The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com September 29, 2008 - 5B MAIZE GAUGE The Michigan Daily football writers break down the weekend's stats that don't show up in the box score. The Defense-o-Meter measures the intensity of the defense, the Rod-o-Meter judges how emotional (positive or negative) Rich Rodriguez was following the game and the Hype-o-Meter measures the fans' performance. DEFENSE-O-METER 3 This game was billed as a matchup between Michigan's Barwis-ized defense and the traditional Big Ten bruisers on 4 Wisconsin's offense. At the end of the day, the Badgers had their Obis arms at their hips. The Wolverines could have given up at lot more points in the first half, but they still allowed 200 yards. ROD-O-METER 4 Rodriguez brought a towel to the postgame press confer- ence because he was still soaked after getting a cooler 4 dumped on him. He had the media laughing and he even Rich Rods asked his wife to help him answer a question. And long after the game, he stuck around the stadium to sign autographs. HYPE-O-METER This would have been four Big Houses, except for the boos as the team headed to the locker room. The block 'M' was 4 better than expected, and the place was rocking in the fourth Big Houses quarter and after the game. But there is rarely a good rea- son to boo the home team in college, and this wasn't one. NOTABLE QUOTABLE "It's like a videogame. I've never played in front of 110,000 before, - so it's nothing like I've ever experienced." - Freshman tight end Kevin Koger on what it was like to come back in front .of raucous crowd at Michigan Stadium Saturday afternoon. THE MICHIGAN DAILY TOP 10 POLL ASOCIATD PRSPL 6. PENN STATE: The Nittany Lions proved they weren't aproductnofaweak nonconference schedule, but they benefited from one ofnthe best home-field advantagesagainstIllinois. Howwill they handle going on the road this weekend? TEAM 1.Oklahoma<(4-0) 2. Alabama (5-0) 3. L6uisiana State (4-0) 4. Missouri (4-0) 5. Texas (4-0) 6. Peon State (5-0) 7. Texas Tech (4-0) 8. Brigham Young (4-0) 9. Southern Cal (2-1) 10. South Florida (5-0) 11. Georgia (4-1) 12. Florida (3-1) 13. Auburn (4-1) 14. Ohio State (4-1) 15. Utah (5-0) 16. Kansas (3-1) 17. Boise State (3-0). 18. Wisconsin (3-1) 19. Vanderbilt (4-0) 20. Virginia Tech (4-1) 21. Oklahoma State (4-0) 22. Fresno State (3-1) 23. Oregon (4-1) 24. Connecticut (5-0) 25. Wake Forest (3-1) LAST WEEK beat TCUJ3S-10 beat Georgia 41-30 beat Mississippi State 34-24 bye beat Arkansas52-10 beat"llinois38-24 bye bye lost to Oregon State 27-21 beat North Caro- lina St. 41-10 lost to Alabama 41-30 lost to Mississippi 31-30 beatTennessee14-12 beat Minnesota 34-21 beat Weber State 37-21 bye bye lost to Michigan 27-25 bye beat Nebraska 35-30 Tray> THIS WEEK at Baylor Kentucky bye at Nebraska at Colorado at Purdue at Kansas State at Utah State Oregon Pittsburgh bye at Arkansas at Vanderbilt at Wisconsin Oregon State at Iowa State Louisiana Tech Ohio State Auburn Western Kentucky Texas A&M the firstcranked teamthey played in Texas Christian. Maybe Big12 play won'tstop them from booming along, like intraconference games did for several highly-ranked SEC teams. 8. TEXAS TECH: The Red Raiders' offense looks prolific. But who can really tell when your best nonconference opponentis Southern Methodist? 3. MISSOURI: It'll be interesting to see how the Tigers handle tough conference foes when they're notsneakingup on everybody, like they did last year. And by tough, we don't mean Kansas State next week 14. LOUIINA r 10. SOUTH FLORIDA: With West Viginia's downfall, the Bulls are on track to win the Big East. Maybe they could send Bill Martin a check to cover some of Rich Rodriguez's beat UCLA beat Wast State 6 beat Louisvi lost to Nav A36-31 Hawaii hington at Southern Cal 3-14 lle 26-21 at North Carolina y 24-17 bye Games updated through Sept. 27 12, so when Bobby Petrino gets the Razorbacks rolling, we can see this great matchup every year. WEEK 5 STAFF PICKS STAFF PICKS The Daily football writers do their best to predict what happens ' -; in the 2008 college football season. Dan Feldman Courtney Ratkowiak Ian Nate Robinson Sandals Josn Sotsky -- No.9 Wisconsin (-6.5) at Michigan Michigan Michigan Michigan Michigan Michigan No.1 Southern Cal (-25.5) at Oregon State Southern Cal Oregon State Southern Cal Oregon State Southern Cal No.2 Oklahoma(-8) vs.No.24 TCU TCU TCU TCU Oklahoma Oklahoma No.3 Georgia (-7) vs. No.SAlabama Alabama Alabama Georgia Alabama Alabama N4 florida (-23) vs. Mississippi Florida Florida Florida Florida Florida No.5 Louisiana State (25) vs. Mississippi St Mississippi St. Louisiana State Mississippi St. Mississippi St. Mississippi St No.7Texas (-28) vs. Arkansas Texas Arkansas Texas Texas Texas No.12 Penn State (-15) vs. No. 22lllinois Illinois Illinois Penn State Illinois Penn St No.13 South Florida (-9) at North Carolina St North Carolina St. North Carolina St. South Florida South Florida North Carolina St No.14 Ohio State(-8) vs. Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Ohio State Minnesota No.15 Auburn (-7) vs. Tennessee Auburn Tennessee Auburn Auburn Auburn No1 Wake forest (-16) vs. Na Wake Forest Wake Forest Navy Wake Forest Wake Forest No.17Utah (NL)gys Weber State . Utah Utah Utah Utah Utah No. 20 Clemson (-11.5) vs Maryland Maryland Clemson Clemson Maryland Clemson No.23 tast Carolina (-11) vs. Houston Houston East Carolina East Carolina East Carolina Houston No. 25 Fresno State (-3) at UCLA UCLA UCLA UCLA Fresno State Fresno State Purdue (+1) at Notre Dame Purdue Notre Dame Purdue Purdue Notre Dame Northwestern (+7,5) at Iowa Northwestern Iowa Iowa Northwestern Northwestern Michigan State (-8.5) at Indiana Michigan State Michigan State Michigan State Michigan State Michigan State Best Bet Michigan State Illinois Michigan State Purdue Auburn Record Last Week 11-8-0 (1-0) 9-10-0 (1-0) 8-11-0-(1-0) 13-6-0 (0-1) 12-7-0 (0-1) Overall Record 73-49-2 (3-2) 72-50-2 (4-1) 72-50-2 (3-1-1) 74-48-2 (2-3) 63-59-2 (1-4) Remember, if you want your chance to be a star, e-mail danfeld@umich.edu. If you're chosen and can beat at least two of us, you'll stay on for another week. The longest tenured guest picker will get a prize at the end of the season.