Maybe we can be decent?
by ckmneon on Nov 5, 2010 3:22 PM EDT
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PrintPenn State is 5-3. All three losses have come against teams in the Sagarin top 26. All 5 wins came against teams ranked lower than that.
The following is a list of teams ranked in the AP Poll who have not beaten a team in the Sagarin top 26:
12. Utah
17. Arkansas
19. Oklahoma State
20. Virginia Tech
21. Mississippi State
22. Baylor
24. Florida State
Since none of these teams can honestly claim to have a win better than PSU's worst loss, let's compare our best wins:
Unranked and not getting any votes Penn State:
Wins over teams in the Sagarin top 51: 2, Michigan (#46) and Temple (#51)
#12 Utah:
2, Pittsburgh (#37) and Iowa State (#45)
#17 Arkansas:
1, Texas A&M (#34)
#19 Oklahoma State:
3, Texas A&M, Kansas State (#35), Texas Tech (#49)
#20 Virginia Tech:
1, #30 NC State
#21 Mississippi State:
1, #31 Florida
#22 Baylor:
2, Kansas State, Texas (#39)
#24 Florida State
1, #32 Miami-FL
So out of the 7(!) teams ranked in the AP top 25 who are in the same boat as PSU in terms of lacking a top 26 win, only 1 has more wins against numbers 27-51, and 4 have less. I'm not out to say PSU should be ranked. What I am out to say is that our resume is not that much, if any, worse than several teams that are ranked. It might actually be better.
Did I choose arbitrary cutoff points? Yes. Does that matter as far as illustrating my point? No. And my point is this: this team can be decent. Maybe it already is. Top 25 decent. On a team that (1) had to replace as much as PSU did from last year, (2) is as young as PSU is, (3) got as injured as PSU did, and (4)had as brutal of a schedule as PSU did.
That is not a disappointment. That's good. So when PSU is down at halftime tomorrow and the FIRE JOEPAs of the world come out of the woodwork to rear their ugly little internet faces once again, just remember: PSU is doing as well as could possibly be expected under the circumstances, and better than many who are currently ranked. If PSU finishes this year 9-3 or even 8-4, this is exactly the type of season an average coach would've gone 4-8 in.
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It's like this every year
You’ve got a handful of really good teams, then 10 or 12 teams below them, and then about 30 teams that are essentially the same.
I don't like how that puts us on the same level as VT. They always suck.
Ergo, we suck.
"Every player we have, someone-maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone-poured their soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it's our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world."
-J.V.Pa.
Why don't you try comparing us to an elite team, Commander kool aid drinker?
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
Alright
Ohio State:
Technically has a top 26 win, #26 Illinois. Other wins in the top 51: 1, #32 Miami-FL. Next best win? #86 Ohio U.
So Ohio State has one win all year against the top 85. Penn State has 2.
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
We’re going to beat Ohio State!
@EpicTripod
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Nov 5, 2010 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I can't add
OSU has 2, so do we.
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
Look 6-2 is what everybody figured would be the best case right now.
But I think a lot of people expected this season to be like last years where yes, they lost to some good teams, but they smoked everbody else. The team has struggled in every single game this year in some phase of the game, and that’s not really debatable.
So while 5-3 is not a suprise (even if it is a dissapoitment) what has been troubling is that it is a real ugly 5-3, as opposed to what we were last season. I think if our wins were a bit more emphatic that you’d see generally a better feeling around the team. But like I said in the last post, I just think that this is a 5-7 team that got lucky with the schedule.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
Let me parse it out a bit more....
Why did the 2000 team go 5-7, not 5-6? Because they played USC in the kickoff classic.
Why did the 2000 team go 5-6, not 6-5? Because their MACrifice game was against an 11-1 Toledo team instead of a POS Kent State team.
Why did the 2000 team go 6-5, not 7-4? Because they played a very good Michigan team instead of a very bad one.
This team may win three more games, but they’re not appreciably better than a dark era team. Just a touch luckier.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
I agree sort of
I agree in the sense that the dark ages teams (with the exception of 2003, which is miserable) weren’t nearly as bad as their record showed. I disagree with your implication that this team isn’t good because it’s so similar to them.
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
A positive way to look at it would be that the 2000, 2001 teams weren't that bad.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
They did go .500 or better in Big Ten play in both of those years
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
But for Toledo
and Mills’ fumble against UVa in 2001, both of those teams would have won 6 games.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
The Gary Pinkel Toledo teams
were good. Legit top 25, borderline top 15 good.
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
Right...
The 2000 Toledo team with Chester Taylor would have beaten this team too.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
That was a bad call
He was down. I’m still bitter.
Of course, insisting on throwing the ball when UVa. was dropping 8 back wasn’t really bright either.
Blogging about D.C. Baseball since April '04. Penn State alum, so I blog about it too. Also partial to the Washington Capitals and the rest of the D.C. teams, plus the New York Yankees and Yale football.
And my implication is nothing more than
there isn’t much difference between this teams version of 7-5 and the 2000 teams version of 5-7. From a record standpoint, one is disappointing, the other makes you want to jump off a cliff. But like I said, they’re pretty much the same thing, sans a bit of luck.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
Except this team appears to be improving.
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 5, 2010 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions
That may be a matter of timing...
the M&Ms are so sweet this time of year.
"Every player we have, someone-maybe a parent, a grandparent, someone-poured their soul into that young man. They are handing that young man off to us. They are giving us their treasure, and it's our job to make sure we give them back that young man intact and ready to face the world."
-J.V.Pa.
Why did the 2010 team go X-Y and not (X+1) - (Y-1)? Because they played defending champ, #1 ranked (and current best 1 loss team) Alabama.
by The JuggerNitt on Nov 5, 2010 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Not really...
If they didn’t play Alabama, they’d have played somebody else out of confrence (the 2000 team played at Pitt). Had this years team played Pitt, or an equivalent game and won, you might have a point. But in my comparison it washes out over the Kickoff Classic.
Essentially, you can take the Alabama game out of the equasion all together and come to the same conclusion.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
I think this team and 2000 are very different....
2000 LOST to Pitt…done
"That's why you don't play! 'Cuz you're no good!" -Joe Paterno
I’m gonna go ahead and say that this team is already appreciably better than the 2004 team. This is one time where I do not care about statistics.
Does anyone believe the 2004 team does anything with the ball against Alabama and Iowa? If this team goes 8-4, in my book they’re an 8-4 team with an 8-4 schedule. And I’d be pretty happy with wins over UM, NW, and MSU – two of whom are decent teams.
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 5, 2010 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions
God, I Hate Doing This!
Interesting.
You know what makes me sad? YOU DO!
MAYBE we could chug on down to Mamby Pamby Land,
and MAYBE we could find you some self confidence,
JACKWAGON!
Tissues?
Crybaby!
Elizabeth, with Vin Scully, only folks working longer than JoePA at same place!
by joefromboalsburg on Nov 5, 2010 6:54 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
I will rec your comment every time I see Mamby Pamby Land!
"God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy"
Penn State First
This is the first time in the Paterno Era when there is a quarteback controversy because:
BOTH QB’s ARE GOOD!
JACKWAGONS, ALERT!
This team, overstocked with highly-ranked underclassmen, is getting better, week by week.
Northwestern, Indiana, and Michigan States will all be contests where PSU will be favored.
And it is high time to beat OSU in the Horseshoe.
BLOODTHIRSTY!
BLOODTHIRSTY!
BLOODTHIRSTY!
Elizabeth, with Vin Scully, only folks working longer than JoePA at same place!
by joefromboalsburg on Nov 5, 2010 8:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I'm siding with JFB because he's cooler.
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 5, 2010 8:33 PM EDT up reply actions
If by cooler you mean highly insane....
then yes, cooler.
Don't get me started on the lunacy of hiring the guy whose team lost to 4-7 Pitt, at home, with arguably the best team in school history, to beat Ohio State. If Pryor goes anywhere but Michigan, the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan could be turbulent to say the least. January 16, 2008.
Hey, irony has lost its cache.
Insane is the new irony. Accordingly; Coolest.
"Never mistake motion for action." - Ernest Hemingway
by SubLime on Nov 5, 2010 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Who's highly insane now, friendo?
KOOL AID POWER
MCGLOIN DESPITE THEM
SILAS REDD + ROYSTER = BLAIR THOMAS + DJ DOZIER + AWESOME
MCGLOIN DESPITE THEM
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 6, 2010 7:43 PM EDT up reply actions
Personal whatchamacallit!
Elizabeth, with Vin Scully, only folks working longer than JoePA at same place!
by joefromboalsburg on Nov 5, 2010 9:35 PM EDT reply actions
So an average coach...
Would pick up only 4 wins against
Youngstown State
Kent State
Temple
only one of (Illinois, Minn, Michigan, NW, ~Indiana)?
Yes
remember: young, injured, inexperienced.
YSU — whatever. Sure, PSU was down at one point, but that game was one YSU bubble screen (which might have been illegal with a lineman downfield) and one Royster fumble away from being a 55ish-3ish beating
Kent State has the #1 rush defense in college football, and PSU played that game with a QB who had been with the team for something like 50 days at that point.
Temple loses their best player and is still 7-2, against a schedule much tougher than Northwestern’s
Illinois is good. I still don’t put it past Zook to lose 1-2 more games this year that Illinois should win, but that team should win out and finish in the top 20 easily, if not the top 15.
Northwestern is 6-2, has a great QB, and has had a 2nd half lead or tie in 24 straight games
Minnesota has incompetent coaching, if they have coaching at all. You’ll get no denial of that from me. But lost in the incompetence is the fact that that offense is modestly respectable in spite of the coaching. They’re a handful of red zone meltdowns away from scoring 21+ against every opponent they’ve faced this year and having 3ish more wins. Also, that game was on the road.
Michigan and Indiana are pretty much the same team: great offense, no defense, but if your offense makes a couple turnover-level mistakes, you might never catch up.
Yes, considering the youth, injury, and inexperience of PSU, an average coach gets about 4 wins with that lot.
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
Illinois....wow.
I want to blame on that loss on the interception they dropped on overtime, but Michigan had five turnovers.
Worst game ever.
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 6, 2010 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions
no tlak me goodspelling error arrgh
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 6, 2010 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Worst game ever?
You did watch the Iowa game, right?
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
Actually, I don't mean that
2004 LSU — Oregon State is still the worst football game I’ve ever seen. And it’s not close. 2 teams going out there with no desire to win whatsoever,
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
IU stayed close in that game because Iowa's Ken O'Keefe became Krazy O'Keefe with his playcalling.
Iowa was also quite sloppy and won.
Illinois and Indiana, er, I mean, Michigan was the worst display of defense and tackling I have ever seen. Plus it’s Michigan. I hate them.
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 7, 2010 9:23 AM EST up reply actions
all-awful coaching staff
I’m thinking about who would be on the Big Ten “all-awful” coaching staff for 2010:
Head Coach: TRY FIGHT ROSE BOWL AWESOME (Minnesota)
Defensive Coordinator: GERG (Michigan)
Offensive Coordinator: Ken O’Keefe (Iowa)
Offensive line coach: Dick Anderson (PSU)
but I don’t know who else would be on staff
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
Not O'Keefe.
O’Keefe has done a great job all year, he just went into “Autistic O’Keefe” mode yesterday. He seems to do that at least once a year. I think he picked the IU game to have some fun screwing with his fans.
Offensive coordinator should be the guy at Ohio State.
"Iowa is like a flat Pennsylvania."
Beat Northwestern.
by ReadingRambler on Nov 7, 2010 11:00 AM EST up reply actions
OSU's RBs Coach
He’s the Dick Anderson of RBs coaches in the sense that he’s had a handful of really good ones, but seriously, who has done less with more? Wells should’ve been a far more serious Heisman candidate, and the guys there now shouldn’t look as downright mediocre as they do.
I've got the brains. You've got the looks. Let's make lots of money.
The Zooker Zooked it up.
Punting with 4th and 1 on the Michigan 40ish yardline in the 4th quarter? The score was already outrageous, you knew they weren’t really stopping you. You freaking go for it and get the first down.
"This is being a Penn State fan. We’ll prove it, or we won’t. It’s not about proving it to them, it’s about proving to ourselves."
But tWWL thought is was awesome! All that scoring!
It set records! It was the BEST game ever.
Seriously, what a bunch of tools
"Imma gonna make a couple 'a meatballs"
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