Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg
Ask and you shall receive (an answer, that is).
Collin from Atlanta writes: Adam,If you are Kirk Ferentz, who are you rooting for in the OSU/PSU game?On the one hand, if OSU loses even if iowa loses at the shoe they still win the tie break with Penn State if Iowa wins at home against Northwestern and Minnesota. On the other hand, if Ohio State beats Penn State and Iowa then beats Ohio State, it would give us another quality road win against what would be a much more highly ranked OSU team and would probably help us in the computer component of the BCS.Given the tight games we have been in, my gut says root for PSU to ensure a rose bowl berth. Thoughts?
Adam Rittenberg: It's a great question, but I think any competitor would shoot for the highest goal, and for Iowa, that's a perfect season. Iowa has shown an amazing belief in its ability to win games, and the Hawkeyes will head to Columbus with full faith that they'll prevail. I'm sure Ferentz is fully focused on his own team and the upcoming Northwestern game, but I would think he'll want Ohio State to edge Penn State in a close contest. The Buckeyes would move into the top 15 and give Iowa a chance for another signature road win. An Ohio State loss to Penn State, especially a convincing loss, would diminish an Iowa win next week in Columbus in the eyes of many. But I totally understand the fans rooting for Penn State to win, given the Rose Bowl implications.
Mike from Howell, Mich., writes: Adam, facts are facts. Don't be lazy like the Detroit media and not try to uncover them. Fact, RR was hired the day before the dead period. Fact, the last hire on his staff that year was a DC. Fact, that DC was then fired after the 1st season. Fact, 15 kids (Carr recruits) on the defensive side of the ball from the 05-07 years afre no longer on the team for many reasons, injuries, grades, transfers, dismissals and most importantly bcz they flat out just couldn't play. They can only sign 25 per year. You knew based on what I pointed out earlier he would load up on O recruits. And now 3 DC's in 3 years. This will be the first offseason in 3 years with continuity on the coaching staff. But nobody wants to look at these facts. Everybody wants to be lazy and fire the coach.
Adam Rittenberg: Mike, I never called for Michigan to fire Rich Rodriguez. He deserves at least another year to get things on track. But I'm tired of hearing excuses about how many problems the program had when he took over. Yes, there was a lot of attrition on defense, and yes, they signed a lot of recruits for the offensive side. But how many of the problems at the beginning were Rodriguez's own doing? I understand being patient with this program, but when the team doesn't improve over the course of the season, something is wrong. And it doesn't have to do with things that happened back in 2007. Michigan was very fortunate to be 4-0, but it had a great chance to make strides in October. Instead, the team regressed in every area.
Josh from Bellefonte, Pa., writes: Adam if Penn State and Iowa both make a BCS bowl obviously Iowa would get the Rose bowl but which bowl do u think PSU would wind up in and who would they play?
Adam Rittenberg: If Penn State wins out to finish 11-1, it will almost certainly head to a BCS bowl, most likely the Fiesta. If Texas wins out, the Fiesta would lose the Big 12 champion and be able to select two at-large teams. Unless Notre Dame is in play, an 11-1 Penn State team would take precedence over any other at-large possibility. So I'm betting on the Fiesta Bowl for Joe Paterno's squad if it runs the table.
James from Iowa City, Iowa, writes: Hey Adam love the blog. If Florida, Alabama or Texas would have had a game like Iowa did on Saturday everybody on ESPN would be saying it was a "gutsy" win and it showed a lot of poise. But apparently if you do it 8 times in one season you're "lucky". What are your thoughts on Iowa not receiving any love? And am I just going to hear the same old "big ten is weak" argument?
Adam Rittenberg: Maybe some people get tired of gutsy wins, but having witnessed four of them from Iowa, I sure don't. I think ESPN's BCS expert Brad Edwards put it best in Monday's chat, when he wrote, "I think people need to take a step back and remember that Iowa never announced itself as a national title contender, and Kirk Ferentz has yet to do anything that could be considered campaigning. This team is simply laying it on the line each week in an effort to win the Big Ten. I think conference champion is all Iowa ever wanted to have a chance to be, and people are treating them as if they've been claiming to be the premier team in the country." Winning the Big Ten has been and should be Iowa's goal from here on out. Everything else is gravy. But I know this: Ferentz and his players aren't having the same debates about the BCS that we are. They're just taking care of business on the field every Saturday.
Ask and you shall receive (an answer, that is).
Collin from Atlanta writes: Adam,If you are Kirk Ferentz, who are you rooting for in the OSU/PSU game?On the one hand, if OSU loses even if iowa loses at the shoe they still win the tie break with Penn State if Iowa wins at home against Northwestern and Minnesota. On the other hand, if Ohio State beats Penn State and Iowa then beats Ohio State, it would give us another quality road win against what would be a much more highly ranked OSU team and would probably help us in the computer component of the BCS.Given the tight games we have been in, my gut says root for PSU to ensure a rose bowl berth. Thoughts?
Adam Rittenberg: It's a great question, but I think any competitor would shoot for the highest goal, and for Iowa, that's a perfect season. Iowa has shown an amazing belief in its ability to win games, and the Hawkeyes will head to Columbus with full faith that they'll prevail. I'm sure Ferentz is fully focused on his own team and the upcoming Northwestern game, but I would think he'll want Ohio State to edge Penn State in a close contest. The Buckeyes would move into the top 15 and give Iowa a chance for another signature road win. An Ohio State loss to Penn State, especially a convincing loss, would diminish an Iowa win next week in Columbus in the eyes of many. But I totally understand the fans rooting for Penn State to win, given the Rose Bowl implications.
Mike from Howell, Mich., writes: Adam, facts are facts. Don't be lazy like the Detroit media and not try to uncover them. Fact, RR was hired the day before the dead period. Fact, the last hire on his staff that year was a DC. Fact, that DC was then fired after the 1st season. Fact, 15 kids (Carr recruits) on the defensive side of the ball from the 05-07 years afre no longer on the team for many reasons, injuries, grades, transfers, dismissals and most importantly bcz they flat out just couldn't play. They can only sign 25 per year. You knew based on what I pointed out earlier he would load up on O recruits. And now 3 DC's in 3 years. This will be the first offseason in 3 years with continuity on the coaching staff. But nobody wants to look at these facts. Everybody wants to be lazy and fire the coach.
Adam Rittenberg: Mike, I never called for Michigan to fire Rich Rodriguez. He deserves at least another year to get things on track. But I'm tired of hearing excuses about how many problems the program had when he took over. Yes, there was a lot of attrition on defense, and yes, they signed a lot of recruits for the offensive side. But how many of the problems at the beginning were Rodriguez's own doing? I understand being patient with this program, but when the team doesn't improve over the course of the season, something is wrong. And it doesn't have to do with things that happened back in 2007. Michigan was very fortunate to be 4-0, but it had a great chance to make strides in October. Instead, the team regressed in every area.
Josh from Bellefonte, Pa., writes: Adam if Penn State and Iowa both make a BCS bowl obviously Iowa would get the Rose bowl but which bowl do u think PSU would wind up in and who would they play?
Adam Rittenberg: If Penn State wins out to finish 11-1, it will almost certainly head to a BCS bowl, most likely the Fiesta. If Texas wins out, the Fiesta would lose the Big 12 champion and be able to select two at-large teams. Unless Notre Dame is in play, an 11-1 Penn State team would take precedence over any other at-large possibility. So I'm betting on the Fiesta Bowl for Joe Paterno's squad if it runs the table.
James from Iowa City, Iowa, writes: Hey Adam love the blog. If Florida, Alabama or Texas would have had a game like Iowa did on Saturday everybody on ESPN would be saying it was a "gutsy" win and it showed a lot of poise. But apparently if you do it 8 times in one season you're "lucky". What are your thoughts on Iowa not receiving any love? And am I just going to hear the same old "big ten is weak" argument?
Adam Rittenberg: Maybe some people get tired of gutsy wins, but having witnessed four of them from Iowa, I sure don't. I think ESPN's BCS expert Brad Edwards put it best in Monday's chat, when he wrote, "I think people need to take a step back and remember that Iowa never announced itself as a national title contender, and Kirk Ferentz has yet to do anything that could be considered campaigning. This team is simply laying it on the line each week in an effort to win the Big Ten. I think conference champion is all Iowa ever wanted to have a chance to be, and people are treating them as if they've been claiming to be the premier team in the country." Winning the Big Ten has been and should be Iowa's goal from here on out. Everything else is gravy. But I know this: Ferentz and his players aren't having the same debates about the BCS that we are. They're just taking care of business on the field every Saturday.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.
BIG TEN SCOREBOARD
Saturday, 11/21
Final 10 Ohio State 21 Michigan 10 Final Minnesota 0 13 Iowa 12 Final 16 Wisconsin 31 Northwestern 33 Final Purdue 38 Indiana 21 Final 14 Penn State 42 Michigan State 14
