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Tom's Notre Dame, Big 10 &
MAC Week 6 Review
This is just like it was scripted, right? Michigan and Purdue have three losses.
Ohio State and Iowa have two losses apiece. Meanwhile, Penn State is 6-0 and
probably the best of the Big Ten. Minnesota is 5-1 and Indiana is 4-1. Can you
think of a whackier first half of the college football season? Penn State and
Minnesota made sure that 2005 will be a year to be remember in the Big Ten when
the Nittany Lions out-defensed Ohio State and Minnesota out-toughed Michigan.
Almost lost in the excitement of the two games above was the big dent Northwestern
put in Wisconsin’s dreams on Saturday. Over in the Mid-American Conference,
things were much closer to normal - the traditional powers did win, but there
was a five-overtime monster of game where Ball State captured its first victory
of the season in a marathon contest with Western Michigan.
Oh, and what about Notre Dame? Well, the 4-1 Irish were idle, awaiting a severe
mid-term test next Saturday when the team from California that doesn’t like
to be called Southern Cal comes calling. Let’s take a look at the wild week
6.
BIG TEN GAMES
Penn State 17, Ohio State 10 - The Buckeyes came in with the nation’s
No. 6 ranking and the marquee defense in the Big Ten. Not any more. At 78 years
old, Joe Paterno notched one of his biggest victories when his Nittany Lions
simply wouldn’t let the Buckeyes win the game they had to have. The result:
Penn State is now in the Big Ten driver’s seat as the only unbeaten, and today
PSU is at least temporarily the Big Ten’s sole hope for a potential national
championship entrant.
Penn State held the Bucks to 230 total yards, and cashed in on the game’s biggest
mistake - a Troy Smith interception that Calvin Lowry returned to the Buckeyes’
two yard line. When Michael Richardson scored a couple of plays later, it was
14-3 Penn State - all the points the hosts would need. It became clear during
the game that Smith didn’t have the magic that a national title hopeful quarterback
had to have. He did pass for 139 yards, but not nearly enough.
While it gave Paterno victory No 349, neither the coach, nor the Lions can afford
to celebrate too long. Penn State plays at Michigan next Saturday. Off back-to-back
emotional home victories, JoePa may have to wait for No. 350.
Minnesota 23, Michigan 20 - It has been 15 years since Michigan was 3-3
and probably out of the Big Ten race at midseason. It has been longer than that
since Minnesota could be considered a real title hopeful. But the Golden Gophers
used their trademark running game (running backs Laurence Maroney gained 129
yards and Gary Russell 128) to outplay the Wolverines in the second half and
win it on Jason Giannini’s 30-yard field goal with one second left to play.
It was the first time in 18 games that Michigan quarterback Chad Henne did not
have a touchdown pass. Michigan’s Garret Rivas, who missed a key field goal
in the fourth quarter a week ago against Michigan State, missed two more in
the final period at home Saturday.
Already beat up, Michigan lost safeties Brendent Englemon and Willis Barringer
to injury in the second half against the Gophers. Michigan (1-2 in the league)
now awaits a visit from Penn State, while Minnesota returns home to meet Wisconsin.
Iowa 34, Purdue 17 - The Hawkeyes kept just a step behind the Big Ten
leader by dumping the defenseless Boilermakers at Purdue Saturday. Iowa (4-2,
2-1) quarterback Drew Tate celebrated his 21st birthday by throwing for a career-high
357 yards and three touchdowns and sending the host Boilers (2-3, 0-2) to their
third straight defeat. It was the third week in a row that Purdue had given
up at least 500 yards in total offense.
The game was close (23-17) until Edmund Miles intercepted a Brandon Kirsch pass
in the end zone in the final period. Kirsch also had a career-high day (353
yards passing), but that key turnover spelled the difference in the game. Iowa
returns home to meet Indiana, while Purdue stays at home to tackle Northwestern.
Northwestern 51, Wisconsin 48 - Did you say three yards and a cloud of
dust? How about 10 yards and a glass of white wine? Wisconsin, fresh off an
upset of Michigan and limiting its first five opponents to only 336 yards a
game, was blitzed by Northwestern’s 674 yards of total offense. The two teams
combined for 1,389 total yards and 99 points.
The Badgers were 5-0 and presumably in a driver’s seat for the Big Ten chase.
Now, at 1-1 in the league, Wisconsin shares its spot with a host of others,
including Northwestern (3-2, 1-1).
Brett Basanez was fantastic for the Wildcats, completing 26 of 36 passes for
361 yards and three touchdowns. Northwestern’s fabulous frosh Tyrell Sutton
was equally impressive. He riddled the normally sound Badger defense for 244
yards on the ground, including a game-clinching 62-yard TD run in the final
period.
Wisconsin quarterback John Stocco was 24 of 31 for 326 yards and four touchdowns
- but his interception with 1:23 to play ultimately sealed Wisconsin’s fate.
The Badgers travel to Minnesota on Saturday, while Northwestern visits Purdue.
Indiana 36, Illinois 13 - Hoosier faithful aren’t saving money for bowl
tickets just yet, but Terry Hoeppner has instilled a new fever in the Cream
and Crimson. At 4-1 (1-1), Indiana needs only two more victories to be bowl
eligible, but look at what is ahead: Iowa, Ohio State, Michigan State, Minnesota,
Michigan and Purdue.
Yet Saturday, Indiana rode its new heroes, quarterback Blake Powers and wide
receiver James Hardy to an easy victory over Illinois (2-4, 0-3). Powers was
22 of 35 for 198 yards and four more touchdowns. He broke the single season
mark for touchdown passes when he notched his 18th in only five games (breaking
Antwaan Randle El’s record). Hardy also ranks among the nation’s leader in catches
and catches for touchdown. He had 10 catches for 118 yards against the Illini.
Indiana visits Iowa Saturday, while Illinois is idle.
Michigan State did not play on Saturday, but travels to Ohio State on Oct. 15.
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Kent State was idle Saturday, while Northern Illinois slugged Miami, Ohio, 38-27,
in a game last Wednesday. All the rest of the MAC teams were in action on Saturday.
Here’s a look at those contests.
Ball State 60, Western Michigan 57 (5 O.T) - This one may matter least
in the league standings, but may have been the best of the bunch last weekend.
The five overtime tussle was the longest in MAC history (seven overtimes is
the NCAA record) and gave Ball State its first victory of the season.
Brian Jackson’s 30-yard field goal ended the four-hour marathon which saw the
teams combine for 1,090 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns. Western’s
kicker Nate Meyer missed two chances to give Western (3-3, 1-2) its fourth victory
of the year. Meyer missed a 49-yarder on the regular game’s final play. And
he missed a 32-yarder in the fourth overtime. Ball State’s Joey Lynch was 23
of 40 for 306 yards, and Western’s Tim Hiller also threw for more than 300 yards.
Central Michigan 14, Army 10 - This was the league’s only interconference
matchup of the week. Central (3-3) sent Army to its fifth straight setback,
mostly thanks to a 76-yard, 14-play drive engineered by Chippewas’ quarterback
Kent Smith. The score on that drive put CMU ahead to stay. It’s was Central’s
third road victory of the season. The Chippewas return home next week to play
Ohio.
Toledo 30, Eastern Michigan 3 - Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski and running
back Trinity Dawson flashed the stuff that will make Toledo tough to beat in
the MAC. Gradkowski completed 15 of 26 passes for 160 yards and Dawson ran for
159 yards to give the solid Rockets’ defense plenty of help. Toledo, now 4-1
(2-0), has won six straight from the Eagles. Toledo visits Ball State on Saturday,
while it won’t get any easier for Eastern (3-3, 2-1) when it travels to Northern
Illinois.
Bowling Green 38, Ohio 14 - After a rocky non-conference season, the
Falcons moved to 2-0 in MAC with the convincing victory over Frank Solich’s
Ohio U. outfit. Omar Jacobs passed for 381 yards and two scores, while Charles
Sharon was on the receiving end of 10 passes for 185 yards for the winners.
Ohio closed to 21-14 in the third period, but a 78-yard drive for a touchdown,
followed by 10 more unanswered points put the game away.
Akron 13, Buffalo 7 - It wasn’t pretty but the up and down Zips did just
enough to hand Buffalo its fifth straight loss of the season. All 13 points
by Akron came in the final period and boosted the Zips to 3-2, 2-1. Akron quarterback
Luke Getsy only threw for 145 passing yards, but 131 of them came in the second
half rally. Buffalo’s touchdown, its first during the first half this season,
came when Steven King scored on a 2-yard run late in the opening quarter
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