Big Ten Power Rankings Week 7: Here Come The Wolverines

Big Ten Power Rankings Week 7

Week 6 in the Big Ten was full of many lopsided games. The closest game was Northwestern’s upset victory over Michigan State, 29-19. This week, two of the top teams will square off as Wisconsin travels to the Big House to play Michigan on Saturday night. The whole conference will be watching because it will have a significant impact on the Big Ten title race. There is a clear #1 in the Big Ten Power Rankings Week 7, but the rest are neck and neck.

Here are last week’s Big Ten Power Rankings for reference.

14. Nebraska (0-5)

Lost to Wisconsin, 41-24

It’s getting harder to defend a team that has zero wins. Using “Scott Frost will eventually turn this around” is starting to get old. I know that he will probably turn it around, but it likely won’t be this season. No one thought Nebraska would be 0-5 right now. If you search the schedule, it’s becoming harder to pinpoint a game where they can get their first win. Nebraska travels to Northwestern on Saturday.

13. Rutgers (1-5)

Lost to Illinois, 38-17

The only reason why Rutgers is not ranked last is because Nebraska has zero wins. Otherwise, Rutgers would occupy that spot. Rutgers could not build on the momentum from a week ago and instead, scored 0 points in the second half on their way to a 38-17 defeat. If Rutgers ends the season with one win, I don’t see Chris Ash returning as the head coach. Rutgers plays Maryland in College Park on Saturday.

12. Illinois (3-2)

Beat Rutgers, 38-17

Illinois bowl watch has begun! Behind a huge rushing day from running back Reggie Corbin (137 yards), Illinois blew Rutgers out 38-17. The story of the day was AJ Bush Jr. The graduate student got his first career start on Saturday, and he did not disappoint. 116 yards on the ground, 2 TDs, and one passing TD is a great debut. Illinois plays at home against Purdue on Saturday.

11. Minnesota (3-2)

Lost to Iowa, 48-31

What began as a promising 3-0 start has quickly turned into 3-2 after the Golden Gophers lost again on Saturday to the visiting Iowa Hawkeyes. Minnesota’s secondary without Antoine Winfield has been a disaster as they allowed Nate Stanley to pass for over 300 yards and 4 TDs. Freshman Zack Annexstad threw for 3 touchdowns but continues to turn the ball over in losses (3 INTs against Iowa). Things will not get any easier for Minnesota as they travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State.

10. Purdue (2-3)

Bye

Can Purdue continue their offensive hot streak? The Boilermakers have scored more than 30 points in their last three games (2-1 record). Purdue will look to make it three straight wins against Illinois on Saturday.

9. Maryland (3-2)

Lost to Michigan, 42-21

Great start, bad finish. After a first-quarter kick return touchdown, Maryland was winning 7-3. Maryland did not score again until the 4th quarter, and by then, it was too late after Michigan scored 28 unanswered. I can’t stress this enough. If Maryland cannot pass for more than 100 yards per game (73 against Michigan), it will be extremely hard to win games. Maryland plays Rutgers at home on Saturday.

8. Northwestern (2-3)

Beat Michigan State, 29-19

My hand is up. I was in the crowd that thought Northwestern was dead in the water after their heartbreaking loss to Michigan a week ago. I was wrong. Northwestern rallied behind an inspired Clayton Thorson performance to beat Michigan State by double digits in East Lansing. Keep in mind that Northwestern only rushed for 8 yards. However, behind Thorson’s 373 yards and 3 TDs, the Wildcats beat the Spartans for the third straight year. Northwestern will look to win their first home game of the year against Nebraska on Saturday.

7. Indiana (4-2)

Lost to Ohio State, 49-26

The final score does not indicate just how close this game was. Ohio State needed their A-game versus the visiting Indiana Hoosiers. Indiana had the lead early and was only down 28-21 at halftime and 35-26 in the fourth quarter. Indiana needed to be perfect to beat the Buckeyes.  They weren’t but did get a tremendous effort from Peyton Ramsey (322 yards and 3 TDs). The Hoosiers gave up over 455 yards through the air and simply did not have enough firepower down the stretch.

6. Michigan State (3-2)

Lost to Northwestern, 29-19

I did not expect this result. Despite only allowing Northwestern to rush for 8 (!!!) yards on the day, the Spartans could not stop quarterback Clayton Thorson, who carved up the Michigan State secondary for 373 yards and 3 TDs. Not having running back LJ Scott proved to be detrimental to the Spartans. Michigan State has to figure things out quickly before they travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State.

5. Iowa (4-1)

Beat Minnesota, 48-31

The Iowa offense scored 48 points in their win against rival Minnesota to keep the Floyd of Rosedale pig in their possession. If you are shocked that a Hawkeyes offense scored 48 points, then you are not alone. Quarterback Nate Stanley was terrific on his way to 314 yards and 4 TDs. Despite surrendering 31 points, the Hawkeyes defense forced four turnovers. You better believe that Iowa will be the biggest fans of Michigan on Saturday night as they hope to keep their Big Ten title hopes alive. Iowa will travel to play Indiana on Saturday.

4. Wisconsin (4-1)

Beat Nebraska, 41-24

This is the Wisconsin team that we expected to see. Run the ball, control the time of possession, and physically wear down their opponent. Badgers Running back Jonathan Taylor finished the game with 24 carries, 221 yards, 3 TDs. Wisconsin won the time of possession battle 35:33 to 24:27. On the downside, the Badgers secondary was shaky as they allowed 407 yards through the air to the Cornhuskers. Wisconsin will need to fix things on that side of the ball when they travel to Michigan on Saturday night.

3. Michigan (5-1)

Beat Maryland, 42-21

Remember when Michigan lost to Notre Dame? It’s starting to become harder and harder to remember that Week 1 letdown against the Irish. Ever since that game, Michigan has rattled off five straight wins with an average margin of victory of 28.2 points. The defense is in a groove despite missing star Rashan Gary last game. However, if Shea Patterson throws for 282 yards and 3 TDs like he did against Maryland, the Wolverines are dangerous. Michigan plays at home against Wisconsin on Saturday night in a game with huge Big Ten implications at play.

2. Penn State (4-1)

Bye

Penn State had an extra week to rest coming off of a brutal home loss to Ohio State. Expect to see a motivated effort from the Nittany Lions as Penn State will look to get back on track against Michigan State on Saturday afternoon in Happy Valley.

1. Ohio State (6-0)

Beat Indiana, 49-26

Dwayne Haskins has been very good at quarterback. His stats look like he’s playing in a video game right now. Haskins stat line in the win vs. Indiana: 33/44, 455 yards, 6 TDs. If Haskins continues to play at an elite level, the question should not be if Ohio State can win the Big Ten. It should be if they can win the National Championship. I will be shocked if Ohio State is not undefeated going into their November 24th game against Michigan. Ohio State plays Minnesota in Columbus on Saturday.

As long as Ohio State continues to play at this level, it will be hard to knock them off the throne of the Big Ten Power Rankings Week 7.

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7: Party Crashers

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7

College Football is the only sport that can show you what it’s like to simultaneously feel alive and like you want to die! That is why is it is by far the greatest sport there is! Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 6.

The two most frustrating parts of being a college football fan are the biased polls and the terrible non-conference schedules. I cannot change the schedules but I can rank the college football top 10 teams by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’t believe in that. The best teams who play the best schedules will always be ranked highest. Only the games have played matter. I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

1.  Alabama (6-0) Last Week: #1

Tua Tagoviloa still has not attempted a 4th quarter pass this season. He was 10/11 for 334 yards and four touchdowns before halftime against Arkansas. The Crimson Tide defense was dominant as well. I cannot pretend I am extremely impressed by this win because North Texas beat Arkansas 44-17, so an Alabama destruction was a foregone conclusion. This team has been impressively dominant, but they haven’t played anyone. I wonder if the student section will show up next week vs. Missouri.

2. Notre Dame (6-0) Last Week: #2

At this point, Notre Dame has earned the #2 ranking.  The Fighting Irish have quality wins over Michigan, Stanford, and Virginia Tech. In each of those games, Notre Dame was in control of the entire game and was never in any real danger of losing a game. Since moving Ian Book into the starting lineup, the Irish have an explosive offense that can complement their dominant defense.

3. Ohio State (6-0) Last Week: #4

Dwayne Haskins and the Buckeyes offense were back to putting up insane passing numbers against Indiana. He finished with 455 yards passing and six touchdowns. Ohio State will breeze through the next month until they close out the season against Maryland and Michigan. Unless the Buckeyes show up with their C-game, I’m not sure how this team doesn’t finish undefeated.

4. Clemson (6-0) Last Week: # 6

Clemson apparently did not like everyone questioning how good they are. They took a potential “trap game” against Wake Forest and turned it into a public whipping. Their defense finally played at the level they are capable. They held Wake Forest to three points and only allowed 74 passing yards. The Tigers can beat anybody (including Bama) if they continue to bring their A-game defensively, and Trevor Lawrence stays healthy.

5. Texas (5-1) Last Week: # NR

It is OFFICIAL. Texas is back. And “Dicker the Kicker” is the best nickname in college football history. Tom Herman’s team dominated Oklahoma through 3 quarters but ultimately held on for a 48-45 victory in the Red River Showdown. Sam Ehlinger has improved his passing and decision making so much that Texas is now a College Football Playoff Contender. The Longhorns defense has played well all year and did as good of a job as anyone can do against Oklahoma. Texas has quality wins over TCU, USC, and Oklahoma this year.

6. Georgia (6-0) Last Week: #8

Many Georgia fans want Kirby Smart to replace starting quarterback Jake Fromm with true freshman Justin Fields. Against Vanderbilt Fromm proved that he would not be relinquishing his spot without a fight. Finally, the time has come for Georgia to play some good football teams. Over the next four games, they get LSU, Florida, Kentucky, and Auburn. If they win out, they could shoot all the way up to the #1 spot in the Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings.

7. Washington (5-1) Last Week: #7

Washington continues to win football games. I am extremely concerned about how this team faired against UCLA. The Huskies may have looked past UCLA to next week’s date at Oregon. However, their usually very stout defense was porous against the Bruins. Jake Browning’s steady play at quarterback has made Washington tough to beat. He rarely makes mistakes, and give his team a chance to win every game, but won’t be a superhero. Browning is the Alex Smith of college quarterbacks.

8. West Virginia (5-0) Last Week: #10

I like Dana Holgorsen’s football team. But, I did not like seeing Will Grier, and the Mountaineers struggled mightily against Kansas. The offense moved the ball well, but Grier proceeded to throw three red zone interceptions. Despite a bunch of offensive turnovers, the defense locked it down and allowed West Virginia to pull away in the 4th quarter. It will make or break time when Texas comes knocking in a few weeks.

9. Central Florida (5-0) Last Week: #NR

The analyst and experts want to ignore UCF. They are hoping UCF will lose a game so they can be ignored. Going back to last season the Knights have won 19 straight games. Last year UCF proved they could hang with the big boys when they beat Auburn in the 2018 Peach Bowl. So, if the Knights go undefeated again and are left out of the College Football Playoffs outrage will ensue. Their dominance has earned them a spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 7. They have won every game by at least 28 points.

10. Florida (5-1) Last Week: #NR

Dan Mullen has restored the Florida program to relevance. But, he hasn’t fully corrected the offensive struggles that have plagued the Gators for the last four seasons. It took a pick six at the end of the game to pull off the upset against LSU. They will need to find some offensive prowess before the Florida Georgia game to pull off a victory. That game will be for all the marbles in the SEC East. The winner will coast to the SEC championship game.

Next Up:

Michigan, Oregon, LSU, Oklahoma, Penn State

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

Big Ten Power Rankings Week 6: Buckeye Magic in the Air

Big Ten Power Rankings Week 6

Billed as the Game of the Year in the Big Ten, after the dust settled, Ohio State scored 2 TDs in the final seven minutes to knock off Penn State, 27-26. The Buckeyes are the undisputed kings of the Big Ten. Can anyone defeat Ohio State before the year is over? Both Michigan and Michigan State might have something to say about that. The cream is rising to the top in the Big Ten Power Rankings Week 6.

Here are last week’s Big Ten Power Rankings for reference.

14. Rutgers (1-4)

Lost to Indiana, 24-17

On the bright side, at least Rutgers didn’t lose by 40 points. Things were not looking good for the Scarlett Knights when they entered the 4th quarter down 24-7. However, Rutgers showed some heart the other day and outscored Indiana 10-0 in the fourth quarter to only lose by a touchdown. This was a huge moral victory for Rutgers. Can they keep the momentum going? Rutgers plays Illinois at home on Saturday.

13. Nebraska (0-4)

Lost to Purdue, 42-28

Things have gone from bad to worse for Scott Frost as the Cornhuskers fell to 0-4 despite 582 yards of offense. The offense has been humming, but the defense can’t stop a nosebleed. Bright spots have been quarterback Adrian Martinez, who had 414 all-purpose yards and 2 TDs and running back Devine Ozigbo, who rushed for 160 yards and 2 TDs. It will be a few years before Nebraska starts competing for Big Ten titles, and Frost will turn it around, but for now, wins will be a few and far between. Nebraska plays Wisconsin on the road on Saturday night.

12. Illinois (2-2)

Bye

After the bye week, Illinois sits at 2-2. So far, Lovie Smith’s team has shown promise. The Illini are still a season or two away from taking the next step, but if this team can make a bowl game this year, that would be a huge success. Illinois travels to New Jersey to take on Rutgers in a very winnable game.

11. Northwestern (1-3)

Lost to Michigan, 20-17

Northwestern offense gets off to fast start. Northwestern takes the lead early. The offense stalls and struggles for the rest of the game. The defense can’t make key stops late. Northwestern loses. Rinse and repeat. That exact formula has happened in all three of the Wildcats’ losses with the one to Michigan being the toughest pill to swallow. Northwestern jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the 2nd quarter before the Michigan defense shut down the Wildcats as the Wolverine came from behind to win 20-17. That could have been a win that changes the season for the Cats, but instead, it’s another heartbreaking loss. Things don’t get any easier for the Wildcats as they travel to East Lansing to take on Michigan State.

10. Purdue (2-3)

Beat Nebraska, 42-28

The Boilermakers are on a roll as they dropped 42 points in their win against Nebraska. Quarterback David Blough continues to accumulate a high number passing yards (328 against Nebraska), but the running game was the story as the Boilermakers rushed for 188 yards and 4 TDs. After a disastrous start, Purdue heads into their bye week with two straight wins and serious momentum.

9. Minnesota (3-1)

Bye

After a bye week, it’s time for the young Golden Gophers to grow up. If Minnesota surrenders over 400 yards of offense like they did in their last game, it will be a long season for PJ Fleck. Minnesota travels to Kinnick Stadium on Saturday to play Iowa.

8. Maryland (3-1)

Bye

It’s no secret that Maryland lives and dies by the run. The Terps average 258.5 yards on the ground, which is 10th overall in the nation. However, Kasim Hill will have to get better as a passer for the Terps to win important games. Speaking of important games, Maryland has a gigantic chance to send shockwaves throughout the conference when they take on Michigan at the Big House this Saturday.

7. Indiana (4-1)

Beat Rutgers, 24-17

The score indicates a close game, but Indiana was winning 24-7 heading into the fourth quarter. Credit to Rutgers for making this a touchdown game late in the fourth quarter, who was coming off two embracing blowout losses. Quarterback Peyton Ramsey was 27 of 40 for 288 yards with 1 TD as well as rushing TD. This will go down as a conference win, but Indiana will have to learn to finish games to make some noise in the Big Ten. Indiana has a huge test on Saturday as they travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State.

6. Iowa (3-1)

Bye

Just like Penn State, Iowa does not control its own destiny. The Hawkeyes have to win out and pray Wisconsin loses two conference games in order to win the Big Ten West. Iowa travels to Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.

5. Michigan State (3-1)

Beat Central Michigan, 31-20

Similar to their in-state rival, Michigan State’s defense is elite. However, the offense is still a work in progress. Michigan State jumped out to a 31-3 lead, but the offense stalled in the fourth quarter and the defense experienced a few hiccups as Central Michigan scored 17 unanswered points. However, a win is a win. With a dominant run defense (ranked first in the country against the run 40.3 yards per game), the Spartans can hang with any team in the Big Ten. Michigan State plays Northwestern at home on Saturday.

4. Wisconsin (3-1)

Bye

Wisconsin still controls their own destiny in the Big Ten West. Win out, and they will play for another Big Ten Championship. If quarterback Alex Hornibrook can play like he did at Iowa, the Badgers can compete with any team in the conference. Wisconsin plays Nebraska at home on Saturday night.

3. Michigan (4-1)

Beat Northwestern, 20-17

Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships. After allowing Northwestern to jump out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter, the Michigan defense pitched a shut out the rest of the game, allowing less than 100 yards of total offense for the final three quarters as the Wolverines scored 20 unanswered points to survive on the road. The offense struggled mightily, but this was a game that Michigan needed to win. Shea Patterson and Karan Higdon did just enough for the Wolverines to squeak out a W. Survive and advance. Michigan plays Maryland at home on Saturday.

2. Penn State (4-1)

Lost to Ohio State, 27-26

Finish. It’s a word that Penn State can’t seem to comprehend as they suffered a heartbreaking defeat to their rivals Penn State. Despite losing the game, Trace McSorley was the best player on the field Saturday night in front of a record-breaking crowd in Happy Valley. The senior quarterback set a school record with 461 yards of offense including 175 on the ground. However, between questionable play-calling and the inability to tackle late, the Nittany Lions will now have to win out and pray Ohio State loses two conference games to play in the Big Ten Championship. Penn State has a bye this week.

1. Ohio State (5-0)

Beat Penn State, 27-26

For the second year in a row, Ohio State used Buckeye magic to erase a double-digit fourth-quarter lead to defeat conference rival, Penn State. Ohio State was dead in the water in the first half as the Nittany Lions pushed the Buckeyes around on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins threw 2 TDs in the final seven minutes to complete the comeback and stamp Ohio State as the best team in the Big 10. This game not only meant that Ohio State is in the driver’s seat for the Big Ten, but this win puts the Buckeyes in the driver’s seat for the College Football Playoff. Ohio State takes on Indiana in Columbus on Saturday afternoon.

College Football: Top 5 Teams Likely To Disappoint In 2018

If your college football team is not coached by Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, or Dabo Swinney, there’s a good chance that things may not go your way in 2018. I’m talking about disappointing seasons. There are bound to be quite a few teams that will have sour tastes in their mouth come December. It’s inevitable.

Let’s take a look at the top 5 teams that are likely to disappoint in 2018.

#5 Michigan

This hurts to write because I am a big Jim Harbaugh fan, but his three seasons have been a letdown for Michigan fans. It’s hard to say a coach underachieved with two 10 win season in his first three years, but for a coach to be making over $7 million a year, Big 10 titles and wins over Ohio State are a necessity and so far neither of those accomplishments have happened. This will be Harbaugh’s best chance to silence the critics thanks to Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson, who is easily the best quarterback that Harbaugh has had in his tenure at Ann Arbor. However, for Michigan to rise to the top of the Big 10, they will need to beat Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan State. Maybe they can beat one, but all three? It’s just not happening especially with trips to East Lansing and Columbus. Until that happens, I can’t bet on Michigan.

#4 Florida State

The talent is there. Running back Cam Akers is a Heisman hopeful. Quarterback Deondre Francois is healthy after missing almost the entire 2017 season. The team is young and full of potential. Despite the talent, Jimbo Fisher took his talents to Texas A&M. He had five straight years of 10+ wins at one point as well as a National Championship victory. Taking over for Fisher is Willie Taggart, who bolted from Oregon after one year. I have no idea how to judge Taggart because this is only his second year as a head coach at a Power 5 school. Can he handle the pressure and live up to the lofty expectations? Clemson is still the king of the ACC and Miami is closing in on them. Florida State is not better than those two teams right now, so they will have their work cut out to stay above the middle of the ACC.

#3 Florida

Staying in the Sunshine State, let’s go to Gainesville to talk about the Gators. First-year coach Dan Mullen inherits a team from a year ago that had no energy and was flat out inept on the offensive side of the ball. Their super “vanilla” offense finished #101 in the nation during McElwain’s last year. I expect Mullen’s knows he has to spread it out and score a lot of points. With questions at quarterback and on the offensive line, it will take a while for Mullen to find his next Dak Prescott to revitalize the Gators. The strength of the team will be the secondary lead by the ballhawks at corner, CJ Henderson, and Marco Wilson. The season is already off to a rocky start as six players face potential discipline after a confrontation with “Tay Bang” that involved airlift guns and a frying pan. I’m not kidding. Mullen will turn Florida around, but not this year.

Pages: 1 2