Not a great football lineup for the Big Ten Conference this weekend, unless you like feasting on nothing but cupcakes. This is a good weekend for the Big Ten to take care business and get themselves as many bowl eligible, resume-stuffing wins as possible.
Here's your list of games:
- Illinois vs South Florida
- Air Force vs Michigan
- NIU vs Nebraska
- FIU vs Indiana - canceled
- Morgan State vs Rutgers
- North Texas vs Iowa
- Middle Tennessee vs Minnesota
- Wisconsin vs BYU
- Purdue vs Missouri
- Army vs Ohio State
- Georgia State vs Penn State
- Bowling Green vs Northwestern
Illinois might have one of the more interesting games of the weekend, although the spread on this game has South Florida favored by 17.5 points. Both teams are undefeated at 2 – 0. Neither team has faced a really tough opponent. This is a chance for Illinois to show something. Or maybe it'll be over by halftime.
Rutgers really needs to step it up this week. There are only so many winnable games for them and they need to knock this one off so that maybe they could counted toward a bowl game.
Minnesota, Iowa, Penn State, Northwestern… Well, just about everyone in the conference needs to destroy their opponents this weekend.
You might think Wisconsin versus BYU is interesting, but BYU can't score. They are 1 – 2 and so far this season they are averaging 11 points per game. I don't know what the point spread is for this game, but I really don't care because BYU is going to get killed. The Badgers have found their running back for the season and he's a good one – Jonathan Taylor.
Could Air Force give Michigan some grief? Maybe for one half. Could Army give Ohio State some grief? Maybe for one half. On the other hand both these Big Ten juggernauts have to figure out what they're doing on offense. If they expect to be among the elite in the nation they're going to have to be much more consistent. That especially goes for Ohio State, whom at this point is 74th nationally in touchdowns scored after two games.
The most interesting game of this weekend is Purdue versus Missouri. Missouri is favored by a touchdown, which is a rather weird spread given that in the first two games the Boilermakers have looked much improved while Missouri struggled with Missouri State, giving up a ton of points, and then got beat up 31 – 14. Any time you see a Big Ten team play a SEC team you want to see a win. That's how goes between these conferences. (Granted, Iowa, or Michigan… You get the idea)
News!
WR Efficiency Rankings: The knowledge that made David Sills V an elite receiver – The Athletic
Stanley Morgan is ranked 9th, 2nd best receiver in the Big Ten so far.
RB Efficiency Rankings: The hit that sparked Jonathan Taylor’s fast start – The Athletic
Tre Bryant is 10th, but look at Nebraska's competition already....
Could the Week 3 Big Ten non-conference schedule be worse? - Off Tackle Empire
We’d really like to rehash Ohio State’s home loss to Oklahoma, Nebraska’s half of defense-optional football, and Northwestern shitting itself, throwing up, and then just sitting there in it?
Interviews with the Enemy: A Q&A With Rock M Nation - Hammer and Rails
Josh Matejka from Rock M Nation is here to answer our Missouri questions this week.
Wisconsin vs. BYU: Taking a look at the Cougars - Bucky's 5th Quarter
A Q&A with Vanquish the Foe.
Minnesota Football vs Middle Tennessee State - Week 3 Preview - The Daily Gopher
The Blue Raiders have faced two Power 5 opponents and beaten one of them. How will the Golden Gophers fare?
Iowa Football Opponent Preview: North Texas Mean Green - Black Heart Gold Pants
Here come the Mean Green...
Is Urban Meyer’s Ohio State offense turning into “Tressel Ball”? - Land-Grant Holy Land
After an explosive start at Ohio State career, the Buckeye offense is having trouble finding traction.
Behind Enemy Lines: South Florida Bulls - The Champaign Room
Collin Sherwin of The Daily Stampede joins us to preview the Illinois vs USF game
Northern Illinois Unveils New Uniforms ... Players React Very Unenthusiastically - HERO Sports
Northern Illinois players appeared to be very unimpressed with new all-white uniforms.
Student sues Ohio university to play football this season
Ma'lik Richmond, of Steubenville, filed the federal lawsuit Wednesday. Richmond is asking for reinstatement to the team's active roster, attorney fees and an unspecified amount of damages.
Minnesota Football New Helmet Led Us To Create New Helmets For All - Off Tackle Empire
Minnesota gets a new helmet, so what about the rest of the Big Ten? We fix that, new helmets for all!
This is fun AND terrifying.
Champion Irish greyhound tests positive for cocaine - The Washington Post
“You can pass traces of cocaine by handling money,” Holland told the Times. “When a dog wins a race, people are walking up to the dog and patting it on the head. If they have cocaine on their hands, they can pass that to the dog and it can come out in a urine sample.”
Then There’s This
Grant Hart Dead: Husker Du Drummer Dies at 56 | Variety
Variety has confirmed that Grant Hart, drummer of influential punk band Husker Du, is dead. He was 56 and had been battling cancer.
I cried.
First Walter Becker, now this.
I guess this is what it’s like getting older - watching all your childhood and college years influences and loves die off one by one.
I moved to Minneapolis in 1987 after I graduated from Nebraska. My original goal was to try to get into the film industry doing sound. I studied film and photography at Nebraska, in my teenage years I spent my summers installing professional sound systems, including the sound system at Texas A&M’s Kyle Field.
My reason for choosing Minneapolis was influenced by Husker Du and The Replacements, two bands I loved then and continue to love now. I loved their raw sound, their angst, and their energy.
But Wait There’s More!
Fundraiser by Michael Welke : Huskers helping Huskers/Irma
Michael Welke needs your help today! Huskers helping Huskers/Irma - Helping raise money to help two fellow Husker families who live in Jacksonville Fl and sustained substantial damage. One family is a military family who are supposed to be changing duty stations soon, so they need to get their current house fixed asap.