Penn State Ranked 19th In Coaches' Poll, Somehow Leading Leaders Division In Big Ten Standings
by Kevin Powers on Oct 23, 2011 1:03 PM EDT
in Football
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PrintWell here we are, somehow, climbing the Coaches' Poll:
10. Michigan State (from 13)
11. Wisconsin (from 4)
13. Nebraska (from 11)
17. Michigan (no change)
19. Penn State (from 22)
Illinois Zooked out from 21.
Does Penn State deserve to be higher? We need to remain indifferent to that question until we're talking about single digit rankings, but Houston is in another universe but undefeated at 18, and Michigan remains as they always are at this time of year: great against bad teams and on losing streaks against better ones -- even the last second Notre Dame win doesn't look like mich right now.
You'd be wrong, but if wanted to rank Penn State quantifiably right now you could go as high as 7th or 8th; they don't have any worse a resume as Oregon or anyone else in the Big Ten for that matter.
Glass ceiling. There was this:
Despite the incessant arm waiving of the short Wisconsin cheerleader, that ball was in. Now, instead of the top Big Ten team in the top four, the loser to loser Notre Dame appears to be the best team in the conference. With voters unable to muster more than a top ten ranking, everyone else near the top suffers.
This is still unbelievable.
Legends /West/Corn
Michigan State 3-0
Michigan 2-1
Nebraska 2-1
Iowa 2-1
Minnesota 0-3
Northwestern 0-4
Leaders /East/Pig
Penn State 4-0
Wisconsin 2-1
Purdue 2-1
Illinois 2-2
Ohio State 1-2
Indiana 0-4
The division thing is inverting my third party rooting interests in the Big Ten. Because we were able to put national championship hopes aside early, winning the conference is the only thing. Where we as Penn State fans would normally hope Wisconsin would have won yesterday to give our Michigan State-less schedule added computer juice (the BCS was a tiebreaker, after all), now I want all losers all the time in the Pig Division.
Indoors in Indy, the Roadmap continues. And boy are we getting them. Ohio State has probably found their formula, even if it is a marginal one, but sit with two losses out of division. If Wisconsin loses one more time -- they're at Ohio State this week -- Penn State could be in a situation where they're able to lose one of their final two and still play in the Big Ten Championship game.
And think about this: if Penn State is able to beat Illinois, Nebraska at home and an Ohio State team they seem to match up well against, a Wisconsin loss before the Penn State game renders the finale in Madison irrelevant, which could be an interesting twist on the quarterback rotation end game.
Even if I take the optimism shoes off, Penn State at the very least has total control of their destiny.
BCS. The good folks at SBNation.com exclude Penn State from the top 15 but call the Big Ten a big winner in the projected BCS standings, the reason? Two BCS bids now that we have such a soft gooey top. In fact, Nebraska is actually sitting ahead of both Wisconsin and Michigan state right now.
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Penn State's got a good team.
Joe Paterno knows what he’s doing, etc.
Bring on the Zooked up fools, the team with an offense more lackluster than a blighted potato, the fearsome bad tackling of the Blackshirts, and the arrogant cuckholds of Madison.
There ain't no point deficit can hold my defense down.
by ReadingRambler on Oct 23, 2011 1:08 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
the fearsome bad tackling of the Blackshirts
I like this one. It has been fearsomely bad all year.
by Kevin Powers on Oct 23, 2011 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Don't forget to add gym teacher coached cuckholds of Madison
"That's why you don't play! 'Cuz you're no good!" -Joe Paterno
Illinois terrifies me
Losing to Purdue and beating PSU @ PSU in consecutive weeks. Isn’t that, like, totally a Ron Zook thing to do?
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
Stop AJ Jenkins
and you stop Illinois offense.
Also- run away from Mercelius.
Formerly known as kmart93
@kmart93
Black Shoe Diaries
Maybe if I ask Zook real nicely
he’ll give me a ride to Happy Valley for the game.
by Nittany Llini on Oct 23, 2011 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Score more points than they do,
and win the game. Works every time.
They don’t draw pictures in the standings.
"That Craig James gets such prominent assignments remains a mystery on the D.B. Cooper scale."
Richard Deitsch on Craig James, who allegedly killed 5 hookers while at SMU.
by Pete the Streak on Oct 23, 2011 1:16 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
My feelings about Wisky are strange...
I don’t want to root against them per say, but I just hate Bielema. I found myself smiling at the TV last night when he had that stupid look on his face, like “why couldn’t we hang 50 on them boys?”
And I know he’s the type that thinks he has to hang 50 on lesser teams to get a jump in the polls – now MSU just rendered all of that irrelevant, and there are still a bunch of B10 teams that will still be looking to kick his ass in the future.
by Artiefufkin10 on Oct 23, 2011 1:23 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
It was hard for me to root for a team in that game.
Because I hate both coaches. I ultimately wanted MSU to win because Wisconsin is in our division, and because I wanted ESPN to continue to talk an inordinate amount of shit on the conference. I’m embracing it finally. It’ll make an inevitable B1G national championship in the next couple years all that much sweeter.
Luring recruits with my new "Posting HD" scheme since '08.
Exactly
" When you cross that Blue Line, you are mine...Across the Blue Line, it's all football. " " And what you need to do in your life is paint Blue Lines everywhere. " - Joe Paterno 2009
by BlueWhiteLife on Oct 23, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Wisky feelings
I thought they would go 8-4 in the preseason. I think they’re better now than I thought they would be, but not by much. If they lose to Ohio State, which I don’t think they will but do think is possible, they are who I thought they were.
I posted this last week. I don’t feel any different now.
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
after watching Wilson panic against MSU and tuck and run or make a bad throw under pressure I think he'll be lucky to be walking after OSU, who seems to be playing decent D as long as their offense doesn't hand over a short field.
My grammer skills need improved.
Maybe
but if I’m coaching against OSU, this is my gameplan:
Offense: find Simon. Run upfield and away from him.
Defense: put 9 guys in the box. Rush 7. Have 2 back for draws and screens.
Special teams: don’t get cute. Don’t screw anything up.
Can Wisconsin handle that? Yes. After watching Chryst fail so often when it matters, I don’t know if he’ll figure that out though.
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
Yeah
I thought Oregon State and Ohio State would both be much better than they are, and that Wilson would be more prone to the occasional DERP than he has been. I predicted 8-4 preseason, now I’m thinking 9-3 +/- 1 win
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
Pretty much this. I have several friends who went to Wisconsin and my brother-in-law has his grad degrees from there.
I really like Wilson and the other guys on the Wisconsin team, and loved Ron Dayne as a kid, since he grew up so close to me in New Jersey. I just really despise Bielema. He’s the kind of guy who needs to get punched in the face in order to get his smugness in check.
You without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Notes . . . you'll never go platinum.
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Oct 23, 2011 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions
I feel the SAME WAY!!
I don’t mind Wisconsin or their players. I especially like Russell Wilson because of everything he had to endure this year in losing his dad, who he was close to (I, too, just lost someone I was close to, my MOM). So, we have something in common, and I can definitely sympathize.
With all this being said, I totally dislike BRET BIELEMA, and I think he is a COMPLETE D*CK!!!! He has NO HONOR, and running up the score on WEAK opponents shows exactly that. Wisconsin will continue to have BAD KARMA until they up and decide to get rid of BRET BIELEMA!!!!
lol..
I mean, what’s weird about an Iowa guy coaching Wisconsin? amirite?
by Artiefufkin10 on Oct 23, 2011 4:55 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
...with the Iowa athletic logo
inked on his leg, nonetheless…
" When you cross that Blue Line, you are mine...Across the Blue Line, it's all football. " " And what you need to do in your life is paint Blue Lines everywhere. " - Joe Paterno 2009
by BlueWhiteLife on Oct 23, 2011 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions
With a nod to Bill Simmons & his "Pantheon of Faces"
The “Bielema Face” definitely needs to be added to the Big Ten Pantheon, right alongside my favorite, the “Dick-Rod Face,” which ironically made its first appearance while he was still in the Big East and derping away a spot in the MNC game against hapless Pitt.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
There's no way O$U beats Wisky this weekend....
….right?
I mean, I shouldn’t get my hopes up over nothing here. Although, an O$U upset would make me cackle at Bielema’s failure and smugness.
by Tailgate Shogun on Oct 23, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions
For as average as Wisky's defense is
The Bauserbomb still has to land on the field of play
Follow @Ben_Jones88
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Hugs for Big Red, because he's put up with so much.
Ohio State plays great defense
If OSU can somehow muster 20 points, they have a great chance at winning. If they can’t, they could lose in a blowout.
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
Part of me wants Wisconsin to win
Another loss for Ohio State ends their chances to win the conference. A win and they start gaining momentum, and would have more to play for when we go to Columbus. Plus, I still think it’d be cool for our game with Wisconsin to be for the division title.
The outcome of that game
is a win either way as far as I’m concerned
by Nittany Llini on Oct 23, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
We go 3-1, we have a great shot for a BCS game
And I feel great about that, because I think we can go 3-1 with a bit of luck and continued offensive improvements. The world is our oyster.
Author on Anfield Asylum - YNWA
by iamrobk on Oct 23, 2011 2:22 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Could you imagine going 4-0 and watching the world implode?
I think we’d break the internet.
You without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Notes . . . you'll never go platinum.
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Oct 23, 2011 2:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I need this
The computers would have PSU at around #4, the polls would have then about #12, and watching poll people explain themselves and their “logic” would be amusing.
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
5-0*
Formerly known as kmart93
@kmart93
Black Shoe Diaries
by Kyle_Martin on Oct 23, 2011 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Right. Fuzzy math from me.
You without me is like Harold Melvin without the Blue Notes . . . you'll never go platinum.
#OccupyESPN
by Adam Collyer on Oct 23, 2011 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions
So if it's PSU vs MSU in Indy, is the Land Grant Trophy up for grabs too?
by Mr. Rosewater on Oct 23, 2011 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions
Please, Lord,
NO!!!
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
I wondered this too
Playing for the B1G’s greatest trophy (the Paterno-Stagg) and worst (The Land Grant) at the same time
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
by ckmneon on Oct 23, 2011 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That trophy can stay with Sparty
forever, as far as I’m concerned!
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
Wasn't it great to see, though?
Did you see the interview of Russ Rose earlier in the broadcast?
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
just caught the last fifteen minutes
what happened?
by Mr. Rosewater on Oct 23, 2011 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
The game was played last night,
and I guess they interviewed Coach Rose to help extend the time of the broadcast. It was just a really good interview. He talked a lot about the youth of the team, how they were overrated at the beginning of the season, how maybe the schedule was a little too tough. He also said something about the team needing leadership and having too much fun.
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
Micha Kelly: Kissed by fire
Game of Thrones reference
by Mr. Rosewater on Oct 23, 2011 2:53 PM EDT up reply actions
You know nothing.
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
Kevin
Just eliminate the “Leaders/East”, “Legends/West” part so the Pig and Corn can be ingrained into our collective consciousness.
If enough of the B1G fan base picks it up from internet meme to real life, we’ll end the abortion of those division names.
And get the other B1G bloggers on to this
No one likes the names anyways.
by Mr. Rosewater on Oct 23, 2011 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I still vote for
WW (Where’s Wisconsin) and WHWH (Why the Hell is Wisconsin Here).
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
by Paige2PSU on Oct 23, 2011 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I like this as well.
Or “Country” and “Too Country”
___
Black Shoe Diaries
SBN - Pittsburgh
Success With Honor
by Jeff Junstrom on Oct 23, 2011 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Not bad
PSU, of course is in the “Too Country” Division
" When you cross that Blue Line, you are mine...Across the Blue Line, it's all football. " " And what you need to do in your life is paint Blue Lines everywhere. " - Joe Paterno 2009
by BlueWhiteLife on Oct 23, 2011 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Would OSU have been in Country or Too Country?
Does that change if Pryor is on the team?
Formerly known as kmart93
@kmart93
Black Shoe Diaries
lakes and plains
LAKES AND PLAINS!!!!!!!
by Artiefufkin10 on Oct 23, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Runs in Mud Division and Runs in Glue Division
"Illegitimus non Carborundum!" (Don't let the bastards wear you down)
And it fits, too, since Westsylvania is part of the Rust Belt.
Altoona is about as rust belt as you can get. At least the downtown’s starting to come back, though.
If NOT Leaders and Legends ...
Then … STARS and STRIPES
I know it was said somewhere earlier
And it’s off topic,
But I am so glad the Penn State Football Story brought back the original opening. Great episode today.
With firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right
- A.Lincoln
by SarcasmJam on Oct 23, 2011 6:00 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions 2 recs
Big If....
but if PSU runs the table what chance do they have to play for the MNC?
Vamonos Mantequilla Vamonos!
by Esteban d' Amur on Oct 23, 2011 6:03 PM EDT reply actions
Somewhere close to zero
Is my first reaction.
With firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right
- A.Lincoln
by SarcasmJam on Oct 23, 2011 6:06 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Yep,
I’m sure we’ve started too far back to ever get there.
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
It would take:
1) Bama beating LSU.
1a) Bama then losing the CCG game.
2) Stanford losing to Oregon.
2a) Oregon dropping another game somewhere in the season.
3) Ok St. & Kansas State both dropping at least one game.
4) Boise losing.
5) MSU winning out and then losing to us in the CCG.
6) Notre Dame winning out.
7) Possibly an extra loss by LSU on top of that.
8) And Clemson being Clemson at some point.
"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."
Yep,
I’m sure we’ve started too far back to ever get there.
"It's never a bad thing thing to vote for the suckiness of tOSU." -RWReese
Follow @Paige2PSU
So
You’re telling me there’s a chance.
With firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right
- A.Lincoln
by SarcasmJam on Oct 23, 2011 6:30 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions 2 recs
I think you have
to assume the Bama/LSU winner is in. Then PSU would need utter chaos. A Rose Bowl against Stanford would be fun.
Vamonos Mantequilla Vamonos!
by Esteban d' Amur on Oct 23, 2011 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions
The Integrity Bowl
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
by PSU_Buch on Oct 23, 2011 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
So hard telling
There are currently 7 undefeated D1A teams. At season’s end, there can be a mathematical maximum of 5, but one is Houston who has no chance.
Kansas State and Okie State play one another, and both have to play Oklahoma. Excluding one another and Oklahoma, each have two top 30 teams left. It is mathematically impossible that both go undefeated, and very unlikely that either do.
Alabama and LSU play one another. One won’t even win their division. There goes another. I expect the winner will go undefeated, as outside of those 2, the SEC is not good.
Houston’s schedule is a horrific joke (not one team in the Sagarin top 30, only 2 in the top 70 all year), so don’t worry about them.
Stanford has 3 teams in the Sagarin top 30 and probably another in the conference CG. Even if you would give Stanford a 75% chance in each of those 4 games (generous for some, like Oregon, slightly pessimistic for others, like USC, overall I think it’s close), they have a 31.6% chance of going undefeated.
Clemson only has one (probably 2, ACC CG and all) top 30 teams left, but I think Wake Forest and Ga Tech are more dangerous for them than they currently appear. They probably lose at least one of those 4.
The computers, without question, would take a 1 loss PSU team over an undefeated Boise State team. It’s truly a testament to just how far Western civilization hasn’t advanced over our idol worshiping, tarot card reading past that polls are still a part of this.
So if, and yeah, big if, PSU wins its next 5 games, PSU will enter the least ugly contest with about 3 other 1 loss BCS teams and probably Boise State. Here’s what PSU will have going for them:
-11 straight wins, all over 1A teams. This will be longer than anyone else with one loss, with the possible exception of Oregon
-Wins over at least 3 (Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Legends Champ), and probably 5 or 6, top 30 teams
-Champ of the #3 conference
-As forgivable of a loss as exists
What’s hurting PSU:
-The precedent set by 2006. Thankfully, the loser of the Bama / LSU game suffers from this more
-The Big 12 is by far the best league in the computers this year.
-Pro Boise sentiment amongst voters
-Not blowing out teams they probably should
What we know is this: if PSU wins out, it will mean a fantastic year, a BCS bowl game, a chance to play for a top 5 finish, and as good or better of resume to play for the MNC as anyone. I don’t know about you, but I could live with that.
GO IOWA AWESOME, now and forever, unless PSU sees them in the B1G CG
Beat jNW
by ckmneon on Oct 23, 2011 7:11 PM EDT up reply actions 7 recs
This is too good to be buried in a comment.
Why don’t you put this stuff in a weekly fanpost or something? We’ll likely end up bumping it to the front page anyway.
by Chris Grovich on Oct 23, 2011 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
All this underscores the pre-/early-season handwringing that is focused solely on PSU.
There are MANY factors within our control and MANY factors outside of our control. Too many people wring their hands if we don’t get a first down, thinking our world is ending. We have to play each game, focused on that game, and let other things take their course.
"Make haste to reassure us, I beg you, and tell us that our fellow citizens understand us, support us, and protect us as we ourselves are protecting the glory of the Empire.
"If it should be otherwise, if we should have to leave our bleached bones on these desert sands in vain, then beware the fury of the Legions."
by PSU_Lions_84 on Oct 23, 2011 7:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Would have been much higher
if Wisconsin was still undefeated when we beat them. But as it is now, there would have to be a whole lot of losing to get PSU to the top.
Formerly known as kmart93
@kmart93
Black Shoe Diaries
I love it when a plan comes together.
Interesting that MSU is ranked so high after losing to NOTRE DAMN (31-13) who lost to USC (who sucks) and South Florida. MSU did beat Nebraska and Nebraska lost to Wisconsin. Michigan lost to MSU but they beat Notre Damn who beat MSU.
The only team PSU has lost to is the #2 in the country and played them just about better than anyone else has – all those SPEEEEEDY SEC teams.
And yet, we’re still highly suspect and everyone thinks we are just a play away from total suckage.
WE HAVE THEM RIGHT WHERE WE WANT THEM!!!!
"Illegitimus non Carborundum!" (Don't let the bastards wear you down)
by RWReese on Oct 23, 2011 7:40 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
I was wrong...I thought this team was very bad.
They seemed to find an identity and enjoying the season so far.
Would love to play MSU for Land Grant in the championship game, winner gets to destroy the trophy for ever. Although it might be like that ring from the Lord of the Rings movie…needs to be burned in depths of hell to be really destroyed.
I blame HITS
LOL
I picture it being immolated in a bonfire held in the Medlar Field parking lot with cheerleaders and the Blue Band, then Lou Prato nearly having a heart attack when he opens up the Sports Museum one morning and finds it there in the trophy case.
"I don't think you can progress in this game unless you know about the past."
-Silas Redd
They were bad early on in the season
Although they lit it up against NW, it’s still NW. I’m a little cautious going into the next batch of games.
by Mr. Rosewater on Oct 23, 2011 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah...
I think the next set of games are going to be more 17-13 type games than 34-24 type games.
Vamonos Mantequilla Vamonos!
by Esteban d' Amur on Oct 23, 2011 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions
What is surprising to me
I don’t remember a team that has gotten progressively better for 8 straight games like this. When we’re good we start off good and continue to be good and maybe take a step back here and there, and when we’re bad we usually grow a little but still find a ceiling. From EMU to last night, we’re two different teams offensively… Huge improvement over that span.
Anyway, the flashlights eat our human power grids, our souls if you will. So i destroyed them, and if a few precious panties were burnt or soiled in the reckoning then so be it
by millzners on Oct 23, 2011 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The road is getting steeper.
Let’s not start stroking each other yet.
Luring recruits with my new "Posting HD" scheme since '08.
"Is that a shot at me? 'cause that makes me want to read it all the less."
by MainLion on Oct 23, 2011 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
I bet this guy did the same thing this Saturday.
"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.
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