Week 12 Further Review: Media love for Fitz, but none for Lovie?

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Justin Jackson and Northwestern ran away from Minnesota 39-0, the Wildcats’ sixth straight Big Ten victory. (David Banks/Getty Images)

I just want to say this about:

Pat Fitzgerald and Lovie Smith: Illinois fans love to complain that we in the Chicago media throw rose petals at the feet of Northwestern coach Fitzgerald and essentially ignore all things Illini. They are wrong, of course. If anything, we in the Chicago media ignore all things college sports, period.

I am using, of course, the royal ‘‘we.’’ There are a few of us who monitor the college games closely, and we merely follow the good story.

What a good story Fitzgerald’s Wildcats are. They started the season 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big Ten play — hit the snooze alarm, please — but since have won six consecutive league games. Their 39-0 obliteration Saturday of Minnesota was just the latest wake-up call. Fitzgerald and his team deserve our rapt attention.

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And then there are Smith and the Illini, 52-14 losers at Ohio State and owners of a sad, sorry 0-8 league record. Where’s the improvement, Lovie? From week to week, it has been invisible.

It’s a very young team, which Illini types point out at every opportunity. Yet that excuse goes only so far. Give Smith an F grade for Year 2 in Champaign. Might as well toss Fitzgerald an A while you’re at it.

Alex Hornibrook: The Wisconsin sophomore throws more interceptions per pass attempt than any quarterback in the country, yet he has a winning streak as a starter of 17 games. The left-hander made some glorious throws in a 24-10 victory against Michigan, but he’s going to derail the 11-0 Badgers eventually. Unless, you know, he doesn’t.

Baker Mayfield: No one mocks sportsmanship quite like Oklahoma’s Heisman front-running quarterback, whose latest trick was grabbing his crotch and cursing like a drunken sailor at the Kansas sideline. It’ll pain me to vote for him.

Josh Rosen vs. Sam Darnold: There’s all kinds of debate about who should be the top quarterback taken in the 2018 NFL Draft. I’m throwing in my chips with UCLA’s Rosen over USC’s Darnold. The Trojans beat the Bruins 28-23 on Saturday — and are the far superior team — but Rosen has the better arm and the bigger upside. Let me have it in a few years if I’m wrong.

The SEC and ACC: Congrats, Alabama and Clemson, on your gritty, gutty Week 12 victories against Mercer and the Citadel, respectively. You should be so proud. Seriously, it’s so weak that teams from the SEC and ACC play only eight league games. Here’s a wacky thought: Play nine, like the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12.

Question of the week

And the playoff four Tuesday will be?

No change — Alabama, Clemson, Miami and Oklahoma, probably in that same order. Wisconsin is next in line. Georgia and Auburn each still can win its way in. Ohio State needs help. USC, Washington and Notre Dame are long shots.

Say what?

‘‘If you want to see 62-52, go to your local Big 12 network.’’

That was Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly after the Irish (9-2) held off Navy 24-17. It was a hard-fought, exciting game, no doubt. Just saying, though: 62-52 sounds like a heck of a good time, too.

Big Ten power rankings

1. Wisconsin (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten): Buckle those chin straps extra-tight if you’re going to try to tangle with this defense.

2. Penn State (9-2, 6-2): The Nittany Lions are just plain better than they were a year ago, when they won the conference and went to the Rose Bowl.

3. Ohio State (9-2, 7-1): The Buckeyes seem redialed in and ready for the big trip to Michigan.

4. Northwestern (8-3, 6-2): A seventh conference victory in a row — Saturday at Illinois — is all but in the bag.

5. Michigan State (8-3, 6-2): Great foul-weather team. A 17-7 victory against Maryland in the snow was just how Sparty likes it.

6. Michigan (8-3, 5-3): If the Wolverines’ offense ever catches up to their defense — maybe one of these years? — look out.

7. Iowa (6-5, 3-5): It’s a classic Kirk Ferentz season: a couple of thrilling highs but, in the end, not much to look at.

8. Purdue (5-6, 3-5): Big upset victory at Iowa. Will the Boilers beat Indiana and go bowling?

9. Indiana (5-6, 2-6): At least the disappointing Hoosiers have a chance to dump an Old Oaken Bucket of sadness all over Ross-Ade Stadium.

10. Minnesota (5-6, 2-6): Speaking of spoilers, any chance the Gophers take a Bunyan-esque swing and chop down age-old rival Wisconsin?

11. Nebraska (4-7, 3-5): Blackshirts? More like the Lackshirts. (I’ll show myself out.)

12. Rutgers (4-7, 3-5): You’ve got to want it pretty badly to pull off a 41-point loss to Indiana.

13. Maryland (4-7, 2-6): The Terps are nearly certain to finish without a 1,000-yard rusher or even a 1,500-yard passer. Yikes.

14. Illinois (2-9, 0-8): But you knew that already.

Follow me on Twitter @SLGreenberg.

Email: sgreenberg@suntimes.com


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