High-Flying Hawkeyes Grab Spotlight as Badgers Stumble
Maybe it’s just a Week 1 reaction/over-reaction. But in the most significant development as Big Ten teams opened their seasons, there’s a new frontrunner in the West: Iowa.
The Hawkeyes took apart an Indiana team that was a popular pick to be Ohio State’s chief challenger in the East.
It figures that Iowa, known for stout defense and under-nourished offense, would be led by Riley Moss (shown above), the ``explosive'' cornerback who returned a pair of interceptions 30 and 55 yards for touchdowns in the Hawkeyes’ 34-6 rout of Iowa.
The Hawkeyes’ trip to Iowa State this week now becomes a battle for the Cy-Hawk Trophy that will stir up a cyclone of excitement far beyond the borders of the Hawkeye State.
Even more notable: The Hawkeyes rattled Michael Penix Jr., the Indiana quarterback who’s supposed to be a very serious candidate for Offensive Player of the Year in the Big Ten. How Penix, who’s returning from a major injury, bounces back from this setback will be interesting to watch.
Meanwhile, Wisconsin, the pre-season favorite to regain its perch atop the Big Ten West, looked very vulnerable in its upset loss to Penn State.
Oh, and by the way, the Nittany Lions look like they are back. So much for the speculation that the Hoosiers had supplanted Penn State as Ohio State's chief worry.
The Badgers were left muttering about a 16-10 loss in which they had 29 first downs to Penn State’s 11 and gained 359 yards to Penn State 297 yards but came up short.
Because they lost the turnover battle 3-0. Which is huge. And missed a chip-shot field goal that was hugely deflating.
And most of all, they lost because Graham Mertz looked more like Fred Mertz than Otto Graham.
That’s the biggest reason the focus turns to Iowa rather than Wisconsin. That could change, of course—especially when the Badgers take on Notre Dame at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sept. 25.
But right now, we are left to wonder what caused Mertz’ deer-in-the-headlights performance when it mattered most.
Certainly, Penn State’s outstanding defensive work had a lot to do with it. And Mertz, perhaps the most ballyhooed QB in Badger history, was not in mid-season form. He showed flashes as a freshman, but looked very wobbly on Saturday.
The fact that coach Paul Chryst called a maddeningly conservative game plan didn’t help. Endless runs up the middle, the Badgers’ stock in trade, failed far too often. And when Mertz did pass, he was forced to make hurried throws to receivers who were rarely open.
Here’s what I wonder about: Did Chryst fall in love with Mertz’ dazzling potential, and under-value Jack Coan? That will be an interesting storyline when Coan, who’s now the Notre Dame QB, and Mertz go head-to-head.
That’s especially true because, while Mertz looked lost at home against Penn State, Coan threw for four touchdowns as the Irish survived 41-38 in overtime at raucous Florida State.
Elsewhere around the league, Ohio State did what it needed to do in a 45-31 win at Minnesota. Yeah, the jacked-up Gophers were inspired at times. And yeah, that Buckeyes’ defense has questions to answer. Again.
Michigan also took care of its business against Western Michigan 47-14. And its showdown against Washington this week takes on a very different look after the Huskies were utterly shocked by Montana 13-7. Does the Pac-12 know how to mess up things or what? Not a good deal for Jim Harbaugh, either. What was supposed to be a signature win opportunity now looks like a dangerous meeting. Winning will not be a big deal. But losing? That now becomes a potentially big deal.
Michigan State smacked apparently rebuilding-not-reloading Northwestern 38-21 as Kenneth Walker III rushed for 264 yards and four TDs. The Wildcats have had a history of slow starts recently, but Pat Fitzgerald seems to have a lot of work to do.
Meanwhile, the Spartans will have a chance to show their progress under second-year coach Mel Tucker when they travel to Miami on Sept. 18.
On the Eastern front, Rutgers stomped (yawn) Temple 61-14 while Maryland (good win) edged West Virginia 30-24. In the West, Purdue took care of toothless Oregon State 30-21 and Nebraska whipped Fordham 52-7. Fordham? Really?
And in case you missed it, Illinois, coming off that rousing win over Nebraska in Bret Bielema’s debut, plummeted back to earth in a 37-30 loss to UTSA. That’s the University of Texas at San Antonio. The Roadrunners are one of those sneaky good teams. But that still doesn’t make for a good look in Central Illinois.