RE: Final: CMU 38, Purdon't 17
Realistically, how often has a MAC team beaten a good B1G team? CMU's win over a 6-6 MSU team in 2009 is clearly our best quality win, although the 1991 win over the Spartans seemed better at the time.** The '92 win over a 5-6 MSU team by a CMU team that would finish 5-6 is probably #2 -- and in some ways more impressive -- with either 2012 over Iowa (finished 4-7) or 2008 over IU next.
Toledo's win over Michigan, although notable and something to make UT (and most other MAC fans) smile, was one 3-9 team beating another 3-9 team. I believe there was one win over Penn State that was probably more impressive, but I think my point stands. How many MAC wins over B1G teams that finished .500 or better? Ball State has owned IU recently, but I think those IU teams finished under .500, correct?
My point here is not to belittle those wins. Instead, it's to point out that MAC wins over the B1G, with its larger athletic budget at most member schools, are not to be taken lightly. And any win where the Big Ten school was dominated is especially sweet. CMU took a 14-0 lead yesterday, led 21-7 at halftime, and led by at least 14 points for most of the game. There was no doubt which was the better team. Even the BTN folks admitted as much last night. And we didn't even play a perfect game, were without our all-MAC WR/PR, and lost our starting K/P early in the game.
As for which win yesterday was better? Too early to say, in my book. NIU played NW straight up, was tied 0-0 at the half, and I believe never trailed. Of course, NW also had at least one dropped TD catch and whiffed on a 25Yd FG. Are they consistently bad in those areas, or is yesterday an anomaly? Neither Purdue nor NW will likely have a good season, but that really does remain to be seen.
**The 1991 MSU team was ranked something like #16 in the preseason, so it was a real shocker when we beat them 20-3 at their place. Of course, MSU finished 3-8 that season, so they had been vastly overrated.
(This post was last modified: 09-07-2014 07:20 PM by CMichFan.)
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