White Suburban Punk

Wisconsin put together an impressive, punishing, dominating performance in the Champs Sports Bowl to beat Miami, 20-14.  Supposed 2010 Heisman Trophy candidate Jacory Harris, despite his “star” haircut, actually looked scared most of the game, and was completely outplayed by Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien.  Both QBs were under pressure most of the night, but Tolzien was cool and calm, consistently stepping up, delivering the ball, and taking the hit, while the only thing consistent about Harris was panic.  Wisconsin really doesn’t do anything fancy in the passing game, but it looked like their receivers got open fairly easily, despite Miami’s alleged EXPLOSIVE SPEED, which was apparently negated by temperatures below 50 degrees.  After all, everyone knows it’s impossible to run when it’s in the 40s.  The classic look on TV was the Miami players huddled on the sidelines in front of heaters while the Badgers wore short sleeves.  And that was really the essence of the game — the Badgers were far tougher than the Hurricanes.

Miami had quite a few gadget plays, especially in the first half, which seems to indicate that Randy Shannon knew his team couldn’t win straight up.  ESPN made a big deal that John Clay averaged just 67 yards per game against ranked teams Ohio State and Iowa, but he finished with 22 rushes for 121 yards and two scores.  Miami proved that they don’t belong with the Big Ten’s ranked teams.  Unfortunately, Clay doesn’t always play like that.  He kind of seems to have Laurence Maroney syndrome in big games, far too tentative.  But he was fierce and punishing from the very first carry last night.  Just a sophomore, he insists he’s coming back next season.  If he learns the lesson from last night, there’s your 2010 Heisman candidate.

On offense, Wisconsin loses only tight end Garrett Graham to graduation.  He really didn’t have a great game.  I saw a couple of key blocks he missed, and he had the inexcusable fumble in the end zone when the Badgers were about to ice the game.  The other tight end, Lance Kendricks, was huge, catching seven passes for 128 yards, and he had several key blocks to spring Clay.  On defense, Wisconsin loses DE O’Brien Schofield, both starting defensive tackles, and safety Chris Maragos.  The defensive line recruiting has supposedly been strong the last couple of years, and the secondary is still pretty deep.  JJ Watt returns at the other DE.  Maybe Todd Blackledge can learn the names a little better next year.  He kept calling Kendricks Kendrick, and JJ Watt JJ Watts.

More numbers: Miami came in to the game 27th in the nation in scoring and 36th in total yards, averaging 412.5 yards per game.  They finished with 249 yards, and 79 of those were against the prevent defense on their 4th quarter TD drive.  Jacory Harris was 16-29 for 188 yards and was sacked five times.  Tolzien was 19-26 for 260.  Miami had 61 rushing yards.  Time of possession was 39:15 for Wisconsin, 20:45 for Miami.  Brad Nortman had three punts inside the 10 yard line for Wisconsin.

So Wisconsin returned to the scene of the crime (last year’s loss to Florida State on the same field, 42-13), and avenged it in a big way against a highly overrated (#15!) Miami team.  The weak ACC is now 1-3 in this year’s bowls, the Big Ten 1-0.

Photos from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

So I went 9-13-1 on college picks and 5-9 on pro picks last week, all against the spread.  Not so good.  Interestingly, underdogs went 14-8-1 in the college top 25 and 10-3 in the pro games.  I am 23-16 overall on pro picks since I started picking three weeks ago.

This week’s top 25 college picks against the spread:

#1 Florida (-15) over South Carolina

Baylor (+25.5) over #2 Texas

Miss. St. (+12.5) over #3 Alabama

#16 Utah (+17.5) over #4 TCU

#5 Cincinnati (-9.5) over West Virginia

#6 Boise State (-28) over Idaho

#7 Georgia Tech (-10.5) over Duke

#8 Pitt (-7) over Notre Dame

#9 LSU (-24) over La. Tech

#10 Ohio State (-13.5) over #15 Iowa

#25 Stanford (+11.5) over #11 USC

North Carolina (+3.5) over #12 Miami

#13 Houston (-5.5) over Central Florida

#14 Oregon (-17) over Arizona State

#17 Oklahoma State (-3.5) over Texas Tech

#18 Arizona (-1.5) over Cal

Indiana (+22) over #19 Penn State

#20 Virginia Tech (-17) over Maryland

#21 Wisconsin (-9) over Michigan

New Mexico (+27) over #22 BYU

#23 South Florida (-1) over Rutgers

#24 Clemson (-6) over NC State

PRO:

San Fran (-3) over Chicago

Atlanta (-1) over Carolina

Tampa Bay (+10) over Miami

Detroit (+15.5) over Minnesota

Jacksonville (+7) over NY Jets

New Orleans (-14) over St. Louis

Buffalo (+6.5) over Tennessee

Oakland (-1) over KC

Arizona (-9) over Seattle

Dallas (-3) over Green Bay

San Diego (-3) over Philadelphia

New England (+2.5) over Indy

Cleveland (+12) over Baltimore

Cincinnati (+7.5) over Pittsburgh

Denver (-4.5) over Washington

Notre Dame loses at home to Navy, and still gets three votes in the AP poll.  Unbelievable.  They lost to Michigan, USC, and Navy, and barely beat Michigan State, Purdue, and Boston College.  Joke Heisman candidate Jimmy Clausen had one interception in the red zone, one fumble in the red zone, and was sacked on consecutive plays with his team down by a touchdown with less than two minutes left, the second resulting in a safety.  It would be absolutely pathetic if this guy is even invited to New York for the Heisman presentation.  Year after year, supposedly top 15 recruiting classes, and year after year, it’s nothing but excuses from the national media.  No heart.

The Patriots dispatched the Dolphins to set up the big showdown with Indy Sunday night, the fifth undefeated team on New England’s schedule.  They’re 3-2 in those games so far, with New Orleans still looming in two weeks.  I still haven’t heard anything from Joey Porter this week after he got manhandled by a rookie and didn’t show up on the stat line.  At all.  At least we won’t hear Dierdorf ripping on Randy Moss during the Indy game, despite, you know, the things he does on the field.

Wisconsin had a rather uninspired win at Indiana, 31-28, in a game they should’ve put away in the first half.  John Clay got hurt (concussion), but we finally got to see why the coaching staff is so high on Montee Ball, as they both ran for over 100 yards, Clay’s all in the first half.  Sitting at 7-2, and with Iowa’s loss, the Badgers actually have an outside shot at a share of the Big 10 title and/or an at large berth for a BCS bowl.  Saturday is the last home game of the year against hated Michigan.  There is so much that needs to be paid back to those arrogant bastards, but we can start with last year’s debacle in Ann Arbor and go from there.  Bielema should take a cue from Woody Hayes.  In the 1968 game against Michigan, with Ohio State up 42-14, the Buckeyes scored a late touchdown and Woody elected to go for two, which they got.  Asked after the game why he went for two after the last touchdown, Woody growled, “because they wouldn’t let us go for three.”  That’s the attitude the Badgers need to have.

Iowa’s fairy tale run finally ended (I picked it!) against Northwestern.  Now QB Ricky Stanzi is supposedly doubtful for their last two games, vs. Ohio State and Minnesota, so I would say that the Rose Bowl is doubtful now, too.

Larry Johnson released by the Chiefs.  It’s weird he went to Penn State.  I wonder how Joe Pa kept him from acting up, something nobody else has been able to do.

I’m going to start picking all the top 25 games in college, as well as all the pro games, all against the spread.

Vanderbilt @ #1 Florida (-32.5)

Vandy sucks and was blown out at home by Georgia Tech last week, while Florida appears to be rolling now after blowing out Georgia.  Pick: Florida

UCF @ #2 Texas (-35)

Way to schedule those tough out of conference games, Mack Brown.  Texas essentially plays 2 competitive games a year.  Pick: Texas

#9 LSU @ #3 Alabama (-9)

The marquee game of the week.  ‘Bama’s offense has struggled lately.  Pick: LSU

UConn @ #4 Cincinnati (-17)

Poor UConn is reeling and Cinci continues to roll even without Tony Pike.  Pick: UConn

#5 Boise State (-20) @ Lousiana Tech

Boise State thinks they need to impress with blowouts.  Pick: Boise State

#6 TCU (-24) @ San Diego State

See above.  Pick: TCU

#7 Oregon (-4.5) @ Stanford

Oregon is obviously really good and they shouldn’t have a letdown after last week’s crushing of Southern Cal.  Pick: Oregon

Northwestern @ #8 Iowa (-17.5)

Iowa continued the miraculous smoke and mirrors routine last week.  It finally ends Saturday.  Upset special.  Pick: Northwestern

Wake Forest @ #10 Georgia Tech (-15.5)

I’m still just not impressed with Georgia Tech.  Pick: Wake

#15 Ohio State @ #11 Penn State (-4)

Terrelle Pryor will continue his regression.  Pick: Penn State

#12 USC (-11.5) @ Arizona State

ASU almost beat Cal last week, but USC should have a lot to prove.  Pick: USC

#13 Houston (-3) @ Tulsa

Should be an entertaining shootout.  Pick: Houston

Syracuse @ #14 Pitt (-19)

I haven’t been very impressed with Pitt, either.  They haven’t played a top 25 team this season, but Notre Dame, West Virginia, and Cincinnati are up next.  Trap game?  Pick: Syracuse

Virginia @ #16 Miami (-13)

Al Groh is coaching for his job.  Pick: Virginia

New Mexico @ #17 Utah (-27)

New Mexico is awful, Utah needs a blowout.  Pick: Utah

#18 Oklahoma State (-7.5) @ Iowa State

OSU was embarrassed last week by Texas.  Bounce back blowout.  Pick: OSU

Navy @ #19 Notre Dame (-11)

Remember when people used to say that Notre Dame played a tough schedule?  Wasn’t true then, isn’t true now.  Pick: ND

#20 Oklahoma (-6.5) @ Nebraska

The Big 12 sucks.  Pick: Oklahoma

Washington State @ #21 Arizona (-30.5)

Wazzu may be the worst team in Division 1, but Arizona just doesn’t blow teams out.  Their largest margin of victory was 17 against Northern Arizona.  Pick: Wazzu

#22 Virginia Tech (12.5) @ East Carolina

This game was played last night, VT winning 16-3.  To show my integrity, I had picked East Carolina.  Lost by half a point.  Pick: East Carolina

Oregon State @ #23 Cal (-6)

OSU may win this outright.  You never know what you’ll get week-to-week from Cal.  Pick: OSU

#24 Wisconsin (-11) @ Indiana

Indiana has had some heartbreakers this year, but Bret Bielema always kills the Hoosiers.  Pick: Wisconsin

#25 BYU (-13) @ Wyoming

BYU needs a blowout, Wyoming is not that good.  Pick: BYU

Last week:

College: 1-5  Pro: 9-4

This week’s picks:

College:

Florida State (-7.5) NC State

Wisconsin (-7) Purdue

Ohio (-7.5) Ball State

Indiana (+17.5) Iowa

Houston (-7.5) Southern Miss.

SMU (+17) Tulsa

Miami (-7) Wake Forest

Oregon State (-8.5) UCLA

Vanderbilt (+13.5) Georgia Tech

South Carolina (+6) Tennessee

Oklahoma State (+9) Texas

Pro:

Baltimore (-3.5) Denver

Buffalo (-3) Houston

Chicago (-14) Cleveland

Dallas (-11) Seattle

Detroit (-9.5) St. Louis

San Francisco (+12.5) Indy

NY Jets (-4) Miami

Tennessee (-3) Jacksonville

Oakland (+17.5) San Diego

Green Bay (-3) Minnesota

Carolina (+9) Arizona

Philadelphia (-3) NY Giants

Atlanta (+10) New Orleans

College

BC (+9.5) over Notre Dame

Kansas (+7) over Oklahoma

Idaho (+13) over Nevada

Arizona State (+7) over Stanford

South Florida (+6.5) over Pitt

Arkansas (+5.5) over Ole Miss

PRO

San Francisco (-3) over Houston

Indy (-13) over St. Louis

New England (-15) over Tampa Bay

Pittsburgh (-3.5) over Minnesota

Green Bay (-7.5) over Cleveland

Oakland (+7.5) over NY Jets

Cincinnati (-1) over Chicago

Atlanta (+3) over Dallas

New Orleans (-7) over Miami

NY Giants (-7.5) over Arizona

San Diego (-4.5) over Kansas City

Buffalo (+7.5) over Carolina

Philadelphia (-6.5) over Washington

Home Calls

Three sports, two countries, but there were some extremely questionable/controversial calls favoring home teams on Saturday.  Saturday morning, Liverpool played at Sunderland in the Premiership.  Early in the game, Sunderland’s Darren Bent turned and fired a shot from relatively close.  The ball struck a beach ball and deflected past Liverpool goalie Pepe Reina and into the net.  Surprisingly (at least to me), the announcers on Fox Soccer Channel did not know if there was a rule governing such a situation, and the studio analysts at halftime claimed the goal was “somewhat controversial” and “just desserts” for Liverpool, since replays showed it was actually a Liverpool fan who threw the ball on the field.  However, the Fox Soccer website later quoted a former Premiership official who claimed that the play should have resulted in a drop ball, not a goal, due to “outside interference”.  This former official also claimed that it was a “basic law” and a rule that would be learned on an “initial refereeing course”.  Essentially, anything other than the 22 players and the referee is outside interference, whether it is an object on the pitch or a fan.  Needless to say, the goal counted, and Liverpool lost the game 1-0.

Next case is Arkansas/Florida, at the Swamp.  After Arkansas goes up in the fourth quarter 20-13 on a 75 yard touchdown on 3rd and 17, Florida benefited from two extremely favorable calls on the ensuing drive, including pass interference in the end zone and a personal foul for unnecessary roughness.  Both calls were awful.  Florida scores, game tied at 20.  Florida later gets away with offensive pass interference in the end zone, and wins 23-20.  Note: the officials have since been suspended by the SEC for the ridiculous unnecessary roughness call.

Case three is USC/Notre Dame, from South Bend.  On Notre Dame’s final drive, the officials bent over backwards to do everything they possibly could to allow the Irish to tie.  Two extremely questionable personal fouls and even putting one second back on the clock for one more chance after time had expired.  Despite all the help, Jimmy Clausen was unable to get the tying score with four plays inside the USC 10 yard line.  Epic fail.  And this is your Heisman candidate?  Are you kidding me?  After his wild fourth down incomplete pass, Clausen looked shocked, not for the loss, but because he wasn’t gifted another ridiculous flag.  Even with all that help, he failed.  His Heisman candidacy should be finished, but of course, it’s the most overrated college football program in the country, and the remaining schedule is BC, Washington State (neutral site), Navy, at Pittsburgh, Uconn, and at Stanford.  In fact, the best scoring defense on the remaining schedule is Uconn, and they give up 19.6 points per game, 30th in the nation.  So we will continue to hear Jimmy Clausen rhetoric for several more weeks.  Really looking forward to it.

Case four is the phantom double play that was not given to the Angels in the bottom of the 10th at Yankee Stadium in Game 2.  Obviously, this didn’t directly result in a run or the Yankee win, but it was yet another extremely questionable call favoring the home team.  A somewhat striking note about these four instances is the fact that they all took place in stadiums with “intimidating” reputations, including the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.  Clearly, the Swamp, South Bend, and Yankee Stadium qualify.  It’s something that as fans we all know we have to live with, but Saturday brought stark examples.

I’m So Bored With The USA

Liverpool’s loss, mentioned earlier, was their fourth loss in nine league games.  They lost only two Premiership games all of last year in finishing in second place, and now sit in eighth, seven points behind Man U, as Sunderland leapfrogged them with the win Saturday.  Predictably, the calls for the sacking of Rafa Benitez have begun again, this time even including Nick Webster from Fox Soccer’s website.

Rafa did prepare for this game in a rather bizarre fashion, starting three center backs.  Should a team of Liverpool’s caliber really be making radical adjustments to match up with a team like Sunderland?  The team was also hindered by injuries to Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, and Javier Mascherano had to come off the bench after international duty.  It all added up to an ugly day for Liverpool.  There was the unbelievable goal allowed off the beach ball (thrown by a Liverpool supporter – how does that happen?  He threw it in front of his own team’s goal!), but the team played extremely uninspired football.  Ryan Babel stunk, as usual, despite his incessant demands for playing time.  Youngster Jay Spearing was in the lineup and didn’t acquit himself all that well.  The team clearly wanted to rely heavily on Yossi Benayoun, but he was largely invisible in the first half and effectively handcuffed in the second.  Glenn Johnson had possession in threatening positions several times, but he would typically wait until the ball was taken away from him.  I believe Liverpool had two legitimate scoring chances all day, but after bringing on Mascherano and Voronin for Spearing and Skrtel, the team did start to show some life, just not enough.  So it’s yet another loss, and now the calls begin again for Rafa’s head.  I’ve really had enough of this.  He didn’t have his two best, world class players.  The goal was a fluke and shouldn’t have counted, anyway.  And Sunderland really isn’t that bad so far this year.  Their goalie is Scotland’s #1, they led Chelsea at the half before losing, and they beat Man U at Old Trafford.  Clearly, the top teams in the Premiership are going drop a lot more points than in previous years.  What surprises me is that world soccer fans seem to be more trigger happy than American sports fans, besides Dan Snyder and the former incarnation of George Steinbrenner.  This is at least the third straight autumn that fans and media have called for Rafa’s job.  In fact, last year, British bookies even took Benitez’s sacking off the books for a time.  They wouldn’t take the bet.  Now, I know Liverpool’s owners are idiots, but I sincerely hope and believe they’re not this stupid.  You can’t get blood from a stone, people.  Tuesday Liverpool plays Lyon at Anfield in the Champions League, and Sunday they get a visit from Man U.  Lyon leads the group with two wins in as many games, and it appears at least Gerrard will be able to play.  It’s obviously a huge week, and I fully expect Rafa to have his charges ready and I certainly expect better results.

Badgers

Ouch.  That one’s going to leave a mark.  Again.  WSP was very confident in the Badgers coming into this game.  After essentially dominating Ohio State at the horseshoe last week, I figured Bielema’s boys would return to Madison and play “Wisconsin football” and handle Iowa rather easily.  Iowa has pretty much done it with smoke and mirrors so far this year, and that continued Saturday.  What exactly is that team even good at?  They don’t pressure the passer, they’re not that great against the run, they hardly have an explosive offense, and they don’t run the ball all that well, either (1 100 yard rusher this season).  Bielema was 15-0 in 11 am games in Madison and Wisconsin was 34-3 at home in the last five years.  Kirk Ferentz was just 5-5 vs. the Badgers.  The first half was essentially all Wisconsin, yet they only led 10-3.  The dominated in total yards, 172-79, first downs 11-3, plays of 10+ yards 7-2, and had caused five negative Iowa rushing plays, to just one for Wisconsin.  Neither team had turned it over, and Wisconsin had survived what at first appeared to be a devastating knee injury to John Clay.  Montee Ball replaced him and got his first career touchdown to cap an excellent 92 yard drive. 

But the second half was all Iowa.  UW quarterback Scott Tolzien threw a terrible pass for an interception on UW’s first possession, which Ricky Stanzi turned into an Iowa TD with a 25 yard pass play while on the run on 3rd and 7.  Clay had returned, but looked tentative the rest of the day.  Wisconsin managed to get a turnover on a strip sack of Stanzi, but Wisconsin couldn’t get anything.  Tolzien was nearly picked on 2nd down, and Nick Toon dropped a pass in good coverage on 3rd down.  Philip Welch then missed a 38 yard field goal attempt.  Iowa responded with a quick drive for a TD and a 17-10 lead.  That was pretty much it.  Wisconsin couldn’t run at all in the second half, as Iowa kept eight men in the box.  Tolzien threw two more interceptions, giving him six in the last three games, and Wisconsin has scored one offensive touchdown in the last two games.  After a promising start to the season, Tolzien has been exposed, and it’s eerily similar to last year’s quarterback debacle with Allan Evridge and Dustin Sherer.  These guys just aren’t that good.  Wisconsin goes into a bye next week, and calls have started for redshirt freshman Curt Phillips to run the show.  But can Bielema really bail on his starting quarterback for the second year in a row?  I doubt he will.  Next up, Purdue in Madison on Halloween.

Upsets

Purdue at Ohio State (-13)

Colorado (home) Kansas (-9)

Kentucky at Auburn (-13)

Texas Tech at Nebraska (-6)

Close Calls

I picked Arkansas to beat Florida, banking on a major hangover for the Gators after last week’s rousing win at LSU and the return of the Chosen One.  With major help from the officials (see above), Florida managed to escape.  Watching the fourth quarter of Arkansas/Florida and USC/Notre Dame, I think I tied my record for saying “what the “&%$#” for the most times in one hour since Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS.

Patriots

Wow.  Just wow.  Was it the snow that got Brady to focus more?  Whatever it was, dial it up.  He looked absolutely vintage 2007.  Maroney even looked great for once and all the offensive weapons were clicking.  The interesting story was on the defense, where Adalius Thomas was a healthy scratch and Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden didn’t start.  Result?  Shutout.  That Belichick guy is really going to make it in this league.

Charissa Thompson

WSP fave and Big Ten Network sideline reporter extraordinaire Charissa Thompson will be, uh, sidelined, with a broken foot and ankle and will be on crutches until at least November 1.  We at WSP will miss her terribly, especially after reading this interview and the following quote:

You host a show called Big Ten’s Best.  What would you say is the Big Ten’s best city to travel to, best fight song, best gameday environment, and best fan base?

Thompson: I hope no one gets offended, but my favorite school to visit and do a game at is Wisconsin.  The town, Camp Randall, the fans…all of it.  I love Badger football games.

God bless her and here’s to a speedy recovery.