Michigan St - Wisconsin

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

First trip to Camp Randall in four years. The best chance for MSU to win is for Ringer and Caulcrick to combine for 7 yards on 143 carries. Wait, wrong thread...

I see a pretty low scoring affair... defenses for both will bend but not break. Both of these are some TOUGH densive fronts. I haven't seen a lot from Tyler Donovan, but I know Wisky has given up a bundle of sacks this year, while Mich St leads the nation in sacks. I like that combo. Wisky will want to run a real balanced offense to beat State. Of course Hill will get his carries, but State's CB's are still its achilles. They aren't getting stomped on this year because they haven't had much of a chance to get exposed. Like I said, the D line has been getting great pressure on the QB, so the secondary has acted moreso like a bunch of spectactors. Which is GOOD. I think MSU just needs to continue running right at that red wall and pound away yardage. Hoyer has been serviceable, but he's shown a tendency to try and really thread the needle, causing him to throw into double coverage. He's been lucky a lot of these passes haven't been picked off. I think part of that is due to him really trying to rifle the ball in there. Which reminds me...this guy needs to learn how to throw with some touch. He's missed too many open guys by trying to Randy Johnson the ball in the numbers. He really comes off as a perfectionist, and doesn't play with quite as much instinct as you'd want from your starting QB.

THAT BEING SAID...

All in all, Mich St is playing quite well in all aspects of the game. Wisconsin had to make a second half "comeback" at home, under the lights, on ABC, to beat Iowa -- which I feel is a subpar team. Wisky has been coasting far too long on these shaky wins. I think the streak snaps here. This won't be easy. Probably won't be pretty. But I think State goes in there and escapes with the W. Some how...some way. And this isn't me being a homer. You can insult me, my mother, and my freakishly large penis. But if there's one thing you can't say about me...is that I'm not rational. I rationally see Mich St pulling this one out.

Michigan State 20
Wisconsin 16

[RadioFan]

Like I said, the D line has been getting great pressure on the QB, so the secondary has acted moreso like a bunch of spectactors. Which is GOOD. I think MSU just needs to continue running right at that red wall and pound away yardage. Hoyer has been serviceable, but he's shown a tendency to try and really thread the needle, causing him to throw into double coverage.

Which probably means Wisconsin will get 4 INTs. Nice job, BABS.

:wink

Wisconsin had to make a second half "comeback" at home, under the lights, on ABC, to beat Iowa -- which I feel is a subpar team. Wisky has been coasting far too long on these shaky wins. I think the streak snaps here. This won't be easy. Probably won't be pretty. But I think State goes in there and escapes with the W. Some how...some way. And this isn't me being a homer. You can insult me, my mother, and my freakishly large penis. But if there's one thing you can't say about me...is that I'm not rational. I rationally see Mich St pulling this one out.

I picked MSU in our pick'em. They should at least cover, if not have a legit shot to win outright. If a night game on ABC doesn't get Wisconsin's head out of its ass, a day game sure as hell won't. I think you nailed it.


... Now watch it be 48-40 game or some shit.

[Danimal]

Wiscy needs to quit scabdicking-it. If they keep playing like they have the last three weeks MSU will take this.

[WolverineSteve]

This game has a history of the winner going large....

I love State in this game...that actually hurt to say. UW is one-dimensional, PJ...Shmeeejay.

State 37
UW 21

[Goober McTuber]

The Badgers have played to the level of their competition this year, which can be dangerous. Michigan State is a huge step up from anyone they’ve played so far this year. I see Wisconsin putting together its first complete game of the year, offense and defense.

Badgers 38
Bab’s Boys 17

[M Club]

This game has a history of the winner going large....

and it's usually the team not so hot coming into the game. how then to lean in this one? msu hasn't imploded, which passes for hot in el, and wisco's lost one game with beliema. that's a ruse. they're wisconsin for a reason: msu wins.

[L45B]

I see this game mirroring the Cap1 Bowl for Wisky. MSU will stuff the run all day, but the Badgers will get a lot of yards through the air with Beckham & Swann. I'll take UW 24-14, although anything's possible with Dantonio on the sidelines. Dude is gonna be nails for Sparty in future seasons.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

How's Wisconsin's offensive line doing? I wouldn't make any guarantees that they'll be able to rack up passing yds all game long.

And yes, MSU will look to pound the ball, but they can pickup key plays in the passing game, including 3rd and longs, when they need them. They don't limit the passing game because they can't do it.

[Goober McTuber]

Offensive line is decent, mostly veteran, but with a freshman stepping into Joe Thomas’ spot. The key to Wisconsin’s passing game will be if Donovan does a better job of picking up secondary receivers.

Wisconsin’s linebackers and defensive backs are very talented, they just need to focus.

[SEASON OVER]

Hahahhhahh..either way I'll notch one of these....I can't lose...hahahhhahhhh..it's why I LOVE my job! Hahahhaahhahh..blood letting....so good.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

$10 says SEASON OVER has already listed his own team.

[L45B]

$10 says SEASON OVER has already listed his own team.

$10 more says he listed it after the first week.

[SEASON OVER]

$10 says SEASON OVER has already listed his own team.

$10 more says he listed it after the first week.

I have no team.. I have All Teams...eventually...hahhahhahha

Woody sends his regards, he's polishing shoes for all the deceased Clemson fans...hahhhahhhahh...

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I have All Teams...eventually...hahhahhahha

No, you don't, dumbass.

Regards,

BCS Champion

[Shoalzie]

Should be a prototypical Big Ten slugfest. It won't have a lot of explosive offensive plays...just tough defense and the battle on the ground and who wins the turnover battle will determine the winner.

I really see these teams as being fairly similar. The Spartans have more a two back attack while the Badgers rely mostly on Hill. Both QBs are decent managers of the game and their main objective in this game is to avoid the big mistake. I don't see this being a very high scoring game...it could look a lot like Michigan-Penn State. It'll be the polar opposite of what will happen up Eugene.

The Spartans haven't faced a major test yet while the Badgers have had to sweat in a couple of their games. They should be more prepared for a close game. The key matchup will be the Spartans aggressive defense line vs. the Badgers big offensive line. If the Spartans can get loose and pressure Donovan and clamp down on Hill, they'll win this game. This is a well-coached team and I see this as being Dantonio's first big win at MSU.

Spartans 17
Badgers 13

[Shoalzie]

After getting dominated on the first series, the MSU defensive line is raising some hell now. They've got a scary pass rush on third downs.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Like I said, low scoring affair.

Anybody see that hit?

[Shoalzie]

Anybody see that hit?

Borderline dirty...hit the guy with his facemask and followed through this his shoulders.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Then go play intramurals, brother.

[RadioFan]

Like I said, low scoring affair.

For the Big 10?

Looks more like a shootout.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Sarcasm was implied.

Things don't look good at this rate. Wisconsin's ball control is very good. They're going to wear down MSU's D, and the secondary is finally getting exposed.

[RadioFan]

Nice 1st down for MSU. This game is far from over.

[Shoalzie]

Tie game and lots of football left. Should be a great finish...

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

This is getting intense.

[RadioFan]

Looks like we hit "showdown Saturday" a week early.

RACK it.

[Shoalzie]

More like Elimination Saturday...throw in the West Virginia loss on Friday. Could have 4 or 5 teams in the top 10 lose.

[Shoalzie]

Boneheaded penalties...very John L-esque

[Shoalzie]

Saved their butts with a strong stand near their goal line.

[Shoalzie]

Great battle...much more entertaining than I was expecting. The Sparties should be proud of their guys.

[L45B]

Boneheaded penalties...very John L-esque

True, but if Johnelle was coaching this team they woulda folded at 34-24, maybe earlier. Spartan fan should be excited about the future. And I'm not exactly talking about next year already.

Wisconsin was lucky to get MSU this early in the Big 10 schedule. The Spartans are gonna knock off somebody, mark it down. Maybe Michigan, maybe Ohio State. They are playing hard-nosed smashmouth football. Something they haven't done in quite a while.

[Shoalzie]

They play tough defense, their ground game is very versatile...a lot depends on Hoyer. If he's not getting pressured and has time to throw, he's a solid triggerman.

I totally agree that they'll knock one of the big boys off...Michigan goes to East Lansing in November, that is screaming for a State win there. Another month under their belt and I think they'll be an even nastier team to play in November. State is fortunate to avoid Illinois...they look like another sleeper.

That game in Columbus in three weeks should scare the Buckeyes only because the Sparties were able to walk into Camp Randall and battle to the end and narrowly lose. The interesting thing to see is where they are at as a team after that game. In the past years, this team begins to fade in October and into November...does Dantonio have them better prepared to play all 12 games?

One thing I'd advice teams is to not getting into 3rd-and-long with the Spartans...they will bring the house at them and more times than not, they get to the QB and lay the wood. Donovan took some wicked shots today.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Yep, penalties. Stupid penalties down the stretch and awful kickoff coverage. Kept giving 'Sconsin great field position in the second half. The roughing the passer call which later turned into points was the killer, considering Wisconsin was going to punt on that next possession.

Props to Wisconsin for putting together a complete game. That's the first time I've ever really paid close attention to Tyler Donovan and he's going to be a very good QB.

[Goober McTuber]

Disagreee about Donovan. He's about as good as he's going to be. He's a senior. And he has a bad tendency to lock onto his primary receiver. He is certainly a gamer, and thus far as a starter, he's done everything he's had to do to go 7-0. But no disrespect to MSU which is definitely an up and coming program, Wisconsin has tougher games ahead on the schedule, and they will have to play better to win those.

When a game comes down to a single play, that's generally a hell of a game. Props to MSU for almost knocking off Bucky at home.

[SoCalTrjn]

The hit on that Wiscy wide reciever in that game was the absolute most beautiful thing I have ever seen, that hit should be on exhibit at the Louvre

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

You mean this?

[Goober McTuber]

With time running out in the first half, University of Wisconsin wide receiver Kyle Jefferson ran a shallow crosser; a high percentage throw designed to create a mismatch in space. Releasing off the line of scrimmage, Jefferson came under the route of tight end Travis Beckum and worked his pattern, from right to left, across the middle of the field.

Jefferson barely avoided contact with the umpire (Jim Krogstad) before catching the ball. As he turned up field, Jefferson was flattened by Michigan State strong safety Nehemiah Warrick (No. 3) who clearly led with his head, thus producing the impetus for a helmet-on-helmet collision.

What happened next should not have been open to interpretation during Saturday's game at Camp Randall Stadium. Warrick's hit was illegal and the Spartans should have been penalized 15 yards. But there was no flag, no penalty.

Krogstad, a UW grad and Madison native, appeared to be screened on the play. If that was the case, he could have used some help from his crewmates. But he didn't get any assistance. At halftime, Matt Lepay, the Badgers radio voice, contacted David Parry, the Big Ten's supervisor of officials, and Parry conceded that Warrick should have been flagged for the helmet-to-helmet contact (which was not reviewable).

The rule book isn't vague.

In the 2007 NCAA rules and interpretations, it reads, "No player shall use his helmet (including the face mask) to butt or ram an opponent in an attempt to punish him (A.R. 9-1-2-XVI).'' That leads us to this rendering, "A player, during a live ball, rams an opponent with his helmet or face mask. Ruling: Personal foul -- 15 yards from the basic spot. ...''

The real issue here is not field position, it's player safety; a topic that has generated far more discussion in the National Football League than it has on the college football level. Not that the NCAA rules committee hasn't been put on the spot in the past. During the 2004 season, Georgia wide receiver Reggie Brown was the victim of a helmet-to-helmet hit from Auburn's Junior Rosegreen. Brown was knocked unconscious and suffered a concussion. There was no penalty on Rosegreen. Georgia head coach Mark Richt later told USA Today, "I don't think there was any bad intention. It's a safety issue that we all have to be concerned about, but I don't think it was intentional. I'm just thankful Reggie is fine.''

UW coach Bret Bielema was equally thankful that Jefferson wasn't severely injured. While he was able to bounce up and leave the field under his own power, he didn't play another snap against the Spartans. Jefferson and Brown were far more fortunate than Tennessee Tech receiver Drew Hixon. During that same 2004 season, Hixon was left in a medically induced coma for nearly a month after a helmet-to-helmet collision with a South Florida defensive back. Hixon dropped out of school and after a lengthy rehab and recovery, nearly five months, he was finally able to set foot back on campus for a visit.

While his son was still in a coma, Stan Hixon, the receivers coach for the Washington Redskins, and a former college assistant, told the Associated Press, "I've seen it happen before and guys get up and walk away. It's a collision sport. It's a tough, physical sport. Injuries happen. We know as players and coaches that you're one play away from getting hurt.''

So, where should we draw the line on helmet-to-helmet collisions? Especially those involving receivers who are unable to protect themselves. In 1995, the NFL implemented rules on excessive contact or illegal use of the helmet. Step over the line, and there's a price to pay. Just ask Rodney Harrison, or Kenoy Kennedy or Brian Dawkins or Darren Woodson or any other defensive back who has been fined by the league. That also goes for Denver safety John Lynch, a noted "hitter'' if not headhunter, who was fined $75,000 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis Colts tight end Dallas Clark.

The 2005 fine was based on Lynch being a repeat offender. His earlier transgressions cost $7,000 apiece. Lynch was hardly repentant. He told the Associated Press, "If you make the highlights these days, you're going to get fined. That's pretty much what it comes down to. It's kind of hypocritical. They put it on their 'Greatest Hits' but they'll fine you for it, too.''

Very true. The NFL loves marketing toughness, big hits. And nobody loves collisions more than television, which is giving its audience what it wants. Guilty as charged. I love watching Tom Jackson's segment "Jacked-Up'' on ESPN. But when does a player go too far when he uses his helmet as a weapon? A former NFL linebacker, Detroit Lions general manager Matt Millen told ESPN.com, "For years, we've taught guys to lead with their heads. If you're a defensive player at any level, you have dreams of coaches screaming, 'Stick your head in there.' And now we're telling people that they can't do that.''

That sentiment was shared by Darren Woodson, a former all-pro safety with the Dallas Cowboys, who told ESPN.com, "I have been taught since I was in the third grade, 'Lead with your eyes, go across the body.' You can't change the way people play. They seem to think that I can make a decision in a split-second. If I pull up, miss the tackle and he runs 60 yards for the touchdown, then what? We've got to live with the things that go on, too.''

Was Warrick thinking about hurting Jefferson when he had him lined up for the head shot? We don't know that. In this context, the problem is determining intent. Addressing that dilemma for everyone involved, Gene Washington, the NFL's director of football operations, told USA Today, "There's only one person who knows intent, and everyone else is guessing. It's a tough game and my feeling is there are some accepted and inherent risks of playing football. But that doesn't mean you should be subjected to undue risk.''

And that doesn't mean the aggressor, the defensive back, shouldn't be penalized 15-yards after such helmet-to-helmet collisions, which may help discourage him from using his head as a battering ram the next time. That, in turn, may also avoid the worst-case scenario: when the wide receiver doesn't get up the next time.

Granted this was a local columnist, but I agree that in the NFL the DB would be paying.

Helmet-to-helmet.

Upsiding it CFB-style.

[WolverineSteve]

The play hapenned too fast for the MSU kid to be accused of purposely going high. But I didn't like the celebrating while the reciever was clearing out the cobwebs.

[Goober McTuber]

I agree about the celebrating. Once he saw the kid laying there not moving, he might have shown a little concern. Regardless of intent, in the NFL it would have cost him money for sure. And it should have cost MSU 15 yards, according to the Big Ten's supervisor of officials.

If he were playing for SoCalTardling, it would have earned him a bonus.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Oh, I agree, it was a bit nasty. And the celebration afterwards was also un-called for. But you have to admit, it's cool to watch. Well, at least on my end. I'm glad the guy's ok.