https://twitter.com/CircaSports/status/2101762911136088201?s=20
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I didn't see NW play this weekend, but this seems like a big number.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
I took NW and the points so look for IU to win by 50.I didn't see NW play this weekend, but this seems like a big number.
@bradstevens I'll see where it is when I get home Thursday and maybe I can place a bet that somehow has both of us losing.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
Now I haven’t gotten a “actual” Final Score prediction correct since about 2006 so take this bit of advice with that grain of salt.
From what I saw of them against Colorado I think these guys are going to give us all we want and maybe a bit more… It wouldn’t surprise me, at all, if this turned out to be an Overtime game.
I personally wouldn’t touch that 21.5 point spread with someone else’s 10 foot pole… I’m thinking this will be in the 1 point to 3 point range either way…
Now I haven’t gotten a “actual” Final Score prediction correct since about 2006 so take this bit of advice with that grain of salt.
From what I saw of them against Colorado I think these guys are going to give us all we want and maybe a bit more… It wouldn’t surprise me, at all, if this turned out to be an Overtime game.
I personally wouldn’t touch that 21.5 point spread with someone else’s 10 foot pole… I’m thinking this will be in the 1 point to 3 point range either way…
A game that close would be a flashing red light. IU has a far more expensive roster.
Now I haven’t gotten a “actual” Final Score prediction correct since about 2006 so take this bit of advice with that grain of salt.
From what I saw of them against Colorado I think these guys are going to give us all we want and maybe a bit more… It wouldn’t surprise me, at all, if this turned out to be an Overtime game.
I personally wouldn’t touch that 21.5 point spread with someone else’s 10 foot pole… I’m thinking this will be in the 1 point to 3 point range either way…
Deon is a horrible coach. Colorado is a broken team. The line looks fair to me, but I see this as the game where IU really gets it together and wins by more. Think Gig, Haines, and the team have been a little humbled and are now hungry. Now Rutgers.....that could be a crap game to watch.
Now I haven’t gotten a “actual” Final Score prediction correct since about 2006 so take this bit of advice with that grain of salt.
From what I saw of them against Colorado I think these guys are going to give us all we want and maybe a bit more… It wouldn’t surprise me, at all, if this turned out to be an Overtime game.
I personally wouldn’t touch that 21.5 point spread with someone else’s 10 foot pole… I’m thinking this will be in the 1 point to 3 point range either way…
I'm really curious to see what Kelly does on offense. If I didn't absolutely despise rooting against points, I'd consider betting the under.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
How many teams with more highly paid rosters did We beat last fall…?
They (NW) have very good coaches, which to me is worth about $$15-20 mil in roster cash and their starting 22 is good enough,on their best day, to beat a whole lot of teams… Here’s hoping we’re not one of them…
If we did lose to them it would just tell me that our players and staff Are mortal and may need another couple of games to become the TEAM most of us hope they’ll be…
Yep. If The Athletics numbers from that post are close. They have Northwestern as about $24 million bucks so about 40-44 rank, and Indiana about $38 million bucks and 12-15th. So Northwestern has spent big ten level money and have big ten level coaches. So if they chose wisely I'm sure a $24 million roster can be very competitive or even beat most teams.
Right now I am thinking we lead by 3-7 at half, 7-10 after 3, and win by 13-17. That's using my rose colored Indiana fan glasses too! But, we could do much better. I'll give us 80 to 20 chance of winning. (Feels high, but the point spread I am thinking actually says higher winning chances.)
Starts with the defense who is going up against a good QB and good OC, so a tough assignment. If we handle their ends that Cig listed as a concern, I think our offense will be good.
Not sure how many higher spend teams Cig has beaten. Plenty. But Indiana surprised a bunch of schools in 2024 by spending what it took to get competitive, so already that year guessing we outspent many of the teams we played. Behind Michigan, Ohio State, Notre Dame, not sure on Nebraska, Washington? Ahead of the others? Maryland, Purdue, Michigan State, UCLA. Last year same, outspent by Michigan, Penn State, Oregon, Ohio State, I assume Alabama and Miami. But ahead of a bunch of others. We are ahead of many or most now though.
Takes players, AND coaching.
@kkott that dude is the worst.... after the game is over if we win handedly he'll be saying 'i am glad to be wrong.' if it's a close game or we lose he'll be saying 'i told you so'
@curtdog I'm not rooting for us to lose of course, but it will be interesting to see how the fanbase reacts when it does finally happen. I'd have not believed they/we could have such expectations in a scant 2 years.
@kkott Not predicting it happens on Friday. But Aiden Chiles can be pretty damned good when he's on. And the NW staff appears to be putting him in a great situation to be "on" more often. They were a bowl team last year, and upgraded their talent a fair bit. Excited to see how it plays out.
@kkott I think it'll depend on who we lose to, and where. I think if we were to lose, at home, to Northwestern, there will be some pretty big negative reactions. But a loss at Nebraska, Michigan, or Washington, or home to OSU... different vibe, I'm sure. Cig taught us about not putting self imposed limitations on our IU football team. But I think going undefeated again is pretty unlikely. More or less unlikely than beating Oregon twice, winning at Iowa and at PSU, beating OSU in the B10 championship game, destroying Bama, and beating Miami in the Natty game on their home field? I'd say more likely than that, but still unlikely.