Oh yeah, the college football year is rumblin’, bumblin’ and stumblin’ like a 320-pound defensive tackle who just scooped up the brown, oblong pill and ran it 60 yards to paydirt.
It’s the second weekend in October and most teams already have a taste of conference play. Conference play is where the wide-eyed dreamers are separated from the real-deal contenders.
And what is more exciting than listening to ABC color commentators Brent Musberger and Keith Jackson get all worked up for Big Ten and Pac-10 games, respectively.
The Big Ten conference always seems to feature, at least once a week, a matchup that’s worth talking about the rest of that Saturday and into Sunday. (Of course there is an exception for games that feature the Illinois schools - at least this year that is).
Last week for instance, the Iowa Hawkeyes played a nail-biter and narrowly defeated Purdue 31-28. It’s just proof that conference play always raises the intensity of the teams, which knock it down and drag it out until the final whistle blows.
Let’s look at some of the interesting conference matchups this weekend. Let’s start with the Big Ten. Known for its rugged running attack and menacing linebackers.
This weekend the Nittany Lions, aka Linebacker U, take on the Wolverines.
Penn State marched into Camp Randall Stadium last weekend and ransacked the pesky Wisconsin Badgers.
The Wolverines have shown they have the ability to consistently make big plays to win.
“Welcome everybody to the house that Yost built. I’m talking, of course, about the Big House in Ann Arbor, where the 13th-ranked Maize-and-Blue will take on the 15th-ranked Nittany Lions of Penn State,” I can anticipate Musberger saying with a gleam in his eye and overexcited tone of voice for Saturday’s showdown.
The only thing better than hearing Musberger screech is seeing Joe Pa take the opening kickoff to the house. That 76-year-old has speed.
MSU and Iowa doesn’t sound like a solid matchup, but MSU has something to prove after taking three of five at home to start the season. Plus, Iowa is enjoying a No. 17 national ranking and the satisfaction that MSU has struggled with the team in the recent past.
MSU handled Northwestern in a less than exciting Big Ten opener, and now face the conference co-leader, who are eager to throw another curveball at the Spartans. MSU still has a chance to turn things around, and a victory in Iowa City should point them in the right direction.
My last exhibit will be the granddaddy of all college football games this weekend, Longhorns vs. Sooners, No. 2 vs. No. 3.
Chris Simms, Roy Williams, Nate Hybl and Trent Smith will be on display in the Red River Shootout. If this game doesn’t get your blood boiling, I don’t know what will. Simms has had trouble in big games in the past, and this year’s his chance to prove he’s legit.
The Sooners defense won’t be turned away and don’t expect this one to be a high-scoring affair.
Well, that’s my spiel on conference play, I hope you enjoyed it. And I’ll leave you with a final Jacksonism:
“Whoa, Nelly. Put the women and children to bed, the Longhorns and the Sooners coming up next.”
Ryan Wallace is the State News sports editor. Reach him at wallac89@msu.edu.
