Around the Big Ten

[iam416]

McSorley is a redshirt junior.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Penn State's insistence on running shovel passes and laterals is keeping this from being a total blowout

[iam416]

Also, belated fuck off to Team Val and all things associated therewith.

[Jeff Buchanan]

McSorley is a redshirt junior.

Well, that kind-of blows. No question. He's damn good.

...... and, sad to say, you're right about your subtle slight of M although it will probably be MSU fighting it out for 4th place with Maryland.

MSU will have three conference losses, maybe four: @PSU, maybe M, osu, @ Neb.

If M beats ND in South Bend, the @osu game could to be for the East Title.

My guess is that M could be 10-1 going into that game assuming they beat ND (that one loss: @MSU or @NfW or PSU). The rest of M's games are imminently winnable and Fancy Stas of all kinds will probably back that up.

All of M's 2017 losses accept maybe PSU would have been wins with even C- QB play. The entire offense (minus Cole) AND defense (minus Hurst and maybe Winovich) return for 2018.

I'll go with ESPN's prediction ..... M will be a CFP contender.

[iam416]

You can keep on whistling past the graveyard all you want.

In any event, I think far more likely that Sparty beats M than they lose to shitty UNL. But, then again, I don’t think M would win the national title if only they had a decent QB.

[Jeff Buchanan]

You can keep on whistling past the graveyard all you want......... don?t think M would win the national title if only they had a decent QB.

They'll be MUCH better in 2018 with decent QB play.

I'm not convinced that M would have won the East and beaten Wisconsin in the the CCG in 2017 with C- QB either and then there is the D- RT play. But they beat MSU and osu and are 9-2 instead of 8-4.

With anything better than that - something at the McSorely level along with C RT work - M wins the East, contends for the CFP.

One of Patterson or Peters is going to emerge as a very good QB. McSorely level? Probably not, just based on experience, but close. The OL is going to be much better in 2018 baring injury.

I think M will be fine in 2018. Win the NC? Probably not and way too early to make that prediction. Too many things have to fall in place and I agree with you the Big East is death. But they'll contend and about that I feel pretty confident.

[WM Wolverine]

Sparty isn't going anywhere, Dantonio is greatly underrated. They'll be a tough game every season while he's there. Ditto Penn State who I think takes a step back next season but it's just a 1 year step back...

That said, I like M a ton the next couple seasons. They are loaded with talented sophomores and they were mostly an OT and a healthy game manager away from being really good this season.

[iam416]

LOL, Buchanan. M wasn’t beating OSU.

[iam416]

M is going to be good next year and beyond. But, (1) Sparty returns everyone; (2) Ohio State is Ohio State; (3) Penn State and Franklin are no joke and certainly not the joke Mgo thinks they are; and (4) HARBAUGH!!! isn’t some sort of plus advantage over any of his East rivals.

I’ve 3 years of M’s offense and heard the litany of excuses. It doesn’t scare me. At all.

[froot loops]

It's like Buchanan never watches MSU. They are going to be really good. They can definitely lose 3 conference games but they may lose 1. The East is tough but the win versus PSU was no fluke. The offense has a chance to be a machine.

[iam416]

Correct. Dantonio does a better job developing QBs than HARBAUGH!!!!!

[froot loops]

I think his best development trait is the talent evaluation.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Froot .... I watch them. They are a blue collar, well coached team. Dantonio brings some flare to the game but the offense runs a classic pro-style game. Good defenses with top talent are going to hold them in check and the BIG East is loaded with these.

On D, MSU is solid but the likes of NfW, Purdue, Maryland and IU, all of these 2nd tier BT teams, MSU has to get by. Thye are coming on and will be tough outs in 2018. All of them are going to give all the BIG East elites, including MSU, problems.

The difference is going to be talent + QB play. Team by team, while MSU might have a gem in Lewerke, lacks the offensive and defensive talent to overcome the talent advantage osu, PSU and M are going to have.

Harbuagh may be 1-5 against MSU and osu but a trend to the mean favors M. Give M good QB play and improved OL play in 2018 and theyre going to be very hard to beat.

..........I?ve 3 years of M?s offense and heard the litany of excuses. It doesn?t scare me. At all.

I'm telling you, Peters v. Patterson, is going to produce difference making QB play. The D, by the numbers, is already better than any BIG team, East or West. More talented and better coached. That's going to be hard for any BIG offense to overcome.

You're entitled to your opinions, which is all we have at the onset of 2018 so, you can see things as you wish. Come November of 2018 my bet is that you'll be singing a different tune.

[Jeff Buchanan]

The Huskies put up a fight but they were vastly out-played by PSU posting another PAC12 loss against the BIG. The score reflects a much closer game than the actual game that was played.

PSU 35, Washington 28.

[froot loops]

I'll take the skill position players for MSU over M in 2018. Like I said, it's like you haven't watched them.