Here are a few things I found interesting from CFN's Big 10 preview
A little surprised they see Ball State a threat to Iowa and NIU not a threat to NU. Not saying NIU should be considered a threat to NU, probably more like I don't think Ball State should be listed as a threat to Iowa.

NU could really really make this ugly in the passing game.

http://cfn.scout.com/2/1432580.html

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Watch out for ... Northwestern. Last year was a blip. The 2012 team outkicked its coverage, and the 2013 team had a bizarre string of bad luck losses. This year’s team will be closer to the real Northwestern


Team That'll Surprise
Northwestern - Completely ignored after a dud year, the veteran team will have an identity on offense with more passing thanks to Trevor Siemian under center full-time and a loaded receiving corps to play with. The defense will be stronger, and the ugly losses of last year won't happen twice. Last year's team should've had at least seven wins - with bad luck against Nebraska and Michigan easily going the other way. This year it'll come up with at least eight. Illinois is a very, very close second in the surprise race. If QB Wes Lunt stays healthy, the Illini will go bowling.

5 Big-Time Players Who Deserve a Bigger Spotlight ...
1. RB Tevin Coleman, Jr. Indiana
2. SS Earnest Thomas, Sr. Illinois
3. RB David Cobb, Sr. Minnesota
4. CB Sojourn Shelton, Soph. Wisconsin
5. LB Chi Chi Ariguzo, Sr. Northwestern

5 Non-Conference Games the Big Ten had better take very, very seriously
1. Cincinnati at Ohio State, Sept. 27
2. Bowling Green at Wisconsin, Sept. 20
3. Texas State at Illinois, Sept. 20
4. Ball State at Iowa, Sept. 6
5. Rutgers at Navy, Sept. 20

Doesn't matter what CFN says. NU players and coaches will take us very, very seriously.

(08-11-2014 08:14 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  Doesn't matter what CFN says. NU players and coaches will take us very, very seriously.

Very true. I do like their BG/Wisconsin mention though, that game screams danger for UW

The real Northwestern is an average team. Period. I respect what they've done in getting national recognition. But they've had losing conference seasons in 2013, 2011, and 2010. They went 5-3 in 08 and 09.

They do more than they should, but I never understood the NW love. They beat up on FCS and do decent vs other BCS teams, but they're an average BigTen team.

CFN has no credibility.

If NIU is as good as I think they'll be, it's certainly a winnable game.

In part time last year, Siemian had 11 TD/9 INT (and 4 of those TDs came against Illinois) and was sacked 19 times. So in all games not against Illinois, he had 7 TD/9 INT. I don't think he's any good.

How is NIU ever not a threat to NU, or any middle of the pack Pig10 team?

It may not be a game for the B1G to worry about because they're already used to losing to NIU.

NIU 4-3 I believe in the last 7 vs Big 10, not bad considering 5 of those are on the road and 2 at neutral site.

(08-11-2014 10:20 AM)17Huskies Wrote:  It may not be a game for the B1G to worry about because they're already used to losing to NIU.

Speaking of the big 10, I was going back and watching some of the Minnesota game back in 2010 again, and I'll tell you, every time I see that game I get a weirder and weirder feeling about it. You just watch some of the Minnesota defense during that game and they are way way beyond checked out. A few of the plays look almost Toledo-Vegas suspicious.

They take us seriously so we don't need to be mentioned. It's the other teams that have historically not presented a challenge that they need to take seriously.

(08-11-2014 10:48 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(08-11-2014 10:20 AM)17Huskies Wrote:  It may not be a game for the B1G to worry about because they're already used to losing to NIU.

Speaking of the big 10, I was going back and watching some of the Minnesota game back in 2010 again, and I'll tell you, every time I see that game I get a weirder and weirder feeling about it. You just watch some of the Minnesota defense during that game and they are way way beyond checked out. A few of the plays look almost Toledo-Vegas suspicious.

I remember that game...it was crazy how much our O-line manhandled their D, absolute domination (even though the score wasn't crazy like the Purdue game)

If we can get a pass rush in that game I think we can win.
Problem is we rarely get a pass rush without blitzing.

NU takes us seriously - they know the Orange Bowl story and Heisman trophy candidate as well as our recent record against Big10 teams.

Im surprised Texas State is mention against IL. Is IL that bad where that game becomes serious? Texas State?

(08-11-2014 10:48 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(08-11-2014 10:20 AM)17Huskies Wrote:  It may not be a game for the B1G to worry about because they're already used to losing to NIU.

Speaking of the big 10, I was going back and watching some of the Minnesota game back in 2010 again, and I'll tell you, every time I see that game I get a weirder and weirder feeling about it. You just watch some of the Minnesota defense during that game and they are way way beyond checked out. A few of the plays look almost Toledo-Vegas suspicious.

They were interested in getting their coach fired... and they succeeded by laying down and letting us kick them around for 4 hours.

(08-11-2014 04:12 PM)cawoo22 Wrote:  

(08-11-2014 10:48 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(08-11-2014 10:20 AM)17Huskies Wrote:  It may not be a game for the B1G to worry about because they're already used to losing to NIU.

Speaking of the big 10, I was going back and watching some of the Minnesota game back in 2010 again, and I'll tell you, every time I see that game I get a weirder and weirder feeling about it. You just watch some of the Minnesota defense during that game and they are way way beyond checked out. A few of the plays look almost Toledo-Vegas suspicious.

They were interested in getting their coach fired... and they succeeded by laying down and letting us kick them around for 4 hours.

This makes a whole lot of sense. I've heard players talk about that team in a very bitter sense. Going back and watching that spann long td run... Not to take anything away from him but that was a case of defense laying down

(08-11-2014 02:12 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  Im surprised Texas State is mention against IL. Is IL that bad where that game becomes serious? Texas State?

Illinois has been bad and there's nothing special about the returnees, newcomers or coaching to believe that trend will change. The thinking is they'll beat Youngstown State and Western Kentucky in their first two at home, then lose at Washington.
Then the assumption by the Illini is that they'll win at home over Texas State for momentum going to Nebraska. Reality, however, is that Nebraska will pummel them, so the question is are they focused enough to deal with Texas State if things go wrong or TSU's Bobcats catch a break? Dennis Franchione won as a head coach at Alabama but because of sanctions on the Tide program, he jumped to Texas A&M. Aggies were ranked at times but he got caught "sellling" a newsletter to top boosters and ended up resigning. Obviously he still had his friends and contacts in the Lone Star State and has been improving Texas State and the thinking is the Bobcats will improve beyond 6-6. Like any other Sun Belt or MAC team, it's a chance to knock off a B1G team perhaps looking ahead.
Do I believe it will happen? No. But if you want to draw up a scenario where a Texas State can pull off a surprise, this could be it.

(08-12-2014 08:43 AM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(08-11-2014 02:12 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  Im surprised Texas State is mention against IL. Is IL that bad where that game becomes serious? Texas State?

Illinois has been bad and there's nothing special about the returnees, newcomers or coaching to believe that trend will change. The thinking is they'll beat Youngstown State and Western Kentucky in their first two at home, then lose at Washington.
Then the assumption by the Illini is that they'll win at home over Texas State for momentum going to Nebraska. Reality, however, is that Nebraska will pummel them, so the question is are they focused enough to deal with Texas State if things go wrong or TSU's Bobcats catch a break? Dennis Franchione won as a head coach at Alabama but because of sanctions on the Tide program, he jumped to Texas A&M. Aggies were ranked at times but he got caught "sellling" a newsletter to top boosters and ended up resigning. Obviously he still had his friends and contacts in the Lone Star State and has been improving Texas State and the thinking is the Bobcats will improve beyond 6-6. Like any other Sun Belt or MAC team, it's a chance to knock off a B1G team perhaps looking ahead.
Do I believe it will happen? No. But if you want to draw up a scenario where a Texas State can pull off a surprise, this could be it.

Watch out for the Bobcats and D. Franchione......I predict an upset

(08-12-2014 07:56 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  

(08-12-2014 08:43 AM)uiniu57 Wrote:  

(08-11-2014 02:12 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  Im surprised Texas State is mention against IL. Is IL that bad where that game becomes serious? Texas State?

Illinois has been bad and there's nothing special about the returnees, newcomers or coaching to believe that trend will change. The thinking is they'll beat Youngstown State and Western Kentucky in their first two at home, then lose at Washington.
Then the assumption by the Illini is that they'll win at home over Texas State for momentum going to Nebraska. Reality, however, is that Nebraska will pummel them, so the question is are they focused enough to deal with Texas State if things go wrong or TSU's Bobcats catch a break? Dennis Franchione won as a head coach at Alabama but because of sanctions on the Tide program, he jumped to Texas A&M. Aggies were ranked at times but he got caught "sellling" a newsletter to top boosters and ended up resigning. Obviously he still had his friends and contacts in the Lone Star State and has been improving Texas State and the thinking is the Bobcats will improve beyond 6-6. Like any other Sun Belt or MAC team, it's a chance to knock off a B1G team perhaps looking ahead.
Do I believe it will happen? No. But if you want to draw up a scenario where a Texas State can pull off a surprise, this could be it.

Watch out for the Bobcats and D. Franchione......I predict an upset

Texas State also has the secret weapon

Kathy Ireland would get it...even the kohls catalog version that was around in the late 90s


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