Well, today is a big day. I get to watch North Carolina first then Notre Dame and Penn State play. Finally, Wisconsin will finish off the night. I am hoping Notre Dame will come back from a disappointing start to the season. Wisconsin dropped in the polls from 7th to 9th mainly based on the horribly play of our defense. I think they go into today with a chip on their shoulder, which hopefully will show up on the field. Below is an article on each team as they head into their games.
NORTH CAROLINA:
USF-UNC: Five things to keep an eye on
Lots of stats and situations pop out going into Saturday's USF-North Carolina game, but I'm going to pare it down to five easy conversation topics to liven up your breakfast tailgate. In no particular order:
1. North Carolina's time of possession. UNC ranks 119th -- that's last -- in Division I-A (none of the Football Bowl Subdivision nonsense here) with just 23:49 on average. Part of that problem is North Carolina's third-down defense -- only eight teams in the country have allowed opponents to convert more third downs than the Tar Heels -- Virginia converted 11 out of 20 last week. UNC also hasn't had many sustained drives -- against Virginia, they had none four minutes or longer, while Virginia had four such drives. If that doesn't change, UNC's defense will be hot and tired late in the game. [read more]
NOTRE DAME:
Irish hope for a quick change
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Each week, Charlie Weis presents his Notre Dame football team with a top 10 list. It's not a Letterman-esque droll call -- though one might argue Weis currently presides over The Almost Too Late Show -- but rather a breakdown of keys to an Irish victory that given Saturday.
Item No. 2 this week, against Michigan State? A fast start, to avoid a historically bad start on the large scale. [read more]
PENN STATE:
Penn State defense zeros in on Michigan's Hart
It is the Penn State view that Mike Hart is aptly named, albeit phonetically. He is the heart of the Michigan offense.
That's regardless of whether veteran quarterback Chad Henne comes back after missing a game with a sprained knee, or freshman Ryan Mallett gets his second start in Henne's place.
"I think if we want to win, we need to stop Mike Hart," Lions linebacker Sean Lee said. "I think their offense begins and ends with him." [read more]
WISCONSIN:
Battle for the ‘Box’
The storied rivalry between Wisconsin and Iowa football dates back to 1894. Another heated competition linking these two programs hasn’t lasted as long, but it certainly is just as intense.
For the last 12 seasons, every Friday before the Wisconsin-Iowa game, the managers from each school coalesce for one fiery game of flag football. [read more]
7 comments:
As you may have deduced by my e-mail address, I attend USF part-time, so needless to say, I'm hoping they spank UNC and keep moving up the rankings.
Go BULLS!!!
You sir, have declared war. We may currently be down by 7, but we shall rise again. Then again after that 26 yard pass maybe not.
As an Iowa State fan I've learned learned humility so I'll try not to take too much pleasure in the beat down the Bulls just put on the Tar Heels. That being said, since USF beat West Virginia last year, it seems to me that a Big East Championship and a trip to a BCS game is not out of the question for da Bulls.
I may live in Michigan, but I am pulling for Penn State. Michigan has ruined Joe's chances at a national championship too many times. Penn St. needs this win.
Carolina falling to LSU ... my poor husband (A Carolina alum ... twice) is sad.
Mike,
You have every right to brag. I guarantee I would. What sucks though, is that so far I am 0-3 for the day. Let's hope Wisconsin can pull off a victory. The Heels did not even look like a college team, they looked like JV out there.
One Mom,
Penn State did need this win, unfortunately we did not pull it out, so I guess we are in the same situation as your husband and can empathize. At least they fell to LSU though, who in my opinion should have been ranked #1. We lost to Michigan (MICHIGAN!!!).
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