new top 25

Any readers have any comments on the new rankings? It's sad that only 2 B1G teams made it, but until they prove to the country somehow that the B1G can play that's the way it's going to be. My only problem with the new top 25 is Michigan sneaking in. I know they don't matter at this point in the season but Michigan State deserves it way more than Michigan. Michigan has had two tough tests and got killed in both. Michigan State lost to Notre Dame who also beat Michigan and their other loss came by 1 point to the ever so impressive Ohio State Buckeyes. I think the Spartans got shafted a little bit.

Best offensive player in the B1G so far?

Preseason all the talk was about Montee Ball and Denard Robinson. Not only for best in the B1G, but potential Heisman candidates. I keep hearing the experts talk about how Denard Robinson can still play himself into the Heisman race but I couldn't disagree more. Obviously with more than half the season left there's still time to put up big numbers, but he doesn't throw well enough to do it and I don't think he can just flip the switch. He hasn't even thrown for 1,000 yards yet through 6 games. He would have to have big games when he's on the big stage. He has one chance vs Notre Dame and played horrible. Also leads the B1G with 8 interceptions already. Montee Ball has been scoring touchdowns as usual. He's not putting up the yards, especially not what he should be considering how many times he touches the ball. When he runs for 100 yards its usually because he carries it 35 times. He hasn't been a huge play maker and hasn't been overly effective for the Badgers. Maybe with today's 116 yard 2 TD game he might get back to being himself You know it's bad when the fans are calling for more carries from the other running backs instead of the former Heisman candidate. After Le'veon Bell's week 1 performance he garnered some national hype and rightfully so. In my opinion he's been the most effective back in the B1G. He's already carried it 134 times. He carried it 182 all of last season. He's carrying a big load for the Spartans and think he deserves be talked about for POY. If you read my last post, you'll know I think Braxton Miller has been the best player thus far. He's so dynamic, poised, and relatively consistent. Nebraska has a pretty tough defense and he absolutely embarrassed them. Urban is going to have him torching defenses for the next three years.

1. Braxton Miller

2. Le'Veon Bell

3. Montee Ball

Other Considerations: Ameer Abdullah (neb), Jared Abbrederis (wis), Allen Robinson (psu), Denard Robinson (mich), Matthew McGloin (psu), Venrick Mark (nw)

If you're an Ohio State fan you have to be extremely frustrated with their bowl ban this season. Ohio State, although they haven't been tested on the road yet, looks unstoppable. With the lack of talent in the B1G Ohio State may not lose but still won't be able to take home the hardware. Braxton Miller could play himself into the heisman race. Denard Robinson and Taylor Martinez get all the hype for being great dual-threat quarterbacks but Braxton Miller is way more impressive than either of them. Unlike the other two, Miller throws the ball well enough that you have to respect it as much as his run. Nebraska is just like Wisconsin and Michigan State where you don't know what you're going to get week in and week out and it's mostly due to the inconsistency of Taylor Martinez. He makes some of the passes he needs to, but it usually isn't enough to make up for all of the ones he misses. If he doesn't run for a couple scores Nebraska won't win. After week two, my prediction for Indianapolis is Wisconsin (because of Ohio State's ban) vs Michigan. 

10/6

Another big afternoon for B1G football with one huge game yet to be played tonight between Nebraska and Ohio State. A couple thoughts from the games today. We'll start with Purdue who looked like the same Purdue team we've seen the last couple years. They struggled real bad, at home, to do anything against Michigan today. I think Michigan is a good team but not a great team. To see them go on the road and hand it Purdue like that makes me wonder if Purdue doesn't pose as much of a threat in the Leaders division as I thought. Indiana proved that they're an improved football team. They won't ever be in the conversation when it comes to the B1G champioship game but watch for them to potentially pull off a big upset in the weeks to come. I liked how they moved the ball offensively. Wisconsin and Michigan State both looked brutal in the first half and looked very strong in the second. With the lack of consistency I still don't know what to expect from these two teams come Saturday. Wisconsin's defense is what's going to win them at least 8 games this year. Penn State is irrelevant in the B1G title race but have still been impressive at times. Northwestern is a good football team with, in my opinion, one of the best coaches in the country and Penn State stuck it to them late today. Like Indiana, watch for Penn State to pull an upset to stir up the B1G title race. Probably Wisconsin at home at the end of the year. Illinois is the worst team in the B1G. They're brutal. Hope tonight's game lives up to its hype. Should be a good one!

Best Team in the B1G?

Most people's expectations coming into the season were that Wisconsin would walk away with the Leaders division title pretty easily due to the NCAA sanctions handed out to Penn State and Ohio State. Michigan and Michigan State were expected to battle for the Legends division title. 5 weeks into the season and 1 week into conference play Ohio State, despite their inability to represent the B1G in the Rose Bowl, appears to be the best team in the Leaders division and the entire conference. With the explosiveness that Nebraska's offense has shown us, they could be the frontrunner through week 5 to play in the B1G title game from the Legends side. Michigan State and Wisconsin have two of the best backs in the country but continue to struggle on offense, particularly at the QB position. Michigan sitting at 2-2 hasn't looked nearly as sharp as expected. Denard Robinson still can't throw a football which doesn't help their offense. The only other team that I see being relevant, and my sleeper pick to sneak into the B1G title game is Purdue. Sitting at 3-1 with that single loss coming to Notre Dame in a game that could have went either way.