NCAA YTD: 26-28 (-4.64*)
Wisconsin(-125ML) over Iowa (1*)
- - For Iowa's seniors, today's game represents a chance for a positive spin . . . Wisconsin has more than a dozen seniors who have never beaten the Hawkeyes . . It's time to take a look inside that storyline, in which the disappointment for one team and its fans will likely sting a little bit extra, as a blast of winter weather has arrived just days after a perfect run of a late Indian summer.
LINKS:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=528018
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/p...20061108/SPORTS06/611080376/1065/SPORTS020502
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529005
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529715
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529763
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529356
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529687
EXCERPTS:
Nearly three months ago, they met for the first time, more than 100 players strong, to forge one vision for the 2006 college football season . . . Nine goals emerged from that meeting, none ever stated publicly by the University of Wisconsin coaches or players . . . One goal held particular meaning for the seniors, players entering their fourth and fifth years in the program: Beat Iowa . . . Two words. One goal. No explanation necessary . . . "The only team I haven't beat is Iowa," fifth-year senior linebacker Mark Zalewski said when asked to name UW's No. 1 rival during his time in the program. "We've really highlighted that game this year. It's still a 1-0 philosophy every week but we've really highlighted that Iowa game." Zalewski didn't make those comments after UW's 13-3 victory Saturday over Penn State. He made them in August, during the Big Ten Conference meetings . . . Kirk Ferentz's Iowa Hawkeyes . . .have been on the minds of the UW players for a long time . . .That fact should surprise no one. Iowa has beaten UW four consecutive times and each defeat has brought a unique level of pain to the UW program. In 2002 . . . In 2003 . . .In 2004 . . . In 2005 . . .
There seems to be a consensus inside the Hayden Fry Football Complex. When Iowa players were asked Tuesday why they?ve slipped toward the bottom of the Big Ten Conference, they agreed it?s a multifaceted predicament . . . ?It?s just been a combination of everything,? tailback Albert Young said . . . (C)oach Kirk Ferentz said . . .?I keep going back to how you play. If you lose leverage, if you don?t tackle well, if you don?t take blocks on well, you?re going to have problems.?
(F)oundation of Iowa's four-year ownership of the University of Wisconsin . . . The Hawkeyes, who will attempt to extend their winning streak to five games . . . have won most of the battles along both lines, have run the ball more effectively and have handed out more punishment than their Big Ten Conference rivals . . . In short, they've been the more physical team. The UW players know it. They hate it . . . "That is the most frustrating thing," UW senior strong safety Joe Stellmacher said. "They've just beat us at our own game: being physical and running the football and playing tough defense. . . . "We've got to be prepared for another physical game on Saturday. That's probably what it will come down to: . . . Iowa has struggled against spread attacks but has fared better against teams that run out of pro-style sets, as UW does. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz doesn't think the fact UW doesn't run a spread attack will enhance his team's run defense . . . "I'm a Neanderthal, I guess," Ferentz said. "I've always believed no matter what personnel group you have on the field and whatever they have on the field, if your fundamentals and basics aren't good, you're going to struggle . . . "I think that is where we found ourselves recently. . . . We haven't been as consistent fundamentally as we need to be." . . .
(11/10/06): University of Wisconsin junior Tyler Donovan is expected to replace injured starter John Stocco at quarterback today when UW faces Iowa in its Big Ten Conference finale, according to a source . . . Stocco suffered a right-shoulder injury in UW's 13-3 victory over Penn State last week. He made progress during the week but as of Friday the shoulder hadn't healed sufficiently to allow the fifth-year senior to play effectively, according to the source . . .
Among the University of Wisconsin coaches, defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz is known affectionately as the professor . . . The members of the UW defense have played smart, disciplined and physical football for 10 consecutive weeks, with gradual improvement each game . . . When 16th-ranked UW (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten Conference) takes the field today at Kinnick Stadium against Iowa (6-4, 2-4) and junior Tyler Donovan set to start at quarterback in place of injured starter John Stocco, a defense ranked in the top 10 nationally in six categories will hold the key to victory . . . UW's highest national mark is No. 1, in pass-defense efficiency. UW has allowed just three touchdown passes in 301 attempts, intercepted 11 passes and has held teams to an average of 4.6 yards per attempt . . . The most important mark, of course, is scoring defense. UW is No. 6 in the nation with an average of 11.9 points per game. UW's defense has allowed just 41 second-half points this season, including seven in the last five games . . . The season has provided numerous examples of smart players making critical stops because they made the proper reads and responded appropriately . .
To prove once more that the media wouldn't know a good story if it smacked it upside the head like a Britney Spears text message to Kevin Federline's chops, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says he has been asked about his Hawkeyes tattoo all of three times during Iowa week . . . If Bielema was smart enough to dream up the Mack Sennett-inspired kickoff to drain the clock against Penn State and poor, ol' JoePa, has anyone considered the possibility that he might be really good at creating smokescreens, too? . . . After all, we've been so preoccupied with the whole quarterback thing all week that Herky the Hawk stamped on a Wisconsin coach's calf has slipped beneath the radar like Alec Baldwin being appointed defense secretary . . . Someone even noticed that for each of his Monday news conferences this season that Bielema had worn a tie with the colors of that week's opponent. Except for this Monday. This Monday, Bret Bielema, Iowa Class of '92, wore a red tie. . . . He laughed about that Thursday night, saying he had received one fewer inquires about the Great Tie Controversy than the evil tattoo . . .
Illinois(-3) over Purde (1*)
- - Nothing in over a month, including the last six days, would lead me to believe the Ilini are not doing exactly the right things that will be deservedly rewarded in this spot.
GL
************************************
Memorable Quotes from The Outlaw Josie Wales:
Lone Watie: Get ready, little lady. Hell is coming to breakfast.
Josey Wales: Now remember, things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is.
Josey Wales: You have any food here?
Lone Watie: All I have is a piece of hard rock candy. But it's not for eatin'. It's just for lookin' through.
Josey Wales: When I get to likin' someone, they ain't around long.
Lone Watie: I notice when you get to DISlikin' someone they ain't around for long neither.
Lone Watie: We thought about it for a long time, "Endeavor to persevere." And when we had thought about it long enough, we declared war on the Union.
Lone Watie: I didn't surrender, but they took my horse and made him surrender. They have him pulling a wagon up in Kansas I bet.
Wisconsin(-125ML) over Iowa (1*)
- - For Iowa's seniors, today's game represents a chance for a positive spin . . . Wisconsin has more than a dozen seniors who have never beaten the Hawkeyes . . It's time to take a look inside that storyline, in which the disappointment for one team and its fans will likely sting a little bit extra, as a blast of winter weather has arrived just days after a perfect run of a late Indian summer.
LINKS:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=528018
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/p...20061108/SPORTS06/611080376/1065/SPORTS020502
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529005
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529715
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529763
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529356
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=529687
EXCERPTS:
Nearly three months ago, they met for the first time, more than 100 players strong, to forge one vision for the 2006 college football season . . . Nine goals emerged from that meeting, none ever stated publicly by the University of Wisconsin coaches or players . . . One goal held particular meaning for the seniors, players entering their fourth and fifth years in the program: Beat Iowa . . . Two words. One goal. No explanation necessary . . . "The only team I haven't beat is Iowa," fifth-year senior linebacker Mark Zalewski said when asked to name UW's No. 1 rival during his time in the program. "We've really highlighted that game this year. It's still a 1-0 philosophy every week but we've really highlighted that Iowa game." Zalewski didn't make those comments after UW's 13-3 victory Saturday over Penn State. He made them in August, during the Big Ten Conference meetings . . . Kirk Ferentz's Iowa Hawkeyes . . .have been on the minds of the UW players for a long time . . .That fact should surprise no one. Iowa has beaten UW four consecutive times and each defeat has brought a unique level of pain to the UW program. In 2002 . . . In 2003 . . .In 2004 . . . In 2005 . . .
There seems to be a consensus inside the Hayden Fry Football Complex. When Iowa players were asked Tuesday why they?ve slipped toward the bottom of the Big Ten Conference, they agreed it?s a multifaceted predicament . . . ?It?s just been a combination of everything,? tailback Albert Young said . . . (C)oach Kirk Ferentz said . . .?I keep going back to how you play. If you lose leverage, if you don?t tackle well, if you don?t take blocks on well, you?re going to have problems.?
(F)oundation of Iowa's four-year ownership of the University of Wisconsin . . . The Hawkeyes, who will attempt to extend their winning streak to five games . . . have won most of the battles along both lines, have run the ball more effectively and have handed out more punishment than their Big Ten Conference rivals . . . In short, they've been the more physical team. The UW players know it. They hate it . . . "That is the most frustrating thing," UW senior strong safety Joe Stellmacher said. "They've just beat us at our own game: being physical and running the football and playing tough defense. . . . "We've got to be prepared for another physical game on Saturday. That's probably what it will come down to: . . . Iowa has struggled against spread attacks but has fared better against teams that run out of pro-style sets, as UW does. Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz doesn't think the fact UW doesn't run a spread attack will enhance his team's run defense . . . "I'm a Neanderthal, I guess," Ferentz said. "I've always believed no matter what personnel group you have on the field and whatever they have on the field, if your fundamentals and basics aren't good, you're going to struggle . . . "I think that is where we found ourselves recently. . . . We haven't been as consistent fundamentally as we need to be." . . .
(11/10/06): University of Wisconsin junior Tyler Donovan is expected to replace injured starter John Stocco at quarterback today when UW faces Iowa in its Big Ten Conference finale, according to a source . . . Stocco suffered a right-shoulder injury in UW's 13-3 victory over Penn State last week. He made progress during the week but as of Friday the shoulder hadn't healed sufficiently to allow the fifth-year senior to play effectively, according to the source . . .
Among the University of Wisconsin coaches, defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz is known affectionately as the professor . . . The members of the UW defense have played smart, disciplined and physical football for 10 consecutive weeks, with gradual improvement each game . . . When 16th-ranked UW (9-1, 6-1 Big Ten Conference) takes the field today at Kinnick Stadium against Iowa (6-4, 2-4) and junior Tyler Donovan set to start at quarterback in place of injured starter John Stocco, a defense ranked in the top 10 nationally in six categories will hold the key to victory . . . UW's highest national mark is No. 1, in pass-defense efficiency. UW has allowed just three touchdown passes in 301 attempts, intercepted 11 passes and has held teams to an average of 4.6 yards per attempt . . . The most important mark, of course, is scoring defense. UW is No. 6 in the nation with an average of 11.9 points per game. UW's defense has allowed just 41 second-half points this season, including seven in the last five games . . . The season has provided numerous examples of smart players making critical stops because they made the proper reads and responded appropriately . .
To prove once more that the media wouldn't know a good story if it smacked it upside the head like a Britney Spears text message to Kevin Federline's chops, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema says he has been asked about his Hawkeyes tattoo all of three times during Iowa week . . . If Bielema was smart enough to dream up the Mack Sennett-inspired kickoff to drain the clock against Penn State and poor, ol' JoePa, has anyone considered the possibility that he might be really good at creating smokescreens, too? . . . After all, we've been so preoccupied with the whole quarterback thing all week that Herky the Hawk stamped on a Wisconsin coach's calf has slipped beneath the radar like Alec Baldwin being appointed defense secretary . . . Someone even noticed that for each of his Monday news conferences this season that Bielema had worn a tie with the colors of that week's opponent. Except for this Monday. This Monday, Bret Bielema, Iowa Class of '92, wore a red tie. . . . He laughed about that Thursday night, saying he had received one fewer inquires about the Great Tie Controversy than the evil tattoo . . .
Illinois(-3) over Purde (1*)
- - Nothing in over a month, including the last six days, would lead me to believe the Ilini are not doing exactly the right things that will be deservedly rewarded in this spot.
GL
************************************
Memorable Quotes from The Outlaw Josie Wales:
Lone Watie: Get ready, little lady. Hell is coming to breakfast.
Josey Wales: Now remember, things look bad and it looks like you're not gonna make it, then you gotta get mean. I mean plumb, mad-dog mean. 'Cause if you lose your head and you give up then you neither live nor win. That's just the way it is.
Josey Wales: You have any food here?
Lone Watie: All I have is a piece of hard rock candy. But it's not for eatin'. It's just for lookin' through.
Josey Wales: When I get to likin' someone, they ain't around long.
Lone Watie: I notice when you get to DISlikin' someone they ain't around for long neither.
Lone Watie: We thought about it for a long time, "Endeavor to persevere." And when we had thought about it long enough, we declared war on the Union.
Lone Watie: I didn't surrender, but they took my horse and made him surrender. They have him pulling a wagon up in Kansas I bet.
