No interest in spending too much time discussing the Illinois game. Illinois played fine and other than the bizarre throw on the last offensive play of the first half (you run there and kick a FG to keep PSU from getting the ball back with time to move it, instead we ran a weird low percentage play and got penalized twice before missing a FG). Of course Franklin bailed BB out with his own bizarre 4th down decision when he can go up two scores late in the 3rd quarter and instead gives the ball back to IL still up 14-7.
Bottom line, PSU was better on the OL and DL, and we probably won't see a better unit this season on either side of the trenches. Their excellent running covered up Illinois' great pass defense a bit, PSU threw for only about 6 YPA on the game, despite having a solid QB who mostly had time on his dropbacks. In the key moments, Altmyer learned how hard it is to throw from his back. Franklin killed them on the slant until they schemed to take it away, but we didn't have time to get it downfield. Beat Purdue in two weeks, and it sets up the biggest home game in a long long time.
Oh yeah, Aaron Henry schemed another good game. Kotelnicki's team won the game, but that battle was at worst a draw (and a DC is at a disadvantage in football these days).
Moving on, Michigan is just not that good. Definite break against MN, sucks to you Fleck. Averaging under 60 yards passing with their current QB, and Moore seems completely out of his depth. What I saw in the last 5-6 minutes of that game (the early snaps, unnecessary throw when you should be running clock, and dude in motion on what was a victory formation type play was just bizarre). Purdue is putrid, that's just a must win, and I hope our coaches are as hungry as you'd expect after last season.
Wisconsin being up 21-10 at half and then getting roasted was awesome. There's good and bad things to say about the USC coaching staff, but Riley goes to halftime most weeks and comes to the realization that throwing it downfield is good. He might want to consider it more in the first half. Go Badgers next week, take even more confidence from Purdue.
Remember when Bama played 6-3 and 9-6 games against top SEC opponents? Now it's 41-34 and it's hardly surprising. The spread changed everything, glad Illinois got the memo in like Week 7 or so of 2023. Sticking with the SEC, Texas is not going to win the title IMHO.
Kansas is a perfect example of how close losses can quickly derail a 12 game season. They may have one of those seasons we've seen too much of ... 7-8 win talent wins 4-5 games (with a coordinator appearing to be the goat). CMU looks to be an alright MAC team, probably better than suspected when rolling into Champaign.
Coach Prime showing how well you can coach when you have two Top 5 picks in the draft. Will he stick around to show us what he can do without them?
Bottom line, PSU was better on the OL and DL, and we probably won't see a better unit this season on either side of the trenches. Their excellent running covered up Illinois' great pass defense a bit, PSU threw for only about 6 YPA on the game, despite having a solid QB who mostly had time on his dropbacks. In the key moments, Altmyer learned how hard it is to throw from his back. Franklin killed them on the slant until they schemed to take it away, but we didn't have time to get it downfield. Beat Purdue in two weeks, and it sets up the biggest home game in a long long time.
Oh yeah, Aaron Henry schemed another good game. Kotelnicki's team won the game, but that battle was at worst a draw (and a DC is at a disadvantage in football these days).
Moving on, Michigan is just not that good. Definite break against MN, sucks to you Fleck. Averaging under 60 yards passing with their current QB, and Moore seems completely out of his depth. What I saw in the last 5-6 minutes of that game (the early snaps, unnecessary throw when you should be running clock, and dude in motion on what was a victory formation type play was just bizarre). Purdue is putrid, that's just a must win, and I hope our coaches are as hungry as you'd expect after last season.
Wisconsin being up 21-10 at half and then getting roasted was awesome. There's good and bad things to say about the USC coaching staff, but Riley goes to halftime most weeks and comes to the realization that throwing it downfield is good. He might want to consider it more in the first half. Go Badgers next week, take even more confidence from Purdue.
Remember when Bama played 6-3 and 9-6 games against top SEC opponents? Now it's 41-34 and it's hardly surprising. The spread changed everything, glad Illinois got the memo in like Week 7 or so of 2023. Sticking with the SEC, Texas is not going to win the title IMHO.
Kansas is a perfect example of how close losses can quickly derail a 12 game season. They may have one of those seasons we've seen too much of ... 7-8 win talent wins 4-5 games (with a coordinator appearing to be the goat). CMU looks to be an alright MAC team, probably better than suspected when rolling into Champaign.
Coach Prime showing how well you can coach when you have two Top 5 picks in the draft. Will he stick around to show us what he can do without them?
