Big Ten Bloggers Virtual Roundtable

Regular readers already know that the Big Ten Bloggers group is putting together weekly roundtables where we all opine about the same topics. This week the PSU blog TINNOMJ is asking the questions. Now, PJS answers.

1. Clearly, Week 1 was a huge week for upsets with Appalachin St. beating Michigan and Clemson beating FSU (though if that really shocked anyone I'd be surprised). What are your upset games for Week 2 and why?

Well, I'd start with Miami (Ohio) over Minnesota, but would that really surprise anyone? Didn't think so.

So, I'm going with two other games that I'm looking forward to viewing in hopes of seeing an upset. The first is my beloved TCU Horned Frogs against Texas. The Longhorns looked awfully mediocre in its first game against Arkansas State while the Horned Frogs won impressively. This game is a huge in-state game that could catapult TCU from mid-major status to the big-time. TCU has nothing to lose here and everything to gain. It's the exact opposite for Texas. This wouldn't be an upset of Appy State proportions, but it would vault TCU up the polls and into BCS contention. I think the Horned Frogs pull it off.

The other game I'm going to watch for an upset is South Florida against Auburn.

In the Game of the Week--Virginia Tech at LSU--I think the Hokies get embarrassed. Not an upset, but the final score might not be close.

2. What do you think about the BTN? How'd it look? How were the announcers? Did the first weekend change your opinion of the BTN?
The BTN has considerable work to do. The in studio crew is unbearable to watch. Most of the announcers were equally unbearable. In addition, the camera work was entirely suspect. When Appy State blocked the final field goal, the camera crews needed to capture the fans, the benches, the players on both teams. Most of that didn't happen. I don't know if the BTN is being cheap with its production budget, but it wouldn't surprise me considering the relatively low-scale production value of its other programming.

I watched two minutes of the BTN's innaugural soccer broadcast. If that's not an extreme niche that most Comcast subscribers would care less about I don't know what is.

I didn't see any of Glen Mason's work in the booth. Did anyone see him to provide me with a report?

3. Now that we're a game into the Season evaluate the Big Ten's strength.
I read this in another blog's answers and it's true: It is too early to tell. Yes, the Michigan loss is embarrassing for the Big Ten. The SEC folks who like to talk about how fast they are didn't let the opportunity pass them by. But I wonder how many teams Appy State could beat. If Michigan falls flat against Oregon, it will prove the Big Ten is perhaps just two or three teams deep, with Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State. That wouldn't make for a dominant conference.