Cobs: Rutgers, Michigan, Nebraska Special Teams, and Minnesota Goonery

This week’s nominees for the Worst of the Weekend in college football lean awfully heavy on the Big Ten, which actually takes us back to the original spirit of the Cobs. Originally, it was just the "Big XII Cob of the Week"...but we soon realized that we were artificially limiting ourselves to suckage happening elsewhere. So we embraced the suck, no matter where it occurred.

But this week, we’re heading back to Nebraska’s conference, and pretty heavily on Nebraska’s 24-17 victory over Minnesota for candidates.

Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights are in serious rebuilding mode, and having to relearn the basics. Like how to sack the quarterback:

Next week, they work on sacking the OTHER team’s quarterback. Baby steps. Baby steps.

Michigan

Iowa seemed to have given the game away when C.J. Beathard was intercepted with two minutes left...but Michigan not only couldn’t get a first down, they even threw an incomplete pass to save Iowa’s final timeout. And when the Weasels tackled Iowa’s Desmond King by the face mask, Iowa found themselves with the ball in field goal range. The 33 yard field goal as time expired dropped Michigan from the ranks of the undefeated.

Nebraska Special Teams

We all know it by now, so we’re not going to belabor the point. Minnesota got a free first down on the opening possession of the game when Nebraska had 12 men on the field for a Gopher punt. The Gophers took full advantage of the second chance and scored a touchdown on that drive. Then just before halftime, freshman punter Caleb Lightbourn got a little under a punt into the wind. The wedge shot went straight up in the air and only traveled about 20 yards before landing with backspin. And that backspin took it back where it came from. A negative-two yard punt.

Minnesota Goonery

I admit that I assumed the worst about Cethan Carter and his ill-timed unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, watching it in the stadium. Thank goodness others at home were able to document his high crimes and misdemeanors.

Looks more to me like Jonathan Celestin decided to get a little too, um, affectionate perhaps with Terrell Newby on the play. Of course, that’s not the only little stunt. Check out #56, Nick Rallis throwing haymakers earlier in the game.

Dylan Utter

Nebraska’s starting center did not have a good night Saturday night.

Horrible, right? Well, we had him in our nomination thread...and then we saw this on Monday.

So maybe we should cut him some slack if he was injured. That being said, shouldn’t his coaches have realized the issue and put someone else in? So OK then.

So there you have it... six options this week; who’s the worst?