Toughest Stretch

[NJCat]

The ESPN Big 10 blog is doing features on the toughest stretch for each Big 10 team. NU has featured in all but 1 of the schools so far that have the Cats on the schedule:

Minny: @Neb, NU, Wisc
MSU: @ND, Wisc, @IU, BYU, NU
IU: MSU, @OSU, Neb, @NU
Illinois: MSU, @Wisc, Iowa, @NU

This certainly shows respect for the Cats. FWIW, I think NU's toughest stretch will come early: Duke, Nebraska, @Iowa, @MSU

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/133119/toughest-stretch-michigan-state-spartans

 

[gocatsgo2003]

The ESPN Big 10 blog is doing features on the toughest stretch for each Big 10 team. NU has featured in all but 1 of the schools so far that have the Cats on the schedule:

Minny: @Neb, NU, Wisc
MSU: @ND, Wisc, @IU, BYU, NU
IU: MSU, @OSU, Neb, @NU
Illinois: MSU, @Wisc, Iowa, @NU

This certainly shows respect for the Cats. FWIW, I think NU's toughest stretch will come early: Duke, Nebraska, @Iowa, @MSU

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/133119/toughest-stretch-michigan-state-spartans

A couple of interesting potential selections for NU... I would personally go @ Iowa, @ MSU, Indiana, @ OSU (Indiana at home certainly isn't daunting, but those road trips... yo).

Could also see @MSU, Indiana, @OSU, Wisconsin or the stretch you cited, though I don't think Duke or Nebraska will be all that tough this year. Nebraska might be the most "hot and cold" team I've seen the past couple years (dictated mostly by whether Tommy Armstrong feels like throwing multiple INTs that day or not) while Duke could still very well be working in a QB at that point (Sirk with his Achilles and Boehme without much experience behind him) in addition to some pretty significant losses on the OL and D.

 

[NJCat]

A couple of interesting potential selections for NU... I would personally go @ Iowa, @ MSU, Indiana, @ OSU (Indiana at home certainly isn't daunting, but those road trips... yo)..

ESPN agree with you.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/133135/toughest-stretch-northwestern-wildcats

"And with so much talent returning on defense, a workhorse running back in Justin Jackson and expected improvement from the quarterback position as Clayton Thorsoncontinues to develop, Fitzgerald’s club has the look of a legitimate threat heading into the fall."

The scary thing about this stretch is, NU has done really poorly in October under Fitzgerald. No one seems to know why, whether it is the start of classes or the start of Big 10 play. One way to look at it is, better to have games you are underdog in October since you don't play well anyway that month, and save the shoul-win games for November. The other way is, you usually don't play up to potential in October, and having the headline games that month makes it even less likely NU wins any of them. I'm puling for NU and Fitz to get off the schneid this October!

 

[gocatsgo2003]

ESPN agree with you.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/133135/toughest-stretch-northwestern-wildcats

"And with so much talent returning on defense, a workhorse running back in Justin Jackson and expected improvement from the quarterback position as Clayton Thorsoncontinues to develop, Fitzgerald’s club has the look of a legitimate threat heading into the fall."

The scary thing about this stretch is, NU has done really poorly in October under Fitzgerald. No one seems to know why, whether it is the start of classes or the start of Big 10 play. One way to look at it is, better to have games you are underdog in October since you don't play well anyway that month, and save the shoul-win games for November. The other way is, you usually don't play up to potential in October, and having the headline games that month makes it even less likely NU wins any of them. I'm puling for NU and Fitz to get off the schneid this October!

1. Our program is finally at a point where we shouldn't ever be an "easy out" for anyone in the B1G
2. More than anything else, I think our struggles in October coincide with the start of conference play. Classes starting and all the other things are just noise that coincides with a step-up in the level of competition.

 

[NJCat]

The ESPN Big 10 blog is doing features on the toughest stretch for each Big 10 team. NU has featured in all but 1 of the schools so far that have the Cats on the schedule:

Minny: @Neb, NU, Wisc
MSU: @ND, Wisc, @IU, BYU, NU
IU: MSU, @OSU, Neb, @NU
Illinois: MSU, @Wisc, Iowa, @NU

This certainly shows respect for the Cats. FWIW, I think NU's toughest stretch will come early: Duke, Nebraska, @Iowa, @MSU

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/133119/toughest-stretch-michigan-state-spartans

Add OSU to the list: @Wisky, @PSU, NE, NU

"Northwestern then bringing in one of the toughest defensive units in the country."