We are right in the middle of Ohio week here and I am getting more and more excited for The Game on Saturday at Noon. This year we are lucky to have some great lead in entertainment to the Ohio v Michigan game: 3 games on national tv for our basketball program (it will be a very successful trip if they can find enough energy to beat a down UCLA team - preview to come), two Lions games during the week, and a top 3 matchup on Friday afternoon to basically determine the SEC West.
Luke "I am the definition of lame duck" Fickell made some comments yesterday about The Game not being about talent, but about passion. Wait, huh? I am pretty sure Ohio did not take us out back the past 3 years because we lacked passion. We didn't lose the 1 v 2 game of the century because that team didnt have passion. The comments sound like a coach wanting to say something to pump his team up because he even thinks they have less talent than the Michigan team for the first time in maybe 6 years. But last time I checked Ohio is still pretty talented, and maybe even more so on the defensive side of the ball. I cannot see an Ohio team coming into the Big House and not playing with passion (Fickell might be bad, but he isn't John Cooper).
It is a shame that The Game has lost some of its national importance, but I have a hard time thinking that Ohio will be down for too long, no matter who they hire. And Michigan is honestly a pretty average team playing in a pretty weak conference this year, but with the importance Coach Hoke puts on The Game it can only become more relevant to the entire nation (not just to the worst state ever and the mitten).
Switching gears a little, since I am going home to Gobles soon and internet is beyond slow, I probably won't be able to blog much in the few days coming. Lets look at important college football games of the weekend.
B1G: Penn St v Wisconsin. The winner gets to go to Indy to take on Sparty. Personally I want Wisconsin to dump truck the criminals in the 2nd time around, so I want Wisconsin to win this game and go to the Rose Bowl. I can't accept MSU in Pasadena in my lifetime. Please. Neither affect our chance for an at large BCS game.
Golden Domers v the Stanford fighting Lucks: So while I hate ND, an ND win would all but eliminate a 2 loss Stanford (losers of 2 of 3) from an at large BCS game and all but guarantees us (assuming we win). Also, the ND win makes our win over them look better and I think it will help our BCS rankings.
LSU - Arkansas: Well we will not jump the loser in the standings, so that doesnt help us. Also I believe that LSU is the best team in the nation, so with the current crappy bowl system I hope they dont have an off day and not get a chance to play for a title. If LSU loses, the BCS becomes an absolute joke.
Oklahoma v Iowa St: Well Iowa St just beat Ok St and probably ruined their title chances, we can be rooting for them again because any Oklahoma loss will eliminate them from the BCS picture. Worry if they beat Ok St next weekend to finish with 2 losses, they might get picked ahead of us... maybe.
SCar v Clemson: This game doesnt really matter to anyone or anything since SCar is eliminated in the SEC and Clemson is already in the ACC championship game. But SCar is still rated higher than Michigan in the BCS, so if they lose a 3rd game we can expect to jump them in the standings. The higher we get by the end of next weekend the better chance we have of making a BCS game.
Va Tech v Virginia: VaTech is rated number 5, so I dont know how far they will fall if they lose. But if they do lose, they will not be in the ACC championship game.. so a 2 loss Va Tech becomes in the running for an at large BCS game (I think we look more attractive at this pont, but still it is another team to compete against)
Until later....Go Blue!!!
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