Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, October 21, 2015
Mark Dantonio has a name for that crazy game-ending play that propelled Michigan State to a wild last-play victory at Michigan that still has me sitting on the ceiling: ?Rangers: Mission 4:10.?
This also interesting: Dantonio said the MSU staff turned the situation around, and like many other staffs across the country, reviewed what they would have done in Jim Harbaugh's shoes.
"You have to recognize the situation, (and) recognize if there's a guy back (to receive the punt) in that situation or not, (and) if they don't have a guy back, you bring you gunners in possibly,? Dantonio said.
"There are different things you can do with your blocking scheme."
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How often does a No. 1 team in the nation that?s riding a 20-game winning streak coming off a national title change starting quarterbacks based on merit and not injury? Uh ? practically never. Except for Ohio State in 2015. J.T. Barrett is in. Cardale Jones is out. I like the move. Barrett is a better fit for what Urban Meyer likes to do, as his running skills are key to making the OSU offense go. Watch the film.
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You knew this wouldn?t take long: Jim Harbaugh is being mentioned for other jobs. And he says it?s disrespectful.
Nick Baumgardner of Mlive.com says Michigan's coach currently is in Year One of a seven-year, $40 million contract. Michigan has the option of increasing Harbaugh's pay and re-working his deal at the close of the 2015 season. You think that will happen? You betcha!
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Bob Flounders of Pennlive.com wonders if Penn State can go 3-2 down the stretch and finish 8-4.
Sure! PSU is 5-2 as I type this. Games left: Maryland, Illinois, Northwestern, Michigan and Michigan State. I can find three wins in there. But know this: RB Saquon Barkley must stay healthy.
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Not impressed with Iowa? You must be a human, because computers love the Hawkeyes.
Chad Leistikow of HawkCentral.com says the human college football polls put 7-0 Iowa in the nation?s top 15. The computers have the Hawkeyes in the top 10. Iowa shot up seven spots to No. 9 in the College Football Computer Composite rankings, released Monday, following Saturday?s 40-10 domination of then-No. 20 Northwestern.
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Henry Bushnell of InsideNU.com is facing the depressing reality of Northwestern?s season.
In two weeks, NU has gone from sneakily, optimistically talking about the College Football Playoff, to matter-of-factly discussing the Big Ten West race, to … just making a middling bowl. The offense has been a big issue. Yes, turnovers are a problem. But they aren?t the only one. NU can?t run ? or pass. And, that?s a problem.
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Bad news for Northwestern as it heads to Nebraska: The Huskers are improving. Getting turnovers is key.
HuskerOnline.com says that after racking up six takeaways through the first three-and-a-half games of the season, the Huskers came into last week's showdown with Minnesota having not created a turnover since recovering a fumble during the second quarter of their win over Southern Miss on Sept. 12. To make matter worse, the defense had seen numerous opportunities literally slip through its hands via dropped interceptions during that span.
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Not long ago, Indiana was rolling, 4-0 and looking to end a bowl drought that stretched to 2007. Now, three losses in a row later?
It seems handling success is an issue for IU.
"Coach nailed it today," senior quarterback Nate Sudfeld said earlier this week. "We've been able to handle failure pretty well, whether a guy misses an assignment or coming back from a bad throw, but how are we able to handle success? How are we able to handle good plays? Are we able to come back or just be excited about the play we just made?
"It's a good opportunity for us to learn from."
IU may be fortunate to get to six wins. In fact, it may come down to winning the last two games of the season: at Maryland; at Purdue.
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Minnesota is off this week, giving it two weeks to stew over the home blowout loss to Nebraska. Is this a good thing?
"It definitely surprises you because you prepare really hard throughout the week to make those plays," Gophers cornerback Eric Murray said. "When you don't, it's just frustrating, mainly because you search for an answer for why."
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More bad news for what seems like a hexed Illinois hoops program: Kendrick Nunn is out after undergoing thumb surgery and will miss about eight weeks.
Nunn averaged 11.1 points last season and was expected to be the Illini's starting shooting guard this season. He joins a plethora of Illinois players who are already injured this season including LeRon Black (meniscus) and Tracy Abrams (Achilles, out for year).
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