Looking Back At Our 2009 Predictions

We probably should have done this post months ago, but we had plenty of other content to keep us busy then...plus since when do we do anything around here on any sort of schedule?

I thought it might be fun to look back at our Big Ten football predictions from last year and see how we did. I think college football is a lot easier to predict, but that could just be because I follow it so closely. Oh, and the NBA is easy to figure out, too, since it's rigged.

Anyway, here's what our off-the-cuff, half-assed analysis shook out last year and how we did.

Indiana -- BS Prediction: 3-9. Actual: 4-8.

One game off on the Hoosiers, who got off to their customary 3-0 start before stabbing their fans in the heart by dropping 7 of 8 to wrap things up.

Michigan -- BS Prediction: 5-7. Actual: 5-7.

We're so S-M-R-T! Michigan actually surprised a lot of people by starting 4-0, including a win over powerhouse (and ranked) Notre Dame, culminating with the maize and blue being ranked. Then they lost every legit game left on their schedule, only winning over Delaware State, who I think MGoBlog referred to as "Baby Seal U."

Illinois -- BS Prediction: 6-6. Actual: 3-9.

We were overly optimistic, it turns out, on the Illini, but they were just two years off a Rose Bowl season. We did say the "worst case" was 3-9, but expecting an experienced team to finish worse than the 6-6 we predicted was hard to envision, even for negative guys like us.

Iowa -- BS Prediction: 8-4. Actual: 10-2.

We weren't big believers in Stanzi, but we definitely knew Iowa was good. We missed the boat on just how good, though. But not by a lot.

Michigan State -- BS Prediction: 10-2. Actual: 6-6.

No, here's where we missed by a lot. For some reason, I fell in love with MSU football last year. Here's what I wrote:

MSU is going to be good. Really good. Barring John L. Smith flashbacks, this program is headed in the right direction. Toughest (and only significantly tough) game on the schedule is PSU, at home.

Man, I'm an idiot.

Minnesota -- BS Prediction: 4-8. Actual: 6-6.

Another one we missed on, but again, not by a whole lot. Minnesota is not very good and we stand by our assertion that they weren't very good last year, either. Purdue never should have lost to them, but that's the kind of thing Purdue football did in 2009.

Northwestern -- BS Prediction: 8-4. Actual: 8-4.

Right on the money again. Northwestern was so predictable from the very start, it was frightening. Here's what I said:

They'll win the games they should and they'll lose the games they should. Believe me, we know this kind of team when we see one. It's a Tiller Special, circa 2005-2008.

And were they ever, right up to their spectacularly entertaining -- yet futile -- bowl game effort.

Ohio State -- BS Prediction: 10-2. Actual: 10-2.

MAN, I'm tired of being right! OSU wasn't all that hard to predict, after all, since they seem to always come within a win or two of a truly epic season (ooh, burn!). And we all know where 50% of their losses (and 100% of their Big Ten losses) came from.

Penn State -- BS Prediction: 10-2. Actual: 10-2.

Penn State's another of those fairly easy-to-predict programs. They're going to win the games they should, they're going to take some tough ones, and they're going to find a way to agonize their fan base by dropping a close one or two. But as long as JoPa keeps winning, they'll let the old man "coach" there until he dies on the field.

Wisconsin -- BS Prediction: 8-4. Actual: 9-3.

Okay, so we missed by one game.

Boilermakers -- BS Prediction: 4-8. Actual: 5-7.

The official BS prediction going into the season was 4-8, and after the 1-5 start, that was beginning to look like an optimistic guess. But the boys made good on their season from that point forward and did us proud.

So, for those keeping score, that's four dead on and three within one game of being dead on. And only Michigan State as completely, nonsensically, way off.

Not bad, and definitely better than the fools on ESPN like Mark May.

The Big Ten Football Tour

We were recently contacted by these guys for tips on what to do and see while they're on campus for the Purdue-OSU game on October 17, as part of their Big Ten Football Tour.

The leader of this motley bunch is a guy named Drew who, last season, visited every single NBA arena in a single season. So, by comparison, 11 straight weeks of Big Ten football stadiums sounds tame. Either he's independently wealthy or he raises his funds as a prostitute. Maybe both.

Anyway, read up on these guys and, if there's a change you're going to be at a game they're also going to, contact them (or call them -- their cell phones are listed) because they'd love to tailgate with you (and earn gas money, in any way you are willing to offer it).

Okay, so I made that last part up.

BS Capsule Previews: The Rest of 'Em

Hey, remember when I said we were gonna preview each Big Ten team? Well, we're no where near as thorough as other sites and a shiny object caught our attention after we got through with IU, Michigan and Illinois. Plus, you commenters didn't have much to say on those, either, so why keep putting you through them?

So let's reduce the capsules to... capsulettes? Yeah, something like that.

To recap:

IU -- Best case: 7-5; Worst case: 0-12; BS Prediction: 3-9. The Hoosiers are terrible and Bill Lynch is coaching for his job.

Michigan -- Best case: 8-4; Worst case: 3-9; BS Prediction: 5-7. Rich Rodriguez' job isn't getting easier and those who are talking about a potential 10-win season are dreaming, in our opinion.

Illinois -- Best case: 8-4; Worst case: 3-9; BS Prediction: 6-6. Zook has this program headed in the right direction and the more I think about it, that 6-6 seems tame. But looking at the tough schedule, I think 6-6 is a good year, actually, for this team.

Now for the ones we hadn't yet discussed:

Iowa -- Best case: 10-2; Worst case: 6-6; BS Prediction: 8-4. The Hawkeyes are a trendy top 25 pick right now. Maybe because they knocked off PSU last year? They have a schedule where if they go less than 8-4, Ferentz should be Ferentzed the hell out of the state.

Michigan State -- Best case: 12-0; Worst case: 7-5; BS Prediction: 10-2. MSU is going to be good. Really good. Barring John L. Smith flashbacks, this program is headed in the right direction. Toughest (and only significantly tough) game on the schedule is PSU, at home.

Minnesota -- Best case: 8-4; Worst case: 1-11; BS Prediction: 4-8. I know they started 7-1 last year. They're not good, though. And they have a fairly challenging schedule, made more challenging by the fact that they're not very good.

Northwestern -- Best case: 9-3; Worst case: 4-8; BS Prediction: 8-4. Another paper tiger. They'll win the games they should and they'll lose the games they should. Believe me, we know this kind of team when we see one. It's a Tiller Special, circa 2005-2008.

Ohio State -- Best case: 11-1; Worst case: 9-3; BS Prediction: 10-2. Get ready to hear all year about how OSU, despite being in the Top Ten, is a symbol of why the Big Ten sucks. I don't get it, either, and I really detest "defending" a team like OSU, but sometimes I feel like I have to living in Big 12 country. They'll be what they always are... well-paid, well-coached players.

Penn State -- Best case: 12-0; Worst case: 8-4; BS Prediction: 10-2. A fanbase who is quickly going from most-tolerated by us to midpack. Yes, your "white out" is quite impressive. No, you did NOT invent the "white out" concept. Deal with it.

Wisconsin -- Best case: 11-1; Worst case: 5-7; BS Prediction: 8-4. Brett Beliema is (or should be) coaching for his job. This is a program on the downswing. 2009 is a big year for them.

Feel free to chime in. Or feel free to point out how wrong we were at the end of the season and point and laugh and laugh.