Big Ten buzz for today... August 20, 2009!

Big Ten: UM can't get worse; Pryor will be most-watched - Toledo Free Press
For anyone who missed the 2008 Big Ten football season, for whatever reason, including sad feelings of nostalgia, this season might be a facsimile if you're ...

Big Ten football roundup: Illinois the consensus 'trap game' for ... - PennLive.com
JOE HERMITT, The Patriot-NewsIllinois quarterback Juice Williams throws downfield during the 3rd quarter at Beaver Stadium last season. ...

Nagurski watch list includes seven from Big Ten - ESPN - Adam Rittenberg ‎
The Bronko Nagurski Award watch list is out and includes seven Big Ten players. The award, presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) ...

Nittany Lions LB ready to roar back in Big 10 after injury - USA Today
He recorded a 138 tackles as a junior, earning all-Big Ten honors and some All-America distinctions. He enters this year with 239 career tackles and has an ...

Purdue is our Big 10 football Pur-don't - UI The Daily Iowan
“Contrary to popular opinion of the experts and some of our peers, I think we can field a very good football team in 2009,” Hope said at Big Ten media days ...

Best Case/Worst Case: Syracuse - ESPN
Meanwhile, Michigan leads the Big Ten in points allowed, and Wolverines fans shower praise on their new defensive coordinator, Greg Robinson. ...

Iowa football: Kinnick Stadium's new artificial grass a real help - DesMoinesRegister.com
Iowa City, Ia. - Imagine telling more than 70000 rain-soaked football fans that game day was a washout. ...

In two weeks, the 2009 College Football season will kickoff. Indiana will open on August 3, 2009 hosting Eastern Kentucky.

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Is anyone in the Big Ten going to pass Ohio State in 2009?

"Yet another BCS berth isn't out of the question coming out of the mediocre
Big Ten, although the 2009 Buckeyes appear to be a year away from making a run at the title game for the third time in four years. In a list of 10 questions,
even that's too much to ask." - Rusty Miller, AP writer

Ten questions about the 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes - Chicago Tribune
5) If Tressel's right, and the punt is the most important play in football, then how important is the punter spot? Don't worry about placekicker because ...

The Buckeyes have won either a share or outright Big Ten title over the past four seasons. Only Penn State has tied the Buckeyes in two of those four seasons ('05 and '08).

Can Iowa be a sleeper in the Big Ten in 2009?

Three sleeper teams who could challenge for the Big Ten crown - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

1. Iowa


2. Illinois


3. Michigan State

In 2008, Iowa had a two man race at quarterback, opening the season alternating between two quarterbacks until one emerged, after the Northwestern game... it was clear Ricky Stanzi was in and 2007 starter Jake Christensen was out.

Christensen completed his degree at the University of Iowa after the 2008 season. With one season of eligibility remaining, the former Iowa quarterback has transferred to Eastern Illinois University, his father's alma mater to compete for the quarterback position and attend graduate school.

Former Iowa QB Christensen starts fresh at EIU - ESPN - Adam Rittenberg

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Washington Warriors ranked #5 among all high schools preseason prep football in Iowa

5. Washington The Warriors should have the most explosive offense in the
state this year with seven starters back on that side of the line including the
state’s best player, senior running back Andre Dawson. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound
senior was second team all-state last year after rushing for 1,485 yards and
scoring 28 touchdowns. Dawson will also have a huge blocker in front of him in
6-7, 250-pound lineman Matt Huffer. The team’s top wide receiver returns in Shay
Gutman, however he may also spend some time behind center. The Tigers were 11-2 last year including a win over Cedar Falls. Washington also lost to Cedar Falls
in the playoffs and fell to Iowa City during the regular season. - MaxPreps

Iowa Football Top 5 -MaxPreps
As football kickoff inches closer around the country, maxpreps forecasts the top five teams in the state of Iowa for the 2009 season. ...

1. Valley, West Des Moines


2. Solon


3. Cedar Falls


4. Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City


5. Washington, Cedar Rapids

The Washington Warriors and Cedar Falls will open the 2009 Iowa high school football season in Cedar Rapids on August 28, 2009. Washington's 2009 football schedule includes five home games and six total games at Kingston Stadium. MaxPreps preview of the Warriors for 2009.

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August 17, 2009: Around the Big Ten in Football

Which player, coach or opponent haunts your favorite Big Ten team like
none other? Some Penn State fans might still have Richard Nixon dartboards
in their homes. Jim Tressel has become a modern-day villain for Michigan
fans, but who holds the all-time title? - Adam Rittenberg

Big Ten villains, past and present - ESPN

The Iowa Hawkeyes return 16 starters for the 2009 College Football season. Look for converted quarterback, turned WR Marvin McNutt to emerge in 2009, after spending most of 2008 on the sidelines for the Hawkeyes.

Iowa's McNutt catches on quickly at receiver -ESPN - Adam Rittenberg ‎
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Marvin McNutt won't be channeling his inner Terrell Owens this fall. Though McNutt would love to match TO's on-field production for Iowa, ...

McNutt learning on the fly at wideout - Marshalltown Times Republican‎
IOWA CITY - The University of Iowa football coaching staff saw the ability and knew Marvin McNutt had to be on the field. ...

In Back to Back fall camps, PSU loses LB for the season due to ACL injury ...

• In 2008, it was senior MLB Sean Lee who went down with an ACL injury
• In 2009, Fritz LB sophomore Michael Mauti, a 4.6 guy voted spring football most improved for 2009 has been knocked out for the 2009 season

Penn St. LB Mauti out for season with knee injury - Philadelphia Inquirer
Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti will miss the 2009 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a scrimmage Sunday. ...

Mauti injury thins Penn State's LB depth - ESPN

Ohio State remains the Team to Beat in the Big Ten entering 2009, after four straight outright or shared titles in the conference in football. Jim Tressel is the top coach in the Big Ten.

Ohio State football evening news roundup: Jim Tressel gets top ...
The Plain Dealer - cleveland.com - ‎Aug 16, 2009‎
Since becoming the Buckeye's head man in 2001, Tressel has led Ohio State to a National Title, five Big Ten Titles, and has had the Buckeyes ranked in both ...

Top Three Coaches in the Big Ten?

1. Jim Tressel, Ohio State
2. Mark Dantonio, Michigan State
3. Kirk Ferentz, Iowa

Could this be the year for Illinois and coach Ron Zook?

llinois football faces make-or-break season - Chicago Tribune ‎
Two seasons ago, Illinois was the skinny kid unexpectedly bashing a home run. Last season, it was the slugger who whiffed ...

Year 2 at Michigan for coach Rich Rodriguez: Look for Improvement? But, how much improvement is in order?

Analysts: Michigan should be markedly better - Detroit Free Press‎
One definition of stop the bleeding is, this year, you won't be watching and saying, 'I can't believe I'm watching Michigan football. ...

At what cost will Michigan State make the next step in coach Mark Dantonio's 3Rd season?

Hockey player upset Winston reinstated -ESPN - Adam Rittenberg ‎
Michigan State hockey player AJ Sturges is urging the university to have a clearer policy on how to handle athletes convicted of violent ...

RB Winston rejoins Michigan State football team - Chicago Tribune
Michigan State has reinstated sophomore running back Glenn Winston as the team begins practice for the 2009 season. Winston pleaded guilty earlier this year ...

Defense wins championships... could coach Pat Fitzgerald have something brewing in Evanston for 2009?

Northwestern football hopes to build around veteran defense - Chicago Tribune
Brendan Smith couldn't really get angry when he heard critics refer to Northwestern's defense as weak a few seasons ago. ...

Where is Wisconsin headed in coach Bret Bielema's fourth season?

The Badgers finished 7-1, 5-3 and 3-5 in Bielema's first three seasons in the Big Ten. Kansas State had some discipline issues, when Bret Bielema was in Manhattan. Are there issues in Madison with the coaching staff?

UW safeties intend to fight suspensions - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Madison — University of Wisconsin seniors Shane Carter and Aubrey Pleasant intend to fight their indefinite suspensions, which were announced Saturday by ...

Bret Bielema may be hearing from suspended safties' attorneys - Yahoo! Sports
As I said last week, I don't get as much of a sense that Bret Bielema is on the hot seat in Wisconsin as much as some other people seem to. ...

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin suspended safeties Aubrey Pleasant and ... - ESPN

Minnesota Football opens 2009 college football season in new stadium.

Minnesota hopes new stadium will give it a boost - Chicago Tribune
Minnesota would not win another game. The season will be considered a success if ... the transition to a new stadium produces a winning record and a bowl ...

A major win for Minnesota -Minneapolis Star Tribune
If Chicago is selected to host the 2016 Olympics, the new TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota would be one of several US stadiums to host soccer ...

Purdue has Hope for 2009!

Purdue football could find going rough under new coach Danny Hope - Chicago Tribune
If the 6-foot-2-inch fifth-year senior hurls spirals as well as he spins yarns, maybe Purdue won't have quite the calamitous transition in coach Danny ...

IU unloads the Pistol offense for 2009!

Big Ten - A Postseason Nightmare - Sports Network
Offense - The Hoosiers will feature the pistol offense, which will help improve the running game behind their finest o-line in years. ...

ESPNChecking in with ... Indiana's Bill Lynch - ESPN
I know you're excited about the pistol offense this year. Has that system fully sunk in, or is it still a process? BL: They've got a good handle on it. ...

More predictions around the Big Ten ...

Preseason Big Ten Power Rankings - ChicagoNow

Predicting Every Single 2009 Game: Yes, We're That Crazy - ChicagoNow

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Are we ready for some Football?

Well, it's nice to be back online to update our blog, after a ten day break. The College Football season kicks off in less than three weeks.

The NFL is in full swing with preseason football. Just turn into the NFL Network, if you need a fix on some preseason football. Of course, don't ask Brett Favre to step up and get involved in preseason football. Rumor has it, he will be back at age 40.

We have been reading and checking out the preview magazines and various fan comments for the 2009 upcoming college football season. It's hard to get a real good handle on who is #1 across the various conferences. In many cases, parity and question marks lead one to have some questions on more teams than not for 2009.

Other than Florida and Texas, is there a clear cut favorite any where else? Right now, we would say the 2009 college football season will be one of surprise across the Top 25.

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Coaches Preseason College Football Poll is Out for 2009

Nine Big Ten teams receive votes in 2009 Preseason FBS Coaches Poll. Two teams are in the Top 8, with Iowa the third team to make the preseason Top 25 Poll.

2009 Preseason FBS Coaches Poll
Rank Team (first-place votes) 2008 record Points Final 2008 rank Comments
1. Florida (53) 13-1 1,466 1

2. Texas (4) 12-1 1,386 3
3. Oklahoma (1) 12-2 1,358 5
4. Southern California (1) 12-1 1,321 2
5. Alabama 12-2 1,134 6
6. Ohio State 10-3 1,126 11
7. Virginia Tech 10-4 1,020 14
8. Penn State 11-2 988 8
9. LSU 8-5 917 NR
10. Mississippi 9-4 889 15
11. Oklahoma State 9-4 861 18
12. California 9-4 711 25

13. Georgia 10-3 707 10
14. Oregon 10-3 694 9
15. Georgia Tech 9-4 559 22
16. Boise State 12-1 542 13
17. TCU 11-2 461 7

18. Utah 13-0 404 4
19. Florida State 9-4 371 23
20. North Carolina 8-5 293 NR
21. Iowa 9-4 257 20
22. Nebraska 9-4 236 NR
23. Notre Dame 7-6 194 NR
24. Brigham Young 10-3 178 21
25. Oregon State 9-4 165 19

Others receiving votes (with 2008 records)
Kansas (8-5) 138; Michigan State (9-4) 136; Texas Tech (11-2) 114; Cincinnati (11-3) 90; Pittsburgh (9-4) 64; West Virginia (9-4) 55; Rutgers (8-5) 51; Miami (Fla.) (7-6) 46; Missouri (10-4) 44; Illinois (5-7) 38; Clemson (7-6) 30; South Carolina (7-6) 18; UCLA (4-8) 14; Auburn (5-7) 12; Nevada (7-6) 11; South Florida (8-5) 11; Kentucky (7-6) 9; North Carolina State (6-7) 7; Arkansas (5-7) 6; Wisconsin (7-6) 6; Northwestern (9-4) 5; Southern Mississippi (7-6) 4; Wake Forest (8-5) 4; Arizona (8-5) 3; Boston College (9-5) 3; Central Michigan (8-5) 3; East Carolina (9-5) 3; Colorado (5-7) 2; Maryland (8-5) 2; Navy (8-5) 2; Tennessee (5-7) 2; Houston (8-5) 1; Michigan (3-9) 1; Minnesota (7-6) 1; Troy (8-5) 1.

No surprise that Florida and Texas are 1-2. LSU makes Top 10, despite finishing '08 outside the coaches Top 25. LSU is highest 5 loss team from '08. TCU and Utah slide down the ladder after strong finishes in '08. North Carolina, Nebraska and Notre Dame jump into the Top 25, after finishing outside the coaches Top 25 in '08.

It should be a great year for football in the FBS for 2009. Though, there doesn't appear to be as many teams likely candidates for #1 this season. Outside Florida and Texas, most schools in the Top Ten may be candidates to slip out by season's end. The theme for '09 appears to be "opportunity knocks" for a lot of schools. Of course, some may find some hard knocks along the way.

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Less than 30 days until the opening of Iowa, Northern Iowa and Iowa State 2009 football seasons

The University of Iowa will kickoff the 2009 football season on September 5, 2009 at Kinnick Stadium, when the Hawkeyes host Iowa's FCS top 10 program, the University of Northern Iowa. On Thursday, September 3, 2009, the Iowa State Cyclones will host a UNI's fellow FCS and MVC Football Conference member, North Dakota State.

The University of Iowa is coming off an Outback Bowl victory over the University of South Carolina. The Hawkeyes look to take the momentum from last year's 9-4 overall record (5-3 in the Big Ten) into the 2009 season. Iowa and Michigan State return the highest number of returning starters in the Big Ten Conference.

Iowa needs defense to excel to contend in Big Ten - Chicago Tribune‎
When he did see the field, he found himself clearing the way for Iowa's running game, especially last season when Big Ten Silver Football winner Shonn ...
Arkansas State scores big at Kinnick - Gazette Online
2009 Football season preview: Iowa - University of Wisconsin Badgers

Iowa State has opened camp for the 2009 season.

Rhoads Brings Different Kind Of Enthusiasm -CycloneSportsReport.com ‎
One change ISU football fans will notice about the 2009 Iowa State Cyclones in their first season under new coach Paul Rhoads is that the ...
ISU Football Media Day: New OC Herman young and confident enough ... - Daily Freeman Journal
Iowa State Cyclones media day coverage - DesMoinesRegister.com‎

Economic woes force Iowa schools to cut budgets - Quad City Times
Iowa State projects a 3.4 percent increase in its revenue to $43.3 million, although the Cyclones' athletic department joins Iowa in expecting a slight drop ...

Iowa State football: Cyclones hope to slow down high-powered Big ... -DesMoinesRegister.com
Iowa State nose guard Nate Frere is not predicting an over-under number for wins. He isn't going out on a limb about anything that involves digits — except ...
Rhoads ready for first season - Fort Dodge Messenger
Cyclones energized at dawn of new era - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
Iowa State coach says team ready to move ahead - Radio Iowa

Can Rhoads turn Iowa State around? -Dubuque Telegraph Herald ‎
"If I wanted to wrap up this microphone "" Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads began to reporters at the Cyclones' media day Wednesday at Jack Trice ...

The University of Northern Iowa has opened camp for 2009 season.

UNI football reports to camp Wednesday - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier CEDAR FALLS --- The University of Northern Iowa football team will report to camp Wednesday, and will begin practice Thursday. The Panthers will be prepping ...

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