Mandel's Big Ten predictions

I believe Andy Staples has said his Top 25 was not a prediction of record or where a team will end up in the rankings, but rather how good he feels the team actually is. Just because Nebraska might be 10-2, doesn't mean Staples has to believe we are or will be one of the 25 best teams in the country.

 
Junior said:
I believe Andy Staples has said his Top 25 was not a prediction of record or where a team will end up in the rankings, but rather how good he feels the team actually is. Just because Nebraska might be 10-2, doesn't mean Staples has to believe we are or will be one of the 25 best teams in the country.
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He did say that, but that still doesn't explain why he had Sparty at #15.

 
knapplc said:
Junior said:
I believe Andy Staples has said his Top 25 was not a prediction of record or where a team will end up in the rankings, but rather how good he feels the team actually is. Just because Nebraska might be 10-2, doesn't mean Staples has to believe we are or will be one of the 25 best teams in the country.
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He did say that, but that still doesn't explain why he had Sparty at #15.
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Don't look at me.... I'm not saying he's right!
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Not a big deal to me. My big question marks have always been the UCLA and Michigan games. As the season draws nearer, Northwestern has jumped into that category as well.

 
EZ-E said:
We beat NW at home by two TDs. My prediction. Not overly worried about them.
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I'm watching the 2012 game again on DVR the last couple of days. If we don't give them the ball on our side of the field twice in the first quarter due to our own utter stupidity, we win that game in a cakewalk. If we had only figured out how to cover that stupid crossing route in 2011 we win that game, too (and if Rex doesn't fumble at the five yard line).

Northwestern is supposed to be better this year than recent years. I say great - they're going to need it. If our defense is even only as good as the last two years, and if our offense doesn't utterly crap the bed again, I think your prediction of a two-score win is pretty accurate.

 
knapplc said:
EZ-E said:
We beat NW at home by two TDs. My prediction. Not overly worried about them.
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I'm watching the 2012 game again on DVR the last couple of days. If we don't give them the ball on our side of the field twice in the first quarter due to our own utter stupidity, we win that game in a cakewalk. If we had only figured out how to cover that stupid crossing route in 2011 we win that game, too (and if Rex doesn't fumble at the five yard line).

Northwestern is supposed to be better this year than recent years. I say great - they're going to need it. If our defense is even only as good as the last two years, and if our offense doesn't utterly crap the bed again, I think your prediction of a two-score win is pretty accurate.
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I'll agree. But those negative plays are the issue to me. We really havent shown the ability to show up for a big game since 2010 against Missouri maybe? And I think by that time, the Northwestern game should have to pretty big implications regarding the Legends division race. Then we have the Ann Arbor trip the next, and that game just has "TRAP" written all over it right now. Especially if Nebraska and Michigan are both unbeaten at the time.

I guess right now I'm just another one thats on that fence that this group still has yet to earn the right to just chalk up a certain game as a W. And manalive, do I hope I'm wrong.

 
NW is not going to be a cake walk, by any means. They are just as good as last year, and who knows why Fitz played Semien instead of Kolter? But, I think that may have saved us in 2012.

I think we win, but it will be a very tough game.

 
I truly feel we can throw out all the predictions. Until we see our defense on the field September 14th - no one knows the predictions of this season.

Besides Gregory, Anderson, and the CB's --- We have issues until proven (and yes I know we haven't seen much of RG and ZA; not worried they will be solid).

 
ADS said:
NW is not going to be a cake walk, by any means. They are just as good as last year, and who knows why Fitz played Semien instead of Kolter? But, I think that may have saved us in 2012.

I think we win, but it will be a very tough game.
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This

 
Michigan = questionable front 7 on D, average skill position players (including a QB who had 2 good games against bad defenses and 2 decent/average other games), and replacing 3 starters on the Oline (and top 2 TEs).

We might lose at Michigan but they will falter somewhere else.

 
SkerChicago said:
Michigan = questionable front 7 on D, average skill position players (including a QB who had 2 good games against bad defenses and 2 decent/average other games), and replacing 3 starters on the Oline (and top 2 TEs).

We might lose at Michigan but they will falter somewhere else.
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This is what I don't understand. I've heard this analysis from several places, including boards and journalists. This description of mediocre talent doesn't jive with a team that had 6th & 7th ranked recruiting classes the last two years, and top-20 two of three years before that.

I'm not one to buy into recruiting hype, but how does a team recruit that well have an empty cupboard?

 
knapplc said:
Lyons in the Sea of Red. said:
That's some big praise for Michigan.
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I think it comes down to their recruiting lately:

ESPN Michigan class ranks:

2013 - 6

2012 - 7

2011 - under #25

2010 - 14

2009 - 10

They've out-recruited us every year but 2011. I think these guys pay a LOT of attention to these recruiting rankings in preseason predictions.
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I guess when I look at recruiting, I don't really see a whole lot of difference between being ranked from 5-25. Any team that is getting that kind of ranking is getting pretty good football players. After that it is about what the coaches do with them. So, I guess, IMO NU and MU are pretty even in the recruiting dept.

I mean really is their that much difference between being ranked 7 or 17?

 
knapplc said:
EZ-E said:
We beat NW at home by two TDs. My prediction. Not overly worried about them.
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I'm watching the 2012 game again on DVR the last couple of days. If we don't give them the ball on our side of the field twice in the first quarter due to our own utter stupidity, we win that game in a cakewalk. If we had only figured out how to cover that stupid crossing route in 2011 we win that game, too (and if Rex doesn't fumble at the five yard line).

Northwestern is supposed to be better this year than recent years. I say great - they're going to need it. If our defense is even only as good as the last two years, and if our offense doesn't utterly crap the bed again, I think your prediction of a two-score win is pretty accurate.
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If Rex doesn't fumble on the 5 and Quincy doesn't fumble going into the red zone we win that game even if we concete yards to Colter.

I'm not seeing this Northwestern team that people are afraid of. If we show up focused and don't turn the ball over we win it comfortably.

 
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