Things I learned from reading Badger boards after the game

[hdhntr1]

I always enjoy reading the opponent’s boards after they lose to the Cats, especially teams that were either ranked or had high expectations, since I find insights into both the game and football I didn’t notice since I was focused on the Cats.

First, apparently, one of two of the following must be true:

1) Points your opponents score off turnovers don’t count, while the ones you score off turnovers do or
2) Badger fans are not good at arithmetic any more.

The prevailing wisdom was that since the Cats had 17 points off turnovers and 7 off the roughing the kicker call, the Badgers handed the Cats the game. Since Wisconsin scored 14 points off Cat turnovers, logically, if the Cats only won because of Bucky’s gaffes, either the first statement must be true or 31-24=7 is not greater than 17-14=3. QED

Second, Officials only miss penalties committed by the other team. Multiple posters insisted that the Cat secondary was holding Badger receivers THE WHOLE GAME (in all caps). Since I didn’t notice anything beyond tight coverage, I will need to go back and watch more carefully and/or reread the rules around defensive holding.

Third, while conventional wisdom here is that the Cats O-line coach and offensive coordinator are terrible, in truth the Wisconsin counterparts are the worst in college football because with multiple All Americans on the OLine and an All American running back, the Wisky offense was outrushed by the Cats, who, as everyone knows, have the worst rushing offense in the conference. The conclusion was, since the players are great, it must be coaching, both in failing to impart technique for the linemen and for not calling the touchdown play, which was obvious.

I sure hope next week I can learn more about football from reading the Notre Dame boards!

You will probably just relearn the same things.

 

[hdhntr1]

NU is every other Big Ten team's so-called "trap game" and the opponent they willingly plan Homecoming around. That won't change until the Cats win a couple of conference titles or have a season where they thoroughly dominate. Even any praise of the program and Fitz from national pundits is rooted in this: It's the best a place like Northwestern can do. Meaning winning a few upsets over ranked teams while annually going to some minor bowl. But I want more.

But don't you enjoy seeing that many fans going home unhappy?

 

[zeek55]

Even Rutgers had us as homecoming... though they played Illinois at home 2 weeks prior. Not sure why Illinois wasn't their homecoming game given Illinois' struggles the past couple of years.

Of course they came closer against us than Illinois so I guess there's that..., and they're going to probably go 0-9 this year in the Big Ten anyways...

 

[BigNUFan51]

I always enjoy reading the opponent’s boards after they lose to the Cats, especially teams that were either ranked or had high expectations, since I find insights into both the game and football I didn’t notice since I was focused on the Cats.

First, apparently, one of two of the following must be true:

1) Points your opponents score off turnovers don’t count, while the ones you score off turnovers do or
2) Badger fans are not good at arithmetic any more.

The prevailing wisdom was that since the Cats had 17 points off turnovers and 7 off the roughing the kicker call, the Badgers handed the Cats the game. Since Wisconsin scored 14 points off Cat turnovers, logically, if the Cats only won because of Bucky’s gaffes, either the first statement must be true or 31-24=7 is not greater than 17-14=3. QED

Second, Officials only miss penalties committed by the other team. Multiple posters insisted that the Cat secondary was holding Badger receivers THE WHOLE GAME (in all caps). Since I didn’t notice anything beyond tight coverage, I will need to go back and watch more carefully and/or reread the rules around defensive holding.

Third, while conventional wisdom here is that the Cats O-line coach and offensive coordinator are terrible, in truth the Wisconsin counterparts are the worst in college football because with multiple All Americans on the OLine and an All American running back, the Wisky offense was outrushed by the Cats, who, as everyone knows, have the worst rushing offense in the conference. The conclusion was, since the players are great, it must be coaching, both in failing to impart technique for the linemen and for not calling the touchdown play, which was obvious.

I sure hope next week I can learn more about football from reading the Notre Dame boards!

In fairness Akron fans probably thought that about us after reading our board after their win.

Most of the time in games that are close it really does come down to a few plays that decide it so you can understand a fans frustration. With that said any rational person could see NU was clearly the better team on Saturday. At no point in that game did the Wisconsin offense demonstrate the ability to drive the full length of the field and score.

 

[zeek55]

In fairness Akron fans probably thought that about us after reading our board after their win.

Most of the time in games that are close it really does come down to a few plays that decide it so you can understand a fans frustration. With that said any rational person could see NU was clearly the better team on Saturday. At no point in that game did the Wisconsin offense demonstrate the ability to drive the full length of the field and score.

Not sure I get this comparison.

We have a team full of Big Ten talent; we would be 20 point favorites against Akron any week of the season even though they beat us in that game. That's why that game was a bad loss.


If we played Wisconsin again, the game would probably be a pick 'em; heck the line was down to 4 points when we played them after the Hornibrook announcement.

That's why Wisconsin's loss to us isn't a bad loss. It's also why our loss to Duke isn't a bad loss. We were 3 point favorites against Duke at home (a pick 'em on a neutral field). They might be slight favorites if we played again.

 

[zonairish]

I always enjoy reading the opponent’s boards after they lose to the Cats, especially teams that were either ranked or had high expectations, since I find insights into both the game and football I didn’t notice since I was focused on the Cats.

First, apparently, one of two of the following must be true:

1) Points your opponents score off turnovers don’t count, while the ones you score off turnovers do or
2) Badger fans are not good at arithmetic any more.

The prevailing wisdom was that since the Cats had 17 points off turnovers and 7 off the roughing the kicker call, the Badgers handed the Cats the game. Since Wisconsin scored 14 points off Cat turnovers, logically, if the Cats only won because of Bucky’s gaffes, either the first statement must be true or 31-24=7 is not greater than 17-14=3. QED

Second, Officials only miss penalties committed by the other team. Multiple posters insisted that the Cat secondary was holding Badger receivers THE WHOLE GAME (in all caps). Since I didn’t notice anything beyond tight coverage, I will need to go back and watch more carefully and/or reread the rules around defensive holding.

Third, while conventional wisdom here is that the Cats O-line coach and offensive coordinator are terrible, in truth the Wisconsin counterparts are the worst in college football because with multiple All Americans on the OLine and an All American running back, the Wisky offense was outrushed by the Cats, who, as everyone knows, have the worst rushing offense in the conference. The conclusion was, since the players are great, it must be coaching, both in failing to impart technique for the linemen and for not calling the touchdown play, which was obvious.

I sure hope next week I can learn more about football from reading the Notre Dame boards!

I watched Wisconsin play a few games this year.
That backup QB is terrible or at least needs some time to develop. Wisconsin is a solid team not great not terrible. But bowl quality. Similar NW is a solid team not great but not terrible and is bowl quality but Imo better than whisky. I would guess the only argument they have if only the starter was available and healthy but that is a dumb argument. Yes the back up was bad but that is not why they lost. They lost because the coaches at Wisconsin had a bad game plan and did not execute a very good running game. They put their backup QB in a bad situation So the usual strength of wisconsin did not show up.

 

[pawildcat]

I watched Wisconsin play a few games this year.
That backup QB is terrible or at least needs some time to develop. Wisconsin is a solid team not great not terrible. But bowl quality. Similar NW is a solid team not great but not terrible and is bowl quality but Imo better than whisky. I would guess the only argument they have if only the starter was available and healthy but that is a dumb argument. Yes the back up was bad but that is not why they lost. They lost because the coaches at Wisconsin had a bad game plan and did not execute a very good running game. They put their backup QB in a bad situation So the usual strength of wisconsin did not show up.

Hard to execute a very good running game when your best running back is either getting stuffed or fumbling the ball.

 

[eastbaycat99]

I watched Wisconsin play a few games this year.
That backup QB is terrible or at least needs some time to develop. Wisconsin is a solid team not great not terrible. But bowl quality. Similar NW is a solid team not great but not terrible and is bowl quality but Imo better than whisky. I would guess the only argument they have if only the starter was available and healthy but that is a dumb argument. Yes the back up was bad but that is not why they lost. They lost because the coaches at Wisconsin had a bad game plan and did not execute a very good running game. They put their backup QB in a bad situation So the usual strength of wisconsin did not show up.

Gosh, this week I don’t even have to go to the other team’s board to learn about what I didn’t see last Saturday (or next Saturday!)

 

[MotownMedilldo]

But don't you enjoy seeing that many fans going home unhappy?

Sure. But I enjoyed the 35-0 shutout of the Badgers on Homecoming in 1995 a lot more than the close wins.

 

[zonairish]

Hard to execute a very good running game when your best running back is either getting stuffed or fumbling the ball.

Exactly, NW front 7 is very good