knicks25111
10-08-2004, 01:51 PM
Indiana Hoosiers (2-3) At Northwestern Wildcats (2-3)
The Wildcats are coming off their best game of the year after beating Ohio State 33-27 in overtime. They should be able to whip up on Indiana as long as they take the Hoosiers seriously.
After a terrible start this year, the Wildcats are coming off a sensational game against Ohio State. While Northwestern gave up 27 points, they held Ohio State to 97 rushing yards and played a tough, physical game. Expect the Wildcats to build off of that performance and punish Indiana this week.
The offense was effective and intelligent against Ohio State and much of the credit has to go to QB Brett Basanez. He threw for 278 yards and pierced the Ohio State pass defense with two TD passes.
RB Noah Herron ran for 119 yards and scored two TDs, including the game-winning TD in overtime. The Indiana run defense held Michigan to 93 rushing yards, but don't be shocked if Herron pounds out 150 yards.
After beating Ohio State for the first time since 1971, the Wildcats don't seem to be the least bit satisfied. They are proud of their accomplishment and pleased that they handed the Buckeyes a 33-27 overtime win
Rndy Walker's team has focused all of its attention on Indiana this week and has already put the Ohio State win in the rear view mirror.
The Wildcats should be able to build off of their outstanding game against Ohio State this week against Indiana. The Wildcats appear to be significantly stronger on both sides of the line of scrimmage and should be able to record another home win.
TAKE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS MINUS -10.5 POINTS
#15 Wisconsin Badgers (5-0) At #18 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1)
Wisconsin is feeling very good about itself and its chances of pulling off a big win on the road. The Badgers are strong in the trenches and they got their home run hitter Anthony Davis back in stride. Ohio State will probably play hard and well after losing at Northwestern, and this one could turn into a real physical, low-scoring slugfest.
With their main offensive threat back and healthy, there is a burgeoning confidence in the Wisconsin locker room. The presence of RB Anthony Davis in the lineup last weekend made everyone feel better. With the Badgers playing a bone-crunching style of defense, Davis gave the offense an edge it had been missing through the early part of the season. He ran for 213 yards and three touchdowns in his return against Illinois.
Davis's presence should make life much easier for QB John Stocco, who has been struggling for much of the season. The Badgers face their biggest test of the season when they travel to Ohio State this Saturday. The Buckeyes should be ready to play extremely well because they got embarrassed at Northwestern last week and coach Jim Tressel criticized their effort. As a result, the Badgers are expecting to face a talented and angry team.
But Wisconsin is not overly worried about what the Buckeyes will do. They can only control their own performance and it seems clear that the presence of Davis gives the offense the opportunity to make a statement on an every-week basis. That may be enough to emerge with a victory in Columbus.
This group is big, strong, mean and nasty. They lead the Big Ten in fewest yards and points allowed. Defensive coordinator Bret Bielema has put together a unit that combines great athleticism with excellent skills. DE Erasmus James and DT Anttaj Hawthorne anchor the defensive line and set the tone.
Can John Stocco throw the ball effectively? This may be the week he really has to prove himself. The return of Anthony Davis gives the Badgers a credible running attack, one the Buckeyes will have to sell out to stop. As a result, Stocco may be able to find open receivers. If he can deliver the ball to them with just a tad of consistency, the Badgers will be in great shape.
TAKE #15 WISCONSIN BADGERS PLUS +3 POINTS
Toledo Rockets (3-2) At Western Michigan Broncos (1-3)
Five years ago, the Broncos were the best of the West along with the Rockets, but Western has been on a steady downhill slide and could really use a win here to save some credibility, and some jobs. A win likely puts Toledo at 6-2 going into the tough final stretch.
Toledo has scored 97 points in its past two games. The offense looked like a finely tuned sports car against Ball State as junior QB Bruce Gradkowski completed 26-of-34 passes for 455 yards and six touchdowns. He had protection, and a lot of options, and that is when the Rockets are most dangerous. These guys were the scapegoats when the Rockets were struggling, and they have slowly progressed into a unit that shows some promise. A bend-but-don't-break formula is plenty good enough for now. It is not likely that Toledo will win many games this year on the strength of its defense alone, but improved play will allow the potent offense to simply overwhelm people with points.
With each win, the painful memory of those two humiliating losses that started the season gets pushed a little further back in the memory banks. The Rockets hope to pile some more dirt on that buried mess by improving the defense that was so ineffective in one-sided losses to Minnesota and Kansas.
Toledo (3-2, 2-0) has been building some momentum after getting staggered coming out of the gate. The most recent performance, a 52-14 win over Ball State, looked the most like what people expected the Rockets to be this season -- a dominant offense that scores points in flurries, and a defense tough enough to let the offense just outscore people.
This week's road game at Western Michigan is a minefield for the Rockets in a couple of respects. The Broncos (1-3) come in a wounded and battered team. After going crazy in a blowout of Tennessee-Martin to open the season, Western got blitzed at Virginia Tech, lost a nail-biter to Illinois, and then got crushed again by Ball State. The Broncos also had a bye week to let that last one fester, and to concentrate their energies on Toledo.
After winning its last three, and with two more games in the Glass Bowl lined up after the trip to Kalamazoo, the Rockets have the opportunity here to really get some momentum building as they head into a rugged final stretch of the season where they will meet defending league champ Miami, current West co-leader Northern Illinois, and rival Bowling Green.
TAKE TOLEDO ROCKETS MINUS -14.5 POINTS
The Wildcats are coming off their best game of the year after beating Ohio State 33-27 in overtime. They should be able to whip up on Indiana as long as they take the Hoosiers seriously.
After a terrible start this year, the Wildcats are coming off a sensational game against Ohio State. While Northwestern gave up 27 points, they held Ohio State to 97 rushing yards and played a tough, physical game. Expect the Wildcats to build off of that performance and punish Indiana this week.
The offense was effective and intelligent against Ohio State and much of the credit has to go to QB Brett Basanez. He threw for 278 yards and pierced the Ohio State pass defense with two TD passes.
RB Noah Herron ran for 119 yards and scored two TDs, including the game-winning TD in overtime. The Indiana run defense held Michigan to 93 rushing yards, but don't be shocked if Herron pounds out 150 yards.
After beating Ohio State for the first time since 1971, the Wildcats don't seem to be the least bit satisfied. They are proud of their accomplishment and pleased that they handed the Buckeyes a 33-27 overtime win
Rndy Walker's team has focused all of its attention on Indiana this week and has already put the Ohio State win in the rear view mirror.
The Wildcats should be able to build off of their outstanding game against Ohio State this week against Indiana. The Wildcats appear to be significantly stronger on both sides of the line of scrimmage and should be able to record another home win.
TAKE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS MINUS -10.5 POINTS
#15 Wisconsin Badgers (5-0) At #18 Ohio State Buckeyes (3-1)
Wisconsin is feeling very good about itself and its chances of pulling off a big win on the road. The Badgers are strong in the trenches and they got their home run hitter Anthony Davis back in stride. Ohio State will probably play hard and well after losing at Northwestern, and this one could turn into a real physical, low-scoring slugfest.
With their main offensive threat back and healthy, there is a burgeoning confidence in the Wisconsin locker room. The presence of RB Anthony Davis in the lineup last weekend made everyone feel better. With the Badgers playing a bone-crunching style of defense, Davis gave the offense an edge it had been missing through the early part of the season. He ran for 213 yards and three touchdowns in his return against Illinois.
Davis's presence should make life much easier for QB John Stocco, who has been struggling for much of the season. The Badgers face their biggest test of the season when they travel to Ohio State this Saturday. The Buckeyes should be ready to play extremely well because they got embarrassed at Northwestern last week and coach Jim Tressel criticized their effort. As a result, the Badgers are expecting to face a talented and angry team.
But Wisconsin is not overly worried about what the Buckeyes will do. They can only control their own performance and it seems clear that the presence of Davis gives the offense the opportunity to make a statement on an every-week basis. That may be enough to emerge with a victory in Columbus.
This group is big, strong, mean and nasty. They lead the Big Ten in fewest yards and points allowed. Defensive coordinator Bret Bielema has put together a unit that combines great athleticism with excellent skills. DE Erasmus James and DT Anttaj Hawthorne anchor the defensive line and set the tone.
Can John Stocco throw the ball effectively? This may be the week he really has to prove himself. The return of Anthony Davis gives the Badgers a credible running attack, one the Buckeyes will have to sell out to stop. As a result, Stocco may be able to find open receivers. If he can deliver the ball to them with just a tad of consistency, the Badgers will be in great shape.
TAKE #15 WISCONSIN BADGERS PLUS +3 POINTS
Toledo Rockets (3-2) At Western Michigan Broncos (1-3)
Five years ago, the Broncos were the best of the West along with the Rockets, but Western has been on a steady downhill slide and could really use a win here to save some credibility, and some jobs. A win likely puts Toledo at 6-2 going into the tough final stretch.
Toledo has scored 97 points in its past two games. The offense looked like a finely tuned sports car against Ball State as junior QB Bruce Gradkowski completed 26-of-34 passes for 455 yards and six touchdowns. He had protection, and a lot of options, and that is when the Rockets are most dangerous. These guys were the scapegoats when the Rockets were struggling, and they have slowly progressed into a unit that shows some promise. A bend-but-don't-break formula is plenty good enough for now. It is not likely that Toledo will win many games this year on the strength of its defense alone, but improved play will allow the potent offense to simply overwhelm people with points.
With each win, the painful memory of those two humiliating losses that started the season gets pushed a little further back in the memory banks. The Rockets hope to pile some more dirt on that buried mess by improving the defense that was so ineffective in one-sided losses to Minnesota and Kansas.
Toledo (3-2, 2-0) has been building some momentum after getting staggered coming out of the gate. The most recent performance, a 52-14 win over Ball State, looked the most like what people expected the Rockets to be this season -- a dominant offense that scores points in flurries, and a defense tough enough to let the offense just outscore people.
This week's road game at Western Michigan is a minefield for the Rockets in a couple of respects. The Broncos (1-3) come in a wounded and battered team. After going crazy in a blowout of Tennessee-Martin to open the season, Western got blitzed at Virginia Tech, lost a nail-biter to Illinois, and then got crushed again by Ball State. The Broncos also had a bye week to let that last one fester, and to concentrate their energies on Toledo.
After winning its last three, and with two more games in the Glass Bowl lined up after the trip to Kalamazoo, the Rockets have the opportunity here to really get some momentum building as they head into a rugged final stretch of the season where they will meet defending league champ Miami, current West co-leader Northern Illinois, and rival Bowling Green.
TAKE TOLEDO ROCKETS MINUS -14.5 POINTS