Hello football fans!!!
The ChriStanzi Experiment…
…looks like it’s finally over… for now. Stanzi has been named the #1 starter – not #1A (or) #1B – and we all finally get to see Stanzi play for four quarters…or so it seems.
About the Pitt Game
Everybody that cares about the Hawks was up in arms because Stanzi didn’t play in the 2nd half. Was I mad? Yessir. The only thing that kept my blood pressure down (other than the 6 Stella Artois’ by the end of the game) was the fact that I was still riding a “we beat ISU” high.
Personally, I was just as upset about the bad play-calling by O-Keefe in the 4th quarter than the fact they kept Christiansen in. What was the break down, something like 15 passes to 2 runs?!? Why do that when Shonn Greene is absolutely ABUSING the Pitt D-line?!? Isn’t that why you run the ball – so you can wear down the other team’s D-Line and jam it down their throats late in the game?!? How many times can I use “?!?” in one paragraph?!?
So the fact that Christensen was in there was a problem, but the fact that the coaches trusted him to throw the ball 127 times in the 4th quarter was a problem as well. It’s a Catch-22…even though Colin Sandeman wasn’t catching anything! (Rimshot!)
I think the coaches wanted Christensen to start because this was the first game on the road for Stanzi. I guess I kinda understand that. However, I don’t know why the coaches kept Christensen in there so long. It’s like that girl (that is a) friend of yours – let’s call her Mindy – that always goes for the a-holes even though she’s a pretty, nice girl. But instead of Mindy’s low self-esteem, the problem here is Kirk Ferentz’s stubbornness. In both cases, I get screwed. (heh-heh-heh)
Moving Forward
• We’re running the ball well.
• We’re playing solid special teams.
• I love our D-Line.
• I like our LB’s.
• Our CB’s are VERY solid.
• Our safeties are OK.
There are things to be happy about. I text’d the following scenarios to Dick Galligan before he drained the local Hy-Vee out of Schlitz:
Current QB Play 6-6
Better QB Play 8-4
GOOD QB Play 9-3 or maybe 10-2
That’s how simple it is. We’ll see how this thing plays out – and what happens this weekend.
WEEK 4:
We can actually learn from what happened against Pitt. Unfortunately, the coaches are the people that had the most to learn…at the expense of us being ranked anytime soon.
Northwestern Wildcats @ Iowa Hawkeyes
11:00 AM, ESPN-Classic (what?) – Line: Iowa by 8.5
Northwestern is a dangerous team – they really are – but they’ve been taken into the 4th quarter by Syracuse, Duke, and Ohio. They’re not a Top 25 team for a reason.
Their stud is RB Tyrell Sutton – and it’s not clear if he’s healthy. If he’s not, we should beat the snot outta them because they run their entire offense through him. If not him, then it’s their QB CJ Bacher. Bacher is the absolute best football example of “feast-or-famine”; he’ll throw a 40 yard frozen rope one play, and then throw an absolute stink-bomb interception the next.
Game:
There are two things to watch in this game:
Stanzi – Not much to say here: How will he play? Will he force throws like he did against ISU, or will he be a play-maker like we’ve all seen at times? Either way, I’m excited to see what happens.
Bacher vs. Iowa Pass D – The thing that makes me nervous is that we give QB’s the chance to settle down and get into a rhythm – exactly what you don’t want Bacher to do. However, we might also have the type of defense where Bacher gets antsy, forces a throw, and we pick him off a few times.
I hope it’s the latter – but our safeties will have to step up for that to happen.
Iowa Hawkeyes 30 - Northwestern 23
Week 4 “Precarious Predictions”
YTD NCAA Record 10-10-4
Last Week 3-2-2
Iowa ATS 1-1-1
Before I get started on the Games of Note – I’d just like to apologize to all the Notre Dame haters (like me) that I didn’t get on Fat Chaz last week after he blew out the tippy-top of his cankle. I honestly didn’t hear about it until the middle of the week (believe it or not I do work) and forgot to include it.
But I will say that I watched the first half of the Notre Dame – Michigan State game with the Randy and Tyler Slick, and more importantly Shaun “I’m a Notre Dame Fan Because I’m An Irish-Catholic That Grew Up In Emmetsburg And That’s How I Have To Be” Higgins. Anyhoo, every time they cut to Fat Chazz in that moo-moo jump-suit thing…Slicker and I just laughed. I swear you could insulate your house on the fat that’s just BELOW his belt!!!
So I’m laughing at Higgins (even though he understands and hates Fat Chazz too) and went so far as to go upstairs, put a pillow under my shirt, tighten a belt down (so as to have fat both above and below the belt) and limp around bitching at an invisible ref. Did I mention I’m having fun with Notre Dame the past year and a half???
Games of note (10 games including Iowa!):
Thursday
#1 USC @ Oregon State – 8:00PM / ESPN-HD / Line: USC by 24.5
Trojans pound the Beavers! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) Too much hair…err…too many points.
Oregon State and the points.
Saturday
Tennessee @ #15 Auburn – 2:30 PM / CBS-HD / Line: Auburn by 6
Gut says Auburn, but head tells me “beware the big game let-down”. Still, I think this Tennessee team is really, really bad – and I’m going against them until I see something different.
Auburn covers.
Va Tech @ Nebraska – 7:00 PM / The Mountain (yes, that’s a TV station) / Line: UNLV by 3
I like Nebraska here because I think (gulp) they’re pretty good and because they’ve circled this game earlier in the year. I also like it because it wouldn’t bother me to pay $$$ to see Nebraska lose and stay out of the Top 25. I’m an idiot on stuff like that.
Nebraska covers.
BIG TEN
Minnesota @ #14 Ohio State – 11:00 AM / BTN-HD / Line: OSU by 17.5
I’m I the only one that VERY intrigued by this game? This is NOT a bad Minnesota team, and they’ll be playing with nothing to lose. On the other hand, Ohio State is transforming into a different team with the absolutely AMAZING Terell Prior at QB. I’m just going on a hunch:
Gooophers and the points.
Michigan St @ Indiana – 11:00 AM / BTN / Line: MSU by 8.5
“THIS!…IS!…SPARTA!!!”
Sparty covers.
#9 Wisconsin @ Meeechigan – 2:30 PM / ABC-HD / Line: Wisconsin by 6.5
I don’t think Meeechigan is as bad as people think. My gut tells me that they righted the ship – albeit a little bit – and will be better this week. I don’t want Wisconsin to lose this game because it will look bad on the Big Ten.
Meeechigan and the points.
Purdue @ Notre Dame – 2:30 PM / NBC-HD / Line: Notre Dame by 2.5
Ummm…am I missing something here?
Purdue and the points. (I’d like this the other way!)
My Game of the Week:
#22 Illinois @ #12 Penn State – 7:00 PM / ABC-HD / Line: Penn St by 13
I said at the beginning of the year that Illinois was over-rated. Granted, they ARE 3-1 with their sole loss coming against a great Missouri team. I still think they suck. And Vegas knows it too, because 13 points is a lot.
I also thought Penn State was a good team (I picked them 2nd in the Big Ten at the beginning of the year, BTW) but I didn’t think they were THIS good. I’ve been saying for three weeks that this is the best team in the Big Ten, and might be a top 5 team.
Saturday night, Penn State proves it.
Penn State covers.
National Game of the Week:
#8 Alabama @ #3 Georgia – 6:45 PM / ESPN-HD / Line: Georgia by 6.5
I think ‘Bama has superior talent on both of their lines…and all the pressure is on Georgia. Mix in the fact that Georgia is coming off a cross-country trip after two emotional games?!? That’s enough for me.
‘Bama and the points.
N ational F ootball L eague
Week 3 “Precarious Predictions”
Last week 5-0 (“Yessir!”)
YTD NFL Record 9-6
Vikings @ Titans NOON FOX Line: Titans by 3
Am I missing something?
Titans cover.
Packers @ Bucs NOON FOX Line: Bucs by 1
Tough spot for the Packers.
Bucs cover.
Redskins @ Cowboys 3:05 FOX Line: Cowboys by 11
The Cowboys are due…for a let-down.
Redskins and the points.
Sunday Night
Eagles @ Bears 7:15 NBC Line: Eagles by 3
So obvious I should probably stay away.
Eagles cover.
Monday Night
Ravens @ Steelers 7:30 ESPN Line: Steelers by 5
I like the Steelers to finally start scoring some points in this game – I know that doesn’t make sense since it’s against the Ravens but this offense HAS TO start blowing up soon.
Steelers cover.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO HAWKS!
-Jeffrey the Greek!
Posted by Jeff Buch 
