PERFECT STORM? We are not Mathematically eliminated, and I've seen sicker dogs get better-- but this is what we need to have happen to get to the rose bowl. (with this years parity it is definitely not that big of a stretch, but still a stretch).
Michigan needs to beat Wisconsin
Michigan is coming off back to back big ten wins in god knows how long, can they keep the momentum rolling for our beloved Hawks? Can they rally to preserve their coaches Job? They get Wisconsin after their biggest win in in Big Ten play in a long time (most points by any big ten team in a big ten game since 1950). Then IF they win that game -3 big ten victories in a row-
they get Ohio State after we dominate them. It is a stretch for us to ask that defense to stop what lies ahead, but hey- it could happen?
ps- don't look now but michigan, obviously optimistic, but are within reach of 10 wins.
Michigan State Needs ONLY to lose at Penn State
Penn State always plays better in Happy Valley. Possibly Paterno's last Home game. Assuming all of these other scenarios come true, entering the last week MSU will be sitting alone atop the Big Ten with a HUGE target on their back with a tendency to play below themselves on the road.
Wisconsin needs to lose out
This might be the biggest of all these scenarios, or is it? Michigan & Northwestern will be handfuls. I saw somewhere, and quite frankly lack the desire to go look it up, that Wisconsin has only won ONCE in the last 30+ years AT the big house..... wow. After they pi$$ the big ten title down their legs, they limp back home to senior day saddened by what may have been and will play dangeriously close to NW. Here is where we are BIG TIME Fitzgerald fans for him to pull off another victory over another "Hawkeye" --but help the actual hawks to the game they kept him out of, wait it gets even more weird in the tOSU segment next.....
Ohio State needs ONLY to lose to us
AND WE WIN OUT
The last time we needed a signature win this bad was.... oh wait, thats right, we had one this year against a very good #5 MSU team- but seriously it was '08 sitting at 5-4, Desperately needing a win to stay afloat and for Stanzi to cement himself as the starter (we had lost those 4 games by a total of 12 points--for those keeping track we have lost our games this year by a total of 12 points, wierded out yet?). Now Stanzi's life as our starting quarterback has come full circle and he desperately needs a win to cement him into Hawkeye folklore to
every fan (for me, he is already there). Stanzi missed his opportunity last year to return home and stick it to tOSU,
this year he gets his. DJK debuts to a national audience
again how he is ready for the next level. And lets not forget about the "predator" that plays DE for us, he will be ready to display his talents, and firmly place himself as a top ten pick. Terrell Pryor will look even worse against us than he did against Wisconsin because he does not have the patience that the QB's who beat us had, and will throw 3+ INT's.
ps- Minnesota is, well, Minnesota. No need for any paragraph.
Really that is it??? For those of you about to respond that overall record will eliminate the hawks, no it will not because in this Scenario Iowa will have won against the other two tied with them as Big Ten Champs (MSU, tOSU, remember wisky will have 3 losses).
-Somehow that is still not considered an outright B10 Championship, but if this comes true i could care less
-I mean this would look bad for the Big Ten, but they could still realistically get either MSU or tOSU as an AT LARGE to the Sugar (each being 10-2 overall)
Odds of this actually occurring? I put it less than 4%
SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THERE'S A CHANCE?
