by Wally
As we approach “Throwback Saturday” with games being played at Yankee Stadium (Army vs Notre Dame) and Wrigley Field (Illinois vs Northwestern), what better way to open it up than see Lou Holtz roaming ND’s sideline. Man, I love that guy. Looks like the ND administration shoulda loved him a little longer, too. Okay, moving on to look at the “big” games this weekend …
— Fresno State at #4 Boise State (Friday night): Fresno was making a major move in the WAC and had its heart ripped out in a very close loss to #18 Nevada. Had they won that one, I’d give ’em a fighting chance to make this one close. But I suspect they’ll be down and BSU has had 8 days to prep, plus they’re on the Smurfturf. Broncos by 22.
— #7 Wisconsin at Michigan: Badgers are still quite alive for a Rose Bowl bid, but could the Skunkbears be poised for an upset special? Nah … they’re the Skunkbears … and this is one game I hope the Badgers actually do score 80 points. Death to the Skunkbears! It won’t be a blowout though. Badgers win 31-24.
— #10 Oklahoma State at Kansas: not even close … Cowboys by 28.
— #6 Stanford at Cal: Huge PAC 10 rivalry game. But I think Cal may be spent after giving Oregon all it could handle last week. The Tree takes it by 17.
— #9 Ohio State at #20 Iowa: This should be a good one. Buckeyes have the momentum and more to play for … seem to be peaking. Iowa coming off gut-wrenching loss to Northwestern. Ohio State wins 23-20.
— Ole Miss at #5 LSU: Can The Nutt top the Mad Hatter? I hope so … would like to see an end to LSU’s charade as a top team. But they’re in Death Valley, so the Hatter will likely pull more rabbits out of his cap. Tigers by 2.
— #16 Va Tech at #24 Miami: ACC supremacy on the line here. Hokies by 3.
— # 8 Nebraska at #19 Texas A&M: Lots riding on this one, too. I’m really looking forward to it as the whole fam will be in attendance at Kyle Field. Which Nebraska will show up? … that’s the question. Huskers are a slight favorite, but I think the Aggies significant home field advantage will take the day. Aggies 24 Huskers 21. Gig ’em!!
— Army vs Notre Dame (at Yankmee Stadium): Notre Dame gets a second chance to defend the triple option …. something they failed miserably at vs Navy a few weeks ago. So the kids are fairly bright, right? Are ND’s coaches??? I’m gonna give them the benefit of the doubt. Irish take this one by a 24-17 margin.
— Auburn and Oregon are off this week. Tigers will travel to Alabama after Thanksgiving. Whoa, Nellie … that will be a barnburner!
Okay … I’m out of steam. Everyone have a great weekend. Please send comments on how you see these or other games coming up. 😉
The game at Wrigley is going to have to be played towards one end zone only. I think my initial thought about Fenway (couldn’t fit a gridiron) is probably accurate.
Yes, Pete, I think I heard on the radio today that all teams on offense will be traveling away from the right field bleachers and toward the 3rd base dugout. So that means when a team punts and possession changes, they will reset the offense to be facing west. Did you see that the east side goal post is literally bolted into the right field brick wall.
I wouldn’t write off Fenway for hosting a football game yet. Remember, Wrigley has one of the shortest right center dimensions on all of baseball (left center, too) because the curvature of the wall actually heads back closer to the field there, which is contrary to most other parks.
But the Green Monster makes Fenway even smaller; 275′! I just think there is a reason why Fenway has never hosted a football game, and park configuration is it.
I always thought the reason was elitist snobbism on the part of the Red Saux 😉
just another myth, like the curse of the Babe!
Or is that “The Curse of the Bambino!”?
For those who might not know, one of the premiere NASCAR teams is Roush/Fenway. No elitist snobbism there. Those Fenway people are down to earth NASCAR fans.
Does the Roush/Fenway NASCAR team have something to do with Fenway Park?
I am sorry, but when they decided to play the game in Wrigley – did anyone bother to measure to see if the field would fit? I can imagine that people paid some pretty good $$$ to sit in those right field bleachers. The only chance on see a TD in that endzone is from a returned punt or defensive TD – wouldn’t you be asking for your money back or some portion of it back??
I love the idea of having these games in baseball stadiums, but let’s play them in stadiums that fit.
Cmon’ Smitty, it’s only Illinois/Northwestern. I’m sure people are happy to pay for bad seats to see a game at Wrigley, just as they’re happy to pay a premium for bad seats to sit on top of the Green Monster.
Chas that is spoken like a true Nittany Lion alumnus. 🙂
To answer an earlier question Chas, yes, Roush/Fenway is a NASCAR conglomerate that owns 4 cars on the cuop circuit and it is indeed Fenway Park that is the Fenway of that equation.
Link re: Fenway Sports role in NASCAR ownership:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roush_Fenway_Racing#Creation_of_Roush_Fenway_Racing
Smitty, yes to all your questions. They DID measure, it DID fit, all parties (including the Big 10) accepted the tight fit as part of the deal and did not worry about potential dangers. The NCAA intervened only this week and asked the Big 10 to make a ruling, and they pulled a reverse. And yes, people should get some or all of their money back from that “wrong end” zone!
Does the freshman QB for ND look good today or is it just that Army stinks? Where’s Boog…
Rey —
I was at A&M and didn’t see ND’s game, so you tell me. Rees looked pretty good last week vs Utah.
Boog is out hunting squirrel.
Pretty darned good Friday/Saturday ….
— Boise State a 51-0 winner
— Michigan lost by a lot 🙂
— ND won by a lot
— Badgers trounced the Skunkbears 🙂
— Aggies beat a pretty good Nebraska team by 3 in a low scoring but exciting game.
— All other predictions were spot on.
— Michigan got killed 🙂
Wally, did you mention Michigan’s loss?
Rees looked good again. 8 TD passes in 2.75 games is unbelievable! What most impresses me is that the kid immediately moves mentally to the next play. Once (and only once), in his first game, I saw him get upset with himself. And not even once yet have I seen him get upset with a teammate for missing a catch or running the wrong route. He just looks to the sideline to see what play and formation they want him to run on the next play. He’s better than I realized, and while ND’s resurrgence has come against less-than-stellar opposition, the kid has shown me that he’s for real and is a major reason for ND’s current streak. I am not sure we would have won either game with Crist still at the helm.
Wally, good prognosticating – again!
Pete —
We’re on a “streak”? Ha! Okay … a very modest 2 game winning streak. BUT given where we were after the Tulsa debacle, I’ll take it.
Oh … anyone see USC get torched by Oregon State? Yes, the 5-5 Beavers who were themselves steamrolled by Wazzou (in Corvallis) last week! Just goes to show the role emotion plays in college football week-to-week. I’m sure the Beavers had a practice week to remember after losing to Wazzou.
Meanwhile, the Trojans are 7-4, 5th in Pac 10, and will host the Irish next weekend. Could this be THE YEAR to finally end that crappy trend of losing to SoCal?
Crash, whadya think? Forget it … I already know.
Question of the day:
What team with at least 6 wins is NOT bowl eligible???
https://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/20/dillon-baxter-usc-running-back-may-have-had-contact-with-agent/?ncid=txtlnkusspor00000002
Army is not that good. Rees takes too long to find a receiver, then he stares them down. Still better the guy he replaced. 2-0 in November, not bad. ND needs a jumbotron, if not several jumbotrons.
Boog, Rees is :”staring down” his receivers and quickening the timing of his release more each time out. Jumbotrons not part of the tradition, like names on the back of the jerseys. You know that! Your just joking us, right?
Previous post should read: Rees is staring down his receivers less…
is Army the answer to Wally’s question?
I’m with Pete on jumbotrons. If Jerra Jones was an ND alum, the Irish would have several technological advances and a complete revising of history.
Jumbotrons aren’t part of the tradition only because they weren’t around in 1920. If they had been, ND stadium would have been the first to get one, just like they were the first to get the forward pass. 5 minute TV timeouts after ever change of possession and after every kick were never part of ND tradition, but they are now. Something needs to be done about the atmosphere. It has become a haven for grumpy old people who don’t want to stand or cheer or yell.
I hope the NCAA doesn’t give USC the death penalty before ND has the chance to play them this weekend. The game has the potential to not even be close.
No … Pete … C’MON, MAN … Casey gave you a major clue … it’s right in front of us. 🙂
Wally,
ND has no chance Saturday at the Coloseum…SC wins another one…How many in a row will that be ? I’ve lost count…
Best wishes to Kiffin and the Trojans in their first Bowl game together. . . whenever that may be.
AP polls are out, Wally. Boise State got 10 first place votes and TCU none. Here’s my question since poll shenanigans have dominated the topics here: Who is the best one loss team? Right now we have, in order, Wisconsin, LSU, Stanford, OhioState, OK State, Mich State, Nevada. So assuming we can just drop off Mich State and Nevada, my question is why isn’t Stanford ranked the highest out of all of these??? Their only loss was a heavyweight, haymaker throwing bout with the nation’s #1 team. I wouldn’t say Wisconsin has had impressive wins and their only loss is to Sparty, who narrowly avoided being beat by a bad Purdue team (although it appears they’re playing way better than the beginning of the season).LSU’s only loss is to the #2 team in the nation, one which they could have won. I think Ohio State is still one bad Terrell Pryor game from being #1 in nation anyway. So I think the one loss teams should be:
Stanford
LSU
Wisconsin
Ohio State
OK State
Crash —
I think the current streak might be approaching ND’s win streak vs SoCal that started in roughly 1983 or so and carried throughout the Holtz era.
Rey —
ANYONE BUT LSU as the best 1-loss team as of today. LSU is way more lucky than good. WAY MORE. They would have 3 losses if some their other SEC brethren had brain cells. I rank LSU at the bottom of this group. I’d go with Stanford or Wisconsin as the best of the one-lossers. Now, if OK State beats Oklahoma next week at Bedlam, I reserve the right to switch. Meanwhile, Ohio State just hasn’t beaten anyone of note. They are a very solid team though.
I don’t get the gripe against LSU and Les Miles. They have played 6 Top 25 teams (ranked at the time of playing them) and lost only to #2. If they’ve been lucky, so be it. Does the BCS computer measure that, too? Rather lucky against good teams. Meanwhile, Wisconsin has played 3 in the top 25 and has had some close calls.
Rey —
HAVE YOU WATCHED LSU PLAY??? If you have, then you should understand “the gripe”.
Didn’t Michigan State beat Wisconsin with some last minute trickeration? That’s the Badger’s only loss.
I have and I don’t.
MSU beat ND with last minute trickeration too. That puts Wisconsin’s 1 loss in a category that seriously questions their strength. I believe Stanford is the best 1 loss team in the country, and everyone else with one loss is lower tier bowl-worthy at best.
I can’t argue against Stanford being “the best one-loss team” right now. Maybe Wisconsin right behind ’em. LSU down at 5th among the teams listed by Rey above.