By Woodrow Carroll
It was only a few short weeks back that everyone was feeling sorry for the Northwestern University football program. Events surrounding former head coach Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats’ lack of success on the playing field painted a less than pretty picture. Well, things can change in a hurry! From the Northwestern standpoint, things have quickly changed for the better.
Entering the weekend games, Northwestern (4-4, 2-3) has a better record than Illinois (3-5, 1-4), something few observers envisioned a short time ago.
Both Illinois and Northwestern will take on Big Ten West Division foes starting at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Northwestern will be host to Iowa while Illinois will take a journey to the University of Minnesota.
Something worth thinking about! Illinois will play host to Northwestern, November 25, in the final regular-season contest for both teams. Imagine a bowl berth at stake for one or both teams.
Take nothing away from the power teams: Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, in the Big Ten East Division. Yet, the race for the Big Ten West leadership is far more exciting. All seven members of the West Division are still alive in the divisional hunt.
Let’s throw Mid-American Conference member Northern Illinois into the mix. The Huskies (4-4 and 3-1) had a game at Central Michigan Tuesday night this week. Northern Illinois has gone from 1-4 overall to 4-4 and moved back into the college bowl game picture.
Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois all have a lot in common, and, not just that each has lost to Nebraska. All three programs have fighting prospects of making it to a bowl game. However, each of those three schools has little room for error if a bowl game is to be attained.
There are 133 CBS (College Bowl Subdivision) teams going at it this season. To finish on top such Georgia did last season is the aim of each school, although reality dictates that only a select number of teams have a shot at winning the National championship at the beginning of the season.
There were eight undefeated teams, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State, Washington, Air Force, Liberty, and James Madison, entering weekend games. It is possible that four teams could go undefeated when you consider Air Force, Liberty and James Madison, are teams with no realistic shot at playing for the National championship. Going undefeated and playing in a bowl game is the upper limit for Air Force. Liberty, and James Madison.
Hard to say what it proves, however, Liberty and James Madison are both Virginia schools. The Liberty University Flames are based in Lynchburg and the James Madison Dukes call Harrisonburg home.
James Madison has some additional concerns. The Dukes are a second-year FBS program and are seeking a bowl waiver. There is generally a two-year waiting period before bowl participation is allowed for teams moving into the upper FBS ranks.
So far, only one CBS team has failed to record that initial victory, the Sam Houston State Bearkats.
Sam Houston State, in Huntsville, Texas, is a recent newcomer to collegiate football’s top echelons. Long a player in the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision), the Bearkats are finding the going rough.
A member of Conference USA, Sam Houston State stands 0-8 and 0-5 in conference. Despite the record, the Bearkats have not been embarrassed. Five of the Bearkats eight defeats have come by 10 points or less. Undefeated Conference USA leader, Liberty, only beat the Bearkats, 21-16.