOC schedule is pretty soft. Iowa should be 4-0 going into B10 play. The defense has GREAT LB's and the DL returns a solid nucleus as weel. In the secondary we return 3 of our 4 starters and the kicking game should be solid as well. Oh and Iowa will also win the B10 IF OSU, Michigan, MSU, Wisconsin, Nebraska, PSU and NW all have their teams perish in some sort of hideous inferno at the same time...... The last one may actually be the only way Iowa wins the B10... Forget that first part, go with the second part.

 

[BigAppleBadger]

There's too much we don't know about Wisconsin at this point, but if they're average for Wisconsin teams over the past 10 years, they could easily have 10+ wins at the end of the season. Just look at this schedule:

8/31 vs. Massachusetts
9/7 vs. Tennessee Tech
9/14 @ Arizona State
9/21 vs. Purdue
9/28 @ Ohio State
10/12 vs. Northwestern
10/19 @ Illinois
11/2 @ Iowa
11/9 vs. BYU
11/16 vs. Indiana
11/23 @ Minnesota
11/30vs. Penn State


The toughest game is obviously at Ohio State, and @ASU could be an early challenge (still getting used to new system), but they'll probably be favored in 11 games.

Problem is that Ohio State doesn't have a really tough Leaders division game either (they get Wisconsin and PSU at home), so the winner of the division will probably be decided on September 28th.

 

[WhiteMamba]

There's too much we don't know about Wisconsin at this point, but if they're average for Wisconsin teams over the past 10 years, they could easily have 10+ wins at the end of the season. Just look at this schedule:

8/31 vs. Massachusetts
9/7 vs. Tennessee Tech
9/14 @ Arizona State
9/21 vs. Purdue
9/28 @ Ohio State
10/12 vs. Northwestern
10/19 @ Illinois
11/2 @ Iowa
11/9 vs. BYU
11/16 vs. Indiana
11/23 @ Minnesota
11/30vs. Penn State


The toughest game is obviously at Ohio State, and @ASU could be an early challenge (still getting used to new system), but they'll probably be favored in 11 games.

Problem is that Ohio State doesn't have a really tough Leaders division game either (they get Wisconsin and PSU at home), so the winner of the division will probably be decided on September 28th.

Have fun in early September @ ASU.... 110 degrees... Gonna be a bitch...

 

[ForkEmBucky]

ASU has been decent, too. Homefield and heat.

 

[WhiteMamba]

ASU has been decent, too. Homefield and heat.

Yeah that place sucks to play in. The scary thing is ASU starts off on fire every year. They have a way of tanking half way through every year.

Good luck in that one. I will be watching it closely. Should be a very good football game...

 

[Brasky]

The B1G goes through tOSU. No one is even remotely close to them in the leaders. The talent gap is that big.

It's gonna be the winner of the Legends vs tOSU for the title.

The winner of the Legends will come down to November 9th in Ann Arbor.

Nebraska and tOSU have ridiculously easy schedules. Nebraska and tOSU are 1A and 1B in terms of offense, but Nebraska gets the edge because of a loaded group of veteran receivers, a 1,000 yard returning rusher, and obviously a Senior QB in his 3rd year in the same system. It's pretty much widely agreed that Nebraska will be 8-0 going into the Michigan game.

That's a tough place to win. Nebraska beating Michigan AT Michigan and then Beating tOSU in Indy is a tall order. If I had to put money on it right now, I'd say tOSU is your 2013 B1G champ.

 

[ForkEmBucky]

LOL!!

 

[iruletheskool]

LOL!!

what?

 

[WhiteMamba]

The B1G goes through tOSU. No one is even remotely close to them in the leaders. The talent gap is that big.

It's gonna be the winner of the Legends vs tOSU for the title.

The winner of the Legends will come down to November 9th in Ann Arbor.

Nebraska and tOSU have ridiculously easy schedules. Nebraska and tOSU are 1A and 1B in terms of offense, but Nebraska gets the edge because of a loaded group of veteran receivers, a 1,000 yard returning rusher, and obviously a Senior QB in his 3rd year in the same system. It's pretty much widely agreed that Nebraska will be 8-0 going into the Michigan game.

That's a tough place to win. Nebraska beating Michigan AT Michigan and then Beating tOSU in Indy is a tall order. If I had to put money on it right now, I'd say tOSU is your 2013 B1G champ.

I agree with you on the NOV 9th game completely. Michigan Nebraska with gameday there will have huge implications.

I just am not 100% sold on tOSU rolling through the B1G with out a hiccup. Going 24-0 is a huge order. Even for Urban.

IMO Michigan and the Big House is kind of overrated. When I went to watch the Ducks play there it wasnt all that loud. tOSU is much louder. But the way Nebraska travels and the fact it will be a conference game I am sure it will be a bit more raucous.

I couldnt believe the stands when I watched Nebraska @ Northwetern game... More red in the stands than Purple... Amazing