The morning after...this looks like the best team in the conference

[Wallace Breen]

If Wisconsin beats the domers and we take care of business next weekend, we should have a pretty good indication about where this team stands going into the very tough meat of the B1G schedule.

I am thinking Wisconsin ends up 8 - 4 or 7 - 5. Backs and the O-line are not up to snuff and they lack talent at receiver and in the secondary.

 

[Wallace Breen]

Winning at Camp Randall is a far superior win compared to a vastly over rated Iowa state team that benched a 3 year star qb

I disagree.

 

[81b&w]

Cain had a great blitz pickup late in the game. Clifford would’ve been hammered. He’s starting for a reason

That was a great block!

 

[ryoder1]

I know where you're coming from because if you just look at the stat sheet, it's not too impressive.

But when he's healthy and 100%, as I hope is the case now, the guy has a knack for making plays at crucial times. I mean, sometimes a 4-yard run...or a 10-yard swing pass...making the first guy miss...at critical moments is more important than a 40-yard bolt when the pressure is less.

I gotta tell you, I'm a big fan of Noah Cain. And judging by what Franklin has said about him, the coach is too.

Agree. Against Wisky he made two huge plays in space to make the defender miss and pick up the first down on our game winning drive. Then he scored the TD. That drive was all Noah Cain.

He is not a home run threat but makes crucial plays and is productive.

 

[N&B4PSU]

I think MSU, OSU, UM and Iowa all have very strong running teams and will present just as strong a challenge as Auburn. As you said, B1G East will be a meat grinder.
Remember he is coming off a major injury. He is working his way back. He is not a speed back, but is good @ picking the hole and making yards.

Why do I recall writing about Cain (pre-injury) that it seems every time he touches the ball he's getting 6-8 yards. I suspect when back at full throttle and the offense line gels, we'll see that again. And i'm not writing off Lee... kid has pop and i still think that (not much of a) fumble vs Wisky was bad luck (just bad location of ball and whacked at odd angle by stray bodypart).

After the game SC put up, DC's are going to need to prepare very differently and it should open up our running attack.

Along those lines, a friend admitted Sean had a good game... "he was ok."

28-32 is a whole lot more than ok... best I've seen from him. He finally looked like the QB we've been searching for... i've shared my criticism and I'll share my praise... what a wonderful game that man had! HE led us to the W.

 

[AWS1022]

Why do I recall writing about Cain (pre-injury) that it seems every time he touches the ball he's getting 6-8 yards. I suspect when back at full throttle and the offense line gels, we'll see that again. And i'm not writing off Lee... kid has pop and i still think that (not much of a) fumble vs Wisky was bad luck (just bad location of ball and whacked at odd angle by stray bodypart).

After the game SC put up, DC's are going to need to prepare very differently and it should open up our running attack.

Along those lines, a friend admitted Sean had a good game... "he was ok."

28-32 is a whole lot more than ok... best I've seen from him. He finally looked like the QB we've been searching for... i've shared my criticism and I'll share my praise... what a wonderful game that man had! HE led us to the W.

At this point, I think Lovett looks better than both Cain and Lee.

 

[marshall23]

so far, yes. but the schedule is brutal after next week. (Not that playing Wisconsin and Auburn in the first three games is easy.) I think we'll probably beat Indiana without too much of a problem, but after that who knows.

Agreed. But, early season wins have a tendency to melt in the heat of the conference schedule. How good is Wisky really? If they beat ND great....what if ND spanks them? Now Auburn....look at their schedule. It's not hard to see 6-6 or 7-5. Not trying to diminish the team's accomplishments. However, just win every week and things will start to settle in about week 6.....much too early to be pounding our chests.

 

[AWS1022]

Agreed. But, early season wins have a tendency to melt in the heat of the conference schedule. How good is Wisky really? If they beat ND great....what if ND spanks them? Now Auburn....look at their schedule. It's not hard to see 6-6 or 7-5. Not trying to diminish the team's accomplishments. However, just win every week and things will start to settle in about week 6.....much too early to be pounding our chests.

That never really seems to apply when Bama, Clemson or OSU beat a team early that turns out to be average. That only applies to fringe teams that they’re trying to keep from crashing the playoff party. ND’s win over FSU will be a big win all year just like it was for Bama in 2017.

 

[mean15]

"Best team in the Conference"?
Yeah....this week. Lots of big games looming. We'll see.

 

[Jerry]

Agreed. But, early season wins have a tendency to melt in the heat of the conference schedule. How good is Wisky really? If they beat ND great....what if ND spanks them? Now Auburn....look at their schedule. It's not hard to see 6-6 or 7-5. Not trying to diminish the team's accomplishments. However, just win every week and things will start to settle in about week 6.....much too early to be pounding our chests.

Fair point.

Maybe a better way to say it is that three weeks in, based on actual performance and caliber of competition, a case can be made that we're the best team in the league...until shown otherwise.

In fact, note that in the exalted opinion of the expert pollsters, we are virtually tied with Iowa for best team in the league at the current moment in time...and odds are that won't change this month.

Unfortunately, at the end of the season they don't give out prizes to teams judged best in their league in September. For some reason they insist on taking October and November into account too.

That said, if we can avoid critical injuries and if we don't have to play against the refs too, I like our chances based on what's happened so far.

 

[Texas Lion]

so far, yes. but the schedule is brutal after next week. (Not that playing Wisconsin and Auburn in the first three games is easy.) I think we'll probably beat Indiana without too much of a problem, but after that who knows.

I don't remember the last time we beat Indiana without a problem.

 

[Tri-Power65]

UofM is quietly playing very good ball. They can run the football, their QB does not make many mistakes and they finally got smart and got rid of Don Brown whose defense was routinely burned 4 times a game on an overly aggressive blitz.

I, for one, miss that Don. Brown. Defense!

 

[lein]

UM has played a directional Michigan school, a team with no wide receivers which also lost to an FCS team, and a MAC team. Excuse me if I withhold judgement until they play a team with a pulse.

Don’t worry, Hoke 2.0 has this. UM’s season collapse is as predictable as leaves changing color in the fall.

And we don't have Don Brown to kick around any longer

 

[marshall23]

I, for one, miss that Don. Brown. Defense!

There it is Don Brown Defense....everyone must take a shot of Old Grand Dad!

 

[AWS1022]

And we don't have Don Brown to kick around any longer

What in the world is Herbie going to do when he broadcasts a UM game? He’s going to be lost without being able to say “donbrowndefense” as one word.

 

[SOCLion]

Someone once observed that you are never as good as you look when you win and never as bad as you look when you lose

I wish I could remember his name. I think he wore glasses

Did he roll up his pants?