Sunday, October 5, 2014

Oktobersfest has arrived in Grand Fashion in College Football

How about Katy Perry and her first Saturday enjoying College Football with the ESPN GameDay show?

Welcome to College Football, as the first time was clearly of historic proportions, as Week 6 rattled the College Football world in the Top 10, with five of ten falling and visions of the Fall of 1967 being revisited in the Big Ten.

October has arrived with a heavy wind and a chill in the air for many across the college landscape, as teams fall and others rise to victory. By the way, Thursday night saw the Green Bay Packers roar in the NFL Central Division for the second straight week.

Oregon fell on Thursday night in Eugene to kick off Oktobersfest in College Football, during Week 6. Arizona is now 5-0 to open 2014, under coach Rich Rodriguez, who was ironically runned out of Ann Arbor, after 2010. The Wildcats have been thorns for the Ducks now in back to back seasons.

Ole Miss won their first ever over a #1 team, it was mentioned on Saturday, with a win over Alabama. Though, with defending champion holding on undefeated in 2014, should Bama even have been considered #1 over Florida State, this early in 2014?

Yes, I am being a little Rebel today.

Florida State should be #1 this season, though Auburn may give FSU a better game this year, if they meet now? The Tigers rolled over LSU on the first Saturday, this October. They have to host undefeated Mississippi State, who took out once undefeated Texas A&M on the first Saturday of October, as well.

The Seminoles have found a way to survive each week, despite September near stumbles with Clemson and at North Carolina State in the ACC. No worry hosting Wake Forest on the first Saturday in October.

Oklahoma found the Big 12 road at TCU to steep of hurdle, despite the bye week between Big 12 road trips, as the Sooners fall, as September has ended and October arrives.

Utah likes road venues in 2014. They went into Ann Arbor and earned a W in September, then opened October by garnering another road W, from the Boys from Westwood, as UCLA is the final Top 5 to fall on Saturday or is that Sunday for the most of us?

In the Big Ten, Michigan (2-4) starts 0-2 in the B1G for the first time, since 1967.

The B1G East is giving more pause for the Wolverines than the Legends did, over the first three seasons under Brady Hoke. Michigan did show a pulse finally at quarterback, with Devin Gardner playing, but Rutgers (5-1, 1-1 B1G East) was still to much for the Wolverines handle on the road.

Penn State (4-1, 1-1 B1G East) was idle for the first time in 2014, since September ended. The Nittany Lions head to Ann Arbor looking to feast on the Wolverines and rebound from their recent ugly B1G home loss, the worse,  since 2001.

Northwestern (3-2) leads the B1G West at 2-0, after holding Wisconsin to under 20 points, and pulling off their first FBS win of the season in Evanston. The Wildcats beat the Nittany Lions the week before on the road.

Northwestern heads to Minnesota this Saturday for a first place showdown in the B1G West, with the Golden Gophers, who took care of business last year, in this series.

Wisconsin (3-2, 0-1 B1G West) continued their road woes in B1G openers, in year 2 under coach Gary Anderson, with Saturday's lost at Northwestern. The Badgers have not won yet outside Madison in 2014.

In 1967, it was the last time Indiana and Minnesota both won a share of the conference title. Both programs hold the longest drought in the B1G, not including the three newest teams, who have yet to win one.

How are the Golden Gophers (4-1) enjoying their first bye week, now at 1-0 in the B1G West?

Not sure Indiana (3-2, 0-1 B1G East) can roll back into the B1G with as much excitement, as the Golden Gophers, but Hoosiers defeated North Texas to close out non-conference play in 2014.

Next up: at Iowa for the Hoosiers.

The Iowa Hawkeyes (4-1, 1-0 B1G West) enjoyed a bye week to open October. The Hawkeyes needed a bye week to get healthy and allow the coaching staff to focus on some of the younger players in practice and some recruiting on Saturday. The game with Indiana will also be Homecoming in Iowa City for the Hawkeyes

Oktobersfest activities could be found down down the road from Iowa City in the Amana Colonies this weekend, as you could see the Nebraska, Purdue and Packers colors out and about enjoying the sounds, smells and drink.

Nebraska (5-1, 1-1 B1G West) fell for the first time in 2014 and are the final B1G to leave the list of unbeaten teams. Michigan State (4-1, 1-0 B1G East) opened B1G play by holding on in East Lansing over the Cornhuskers, after a solid 17-0 lead at halftime, but a 27-22 win.

Purdue (3-3, 1-1 B1G West) gave second-year coach Darrell Hazell his first B1G win with a road win at Illinois (3-3, 0-2 B1G West) on Saturday. The Fighting Illini only B1G win in three seasons now under Tim Beckman came last year at Purdue.  Both programs face huge hurdles next week, as Purdue hosts MSU and Illinois travels to Madison.

Ohio State (4-1, 1-0 B1G East) appears to be getting their sea legs back, after Week 2 loss in Columbus. The Buckeyes took care of business in the B1G opener on the road, with a sound win at Maryland (4-2, 1-1 B1G East).

Maryland, Ohio State and Rutgers will be idle this Saturday in the B1G East, as the Terrapins ready for Homecoming, hosting Iowa. Rutgers and Ohio State will face off in Columbus, after the bye week. Nebraska will get a B1G bye ahead of another B1G road game at Northwestern, in Week 8.

Elsewhere in the State of Iowa, Northern Iowa falls to Indiana State to open Missouri Valley Football Conference action. While Iowa State (1-4) falls to 0-3 in Big 12 at Oklahoma State, with a 37-20 road loss.

But, ISU athletic director Jamie Pollard has had enough with the Big 12 officials and went off with the media ahead of head coach Paul Rhoads postgame press conference. Fitting it was in Stillwater, after Oklahoma State's coach Mike Gundy's rant several seasons ago.

“It’s no longer fair to put our student athletes, our coaching staff and our fans in that position,” Pollard said. “I don’t know how things change, but it’s frustrating and it’s not fair.''

Former Iowa and Stanford athletic director Bob Bowlsby is the Big 12 Conference commissioner and it will be interesting to see how he responds to the Iowa State AD's rant?

Iowa State has never won a Big 8 or Big 12 football title. Will this loss or call by an official cost a head coach, an athletic director or the college's president their job? Mr. Pollard mentioned the stakes bad official calls can lead to and he doesn't want any part of it at Iowa State.

The Cyclones head back to Ames for Homecoming against the MAC's Toledo. The Cyclones face a tough six remaining Big 12 games, after their final non-conference game in 2014. ISU was 3-9 last year overall, 2-7 in the Big 12. ISU won the Cy-Hawk Trophy Game in September for their lone win thus far in 2014.

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