Tag Archives: Michigan

No. 18: Michigan

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How was your first season? It’s not easy, I know. Did you reverse a losing culture? Nice. Did you lay the groundwork? Phew. Did you set the foundation? They’re not the same. Did you establish the running game, control the line of scrimmage, play 60 minutes, force turnovers, play hard? Good work. But did you rebuild? No? Why not? Because you’re Michigan, period? Hey, your words, not mine. Let me guess: You reversed a losing culture, laid the groundwork, set the foundation, establish the running game, controlled the line of scrimmage, played 60 minutes, forced turnovers, played hard and didn’t rebuild, because you’re Michigan. Oh, and you won 11 games, reached a B.C.S. bowl, won a B.C.S. bowl. But did you beat Ohio? Well, what didn’t you do?

Conference
Big Ten, Legends

Location
Ann Arbor, Mich.

Nickname
Wolverines

Returning starters
12 (5 offense, 7 defense)

Last year’s ranking
No. 29

2011 record
(11-2, 6-2)

Last year’s
re-ranking
No. 13

2012 schedule

Sept. 1
vs. Alabama (in Arlington, Tex.)
Sept. 8
Air Force
Sept. 15
UMass
Sept. 22
at Notre Dame
Oct. 6
at Purdue
Oct. 13
Illinois
Oct. 20
Michigan St.
Oct. 27
at Nebraska
Nov. 3
at Minnesota
Nov. 10
Northwestern
Nov. 17
Iowa
Nov. 24
at Ohio St.

Last year’s prediction

Hoke, Borges, Mattison and company provide a spark, a new set of standards and a breath of fresh air for the Michigan program. It’s fine to be excited. There are issues to address on both sides of the ball, but we are going to see a vastly improved on-field product from the Wolverines in 2011. Will Michigan make a drastic leap in the national defensive rankings? The Wolverines won’t turn in a top 25 effort, but I think the defense will move from abysmal to the middle of the pack. What about the schedule? U.M. gets eight games at home, including Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State. You really couldn’t ask for anything better than that in Hoke’s first season. So, the bottom line: eight wins, if not nine, a far better product, impassioned play, hope for the future.

2011 recap

In a nutshell Michigan started strong, but that in itself wasn’t surprising; the Wolverines won five straight games to open Rich Rodriguez’s final season only to take a massive tumble over the year’s second half. What made last season different wasn’t just the way U.M. was winning game – one could say with substance, not merely style – but also how these Wolverines carried themselves as win followed win followed win. You could say that there was confidence, but that’s not entirely accurate: Michigan not only believed it could win every Saturday but that it should, which in turn helped the Wolverines pull out a last-second win against Notre Dame, absolutely manhandle Nebraska and then, on Nov. 26, drop Ohio State in Ann Arbor. If not a special team – I wouldn’t say that U.M. was elite in any sense – it was a memorable team, and one that certainly answered any questions over Brady Hoke’s ability to lead U.M. back into contention. Last year did raise one question, however: What can Hoke and the Wolverines do for an encore?

High point The 40-34 win over the Buckeyes to cap the regular season. To see how this team reacted, you would have thought that U.M. hadn’t topped O.S.U. in, oh, 3,000 days or so. With that win coming on the heels of a 45-17 victory over Nebraska, few teams went into bowl play with more confidence.

Low point Another loss to Michigan State, the Wolverines’ fourth straight in the series. This one came by double digits, as have three of the four losses, but U.M. was well within striking distance before a late interception provided the final margin of defeat.

Tidbit Michigan was the only bowl team last fall to play 10 fellow bowl teams during the regular season – every team but Eastern Michigan and Minnesota, in the Wolverines’ case, and the Gophers were the only opponent on last year’s regular season schedule not to reach bowl eligibility. Michigan beat eight bowl teams during the regular season, tying L.S.U. and Oklahoma State for the most such wins in the country.

Tidbit (strong play edition) There was improvement where it counts: Michigan went from 7-6 to 11-2, which is all that matters. But how did the Wolverines go from the lower rung of the Big Ten to a B.C.S. bowl? By making enormous strides in the four areas where nearly all good teams excel: on third down, in turnover margin, in the running game and in overall discipline. U.M. improved to 15th nationally in third down offense, converting 47.0 percent of its attempts; on defense, U.M. went from allowing opponents to convert on 43.3 of their tries to only 36.4 percent – moving from 95th in the F.B.S. to 36th. The Wolverines were plus-seven in turnover margin, up from minus-10 in Rodriguez’s final season. The running game continued to click, as it did in 2010, while Michigan’s run defense allowed 57.2 fewer yards per game. Finally, U.M. ranked fifth in the country in both penalties and penalty yards per game.

Tidbit (nice start edition) Last fall, Hoke became the sixth first-year head coach in Michigan’s modern era – the sixth of eight total first-year coaches since 1936 – to beat Ohio State, joining Fritz Crisler (1938), Bennie Oosterbaan (1949), Bo Schembechler (1969), Gary Moeller (1990) and Lloyd Carr (1995). He was also the fifth to win at least eight games, joining Oosterbaan, Schembechler, Moeller and Carr, and the third to win more than 81.2 percent of his games, joining Crisler and Oosterbaan.

Former players in the N.F.L.

32 WR Adrian Arrington (New Orleans), WR Jason Avant (Philadelphia), C David Baas (New York Giants), OT Jeff Backus (Detroit), QB Tom Brady (New Orleans), DT Alan Branch (Seattle), WR Steve Breaston (Kansas City), S Stevie Brown (New York Giants), WR Braylon Edwards (Seattle), K Jay Feely (Arizona), LB Larry Foote (Pittsburgh), OG Jonathan Goodwin (San Francisco), DE Brandon Graham (Philadelphia), CB Leon Hall (Cincinnati), LB David Harris (New York Jets), WR Junior Hemingway (Kansas City), QB Chad Henne (Jacksonville), OG Steve Hutchinson (Tennessee), DE Tim Jamison (Houston), OT Jake Long (Miami), WR Mario Manningham (San Francisco), DT Mike Martin (Tennessee), P Zoltan Mesko (New England), C David Molk (San Diego), LB Jonas Mouton (San Diego), CB James Rogers (Tampa Bay), OT Stephen Schilling (San Diego), CB Morgan Trent (Washington), DE Ryan Van Bergen (Carolina), TE Martell Webb (Arizona), LB LaMarr Woodley (Pittsburgh), CB Charles Woodson (Green Bay).

Arbitrary top five list

First seasons by a Big Ten head coach (1975-2011)
1. Earle Bruce, Ohio State (1979).
2. Brady Hoke, Michigan (2011).
3. Joe Tiller, Purdue (1997).
4. Bret Bielema, Wisconsin (2006).
5. John Mackovic, Illinois (1988).

Coaching

Brady Hoke (Ball State ’82), 11-2 after his first season. In winning 11 games, Hoke equaled Michigan’s single-season high since 1997, nearly matched Rich Rodriguez’s total over his last two seasons combined and led Michigan to its first B.C.S. bowl since 2006, all while breaking down and rebuilding a roster accustomed to Rodriguez’s more wide-open system. Hoke also beat Ohio State, snapping the Buckeyes’ seven-game winning streak in the rivalry. He was hired after winning 13 games over two years at San Diego State, leading the Aztecs from Chuck Long to nine wins, a bowl berth and the outskirts of a national ranking in 2010. Hoke arrived in San Diego after a six-year stint at his alma mater (2003-8), where he increased his win total in each of his last five seasons. This rebuilding job culminated in Ball State’s tremendous 12-win regular season in 2008 – they had won 12 in the previous two seasons combined – one soured only by a loss to Buffalo in the MAC title game. Prior to that defeat, Ball State joined Utah and Boise State as the only undefeated non-B.C.S. conference teams in the country. Hoke’s ties to Michigan are what first connected his name to the opening: Hoke spent eight years as the defensive line coach under Lloyd Carr at Michigan (1995-2002), adding the title of associate head coach for his final season in Ann Arbor. Hoke was even mentioned in connection with the open Michigan job after the end of 2007 season, but the involvement between Hoke and the university never moved beyond a preliminary phase — if it even got that far. When the job became available again last winer, Michigan went through the usual suspects before focusing on Hoke, who was more than ready to return to Ann Arbor. That this represented a homecoming for Hoke underlines his knowledge of the program, the university, the fan base and all that winning at Michigan entails. He’s off to a resounding start.

Players to watch

U.M. reshuffled up front to replace center David Molk and right tackle Mark Huyge, moving junior Michael Schofield over to the strong side and senior Ricky Barnum into the middle. What this does is get the Wolverines’ best five on the field – or the five most-experienced linemen, at the very least. That center spot is a concern, as you might expect: Molk was a three-year starter, a multiple-time all-conference pick and the Rimington Award winner as a senior, so even by reshuffling U.M. is going to have a hard time matching the steady production he brought to the table. Schofield will do fine at right tackle, however. He spent much of last season playing behind Huyge, though Schofield rarely moved away from his starting spot at left guard.

It’s status quo at left tackle, with junior Taylor Lewan back for another turn on the blind side, and at right guard, where senior Patrick Omameh took well to Michigan’s more physical blocking scheme. Lewan’s a keeper, an all-conference lock who continues to develop into one of the elite left tackles in the country – I’m a bit hesitant to put him in that top group just yet, though the sky is the limit. One thing the reshuffling has done is rob U.M. of its two left guard, making that a position of concern heading into September. While senior Elliott Mealer should be considered the favorite, U.M. could also turn to sophomore Joel Burzynski, a former walk-on, or even true freshman Kyle Kallis, should the rookie prove himself unworthy of a redshirt.

Junior Fitzgerald Toussaint (1,041 yards) will have to regain his starting job at running back after being arrested in July on drunk-driving charges, but that shouldn’t be too hard – not because the Wolverines lack other options, but because Toussaint is far too valuable a cog in this offense to fill a secondary role. You saw his impact once U.M. handed Toussaint 20-plus carries; he averaged 135.6 yards per game over the last five games of the regular season, including a season-high 192 yards against Illinois and another 120 in the win over the Buckeyes. That performance had to feel good: Toussaint, a Youngstown product, did not land an O.S.U. offer coming out of high school.

My only question with Toussaint doesn’t revolve around his production – he’s going to have a big year if U.M. feeds him 15-20 carries per game – but about his availability. He was suspended in July, returned to the field this week and faces arraignment on his charges later this month; while unsafe to assume anything, I do wonder if Hoke will have no recourse but to keep Toussaint out of the game against Alabama – again, just a hypothetical. If he can’t go, or when U.M. needs some backup help, the offense will turn to senior Vincent Smith (298 yards) and sophomore Thomas Rawls, the latter a back who would have played a bigger role last fall had he not suffered an early-season injury. Given his tougher running style, I think Rawls could be a great change-of-pace alternative to Toussaint’s shiftiness. Junior Stephen Hopkins will again blaze a trail at fullback.

When he’s on, there are few better. When he’s not, he’s still better than most. Some of the misgivings over Denard Robinson’s ability to fit into offensive coordinator Al Borges’ system proved correct: he was still uneven as a passer, still prone to turnovers, still prone to the same head-scratching decisions that remain as much a part of his repertoire as the untied shoes and ankle-breaking runs. But credit U.M. for tailoring this West Coast offense to fit Robinson’s skill set, especially in the early going – and once Robinson felt more comfortable, adding a more balanced running game to the senior’s unbelievable physical gifts. You can take the engine out of a Ferrari to make sure it doesn’t exceed the speed limit, just as you can pigeonhole Robinson into a pro-style scheme, but what’s the point in that?

Michigan has accepted Robinson’s faults – his turnovers, mediocre passing – as the cost of embracing his assets, which include the ability to take every snap, every broken play, and turn it into six points. With Robert Griffin III and LaMichael James out of the picture, there are not many players in college football who can match his ability to break the will of opposing defenses in the span of a single down. That’s where Robinson excels, in his ability to make the sublime possible, and that’s why his Heisman candidacy is based in reality, not manufactured credibility.

Improvement as a passer will come with added experience in this system, though Robinson does need help from Michigan’s receiver corps. Is Robinson ever going to slide into the program’s elite group of pocket passers? Of course not. And in a way, what causes Robinson to toss 15 interceptions, as he did last fall, is also what makes him so outstanding – he’s unable to ratchet it back, whether in the pocket or outside the tackles, which leads to both interceptions in bunches and 80-yard touchdown runs. Look for some subtle progression, particularly when it comes to Robinson’s patience in the pocket, but don’t look for some floor-to-ceiling statistical growth. He’s a Heisman favorite because of the entire package, not as a thrower.

I’m beginning to wonder when defensive coordinator Greg Mattison will be satisfied – or if he’s able to be satisfied. Last year’s growth, the play of a defense left for dead then rejuvenated under his close and careful watch? Not good enough. The steady progress of his returning starters? Not good enough. The play of the returning contributors either moving into starting roles or looking at increased playing time? You know that Mattison isn’t happy about that. I get the impression that nothing related to this defense satisfies Mattison, which explains why last year’s group was so improved. It’s clear that Michigan, as run by Mattison, will settle for nothing less than perfection on the defensive side of the ball.

Whether U.M. can take another step forward in 2012 hinges on Mattison’s ability to rebuild up front, where the Wolverines must replace Mike Martin, Ryan Van Bergen and Will Heininger – you know the first two, especially Martin, but Heininger gave U.M. some solid play at tackle after Van Bergen moved outside in late September. In order to replace Van Bergen, senior Craig Roh (32 tackles, 4.0) added about 20 pounds to handle the rigor of playing on the strong side. But it’s about more than just size; Roh must also match Van Bergen’s effort level while supplying steady leadership to a reworked defensive front.

Roh’s old spot on the weak side will be filled by sophomore Brennen Beyer, a converted linebacker who has undergone a physical transformation of his own – once a 225-pound backup on the strong side, Beyer is up to about 250 pounds heading into September. While raw, Beyer’s speed and athleticism could help U.M. get more pressure from its front four. Depth at end comes from sophomore Frank Clark, who had his moments as a rookie, and former walk-on Nathan Brink, a junior. Michigan also added a pair of ends in February, Tom Strobel and Chris Wormley, but Wormely will miss this coming season with a knee injury. Strobel looks like a nice prospect at strong side end.

Another beefed-up linemen: junior Jibreel Black (18 tackles). Roh’s backup on the weak side last fall, Black has added 20 pounds of his own to work inside, replacing Heininger. As with Molk at center, replacing Martin is about more than just production; it’s also about his leadership, not to mention his ability to occupy blockers at nose tackle. It’s time for Will Campbell (14 tackles, 2.0 sacks) to live up to his potential. It’s his job to lose at nose tackle; no one doubts his ability, but Campbell has never given U.M. what it expected when the former five-star recruit enrolled four years ago – he’s underperformed, to put it lightly. One true freshman who will see the field early is Ondre Pipkins, who will join sophomore Richard Ash as Campbell’s primary backups.

This secondary will give you the seven-yard out. What Mattison will not allow, however – or what he has no patience for, at least – is the big play, which explains why U.M. ranked 40th nationally in allowing passing plays of 10 or more yards but 11th nationally in passes of 20 or more yards. Put another feather in Mattison’s cap: Michigan’s make-you-drink defense in 2010 ranked among the nation’s worst when it came to limiting the big play. Senior cornerback J.T. Floyd (48 tackles, 2 interceptions) seems to encapsulate this secondary nicely: Floyd isn’t overly athletic, isn’t going to leap out at you, but he’s steady, and he’ll err on the side of caution rather than gamble and potentially give up a big play.

Floyd’s back at boundary cornerback, where his size comes in handy, while sophomore Blake Countess (44 tackles) is back on the other side. Countess is the more physical gifted, but Floyd’s the stopper; until Countess matches technique and consistency with his gifts, Floyd will be given the task of running with most teams’ top receiver. Depth comes from junior Courtney Avery (26 tackles), a two-game starter last fall, and underclassmen like Raymon Taylor, Delonte Hollowell and Terry Richardson. With Troy Woolfolk gone, U.M. will hand junior Thomas Gordon (67 tackles) the unquestioned starting job at free safety. He’ll be joined by senior strong safety Jordan Kovacs (75 tackles, 4.0 sacks), another steady upperclassmen. Remember when Floyd and Kovacs were among the primary offenders on some of the worst defenses in school history? Both have come a long way — with some help from the staff.

The only position untouched by graduation is linebacker, where U.M. lost only one player who held a meaningful role in last year’s rotation. It’ll be the same story: Kenny Demens (94 tackles, 5.0 for loss) in the middle, flanked by junior Jake Ryan (37 tackles, 11.0 for loss) on the strong side and sophomore Desmond Morgan (63 tackles) on the weak side. After leading the team in tackles last fall, look for Demens to be better in 2012 – he was slowed a bit in 2011 by a hamstring injury. Likewise with Morgan and Ryan, now entering their second seasons in the starting lineup. Hoke and this staff also hit the recruiting trail hard this winter, looking for linebackers, and came up with four prospects who will add depth this fall before moving into larger roles down the road.

Despite the returning experience, you can see why Mattison wants more from this defense. The Wolverines are not particularly strong in the pass rush, especially without Van Bergen on the edge and Martin demanding pressure in the middle – Ryan and Morgan need to help in this area. The secondary does a nice job limiting big plays, but Michigan can’t rely solely on fumbles when it comes to forcing turnovers; eventually, the ball will stop bouncing the Wolverines’ way. More improvement is needed both on a team-wide level and when it comes to individual players – Campbell most of all.

Michigan was much better on defense and more consistent on offense yet there was little to no improvement on special teams. The return game was putrid, especially on kickoffs. Punting was terrible. One area where U.M. did take a step forward was on field goals, where junior Brendan Gibbons hit on 13 of his 17 tries after U.M. as a team made 4 of 14 field goals in 2012 – though Gibbons made only two kicks beyond 40 yards, so he’s not going to give the Wolverines anything from long distance. Having remade this program on offense and defense, Hoke and this staff now need to make a distinct effort at rebuilding the special teams. There’s no reason for Michigan to be this bad in such a key area.

Position battle(s) to watch

Wide receiver Michigan lost Junior Hemingway, last year’s leading receiver, would-be senior Darryl Stonum, a likely starter who transferred to Baylor, and its top two tight ends. While the cupboard isn’t entirely bare — though not full — the Wolverines could be in trouble at receiver and in the slot if senior Roy Roundtree (19 catches for 355 yards) or junior Jeremy Gallon (31 for 453) miss any extended time due to injuries. That’s your starting pair, with juniors Jeremy Jackson and Drew Dileo (9 for 121) backing up Roundtree and Gallon, respectively – and this quartet encompass all of Michigan’s experience at the position. The lack of experience helps explain Hoke’s decision to try junior Devin Gardner out wide, in addition to the fact that Gardner would otherwise not hold much of a role in this offense.

Gardner’s athletic ability is enough for him to fit somewhere in the rotation, but this isn’t Michigan’s dream scenario. The Wolverines would rather have sophomore Jerald Robinson play up to his ability, pushing Roundtree for the starting role and giving the offense quality snaps on the second level. You could breathe easier if you knew that both Robinson and Jackson could make plays if called upon, but they need to prove themselves in September. If we’re talking about dream scenarios, U.M. would love to have Robinson join Roundtree on the outside, allowing Gallon to work in the slot. That’s a dream.

You hope that U.M. can cobble together enough support for Robinson to keep this offense balanced. With the defenses on this schedule – Alabama, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State – the Wolverines will be put in a tough spot if the passing game doesn’t contribute its fair share. Adding Gardner and a pair of true freshmen into the mix helps, but U.M. must land steady play from its top five returning targets.

Game(s) to watch

You can slide into the regular season with a MAC team, a Sun Belt foe or an opponent off the F.C.S. ranks, or you can start with Alabama. The reverberation from that game should be felt throughout the regular season, especially if Michigan nets the win; that would not only move U.M. into the top two or three nationally but also give the Wolverines some wiggle room when it comes to a second straight B.C.S. bid – not to mention give this team a ridiculously high amount of confidence. It’s one of four very tough non-home games, joining Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State, and one of four games against teams with B.C.S. hopes of their own: Michigan State hops into the group while Ohio State, ineligible for the postseason, drops out.

Season breakdown & prediction

In a nutshell This is a better team that won’t win as many games. To look at the Wolverines’ personnel issues ignores the biggest reason why you’ll see improvement: Michigan is now familiar with Hoke, this staff and all that entails, and that fact alone is going to lead to a more consistent level of play on offense, defense and special teams – yes, even special teams. The offense, headlined by Robinson, is the only one in the Big Ten capable of scoring at will – at any point on the field, at any time, in one play. With Mattison running the show, the defense should be no worse than it was a year ago. I’m confident that Hoke will do whatever it takes to improve his team’s play on special teams.

But before moving to this schedule, a few concerns. One is a reworked offensive line. It’s going be extremely difficult for U.M. to replace Molk in the middle; not impossible, but you can already see how shifting Barnum and Schofield has led to some depth issues along the interior. As of now, the Wolverines are cautiously optimistic about their depth at receiver. But you can see where this position could be a concern, especially if Jackson and Jerald Robinson don’t give U.M. the sort of production the offense needs behind Roundtree and Gallon. When it comes to this defense, the Wolverines are counting on Campbell to replace Martin, Roh to keep his form on the strong side and Black to handle the pressure inside. Can this defense survive without a stronger pass rush? These aren’t overwhelming concerns, but they do separate U.M. from the nation’s elite.

And Michigan still needs to prove itself on the road. Last year’s team played only five non-home games, losing two; this team gets Alabama, Notre Dame, Nebraska and Ohio State away from home, not to mention Michigan State at home, and that’s going to leave U.M. with at least one additional loss during the regular season. In a Legends division race that will come down to tiebreakers, I think U.M. comes up just shy of a Big Ten title game berth. What did last season prove, however? That it doesn’t pay to underestimate what Hoke, Mattison, Borges and Michigan can accomplish when this team gets pointed in the right direction.

Dream season Up, up and away: Michigan goes from 10-2 in the regular season to 12-0, earning a spot against Wisconsin the Big Ten title game.

Nightmare season The Wolverines lose each of the five tough games: Alabama, Notre Dame, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State. While Michigan gets back into bowl play, that’s a disappointing slide.

In case you were wondering

Where do Michigan fans congregate? Michigan fans talk all Wolverine sports at UMGoBlue.com, The Wolverine and Go Blue Wolverine. The top site for Michigan coverage, of course, is MGoBlog, with Maize ‘n Brew another great option. A few new additions: Touch the Banner, UMGoBlue and MVictors. As always, if you feel there’s another site warranting mention, let me know below.

Michigan’s all-name nominee CB Blake Countess.

Word Count

Through 107 teams 436,668.

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Who is No. 17? You can also find the last name of tomorrow’s program’s head coach on his own team’s roster.

It’s Open Season on Penn State’s Roster

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It’s open season on Penn State’s roster. We’ve seen this before, in the early days of the sanctions assessed on U.S.C. three years ago and, if you can think back far enough, in the weeks following the penalties levied onto S.M.U. in 1987. There’s something different about this raid, however. One reason may be the fact that everything will be done in the open: Jim Delany, the Big Ten and the N.C.A.A. have essentially turned Penn State’s players into recruits, turning back the clock to those days when, as high school recruits, these same players were available to any school that would have their services.

Yesterday, Mark Richt confirmed that Georgia is “one of those teams” that will be in touch with Penn State’s players, citing scholarship room. “We’ll try to get in touch with some of these young men,” said Richt.

An unnamed SEC coach told Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com that one of his colleagues in the SEC had offered three Penn State players scholarships by 9:30 yesterday morning – not long after the N.C.A.A. had released its ruling.

There are several players who could help another B.C.S. conference program right from the start. One would be junior running back Silas Redd, who could fill a void at Oregon, for example – the Ducks badly need a short-yardage, between-the-tackles back.

Ends Sean Stanley and Pete Massaro would play for every team in college football. Likewise with linebackers Gerald Hodges and Glenn Carson. Senior defensive tackle Jordan Hill has all-American potential. Center Matt Stankiewitch is the Nittany Lions’ most experienced offensive lineman.

These are the names you’ll hear over the next two weeks – these are Penn State’s best players, and those most likely to garner interest from a team like Georgia, which might only be a player or two away from winning a national championship. Oregon’s offense, for example, would leap into another stratosphere with Redd doing the dirty work in the running game.

But with the scope of the penalties levied upon the program, P.S.U. should be more concerned with losing the younger players that comprise the majority of its roster – the redshirt freshmen, sophomore and juniors poised to play large roles over the next two, three or four seasons. The scholarship penalties will decimate the Nittany Lions’ depth; Bill O’Brien and his staff need the younger players on the two-deep to remain in the fold in order to cobble together some degree of success over the next three seasons.

If members of the roster’s upper tier – Hodges, Redd, Massaro and others – opt to transfer, it would be to a program that can offer a platform to showcase their skills to the next level and the opportunity to play for a team with realistic national title hopes. But the younger group: Would these players, should they choose to take advantage of the transfer rules, opt to go to a program with which they have a built-in comfort level?

If so, you’re looking at the schools that recruited these players when they were on the high school level. I looked back at the last three seasons of Penn State’s recruiting efforts – the 2010, 2011 and 2012 classes, using the Rivals.com database – to see if there were some schools that went toe-to-toe with the Nittany Lions more often than others.

From 2010-12, the following schools offered at least 11 eventual Penn State commitments: Pittsburgh (20), West Virginia (19), Boston College (19), Maryland (17), Virginia (16), Illinois (16), Connecticut (15), Rutgers (15), Michigan (13), Syracuse (13), N.C. State (12) and Iowa (11).

Another six schools offered nine players who would eventually sign with Penn State: Northwestern, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Stanford, North Carolina and Duke. South Carolina offered seven eventual Nittany Lions. Vanderbilt, Oregon and Cincinnati offered six.

Would the younger, non-name underclassmen – those who play a heavy part in Penn State’s future plans – who chose to leave the program look first towards those schools that were on their initial list as high school seniors?

Look beyond that specific question. What happens to Penn State if the younger scholarship players leave the program in droves? The Nittany Lions are in decent shape through the next two years, should the roster remain intact. Yes, O’Brien will be losing several all-conference starters, but this is a young team; in fact, there’s enough young talent to keep P.S.U. afloat through the next two seasons, in a perfect world.

But with the 15-scholarship limit in each recruiting cycle coming into effect for the 2013 class, it would be impossible for P.S.U. to replace not only those seniors lost to graduation but also the underclassmen who opt to leave the program via a transfer. Keep this in mind – because other programs are circling Penn State’s roster, looking for the missing piece of the puzzle.

It’s Open Season on Penn State’s Roster

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It’s open season on Penn State’s roster. We’ve seen this before, in the early days of the sanctions assessed on U.S.C. three years ago and, if you can think back far enough, in the weeks following the penalties levied onto S.M.U. in 1987. There’s something different about this raid, however. One reason may be the fact that everything will be done in the open: Jim Delany, the Big Ten and the N.C.A.A. have essentially turned Penn State’s players into recruits, turning back the clock to those days when, as high school recruits, these same players were available to any school that would have their services.

Yesterday, Mark Richt confirmed that Georgia is “one of those teams” that will be in touch with Penn State’s players, citing scholarship room. “We’ll try to get in touch with some of these young men,” said Richt.

An unnamed SEC coach told Mark Schlabach of ESPN.com that one of his colleagues in the SEC had offered three Penn State players scholarships by 9:30 yesterday morning – not long after the N.C.A.A. had released its ruling.

There are several players who could help another B.C.S. conference program right from the start. One would be junior running back Silas Redd, who could fill a void at Oregon, for example – the Ducks badly need a short-yardage, between-the-tackles back.

Ends Sean Stanley and Pete Massaro would play for every team in college football. Likewise with linebackers Gerald Hodges and Glenn Carson. Senior defensive tackle Jordan Hill has all-American potential. Center Matt Stankiewitch is the Nittany Lions’ most experienced offensive lineman.

These are the names you’ll hear over the next two weeks – these are Penn State’s best players, and those most likely to garner interest from a team like Georgia, which might only be a player or two away from winning a national championship. Oregon’s offense, for example, would leap into another stratosphere with Redd doing the dirty work in the running game.

But with the scope of the penalties levied upon the program, P.S.U. should be more concerned with losing the younger players that comprise the majority of its roster – the redshirt freshmen, sophomore and juniors poised to play large roles over the next two, three or four seasons. The scholarship penalties will decimate the Nittany Lions’ depth; Bill O’Brien and his staff need the younger players on the two-deep to remain in the fold in order to cobble together some degree of success over the next three seasons.

If members of the roster’s upper tier – Hodges, Redd, Massaro and others – opt to transfer, it would be to a program that can offer a platform to showcase their skills to the next level and the opportunity to play for a team with realistic national title hopes. But the younger group: Would these players, should they choose to take advantage of the transfer rules, opt to go to a program with which they have a built-in comfort level?

If so, you’re looking at the schools that recruited these players when they were on the high school level. I looked back at the last three seasons of Penn State’s recruiting efforts – the 2010, 2011 and 2012 classes, using the Rivals.com database – to see if there were some schools that went toe-to-toe with the Nittany Lions more often than others.

From 2010-12, the following schools offered at least 11 eventual Penn State commitments: Pittsburgh (20), West Virginia (19), Boston College (19), Maryland (17), Virginia (16), Illinois (16), Connecticut (15), Rutgers (15), Michigan (13), Syracuse (13), N.C. State (12) and Iowa (11).

Another six schools offered nine players who would eventually sign with Penn State: Northwestern, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, Stanford, North Carolina and Duke. South Carolina offered seven eventual Nittany Lions. Vanderbilt, Oregon and Cincinnati offered six.

Would the younger, non-name underclassmen – those who play a heavy part in Penn State’s future plans – who chose to leave the program look first towards those schools that were on their initial list as high school seniors?

Look beyond that specific question. What happens to Penn State if the younger scholarship players leave the program in droves? The Nittany Lions are in decent shape through the next two years, should the roster remain intact. Yes, O’Brien will be losing several all-conference starters, but this is a young team; in fact, there’s enough young talent to keep P.S.U. afloat through the next two seasons, in a perfect world.

But with the 15-scholarship limit in each recruiting cycle coming into effect for the 2013 class, it would be impossible for P.S.U. to replace not only those seniors lost to graduation but also the underclassmen who opt to leave the program via a transfer. Keep this in mind – because other programs are circling Penn State’s roster, looking for the missing piece of the puzzle.

MSU AD tweets Michigan guard

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It’s Always Sunny In Detroit – It was made public last week that Michigan freshman guard Trey Burke was considering leaving school to declare for the NBA. Burke was the Big Ten’s co-freshman of the year and led Michigan in scoring and assists. His father, Benji, told the Detroit Free Press he thinks Burke has some “juice now” because of his strong freshman year. He called Burke one of the top five freshman guards in the country. Obviously Burke will seek the advice of his father and his father made it clear where he stands. “I can’t say he’s coming back, can’t saying he’s leaving. If it had my way, he’d be coming back.”

Three players transferring from Michigan

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Three players, including sophomore forward Evan Smotrycz, who was a starter for the first half of the 2011-12 season, have left the Michigan basketball program.

Smotrycz, freshman guard Carlton Brundidge and sophomore Colton Christian all are leaving the team and intend to transfer to other schools, Michigan said in a release Wednesday afternoon.

“We never like to see players leave the program, however, Evan, Colton and Carlton have made the decision to transfer and continue their careers elsewhere,” Michigan coach John Beilein said in a statement. “All three are fine young men with bright futures. We wish them and their families nothing but success going forward.”

Additionally, freshman point guard Trey Burke is exploring his options with the NBA.

Full story on ESPN

Michigan-Notre Dame playing under the lights again

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Last year’s night game between Notre Dame and Michigan — the first ever at The Big House — was a complete success. In front of a record crowd, the Wolverines pulled out an exciting victory over the Irish in a game that produced three touchdowns in the final two minutes.

So, the two have decided to stick with this night game thing.

Notre Dame announced Thursday that this season’s Sept. 22 game against Michigan will also be played under the lights. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m.

Full story on College Football Talk

Michigan Football: Wolverines Add 5th and 6th Recruits

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If landing four football recruits, hosting ESPN’s College GameDay, and upsetting Ohio State’s basketball team wasn’t enough, Michigan completed “Super Saturday” by receiving two more commitments.

The late addition of Colorado offensive guard Chris Fox and Ohio defensive end Taco Charlton gave Michigan six commits for the day and total of nine for the 2013 class.

Earlier in the day, OT Kyle Bosch, OT David Dawson, DE/RB Wyatt Shallman and CB Jourdan Lewis committed to the Wolverines.

Full story on Bleacher Report

Michigan QB Robinson staying for senior season

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP)—Michigan Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson is set to return for his senior season.

The school announced Friday that Robinson and defensive back J.T. Floyd will be back. The two juniors had sought opinions from the NFL Draft Advisory Board to get a sense of where they might get selected if they decided to turn pro, but they were expected to return.

Robinson could be among the top candidates for the Heisman Trophy in 2012. He threw for 2,173 yards and ran for 1,176 in his first season under new coach Brady Hoke. Michigan beat Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.

Floyd intercepted two passes this past season.

Michigan’s Darryl Stonum ticketed, violates probation

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Michigan wide receiver Darryl Stonum is still on the team despite violating probation in a drunken-driving case, coach Brady Hoke said Thursday.

Stonum was stopped by police in Ann Arbor early Thursday and violated probation because his license had been revoked, probation officer Steve Hill said. Stonum, 21, was issued a ticket for driving with a revoked license, according to court records.

Police stopped Stonum shortly after he had pulled away from the probation office, where he had just checked in, Hill told AnnArbor.com.

Stonum is expected to appear in 15th District Court Friday morning for a previously-scheduled probation compliance hearing, according to media reports.

Continue Story on ESPN

BCS restrictions fuel matchup issues

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It’s time to give the BCS bowls more freedom, not less.

Kansas wasn’t a popular pick in 2007, but the Jayhawks proved their worth with a win over Virginia Tech.
Yes, you read that right. More freedom. Take the shackles off of the at-large selection process. Eliminate the two-teams-per-conference limit in the big bowls. While we’re at it, DQ the AQ.

Otherwise, everyone needs to start accepting matchups like Virginia Tech-Michigan, the widely panned pairing in Tuesday night’s Allstate Sugar Bowl. There are many reasons why the Sugar Bowl went with the Hokies and Wolverines, two at-large teams not ranked in the top 10, rather than No. 7 Boise State or No. 8 Kansas State.

Continue Story on ESPNU

2011 NCAA Football Rankings – Final BCS Standings

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2011 NCAA Football Rankings – Final BCS Standings

1 LSU 13-0
2 Alabama 11-1
3 Oklahoma State 11-1
4 Stanford 11-1
5 Oregon 11-2
6 Arkansas 10-2
7 Boise State 11-1
8 Kansas State 10-2
9 South Carolina 10-2
10 Wisconsin 11-2
11 Virginia Tech 11-2
12 Baylor 9-3
13 Michigan 10-2
14 Oklahoma 9-3
15 Clemson 10-3
16 Georgia 10-3
17 Michigan State 10-3
18 TCU 10-2
19 Houston 12-1
20 Nebraska 9-3
21 Southern Miss 11-2
22 Penn State 9-3
23 West Virginia 9-3
24 Texas 7-5
25 Auburn 7-5

2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 5 Rankings – Coaches Poll

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2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 5 Rankings – Coaches Poll

1 Kentucky (19) 8-0 763
2 Ohio State (11) 8-0 754
3 Syracuse (1) 8-0 713
4 Louisville 7-0 654
5 Duke 7-1 611
6 North Carolina 6-2 594
7 Baylor 7-0 582
8 Xavier 6-0 538
9 Connecticut 7-1 533
10 Missouri 7-0 511
11 Marquette 7-0 468
12 Florida 5-2 419
13 Kansas 5-2 385
14 Pittsburgh 7-1 359
15 Alabama 7-1 326
16 Wisconsin 6-2 306
17 Creighton 7-0 222
18 Mississippi State 8-1 208
19 Michigan 6-2 164
20 Memphis 4-2 154
21 Georgetown 7-1 136
22 Gonzaga 5-1 96
22 Illinois 8-0 96
24 Harvard 8-0 95
25 Texas A&M 6-1 79

Others receiving votes: UNLV 62, Vanderbilt 61, California 32, San Diego State 30, Michigan State 29, Indiana 23, Saint Louis 18, Northwestern 8, Murray State 8, Stanford 7, Kansas State 4, Purdue 4, Saint Mary’s 4, Virginia 4, Washington 3, Cincinnati 3, Cleveland State 3, Tulane 2, Arizona 2, George Mason 1, Northern Iowa 1

Dropped from rankings: Vanderbilt 19, UNLV 20, California 23, Saint Louis 25

2011 NCAA Football Rankings Week 14 – AP Top 25

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2011 NCAA Football Rankings Week 14 – AP Top 25

1 LSU (60) 12-0 1500
2 Alabama 11-1 1440
3 Oklahoma State 10-1 1286
4 Stanford 11-1 1281
5 Virginia Tech 11-1 1196
6 Arkansas 10-2 1060
7 Houston 12-0 1055
8 Oregon 10-2 1054
9 Boise State 10-1 1053
9 USC 10-2 1053
11 Michigan State 10-2 866
12 Georgia 10-2 825
13 Oklahoma 9-2 808
14 South Carolina 10-2 796
15 Wisconsin 10-2 749
16 Kansas State 9-2 658
17 Michigan 10-2 570
18 TCU 9-2 488
19 Baylor 8-3 468
20 Nebraska 9-3 352
21 Clemson 9-3 258
22 West Virginia 8-3 196
23 Penn State 9-3 151
24 Southern Miss 10-2 78
25 Florida State 8-4 58

Dropped from rankings: Notre Dame 22, Virginia 24, Georgia Tech 25

Others receiving votes: Notre Dame 53, Texas 45, Cincinnati 23, Arkansas State 18, Georgia Tech 16, Brigham Young 13, Missouri 13, Virginia 9, Tulsa 7, Louisville 3, Northern Illinois 1

2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 4 Rankings – AP Top 25

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2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 4 Rankings – AP Top 25

1 Kentucky (46) 6-0 1,599
2 Ohio State (17) 6-0 1,564
3 Duke (2) 7-0 1,465
4 Syracuse 6-0 1,439
5 North Carolina 5-1 1,337
6 Louisville 5-0 1,259
7 Baylor 5-0 1,183
8 Connecticut 6-1 1,055
9 Wisconsin 6-0 1,045
10 Florida 4-1 1,040
11 Xavier 4-0 982
12 Alabama 7-0 912
13 Missouri 6-0 746
14 Michigan 5-1 681
15 Kansas 3-2 676
16 Marquette 5-0 637
17 Pittsburgh 5-1 537
18 UNLV 7-0 535
19 Gonzaga 4-0 525
20 Vanderbilt 5-1 482
21 Mississippi State 7-1 277
22 Memphis 2-2 269
23 Saint Louis 6-0 149
24 California 5-1 121
25 Texas A&M 4-1 115

Others receiving votes: Creighton 104, Harvard 101, Michigan State 84, San Diego State 66, Georgetown 46, Florida State 24, Arizona 15, Illinois 13, Washington 12, Cleveland State 11, Purdue 6, Marshall 5, Stanford 3, Villanova 2, Virginia Tech 1, Northwestern 1, Cincinnati 1

Dropped from rankings: Florida State 22, Arizona 23

No. 17 Michigan beats Ohio State 40-34

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Denard Robinson took the snap, took a knee and set off a long, loud, maize-and-blue celebration in the Big House.

Robinson accounted for five touchdowns, helping 17th-ranked Michigan beat Ohio State 40-34 on Saturday and snap a school-record seven-game losing streak against the Wolverines’ archrival.

“This game is more than a win,” defensive end Ryan Van Bergen said. “It’s bigger than that. It encompasses way more.”

Michigan (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten) was forced to settle for a six-point lead with 1:59 left on Brendan Gibbons’ career-long 43-yard field goal after two apparent TDs were negated by a video review and then penalties.

The Buckeyes (6-6, 3-5) had a chance to win the game on their final drive, but freshman Braxton Miller sailed a pass over Deviser Posey’s head on what could’ve been a 76-yard TD and threw a loss-sealing interception to Courtney Avery.

Michigan finally won a game in the storied series because it had a better quarterback than Ohio State, for a change.

Robinson was 14 of 17 – completing 11 straight passes during one stretch – for 167 yards with TD passes to Kevin Koger, Junior Hemingway and Martavious Odoms. He ran 26 times for 170 yards and two more scores and lost a fumble.

Miller was 14 of 25 for 235 yards with TD passes to Posey and Corey Brown. He ran 16 times for 100 yards and a score.

The Wolverines also had more success creating holes for their featured running back.

Fitzgerald Toussaint had 120 yards rushing, but didn’t score because video review overturned his apparent TD late in the game. He was ruled down before getting in the end zone. Robinson then had a TD run negated by a holding penalty – and yet another flag after the play pushed Michigan back to the Ohio State 26, forcing Gibbons to make the longest field goal of his career to force the Buckeyes to score a TD to win.

“There wasn’t a doubt in my mind,” Michigan coach Brady Hoke said.

Ohio State’s Dan Herron was held to 37 yards rushing and a TD on 15 carries, but the Wolverines had trouble slowing down Miller just as they had previously with Troy Smith, who started Ohio State’s winning streak in 2004, and Terrelle Pryor who extended it with last year’s win.

Pryor, though, wasn’t around to win again in The Game. He left Ohio State in the wake of being caught up in a cash-for-Buckeyes memorabilia scandal that resulted in coach Jim Tressel’s departure and several other players serving multiple-game suspensions in what became the program’s worst season on the field since 1999.

The Buckeyes have already said they won’t pass up the chance to go to a bowl game – if the NCAA allows them to play in the postseason.

Regardless, former Florida coach Urban Meyer is widely expected to take over the program.

Former Ohio State running back and 1995 Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George said the fact that Meyer wasn’t in Ann Arbor with his ESPN crew was another obvious sign that he’s the next coach of the Buckeyes.

“I think it’s pretty much set in stone,” George told The Associated Press on Saturday morning at Michigan Stadium, where he was working as an analyst. “There are rumors already about what he’s signing for and who’s coaching with him. After this game, the chatter is obviously going to get even louder and I think we’ll know something definitely by Monday.”

Michigan, meanwhile, might be in a BCS bowl game for the first time since 2006 under first-year coach Hoke, who took many of Rich Rodriguez’s players and helped them perform much better this season.

Michigan Stadium’s field was filled with fans after the Wolverines finally beat the Buckeyes, ending a drought that lasted more than 2,900 days as the players were reminded each day they stepped into Schembechler Hall.

The public-address announcer tried in vain to get the field cleared for the bands, but they stayed in a cluster around the block `M’ at midfield and were sprinkled throughout the rest of the field as they soaked up the moment. About 20 minutes later, Michigan’s band finally was able to take the field.

© 2011 The Associated Press

Michigan aims for share of Legends title

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—Being a favorite doesn’t mean much whenever Ohio State and Michigan meet.

The history of this heated rivalry is littered with upsets and surprises.

No. 17 Michigan (9-2, 5-2) is hoping to grab a share of the Big Ten’s Legends Division title on Saturday, and bolster its argument for a major bowl game. Ohio State (6-5, 3-4) has suffered through a difficult season shadowed by ominous NCAA sanctions, the loss of a 10-year head coach for breaking rules, injuries and more losses than any Buckeyes team in a decade.

In other words, don’t count out the Buckeyes, who are seven-point underdogs.

The unexpected has happened repeatedly in The Game’s storied 107 meetings.

Ohio State pounded Michigan 50-14 in 1968. It was late in that game, long after the outcome had been decided, when curmudgeonly Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes elected to try a 2-point conversion after a touchdown.

Asked later why he did it, he snarled: “Because I couldn’t go for three!”

While the Buckeyes racked up win after win the following season, things had changed at Michigan. A former Woody acolyte, Bo Schembechler, had taken over as coach. He pointed all season for the Buckeyes and his mentor.

Schembechler had signs placed all over Michigan’s practice field with that gruesome score. In the locker room, he put up another sign reading, “What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve. Those that stay will be Champions!” The players had to look at those words every day.

“We knew we were going to win even though we were 18-point underdogs against the best college football team ever assembled,” said Jim Brandstatter, then an offensive lineman for the Wolverines and now a radio voice for his alma mater’s games. “They hadn’t lost in two years, were coming off a national championship and were the consensus No. 1 team.”

By the time their season-ending clash came along, the Wolverines came in with two losses and Ohio State was riding a 22-game winning streak. By grinding out yards on the ground and pouncing on turnovers—Barry Pierson had three of Michigan’s six interceptions when the ground-oriented Buckeyes were forced to pass—the student’s team beat the teacher’s, 24-12.

At a dinner his former players had for him years later, Hayes got up to speak. Schembechler was in the audience.

“He looked down from the podium at me and said, `Damn you! You will never win a bigger game than that!”’ Schembechler said with a chuckle. “And he was right. I don’t think I ever did.”

Five days before the 1987 game, also in Ann Arbor, Ohio State coach Earle Bruce was abruptly fired almost nine seasons into a successful tenure. Ohio State President Ed Jennings didn’t give a good reason. Adding to the tumult, he also fired Athletic Director Rick Bay when Bay refused to fire Bruce.

A former Buckeyes player and another Hayes disciple, Bruce was not beloved by spoiled Ohio State fans who felt his 81-26-1 record just wasn’t good enough. But public sentiment shifted in the wake of his firing. And his players remain devoted to him.

The Buckeyes were just 5-4-1 when they arrived in enemy territory, still in shock.

Just before the kickoff, Bruce was standing on the sidelines and turned to say something to an assistant when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that his players were wearing white headbands.

“I was going to tell them to get those headbands off,” Bruce recalled. “When I looked at them, I saw that they said `Earle’ and then I thought I can’t very well tell them to take them off.”

The Buckeyes pulled off a 23-20 stunner, and Bruce went to the Michigan locker room after the game to say goodbye to his close friend, Schembechler.

Bo looked up at Bruce and said: “You know how I don’t like losing. But, somehow, today I don’t mind.”

In both 1995 and 1996, Ohio State rolled into the rivalry unbeaten, ranked No. 2 and on the verge of playing for a national championship. Michigan, with three losses already, had little to play for—except ruining the Buckeyes’ season.

Before the 1995 game, Ohio State wide receiver Terry Glenn said, “Michigan is nobody.” But the nobodies won 31-23 behind a virtual unknown named Tshimanga “Tim” Biakabutuka, who piled up 313 yards on 37 carries to outplay Buckeyes Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George.

A year later, Michigan was a heavy underdog again for The Game at Ohio Stadium. But a short pass to Michigan wide receiver Tai Streets on a slippery field turned into a long touchdown and the Wolverines pulled off another shocker, 13-9.

Michigan had owned the series from 1897-1918, going 13-0-2 and winning by scores of 86-0, 34-0 and 40-0—back when a touchdown was only worth four or five points.

Is it really a rivalry if only one team wins all the time?

In the days before the game was always the last one on the schedule, Ohio State was 3-0 in 1919 and Michigan had won its first two games by a combined score of 60-0 against Case and Michigan Agricultural College (now Michigan State University). The Wolverines had not permitted the Buckeyes to score a point in the three previous meetings and had outscored Ohio State 369-21 in the lopsided series.

But Chic Harley, Ohio State’s first football star, changed all of that.

He scored on a 42-yard run for the game’s only touchdown, punted 10 times for a 40-yard average and intercepted four passes in a 13-3 Buckeyes triumph.

It was only the first of many surprises to come in The Game.

Copyright Associated Press

2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 3 Rankings – ESPN/USA Today Poll

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2012 NCAA Men’s Basketball Week 3 Rankings – ESPN/USA Today Poll

1 North Carolina (30) 3-0 774
2 Kentucky (1) 4-0 732
3 Ohio State 3-0 708
4 Connecticut 4-0 668
5 Syracuse 4-0 652
6 Duke 4-0 640
7 Louisville 3-0 555
8 Memphis 1-0 497
9 Florida 2-1 480
10 Baylor 3-0 443
11 Wisconsin 3-0 438
12 Xavier 3-0 394
13 Alabama 5-0 379
14 Kansas 1-1 327
15 Michigan 3-0 288
16 Pittsburgh 2-1 252
17 Marquette 4-0 241
18 California 3-0 216
19 Gonzaga 3-0 208
20 Florida State 4-0 189
21 Missouri 3-0 181
22 Vanderbilt 3-1 179
23 Arizona 4-1 134
24 Texas A&M 3-1 65
25 Creighton 4-0 62

Others receiving votes: Mississippi State 58, Purdue 48, Villanova 48, Texas 31, UNLV 23, Cincinnati 23, Northwestern 22, Temple 20, Cleveland State 20, Saint Louis 12, Michigan State 12, George Mason 10, Illinois 8, Long Beach State 8, San Diego State 8, Saint Mary’s 6, Oklahoma State 6, Washington 3, Virginia 2, Indiana 2, Marshall 1, Harvard 1, Notre Dame 1

Upsets in Big Ten leave Michigan State on top

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Iowa knocked off Michigan and Northwestern upset Nebraska, leaving Michigan State the big winner in the Big Ten’s Legends Division on Saturday.

And the Spartans barely escaped a close call against Minnesota.

In Iowa City, the Hawkeyes made a late goal line stand to preserve a 24-16 lead and beat No. 13 Michigan.

That was a mild upset because just last week Iowa had lost to Minnesota. What happened in Lincoln, Neb., was far more surprising.

With backup quarterback Cain Colter playing for Dan Persa, Northwestern upset the ninth-ranked Cornhuskers 28-25.

The loss by Nebraska put No. 15 Michigan State (4-1) alone in first in the Legends Division, the only team with one loss. The Spartans rallied in the second half to beat Minnesota 31-24.

Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska are all 3-2.

© 2011 The Associated Press.