So there had to be between 5 and 10 instances where our defensive player , usually a line backer got in the hole hit the runner slid to his ankles to try and make the stop and....the runner just kept on running!...was this proper technique or was this a matter of us just not being strong enough?
The second was I kept seeing defensive lineman coming into the picture then exiting the picture like they were on roller skates with the UM offensive lineman just shoving him laterally...seemed like we just offered no resistance...was this a strength issue as well???

Ohio State playing for a playoff spot. We ... are ... not so good.
Give me reasons for hope that we can cover 38. I don't see any.

I didn't make the trip to Minneapolis, so I'm watching this one from the couch today. Per Twitter, it looks like Brendan Sullivan will play and Tanner Morgan won't, as expected. Advantage: Northwestern. Per our @MotownMedilldo, Ted Albrecht reported on WGN that Bryce Gallagher is out, so Mac Uihlein will get the start at linebacker.

UConn… the worst college football program… heck football program at any level… is now bowl eligible after upsetting 17th ranked Liberty. UConn somehow hired ex NFL coach Jim Mora and the improvement has been nothing short of miraculous. He won’t get the attention he deserves, but Mora should be coach of the year.

For Sullivan’s benefit, he should sit for the last two weeks. Hilinski is what he is. Richardson’s pick was almost comical.

Let’s send the kid out there and hope he doesn’t get killed. 32 and sunny in West Lafayette.

The alternative is Minitron at QB, flanked by Hull and Clair and Porter. Give linemen numbers in the 40s and line them up at TE.

It’s a Fitz fever dream.

I see calls for the younger players to get experience playing now that the season is lost with zero hope for a bowl (or respectability). I know Fitz is too stubborn to try anything new, but is there value in letting someone on staff (Ayeni/McGarigle) get the experience of designing a game plan and calling a game as an OC/DC? Just like we want to know what we have with our younger LBs, Lausch, Tyus, why not see what a game schemed by one of those two would look like? What's the harm (other than Fitz would have to admit JON and Bajakian are busts). I'm sure it would be tough to do that under these circumstances, but honestly we can't do much worse on the offensive side than last week's 3 point performance.

The season's penultimate game kicks off in the morning on FS1.

Hey, here’s something that’s different from the same depressing topics we’re rehashing around here eternally: the chaotic hellhole of terrible football/sicko food that the Big Ten West is. I have yet to see a general overall tiebreaker scenario on this, but I do know Iowa won today with 146 yards of total offense and now, incredibly, controls their own destiny in the division. But if Minnesota beats them… where are we at? A possible Purdue-MN tie atop the division? Wisconsin, somehow? WHAT?

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So: how did this become the place good football goes to die and how screwed are all of these programs once divisions are eliminated?

It feels like 95% of our offense is the same four plays (none of which work). The offense is so predictable, so basic and so ineffective. How much of this is Bajakian vs Fitz? Is Bajakian (mostly) free to call the offense as he sees fit? Whatever the answer, his offense is clearly not working.

By my count, we’ve only scored more than one pre-4th Quarter TD (basically non-garbage time) in conference play four times in the past two seasons. When combined with a bad (or even non-elite) defense, it’s easy to see why most of our games are over by the 3rd Quarter.

It’s hard to evaluate Sullivan when he’s facing 3rd and 8 most of the time.

Ubercat overslept
Or checked out for the season
Switched to limericks?

P.J. Fleck sounded like a FOOTBALL COACH, whereas Fitz sounded disengaged, defeated in a way. MN may have ultimately gotten the better deal, regardless of the criticism of Fleck. What's going on? (I would not post this on the Rock, as it would likely be deleted, not currently being open to relevant discussion).

If we win out, and all the other B1G West teams (except for Nebraska) have major scandals revealed which keep them out of the B1G championship game.

We’d be 3-9 with wins over Nebraska, Illinois, and Purdue. So we could beat Nebraska in a tiebreaker if they finish 3-6 in Conference as well.

Are there any other pathways the board has thought of? How about Twitter?

Vanderbilt beat #24 Kentucky at Kentucky to end a 28 consecutive SEC game losing streak. Stanford upset Notre Dame earlier this year. Tulane and Duke are having good years. Rice is so so but on target to make a bowl game. Illinois seems to be faltering at the end of the season, maybe we can upset them to do something good like the other academic schools.

*disclaimer: I still think JON sucks.

OSU is pushing them all over the place. And it is snowing (though not windy)

I will grudgingly admit the Cats are inconsistent but better. Put the clamps on OSU a week after Iowa ran all over us

Obviously, the Cats are bad. Obviously, major changes are required, whether the head coach wants to admit it or not. But they’re not even close to fun to watch. Bad, undisciplined football.

Boo Buie - not good last night. Tried to do too much one on one. 6 turnovers is awful.
Chase Audige - Is Lowery or McIntosh getting thru to him? 9 assists is off the charts. Only 3 turnovers. Active on defense. Only 2 of 7 shooting, but 2 of 4 from 3.
Ty Berry - hot shooting in first half, cooled off. 5 of 14 overall, but 4 of 10 on 3 pointers. 7 rebounds.
Robbie Beran - very nice game. Active on boards and was looking to score. 20 pts, 7 rebounds in 32 minutes.
Matt Nicholson - 4 dunks in 13 minutes. 9 pts, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block. No turnovers, 1 foul. Ran the floor, defended well. Good effort.
Ty Verhoeven - 21 minutes. Only took 1 shot, made it. 3 defensive rebounds, 5 fouls. Somewhat rough night overall.
Brooks Barnhizer - Played 27 minutes but only scored 5 points on 2 of 5 shooting. 5 rebounds. So-so performance
Luke Hunger - Played 6 minutes and looked more comfortable. Is going to play as needed.
Nick Martinelli - Played 3 minutes late in the game. Moves fluidly, but probably won't play much unless Beran gets hurt.

The Cats have played two inferior teams, so can't get too excited. When Roper gets back, Barnhizer and Berry will play less, but I'm expecting Roper to be pretty good.
My hope is that Hunger makes rapid progress and becomes a productive backup to Matt Nicholson. If that happens, this team might save Collins' job.

"We have two remaining opportunities" What would Fitz say? "We have two more games to waste because of my inaction?" Something is definitely wrong here.

If you’re like me, when you were at NU you spent a little time hosting a late overnight show during sportsathon to beg for cash for the program. WNUR Sports is an incredible opportunity and training ground for the young broadcasters who become Northwestern’s national crew of purple mafia, and a lot of the opportunity comes from private support. Go check out this weekend’s soortsathon now and consider a donation and the free gift it comes with!

I do not think Fitz will be fired. Do I think he should? My answer is please tell what organization, other than a government program or a charity would allow such performance.

There is a lot of commentary by posters on Fitz' status and some folks state that he should not be fired. Why? Just want to understand folks reasoning.

Sure, the coaching sucks. But these guys are slow, unathletic, and just don't have the physical talent and ability to compete in the B1T. I think there is a horrendous dearth of football talent and ability and terrible coaching.

I don't know how the NIL BS even works... All I know is it allows guys to become millionaires as high school seniors. Maybe the Ryan family can start a $847 million NIL fund so we can pay the high school studs to come to NU to play...

Nothing like getting ridiculed on ABC when they are giving halftime updates.

Had to be 7-8! Brutal conditions for sure!