Joy is postponed. We are delaying gratification.
We are in the midst of one of the best times of the year for football and basketball fans, especially in college competition. The transition from one sport to another brings clarity to football races and expectations to the basketball world. It is muted this year.
To state the obvious, around Thanksgiving Day college and high school football games focus on championships. Bowl possibilities in college come into view. Basketball begins with high hopes. High schools fans enjoy days of tournament games.
The scene is not completely devoid in college. Limitations exist, however, do not plan to point that out to Northwestern University football fans and the University of Illinois men’s basketball fans. Meanwhile, both schools revel in the success of first-year, but, veteran quarterback transfers, Peyton Ramsey at Northwestern and Brandon Peters at Illinois.
Northwestern’s football team moved up to No. 11 ranking in the latest Associated Press poll from No. 19, following its 17-7 victory over 10th ranked Wisconsin Saturday and has three regular season games, all against Big Ten teams with records now under .500, on its way to a December 19 Big Ten championship game with the East Division champion. Northwestern should be highly-wary of upsets!
Illinois men’s basketball fans are excited about a No. 8 preseason ranking entering Wednesday’s opening game this week. The Illinois ranking is based on last season’s strong finish and two players who passed up on the recent NBA draft to return this season, Ayo Donsunmu, a 6-5 perimeter player and Kofi Cockburn (pronounced Coburn), 7-0 rebounding machine. The incoming recruiting class is strong.
Northwestern’s football team has been helped by players familiar to high school football fans in northern Illinois, Joe Spivak, 6-0 and 300 pounds, starting senior defensive tackle from Montini Catholic, and Devin O’Rourke, second team sophomore defensive end from Lincoln-Way East.
Ramsey, a fifth-year transfer, likely is the most responsible for the Wildcats’ success. He has brought stability and an accurate passing arm. He was honorable mention at Indiana University last year.