Around the Big Ten, week 1 (and a look at how IU's non-conference opponents fared.

At two points in the second half it looked like we were done. The overturned fumble six would have ended the game had the call stood. Notre Dame's drive that resulted in Michael Floyd's fumble would have started a rout had he not fumbled. Instead, we somehow withstood the storm and still had a chance to win. Coach Hope cited this numerous times in the post-game presser.

The first half was awful, but we were still down only 10 with the ball to start the second half. The third quarter was a near disaster, but after the safety and touchdown the defense was playing inspired football again and got us the ball and a chance to tie. Cortez Smith and Siller each just missed catching deep passes that would have turned the game around.  I would absolutely throw those passes again.

 As far as debut games go, I think that the 23-12 victory over Purdue was a perfect start for the Kelly Era.  I wouldn't have complained if it was 35-7 at the half (like Weis) or a shutout (like Willingham), but we saw competent, solid play in all phases of the game.  The defense tackled, the offense blocked and the special teams were special in a good way.  There were still some shadows of the Weis Era lingering in the Stadium, as the whole sequence following Michael Floyd's fumble -  the safety to the Marve run to Cierre Wood fumbling the kickoff return - had me ready to turn to the heavy stuff in the liquor cabinet.  However, a funny happened on the way to the collapse: The team calmly rallied, it made the stops it needed to and then set up the field goal to make it a two-score game.  Not flashy, but not bad for an afternoon's work.

And so following a three and out that was the best kind of medicine for a Maize and Blue soul, a beleaguered, battered, and kicked-when-down Michigan program limped out to its own four yardline, 96 yards away from a goal that for two seasons has largely eluded the Wolverines. You could almost sense the crowd collectively thinking "again?" when Connecticut downed that punt on the four. To say that we were anxious would be an understatement. After all, Michigan faced a "more talented" squad on the other side of the field, and yet somehow, someway, yesterday was different. The Wolverines took the opening drive and hammered it down the field with an emphasis that would've made all of the Michigan legends from yesteryear grin from ear to ear. The new all-time record crowd of 113,090 sat with jaws agape as Denard Robinson did things that, until now, we've only watched opposing quarterbacks do to our defenses. He tore Connecticut apart, and he did it with his arm AND his legs.

Proponents of college football's bowl system love to point to the fact that the current system means every regular season game matters. Their theory is basically that one loss can derail a season and wreck national title hopes. So sorry, UConn fans, I don't think UConn is winning it all this year. Of course, the flip-side of that theory is that it really only applies to the top 10 or so teams in the country and UConn, as yesterday made painfully clear, is not one of those teams. As such, in the long run, yesterday's game is little more than a three-hour disappointment. The good news is that the Huskies are still 0-0 in the Big East and still have a few weeks to tune-up for a run to the Big East title.

There plenty of different ways we can interpret the Illini's loss to Missouri on Saturday. On the one hand we could say that the Illini, at least for one half, looked poised and took Mizzou off guard with a remarkably balanced offensive and defensive effort. On the other hand, it could simply be an entirely new way for the Illini to lose to their supposed "Arch Rivals." Dwell on what good you can, I suppose. Despite his three interceptions, Scheelhaase looked like he has a real future in college football. He only passed for 81 yards, but he ended up running for 76, and considering he had never seen real live college football action before, I will take that as a net positive. In the first half, the "good half" for the Illini racked up about 200 yards of total offense something that we can at least look to later as proof that the offense has the ability to be successful.

Mizzou should have won by much more. The projected scoring margin was approximately three touchdowns, not just ten points. This is what happens when a) you miss a field goal, b) the other team makes an improbable field goal, c) big penalties go your opponent's way (namely, two iffy roughing penalties and two iffy pass interference penalties), and d) you struggle nearer to the opponent's end zone. You leave points on the board.

I expected a slow start. Instead, Dan Persa was everything I dreamed of and more and threw me a curveball leading NU to a quick 10-0 lead in the first quarter. No worries, the ‘Cats disappeared for two quarters thanks in part to one major game-changing moment (Persa’s fumble). Let’s break it down with The Great, The Good and The Disappointing. The Vandy fans are still booing over the final key play of the game – a personal foul helmet-to-helmet hit on Persa that seemed relatively cut and dry. I’m shaking my head after chewing off my nails saying this is EXACTLY what I expected. A road win in SEC territory? Take it and run.

In an essence, the way I feel about the game is just about the same way I feel about the absurdly poor penalty on Northwestern that gave them a first down that allowed them to run out the clock for the victory: sometimes, you're not sure why things happen in your favor. I'm not quite sure how Northwestern won the game, and I'm not quite sure how a referee saw that hit and decided to get all penalty up on Vanderbilt. But I'm not complaining.

Dominance. Very few people believed Marshall to be a serious competitor in this game, but the level of disparity between the two teams tonight was stunning. Ohio State came out fired up and ready to go, causing a fumble on the very first kickoff, and then putting the ball in the end zone on the fourth play of the drive with a Terrelle Pryor to DeVier Posey touchdown pass. The offensive fireworks continued with three more touchdowns being delivered before halftime, along with a defensive pick six by Brian Rolle, who had a veritable convoy of blockers paving his path to the end zone. That play was a defensive coaches' dream, proving that all those tip drills they do in practice pay off.

We saw it. Boy, did we see it! 11 runs for 79 yards and a TD on the opening drive. I loved the "Hey, Blue Raiders, we're going to run... try to stop us" mentality of the play calling. Reminded me of the Michigan game at the Metrodome in 2006 when the Wolverines sent Mike Hart off-tackle left 6 of the first 8 plays of the game in what amounted to Michigan exerting its will on the Gophers. We found out that the Gophers could control the line of scrimmage, run the ball in short yardage situations, and had a glimpse of the home-run capability of Bennett. Now look, I realize MTSU isn't USC or Ohio State and maybe isn't even on par with the Northwesterns & Michigan States of the Big Ten Conference. But you cannot argue with the production of the running game.

Fans in Las Vegas who had Wisconsin covering the 20 points couldn't have felt too happy about the mistakes that led to two UNLV touchdowns in UW's season opening 41-21 win Saturday night. But even fans who didn't have money on the game have good reason to be unhappy about Scott Tolzien's interception that was returned for a touchdown and Nick Toon's fumble at the five yard line that was returned 82 yards to set up another Rebels score. Those two mistakes made the Badgers look a lot like last year's team -- a group with a very potent offense that unfortunately slipped up at times on the road and handed the opposition free points. The good news is that there was plenty of other evidence -- specifically on defense -- that points to Wisconsin being an even better team than the 2009 squad that won 10 games.

On a beautiful (if windy) day in East Lansing, Your Spartans started the 2010 season on the right foot by defeating the Western Michigan Broncos, 38-14. After MSU took an early 7-0 lead, WMU clearly was the better team during the rest of the first quarter and the opening 3 minutes of the second quarter. But, when ESPN started showing highlights (lowlights?) of last year's CMU debacle, MSU, as if on cue, started on a 3-play 99-yard drive, including a 75-yard run by Le'Veon Bell and Edwin Baker's 7-yard touchdown scamper. State added another touchdown before halftime and never looked back

Robert Bolden was everything we could have imagined and then some. Although the play calling didn't show case his running ability (one carry for one yard), his passing was something to admire, especially for an 18 year old true freshman QB. Bolden finished the day 20-29 for 239 yards 2 TDs and one INT. Brett Brackett, who had the game of his life, was on the receiving end of Bolden's first career completion; a 12 yard strike that Brackett seemed surprised to be on the receiving end of.

The star of the show, especially in the first half, was tailback Adam Robinson, who has a knack for making the most of the opportunities given to him. Last season, the prevailing wisdom was that Brandon Wegher would win the RB duel and take on a featured role over Robinson. But Robinson showed more of a knack for grinding out yards and breaking tackles, and he earned the starter designation he held for the rest of the year. Likewise, this year, the thinking is that Jewel Hampton has the physical gifts to overtake Robinson, and the coaches are certainly going to use him in the platoon starting next week. And maybe Hampton will shine and leave Kirk Ferentz no choice but to give him 20 carries. It's possible.