Saturday observations...

31-14 Michigan State over Notre Dame.

Yes, not the brutal beat down that everybody else has put on them to date, but still a convincing win. And considering that Slappy Jabba didn't want Heisman Emu throwing the ball anymore, not bad at all. That's a good win against a Notre Dame that's playing ball control offense. They were playing not to get killed, rather than to win. I dare say that most everybody else would have beaten them this way under the same circumstances. It's just a bad Notre Dame.

And besides, they can't lose by sixty every week, can they? Ask Stephen Hawking, but there must be a law of entropy or something that mere random luck will produce a convincing Notre Dame loss rather than a just an endless series of soul-destroying Notre Dame humiliations. Somebody had to let them get to half time with hope. They were due for mere mediocrity.

My concerns are some Hoyer passes that missed open receivers. A Hoyer fumble that gave ND an easy touchdown. A Hoyer INT in the end zone that cost MSU at least a field goal, maybe a TD. Etc... Yes, he's new. He got better as the game wore on. I don't expect this to be a continuing problem. But those mistakes will likely be fatal if they happen in Madison next week. I never expected to win that game anyway, but still...

Also, anotheroffensive lineman limping off the field. That looks not pretty.

The defense? Well, nothing awful to report here. Again. This makes me so happy.

The running game in the 4th quarter was like a favorite warm blanket on a cold winter night next to a fire.

Penalties were sparse again. That's pleaseant.

We missed an easy field goal that didn't matter. Still, 2005's horrors are not easily forgotten.

As for Notre Dame, Slappy Jabba's statement earlier in the week bears repeating. Yes, the team and the coaches and the players didn't suddenly get worse. They were unimpressive all along. Check out Ty Willingham's wins in three years over teams that finished in the Top 25, and then check out Slappy's. Here's a head start: Weis' only such win is #24 Penn State last year.

Enjoy the next nine, expensive seasons, Irish. You paid for this shit.

Michigan

I'm very happy they got a big win win out of their system before they played Michigan State. Shades of our 2005 game were starting to dance in my head if they started 1-3.

And once again, Mike Hart proves why he may be the most aptly named player in college football history. Assuming the injury bug remains at bay, I see a long and storied NFL career.

The flipside is what happens to Michigan when he is gone.

At a minimum, they have a defense again.

And I wonder how many internet references we will find this week to the assumed "final season" of Lloyd Carr. My prediction for Michigan this year is 7-8 wins, one of which is Ohio State; a mid-level bowl, which they also win; and Lloyd Carr returns next season.

Nebraska v. Ball State

Speaking of rash coaching changes, it's too bad Ball State isn't on Ohio's MAC schedule this year (barring a meetup in the MAC title game). I suspect that former Nebraska coach Frank Solich would beat them by more than present Nebraska coach Bill Callahan did today (1 pt).

Note that Nebraska has yet to get back to the winning level they had under Solich.

Before firing Solich, Nebraska had the longest streak of winning seasons and bowl games in the NCAA. The very next season after they fired him, the spell was broken. The streak passed to Michigan.

By all means, Wal-Mart Wolverines, fire Lloyd! You will get what you deserve.

South Florida


A dozen years ago, this team didn't exist. Now, they are a serious BCS threat and dark horse national title team. There is a received wisdom that says Michigan State cannot get to the level of Michigan, Ohio State or (gasp!) Notre Dame, because it is surrounded by those powers in the recruiting wars. Yet South Florida, from nothing, is now on the map by keeping its hold on a good coach and fighting in the Florida recruiting wars despite Miami-FL, Florida and Florida State in the same state, and the entire brutal SEC in the region.

It can be done. We were probably on the way when we let Nick Saban get away. I'm beginning to think a second chance is on the table.