MSU's defense may not be Alabama, but they are a mean, physical D with a ton of talent.

I'll give you mean and physical, and D'Antonio is an excellent defensive coach, but they don't have a ton of talent. Not only is MSU not Alabama, they're not even a poor man's Alabama. And their offense has been gutted, to a far greater degree than Wisconsin's (who slots in yet another transfer at QB and still has corn-fed lineman and a decent back to run behind them). MSU's QB situation is a smoldering black hole of suck. @UM/@Wisc back to back is brutal, as far as conference B1G scheduling goes, and the non-conference schedules is tough as well (BSU & ND). I think last year was MSU's year.

Am i crazy to think that mich can beat bama when they play? Being a nd fan iv seen robinson just absolutly destroy teams with unreal performances

One thing about Carolina, Jadaveon Clowney is Lattimore on defense. He was a monster last year as a true freshman and figures to be even better. USC will be in the mix if those two stay healthy.

Being a nd fan iv seen robinson just absolutly destroy teams with unreal performances

I thought both MSU's (Miss St the other) have done a heckuva job in the 3 or 4 games v Dennard in keeping him down. I'm pretty comfortable in saying Bama can handle him.

robinson is a joke. i am surprised at you meat taking him seriously. any defense with a modicum of athletic ability and discipline can handle the guy. he just runs around and throws the ball up for grabs.

any defensive coordinator who has his defense struggle should be embarrassed when facing a player whose idea of a forward pass is a wobbly jump ball travelling at 10 mph

If Michigan is going to beat Alabama it is going to because of Michigan's defense not Robinson.

Big 12: Texas (criminally underrated this year)

This would be my pick if I weren't a WVU fan. OU has injury issues on both lines and Landry Jones is all hype, OU is massively overrated. Texas is incredible on both sides of the line and has great talent and solid depth just about everywhere but QB. And they get WVU at home.

I'll give you mean and physical, and D'Antonio is an excellent defensive coach, but they don't have a ton of talent.

You know the Big Ten better than I do but Gholston (who is insanely aggressive to the point that he might be insane) and Adams are pretty fantastic talents. This article suggests they have another 5 NFL draft picks on defense.

I think last year was MSU's year.

Could be. It wouldn't surprise me to see Michigan overtake them. I would be surprised to see Wisconsin win the conference again, after losing Chryst. And while Danny O'Brien is a good QB, but he's not Russell Wilson.

Am i crazy to think that mich can beat bama when they play? Being a nd fan iv seen robinson just absolutly destroy teams with unreal performances

I think you are crazy. Bama is going to beat the snot out of Denard within two offensive possessions. As noted above, MSU took care of him pretty handily last year and Bama's D, even after reloading, will probably be better than that. If Michigan is going to move the ball, it's going to be with their tailbacks.

IIRC, Michigan suspended one of their tailbacks for the opener right? I don't think they will be able to hang with Bama for four quarters, as much as I want them to. I could see it being kinda close through the half, but I think Michigan will really struggle to score and Bama's O-Line should wear down Michigna's D as the game goes on.

i am surprised folks are giving chryst so much credit. the real loss is the offensive line coach.

the badgers have been running a variation of the same offense since the late 90's. but someone was taking these kids and teaching them great technique for offensive line play.

wisconsin's head coach is intensely disliked by the big ten media, and for good reaeson as the guy is a jerk, so other teams in teh league get hyped over wisconsin. i am not complaining because brett has earned this all on his own. i would feel a bit better if he could avoid getting outcoached in rose bowls but i didn't get a vote on the pick

i do give the wisconsin head coach for what can only be deemed as a somewhat clever approach of recruiting proven collegiate qbs. it's a unique thing

Harveys i say that because he has killed notre dame. Then again i expect nd to beat mich this year. I am excited.for the season to start

meat

notre dame is a joke of a program. beating that team is nothing

Navy has a new qb and no passing game

They had an awful new QB last year too.

i am surprised folks are giving chryst so much credit. the real loss is the offensive line coach.

Harvey, one of my good friends is a diehard Badgers fan. My impression from him was the before Chryst, the Badgers could always run the way they do. But Chryst added effective QB play (of course, it depends on the week I asked my friend about the QB play). Both Wilson and the guy before Wilson (Tolzien?) had great years under Chryst and I'm under the impression those were some of the better years ever put up by a Wisky QB. I suppose it may not be fair to give him credit for Wilson's success.

cowboy

revisionist history.

the guy can coach. but he was not the engine that made things go.

since barry arrived the following have always been true about wisconsin's offense:

--the badgers will run and stick to the run
--the badgers will find guys who can play tight end and be really good at it
--the badgers will struggle at clock management
--the badgers won't commit penalties and won't turn the ball over
--the badgers will struggle with blitzes against teams that can provide legit press coverage at the line
--the badgers will beat you up physically
--the stretch run is their go to play
--all wisconsin qbs must be good at play action or not play

If Michigan is going to beat Alabama it is going to because of a meteorite striking the Alabama sideline and killing a significant proportion of the roster not Robinson..

FTFY.

You know the Big Ten better than I do but Gholston (who is insanely aggressive to the point that he might be insane) and Adams are pretty fantastic talents. This article suggests they have another 5 NFL draft picks on defense.

Gholston is pheneomenal, though he's got more than a bit of Vontaze Burfict in him and his brother peaked at age 20. That doesn't make him any less of a kick-ass college player, though. The rest of the team is a bunch of 3-stars that Dantonio has coached-up; they're very good, but it's not "talent" as I think of it (i.e., USC or LSU with a stable of superior athletes waiting to get a turn to play). MSU isn't going to out-talent most of the teams it plays; it wins because Dantonio has the guys playing balls-out and knows how to coach D. IMO.

Also, citing to a Stew Mandel column is the Godwin's Law of CFB debates.

every time michigan state faced a team with a real offense michigan state gave up a ton of yards and points.

the big ten's overall quality stinks. folks need to grasp that basic fact

the big ten's overall quality stinks. folks need to grasp that basic fact

this. I do think this might be a bottoming out though. Doesn't mean the conference will turn it around over night, but tOSU and UM at the very least do have some good things going for it. PSU and IU, that's going to be an interesting prop. on who wins more over the next decade. I'd still bank on PSU.

My alma mater has been spinning wheels for awhile, though they did stop the Callahan bleeding faster than I thought. As long as they have a WR playing QB, they won't be ready for prime time. Pelini's gonna start feeling some more heat. Lincoln is the ultimate fish bowl in college football, the amount of coverage and attention paid to the program is off the charts for a college program (granted small state). Expectations are outsized at this time. The idea that they can resume the standard like they had from '93-'01 is myopic.

I only pick MSU, because I'm convinced the Ms and N division is going to end with a 3 way tie and they'll get it and then simply beat UW in Indy based on a guess. Agree, UW lost more than PC, plus they have a new QB, the idea that it is plug and play for O'brien isn't fair to him, he's not Wilson. BTW: will there be a bigger stunner if a team other than UW wins the other division?

mrams

do not underestimate brett's ability to not exploit an advantage.

So, my wife is flying to Dallas for the UM-Bama game, and I am going to ATL for the UT-NCSU and Aub-Clemson doubleheader. Anyone else going to the games?

The rest of the team is a bunch of 3-stars that Dantonio has coached-up; they're very good, but it's not "talent" as I think of it (i.e., USC or LSU with a stable of superior athletes waiting to get a turn to play). MSU isn't going to out-talent most of the teams it plays; it wins because Dantonio has the guys playing balls-out and knows how to coach D. IMO.

I agree that they aren't USC or LSU, but in the Big Ten, they are as good a D as there is in the conference and while they are coached up, as all Dantonio teams are, there's also some significant talent. I wouldn't be surprised if both Michigan and Ohio State have more raw talent on that side of the ball, but for now MSU is the best combination of talent and experience.

I don't know whether you think much of the ESPN Big Ten analysts but ESPN's Top 25 Players in The Big Ten has two MSU linebackers plus Adams and I assume eventually Gholston. By my count, only Purdue and Illinois have two defensive players listed, no one else has more than one (yet). So I may have overstated when I said a ton of talent, but they've got more experienced playmakers on that side of the ball than any of their conference opponents.

Also, citing to a Stew Mandel column is the Godwin's Law of CFB debates.

Never heard that before. I personally like Mandel, he's not the best analyst in the world but he's an entertaining writer.

every time michigan state faced a team with a real offense michigan state gave up a ton of yards and points.

I don't think anyone is ready to pick a Big Ten in the championship game, or probably even in a BCS game unless they get the ACC champ again. Maybe in a couple of years when Hoke gets Michigan really going and Meyer has been at OSU enough to get his program up. But for now, I feel comfortable saying MSU has the best defense in the conference. I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan or OSU passes them by during the season, but going into the year, I think they have a significant edge there.

But for now, I feel comfortable saying MSU has the best defense in the conference. I wouldn't be surprised if Michigan or OSU passes them by during the season, but going into the year, I think they have a significant edge there.


No one's denying this - the question is whether they have a defense good enough to survive an offense that looks terrible. They're not going to pitch shutouts at UM or Wisc. They need to score points. And they're not in Wisc's cripple-fight division, so while the B1G as a whole is weak, MSU actually has some competition and is facing the two best teams on the schedule (IMO, YMMV w/r/t ND) on the road.

"Harveys i say that because he has killed notre dame."

Well, to be fair, Notre Dame sucks.

Denard is probably the most exciting player in college, however, he is a terrible QB. Even when he has good throwing games they are usually because the WR have made a play or a defensive breakdown (which he usually causes). The WR talent isn't there. Rich-Rod probably could have made him a decent spread QB but Borges is a pro-style coach and probably can't wait until he graduates. I think Michigan's most effective passing play is to have Denard lineup in the shotgun take a step forward to freeze the linebackers and safeties and then try to find a receiver.

MSU's defense was pretty good last year. They thoroughly dominated Michigan last year even though they were super-dirty (Gholston being one of many culprits).

Notre Dame has the toughest, most interesting schedule in College Football.

I don't know how interesting it is, but Auburn has what appears to me at least as tough schedule - 5 games against the preseason Top 15.

Schedule 2012
Date Opponent Result / Time
9/1 vs. 14 Clemson 6:00 CT
9/8 at Mississippi State 11:00 CT
9/15 vs. Louisiana-Monroe 11:21 CT
9/22 vs. 3 LSU TBA
10/6 vs. 10 Arkansas TBA
10/13 at Mississippi TBA
10/20 at Vanderbilt TBA
10/27 vs. Texas A&M TBA
11/3 vs. New Mexico State TBA
11/10 vs. 6 Georgia TBA
11/17 vs. Alabama A&M TBA
11/24 at 2 Alabama TBA

wisconsin's offense eviscerated msu not once but twice last year

great defenses at least play well against event the best offenses. they don't get rolled like the town drunk by a bunch of 15 years old being mean

give me a break.

and i am not extolling wisconsin's positives. i am mocking the notion that msu is anything but the tallest midget.

Lets see how good georgia and arkansas really are. Also only one tough road game where as nd has to.go.to msu usc and oklahoma

TAMU, Vandy and Miss State are no joke either. And let's see how good any of those Big 10 teams are. 1 team in the Top 10 at the end of the season last year - (Wisconsin at #10 IIRC). Not that it matters. Auburn will be lucky to get 8 wins this year.

ACC: Virginia Tech
Big 12: West Virginia
Big East: Louisville
Big Ten: Michigan St.
PAC-12: Oregon
SEC: Alabama

National title game: Alabama defeats Oregon

Denard is probably the most exciting player in college, however, he is a terrible QB.

I think Denard is probably a bit too effective to be called a terrible QB. He's a terrible pro style QB no doubt, but causing defensive breakdown allowing for easy floater type passes to be completed is a virtue in itself.

As far as MSU's defense, everyone but LSU and Alabama got taken apart at least once last year. Bit of a harsh standard.

Rich-Rod probably could have made him a decent spread QB but Borges is a pro-style coach and probably can't wait until he graduates.

If that were true, Borges wouldn't have moved Devin Gardner to WR.

I don't know how interesting it is, but Auburn has what appears to me at least as tough schedule - 5 games against the preseason Top 15


But 4 of the 5 are @ Auburn - nice draw, that.

bib

and giving up all the points to georgia?

beating up on big 10 wimps does not impress

They held Georgia to 4.29 yards per play. Kirk Cousins threw three interceptions and was safetied. That was not a bad defensive performance.

kirk cousins was the michigan state quarterback

here is the box score link

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=320020061

i will refrain from any sarcasm

that boise game this weekend is going to be tough for msu. sure bsu is running in a new quarterback, but their defense should be good once again. i could see msu winning the big ten with one loss to go with the loss they suffer in the opener.

ACC: FSU
Big 12: Texas
Big East: Boise State
Big 10: Wisconsin
Pac 12: USC
SEC: Alabama

Championship: Alabama over USC

The Pac-12 is extremely annoying, because it's fairly difficult to see how the loser of Oregon/USC will lose a game.

It's also annoying that there are 3 Big 10 teams and 2 ACC schools ranked above UT.

Also, Jackson Jeffcoat wins the Bednarik. Barkley wins the Heisman.

Oregon (or USC, if they were to lose to Oregon) drops 40+ against whomever wins the Big 10.

"The Pac-12 is extremely annoying, because it's fairly difficult to see how the loser of Oregon/USC will lose a game. "

Probably the only real chance would be in a rematch.

885 - not sure how that helps your argument. Georgia racked up just 40 more yards against Michigan St than they did against LSU, and fewer than they did against Boise, Auburn, South Carolina, Georgia Tech. Fine, Michigan St doesn't have an Alabama/LSU defense. But they're just one step below and still very good.

And I do like how still losing a game in which the other QB was gladly turning the ball over is "beating [them] up". 15 points came on a safety, a punt return, and 2 drives that totaled negative 8 yards. Michigan State's defense did not give "up all the points"

I tried to post a new thread, we shall see if it worked or not. Tomorrow it begins!

IT BEGINS IT BEGINS IT BEGINS.