Thursday, November 26, 2009

Michigan Football Forecast 2010: Mostly Cloudy With a Chance of Failure...AGAIN

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Before the 2009 season, I wrote an article entitled Michigan Football Forecast 2009: Mostly Cloudy With a Chance of Failure, that was met with much resistance and venom from Michigan fans.

I also met the same fate with my Michigan's Tate Forcier: Lofty Expectations Will Lead to Major Letdown article.

I was called idiot, moron, and hater, and those are just the names I can repeat. There were plenty of "R" rated terms tossed my way that are not safe for reposting.

In the Forecast article, I predicted that Michigan would win four games in 2009. In all honesty, I really thought they might win six and maybe even seven games, but as it turned out, they only won five.

They beat a couple teams that I thought they would lose to and they lost to a few teams I thought they could, or would beat, but in the end, my 4-8 prediction was almost exact.

Not to gloat, but who looks like idiots and morons now UM fans? I digress.

Since the Wolverines 2009 season is over and they are not playing in a bowl game for the second straight year, I thought I'd get an early jump on what 2010 will hold for them.

These predictions assume that RichRod will return as head coach, no current players file transfer papers, and that none of the 2010 UM recruits decommit before signing day.

Nothing is written in stone up North and you know what they say happens when you assume too much, so stay tuned...



Game One vs. UCONN



I actually believe UCONN could win this game, but I will give the talent edge to UM and it is in Ann Arbor so for those reasons, I have to go with Michigan in this one, but I do think it will be closer than most UM fans will expect it to be.

Win (1-0)


Game Two @ Notre Dame



I'm sure Charlie Weis, Jimmy Clausen, and Golden Tate will all be gone, but not all is lost at Notre Dame. There's speculation that ND wants to land Brian Kelly, Bob Stoops, Pat Fitzgerald, or Urban Meyer. I think Kelly is the most likely get, but in my opinion any of these coaches might consider taking the job, and any one of them would be able to coach the Irish to a win over UM. The cupboard isn't exactly bare in South Bend either. Dayne Crist was the nations' top QB recruit in 2008 and star-sophomore WR Michael Floyd will return as well.

Loss (1-1)


Game Three vs. UMASS



No disrespect meant, but UMASS is an FCS team, and they are no Richmond or Appalachian State. This game should be a lead-pipe lock for the Wolverines. Think Delaware State from this past year. UM won that game 63-6.

Win (2-1)


Game Four vs. BGSU



Lucky for Michigan that QB Tyler Sheehan and WR Freddie Barnes are both Seniors and won't be on the field for BG in this game. Otherwise, they may have been headed for another loss to a MAC team (see Toledo 2008). Without those two guys, I don't see UM having too much trouble vs. the Falcons.

Win (3-1)


Game Five @ Indiana



The Hoosiers gave UM all they could handle back in September when the Wolverines escaped with a 36-33 home win after a controversial interception call that went against IU. QB Ben Chappell, RB Darius Willis, and WR's Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher, all starters, will each return for Indiana in 2010. This game could go either way, and in toss up games, I almost always go with the home team.

Loss (3-2)


Game Six vs. Michigan State



The Spartans have won the last two meetings and return one of the best starting QB's in the Big Ten in Kirk Cousins, starting RB Larry Caper, and top WR's B.J. Cunningham and Mark Dell. Coach Mark Dantonio is 2-1 overall vs. Michigan and 2-0 vs. RichRod. I won't be in shock if Michigan wins, and I believe this one could be close, and a borderline toss up, but I'm taking the Spartans to win their third straight over UM.

Loss (3-3)


Game Seven vs. Iowa



I don't see Kirk Ferentz leaving Iowa City and the Hawkeyes will return QB Ricky Stanzi, RB's Adam Robinson and the 2009 projected starter (before missing the season due to injury) Jewell Hampton, and top wide outs Derrell Johnson-Koulianos and Marvin McNutt, in addition to another solid defensive unit. I just can't see UM winning this game if Iowa comes into Ann Arbor with all these guys healthy.

Loss (3-4)


Game Eight @ Penn State



Daryll Clark will be gone, but the Big Ten's second leading rusher Evan Royster will likely return. Sophomore QB Kevin Newsome will take over for the Nittany Lions. He has been favorably compared to OSU's Terrelle Pryor. He is also a former 2009 UM commit that decommitted and chose PSU over the Wolverines. He sounds more and more like Pryor, who shunned UM for Ohio State, and is now 2-0 vs. his former suitors. I expect Penn State, led by Newsome, to win their third straight over the Wolverines.

Loss (3-5)


Game Nine vs. Illinois



If a coach's seat was ever hotter than that of Charlie Weis, it would have to be Ron Zook's. I don't think Zook will be back in 2010, and neither will QB Juice Williams. The cupboard is looking bare in Champaign and Illinois could be the worst team in the Big Ten next season. In my estimation, Michigan should win this game easily.

Win (4-5)


Game 10 @ Purdue



Purdue has beaten Michigan in the last two meetings and they have hope, as in Coach Danny Hope, of doing it again in 2010. If they can find a QB to replace Senior Joey Elliott, they just might do it. RB Ralph Boldin returns after a solid year in which he was only out-gained on the ground by PSU's Evan Royster and Wisconsin's John Clay. This game falls under my toss up rule so I am going with the home team Purdue, but Michigan certainly has a shot at winning.

Loss (4-6)


Game 11 vs. Wisconsin



Badger RB John Clay led the Big Ten in rushing in 2009 as a sophomore and will have a legit chance to repeat that feat in 2010. Also returning will be starting QB Scott Tolzien and top WR Nick Toon. UW has won two of the last three vs. UM, and I see that trend continuing in 2010.

Loss (4-7)


Game 12 @ Ohio State



I really don't think I need to say much else here other than Ohio State has now won six in a row over UM, Tressel is 8-1, and Terrelle is 2-0. I know Michigan fans that think UM is getting better believe that UM will start beating the Buckeyes again sooner than later, but I say to them, even if UM gets better, it's not like OSU is getting worse. In terms of quality over quantity, the Bucks are recruiting as well or better than Michigan and the running backs that the Buckeyes are going to have in Pryor's final two years makes USC's recent "stable" of backs look like a bunch of old gray mares. The Buckeyes will make it seven in a row and nine of 10. After their third straight losing season, and assuming RichRod wasn't already fired earlier in the 2010 season, there will be little doubt that his fate is sealed after going 0-3 in THE GAME.

Loss (4-8)



Now, having said everything I said above, there are those three toss up games that I consider swing games (Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue) so ultimately with some lucky breaks going their way, or if UM somehow improves more than I expect, or if a couple of the teams I picked to beat them regress, then Michigan could probably win as many as seven games or eight games, but eight is really super-optimistic.

Let's assume they do win seven games next year.

Will 7-5 be enough to satisfy UM fans, alums, and the new AD?

Will it keep RichRod from losing his job, despite his third loss to the Buckeyes in three attempts?

Even though I feel fairly confident in my projections, these questions really cannot be definitively answered until sometime during the 2010 season so I'll just say it again—stay tuned.


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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The Top 100 Twitter Feeds to Follow For College Football Fanatics

If you just can’t get enough college football, you don’t have to wait for game day to roll around to read articles, find out the latest rumors and make your picks for your fantasy football teams. Here are 100 Twitter feeds that will make it easy to follow your favorite teams and ensure you have the inside scoop on everything college football related.


CFB News


Check out these feeds to learn about the latest news in college football.


  1. @CollegeFootball: Check with this feed regularly to get the latest NCAA football news.

  2. @CollegeF00tball: Read interesting stories about college football through the links in this feed.

  3. @College_FB: Here you’ll find tweets from the College Football Observer.

  4. @Lv_NCAA_FOOTBLL: The news from this feed will help to keep you in the loop.

  5. @CollegeFB__News: This news feed focuses on information about the players.

  6. @si_ncaafb: Get your college football news through Sports Illustrated with this feed.

  7. @cfbhighlights: Learn about some of the biggest and best highlights of this week’s games through this feed.

  8. @College_Sports: Start following this feed to read updates about your college team.

  9. @footballncaa: This feed will ensure that you never miss an important story on college football.

  10. @CFTalk: Chat it up about college football through this feed and accompanying website.

  11. @CFBHeadlineNews: Whether you play fantasy football or just want to follow your favorite teams, this feed will make sure you know what’s going on.

  12. @AP_Top25: This feed is full of updates about the top 25 college football games each season.

  13. @Big12SportsNow: Check out this feed to keep up with all of the Big 12 teams.

  14. @TheACCFootball: Find out what’s going on with the ACC in this feed.

Football and More


These feeds offer some great football news but also cover other college or professional sports.



  1. @NCAADoubleAZone: This is the official feed of the NCAA, and you’ll find stories on everything college sports related.

  2. @NCAA: Keep up with what’s going on in college football, basketball and more through this feed.

  3. @InsidetheNCAA: Find inside information on college sports through this feed.

  4. @ncaablotter: Read about everything NCAA here, from baseball to hockey to, of course, football.

  5. @SportsJabber: This feed will help you keep up with news on all kinds of college sports.


ESPN

If you like to get your sports coverage from ESPN then try out one of their many college football feeds.



  1. @ESPN_SEC: Check with this feed for updates about the teams in the SEC from ESPN reporter Chris Low.

  2. @ESPN_BigTen: Here, Adam Rittenberg writes about all the latest news on the Big Ten teams.

  3. @ESPN_BigEast: East coasters can find all the important college football info they need from writer Brian Bennett here.

  4. @ESPN_Big12: Follow this feed from Tim Griffin to make sure you know what’s going on with the Big 12.

  5. @ESPN_ACC: Fans of ACC teams will appreciate the posts on this feed by reporter Heather Dinich.

  6. @ESPN_Pac10: The West coast shouldn’t feel left out as this feed offers frequent updates on the Pacific 10 teams from Ted Miller.

  7. @ESPN_Others: If your favorite teams don’t fall into any of these categories, not to worry, ESPN has you covered with this feed.

  8. @schadjoe: Read tweets by Joe Schad, ESPN’s National College Football Reporter, on this feed.

  9. @espn4d: Get ESPN reporter insights from ESPN columnist Pat Forde here.

  10. @cbfowler: Check out this feed to read college football posts by ESPN host and commentator Chris Fowler.

Stats and Scores


Use these feeds to find out schedules, scores and player information.



  1. @ncaafscores: Stay up-to-date on football scores by following this feed.

  2. @ncaastats: Keep up with how your favorite team is stacking up with this stats-filled feed.

  3. @ncaa_palace: This feed will let you know when and where your favorite teams are playing.

  4. @NCAAFootball: Here you’ll find scores for all the latest games.

  5. @StatSheet: Check with this feed to find out fun new ways to visualize sports stats.

Commentary


Get a fresh take on the games you love to watch with these commentary-filled feeds.



  1. @cftailgate: Visit this site for football news, blog information, and general discussion.

  2. @BCSisBS: This fan has strong opinions about which teams rule and which, not so much.

  3. @RootZooNCAAF: Try following this feed for news, rumors and football analysis.

  4. @NCAAGridironGab: Check out this feed not only for news but commentary, predictions and tasty tidbits as well.

  5. @DailyTailgate: This daily sports newsletter will help ensure you stay informed about all things college football.

  6. @fanblogs: Find tips, news and more on this football fan feed.

  7. @GameDayFootball: Here you’ll find tips on fantasy football, news, and helpful commentary.

  8. @MattZemek_CFN: Learn more about college football from this columnist at CollegeFootballNews.

  9. @DrSaturday: Matt Hinton writes Yahoo’s college football blog called Dr. Saturday and you can find his commentary here.

  10. @MrCFB: Get updates on college sports from broadcaster and writer Tony Barnhart here.

  11. @slmandel: This writer for Sports Illustrated shares his thoughts on college football through this feed.

  12. @davidpollack47: Learn about former college player David Pollack’s take on college sports here.


Fan Feeds


Check out these feeds from true college football fans.



  1. @CFCafeteria: This twitterer loves college football (with the exception of the BCS) and tweets about it here.

  2. @NCAAFanHouse: Join these fans in talking about the teams they love the most on this feed.

  3. @Kyle_Fisher115: This feed is home to posts about football, life and more.

  4. @OverThePylon: If you want to keep up with a fan of Ball State football, follow this feed.

  5. @bcondotta: This feed will help you learn what’s going on with the Washington Husky football program as well as other West Coast teams.

  6. @JeffCaves: Check up with this site to find out about Idaho sports, including football.

  7. @40AcresSports: This Texas Longhorns fan feed will help you learn everything you need to know about the team.

  8. @footballfringe: Follow this feed to learn about all the goings-on in college football.

Teams


If you want team specific coverage try one of these feeds. If you don’t see your team, don’t worry, nearly every team has a feed and they just couldn’t all be included on one list.



  1. @OhioStFootball: Those who love Ohio State will love the team support on this feed.

  2. @BlockONation: Here you’ll find fan posts on OSU.

  3. @oklafootball: Supporters of the Sooners will find team information and more on this feed.

  4. @MSUFootball: Check with this feed for information about the Michigan State Spartans.

  5. @beckerjerry: Here, fan Jerry Becker supports his favorite team, the Tennessee Volunteers.

  6. @MUTigersdotcom: Follow Mizzou athletics on this sports-focused feed that’s not just limited to football.

  7. @UWBadgersdotcom: On this feed you’ll find official news from UW Athletics, including football.

  8. @BurntOrangePost: This feed is supposedly maintained by the Texas Longhorn’s mascot.

  9. @USC_Trojans: Get into the spirit of supporting the USC teams by following this feed.

  10. @TCU: Find information on the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs through this Twitter feed.

  11. @TheIowaHawkeyes: With no professional sports teams in the state, this college team inspires some fervent followers that you can find here.

  12. @Spartan_FB: Spartan fans should make sure to follow this feed that provides loads of team information.

  13. @ECUAthletics: Get up-to-speed on what’s going on with the ECU Pirates here.

  14. @Aggie_Athletics: With tweets on football and more, this site is a great place for true Aggie fans.

  15. @michigan_fball: Here you can find information about this heavy-hitting football team.

  16. @kywildcats: This feed is the unofficial way to keep up with all the sports happenings of the Kentucky Wildcats.

  17. @VolNation: Tennessee Volunteers fans should check back with this feed regularly to get the latest news.

  18. @HuskersGameday: This feed is a great place to get Nebraska Cornhuskers football coverage.

Coaches


Get into the mind of your favorite college football coach through these Twitter feeds.



  1. @Play4brew: Follow this feed to learn about the moves of Minnesota Gophers Football Coach Tim Brewster.

  2. @RonZook: If you like U of I football, you can follow the head coach’s tweets here.

  3. @UM_CoachRod: Here you’ll find the feed of Michigan Wolverines Football Coach Rich Rodriguez.

  4. @JayPaterno: Penn State University’s assistant football coach tweets here.

  5. @BretBielema: If you’re a Badgers fan, make sure to follow this coach’s feed.

  6. @BoPelini: Check out this feed for information straight from Nebraska Cornhuskers Football Coach Bo Pelini.

  7. @mizzoufootball: Get into the Tiger spirit with this feed from head coach Gary Pinkel.

  8. @CoachSherman: Aggie fans can find updates about their team on this Texas A&M Aggies coach feed.

  9. @CoachSnyder: Marshall University Thundering Herd Football Coach Mark Snyder posts tweets here.

  10. @NDHFC: If you want to learn more about what the Notre Dame team is up to, check out this feed from coach Charlie Weis.

  11. @CoachUrbanMeyer: Florida Gators Football Coach Urban Meyer posts his thoughts here.

  12. @LSUCoachMiles: Learn more about LSU Tigers Football Coach Les Miles here.

  13. @LaneKiffinUT: Try this feed for information on the Tennessee Volunteers.

  14. @rollwiththetide: All of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football coaches post here.

  15. @MarkRicht: Georgia Bulldogs Football Coach Mark Richt uses this feed to share information about the team.

Fantasy Football


If you like to play fantasy football on the college level, then these feeds can be a great way to keep yourself in the loop and make sure you do well each week.



  1. @MyFantasyLeague: Check out this feed to learn more about this website and the moves you should be making to ensure fantasy victory.

  2. @CFFInsider: Make sure you’re in the know when it comes to fantasy football by following this feed.

  3. @CFBRumorCentral: Learn rumors about who will play and who won’t, gameplans, recruits and more here.

  4. @fyifootballplay:If you’re worried that some of your starters might not play because of injuries, check with this feed to find out for sure.

  5. @vincemullins: Follow this feed from the founder and Fantasy College Football Analyst at Fantasy College Blitz.

  6. @FF_Today: This feed offers both professional and college fantasy football content.

  7. @BrianCFFInsider: This writer from CFFInsider maintains this fun feed.

  8. @philsteele042: Get some big tips from Phil of Phil Steele’s College Football Preview.

  9. @CFootball: This feed will give you news about college football and tips about how to improve your fantasy team.

Miscellaneous


From talking about some of the best college players to ever grace the game to letting you know about new recruits, these feeds offer a range of information on football.


  1. @collegehof: Here you can find tweets from the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend, Indiana.

  2. @CH_ColFootball: This group meets up to specifically talk about and watch college football.

  3. @FOOTBALLRECRUIT: Watch videos and read stories about the most promising college football recruits here.

  4. @BFeldmanESPN: Check out this ESPN blog to learn more about the world of college football recruiting and more.


Thanks to Amber for the heads up on this original article.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

A Very Buckeye Thanksgiving: The Top 10 Things I'm Thankful For...

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Thanksgiving can mean so many different things to different people.

For me, it is a time to reflect upon, and appreciate the people, and things in my life that I care for and cherish the most like my parents, my child, my wife, my closest friends, etc....

If you're a sports fan, it also can be applied to the teams you love, or those you love to hate.


Here are my top 10 things to be thankful for this year—Buckeye Football Edition.


No. 10—I was not born in TSUN.




No. 9—I am not a fan of a certain hated, and currently God-awful team from TSUN.




No. 8—Now 2,194 days and counting, and another year, another (BCS) bowl game for my team. (Sorry TTUN fans.....not really).




No. 7—For the third straight year, the OSU seniors finished their careers 4-0 vs. TTUN, and have four of these:




No. 6—For the sixth year in a row, and eight out of the last 10...SCOREBOARD, SCOREBOARD, SCOREBOARD...




No. 5—Having an amazing athlete and rising star in Terrelle Pryor as my teams' quarterback. I can't wait for year three!




No. 4—Having seven of these, and still the only two-time winner, unless of course eSECpn rigs and/or buys another one for the undeserving Messiah of Florida...




No. 3—Having seven, and 34 of these respectively, and looking forward to the real possibility of numbers eight and maybe even nine, and numbers 35 and 36 possibly coming in the next two seasons, given our amazing recruiting, and assuming Terrelle progresses as expected like Troy did in 2006.




No. 2—Having been to no less than 10 Ohio State games with my Dad, and having that time with him in the greatest venue in all of sports, Ohio Stadium. It is a true National Treasure and I still get chills every time I walk through the gates. There really is nothing like a Saturday in The Shoe.




No. 1—This was a very easy choice for the top slot:

Having this guy...



instead of this guy...



leading our football program.


It's not always pretty, and Tress certainly isn't flashy, but a 93-21 record in nine seasons, six conference championships, seven 10+ win seasons, nine bowl games in nine years with a 4-4 record, including the 2002 BCS Championship speaks volumes.

I could go on, but the point here is that Coach Tressel is a winner, and so too are we, the fans, and also the young men that suit up and proudly wear the Scarlet and Gray under Tressel.

The 2009 season has flown by and I'm not thankful for that, but I am thankful for the opportunity to see the Buckeyes play one more game on January 1st in the Rose Bowl, and for the visions I don't want to get out of my head of more Heisman, and National Championship trophies that could each end up in Columbus in the very near future.


Happy Thanksgiving to the entire Buckeye Nation.

To those that hate and/or do not root for THE Ohio State Buckeyes:



Just kidding, happy turkey day to every one from Block-O-Nation!




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Saturday, November 21, 2009

Ohio State-scUm Live In-Game Chat: 11:30AM

O-----H-----I-----O----- in the big house = PRICELESS!




It's been 2,191 days since scUm last beat Ohio State in football!

Please log-in using your Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter account if possible!





Thursday, November 19, 2009

Stefanie Spielman Loses Her Battle With Cancer: Heartfelt Condolances to the Spielman Family

This is so sad........RIP Stephanie...

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Stefanie Spielman, the wife of NFL and Ohio State star Chris Spielman who led a public fight against breast cancer, died Thursday after a lengthy battle with the disease. She was 42.

Stefanie Spielman died at the family's home in Upper Arlington, surrounded by her family, said WBNS radio in Columbus, where Chris Spielman co-hosts a show.

"Stefanie has gone home to be with the Lord," Chris Spielman said in a statement released by the station. "For that, we celebrate, but with broken hearts. I want to thank everyone for their support over the last 12 years. Together, with your help, hopefully we made a difference in this fight."

Stefanie Spielman was 30 years old and three months pregnant in 1998 when she detected a lump in her breast. She later miscarried and discovered she had cancer. She survived four bouts with cancer before a fifth recurrence in March.

Chris Spielman was playing linebacker with the Buffalo Bills when he decided to give up football for a year to stay home with his wife and children. When his wife lost her hair because of chemotherapy treatments, he shaved his head.

"People say 'It's a great thing that you're doing,'" Chris Spielman said at the time. "I always say it would be a terrible thing if I didn't."

The Spielmans became advocates for breast-cancer detection and research, winning several awards for their dedication to the cause.

The Spielmans raised more than $6 million for breast cancer research at Ohio State through the Stefanie Spielman Fund for Breast Cancer Research.

She helped form a support group for young women with breast cancer, hosted an annual event that honored cancer survivors and created a fund to help breast cancer patients and their families who struggled financially. She was inducted into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 2002 for her work.

"We have lost a leader in the fight against cancer," seven-time Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong said. "Stefanie was a living example of courage and strength to everyone around her. "

Two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, the president and CEO of the Ohio State Alumni Association, said Stefanie Spielman was a compassionate person who "took her personal struggle and used it as a platform to help other women battling breast cancer." He said the Ohio State community was "tremendously saddened" by her death.

Chris Spielman played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills before retiring after a violent hit that left him momentarily paralyzed when he was with the Cleveland Browns.

Stefanie Spielman is survived by her husband and their four children, Madison, Noah, Macy and Audrey.


Story Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
Photo Copyright David I. Andersen | The Cleveland Plain Dealer

The Top 10 Winningest College Football Programs of All-Time

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



Teams such as Florida and LSU may have found recent success in the BCS-era, but neither of those programs have had the prestige and historical significance of the teams that comprise the all-time top 10.

In the what have you done or me lately world of college football, we sometimes forget the great teams, players, coaches, and programs that came before our time—but to the LSU's and the Florida's of the world, I say, you have a long way to go to try to catch up with these top 10 schools.

Team Win/Loss/Tie records are current through November 19, 2009.


No. 10—USC Trojans (772-306-54)

38 Pac-10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: OJ Simpson, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, Carson Palmer

==============================


No. 9—Tennessee Volunteers (781-332-55)

16 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

6 National Championships

A few names you know: Peyton Manning, Reggie White

==============================


No. 8—Oklahoma Sooners (794-304-53)

42 Big 12 Conference Titles

5 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Billy Sims, Adrian Peterson, Sam Bradford

==============================


No. 7—Alabama Crimson Tide (809-316-43)

22 SEC Titles

0 Heisman Trophy winners

12 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Namath, Derrick Thomas, Shaun Alexander

==============================


No. 6—Penn State Nittany Lions (810-351-43)

3 Big Ten Conference Titles

1 Heisman Trophy winner

2 National Championships

A few names you know: Kerry Collins, LaVar Arrington, Larry Johnson

==============================


No. 5—Ohio State Buckeyes (817-308-53)

34 Big 10 Conference Titles

7 Heisman Trophy winners

7 National Championships

A few names you know: Archie Griffin, Eddie George, Santonio Holmes, Troy Smith

==============================


No. 4—Notre Dame Fighting Irish (833-289-42)

0 Conference Titles (Independent)

7 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Joe Theismann, Joe Montana, Tim Brown, Brady Quinn

==============================


No. 3—Nebraska Cornhuskers (834-340-41)

46 Big 12 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Trev Alberts, Tommie Frazier, Ahman Green

==============================


No. 2—Texas Longhorns (842-320-34)

29 Big 12 Conference Titles

2 Heisman Trophy winners

5 National Championships

A few names you know: Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Cedrick Benson, Vince Young

==============================


No. 1—Michigan Wolverines (877-303-38)

42 Big 10 Conference Titles

3 Heisman Trophy winners

11 National Championships

A few names you know: Jim Harbaugh, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson, Tom Brady



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Coach Tressel on ESPN's First Take: Ohio State Ready For THE GAME 2009




Ohio State-TTUN: Big Ten Network Video Preview of THE GAME




Monday, November 16, 2009

Ohio State-TTUN Week 12 Preview: Free History Lesson and Prediction Included

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



For those who may not know, we do not speak their name during HATE WEEK, so whenever you see TTUN, it refers to M*c*g*n. TTUN stands for The Team Up North, and TSUN stands for The State Up North.




Outsiders might not see this as a big game when No. 8 Ohio State (9-2, 6-1) visits Ann Arbor this weekend to take on TTUN (5-6, 1-6).

Astute college fans nationwide know that's not the case. The records don't matter—the rankings don't matter—the hype doesn't matter when the Buckeyes and TTUN meet.

Even with TTUN rebuilding, the hate and utter disdain between these two programs, fan bases, and neighboring states absolutely matters.

That is why this rivalry has always, and will always, rank as the best rivalry in all of sports, period.

HBO's Ohio State TTUN The Rivalry Documentary


Ohio State already has a share of the Big Ten title and a trip to the the Rose Bowl (their first since 1997) locked up, but they want to win the title outright with a win over their hated rival from TSUN (that state up North).

TTUN, under then-first year coach Rich Rodriguez, missed going to a bowl game in 2008 for the first time in over 30 years, and are in danger of missing out on the post season yet again in 2009.

The hot seat is getting hotter and hotter for Rodriguez, and it might just explode with another bowl season absence and embarrassing loss to the Buckeyes, a la 2008.

You can bet when toe meets leather at Noon this Saturday, that both teams will be ramped-up and ready for this one—The 106th edition of THE GAME.


OHIO STATE vs. TTUN—HATE FROM YESTERYEAR



TTUN—By The Numbers

Tate Forcier has 1,824 passing yards, 230 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, 12 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, and a QB Rating of 133.

Denard Robinson has 185 passing yards, 320 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns, two passing touchdowns, four interceptions, and a QB Rating of 97.

Forcier, Robinson, Brandon Minor, Carlos Brown, Vincent Smith, Michael Shaw, Michael Cox, and Kevin Grady have combined for 2,147 yards on the ground and 26 rushing touchdowns. That's an average of 195 yards and 2.4 touchdowns per game.

TTUN's top receivers are Roy Roundtree (23 receptions, 318 yards, three touchdowns), Greg Mathews (23 receptions, 285 yards, one touchdown), Martavious Odoms (22 receptions, 272 yards, one touchdown), Junior Hemingway (15 receptions, 263 yards, two touchdowns, and Kevin Koger (16 receptions, 220 yards, two touchdowns).


Ohio State—By The Numbers

Terrelle Pryor has 1,761 passing yards, 633 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns, 15 passing touchdowns, nine interceptions, and a QB Rating of 131.

Pryor, Brandon Saine, Boom Herron, Jordan Hall, and Jermil Martin have combined for 2,037 yards on the ground and 19 rushing touchdowns. That's an average of 185 yards and 1.7 touchdowns per game.

Ohio State's top receivers are DeVier Posey (47 receptions, 689 yards, seven touchdowns plus one passing touchdown), Dane Sanzenbacher (26 receptions, 495 yards, six touchdowns), Duron Carter (13 receptions, 176 yards, one touchdown), and Ray Small (15 receptions, 175 yards). Small is also a solid contributor as a punt returner.



11/21/2009—Game 12—Noon Kickoff
TV: ABC

VS.



Ohio State—TTUN History and Tidbits

• This will be the 106th meeting between Ohio State and TTUN.

• Ohio State trails in the all-time series, 42-57-6.

• From 1897-1918 OSU played TTUN 15 times, losing 13 times and playing to two ties, a 0-0 tie in 1900, and a 3-3 tie in 1910.

• Ohio State's first-ever win over TTUN came in 1919 by a final score of 13-3.

• Since 1919, Ohio State is 42-43-5 head to head against TTUN.

• In what is widely considered the modern era of college football (1950-present day), Ohio State is 30-27-2 vs. TTUN.

• Ohio State is 3-7 in the last 10 road meetings vs. TTUN ( six of those losses were by John Cooper pre-2001).

• Ohio State is 9-10-1 in the last 20 meetings overall vs. TTUN, dating back to 1989.

• Ohio State's last road loss to TTUN was in 2003 by a score of 35-21 (that year, OSU was 11-2, TTUN was 10-3).

• Ohio State's last road win at TTUN was a 14-3 victory in 2007.

• Jim Tressel is 7-1 overall (4-0 at home, 3-1 on the road) vs. TTUN.

• Ohio State will play in their eighth BCS bowl game this postseason, the most BCS appearances by any school.

• Ohio State has won 34 Big Ten titles—having now won or shared five in a row, including 2009.

• Ohio State claims seven national championships and has had six Heisman winners (seven trophies).

• The Ohio State football program began in 1890 and all-time, they currently have an overall record of 817-308-53.

• This is Head Coach Rich Rodriguez's second season at TTUN (8-15).

• The TTUN football program is the all-time leader in wins, currently with 877.

• TTUN claims 11 national titles, the last being a split title in 1997. Prior to that, TTUN's last title was in 1948.

• TTUN has won 42 Big Ten titles, the last being a co-championship in 2004 (Iowa).

• The TTUN football program began play in 1879 and currently has an overall record of 877-300-36.


Game Notes

As you may already know, Ohio State will wear throwback uniforms provided by Nike this week to pay tribute to the 1954 Buckeye National Championship team.

Here's the full uniform:



FULL PHOTO GALLERY OF THE 1954 THROWBACK UNIFORMS


Video featuring former Buckeye Raymont Harris "modeling" the throwback uniform:




The Bottom Line

On paper, TTUN appears to be able to move the ball and score, but when I look at their schedule, I can't ignore the weak out-of-conference opponents that a lot of their stats came against, plus their poor showing in-conference.

They have a horrendous defense, while the Buckeyes have one of the best in the Big Ten, and the nation.

I don't expect a 42-7 blowout like last season's game in Columbus (I won't be upset if I'm wrong though), but a comfortable win is in order, even though a bowl bid is riding on this one for TTUN, and in spite of "Tressel-ball."

Sorry, but you're just not my boy Blue...

Final Score Prediction

Ohio State 34, TTUN 16


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========================================


Sunday, November 15, 2009

Smelling Roses: Ohio State Punches Ticket to Pasadena in OT Instant Classic

by HD Handshoe
Founder—Block-O-Nation



The Hawkeyes certainly didn't make it easy, even without Ricky Stanzi, and his replacement, redshirt freshmen QB James Vandenberg played beyond his years.

Of course, the game could have been out of reach if the Buckeyes were not limited by "Tressel-ball," as usual.

They were however still able to pull out the "W" despite Jim Tressel's best efforts to give Iowa the game with his ultra-conservative, play not-to-lose style.

In case you missed the game, or just would like to reminisce on the victory by watching the highlights, here you go:




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