All hail Sparty!
 

Meaningless poll ahead of the (kind of sort of) big game at Iowa. Let's see who has the best crystal ball.

I think MSU goes undefeated in Big Ten but doesn't have the credentials to play for a championship, ending up in a Rose Bowl. Wisconsin and Iowa will be the only two games of note on the schedule, and the Rose Bowl opponent will be the toughest of the season for the Spartans and probably the first to beat them (not that I will be rooting that way of course, but I think some matchups are unlikely for us to win).

I think against the Big Ten this year, we can win out, although in my opinion discipline is already weakening on this team that thinks it can sit out the first half of games until the coaches spank them in the locker room. To me the biggest threat isn't Iowa, which will be tough, but I think have their heads in the game, but a matchup like Penn State or Purdue where they sit out the first half and then get a couple bad breaks in the second half to swing the final result to the other team.

Northwestern (a classy team with weaker athletes on average) could have easily won the last one if even one mishap play occurred during that long run. Thankfully it was mostly a bland grinding second half for MSU with no really huge breaks against them.

I will be shocked if Iowa loses to MSU. That's coming directly from my crystal balls.

I would be shocked if Sparty doesn't end up in the Rose Bowl.

I almost got shocked by the electric watermelon at the top of this page.

I'm not buying into Iowa as much as I was, but it will be interesting to see if MSU wins it. I still think MSU gets the Rose Bowl and not the BCS title game.

Nice to see HB and H_B in agreement.

If they don't lose to Iowa they won't lose this year, including a big win at the Rose Bowl.

So pissed Wisconsin blew that game against MSU, so I am definitely rooting for Iowa to make things interesting in the final weeks.

MSU runs into a hornets nest this weekend. But sparty gets the Roses.

They will lose against Iowa and then find some way to lose creatively to Penn State.

I agree. It puts the Universe in balance and harmony.

I took the train from Detroit to Chicago this weekend to visit a friend of mine in Chicago. It was Sparty central on both trains.

Lot of MSU grads here in Chicago. In fact, there is a bar down the street that flys a Spartan flag and is packed every Saturday. This city is filled with Big 10 grads.

They'd have to lose ULTRA creatively to lose to PSU, jo Pa's boys are shitty.

I don't care as long as they go to the Rose Bowl. Anything better than that, and it's just gravy to me. Anything worse than that, and I'll be disappointed, but I'm used to it as a Lion and Spartan fan.

Thanks guys.


I agree with him all the time! That's why I don't post as much as I might - he's said what I could say, and better than I ever could.

As I MSU fan, I have a pretty good idea how this will go. They will beat Iowa..... and then they will lose the last 3 games. I hate to be negative, but as a Sparty, I guess I am just used to them letting me down.

They will not beat Iowa. We are on a mission. RUIN SPARTYS SEASON!!!!

Shouldn't you be shucking corn or something?

I can't stand Iowa simply because of tarcone, but they should definitely be able to win at home against a good, but not great, MSU team

LOL. Nah, Im in Missouri. Not much corn around to shuck. I have detasseled corn though. What a miserable job that is.

Uh, yeah

Someone in bama making fun of Iowa? Please (I'm not talking sports here)

Well, no need to be let down those last 3 games now eh?

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to the Citrus Bowl we go. Against Alabama. :mad: Not my favorite matchup, but there's nothing to be done about it now. Let's try not to get anyone suspended this time, OK Coach?

Anyway, since nobody cares about this thread anymore (if they ever did), I'll post my thoughts on selected bowl games. Lines are from Bookmaker.com and are for entertainment purposes only.

Dec. 18 - New Mexico Bowl

UTEP +12.5 over BYU

Santa asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said, "Points! Lots of points!" Keep that in mind. I know little about BYU and nothing about UTEP, but it's hard seeing this BYU team being a 12.5 pt favorite against any team not from New Mexico. BTW, this will probably be the best game in that state this year! :p

Dec. 24 - Hawaii Bowl

Tulsa +13 over Hawaii

Hawaii's a good team, but Tulsa isn't exactly sliced Spam.

Dec. 28 - Insight.com Bowl

Missouri +1 over Iowa

The Iowa that beat MSU oh so many weeks ago would have made a game of it. I don't think they'll show up in Tempe.

Dec. 29 - Texas Bowl

Illinois +3 over Baylor

The clock has struck midnight for the Cinderella-ish Baylor team.

Jan. 1 - Outback, Citrus, and Gator Bowls

Penn State +7 over Florida
Michigan State +11.5 over Alabama
Mississippi State -6 over Michigan

Paterno usually finds a way to get it done in bowl games. I don't hate Michigan, but I do hate their defense. Besides, they may or may not have a coach by then. And unproven as MSU is, they really ought to cover this generous spread.

Jan. 1 - Rose Bowl

Wisconsin +2.5 over TCU

I like TCU, but this matchup is going to strain them.

Jan. 7 - Cotton Bowl

LSU PK over Texas A&M

Les Miles pulls out another one at the wire.

Jan. 10 - BCS Championship

Oregon +3 over Auburn
UNDER 74.5

I actually think Oregon is the better team. Given 6 weeks to do it, they'll find a way to slow down the Newton train. Auburn's defense will probably keep 'em under 40. Maybe. 74 1/2 is an awful, awful lot of points, and I don't think they'll quite get there.

'Bama being a -11.5 favorite is based on people still buying into the idea that 'Bama will win by a decent amount just due to the sheer talent the team has. If 'Bama actually showed up it would be a 48-3 blowout. The problem is 'Bama has yet to fully show up all year when they were in place to win another title. If that doesn't motivate you, I highly doubt a non-BCS bowl game will.

So I was partly right. :lol: As impressed as I was at 'Bama, I still can't get over the lack of a "heart of a champion," or even the sheer team's pride that MSU showed in that game.