It was another close game in a season of (mostly) close games for Michigan football, and once again the Michigan players managed to overcome the stuck in the mud conservatism and incompetence of their coaches and defeated Iowa in overtime, 23-20. This is the third time a Michigan game has ended with that score this season, with Michigan losing the previous two 23-20 games to Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The end of this one bore a frightening resemblance to the Penn State game just a week ago. Michigan had a three point lead against Penn State and possession of the ball with just a few minutes left in the fourth quarter, and this was also the case today against Iowa. Michigan was forced to punt by Penn State in that situation and the same thing happened against Iowa. Both times, conservative play calling was to blame. In the Penn State game, the Michigan defense proceeded to play a soft zone which allowed Penn State to move downfield to a touchdown while using up most of the clock. Fortunately there was just enough time for Michigan to respond with the thrilling last second winning score.

Again in today's game, the Michigan defense (mis-led by Jim Herrmann, perhaps the worst defensive coordinator ever at any level of football) went to a passive, play not-to-lose scheme that allowed Iowa to pick their way down the field, using up time as they proceeded towards the end zone. Somehow Michigan was able to hold Iowa to a field goal to force overtime, and the Wolverines managed to win in the extra session.

I have said it before and will say it again...Michigan's coaching is shamefully inept and predictable and is to blame for Michigan being 5-3 instead of 8-0. The player talent is there, but Lloyd Carr, Terry Malone, and Jim Herrmann have no clue how to use it effectively and so every game except those against MAC teams goes down to the wire and it is entirely up to the players to try and salvage victory out of their coaches' "play not to lose" philosophy.

Next up is a trip to Evanston to face Northwestern, who strolled into East Lansing today and stomped the Spartans 49-14. We will see what we will see, and hopefully we will see a somewhat less dramatic win for Michigan.

North Carolina 7-Virginia 5 and Alabama 6-Tennessee 3...did any of these teams bother to send their offenses to the games today? I noticed they were doing some sort of silly ritual with a big red "A" flag on the field after the Alabama game...what the hell was that all about, anyway?

The Southern California Assholes won again, so what else is new? That is what I am going to call them, at least until they lose a game or two. Even then I may continue to call them the Assholes, because, well, that is what they are after all!

The State University of New Jersey also known as Rutgers nipped U-Conn by two points. Does anyone care? Didn't think so!

Notre Dame pretty much routed Brigham Young. BYU is basically a Fraud That Got Lucky Once A Couple Of Decades Ago.

Western Michigan beat the hell out of Bowling Green...guess I was wrong about that one! And I guess I can't really call them Worstern Michigan at least for the nonce. Or at least until Central Michigan beats the hell out of them, which they will.

Louisiana Tech ran up the score on the Totally Hapless Not So Mean Green of North Texas, as might have been expected. Not that anyone cares, mind you.

I really hope this is a typo or computer glitch, but Yahoo Sports is telling me that Arkansas State beat Florida Atlantic 3-0 (yes, that's right...THREE TO FREAKIN NOTHING!!!). In overtime, no less! Like I say, maybe it just got entered incorrectly into the computer. I hope so, because that just sounds too horrible and brutal to comprehend. How could two teams (even from the worst of the worst Sun Belt Conference) be this bad?

Penn State just finished off a 63-10 drubbing of Illinois. Which seems to provide even more proof that the Illini are the current dregs of Big Ten Football. They have two wins on the season, if you want to boast about beating Rutgers (just barely) and San Jose State.

Giving Illinois a run for their money for the Big Ten basement is Purdue, who lost to Wisconsin to fall to 0-3 in the league. Purdue may well be every bit as bad as the Illini, with the Boilers only two victories coming against Akron (crappy MAC team) and Arizona (crappy PAC 10 team).

Well that's all I have to say about College Football for now. Stay tuned for more later.