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Indiana Preview and Prediction
By Jersey Cat
Matchup: Indiana Hoosiers (3-3, 1-2) at Northwestern Wildcats (3-3, 2-1)
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2016, 11:00 am CDT
TV: BTN
Line: Northwestern (-1.5); O/U: 52.5
Outlook:
Did somebody get the license plate on that offensive juggernaut that
plowed through East Lansing last weekend? Many a Northwestern fan
were raising an eyebrow at the display put forth by the Wildcats as NU
scored more points than a visiting team has ever scored at Michigan
State. The Wildcats managed to give up points on bad, and then
fluky, plays. But rather than wilt, they responded.
It didn’t start well, with Michigan State getting a pick-six before the
first quarter was half over to take a 14-0 lead. Then something
incredible happened. A Wildcat touchdown, another one, a safety,
a field goal, and NU had a turned a 14-0 deficit into a 19-17 lead at
the half.
The third quarter was about as exciting as they come. NU came out
of the gate firing in the second half, putting up two TDs to take a
33-17 lead, but Sparty came back with TD passes of 59 and 86 yards
after switching quarterbacks to get back within two at 33-31.
Solomon Vault took the ensuing kickoff to the house for the ‘Cats to
take the lead back to nine, which is as close as Sparty would get the
rest of the way.
Justin Jackson continues to be a workhorse. He went for 188 yards
on 34 carries against Michigan State. The more you see of him,
the more you are impressed. More quick than fast, Jackson seems
to always find a way to get positive yardage, and is about as good as
they come in waiting for his block to develop to spring a big
run. His two touchdowns in East Lansing were things of beauty.
Clayton Thorson, even with a pick-six, had the game of his career to
date. He hit on 77% of his passes, going 27 of 35 for 281 yards,
while throwing for 3 touchdowns and running for another. Wideout
Austin Carr continued his brilliance with 11 catches for 130 yards and
2 TDs.
Even the defense deserves some credit. You might think with
Sparty scoring 40 points it was a disaster, but with a pick-six, a
fluke TD that hit DB Godwin Igwebuike twice on a bomb, and a blocked
punt that turned into a field goal, the defense was pretty good.
NU got four sacks, and stopped the MSU rushing attack cold.
On top of it all, this Lowes Liner may have been most impressed by the
aggressive playcalling on offense with a lead. A beautiful draw
on 3rd and 9 that goes for a touchdown? A pass to the end zone on
4th & 6 for another TD? Have we finally turned a corner?
Exciting, yes, and certainly yearning for more, but forgive me if I’m
not yet drinking the Kool-Aid. Northwestern goes on the road and
wins a game or two as a sizeable underdog. They come back home,
expectations are heightened, and NU is a favorite in Evanston.
What does this scenario have in common with The Godfather, Caddyshack,
and Animal House? It’s that we’ve seen this movie before.
Not sure why, and I may be completely off base, but it seems the
strategy and/or execution is different at home or as a favorite.
Someone of you can go look it up, but anecdotally, it just seems that
way.
Are the Wildcats a better team than Indiana? I would say yes, but
this is not your father’s Hoosier football team. Indiana
has not only played well, but been competitive in all three of their
losses to Wake Forest, Nebraska, and Ohio State. They have a
much-improved defense from a year ago, which has allowed them to stay
in those games, and they’ll probably get to a bowl game for the second
year in a row, which hasn’t happened in Bloomington in a quarter
century.
How will the ‘Cats come out at home after two big wins on the
road? The defense looks good, and the offense is starting to
click. Will it be enough, or will the weight of expectations be
too much for NU to get the W?
As for the movies, we know how they end: Michael has the heads of
the five families knocked off, Bushwood Country Club is decimated by
Carl’s explosives, and the Deltas exact their revenge at being kicked
off campus. Similarly, NU fails to live up to expectations at
home, blowing a winnable game late.
Pick: Indiana 27, Northwestern 24. Take the Hoosiers and the points.
Season to Date: 0-5 straight up, 1-3-1 against the spread. (clearly for entertainment value only)
The Lowes Line is an
e-mailed description of NU's
next
football game, with an invariably fearless prediction of the outcome
and
how NU will fare against what the other "experts" predict. Our
good
friend and Brother Marcus Lowes began the broadcast mailing in 1996.
The crack Lowes Line Staff (alumni Jersey Cat,
GallopingGrapes, Eric Cockerill, Joel Kanvik, Charlie Simon, and
MO'Cats) continued the Line in memory of Marcus, beginning in 1999.
For
the 2016 season it has returned to HailToPurple.com,
for anyone to enjoy. Thanks to the gridiron brain trust at the Lowes
Line!
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