Last week I flippantly referred to this picture, taken nine minutes before the kickoff at Memorial Stadium for the Indiana-Rutgers game.
I called Memorial Stadium in Bloomington the SAFEST PLACE IN AMERICA!
The Indiana Hoosiers were beaten by Rutgers 31-14. When the Rutgers quarterback runs for an 81 yard touchdown and the Rutgers offense only has 39 yards passing you know the game was much worse than the score indicated.
Rutgers kicking an extra point.
Thankfully it was a nice day. This was taken at the beginning of the 4th quarter. The score at that point was 24-14. It felt like 44-14.
The Dream is Over. No one has supported Coach Tom Allen with more vigor than I have. I believe that. I believed he was going to turn things around. I no longer believe that. And it hurts. I attended Saturday’s game alone. I sat there and listened to Ohio State vs. Penn State while I was watching the Hoosiers. Why? I wanted something in my ears to take me away from the disgruntled Hoosier fans casting aspersion on Coach Allen. I hate that part. I don’t handle it well. It makes me sad. This Saturday the Indiana Hoosiers travel to Penn State. That will make me sad. I was happy when I found out the next home game, against Swissconsin, will kick off at 12 noon. Not exactly a Big Noon Kickoff. I was glad because it means I can come home and watch LSU-Alabama that night.
There is a time to move on. I hope Indiana and Tom Allen can hammer out a treaty at the end of the season that allows him to ride off quietly. It will save us from seeing even worse crowds next year and a root canal of a season that sees Washington, Oregon, USC, and UCLA join the Big Ten (18). Big Ten? That is oxymoronic. And just plain moronic.
I can’t believe I am writing these words. The Dream is Over. I speak the rights.
The season, however, goes on. On to this week’s picks.
Last week was another 9 winners and 5 losers dose like last week.
Season Total 86 winners and 26 losers. I’ll take it.
Here we go again…
Florida State beats Wake Forest… The Seminoles may win it all.
Maryland beats Northwestern… Is there a better story in college football than the way the resilient Wildcats have comported themselves at Northwestern?
Oklahoma beats Kansas…The Sooners roll like it is 1982.
Clemson beats North Carolina State…Clemson has too much speed for the boys in Raleigh.
Texas beats BYU… At Texas. Enough said.
Louisville beats Duke… Jeff Brohm still has to fix the malady of beating a giant one week and losing to a peon the next week. Ask the folks in West Lafayette about that.
Georgia beats Florida… How cool would it be if Florida shows up and gets the breaks?
Minnesota beats Michigan State… Goldy comes off a big one against Iowa. Sparty comes off a big disaster against Michigan.
Notre Dame beats Pitt… And bad. Making U of L’s loss to Pitt worse.
Kentucky beats Tennessee… Yes, I know. That QB for UK can throw better than anything Bama threw last week. 5 TD passes for the Wildcats.
Washington beats Stanford… Michael Penix, Jr. puts on a show.
UCLA beats Colorado… Game of the Day!
Ohio State beats Swissconsin… And Bucky will be mad as heck going to Indiana next week.
Ole Miss beats Vanderbilt… The Rebs roll at home. Big offensive numbers.
And so it goes.
Last Friday night I saw Justin Hayward playing a Gibson 335 for the first time since 2018. That alone was worth driving to Columbus, Ohio for. And this concert was a whole lot better than any college football game I have attended this year. Thank you, Jus.
Speaking the rights.
Danny Johnson