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Big Ten: Northwestern Wildcats
Big Ten morning links
"Win or lose, you know, we still have a lot of football games ahead of us, and we have to understand that that's every bit as important as this one single game," Dantonio said.
He's right. As tempting as it can be to draw conclusions about teams and leagues after Week 1, it's also irresponsible. Seasons have plot twists. What we think is true on Sept. 1 rarely proves true on Jan. 1.
But there's an undeniable angst around the Big Ten entering Week 2. It might have been there even if Wisconsin had held onto a 17-point lead against LSU. But after the Badgers' collapse, which knocks them out of the playoff picture for now, the stakes are even higher.
I still think a narrow Michigan State loss to Oregon keeps the Spartans alive for a playoff spot. But a convincing defeat -- and, in the minds of some, any defeat -- will hurt the Big Ten's chances of having a representative.
League commissioner Jim Delany, in an interview with SI.com, called the MSU-Oregon game "disproportionally important" in terms of playoff perception. That phrase -- disproportionally important -- underscores the unfairness and the reality of Week 2 games like Spartans-Ducks.
It's not really fair to punish Michigan State for a loss -- Oregon is 34-2 at Autzen Stadium since the start of the 2009 season. But the bashing will come, perhaps more for the Big Ten than MSU, if the Spartans fall short.
There's also pressure for both Ohio State and Michigan in Week 2. The Buckeyes should win against a Virginia Tech team that isn't what it used to be, but Bud Foster's defense can be tricky, and Ohio State needs its revamped offensive line to improve after struggling for the first three quarters against Navy.
"Our offensive line did not play like an Ohio State offensive line," coach Urban Meyer said Monday. "The second half we played pretty good. But pretty good is not what we expect. You play pretty good this week you won't win that game."
Speaking of offensive lines, we'll have a better idea about Michigan's after Week 2. The embattled group looked better in the opener (350 rush yards), but Notre Dame, despite some personnel issues on defense, provides a better test.
Although beating Notre Dame hasn't been much of a springboard for Michigan in recent years, a road win would be huge for Brady Hoke's crew. A loss suggests there's still much to fix.
"The talent level [at Notre Dame] is very similar," Hoke said "That, as much as anything else, gives you a little bit of an idea about where we stand."
MSU, OSU and Michigan aren't the only Big Ten teams entering pressure-packed games. Northwestern can't afford to drop to 0-2 -- and lose its sixth straight home game -- against Northern Illinois. Purdue and Iowa face potentially tricky MAC foes in Central Michigan and Ball State. Wisconsin needs to get quarterback Tanner McEvoy going.
Patience is a nice idea, but it runs in short supply in college football. Don't kid yourselves: This is a huge week in the Big Ten.
Post-Labor Day linkage:
West Division
- Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon says he had a misunderstanding with the coaches about his injured hip. The Badgers will regain two starting defensive linemen at some point this season.
- Nebraska DE Randy Gregory (knee) likely will remain out this week, giving Jack Gangwish another opportunity.
- Purdue will be without linebacker Jimmy Herman (thumb) for two weeks.
- Northwestern must already be in must-win territory against Northern Illinois.
- Plenty of good Iowa nuggets after the opener from Marc Morehouse.
- Illinois coach Tim Beckman looks for a faster start on offense in Week 2.
- Minnesota TE Drew Goodger brings toughness to the offense.
- Doug Lesmerises weighs whether Virginia Tech will provide a true gauge for Ohio State. Meyer challenges the Buckeyes' offensive line to improve.
- Devin Gardner thinks another Devin [Funchess] could be the best wide receiver to ever play at Michigan.
- The injury bug keeps biting Maryland, which loses WR Taivon Jacobs (knee) for the season.
- Dantonio wants more production from Michigan State's run attack.
- After a somewhat surprising opening win, Rutgers could end up starting 5-0, Steve Politi writes.
- Akron coach Terry Bowden has plenty of praise for Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg.
Michigan State hopes to go all NES on its opponent Saturday ...
Sparty is going duck hunting this Saturday! #BeatOregon pic.twitter.com/MEfu9azto2— #BeatOregon (@MSUHumor) August 31, 2014
Weekend rewind: Big Ten
Team of the week: Rutgers. That's right. All the naysayers (and you can include me in that group) said the Scarlet Knights were bound for an ugly first season in the Big Ten. Though it was just one game and the remaining schedule is still daunting, beating Washington State 41-38 on the road should quiet that chatter. Kyle Flood's team showed it has top-level athletes and cannot be taken lightly. The Sept. 13 league opener against Penn State should be a whole lot of fun.
Game of the week: Penn State's dramatic, 26-24 win over UCF in Ireland was the perfect way to begin the first Saturday of college football season. Nittany Lions fans should thank George O'Leary for playing the wrong quarterback for a half. James Franklin looked like he had just won the Super Bowl after Sam Ficken's game-winning field goal, though he might never want to go back to Croke Park after the first-half headset malfunctions. This game had to be great simply to overshadow the mesmerizing hurling display at halftime.
Biggest play: Was LSU's fake punt against Wisconsin in the third quarter the turning point in the Tigers' comeback, 28-24 win? Badgers coach Gary Andersen didn't think so, because his defense only allowed a field goal after the fake and his team still led 24-13. Maybe LSU still storms back regardless, given how little Wisconsin's offense could do in the final 25-plus minutes. But the heavily pro-Tigers crowd was absolutely dead before that fake, and that field goal brought it back to life. If the Badgers get the ball back there and at least burn some clock and change field position, who knows? One thing's for certain: When leading a Les Miles team in the second half, just keep your defense on the field for all kicking situations.
Acrobatic and important catches by Penn State's Geno Lewis and Iowa's Tevaun Smith also deserve mention.
Coolest play: It wasn't all that significant, since Nebraska was already well on its way to a 55-7 whitewashing of Florida Atlantic at the time. But receiver Jordan Westerkamp's behind-the-back grab was still one of the coolest plays you'll ever see. He almost looked like another guy named Jordan.
Big Man on Campus (offense): Penn State's Christian Hackenberg. He shattered the school's single-game record with 454 passing yards, and it was even more impressive considering how little run support and or experience at receiver he had. He needed to be great and he was, especially on his game-winning drive that included a key fourth-down scramble. Very honorable mention to Rutgers' Paul James (29 carries, 173 yards, three TDs).
Big Man on Campus (defense): Ohio State's Darron Lee had a pair of tackles for loss and scooped up a fumble that he returned 61 yards for the Buckeyes' first touchdown in a 34-17 win over Navy.
Big Man on Campus (special teams): Ficken drilled all four of his field-goal attempts for the Nittany Lions, including the 36-yard game-winner.
Biggest hangover: Northwestern talked in the summer about how the unionization effort brought them closer together as a team. The Wildcats looked like a prime bounce-back candidate this year, until a slew of bad news (Venric Mark's suspension and subsequent transfer, season-ending injuries to starters) began cropping up in August. Then Cal raced out to a 31-7 lead at Ryan Field Saturday and held on for a 31-24 upset win. Northwestern is 1-7 since "GameDay" came to Evanston last October.
Numbers to know: In the last two games he has played, dating back to last season, before his ankle injury, Indiana's Tevin Coleman has run for 462 yards and four touchdowns on just 38 carries. His 247 rushing yards Saturday against Indiana State were the second-most by an FBS player in Week 1, behind USF's Marlon Mack. ... Nebraska set a modern Big Ten record for total offense with 748 yards and threw a pass on the final play of the game. That one's for you, Carl Pelini. … Michigan had two running backs gain more than 100 yards -- Derrick Green (170) and De'Veon Smith (115) -- in the same game for the first time since 2007. The Wolverines only had a tailback eclipse 100 yards in a game twice all of last season.
Big Ten morning links
Florida State's Jameis Winston would be one answer, for sure, but I can't think of many others beyond the reigning Heisman winner. Fact is, with Ohio State's Braxton Miller sidelined for the season, Penn State's super sophomore is poised to become the Big Ten's king of clutch.
As a true freshman, Hackenberg led a touchdown drive to tie the score in regulation against Michigan and a two-minute drill to set up a tying field goal against Illinois. Penn State went on to win both of those games. He was even better Saturday, when the Nittany Lions took over on their own 26 with 1:13 remaining, trailing UCF by a point. Hackenberg went 4-of-6 for 55 yards on the drive, and his best play was probably an 8-yard scramble on fourth-and-3, to get in range for Sam Ficken's game-winning field goal.
"The key is [No.] 14," UCF coach George O'Leary said after the game. "I think everybody in the country would like to have him.''
We tend to think young quarterbacks need time to mature into late-game magicians, but some just seem to naturally have it in them. Winston, Johnny Manziel and Miller all showed that as freshmen. So did Hackenberg.
He did throw two interceptions Saturday, but the entire offense was riding on his right arm. A patchwork offensive line couldn't open holes for the running game, which managed just 57 yards on 28 carries, so he chucked it 47 times en route to a school-record 454 passing yards. It was a master class on the QB position, Ben Jones writes.
Penn State will likely have to lean hard on Hackenberg all year long, and keeping him healthy is likely the No. 1 key to its season. But if the Nittany Lions can just hang around long enough in games to give No. 14 a chance to win them at the end, good things could happen.
On to the Labor Day links:
East Division
- Tevin Coleman and defense -- yes, defense -- helped Indiana get by Indiana State.
- Michigan coach Brady Hoke was pleased with his offensive line after the unit paved the way for 350 yards rushing vs. Appalachian State.
- Joe Rexrode's 11 takeaways from Michigan State's opening victory.
- Ohio State has a lot of athletes, but who are the true playmakers at wide receiver? That and other observations from Ari Wasserman.
- Rutgers' offensive line was one of the highlights of the team's win at Washington State.
- Maryland's receiver depth could take another hit, depending on the outcome of the MRI today on Taivon Jacobs' knee.
- Penn State's young receivers answered the bell in Ireland.
- Grades for Illinois' unimpressive win over Youngstown State.
- Iowa needs to make major improvement after a Week 1 scare from Northern Iowa.
- Ameer Abdullah continues to elevate his game for Nebraska. Tommy Armstrong Jr. looked polished in his opening act.
- Northwestern flopped in its season debut.
- Purdue was far from perfect, but it scored enough to get its first win over an FBS opponent since 2012.
- Big nonconference wins remain elusive for Wisconsin. The Big Ten missed a big opportunity with the Badgers.
New #Badgers RB touchdown dance https://t.co/r2ixoP9ZK9— Badger Football (@BadgerFootball) August 31, 2014
What we learned in the Big Ten: Week 1
1. Familiar issues preventing Wisconsin from next step: The Badgers had a wonderful chance to springboard themselves into the playoff conversation, as they had a young LSU team down 24-7 in the third quarter. But it unraveled in a hurry as several familiar problems -- and some bad luck on the injury front -- doomed Wisconsin in a 28-24 loss. Wisconsin won't become an elite program until it has more dynamic quarterback and receiver play to complement its bread-and-butter run, can avoid blunders in the kicking game and shores up the secondary. Injuries to two starting defensive linemen certainly hurt, and star running back Melvin Gordon wasn't right after a long run in the third quarter. But the same limitations we've seen before with the Badgers surfaced again in a painful season-opening loss. There's still a lot to play for, but a win would have been huge for Wisconsin and the Big Ten.
3. PSU, OSU lines are works in progress: A Penn State offensive line with just one returning starter and two converted defensive tackles starting at the guard spots topped any fan's list of concerns entering the season. Ohio State's offensive line might not have been the biggest red flag following Braxton Miller's injury, but there was some curiosity with four new starters. Both units did some good things Saturday, especially down the stretch in wins against UCF and Navy, respectively. But Penn State struggled to get its power run going and endured two holding penalties and two false starts. Ohio State had just 71 rush yards on 24 attempts through the first three quarters against an undersized Navy defense. The Buckeyes finished strong (122 fourth-quarter rush yards) but need to make strides, beginning this week against Virginia Tech. Michigan also entered its opener with the offensive line in the spotlight. Although Appalachian State isn't a great gauge, Michigan got its ground game going with 350 yards and two 100-yard rushers (Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith).
4. Rutgers could be a surprise team: Few expected much from the Scarlet Knights, including the Big Ten reporter crew, but Kyle Flood's team began the season on an impressive note. It's never easy to travel to the West Coast, and Rutgers opened with a Washington State team poised to expose its shaky pass defense. Although Washington State racked up 532 pass yards, Rutgers controlled the line of scrimmage and much of the game in a 41-38 win. New offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen has made an immediate impact, and Rutgers showcased a powerful run game led by Paul James and a big-play pass attack. The defense still needs work, and the competition level will improve, but Rutgers should be 2-0 before its highly anticipated Big Ten debut Sept. 13 against Penn State at High Points Solutions Stadium.
5. Northwestern is reeling: Few FBS teams had a rockier offseason than Northwestern, which endured the union debate, Venric Mark's stunning departure and several key injuries in the preseason. Pat Fitzgerald always had found ways to get his teams ready for the season and entered Saturday with an 8-0 mark in openers. But Northwestern didn't look ready against Cal and was outplayed in all three phases during the first 42 minutes. The Wildcats made a nice run at the end of the third quarter and had chances to complete a comeback but went conservative at the wrong times and made too many errors in a 31-24 home loss, its fifth consecutive setback at Ryan Field. You wonder if this team has reached a breaking point after all the setbacks since the past October. A Week 2 win against Northern Illinois is critical.
Big Ten viewer's guide: Week 1
8:30 a.m. ET
Penn State vs. Central Florida (Dublin, Ireland), ESPN2: This overseas contest isn't the same without the O'Brien vs. O'Leary headline or the Hackenberg vs. Bortles undercard. But it could still be one of the more interesting games on tap, as it's James Franklin's debut as Penn State's head coach. The Nittany Lions are looking to once again shock the conference, and that will have to start with success from an inexperienced offensive line. The Nittany Lions have talent on offense -- Christian Hackenberg, Jesse James, Donovan Smith, Bill Belton, Zach Zwinak -- but a win won't come easy against a loaded Central Florida defense.
Noon ET
Indiana State at Indiana, ESPNews: If you haven't fallen asleep from waking up early for the Nittany Lions game, this one might cause you to fluff up that pillow. The Hoosiers upended the Sycamores 73-35 the past season and should once again put on an offensive clinic. Will Indiana's new defense be better? We probably won't find out based on this game.
Northern Iowa at Iowa, BTN: Kirk Ferentz's crew hasn't made quick work of its FCS opponents the past two seasons. Last year, Iowa edged out Missouri State 28-14 and the year before beat Northern Iowa 27-16. Northern Iowa is a middle-of-the-road FCS team this season, but those past two FCS games featured teams that finished below .500. It shouldn't be close, but then again, it shouldn't have been in 2012 or 2013 either.
Appalachian State at Michigan, ESPN2: Can history possibly repeat itself here? The 2007 game -- Mountaineers 34, Wolverines 32 -- was one of the greatest upsets in college football history. If you're a Big Ten fan, you should probably remember where you were when Julian Rauch nailed the field goal heard 'round the world to give App State a two-point lead with 26 seconds left in the game. No doubt the Wolverines will be more prepared this time around, but you can bet Appalachian State's confidence is pretty high, too.
Western Michigan at Purdue, ESPNU: Thankfully, it's not our job to tell you why you should watch these games. We're coming up relatively empty on this one. Purdue is just a nine-point favorite, which means this game should technically be closer than most of the others here. But the ratings for this game won't skyrocket based off that fact. Purdue's offense should be better, so if quarterback Danny Etling struggles in this game, it might already be time for Boilermakers fans to worry.
No. 5
Ohio State at Navy, CBS Sports Network: Can Ohio State move on without Braxton Miller? Will Navy's triple-option fool this defensive line? How will J.T. Barrett fare in his first career start? The Midshipmen aren't a bad team, and plenty of questions are swirling around the Buckeyes' quarterback situation with the season-ending injury to Miller. All eyes will be on Barrett -- and how long a leash Urban Meyer gives him here.
Youngstown State at Illinois, BTN: Tim Beckman could be on the hot seat this season, and if he loses to a team with a Penguin mascot, that seat will start heating up in no time. Wes Lunt could be in for a big season, but it'll be interesting to see who in the receiving corps can step up. Beckman is also counting on some juco players to plug roster holes, so we'll start to see how that's working out in this opener.
James Madison at Maryland, BTN: First, Rutgers comes away with a win in its first game as a Big Ten member. Next, the Terrapins should follow suit. We should see offensive fireworks here, especially though the air, now that quarterback C.J. Brown is healthy, along with wideouts Stefon Diggs and Deon Long. James Madison is an average FCS team, though it nearly knocked off Akron the past season in a 35-33 loss.
Cal at Northwestern, ABC/ESPN2: No Venric Mark, no Christian Jones ... no problem? The Golden Bears are lousy, and the reins are now in the hands of Northwestern QB Trevor Siemian. The Wildcats are hoping to rebound from the past season with a bowl berth, and it'll have to get off on the right foot -- with a win over Cal -- to make that happen. Northwestern should start off 3-0 after a disappointing 5-7 finish in 2013.
Florida Atlantic at No. 22 Nebraska, BTN: It won't be the "Battle of the Pelinis" this season, as FAU coach Carl Pelini was fired the past season in the wake of drug allegations against his staff. The move wasn't without its controversy. We'll see if Bo Pelini is out to avenge his brother based on how ugly this game gets. If Ameer Abdullah wants to be a Heisman contender, he has to post crazy numbers in games like this.
No. 14 Wisconsin vs. No. 13 LSU (Houston), ESPN: Admit it. You're waiting all day for this Big Ten game. This could give the B1G respect on a national scale -- or, if it turns ugly, could give the rest of the Power 5 more ammunition to point a finger and label the conference weak. Melvin Gordon might be the best running back in the country, and he'll be facing a slightly above-average run defense. Is that enough to give the Badgers the win? LSU might have the advantage everywhere except at tailback and offensive line. This is the game to watch.
It looks as if the weather is pretty split this week -- nice and sunny in some places with chances of thunderstorms in others. First off, the good news: It'll be nice and clear for Penn State, Indiana, Ohio State, Illinois and Nebraska. Outside of Ireland, where it should be in the 60s, the temperature should vary between the 70s and 80s.
Elsewhere? Teams might not be so lucky. For Maryland and Wisconsin, thunderstorms could strike later in the games. For the other four teams -- Northwestern, Michigan, Purdue, Iowa -- thunderstorms could strike early but could clear up later.
Top Week 1 stories
Season predictions | Weekly predictions | Fearless predictions | Bowl predictions
J.T. Barrett becomes voice of Buckeyes
LSU-Wisconsin primer
Remembering an upset for the ages
Calhoun's dual role: hit 'em, make 'em smile
Terps' Leak, Brown draw from year off
Fast start would mean sunny days for B1G
In playoff era, will Rose stay as sweet?
B1G players in Week 1 spotlight
A B1G youth movement at receiver
Loaded backfields make it B1G's Year of the RB
Twitter: PSU sights & scenes from Ireland
Big Ten Friday mailbag
@mitchsherman The internet is mixed on this... but I don't see why #MSU wouldn't be in the playoff w/ only one loss to Ore., do you? #B1G— Andrew Murray (@Coach_AMurray) August 29, 2014
Mitch Sherman: It's complicated, Andrew. In theory, the Spartans should be rewarded for scheduling the Sept. 6 trip to Oregon, win or lose a tight game. But how would the College Football Playoff committee view a defeat? It depends, of course, on Oregon's body of work and the other contenders late in the season for the four coveted spots. A year ago, MSU would have made it in with an early season road loss to Notre Dame, which finished the regular season with eight wins. Michigan State's schedule is not exactly filled with heavyweights after next week. Its top competition (Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State) comes to East Lansing, presenting the Spartans with the best chance to wow the committee with impressive wins. And if a 10-win team emerged from the West to face the Spartans in Indianapolis, that would obviously help. I'm inclined to say, yes, Michigan State would have a good shot to make it at 12-1.
@mitchsherman @ESPN_BigTen Why are you such a self fulfilling jerk? #selloutstreaktweets #heylookatme!— Collin Koch (@kochusker) August 29, 2014
Mitch Sherman: I'm glad you asked, Collin, and thanks for being such a big fan. If anyone missed it, I wrote this week that Nebraska and Michigan marketed tickets with unusually aggressive tactics this offseason to combat soft sales, in particular from students. And on Wednesday, I tweeted that the Huskers had achieved their 334th straight sellout, extending an NCAA record, for the Saturday opener against Florida Atlantic. (I know, what a terrible thing to publicize.) If your feelings were hurt that we drew attention to ticket sales at Nebraska or Michigan, in spite of the packed houses expected this weekend at both schools, I say this: It's Nebraska and Michigan. We are talking about two schools that are known as much for their history of selling tickets as producing titles. When they are still working at it days before the opening game -- as rivals Ohio State and Penn State watch demand escalate -- it's interesting.
@mitchsherman @ESPN_BigTen Rutgers had a big win earning some respect last night...will their success transfer to the B1G conf games?— Lt. Dan (@DJay01406) August 29, 2014
Mitch Sherman: A great start for coach Kyle Flood's team as a member of the Big Ten, beating Washington State 41-38 in non-neutral Seattle. Rutgers accomplished more offensively, even against a suspect defense, than I thought possible. Quarterback Gary Nova's performance, especially in the second half, tells me that he is ready for a bounce-back season under new coordinator Ralph Friedgen. And the Scarlet Knights' defense will have better days; Wazzu is going to put up yardage on most teams. I saw a motivated team in Rutgers that has a chance now to carry big momentum into October. The Penn State game in two weeks, already sold out in Piscataway, is huge for Rutgers. It has a chance to beat the Nittany Lions, but I'm not ready to change my prediction about the second half of this season. That is going to be a little rough. Just look at the schedule. But please, Rutgers, continue to prove us wrong.
@mitchsherman Rutgers and Indiana are the two worst teams in the B1G East. To me, that says the B1G East is a top division in cfb. Agree?— All Things Husker (@HuskerLegacy) August 29, 2014
Mitch Sherman: The Big Ten East is strong, with two contenders for the College Football Playoff, and a pair of giants in Michigan and Penn State that aren't quite at the top of their games. Indiana remains a borderline bowl team, and I'm not ready to anoint Rutgers or Maryland in their first seasons of league play. Historically, few divisions can compare. Today, the SEC West and the Pac-12 North are better, and the ACC Atlantic might be, too.
@mitchsherman Impressed or not impressed with Minnesota's performance last night? Should I be concerned when my Hawks visit later this year?— David Fuller (@dafu2) August 29, 2014
Mitch Sherman: I wasn't overly impressed with the Gophers. Their performance against Eastern Illinois was more dominant than the 42-20 score indicated as the FCS Panthers, who went 12-2 last season, scored two touchdowns in the final 30 seconds. But Minnesota looked out of sync at times, and I still wonder if it has enough high-end talent to contend for an upper-division spot in the West. That said, yes, David, be concerned about Iowa's Nov. 8 visit to TCF Bank Stadium. The Hawkeyes can beat every team on their schedule -- and also lose to about six, including Minnesota..
Big Ten morning links
In case you missed it -- and you might have since the game ended around 1:30 a.m. -- Rutgers outlasted Washington State, 41-38, to win its first-ever game as a member of the Big Ten. It was a quality win for the conference and an even bigger one for the underdog Scarlet Knights.
Senior quarterback Gary Nova, who appeared to be wiping tears from his eyes on the sideline, addressed the TV cameras after the final whistle. When asked what this game meant to the program, he simply said: "I don't know. It's just a great win."
He'll have all of Friday to reflect on what it means. But, on the surface, it's pretty clear: That win just earned Rutgers some much needed respect. And it showed that maybe the "pushover" tag was a bit premature.
Granted, the Cougars are just a mediocre Pac-12 team. Their scoring defense last season was among the worst in the nation, while their pass offense was among the best. Rutgers scored 41 points Thursday night but allowed 532 passing yards. So the game didn't stray from the script all that much. Except, of course, where it counted -- the winning team.
No, this doesn't mean the Knights will automatically hang tough against Ohio State or Michigan State. But it does show the Knights were underestimated. By how much? Ask us again after the Penn State game. But none of us five Big Ten bloggers picked Rutgers to win this game. And none of us picked RU to win more than four games on the season.
Kyle Flood's squad was impressive, especially on offense. The line absolutely dominated, and Paul James showed a nice blend of speed and power to the tune of 173 rushing yards and three TDs. Nova tossed a 78-yard TD on the first play, struggled the rest of the first half but then rebounded by going 11-of-17 for 174 yards in just the second half. Wideout Leonte Carroo could even be a popular waiver wire addition when it comes to our fantasy league.
The Knights received a lukewarm reception when they accepted an invitation to the conference. But they proved a lot of analysts and experts wrong with their performance against Washington State. Let's see if they can keep doing that; there's no better way to earn respect.
Welcome to the Big Ten, Rutgers.
Postgame wraps
- After beating Eastern Illinois, Mitch Leidner looks as if he can be a good quarterback for Minnesota -- but what kind of quarterback? Head coach Jerry Kill believes facility upgrades are critical to the Gophers' next step.
- Running back Paul James delivers in Rutgers' win. An overview of the RU-WSU game and what it means for the Scarlet Knights.
- The Buckeyes revamped their pass-defense this offseason, but obviously the focus will be a little different against run-happy Navy.
- Devin Gardner is "100 times better" as a leader this season, according to Michigan's Brady Hoke.
- Seven things to watch this season with Indiana. A roundtable complete with Hoosiers' previews and predictions.
- MSU linebacker Taiwan Jones never showed a "clear indication" he was ready to play middle linebacker this camp, but he also never really had a down day either.
- Breaking down and examining Penn State's possible redshirt candidates.
- A roundtable on Maryland's season, from predicting team MVPs to what game each blogger is most excited about.
- Illinois players and coaches say there's a renewed sense of hope around campus this season. Tim Beckman is hoping a more experienced roster means more success.
- Wisconsin still refuses to disclose its plans at quarterback Saturday, but offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig praised both Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy. A video on Ludwig addressing the quarterback situation.
- Everyone already knows about Ameer Abdullah, but what kind of role will the other Nebraska running backs play?
- Cameron Dickerson is a name to remember for Northwestern, as the wideout went from role player to key cog in one short offseason.
- A scouting report on Purdue, along with a report on its opponent in Western Michigan.
- Quarterback Jake Rudock is expected to have more input on this Iowa offense, so communication is especially important.
- Six Big Ten players made the cut on Mel Kiper's "Big Board," a list of the top 25 NFL prospects, with Nebraska DE Randy Gregory the top B1G player at No. 4 overall.
Big Ten bowl projections: Preseason
But perhaps the most important prediction -- and the one that could cause some more debate -- involves the bowl games. Instead of giving our individual picks for this, we combined our thoughts and butted heads to form a consensus.
We predicted that 10 of the Big Ten's 14 teams will make bowls this season, which isn't too shabby for the conference considering Penn State is still facing a postseason ban. So only Illinois, Purdue and Rutgers were left out in the cold.
Without further ado, here are our Big Ten bowl picks:
College Football Playoff semifinal: Michigan State
Chick-fil-A Peach/Cotton: Ohio State
Capital One: Iowa
Outback: Nebraska
National University Holiday Bowl: Wisconsin
TaxSlayer/Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl: Michigan
San Francisco: Northwestern
New Era Pinstripe: Maryland
Quick Lane: Minnesota
Heart of Dallas: Indiana
B1G fantasy draft: round-by-round analysis
The Trombone Shorties (Adam Rittenberg) and the team formerly known as The One Who Knocks (Brian Bennett) won't have it easy anymore. The Big Ten fantasy league is no longer just a head-to-head battle. Now, in Year 4 of the league, there are five of us – and the competition and trash talk are intense. (If you want to play college fantasy football, too, you can do so through ESPN's College Football Challenge.)
We held a live eight-round draft earlier this week, and below you'll find our draft results – along with a brief analysis by Josh Moyer on each round:
Round 1: The No. 2 overall pick is the trickiest in this draft. Melvin Gordon is the easy No. 1 – but where do you go from there? On one hand, running back is deep, but the top four at the position could be gone when the pick comes around again. Rittenberg opted to play it safe by picking Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah, widely regarded as the second-best offensive player in the B1G. But he might come to regret the pick if Abdullah can't find the end zone more often. Abdullah averaged 19.8 fantasy points a game last season, which was behind Tevin Coleman (20.79 points) and just slightly ahead of Jeremy Langford (19.42 points), who really took off in Game 6. … Quarterbacks and wideouts were at a premium, so Ward and Bennett focused on quarterback in the first round. There are no point deductions for turnovers, so the Devin Gardner pick was a smart one.
Round 3: I started off the third round with Stefon Diggs – giving me the top overall receiver combo with Wynn-Diggs – but definitely guaranteeing I'll be in a hole later when it comes to quarterback. Rittenberg didn't want the same to happen so he opted to take his first quarterback in Connor Cook. … This is when the draft started getting interesting. Sherman took Maryland's Deon Long as the fourth overall receiver. It could certainly pay off in the end, but it certainly wasn't a "safe" pick with Diggs as Maryland's top target and with proven commodities such as Ohio State's Devin Smith still on the board. … Poor Bennett got the short end of the stick when he tried to draft Illinois' Wes Lunt – but he wasn't in ESPN's draft database for some reason. So we decided as a group to exclude him; Bennett took Maryland's C.J. Brown instead. A fantasy downgrade for sure.
Round 4: Maybe someone should've sent Sherman a memo on Penn State's offensive line because he took Zach Zwinak over some other prime options. But Sherman's banking on the goal-line value of Zwinak, who scored 12 TDs last season. Zwinak could be like fantasy football's 2004 version of Jerome Bettis. … With few receivers left, Smith was a solid pick by Ward and definitely his best value of the draft so far.
Round 5: I took my first quarterback in Iowa's Jake Rudock, as I'm banking on some extra value thanks to his penchant for running close to the goal line. (He had five rush TDs last season.) But, in retrospect, that might not have been the best move. Ward got another good value pick in Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett – and, while Rudock is the safer pick, Barrett certainly has the higher ceiling. Part of me is regretting my choice already. … Bennett's great draft continued by grabbing the best remaining receiver in Kenny Bell. If he can meet his 2012 touchdown production (8), this could be the best-value receiver pick of the draft. … Rittenberg also made a good move with Rutgers' running back Paul James, who has a few early games against bad defenses. If he falters when the schedule gets harder, there's always the waiver wire.
Round 6: Flag on the play, Sherman! The Sherman Tanks initially tried to draft Ohio State's Dontre Wilson, a hybrid back, as a receiver – but ESPN's database listed him only as a running back. So Sherman had to pick again and chose Iowa's Kevonte-Martin Manley. … Ward was not happy with the remaining receiver selection at all. It showed in his pick; Penn State's Geno Lewis could be third in receiving on Penn State by the time the season ends. … Rittenberg made an interesting move by picking Minnesota's defense first, over Michigan State's defense. His reasoning was solid, though. MSU plays Oregon in Week 2 and then has a bye. So he didn't want to work the waiver wire that early. Me? I took the Spartans' D with the next pick, and I'll ride it out.
Rounds 7-8: It was mostly all kickers and defenses in the final two rounds. Rittenberg took Penn State tight end Jesse James to fill his last receiver spot in the sixth round, and it was a good pick for being the 10th receiver/tight end taken. James is 6-foot-7 and could be a nice red-zone target for Christian Hackenberg this season. … The only other non-defense/kicker came from me. I needed a quarterback, so this year's Mr. Irrelevant is Minnesota's Mitch Leidner. Quarterback is definitely my weakness. But I don't care if Leidner throws 40 percent -- as long he scores a rushing TD every game.
Big Ten Week 1 predictions
Game of the Week: Wisconsin vs. LSU
Our writers all picked LSU to beat Wisconsin, but some had a harder time with the pick than others.
Brian Bennett: Wisconsin has a real chance here at the upset. Week 1 is definitely the time to catch LSU this season, as the Tigers will be breaking in a slew of new players and have some major question marks at quarterback. Of course, you could say those same things about the Badgers, who will be counting on basically a brand-new defensive front seven, several unproven receivers and a new starting QB in Tanner McEvoy. Wisconsin's running game is the great equalizer, especially if that ground attack shortens the game and springs Melvin Gordon and Corey Clement for big plays. Asking either side to play mistake-free is a bit much for an opener involving so many fresh faces. In the end, LSU has more explosiveness to overcome its errors and exploit Wisconsin's, so the Tigers win by a touchdown.
Austin Ward: Openers can be sloppy enough on their own, let alone debuts with uncertainty at quarterback and the expectation that two guys will be needed to fill that critical role. Both teams have some questions under center, but it seems much more dangerous to be unsettled and unproven when taking on a loaded defense such as LSU's. Wisconsin has running backs Gordon and Clement lining up behind a veteran offensive line to provide a rushing attack to lean on, but if it becomes a one-dimensional offense against the Tigers, aggressive defensive coordinator John Chavis will turn his athletic, physical unit loose and there will be no escape in Houston.
Majority opinion: Penn State over UCF
This was the only game our writers disagreed on. Austin Ward, Mitch Sherman and Adam Rittenberg liked the Nittany Lions, while Brian Bennett and Josh Moyer took the Knights.
Josh Moyer: The Nittany Lions have too many question marks -– and too much that still needs to improve -– to be favored right now. What's Penn State's main weakness? The offensive line. So what's one thing it's going to count on to offset that? The passing game. Well, Central Florida's secondary has a chance to be elite. And overall, UCF might boast the best defense in the AAC. On the other side of the ball, the Knights may be without quarterback Blake Bortles this season, but they still have a loaded receiving corps with J.J. Worton, Rannell Hall and Breshad Perriman. Penn State's secondary, especially the corner spot opposite Jordan Lucas, could struggle against this kind of offense. PSU hangs tough but falls in the end 28-20.
Adam Rittenberg: The oddities surrounding this game favor Penn State, which is tougher to prepare for with a new coaching staff. UCF's veteran defensive line and George O'Leary's play-calling prowess worry me, but I see PSU exploiting some matchup advantages (Jesse James vs. anybody) with a superior quarterback and hitting on some big plays. Expect improvement on Penn State's defense, which limits a UCF offense missing Bortles and Storm Johnson.
It's unanimous
Our writers agreed on the following:
Minnesota over Eastern Illinois
Washington State over Rutgers
Michigan State over Jacksonville State
Indiana over Indiana State
Iowa over Northern Iowa
Michigan over Appalachian State
Purdue over Western Michigan
Ohio State over Navy
Illinois over Youngstown State
Maryland over James Madison
Northwestern over Cal
Nebraska over FAU
LSU over Wisconsin
Mitch Sherman: Not much else of great intrigue on the opening-week schedule, but Ohio State-Navy is worth a look, with the attention swirling around the debut of Buckeyes freshman quarterback J.T. Barrett. The Midshipmen are no pushover, but the Buckeyes own enough of an edge in athleticism to take care of business. Because of its strange offseason, Northwestern is interesting, even against Cal, which was dismal last season. And for entertainment value, Rutgers' Big Ten debut Thursday night against Washington State may rank high. The Scarlet Knights need to limit the Cougars' possessions and get off the field on third down -- or watch Wazzu quarterback Connor Halliday light them up with 65 to 70 pass attempts.
Big Ten morning links
That generosity is greatly appreciated, and tearing into a pair of games tonight with Minnesota and Rutgers both opening the season two days before the weekend is a gift worth treasuring.
But what about during the season? Once football is finally back and the season is in full swing, suddenly making it through just one week without any action starts to feel like an interminable wait. Would it be so bad to mix in a few Thursday nights once league play starts?
"Our program, a lot of the notoriety we've achieved over the last decade has been on Thursday night," Scarlet Knights coach Kyle Flood said. "We've had some really special evenings on Thursday nights here in Piscataway, and we've played some great games on the road.
"You know, I try not to get involved in decisions that really are going to be the same for everybody. I think for our program here at Rutgers, Thursday night has been a really good night. But going into the future here in the Big Ten, we're looking forward to it and playing games on Saturday afternoons. I think there's a lot of plusses to that as well."
The broadcast exposure on an evening with less competition can be an invaluable plus, though, and Rutgers might know that better than anybody else given their experiences before moving into the Big Ten this season. Now even in a league with a much higher profile, the program might find that kind of spotlight much harder to come by on Saturday afternoons.
The Scarlet Knights aren't alone in that regard. Indiana might not be a huge national draw on Saturdays, but its high-scoring offense could draw a few more viewers for a Thursday night matchup with say, Maryland, which may enjoy the chance to showcase its program in front of a broader audience dying to watch a game.
There are hurdles to be sure, starting with the Big Ten's fondness for tradition and the resistance it would surely meet from powerhouse programs like Ohio State, Michigan or Penn State who have established brands and large stadiums that don't need unique kickoff times to help draw a crowd. But aside from exceptions early in the year like tonight for the Big Ten, in some ways it seems like the league has simply conceded a potentially marquee marketing opportunity among the power conferences to the Pac-12 (Arizona at Oregon, UCLA at Arizona State), Big 12 (Texas Tech at Oklahoma State) and ACC (Florida State at Louisville).
Maybe the Big Ten simply doesn't need it. Truthfully, as a league it probably doesn't since it obviously isn't hurting financially, there haven't been any complaints about the television ratings and it's already adjusted for a busier Saturday schedule that now includes two extra teams by allowing for more flexibility with night kickoffs.
But for individual programs, there's almost certainly a benefit to scheduling on an off night every once in a while. Sometimes waiting a whole week is just too much time without football, and by Thursday night, fans are ready to watch just about anybody put on the pads.
Odds are, there are a few teams in the league that would be willing to sign up for that spot.
Pre-game prep
- The battle for field position will be critical for Rutgers when it opens tonight against Washington State. Quarterback Gary Nova will have more responsibilities at the line of scrimmage under offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen.
- Mitch Leidner wants to "win for the state of Minnesota," and the quarterback's first shot at it this season comes tonight against Eastern Illinois. The Gophers are trying to find ways to fill up the student section again.
- After four long years in reserve, linebacker Mylan Hicks finally finds himself in position to contribute for Michigan State and sits atop the depth chart, bracketed with Darien Harris.
- USC transfer Ty Isaac had his medical hardship waiver denied, but that decision will be appealed by Michigan, which is still trying to get him on the field this fall.
- Penn State was greeted with a little Irish weather on the practice field, but James Franklin had no complaints.
- Maryland has depth at nose tackle, and it will play both Keith Bowers and Darius Kilgo against James Madison.
- The Ohio State depth chart has "or" all over it, but Steve Miller will definitely be starting in place of the suspended Noah Spence on Saturday.
- What kind of numbers is Shane Wynn capable of posting this season as he becomes the focal point of the Indiana offense?
- Derek Landisch returned to practice for Wisconsin on Wednesday, and the senior linebacker expects to be ready for the clash with LSU this weekend.
- Iowa has a loaded stable of tailbacks at its disposal, but that still doesn't mean Kirk Ferentz is comfortable with his running game.
- Junior college transfer Byerson Cockrell is helping to ease some of the minds that were worried when Nebraska lost nickelback Charles Jackson for the season during training camp.
- Should Northwestern be worried about Cal's offense? These numbers suggest the Wildcats should be fine.
- As the opener ahead of a season that could make or break Tim Beckman's career with Illinois draws near, the coach is exuding confidence his team can "take the next stride."
- Purdue is offering free tickets to students for the opener.
- Can't wait to get to Byrd Stadium and try this bad boy. Who's hungry?
Big Ten Wednesday mailbag
Josh Moyer: Hmmm ... it's a bit tricky this week since only three of 14 games don't feature huge double-digit favorites (Rutgers-Washington State, UCF-Penn State, Wisconsin-LSU). Out of those three, though, I like Wisconsin the most as an upset pick. LSU has a new quarterback and running back and its run defense shows a few cracks. The Tigers ranked 94th in the nation last season in stopping ball carriers behind the line and were No. 35 in run defense. And you know what happens when Melvin Gordon finds room on the outside (hint: touchdown). Wisconsin has fared well against better run defenses, so they should be able to keep the ball moving Saturday. We'll see if that's enough.
@ESPNJoshMoyer upset alert week 1 in the big ten?— Matt Finnigan (@Finnarious) August 26, 2014
Josh Moyer: After a sub-par freshman campaign, it sure looks as if Derrick Green is on pace to be Michigan's feature back. Brady Hoke named him the starter, although he added that De'Veon Smith will be "1A." But if you look at how Doug Nussmeier and Brady Hoke have approached running backs since 2010, the top guy has always received at least twice as many carries as the backup. (One exception: Alabama's Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon split carries in 2012 but combined for 66.5 percent of team carries.) Green had 27 percent body fat last year and naturally looked sluggish; he's at 9 percent right now. He'll be better. As for Jabrill Peppers, count me among the believers. Devin Gardner said recently that Peppers and Devin Funchess are the best athletes on the team. That's big praise. So sure, Peppers has generated a lot of hype -- but I think he'll live up to it.
@ESPN_BigTen @ESPNJoshMoyer (1) Who is Michigan's feature back, or will it be by-committee? (2) Jabril Peppers - phenom or flop?— Michael Blount (@MichaelBlount1) August 27, 2014
Josh Moyer: In our season predictions this morning, I was the only Big Ten reporter to pick Minnesota to win fewer than six games. Everyone else said six or seven. I'll admit I waffled slightly between choosing five and six wins, but the Minnesota passing game -- or lack thereof -- really concerns me. The Gophers ranked No. 105 in the nation last season in total offense and, without a playmaker like Ra'Shede Hageman on defense, I'm not yet sold on the defense being as good as last year. In some ways, last season's 8-5 record was a best-case scenario -- especially with surprising wins against Penn State and Nebraska, and close wins against Norhtwestern and Indiana. When I look at this season's schedule, I see seven losses: at TCU, at Michigan, Northwestern, Iowa, Ohio State, at Nebraska, and at Wisconsin. Northwestern was the toss-up for me but, as it stands, I see the Wildcats winning a close one.
@ESPNJoshMoyer why so down on the Gophers? 5-7 (2-6) seems low. Not saying they are winning 9+, but no bowl? Really?— Darren Michael (@HaloKitty343) August 27, 2014
Josh Moyer: It's the biggest question mark on the team, and I think it's going to be the determining factor in whether Penn State finds success. I picked the Nittany Lions to win seven games and, honestly, I think that's even slightly optimistic with this line. (Two players who were defensive tackles in February are now starting inside as offensive guards, and absent is basically any quality depth.) This offense has for which to be excited: Christian Hackenberg, two terrific running backs, my pick for B1G tight end of the year and a plethora of talented young wideouts. The only thing that's missing is a solid O-line -- and all the talent in the world doesn't mean anything if Hackenberg and Co. can't find time. If last season's O-line returned, I might even pick Penn State to win 10 games. The potential is there, but the offensive line is going to act as the cap.
@ESPNJoshMoyer How big of a concern is the Penn State O-line?— Sean Banks (@seanbanks3) August 27, 2014
B1G predictions: records and standings
Brian Bennett
The toughest part of predicting the order of finish is figuring out the jumble atop the West. I think Nebraska has the most talent but the hardest schedule, while Wisconsin and Iowa are pretty equal. In the end, I see the Badgers as a team that will continue to improve throughout the course of the year and will benefit from its backloaded schedule. I think Gary Andersen's team beats Nebraska at home and Iowa on the road, making up for a pair of early conference losses and winning the division tiebreaker over the Hawkeyes to set up a rematch of the inaugural Big Ten championship game versus Michigan State.
Josh Moyer
With Braxton Miller's season-ending injury, the East basically explains itself. The Spartans are the new favorite … or, depending on your point of view, remain the easy favorite. A new defensive coordinator in Indiana gives me hope that the Hoosiers' offense marching downfield won't just be a futile exercise, and Rutgers? Well, maybe next year, kid. The West is much, much trickier -- and the three top teams all have their own question marks. What kind of passing offense and front seven will Wisconsin have? Can Iowa overcome three departed linebackers? How's Nebraska's secondary? I have more faith in Tommy Armstrong than Tanner McEvoy, and I'm picking Randy Gregory for the B1G defensive player of the year. So, while it's a toss-up, I'm still comfortable sticking with Nebraska.
Adam Rittenberg
It's never easy making the won-loss records match up and I'm sure I'll be wrong about a lot of this. I see the parity in the West Division playing out as Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin will beat up on one another. It's not easy to run the table in league play two years in a row, but Ohio State did it in 2012 and 2013 and Michigan State will repeat in 2013 and 2014. I see Indiana squeaking into a bowl game and Illinois falling just shy. Ohio State starts off strong but stumbles twice in league play, while new league members Maryland and Rutgers both go through some growing pains in their Big Ten debuts.
Mitch Sherman
Injuries happen. But when they happen in August, injuries jumble predicted standings. Since we first ranked the Big Ten teams early this month, much has changed. The loss of Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller pushed Michigan State, for me, past the Buckeyes. And in the West Division, Nebraska's key defensive losses -- linebacker Michael Rose and nickel cornerback Charles Jackson are out for the year with injuries -- knocked the Huskers down a notch to third. The best candidate for team most likely to drive its fans crazy? How about Iowa. I've got the Hawkeyes with three Big Ten losses -- at Maryland, at Minnesota and to Northwestern -- with November wins over Wisconsin and the Nebraska. Look for Notre Dame to go 3-0 against the Big Ten. And curious about the lone wins for Rutgers and Purdue? I'm taking the Scarlet Knights over Penn State and the Boilermakers to beat Northwestern.
Austin Ward
With just two horses to pick from and one now dealing with a significant injury at the game's most important position, handicapping the East was a relatively straightforward proposition. Good luck with the West, though, since that battle has the potential to go down to the final weekend with multiple teams fighting for a berth in the title game. With each potential candidate having some minor flaws to pick on, trying to figure out which might be most easily overcome is the biggest chore heading into the opener, but Wisconsin's dynamic combination of tailbacks should allow it to weather any growing pains at quarterback once the conference season begins. It won't, however, be enough to get past the Spartans for the league crown as Mark Dantonio's program is set to go back to back once it gets past a wounded Ohio State on Nov. 8 for the East title.
Big Ten morning links
Yes, that Big Ten, often criticized for its conservative nature -- the league slow to stage night games late in the season or play on Thursday nights, the same Big Ten that's reluctant to pit foes early in the fall when mismatches abound and the fans crave meaningful football.
That Big Ten is leading the way this year in playing neutral-site games. Starting with Rutgers-Washington State on Thursday in Seattle -- if that doesn't scream Big Ten, nothing does -- league schools will play in five of eight neutral-site games nationally early this season.
On Saturday, you've got Penn State-Central Florida in Dublin, Ireland, Ohio State-Navy in Baltimore and Wisconsin-LSU in Houston. Notre Dame and Purdue play in Indianapolis on Sept. 13.
The Big Ten has officially embraced a college football trend popularized by the Southeastern Conference. Dare we say, the Big Ten is doing it better than any other league this year?
And even if not, Big Ten teams are trying hard to reach new audiences and tap fertile recruiting grounds. It counts for something.
Forget, for a moment, the financial ramifications. Yes, the neutral-site games can be profitable. Some offer payouts in excess of $5 million, which can equal the revenue lost from a home game, considering that the neutral-site pairings don't require a road game in return.
But it's about more than money.
Indirectly, everything about scheduling involves money. By playing games outside of their comfort zones, though, Big Ten programs illustrate that they want to grow their brands. They show that they're not content with bundles of TV-generated cash and underachieving reputations.
"The kids should walk out of there with a big-time experience," Wisconsin coach Gary Andersen said of the Badgers' showdown on Saturday night.
His program receives $2 million for the game.
Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN, competing for viewers with Florida State-Oklahoma State at 8 p.m. ET on ABC from Arlington, Texas.
These are big-time draws, especially a week before the NFL regular season hogs attention.
Next year, the Badgers face Alabama in the Cowboys Classic. In two years, LSU visits Lambeau Field in Green Bay for the Wisconsin rematch.
Here's to more neutral-site games in the Big Ten region. Illinois and Northwestern have tested pro stadiums in Chicago and figure to go back, but how about Nebraska or Michigan, Iowa or Michigan State at other venues easily accessible to their fans?
Keep thinking big, Big Ten.
One day before kickoff, let's go around the league…
East Division
- Linebacker Jake Ryan, a Michigan captain in 2013, supports the decision of coach Brady Hoke to postpone an announcement this year until the end of the season. Derrick Green is the Wolverines' top running back.
- Keep an eye on Rutgers tight end Tyler Croft. Washington State will be watching him.
- Michigan State's first opponent, Jacksonville State, might provide a preview for the Spartans' second foe.
- Braxton Miller had surgery. And it went well.
- Maryland features depth at running back.
- Expectations soar for Indiana quarterback Nate Sudfeld.
- Keys for Penn State in Ireland.
- How to measure progress at Purdue this fall.
- The long offseason is almost over for Northwestern.
- One night last season changed everything for David Cobb.
- Iowa running back Damon Bullock, bypassed last year, has worked his way back in line for carries.
- A key for Illinois? Develop a few dominant defensive linemen.
- Nebraska expects a big year from punter Sam Foltz.
- Wisconsin's Derek Watt, younger brother of J.J., is set to help the Badgers at multiple spots.
- Who said Penn State would go back to nameless jerseys? Not James Franklin. In fact, he's not saying anything.
- Johnny Manziel weighs in on Miller, J.T. Barrett the Ohio State quarterback situation.
- A little fun with Kevin Wilson after practice at Indiana.
Big Ten morning links
Don't ignore new quarterbacks like Wes Lunt and Tanner McEvoy, or newcomer defenders like Jabrill Peppers and Jihad Ward, but the real gauge for some teams will take place in the trenches. There are several revamped lines in the Big Ten that will be under the microscope in Week 1.
Let's take a look:
Wisconsin defensive line versus LSU (in Houston): The Badgers will start three new players up front -- ends Chikwe Obasih and Konrad Zagzebski, and tackle Warren Herring -- against talented Tigers running backs Terrence Magee, Kenny Hilliard and Leonard Fournette, the decorated incoming freshman. Herring and Zabzekbski have five combined career starts, while Obasih, a redshirt freshman, makes his debut on a huge stage.
"I really feel that in the pass rush aspect and in the containing the quarterback aspect, we are a little bit more athletic and we have a little bit more speed," defensive coordinator Dave Aranda told me last week.
Penn State offensive line versus UCF (in Dublin, Ireland): Only one healthy starter (tackle Donovan Smith) returns for PSU's line, which has heard all about its depth issues throughout the offseason. The group will be tested right away by a UCF defense that returns nine starters, including the entire line. You can bet Knights coach George O'Leary will put Penn State's line under duress from the onset.
Ohio State offensive line versus Navy (in Baltimore): Like Penn State, Ohio State brings back just one line starter (tackle Taylor Decker) from last year, and the unit's task became a lot tougher after the season-ending loss of quarterback Braxton Miller. The Buckeyes' new-look front must protect freshman signal caller J.T. Barrett and create some running room against a smaller Navy defensive line.
Northwestern defensive line versus Cal: Both Wildcat lines have question marks entering the season, but the defensive front enters the spotlight after dealing with injuries throughout the offseason. Veteran defensive tackle Sean McEvilly (foot) is out for the season, and tackles Greg Kuhar and C.J. Robbins will get an opportunity to assert themselves against a Cal offense that racked up 549 yards against Northwestern in last year's game.
Purdue offensive line versus Western Michigan: The Boilers simply weren't strong enough up front in 2013 and couldn't move the ball for much of the season. They should be better on the interior with center Robert Kugler leading the way. This is a great chance for Purdue to start strong against a Western Michigan defense that ranked 118th nationally against the run in 2013.
Michigan offensive line versus Appalachian State: This isn't the Appalachian State team that shocked Michigan in 2007, but the Wolverines need to gain cohesion and confidence up front and with their run game. After a lot of line shuffling in camp, Michigan tries to get backs Derrick Green and De'Veon Smith going in the opener before a Week 2 trip to Notre Dame.
To the links ...
West Division
- Some bad news for Iowa's defensive line, as tackle Darian Cooper posts that he had season-ending surgery.
- Prove-it time has arrived for Nebraska's supposedly improved defense.
- It's Mitch Leidner's show at Minnesota, and that's a very good thing, Chip Scoggins writes.
- Melvin Gordon spills the beans about Wisconsin's not-so secret starting quarterback. Coach Gary Andersen expects both signal callers to play this fall. A former Badgers recruit is sentenced to a year in jail for sexual assault.
- Illinois could use its two backup quarterbacks as wide receivers.
- After two pick-sixes last year against Cal, Northwestern linebacker Collin Ellis aims for an encore against the Bears.
- The Gold & Black staff weighs in on a simple but important question: Will Purdue be better?
- Michigan isn't electing captains until after the season. The Wolverines and Nebraska are on Jeremy Fowler's list of sneaky playoff contenders.
- Ohio State still has at least four starting spots up for grabs this week.
- Notes and nuggets from Penn State's coordinators before the team departs for Ireland.
- Indiana has implemented an NFL-style tackling system to help its defenders.
- Spartan Stadium gets a facelift.
- A closer look at Maryland's Week 1 depth chart.
- Dan Duggan lists 10 under-the-radar Rutgers players to watch this season.
Saturday, 9/6
12:00 PM ET Western Kentucky Illinois 12:00 PM ET McNeese State 22 Nebraska
- ESPNU/WatchESPN
- Tickets
- Conversation
12:00 PM ET Akron Penn State
- Tickets
- Conversation
12:00 PM ET Central Michigan Purdue
- ESPNews/WatchESPN
- Tickets
- Conversation
12:00 PM ET Howard Rutgers 12:00 PM ET Western Illinois 14 Wisconsin 3:30 PM ET Northern Illinois Northwestern 3:30 PM ET Middle Tennessee Minnesota 3:30 PM ET Ball State Iowa
- ESPN2/WatchESPN
- Tickets
- Conversation
3:30 PM ET Maryland South Florida
- CBS Sports Network
- Tickets
- Conversation
6:30 PM ET 8 Michigan State 3 Oregon 7:30 PM ET Michigan 17 Notre Dame 8:00 PM ET Virginia Tech 5 Ohio State
- ESPN/WatchESPN
- Tickets
- Conversation


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Thumbs Up For Logitech's Desktop C910 HD Cam
With a potential explosion in the use of client-side video conferencing and video chat services and applications, Logitech's Webcam C910 is positioned to take big advantage of that growth.
With a potential explosion in the use of client-side video conferencing and video chat services and applications, Logitech's Webcam C910 is positioned to take big advantage of that growth.
NEC's V421, the middle unit in NEC's V-series of value-priced monitors and digital signs, is a solid choice for environments that close up at night.
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Is the mouse an endangered species, at least on the desktop? The CRN Test Center looks at an Azio wireless keyboard, which includes a trackpad.
The device uses an existing network to extend high resolution video and USB devices.
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Mitel scores big with its tight integration between Windows and its versatile telephony client
The CRN Test Center reviews Microsoft Office for Mac 2011, finding its ability to work with Office Live and Apple's MobileMe iDisk is an important new function.
Apple's MacBook Air opens a new chapter in mobile computing, with not just a light-and-slick form factor but with a nifty emphasis on new models of computing.
This faster chip has the goods, but also draws more power.
The iOS 4.1 upgrade shows Apple taking aim at everything from Facebook to Xbox to digital camera makers.
Small, low-cost LED printer gets high marks from the CRN Test Center.
SlingPlayer beams television signals to Google devices with WiFi, 3G.
Toshiba's Portege R700 offers an interesting approach with both Windows XP and Windows 7, in a thin-and-light notebook that the CRN Test Center examines.
OKI Data's latest monochrome printer is fast and furiously inexpensive.
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IDC: Top 5 Corporate Endpoint Security Leaders
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Combine a tech market that is rapidly discarding old business models with the damage done by a rogue former government contractor and you have what may well be the most treacherous terrain ever faced by technology CEOs.


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The Washington Redskins' expansive coaching search is continuing in earnest, as they're scheduled to interview Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and are reportedly interested in Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin.
According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, the Redskins will travel to Charlotte, N.C. on Saturday to meet with McDermott, whose Panthers are enjoying a first-round bye as they prepare for the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. He has engineered one of the league's best defenses in his third year as the team's DC and has them ranked No. 2 in both yards and points allowed. The Redskins could certainly use some help on that side of the ball after finishing second-to-last in total defense this season.
Washington has also requested an interview with Franklin, who has led a revitalization at historically inept Vandy and has the Commodores 8-4 this season and playing in the BBVA Compass Bowl on Saturday. He's been one the hottest names among both college and NFL coaching rumors, as he's already interviewed with the Houston Texans and is considered a candidate for the Cleveland Browns, Penn State and Texas jobs.
The Redskins also interviewed Dallas Cowboys special teams coach Rich Bisaccia on Friday and are eyeing a sit-down with New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell, according to Mark Maske of the Washington Post.
Cleveland Browns
The Browns are expected to interview New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for their vacant head coach position, according to ESPN. If Cleveland does hire him, it would be McDaniels's second head coaching stint in the pros. The first one didn't go so well, as he spent two disappointing seasons in Denver before returning to New England.
The Browns interviewed Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles on Friday and plan to bring in Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn for an interview, per NFL Media's Ian Rapoport.
Detroit Lions
The Lions seem to have a more offensive direction in mind -- specifically San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. Rapoport reported this week that the team was checking references on Whisenhunt and described their interest level as "very strong."
Whisenhunt is considered one of the top offensive minds in the game, and would have some major toys to tinker with in Calvin Johnson, Matthew Stafford and Reggie Bush. Before landing in San Diego, he was an offensive coordinator with the Pittsburgh Steelers and spent five seasons as the head coach of the Cardinals.
Minnesota Vikings
Bowles's name has also been floated in connection with the Vikings, but coaching rumors in Minnesota are relatively quiet as the front office deals with the accusations of former punter Chris Kluwe in an article published by Deadspin on Thursday. Kluwe accused the team of releasing him for his same-sex marriage activism.
Titans fire Mike Munchak
Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Munchak has been fired after the Titans started the season 3-1 but stumbled to a 7-9 finish. Early reports on Saturday indicated team president Tommy Smith planned to keep him on for another season, but news of his termination came down shortly after. Reports indicate he was offered the opportunity to come back but with the condition he would have to fire a good deal of his staff.
Leslie Frazier will be Tampa Bay's next defensive coordinator
Leslie Frazier has landed on his feet rather quickly after being dumped as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings on Monday. He confirmed on Friday he will be heading to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to become Lovie Smith's new defensive coordinator.
Frazier spent four years in charge of the Vikings defense before serving as the head coach for the next three. Prior to that, he was the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals for two seasons.
While he brings plenty of experience to the Bucs, he's rather light on quantifiable success. In nine years as either a defensive coordinator or head coach, Frazier's defense has finished top 10 in scoring just once. Minnesota finished last in scoring defense this season and 31st in yards allowed.
Texans rumored to be bringing in Romeo Crennel as defensive coordinator
Bill O'Brien, hired earlier in the week as head coach of the Texans, is filling in his own staff in Houston. According to FOX Sports's Alex Marvez, former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel is expected to become O'Brien's defensive coordinator.
O'Brien and Crennel spent time together as assistants with the New England Patriots, and the Texans' new staff is expected to have a "heavy Patriots feel."
O'Brien has also cleared out the preexisting staff, meeting briefly with each one to fire them.
More from SB Nation NFL
• SB Nation's 2014 NFL playoff coverage and brackets
• Kelly: Watch for these signature plays during Wild Card weekend
• Super Bowl odds for every possible matchup | NFL coaching tracker
• 2014 NFL mock draft: Offseason planning begins for 20 teams
• Death of a football player: Helmet-to-helmet hit killed Derek Sheely


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Just brewed a stout, what psi should I set the nitrogen/co2 mix at to have it carbed within a week?
Hook it back up to your CO2.http://docs.northernbrewer.com/homebrew_nitrogen_system.html
wow.... never expected such a well written how/to on homebrew nitrogen. Thanks for finding it.
I've been considering using a beer gas/nitrogen mixture and have a few technical questions.
Does method A actually produce the "nitro" style head and creaminess? It seems that since the nitrogen wouldn't be readily absorbed into the beer, the only thing that it would be doing is pushing the beer out, not affecting the beer coming out of the tap. Am I incorrect in this assumption?
I just hook up the beer gas to my nitrogen regulator and crank it up to 35 psi. I leave it there for 5 days. Done. I brew 10 gallons, so I use beer gas with one keg and C02 with the other.
So in order for a beer to get that "nitro" style, the beer needs to be force carbed by nitrogen and poured through a stout faucet?
It is my understanding that it should be force carbed by CO2, and pushed with nitrogen. Nitrogen is not very soluble in beer, so it seems you would have to rely on CO2 for the initial carbonation.
Of course, I might be wrong. Mr. Wizard says otherwise.
That was my understanding too. I was discussing it with hwmbo and we were unable to determine how the nitrogen affected the creaminess of the head then, unless it's just a function of the style of tap and the high pressure. In that case, cranking the PSI up to 40 or so for a few minutes for that "perfect pour" through a stout tap should work, no?


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Education First and Technology Literacy Challenge Fund Grant Programs Team Up to Offer Grant Writing Workshops
Posted: November 17, 2000
The Education First and Technology Literacy Challenge Fund grant programs will offer grant writing workshops at four locations across the state. The major focus of the workshops will be on providing a "hands-on" grant writing experience. The creator of SchoolGrants Newsletter and Schoolgrants website, Donna Fernandez from Irving, Texas, will conduct the writing portion of the training. Participants will also be exposed to the guidelines for both the Education First and the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund grant programs. In addition, successful grant recipients of both grant programs will present the highlights of their projects.
For registration information follow this link: http://wvde.state.wv.us/ed1st/workshopsed1st.html
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At Badlands Tacos, diners are transported to the titular locale upon gazing at the eatery's southwestern decor. Cow skulls adorned with feathers and bright ceramic art festoon the umber-colored walls. From behind a walk-up counter, a chalkboard menu displays an array of Mexican tacos, chimichangas, and 11 kinds of enormous burritos filled with fixings such as flank steak, cilantro, and guacamole. Badlands Tacos offers numerous ways to celebrate Cinco De Mayo: from booths and tables at their BYOB restaurant, outdoor seating, catering for special occasions, or take-out to feed pet llamas hidden under the porch.
Fragrant roses and fine wine can be key elements of a romantic evening, and both can be found at Wine & Roses, a family-owned boutique in business since 1987. In addition to a full florist's shop and liquor store, patrons can find gourmet foods, gift baskets, stuffed animals, and balloons. Delivery is available throughout Bergen County.
Efes Restaurant reveals its uniqueness in layers. Hidden behind the unassuming facade of a strip mall, the interior boasts a much more substantial amount of character. Into this richly appointed room, waiters cart salads, babaganoush, and kebabs with chunks of chicken and lamb still sizzling from the grill. What fixtures define the elegance of this dining area? Gold-upholstered chairs line the pristinely white linen-clad tables, surrounding a dropped floor in the middle of the dining room. A strip of lighting under the step down illuminates an inlay of black and white marble tiles arranged to excite the eye with their geometric patterns and challenge the mind to remember what a hypotenuse is.
Awash in vibrant hues of green, purple, and yellow, the interior of Skoops of River Edge playfully hints at the kaleidoscope of ice-cream flavors that fill its freezers. The shop's scoopers pile 35 flavors of hard and soft ice cream into cups or cones, pausing only to spoon up dollops of italian ice and adorn sundaes with thick rivers of chocolate fudge. Aside from the shop's scoopable creations, creamy milk shakes pour from blenders and frozen yogurt pumps from whirring soft-serve machines. Customers of all ages can be spotted perched on the shop's colorful stools throughout the week sipping on floats or pouring smoothies down their backs to cool off.


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Mon, Jun 10 2013 11:53 am |
Aaron Ross takes the time to give you a little pitch about why X Games should move to Austin. Wanna know what I voted for? Austin. You should, too. Vote right here.
"VOTE NOW: http://bit.ly/VoteXGA
Join the team and make it happen: http://xgamesaustin.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/XGamesAustin
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CATEGORIZED: Mix Edit, Videos
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You're leaving Wedding Paper Divas to see the Deal of the Day at our parent site, Tiny Prints.
You won't be able to dismiss this by usual means (escape or click button), but you can close it programatically based on user choices or actions.
"The design says that the background is black. This is partly true because the shadow behind the flowers is black, but the card itself is a deep navy. I was initially concerned because my wedding colors don't include black, but this Save the Date turned out to be exactly what I wanted. I made a few minor changes to text colors, i.e. I changed the color of "Save the Date" and "Formal invitation to follow" from the default deep pink, to the dusty lavender/lavender-grey font option, as I prefer softer colors."
"I thought these were beautiful and very cost effective. I should have looked at the measurements, because they were a little smaller than I was expecting, but overall I'm very happy!"
"These save the dates are so elegant and beautiful. I've received so many compliments on them. I ordered the pearl shimmer paper as advised and it gave the card a beautiful shimmer look (not tacky at all). It made the card look more expensive. I called Wedding Paper Divas twice to ask questions during the ordering process and both times they were very helpful and pleasant. Their customer service is great!"
"I wanted to send 'save the date' postcards and I was thrilled with all the options weddingpaperdivas.com had to offer. We chose the "Tea for Two" postcard because it offered several different color choices for the roses around the photo, one of which was yellow (my fiancee and I had a lovely picture of the two of us surround by yellow roses.) There were so many font options to chose from so we were able to design one that was just our style. Our friends and family absolutely loved it!"
"We didn't have the opportunity to take engagement photos but still wanted something that would feel personal. This was perfect for us! "Outdoorsy", simple, fun, but elegant. The paper quality is great and the image is exactly what I expected it to be. The only thing I would say is the default font for your names can be a little tricky to read at first glance; we capitalized the first letters of our first/last names, which seemed to help, but overall it's not a huge deal. I loved being able to add our return address to the envelop in a font that matched the cards, too! Overall, love these and very satisfied."


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Home > Car Tools > Air Tools & Compressors > Air Tools & Compressors > Air Power Tools > Angle Grinders
Angle grinder with alloy drive casing and composite motor housing. Smooth running 600Watt motor and bevel gears give low operating noise and vibration. Features an integral spindle lock for fast loading/unloading of grinding discs. Slider type power control with power lock. Supplied with side handle, guard and spanner. Grinding disc not included. Not intended for continuous professional use.


text:
- Status
- Acquired by BroadSoft on December 29, 2008
- Funding Received
- $70.5 Million in 3 Rounds from 12 Investors
- Founded:
- 1998
- Headquarters:
- Campbell, CA
- Description:
- Sylantro Systems provides software for service providers that deliver hosted VoIP applications.
- Categories:
- Software
- Website:
- http://www.sylantro.com
Detailed DescriptionUpdate
Sylantro Systems, is a provider of software used by service providers to deliver hosted VoIP applications and services for business, consumer, and wireless customers. Synergy, Sylantro's carrier-grade software platform, enables service providers to rapidly deliver differentiated, high value, high margin telephony services, ranging from IP Trunking to hosted PBX services and hosted consumer applications.
via: Sylantro Systems
Current Team (4)Update
Aidan Cullen
Marco Limena
President and CEO
Josie Perez
John Trobough
SVP, Solutions
Past Team (2)Update
Jay Blazensky
Director of Strategic Sales
1999 - Jan, 2006
Ashok Srinath
Engineering/Managing Director
1998 - Jan, 2006
Funding Rounds (3) - $70.5MUpdate
Investors (12)Update
Argo Global Capital
Argo Global Capital is a venture capital firm focused on investing in companies that are enabling...
Mayfield Fund
Venture Capital Firm
Accel Partners
Accel Partners is a global venture capital firm with offices located in Silicon Valley, New York,...
Vanguard Ventures
Vanguard Ventures is a leading early stage venture capital firm that helps entrepreneurs build...
Hook Partners
Hook Partners is a financial organization. Nothing is publicly known about the organization other...
Azure Capital Partners
Azure Capital Partners is a venture capital firm with over $650 million under management,...
CIT Group
CIT is a bank holding company.
Pyramid Technology Ventures
Pyramid is a leading San Francisco-based venture capital firm that partners with talented...
Offices/Locations (1)Update
910 East Hamilton Avenue
Suite 300
Campbell, CA 95008
Competitors (1)Update
Ribbit is a phone company providing voice and web services for individuals and businesses.
News (4)Update
Sylantro raises 4500000 in venture roundfindarticles.com
Sylantro Raises Another $11M | Light Readinglightreading.com
BroadSoft acquired Sylantroinformationweek.com


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Category Archives: 2012 MLB Draft
BBDP: Top 5 Yankees first base prospects
1. Greg Bird – 6-foot-3, 215-pounds, LHB, 1B, 21 – He's already hitting well in Double-A at the age of just 21, and he's hitting for power too. He's one of the best first base prospects in the minors right now. He's OPSing at .848 this year despite missing significant time. His numbers are right ...
Posted in 2011 MLB Draft, 2012 MLB Draft, 2014 MLB Draft, BBDP, Down on the Farm, Prospect Rankings 11 Comments
Unsigned draftees: What happens to them?
Tonight I was bored so I did a quick "where are they now?" of the unsigned 2010-2012 draft picks. By and large, the guys who went unsigned are either still out of baseball or have since been drafted by another team and haven't done anything impressive so far. There are six exceptions to that. Let me ...
Posted in 2011 MLB Draft, 2012 MLB Draft, BBDP, Discussion, Down on the Farm Tagged Jonathan Gray 2 Comments
Prospect Park: Peter O'Brien
The Basics: Name: Peter O'Brien Position: C, 3B Handedness: Bats and throws right handed Age: 22 Draft: 2nd round in the 2012 MLB draft. Size: 6-foot-3, 215-pounds Best Tool: Power BBDP Rank: 15 Video Drafted out of the University of Miami in the second round, expectations were high for Peter O'Brien going into the 2012 season. O'Brien didn't quite live up to expectations his first ...
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Prospect Profile: Dietrich Enns
The Basics: Name: Dietrich Enns Position: SP Handedness: Lefty Age: 22 Draft: 2012, 19th round out of Central Michigan University Size: 6-foot-1, 195-pounds Best Tool: Sinker BBDP Rank: unranked Twitter: @DietrichEnns If I told you the Yankees had a left handed pitcher in their system who just this year struck out 112 batters in 82.2 innings, and had a 2.94 ERA, would you believe me? ...
Posted in 2012 MLB Draft, BBDP, Down on the Farm, Prospect Profiles 9 Comments
Six years of Yankees drafts
Below is a list of all of the players the Yankees have signed over the past six years (with the exception of 2013 because it means nothing so far). In parenthesis is the round they were drafted in and the highest level they played at this season. A few things strike me about this list. First ...
Posted in 2011 MLB Draft, 2012 MLB Draft, 2013 MLB Draft, BBDP, Down on the Farm, Minor League Monday 17 Comments
Yankees 2012 draft picks signing tracker
Update: All draft picks have to be signed by today, July 13, at 5:00 p.m. EST except for college seniors. Update: The Yankees have officially locked up 2nd round pick Peter O'Brien to a below slot deal which saved them some money for their 18th round pick, Brady Lail, who signed for $225K. Ty Hensley and Robert Refsnyder are ...
Posted in 2012 MLB Draft Tagged Andrew Benak, Caleb Frare, Charles Basford, Danny Oh, Derek Varnadore, Dietrich Enns, Eric Erickson, James Pazos, Matt Snyder, Saxon Butler, Taylor Dugas, Taylor Garrison, Tim Flight 3 Comments
Yankees 2012 40th round draft pick: Sherman Lacrus
With the second to last pick of the draft, the Yankees 39th round pick, they selected Sherman Lacrus, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound outfielder out of Western Oklahoma State Junior College. Sherman, 18, is coming off a very good year at JUCO. In 39 games he hit .373/.476/.695/1.171 with nine homers. He's not just an outfield as he ...
Posted in 2012 MLB Draft Tagged Sherman Lacrus 1 Comment
Yankees 2012 39th round draft pick: Bo Decker
With their 39th round pick of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player draft, the Yankees selected Bo Decker, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound outfielder out of East Ridge High School in Florida. This 19-year-old pitches and plays the outfield and is said to be an exceptional athlete who plays good defense. He had the second highest batting average in the ...
Posted in 2012 MLB Draft Tagged Bo Decker Comments Off


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100 Tremaine Dr.
Tremaine Park has:
- Outdoor Basketball Courts
- Playground
- Grass Area
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100 Tremaine Dr.
Tremaine Park has:
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June 27, 2007
Albany - - An Albany man taken to jail for wearing a ski mask in his own yard says police made a big mistake and should not have arrested him.
Troy Morgan says he had just finished cutting a neighbor's lawn Tuesday when Albany police showed up. Morgan wears protective gear when he cuts yards because of allergies.
As he was pushing his lawn mower back home, he says police confronted him.
"About 15 minutes later the police pulled up. And she got out the car, popped her gun and said 'come here don't move.' I said 'my ID is in the house.' I said 'what did I do wrong ma'am please tell me.' She got the handcuffs and pulled me on top of the car next thing I know, some more police came and jumped out the car," Troy Morgan says.
He says he tried to explain the situation to police but says they wouldn't listen. Officers charged him with obstruction of an officer and wearing a mask to conceal his identity.
He had to spend the night in jail and got out Tuesday after posting $1,700 bond.
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text:
City-sized UFO hovering above Earth, Notice the many specs-of-light UFOs in the pic too.
- 8seconds
- uploaded: Jul 30, 2013
- Hits: 42335
The world's best news sources : http://www.youtube.com/user/NTDTV and http://www.theepochtimes.com/ Image at http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/sseop/images/ESC/large/ISS006/ISS006-E-51192.JPG
10 comments
stef September 21, 2013 4:02:10 PM CEST
Streetcap 1???? has google done street view of the upper atmosphere?
jjbreen7 August 4, 2013 10:03:41 PM CEST
Okay - Unofficial Poll - How many of you agree this is CGI and obviously not a very good one.
There are clear evidence of this from a photographic standpoint.
Let the vote begin! :D
Azznerak the Black August 1, 2013 10:02:43 PM CEST
What marvelous technology these beings possess. The ability to turn into a blurred stain of ass is truly as work of scientific genius......HA!!!!!
Spherical August 1, 2013 1:37:50 PM CEST
There are many much larger than this one as they have Mega Mother Ships the size of Our Planet Earth and Larger...but must be kept away from our tiny Planet Earth as it's Electromagnetic Electronic Interferences would cause too much problems for our Planet Earth and Satellites to deal with...so they're kept further away for the purposes with helping us through our Trials and Tribulations which are greater than we'd be able to withstand if not for the Help of our GUARDIANS with their massive LEGIONS OF LIGHT Forces and Fleets of Space Crafts as some the size of our Moon and larger...!!!
Tommyr July 31, 2013 8:00:32 PM CEST
This site gets more stupid with every passing day!
danwiberg9 July 31, 2013 5:27:42 PM CEST
Crap on the lens. Why? Because any other consideration makes no sense. The shape makes no sense. Nobody saw it above, it makes no sense. It only shows in a single photo it makes no sense.
Tree0fmight July 31, 2013 2:34:01 AM CEST
This shit made the number 1 spot today cmon disclose this is garbage shit right here
djnick18 July 30, 2013 9:58:00 PM CEST
OH!! .. C'mon !! ... Please people!!! ... This is just getting ludicrous.
Do we have a "MINUS STAR" button ???
DmoniX_The_Destroyer July 30, 2013 9:09:19 PM CEST
next on DTV: City sized idiots hovering around Disclose.TV!!!
Alexeindhovennl July 30, 2013 4:43:26 PM CEST
For a High-res pic check this one:
I think it's Kami's Lookout from Dragonball Z :)


text:
Seahawks Drub Vikings
The Seahawks ran their home winning streak to 13 games at CenturyLink Field with a 41-20 pasting of the Vikings. Jarius Wright caught a pair of touchdown passes from Christian Ponder in the loss. Adrian …18 Nov 13
Local News, Multimedia, Sports - The Local Connection
Wheeler Dealer
The Seahawks ran their home winning streak to 13 games at CenturyLink Field with a 41-20 pasting of the Vikings. Jarius Wright caught a pair of touchdown passes from Christian Ponder in the loss. Adrian …18 Nov 13
Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder is optimistic that he'll be able to play this week. Ponder suffered a shoulder injury in last Thursday's 34-27 win over Washington. He says he'll try and practice on Wednesday. The …12 Nov 13
Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder had an MRI on his left shoulder yesterday that showed no surprises to the team. Ponder has been diagnosed with a standard dislocation of the shoulder. Head coach Leslie Frazier says …09 Nov 13
Minnesota's defense came up with a goal-line stand in the final minute to secure the Vikings' 34-27 victory over the Washington Redskins. Robert Griffin the Third and the Redskins took over from their own 20 …08 Nov 13
The Minnesota Vikings could be without six starters when they host the Washington Redskins tonight for Thursday Night NFL Football. Tight end Kyle Rudolph, safety Jamarca Sanford, offensive lineman Phil Loadholt, and cornerback Chris Cook …07 Nov 13
The Vikings have just one more day to prepare for their Thursday night showdown with Robert Griffin the Third and the Washington Redskins at Mall of America Field. Minnesota has lost four in-a-row following Sunday's …06 Nov 13
The Vikings will be without standout tight end Kyle Rudolph for about one month, according to head coach Leslie Frazier. The MVP of last year's NFL Pro Bowl suffered a broken left foot while scoring …05 Nov 13
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo connected with Dwayne Harris for a seven-yard touchdown with 35 seconds left as the Cowboys rallied to beat the Vikings 27-23 yesterday in Texas. Romo finished 34-of-51 for 337 yards with …04 Nov 13
Author William Lass will be at the Treaty Site History Center in Saint Peter on Thursday. He will be talking about his new book "Shaping the North Star State: A History of Minnesota's Boundaries." William …