Strength of schedule

[eastbaycat99]

Today’s game was disappointing in so many ways that it’s hard to count. One thing that I think needs saying is (after seeing that the Maryland team the Cats spanked last week beat USC today) is that the teams NU has lost to are all pretty good: Indiana is a strong 7-0, Duke is 6-1, Wisky is a very hot 5-2, and UW is a tough 4-3. I’m not happy with the struggles the offense has had, but they have had those struggles against non-cupcakes.

Here’s hoping Henning gets back next week, that the interior OLine finds something to build on, and that next week against Iowa is a more enjoyable game.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Today’s game was disappointing in so many ways that it’s hard to count. One thing that I think needs saying is (after seeing that the Maryland team the Cats spanked last week beat USC today) is that the teams NU has lost to are all pretty good: Indiana is a strong 7-0, Duke is 6-1, Wisky is a very hot 5-2, and UW is a tough 4-3. I’m not happy with the struggles the offense has had, but they have had those struggles against non-cupcakes.

Here’s hoping Henning gets back next week, that the interior OLine finds something to build on, and that next week against Iowa is a more enjoyable game.

They will never have a cupcake schedule again.

 

[FanatiCat]

Today’s game was disappointing in so many ways that it’s hard to count. One thing that I think needs saying is (after seeing that the Maryland team the Cats spanked last week beat USC today) is that the teams NU has lost to are all pretty good: Indiana is a strong 7-0, Duke is 6-1, Wisky is a very hot 5-2, and UW is a tough 4-3. I’m not happy with the struggles the offense has had, but they have had those struggles against non-cupcakes.

Here’s hoping Henning gets back next week, that the interior OLine finds something to build on, and that next week against Iowa is a more enjoyable game.

Duke is better than expected, Indiana better, but Maryland, Washington and Wisconsin are very average B1G teams that we have to be able to compete with. We cannot have 3 offensive points outings against multiple conference opponents.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

This is true, but, this is our new reality. There are no more bad teams filling the schedule to rock fight to death. It’s much more of an NFL schedule with teams you need to play well to beat any given Sunday. There are a couple of exceptions - we still have Purdue coming up - but the gimmes just aren’t there, you need to raise your best.

 

[DaCat]

Here’s hoping Henning gets back next week, that the interior OLine finds something to build on, and that next week against Iowa is a more enjoyable game.

Iowa got exposed today against Sparty, we definitely have a legitimate chance to take back the W from them. Of course we need to improve from our poor performance against Wiskey, but it can be done, just need to clean up our mistakes and hopefully get some injured guys back.

 

[hdhntr1]

Iowa got exposed today against Sparty, we definitely have a legitimate chance to take back the W from them. Of course we need to improve from our poor performance against Wiskey, but it can be done, just need to clean up our mistakes and hopefully get some injured guys back.

Gonna have to to better than that. IA still has a pretty solid D and a better O than they had last year. Have to wonder if Henning will be avail as it did not look very promising when he came off the field. We only really have one other real threat at the position. And losing Mueller sure does not help either

 

[eastbaycat99]

This is true, but, this is our new reality. There are no more bad teams filling the schedule to rock fight to death. It’s much more of an NFL schedule with teams you need to play well to beat any given Sunday. There are a couple of exceptions - we still have Purdue coming up - but the gimmes just aren’t there, you need to raise your best.

I don’t disagree. Nonetheless, at the start of the year, I would not have picked Indiana and Wisconsin to quite possibly be better than Michigan, but here we are. Seeing the way Rutgers has imploded the last two weeks, I also think the current world, with teams filled with transfers on NIL packages, there are going to be teams cratering about halfway through the season if players can’t taste the playoff and think they can get a better paycheck somewhere else the next year.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Indiana is a strong 7-0, Duke is 6-1, Wisky is a very hot 5-2, and UW is a tough 4-3.

Duke has been winning close games against "okay" teams. Credit to their coaches and players. Winning attitude. Very similar to NU in days of past success.

Indiana hadn't beaten anyone too impressively until their blowout of Nebraska. Not one victory over a good team yet.

But your list of opponents made me realize that our current coaches have made questionable or outright crazy decisions in the Duke, Wisconsin and Washington losses. (I'm drawing a blank on Indiana, but they're better than us regardless).