LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — When No. 9 Indiana visits No. 3 Ohio State Saturday it will be the 99th time the Buckeyes have played a matchup of Top 10 teams. OSU will tie Oklahoma atop that list.
This will be the first time IU has played in a regular season Top 10 matchup. The Hoosiers did play No. 1 USC and O.J. Simpson in one of those games in the Rose Bowl at the end of the 1967 season.
The wise guys have delivered their opinions: Ohio State by 21.
If the Buckeyes win by three touchdowns or more — and they defeated Indiana by 41 last season in Bloomington — I’ll bump them to No. 1 next week.
On to the Top 5/Bottom 5
Top 5
1. Notre Dame (8-0) — I wanted to see if you were paying attention. Maybe inspire a few emails. Get some folks to tell me why I’m wrong.
And certainly stir up the "ACC Should MAKE Notre Dame join the conference" crowd.
Eight wins. Beat Clemson. Three road wins. No post-Clemson letdown against Boston College. Clutch QB.
And a polarizing pick.
2. Ohio State (3-0) — Every time I look at Justin Fields’ numbers, I’m more convinced they are fake — completion percentage of nearly 87 percent; 11 touchdowns, 11 incompletions, 0 interceptions.
Georgia letting Justin Fields transfer is worse than the White Sox trading Fernando Tatis Jr.
3. Alabama (6-0) — The Crimson Tide opened as a 31-point favorite against Kentucky Saturday — and the wise guys quickly bet the number down to 30. I’ll take that as a sign that Alabama is overrated.
4. Clemson (7-1) — Remember when Clemson-Florida State was the Game of the Year in college football?
Now Bama-UK is considered a closer game. Tigers by 33.
5. Cincinnati (7-0) — Hat tip to former St. Xavier star Desmond Ridder, who has passed for nearly 1,500 yards and run for 469, averaging nearly 9 yards per attempt for the Bearcats, who are building support to crash the four-team national playoff.
Bottom 5
5. Michigan Administrators — Even the cardboard cutouts booed Saturday night when the Wolverines were pummeled by Wisconsin.
Michigan tried Rich Rodriguez. Didn’t work. Tried Brady Hoke. Flop. Tried what Bo Schembechler always demanded — a Michigan man. Jim Harbaugh is on the gun lap of his time in Ann Arbor.
Do you think Urban Meyer would ... how about Nick ...
They’re open to suggestions.
4. Michigan Special Teams: The Wolverines have the worst field goal kicker in the Big Ten. Five attempts. Two makes. They’re also 11th in the league in kickoff return defense.
3. Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis — On the books for a salary of $900,000 (without possible bonuses), Gattis has not developed a Justin Fields (or even a Brian Griese) in Ann Arbor, despite a string of four-star recruits.
2. Michigan defensive coordinator Dom Brown — Bottom half of the Big Ten in scoring, rushing, passing and total defense. First in the Big Ten in salary for an assistant coach at $1.5 million.
1. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh — The Wolvernines have been outscored 114 to 56 in their last three defeats. It’s Year Six of his seven-year, $52.1 million deal. It’s his party and you can cry if you want to.
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