Look at news Analysis is an insight from around the Big Ten conference. This
is Big Ten Paradigm, part of the College GRIDIRN Coast to Coast podcast network.
And here's your host, Mark Rogers. Showdown Saturday is finally here in
the Big Ten. Welcome to the Voice of College Football's Big Ten Paradigm podcasts
right here on the College GRIDIRN Coast to Coast network. And now that the
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hope you will join us each and every week right here at Big Ten Paradigm
and check out college football hardcore junkie fan nerds out there. You got to
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name is Mark Rogers, Voice of college Football. Check us out on YouTube.
We've got fifteen team channels, including from the Big Ten, Ohio,
State, Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa. Again, it's the Voice of
college Football on YouTube. And before we get to what has been termed one
of the three Titanic clashes in the Big Ten, most of us see it
that way, and it's pretty obvious that once again this year it is coming
down to Ohio State Penn State, then Michigan Penn State, and then of
course the game Ohio State Michigan. We will talk about the West and we
will get to the West right now, because maybe the West was won this
past weekend. So before we look forward to a phenomenal what should be a
phenomenal Week eight in the Big Ten just because of that one stellar matchup,
we have to visit Madison, Wisconsin, because so much transpired with very little
scoring as expected. The over under for this Wisconsin Iowa clash was I believe
thirty six and they didn't even come close to that. They could still be
playing football at Camp Randles Stadium, the Hawkeyes and the Badgers, and I
don't think that they would have thirty six points on the board, not if
the Iowa defense had anything to say about it, and they truly did.
They were the ones that did have the say so in this game. Hawkeyes
win a huge clash in the Big Ten West. Make fun of the Big
Ten West all you want, but it is a division championship and I know
that I'm calling it way ahead of time. This is typically the biggest game
in the division. That's how it's shaped up. In the nine year history
going on ten year history and final year of the Big Ten Western Division at
least how it's currently constituted. And this lived up to the hype marked it.
It lived up to the hype. It was fifteen to six. It
lived up to the expectations the hype. Defensive prowess on display. So the
key portions of this game is again that the Iowa defense is so dominant and
the special teams Tory Taylor. There is a campaign out there somewhere that says,
Tory Taylor, Iowa punter Heisman candidate. Let's push for Tory Taylor for
the Heisman. Best player in the country. Well, at his position,
he is so and he's the biggest weapon there is, So why not Tory
Taylor Heisman. I think it's a legitimate candidacy. Although our punters and kickers
players, No, they're not football players, they are kickers. Back to
the topic at hand, Iowa wins fifteen to six. Basically we can boil
down the Hawkeye offensive effort this way eighty two yard touchdown run by Leshaun Williams,
who was a thing of beauty. It was blocked perfectly. He hit
the seam and he was gone. And other than that, there was nothing
meaningful produced by the Iowa offense. Besides, they did nothing, So there
was one meaningful play in terms of impactful play by the Iowa offense the entire
day. I have a buddy mine, Corey Brada, from the Hawkeye of
the Storm. He was at the game. He said that, hey,
I looked at a few people around me after that touchdown in the first quarter
seven to nothing and said that might be enough right there. And so seven
to nothing and that was truly enough on this day where Iowa threw for thirty
seven yards. That's a pretty outstanding statistic considering this threw for one yard after
the first quarter, so thirty seven yards are passing for the entire game for
the Hawkeyes. Deacon Hill, of course, the backup quarterback for the Hawkeyes,
taking over for Cad macnamara, and that eighty two yard play stood up.
And Iowa was so confident in that lead throughout the game as it built
and built and built thanks to a safety thanks to field position that produced field
goal off of very short drives for the Hawkeyes. You wouldn't even call them
drives. Basically, the defense set up the offense to kick a field goal.
That the offensive role in this scheme at this point in this program is
to just basically protect the football, sit on the football, protect the football,
punt the football, and gain field position. That's what it's all about
for the Hawkeyes. We know on the Wisconsin side that they wanted to take
a different approach to this season under Luke Fickel and with Phil Longo as offensive
coordinator, to employ a bit of speed in space. Well, Tanner Mordecai
went out of the game in the second quarter and broke his hand on the
helmet of Jay Higgins, the Iowa linebacker, and we will probably not see
Tanner Mordecai for the rest of the season. Braydon Locke, who was a
pretty highly recruited quarterback coming out of high school, was not able to do
much in the passing game, and again statistically, Iowa did give up some
yardage. Wisconsin threw for about two hundred and twenty five yards in this game,
and statistically Wisconsin wins on the scoreboard. Iowa as it does in this
division, and depending on the expectations and the goals of this program, I
constantly get in this debate with people. It depends on what you consider the
goals of this program to be in the current construct of the Big Ten in
that Western Division, if it's to win the division. They are doing exactly
what they need to do to play to their strengths and win a division championship.
Will that Big Ten championship game look ugly in Indianapolis like it did two
years ago against Michigan forty two to three. Possibly, probably to some extent,
But for right now, Iowa now controls its own destiny with the win
against Wisconsin in what most people consider to be the best matchup and the two
best teams in the division. Now there are all sorts of variables out there.
Anybody with two less losses that still plays Iowa still controls their destiny.
That includes Northwestern. They only have two losses in the conference they still play
Iowa, so mathematically Northwestern is not just still live, they control their own
destiny. So this thing, in terms of games played is far far from
over. The Hawkeyes only three to one in the Big Ten, meaning they've
got five more Big Ten games they've only played four. However, they will
be not a substantial favorite in all these games left on their schedule. They
do have a date at Lincoln against Nebraska to close out the season. And
surprisingly, remember Iowa lost to the Huskers last year twenty four to seven at
home with the division championship on the line, they dropped that game. They
fell asleep, lost to the Huskers, and they were a very slim underdog
entering that game despite having the seven and four team against the three and eighteen.
So Hawkeys defeat the Badgers fifteen to six, and Iowa lines up a
Big Ten Wester Division championship if they can take care of business going forward.
Iowa's got a date coming up against Minnesota that has been a I don't want
to say it's menelay up for the Hawkeys because the games are close, but
they are undefeated against PJ. Fleck. PJ Fleck in his career, ozhens
six at Minnesota against Iowa. And we will catch up with that matchup in
just a second as we run through Week seven. The shocker of the day,
Illinois pulls out a win against Maryland twenty seven to twenty four. So
at a point in which Illinois clearly looked like the worst team in the Big
Ten, they certainly had the worst resume, They had not played a good
game all year. Two wins out of conference against fau by six points on
the final play. The game against Toledo a MAC team, a good MAC
team, but still a MAC team. Illinois wins twenty seven to twenty four
at Maryland. The Turps drop for what is them a really big game in
trying to break into the upper echelon at the conference. Sure it was Illinois,
but got to take care of business, and they failed to do so.
Despite two hundred and sixty six yards passing from Tallia and two touchdowns.
Cayden Prather had a big day for the Terps, but again Illinois wins at
twenty seven to twenty four. The line I are on the board in the
Big Ten at one in three and now at three and four, have hopes
of going bowling and could build off of this win. If they can win
a college park against Maryland, they can certainly beat teams in the Big Ten
Western Division. The other team that's winning games ugly, but this was improbable
considering one of the most unlikely teams in all of college football to come back
from eighteen to down would be the Red Curse Scarletites, not because they're not
a decent team, but based on their style of play. They're not equipped
to come back, but they did that against Michigan State at home twenty seven
to twenty four. Kyle Manungai ran for one and forty eight yards for the
Scarlet Knights in a touchdown. Gavin wimsat one hundred and eighty one yards passing
with a touchdown and two picks. It was rough early, but the Scarlet
Knights got it done against Sparty twenty seven to twenty four to move their record
five and two. And talk about bowling, they're in prime position and they
still have some dates out there that are definitely winnable. All right, now
to the Big ten Eastern Division, let's continue there. Penn State wins over
UMass. They got the scrimmage they wanted, sixty three nothing to warm up
for Ohio State. Speaking to the Buckeyes forty one to seven over Perdue.
I believe this was the most complete effort by Ohio State this season. Kyle
McCord, forget the stats of sixteen of twenty eight for three touchdowns. He
did throw for two seven six. He was better than that. Drops plagued
the Buckeyes for the first time this year. He is also showing progress every
week, whether it's pocket presence, whether it's reading the coverages, whether it's
delivering the football with confidence and starting to trust his receivers. Kyle McCord is
taking pretty significant leaps in his progress and development each and every week, and
of course that will be much needed against what is possibly the most talented defense
in the Big Ten or in college football in Penn State. But the Buckeyes
find a running game. So what was impressive about Ohio State's effort against Purdue.
They started to get pushed along the offensive line, and they also got
creative running the football. So maybe it's hit Ryan Day in company that traditional
running because of injuries, because of a lack of a dominant offensive line,
just is not in the cards this season for the Buckeyes. Getting creative e
Xavier Johnson carrying the football. Meca Buca missed this game, but he is
the wide receiver that is the chosen runner out of the wide receiver position,
so expect him to be a key factor if he gets back healthy the rest
of the year for the Buckeyes. But again, e Xavier Johnson and the
guy that has been the mysterious missing man in this running game Dallan Hayden one
hundred and forty yards rushing against Maryland last year, did not see him against
Michigan. Comes into the playoff game and has five meaningful and mostly successful caries
against Georgia, although the final one did not do well and of course set
up the Buckeyes ill fated fifty yard at field goal attempt that did not turn
the trick against Georgia and now Dallan Hayden finally in the lineup and gained seventy
six yards on eleven carries. So he has instincts, skill set of fee
vision that the other backs I don't believe have and that's what Dallan Hayden brings.
Now. There are concerns about his pass pro ability, whether that's his
physical ability to stand up to a defensive end or a linebacker and stonewall hymn
or do just enough to give Kyle mccurd a little bit more time, or
whether that's an issue of not seeing who he should be picking up. There
is concern out there that Dallan Hayden is not prepared in the passing game,
and that is a big issue. Otherwise, he's the best running back with
the ball in his hands, the best running back on the team, Ohio
State with complete effort against Purdue. I know it's only perdue, but if
anybody in the Big Ten has a legitimate resume, meaning their numbers, their
national stats, are the most credible, it's Purdue because they haven't played any
FCS teams. They haven't played any low level Group of five teams. They've
played everybody on their scale has been a Power five team or Fresno State one
of the very best of the group of five. So Purdue has played strong
competition, and the Buckeyes wiped them out. They led twenty to nothing at
half, and it really should have been twenty eight to nothing. They gave
up a couple of plays. On the first drive, Perdue missed a field
goal that would become a storyline. Perdue misses a field goal to conclude the
first drive at the game, and then the Buckeyes stonewalled them for the rest
of the first half. Purdue could do nothing on offense. Hudson card thirteen
of thirty two on the day, and the running game was stimied when it
mattered. Devin maccabee did finish with one hundred and ten yards rushing for the
Boilers on eighteen carries. Perdue missed another field goal at the end of the
first half. That was the first time that they had moved the ball since
the first drive. But at that point Ohio State up twenty to nothing,
should have been twenty eight to nothing. Missed a pat and Devin Brown running
a wildcat package inside the ten yard line. He dives into the end zone
and it was a good look in regards to Brown getting into the game than
giving him some reps, a different look for the defense, maybe some things
for Penn State to think about. But at the same time, he fumbled
the football going into the end zone, so a lost opportunity for the Buckeyes.
Should have been twenty eight nothing twenty to nothing at half. But when
we talk about should have been points on the board for somebody, Perdue as
three field goals, so give the Boilers some more points. But as it
stands, the Buckeyes win this one forty one to seven. Meanwhile, in
ann Arbor, talk about could have been should have been? Indiana could have
been up fourteen nothing. They were up seven to nothing on a double pass
wide receiver throwdown field for a touchdown. Tavan Jackson threw an interception inside the
ten yard line. He had a wide open tight end down near the goal
line and he missed them and it turned into an afflected pick. And then
that was it for the Indiana Hoosiers as they held a yardage advantage at one
point one to negative eight against Michigan, so they came out storming. Should
have been up by two scores, only up by one. And then Indiana
had a pass playdown field for thirty seven yards on their next possession and got
called back for holding, and immediately that was the turning point in the game.
Not saying in any such way Michigan fans that Michigan would have been threatened
in this game, but man, the Hoosiers came out hot, but Michigan
just steam rolled from there. Fifty two to seven JJ two hundred and twenty
two yards passing and three touchdowns again his only three picks this year against Bowling
Green. Benjamin Hall came in to be the Michigan rushing leader with fifty eight
yard cards. Another big day from Colston Loveland. Not a lot of catches,
but when he catches them, they mean much to the Michigan offense.
He caught one from JJ McCarthy who did a little improvisation downfield and found Loveland
directed him downfield, and that was a huge gainer that set up the Michigan
offense that broke Indiana's back final fifty to seven. Whether you go to games
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Rudgers football could be six and two. Actually, Rutgers football should be
six and two after Saturday's game at Bloomington against Indiana Scarlett Knights, a five
point favorite on the road. How many times could you say that during the
program's history in the Big Ten. A favorite on the road at Indiana,
the Scarlet Knights could move to six and two and become Bowl eligible in October.
Who in the world would have thought that taken on IU. Poor Tom
Allen two and nineteen in his last Big Ten games. I look at that
twenty twenty five Big Ten schedule and think poor Tom Allen, But then I
think, well, he really wants to survive to be able to play that
twenty twenty four Big Ten schedule, because otherwise he is not going to be
employed. At the University of Indiana, the Hoosiers are at two and four,
which doesn't sound too bad, but zero to three in the Big Ten
can't compete in the conference coming off that forty five point loss to Michigan,
and they need a win desperately. He needs a win for his own job
security. Rudkers Indiana coming up on Saturday at noon on the Big Ten Network,
and Kyle Manangai again the featured back for Rutgers, is steam rolling toward
a two thousand yard season. He's at six thirty five and five seven touchdowns.
Kevin Wimsat leading the Rudgers offense and doing what he does best ball,
control, ball security, throw when you need to, and the Redgers formula
under Greg Shechiano is definitely working. Rudkers at Indiana. On Saturday, Minnesota
Iowa. Okay, the Hawkeyes, as we know, control the Big Ten
Western Division. They play Minnesota, a team that they have dominated despite the
Gophers strong play under PJ. Fleck. This is the worst Minnesota team we've
seen under Fleck since he took the job back in twenty seventeen, and the
Gophers come in at one and two in the Big Ten. They are three
and three overall, so they're scuffling just to get to a bowl game,
and that Iowa defense is going to be nearly impossible for Minnesota to score any
points. The over under on this game is thirty one and a half eight
and Calcumnus just not doing the job for the Gophers six touchdowns and six picks.
They are loaded in the backfield despite the loss, of course last year
of Moe Ibrahim Darius Taylor having a heck of a year for the Gophers.
We sized a Iowa Minnesota on our weekly Hawkeye show with Corey Brada from The
Hawkeye at the Storm and our special guest Daniel House of Gophers, Guru growing
pains that occur with playing a younger quarterback, and I know eighth and got
some experience then to the last season, including playing Iowa last season, but
you know, the continued reps that you need to have to be able to
be successful. Teams are scheming with the change in the picture of the coverage,
especially when they get Minnesota backed up to you know, make some you
know, pick sixes. I mean Michigan had two pick sixes in the previous
game. You know, I think that's going to be Phil Parker's approach is
try to get Minnesota back that get them off schedule. Minnesota is not effective
offensively when they're not efficient un first and second down, when they're backed up
into third and long. That's the recipe for success because then you can sort
of change that coverage picture and do things to potentially bait Minnesota into some mistakes.
So that's been the storyline is you know, there was gonna be highs
and lows with the quarterback. It's now when is he going to really take
that next step forward? I think that's still the question that many people have.
So this team's not a contender in the West. This season because the
defense is not nearly as good. Basically, that would you say that,
That's just the bottom line. The deal is, I don't know how when
it's going to come together for Minnesota, Like I don't feel like it's it's
that far away from clicking. Because if Cody Linnenberg's able to come back,
he's the catalyst of that defense Minnesota. At the linebacker position, they put
a lot on the plate of the main guy where it's like, you got
to adjust, you got to make all the calls. Your zone drops have
to be tight. They've had some lapses with that where they've been getting hit
over the middle of the field. It's tackling here and there. And the
big thing is health as well. There's a lot of little dings on the
defensive side of the ball. I think the bye week is going to be
critical to just get guys back healthy again. The pass rush has improved,
in my opinion, it was something they put a major emphasis on. They're
getting more interior push. Kyler Ba, the defensive tackle has played very well.
They have been able to finish a ton of rushes. They've had some
retracing problems and some pass rush laying issues, but for the most part,
I do believe the pass rush has a lot of potential, something that could
take a step forward this type of game. I think Minnesota what they're going
to do is they're going to load the box, try to stop the run,
get Deacon Hill backed up, and then you know, send a lot
of blitz pressure. I mean, you look at the numbers when when blitzed.
I think there's some opportunity there for Minnesota to exploit if they can get
Iowa into passing down situations. I mean, they're dead last in a lot
of those key metrics and when teams are able to knock them off schedule.
Fourteen pass attempts for the game. By the way, like almost half of
those came in the first quarter. Yeah, forty eight rush attempts. Now,
you know, the old adage is that if you can run the ball
that many times, that typically means that you're just dominating the other team on
the ground. But with Iowa, I think it more comes back to again
the field position conversation. They would rather be risk adverse with third down.
But you're gonna see that again on Saturday. If they get behind schedule,
they're gonna run the ball a lot and whether it's third and eight, third
and five, third and twenty, they're just gonna run the ball. It's
just you just know that. And I've brought up waist downs before. Mark
Daniel would be a good one to talk about this. I had an interesting
back and forth with Brian Ferrence during the off season Daniel. I asked him
specifically about waist downs because I don't get a lot of wayte downs because I
getting a lot of eight nine yard chunks on first down. But the interaction
I had was fascinating because he basically said, we don't coach that way,
we don't call plays that way, and it was kind of an odd answer.
He even told me that he could he could never force see a scenario
where third and one is a waist down, which really blew my mind when
I heard him say that he could never foresee a scenario where third and one
is a waist down, even in four down territory. But I had three
waist downs on Saturday ran every time, and you could argue in a game
like Wisconsin, maybe I should just shut up about the whole waist downs thing,
because maybe it's the right call, and I think that's how they're looking
at it right now, is that more There's more potential for harm if we
put the ball up at any point in the game, even in a second
down and one, then there is Hey, let's chuck a throw down the
field on a waist down and potentially make a big play. We'd rather just
make sure. I guarantee you the stress for the running backs throughout the week
leading up to the game with Ladell Betts and the staff heading into the game
and during game day was to Lashawn Williams and Caleb Johnson, you hold that
football like it's your newborn and do anything to keep anybody from stripping it.
And I give him credit that they ran forty eight times on a single fumble.
That's that is a good good sign for a guy like Leshawn Williams who
has fumbled in the past. He was in the doghouse earlier this year with
Kirk, I think briefly. So they're doing what they need to do.
Two hundred and twenty eight passing yards Sir Wisconsin mark to thirty seven for Iowa.
Suddenly, Illinois's showing some life with their first win in the Big Ten,
and it's a substantial one over the turps. As we outlined, Wisconsin
comes to Champagne. Suddenly this could be a football game. It looked a
couple of weeks ago like maybe the Badgers would just tear through the Big Ten
Western Division, but now just a two and a half point favorite at Illinois
without starting quarterback Tanner Mordecai Braydon Locke got his feet wet of sorts against Iowa,
but without success. Going to face a much softer defense in the Aliini,
but again coming off that big effort as a two touchdown underdog out of
nowhere, the Aliini really showed up in that game. Isaiah Williams with some
huge plays to continue his great season for Illinois with forty two catches. Luke
Altmeyer starting to work through some things still as a negative touchdown to interception ratio,
and again the Badgers now have to hope that the Hawkeyes lose twice,
and that seems highly improbable. It is highly improbable, nearly impossible. So
the Badgers playing for bull participation. At this point, they're four and two
overall. FS one is your destination three thirty Eastern Wisconsin Illinois on Saturday.
Consider this, Northwestern and Nebraska both control their own destiny. So somebody's got
to win this game in Lincoln, three thirty Eastern Time Big Ten Network.
Nebraska is an eleven and a half point favorite, and they should be Athletically,
This is a bit of a mismatch. We've seen that play out in
the past. The last time the two got together in Lincoln, it was
fifty six to seven. But remember the on side kick in the Northwestern win
last season, their only win of the season, and Northwestern has shown the
ability to knock off Minnesota. They won and not a conference game against a
UTEP team that was supposed to be a little bit better than they are.
What Northwestern has accomplished under David Brawn this season has been pretty remarkable. To
be three three and within grasp of a bowl game at this point. You
got Ben Bryant at quarterback. He's been banged up in recent weeks. Brendan
Sullivan got the start against Wagner and the Wildcats survived twenty three to twenty.
Bryant threw for four hundred yards and four touchdowns in that monumental comeback in the
fourth quarter of down twenty one against Minnesota. Heinrich Harberg continues to get the
start at Nebraska. Now, what's interesting here is that, of course Jeff
Simms was the starter in Week one, performed pretty terribly, turning the ball
over at a rapid rate. So Jeff Simms has obviously lost his starting position
to Heinrich Harberg, who has protected the football. That is the big difference
right there. Simms has the ceiling. Harburg is almost as effective as a
runner, if not more so, and he protects the football. Only three
touchdown passes this year, He's going to complete fifty percent, but that's all
that's going to be needed in this game against Northwestern. As long as the
Huskers protect the football, they should be good to go. Despite Northwesterns better
than expected play, Huskers and Wildcats, again, the winner still controls its
own destiny for a trip to Indianapolis. That's pretty incredible. Were talking Northwestern
Nebraska with our guest Brandon Locker from SB Nation and then also our crew at
our Nebraska Huskers show every Tuesday at seven o'clock Eastern time, Greg Peterson Husker
Online, and our postgame host Justin Adams. So I'm not necessarily questioning the
decision of Heinrich Harberg of being the starter, but I'm somewhat questioning how it
can be explained because if Jeff Simms was the starter, and he was the
starter until he got hurt, and then Heinrich Harberg came in, and let's
make no mistake about it, he's done some nice things, especially on the
ground, but he's not exactly let the work set the world on fire and
taking over this job. And then Jeff Simms is healthy enough to play,
so he has not regained or retained his starting position. Yep. All control,
yep. I mean you go with the guy that's taking care of the
ball, and you know, I mean Heinrich Harberg has won three out of
the last four starts. So but then on top of that too, Simms
has got to you know, he's going to eventually have to get out there
and and prove that he can, you know, have ball control. So
again, if that's you know, a lot of that's mental, I think,
just dropping the snaps and stuff like that. So maybe if he's kind
of had that mental reset and stuff like that, who knows. But to
Mark's point, I kind of see what he's saying, where you know,
Sims was the guy and rule said that if he was one hundred percent he
would have been the guy going forward. So I think this goes back to
what I said, you know a few weeks back, was Harberg. You
know, once he built up those few wins in the camaraderie with the team,
he probably has to be the guy going forward because he gives us the
best chance to win as far as just you know, especially with the turnover
at the wide receiver room and stuff like that. He's already got those reps
with those guys on the field. So I think that's that's you know,
important going for creating a quarterback controversy here right now. Yeah, you're going
with the guy that's winning any games right now and running the show. I
mean, the players and all the coaches, you know, they trust both
of them. I'm questioning the decision, right well, I would. I
wouldn't necessarily agree with that statement. I don't think they trust Jeff Simms.
I wouldn't trust him. No, I don't think that's the That's what we
said, you know, because heinrin Carberg's taking care of the ball. And
yeah, I don't question the games. I'm not questioning the decision. But
at no point did Matt Rules say that Sims lost his job or the fact
that Carberg was the starter, right, he might be opposite. Jef sim
still is a single digit guy, so he's one of the main leaders of
the team. And I mean that's his point. See what his character is
that he's willing to let somebody else be the starter. We are not accustomed
to this being the biggest point spread of the day. It's truly one of
the great rivalries in college football. It's Michigan Michigan State getting together in East
Lansing. But Michigan has just been that good and Spardi, of course has
a season on its hands that they just want to survive after the whole melt
Tucker debacle. Twenty four and a half point favorite is Michigan on the road,
and Michigan has been the most complete football team in college football. You
can question the schedule and we have best win for Michigan. Is it Rutgers,
is it Minnesota? Is it Nebraska? That's pretty much the top of
the line for the Wolverines, and they're not going to face anyone better at
Michigan State. Quarterback of battle between Nate Hauser and Noah Kim. Kim of
course, the original starter this season has faltered to a certain extent, and
interim coach Harlan Barnett wants a look at Nate Hauser and see what he can
do. He was a top two to fifty prospect coming out of high school,
top ten quarterback coming out of high school, and try to turn the
page and look into the future of Michigan State football. This should be a
rough one for the Spartans. Michigan has been again stout in every face of
the game, every position. Most complete team in college football that has not
struggled in any game. Michigan Michigan State in primetime on NBC seven to thirty
Eastern from East Lansing, John diadamo Our Michigan hosted the Voice of College Football,
Catch Our Wolverines Live show every Tuesday at eight pm Eastern Time. John
talked up Sparty and the Maze in Blue with Ryan o'blannis from Spartan Illustrated.
I anticipate that the that emotions are going to be high, and in fact,
you may actually see for the first time this season the starters kept in
no matter what, because that is something, uh, you know, they
may want to do. You know, we know I'm not saying anything you
don't already know. There were some events that happened last year, and there's
probably gonna be some emotions based on that. So you may actually have like
JJ McCarthy, Blake Korum, Will Johnson, you know, and these players
like asking to stay in the entire time. Yeah, Howser's definitely going to
start this game, you know, as long as nothing weird happens with a
practice injury or something like that. But yeah, you know, both Barnett
and offensive coordinator J Johnson spoke today. They you know, they liked what
they saw from Howser in that game against Rutgers. Obviously it wasn't anything spectation.
I think the big thing was that he didn't turn the football over,
which was a big issue with know what Kim, you know, in the
three games previously, and Houser did have a couple of close calls against Rutger.
It was a wet, wet, sloppy conditions. You know, he
fumbled at one point, recovered his own fumble, and then he almost threw
a couple of near interceptions. But you know, on the stat sheet,
he didn't turn the ball over, so that was good. He didn't throw
for a lot of yards, as you mentioned, one hundred and thirty three,
but you know, he was fairly efficient, fairly decent completion percentage.
You know, maybe like to see a little more zip on some of his
throws, but again that the conditions were not, you know, favorable to
really throw that game. He also had had a rushing touchdown in addition to
the two touchdowns he threw. He was moving the offense, you know,
really well for three quarters until everything kind of collapse fourth quarter for the team.
But overall, I think the Michigan State coaches, I think the players
around him support him. They were encouraged by what they saw from him.
The thing with Hawser was always that he had sky high potential. You know,
he was a four star recruit coming out of high school, big high
school program out there in California and Saint John Basco. So you know,
talent with him has never been the issue. It's more about getting reps,
getting experience, and getting into a rhythm. You know, obviously he wasn't
going to be perfect in his first start, and I don't think people really
had those kind of expectations for him. But at the same time, you
know, fans need to understand that it will take patience. You know,
as he plays more, as he gets more into a rhythm, he starts
to settle in. You know, I think he can do some really good
things. He has a really really tough matchup this weekend against that Michigan defense,
so we'll see how that goes overall. Yeah, you know, I
think you can expect Hawser to start the rest of the year as long as
he stays healthy. And Noah Kim's actually dealing with an injury too. It's
not that's not why he was benched. You know, Hawser was going to
are either way, but actually true freshman Sam Levitt would have been the backup
quarterback, you know, had something happen to Houser against Rutgers. That's what
Burnett said after the game on Saturday, and Johnson kind of reiterated that today
in his comments. So you know that they're kind of monitoring no It campis
kind of day to day, but either way, Houser is going to be
starting. Nathan Carter's had a really good year running the football. He's a
Yukon transfer. You know, there were a lot of really good things said
about him throughout spring ball and stuff like that, and he was. He's
really been as advertised for the most part, but Rutgers did do a good
job of, you know, shutting him down. Obviously, it's not all
on the running back. You need the offensive line, you need the tight
ends block, you need the receivers blocking on the outside. That's the bigg
thing the Michigan State coaching staff kind of preaches is that it takes all eleven
to have a successful play, especially in the run game when everybody needs to
be blocking. So you just that's one thing that the offensive line has has
really kind of struggled with this year is consistency and run blocking. You know
that they've been pretty good in pass protection, but they need to do a
better job in the run game, and you know on the outside with the
Titans and the receivers too. So you know Jalen Berger, who who's was
Michigan State's leading rusher last year and he dealt with some injuries early on this
year, but he was pretty active against Rutgers, and you know, he
had decent yard per carry and was able to get to the outside and get
some chunk plays a couple of times. So you know that there were some
plays where, uh, they were able to hit at a decent rate,
you know, get some chunk yardage. Uh. But for the most ark
Carter is still going to be that workhorse back for you. And like I
said, you know, it really all comes down to execution and the blocking
and being able to be more physical than the other team. And you know
that that's something that should be really worries someome for Michigan State against that Michigan
defensive front this week they have to emphasize. Now we get to the showdown
Penn State at Ohio State, major game of course in the Big Ten,
one of three. Sorry Western Division fans, we just have to tell it
like it is. This is one of the Titanic matchups and it should be
all that it's hyped up to be. Penn State comes in number seven in
the country according to the AP Poll. If you believe in those rankings,
six and oh the Buckeye six and oh as well at number three. Penn
State has yet to be threatened. The schedule has been questionable. Best team
they've played is at Iowa probably thirty one nothing of course, and of course
the West Virginia game turned out to be a little bit better than expected in
regards to the Mountaineers efforts this season. However, Penn State yet to be
tested. They go to Columbus. They have lost six straight to the Buckeyes.
They have won once in the James Franklin era. That was a historic
effort, of course, turning into a Big Ten championship. The Buckeyes come
in at six and oh. They've played probably they're six strongest quarters of football
the past six quarters, second half against Maryland, the entire game against Purdue.
As we outlined, they played a complete game against the Boilers. Tested
on the road against Notre Dame, Kyle McCord improving, Penn State would seem
to have maybe the one advantage in particular, not the only advantage, but
the one particular advantage the defensive front pushing back that Ohio State front that seriously
needs to work through some issues, that continues to work through them and show
some signs of improving, but still the offensive line far from a finished product
for Ohio State. Kyle McCord in that same category, Ohio State's health on
offense a bit of a question. Treveon Henderson beat up Mayan Williams and a
Mecca Abuca. Some of the young wide receivers like Carnel Tait will have to
step up, maybe Brandon Innis for the Buckeyes. On the Penn State side,
the thunder enlightening the k Tron Allen and Nick Singleton one to two punch
has not materialized to the extent of producing explosive plays. We talk Ohio State
football with you each and if we win State eleven Am Eastern Time, Steve
hell Wagon Bucknuts two four seven Sports, Tony Gerdaman and Kevin Noon of Buckeye
Huddle, and this week's special guest, Mark Brennan of Lyons two four seven.
Boy, we had a great time. You need to show up for
the entirety of this one Ohio State Penn State breakdown. You can find it
on the Ohio State Channel at the Voice of College Football talking Penn State,
Ohio State. And as someone said this week during one of our broadcasts,
I believe it was Marty Leap of Penn State Rivals, we basically said,
this is an NFL game one or two years in advance is what it is.
This one, two loaded teams, so much on the line, should
be an amazing event in Columbus, as it always is, but this one
a little bit special and maybe the best game we've seen with the most on
the line since twenty seventeen. Penn State, Ohio State, James Franklin tenth
year, and obviously just the one win over Ohio State, and they play
every year. And what's crazy is we all got up in arms, at
least some of us did, that they were ending the Penn State series with
the jumble with USC and USCLA joining the conference and the way things were going
to be mixed around. But then they bring Oregon and Washington in. They
put all the chips back in the bag and they shuffle them up, and
now Ohio State and Penn State are still going to play the next two years.
So it's not the hiatus doesn't begin until twenty twenty six. But at
any rate, with Franklin, I know there's a glass ceiling, or it
seems like there's been a class ceiling that they've punched up against to try and
get into the playoff and all these other things, and you know, in
your mind, is this a team that has what it takes to win at
least one of these two showdown games and at least get into a tiebreaker scenario,
which we laid those out with Iowa beating Wisconsin, Penn State's now kind
of got the upper end in the tiebreaker scenario. Yeah, I mean they
sooner or later you have to write, I mean, Penn State hasn't beaten
Ohio State and Michigan when both teams were ranked since two thousand and eight,
so this predates Franklin. I mean, this isn't only a James Franklin thing.
This is something where you know, Penn State comes into the Big Ten
in the early nineties and in ninety four runs the table and I think everybody
thought, oh man, you know this is just going to be same old,
same old. But clearly, when you look at the Big Ten,
and with all respect to what Michigan's been able to do the last couple of
years, the team you have to beat to prove that you're the man is
Ohio State. And this is the most talent that James Franklin has had.
And don't read that the wrong way, because yes, when they had Sakuon
Barkley and Chris Godwin and you know, Micah Park and all those players,
they had great individual players in different spots. I'm talking about depth, I'm
talking about across the board. I think if you project out where a lot
of these guys are are going to be when it comes around to the NFL
draft, if you look at it really closely, the depth of talent is
there. So everything is in place. And I think the other thing about
Penn State Ohio State is that Penn State has been there in these games.
Penn State has led these games in the fourth quarter and let them slip away.
And you could look at it a different way. You can say that
Ohio State has grabbed those those games and seized them and won them. But
yeah, to be at that level, to be the man, you got
to beat the man, and there is did you already say that? Did
I already? Did you know? You have to be able to take care
of business. And I think a lot of fans are looking at this listen,
James Franklin is on any sort of hot seat because I think any rational
person if they look at the the dumpster fire that he inherited and a to
get them to a Big ten title as soon as they did, and able
to establish them them the program where it is and improve the facilities and do
all these things. He's done an unbelievable job. But everybody keeps talking about
that next level, that next level, Well, this is where you have
to take care of business against one of these two teams. And I think
it's important this year, Steven guys, because you know, when you when
you expand the playoffs, then it's going to be much easier. Obviously,
I mean, duh for people to get in, but if you want to
prove that you can be one of those teams, got to you got to
beat at least one of these teams this year. And I think that's absolutely
fair criticism. One thing I would say is that you know it's going to
be interesting to see because uh, I think they're they're in a better spot
now. Defensively. I didn't dislike Brent Pryor as a coach, but the
job that Manny Diaz has been doing has been unbelievable. Now that's going to
be tested this week. But I think if you look at his body of
work over the first two seasons, outside of that one terrible game at Michigan
last year, they've done some pretty impressive things. And I think yoursich I
think his offense is starting to come around and kind of click again. Outside
of the big plays losing what they did in the secondary and then not missing
a beat I think is incredibly impressive. How much? Because I write about
Michigan every week as well, and they have played nobody offensively. Penn State
isn't that same boat? How much? Do you? How much? In
Penn State leading the nation in the yards giving up and yards per play allowed,
O High State's number two in yards per play allowed. I believe this
is a legit defense. But have they been tested at any point by anybody?
Like what's been the biggest test for them offensively this season? No?
I mean, I mean West Virginia scored fifteen points, I think, and
a guy from Delaware popped to sixty eight yard run runner. But it's like
they're really talented, and you know, it was kind of funny. You
know, they play this game against U Mass and I don't even know who
the offensive coordinator of View Mass is, but U Mess kept trying to run
wide and it's like, you know, the one thing if you look at
this team and where it struggled last year, it was people gashing them up
the middle, especially Michigan because they didn't have the biggest defensive tackles. And
I think they've improved that. But I mean even Ohio State I think will
have trouble attacking the edges. You know, trying to run wide against this
team just doesn't work because it's super fast. And I think if you're going
to beat them, it's going to be with the passing game or it's going
to be running up the gut. So I just think that that level of
speed at all three levels is what's been the real key. But no,
they haven't been tested. We were just doing our own podcast and somebody's and
I was asked, Hey, you know what's the biggest question mark. It's
like, Yeah, these guys have been rolling through everybody. What's going to
happen they get punched to the mouth and have to make a play in the
fourth quarter. They haven't. I mean, they're starting defensive tackles. Last
week played or thirteen and fourteen snaps. They had the game against the game
against Iowa, their defense. I don't have the numbers right in front of
me, but I think the defense played thirty two or something snaps in the
entire game. So they have been able to But you know, I think
the positive is they have been able to limit how much their key defensive players
have been out on the field and if you take a look at the numbers,
it's absolutely crazy. So if you look, let me scroll up here.
If you guys don't mind, I'm sorry. I'm doing this as I'm
on out go for it. But yeah, they're leading tackler through six games
is Curtis Jacobs with twenty three tackles. A dude from Iowa had eighteen tackles
in the game in one game. I mean, so you have Curtis Jacobs
with twenty three. Dom de Luca former walk on has sixteen. And this
isn't a negative for Penn State because they've not played guys. They've been like
beating people, you know, so badly that they've been able to rest these
guys up. And I think where that could pay dividends. And we'll see.
I think we're gonna we'll find out this week, you know, number
one in the fourth quarter against an elite opponent, but number two in late
October, which we're hitting, and then late November and then into November when
the strength of schedule really picks up. One of the things to me about
this game is, you know who's going to make the most mistakes. Penn
State had its first offensive turnover of the season last week, you know,
And again, I just think that's one of those things with both of these
teams. I haven't looked at Ohio State closely enough, but I know how
good of a coach Ryan Day is that, you know, ball security is
always gigantic, and I think that's going to be a big part of what
goes down in this game. And I will the other thing that I will
say is that the ones I really loved what Day said after that Notre Dame
game about people questioning Ohio State's toughness, you know, and this is from
the outside, you know, looking in. That's not something I ever looked
at Ohio State and said. I mean, I don't know where that narrative
came from, and I guess if it's from a couple games against Michigan or
whatever. But I think most people at Penn State have always respected the level
of toughness out of Ohio State, along with the athletic ability and the talent
and everything else. And I think a lot most people really respect Ryan Day
as a coach as well. All right, folks, glad you could join
us here at Big ten Paradigm. We present this each and every week on
the College GRIDIRN Coast to Coast Network. Again, my name's Mark. You
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