By Woodrow Carroll
Interest in the Ohio State University-at-University of Michigan football game at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 takes precedence among the majority of those following Big Ten Conference, and we need to keep in mind that most of the Conference teams have targets of their own. In most cases targets are bowl games, or, victories that lead to bowl games with bigger payouts.
It is very possible that the State’s three FBS teams, Illinois, Northwestern, and Northern Illinois, each could finish 6-6 overall. Six victories usually is the magic number for inclusion in a bowl game. Depending on the number of teams with six victories, there may be a need to include one of more teams that end up finishing the regular season with 5-7 records. But, that is another story.
If Illinois, 5-6, gets that sixth victory, the Fighting Illini will have to beat visiting Northwestern, 6-5, in a 2:30 p.m. start Saturday, Nov. 25 in Champaign. The Northwestern Wildcats punched their bowl ticket Saturday, Nov. 18 with a 23-15 victory over Purdue.
Written off early in the campaign with the specter of a hazing scandal hanging over the athletic program, the Wildcats have been a revelation. The thought of denying Illinois a bowl berth with a victory over the Illini conjures up pleasant thoughts to the Wildcat faithful.
With Lovie Smith coaching the Fighting Illini recently, the Wildcats won all five of their meetings with Northwestern. The past two seasons with, Bret Bielema calling the shots in Champaign, the Illini have downed the Wildcats each time.
Now, let’s touch upon Northern Illinois’ postseason prospects.
Tuesday of last week, the NIU Huskies, 5-6, downed visiting Western Michigan, 24-0, to bring down the curtain on team’s home schedule. The Northern Illinois bowl picture is much like the Illinois scene, however, Northern Illinois closes on the road. The Huskies play at Kent State at 11 a.m. Saturday seeking a sixth victory with a bowl game in mind.
In Kent State, the Huskies have a very beatable foe. The Golden Flashes are 1-10 overall with the team’s lone conquest a victory over lightly-regarded Central Connecticut.
Saturday’s Ohio State-at-Michigan meeting will determine Iowa’s opponent in the Big Ten Championship Game, Saturday, Dec. 2, in Indianapolis. game is between two highly-ranked teams, each 11-0 overall and 8-0 in the Conference.
The Mid-American Conference determined last week the two MAC teams that will vie for the MAC championship. With a 23-10 victory over Buffalo, the Miami Ohio RedHawks set up a rematch with Toledo for the MAC championship December 2 in Detroit. Toledo beat Miami, 21-17.
Toledo goes into this week’s Conference finale at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 25 at Central Michigan, intending to close out the regular season 11-1. Keep in mind that Central Michigan is gunning for the sixth victory needed to go to a bowl game. So, the Rockets need to beware!
The legend of Jerry Kill continues to grow. Kill, who previously coached at Southern Illinois University, Northern Illinois, and Minnesota, among other schools, has worked a minor miracle in Southern New Mexico with the New Mexico State.
Taking over a long-moribund football program in Las Cruces, Kill has the Aggies 9-3 overall and 6-1 in the Conference USA race. Undefeated Liberty leads the Conference and beat the Aggies, 33-17, earlier this season The real eye-opener for Kill and the New Mexico State University (NMSU) program was the Aggies’ 31-10 victory at Auburn Saturday, Nov. 18. Prior to last weekend, New Mexico State was 0-24 facing teams from the SEC (Southeastern Conference. The victory was the seventh straight for NMSU and moved the Aggies into others receiving votes in the polls.
New Mexico State will play host to Jacksonville State Saturday, Nov. 25, then will plays at unbeaten Liberty the following Friday.