Why NU should want to play Ohio State for the Big Ten title

[lou v]

Here's my column.

WildcatReport - Bring on the Buckeyes! Why NU should want to play OSU for the Big Ten title

Five reasons we want to see Northwestern play Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.

northwestern.rivals.com

 

[NJCat]

Here's my column.

WildcatReport - Bring on the Buckeyes! Why NU should want to play OSU for the Big Ten title

Five reasons we want to see Northwestern play Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.

northwestern.rivals.com

Uh, I think OSU is 5-0, not 4-0 as the story states.....

 

[lou v]

Uh, I think OSU is 5-0, not 4-0 as the story states.....

Typo. Good catch! Thanks.

 

[TheC]

I appreciate the article, but the Ohio State I watched on Saturday would beat us by 5 touchdowns again. Not sure how that would be a good thing.

 

[EvanstonCat]

I appreciate the article, but the Ohio State I watched on Saturday would beat us by 5 touchdowns again. Not sure how that would be a good thing.

I see no downside. We lose, even if we lose big, and it's as everyone expected. Sure it will sting, but we're no worse off. And we get a lesson on how far we are and a sense of the gap that needs to be closed. A lesson to be banked, and a gift.

We win, and it will almost be as good as getting to the CFP in my book. B1G champs and a victory over dOSU. The hate subsides a little. Well maybe not. But, either way, I'll take a shot at that any day, no matter the odds.

 

[mickbula]

Going up vs one of the top 3 talented teams in country will prepare us to play a lesser (although still elite) talented team for our bowl game. We will need to lift our level of performance just to keep it close vs osu? I would love to get byu/coastal carolina/isu/or usc! All would be great games!

 

[eastbaycat99]

A lot would depend on who is healthy for the Cats (the Bucks are so deep it doesn’t matter) but I think this NU team keeps it within 2 touchdowns. Unfortunately, the Cats don’t have enough offense to be a serious upset threat, though.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

Here's my column.

WildcatReport - Bring on the Buckeyes! Why NU should want to play OSU for the Big Ten title

Five reasons we want to see Northwestern play Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.

northwestern.rivals.com

Because it's the only possible way to take the asterisk off the appearance, even though that would only really happen if we come out on top in Indy.

 

[gocatsgo2003]

I see no downside. We lose, even if we lose big, and it's as everyone expected. Sure it will sting, but we're no worse off. And we get a lesson on how far we are and a sense of the gap that needs to be closed. A lesson to be banked, and a gift.

We win, and it will almost be as good as getting to the CFP in my book. B1G champs and a victory over dOSU. The hate subsides a little. Well maybe not. But, either way, I'll take a shot at that any day, no matter the odds.

That's basically it. I just agreed with ECat. I feel woozie.

 

[phatcat]

If we win the B1G, however we do it, then "my email is hashtag I don't care" or whatever Fitz said. But - for argument sake...

So let's say we wallow around and beat Illinois by one score. And we are set up against big bad OSU and they thrash us. Then we do as we often due in bowl games that people actually watch and lose to someone like Texas A&M, by say 20 points.

Really good chance we could lose our last three games, folks. Love our guys and our coaches but am always waiting for the other shoe to drop...on our heads.

I want NU to play good teams and beat them, but not obsessed with it, any more than I am about having every call "right"

 

[lou v]

That's basically it. I just agreed with ECat. I feel woozie.

I had the same exact reaction. I just liked one of ECat's posts. #2020

 

[Figrating]

Good one, L.

If you play a sport, you're presumed to want competition. I watched duh-OSU destroy MSU, and NU could easily be 20 point dogs against them, but bring it on.

 

[Titanium999]

Here's my column.

WildcatReport - Bring on the Buckeyes! Why NU should want to play OSU for the Big Ten title

Five reasons we want to see Northwestern play Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.

northwestern.rivals.com

We can beat them if Bowser is healthy!

 

[TheC]

I had the same exact reaction. I just liked one of ECat's posts. #2020

His post was written to refute one of mine. I feel like I should get some kind of an assist stat for this.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Here's my column.

WildcatReport - Bring on the Buckeyes! Why NU should want to play OSU for the Big Ten title

Five reasons we want to see Northwestern play Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.

northwestern.rivals.com

"This Buckeye team isn’t invincible; they beat Indiana by just seven points after Justin Fields threw three interceptions. NU will have a puncher’s chance."

A poignant point. Add to that the fact that if we see high snaps again in our game, Justin may not be as lucky this time in being able to retrieve them as he was last Saturday. I assume the 21 day rule is going to keep out at least some of the same players, including their more reliable Center, for the Championship Game?

 

[GeauxCatsGeaux]

The Big Ten Championship will be a total sham if we play against Indiana. Indiana deserves to play Iowa championship week. We deserve Ohio State. I would take a 52-3 loss (which I do not think is likely) over playing against Indiana.

I would put the most likely outcome with OSU as a 14-24 point loss where we are competitive for long stretches of the game, and completely dominated for about a quarter's worth of play. But I also think we can win.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

If we win the B1G, however we do it, then "my email is hashtag I don't care" or whatever Fitz said. But - for argument sake...

So let's say we wallow around and beat Illinois by one score. And we are set up against big bad OSU and they thrash us. Then we do as we often due in bowl games that people actually watch and lose to someone like Texas A&M, by say 20 points.

Really good chance we could lose our last three games, folks. Love our guys and our coaches but am always waiting for the other shoe to drop...on our heads.

I want NU to play good teams and beat them, but not obsessed with it, any more than I am about having every call "right"

How is that 3 games? Conference Title game and Bowl game is 2.

 

[phatcat]

How is that 3 games? Conference Title game and Bowl game is 2.

Sorry - sort of a non sequitur. Talked about a close ILL but then jumped to what if we lose that one plus the next two
In fact it would be 4 in a row

 

[klemman]

It depends what NU wants. If they want to have a shot at the Big Crown because arguably the best team is disqualified in a weird season, it makes sense. Otherwise, NU has nothing to lose.

If The Cats win, of course it’s an unquestioned Championship, and it could happen.

If it’s a close game loss, that enhances NU’s rep the way a 7 point loss enhanced IU’s.

I think a blowout OSU win only happens due to turnovers, broken plays, and/or blown defensive assignments- which you can’t predict and has more to do with luck than talent.

If OSU is up by 2-3 scores, and NU players don’t throw in the towel, which I don’t see happening, OSU would play more conservative not wanting to risk injury and save stuff for the playoffs. The result will be a 1-2 score OSU win unless NU pulls an IU and gets close enough to create an upset.

 

[Capiche]

You guys have had a great year but I think Iowa is playing the best football in the West right now and would give us (OSU) a better game. On a bad day we score at least 30-35. I don't think your offense is capable of scoring more than 20-24. Believe me, Ryan Day doesn't know what conservative football is. He would try to score 70 on his mother if she was the opposing coach.

 

[pawildcat]

You guys have had a great year but I think Iowa is playing the best football in the West right now and would give us (OSU) a better game. On a bad day we score at least 30-35. I don't think your offense is capable of scoring more than 20-24. Believe me, Ryan Day doesn't know what conservative football is. He would try to score 70 on his mother if she was the opposing coach.

I wouldn't be so sure. Iowa is not exactly an offensive juggernaut, and OSU would torch their secondary even more than NU's.

 

[CatVideos]

You guys have had a great year but I think Iowa is playing the best football in the West right now and would give us (OSU) a better game. On a bad day we score at least 30-35. I don't think your offense is capable of scoring more than 20-24. Believe me, Ryan Day doesn't know what conservative football is. He would try to score 70 on his mother if she was the opposing coach.

Hey, Capiche! Non capisco.

 

[GeauxCatsGeaux]

You guys have had a great year but I think Iowa is playing the best football in the West right now and would give us (OSU) a better game. On a bad day we score at least 30-35. I don't think your offense is capable of scoring more than 20-24. Believe me, Ryan Day doesn't know what conservative football is. He would try to score 70 on his mother if she was the opposing coach.

As a wise man once said, we'll see.

 

[BigCatCT]

Great stuff Lou. Your description of 2018 championship third qtr reminds me of the energy in the crowd when I was at the 1995 NOrthwestern vs Penn State game.

 

[Jonny2TheP]

Great stuff Lou. Your description of 2018 championship third qtr reminds me of the energy in the crowd when I was at the 1995 NOrthwestern vs Penn State game.

Or about a five minute stretch in the second quarter of the January 1st, 1997 Citrus Bowl. For the Wildcats fans that were in Orlando that day, that five minutes where we scored three unanswered TD's was electric.

I'd prefer to not talk about the other 55 minutes of the game though...