1. Here’s what we know about Jameis Winston: he’s a very talented athlete with a gift for leadership. That’s all we know. He is young and likely to be on the national athletic stage for many, many years. If, as expected, he is not charged with a crime Thursday, it is likely this incident will become a footnote to what looks like a remarkable career. But that’s up to Winston. He has been exposed to the scrutiny that he will undergo with any misstep. Here’s hoping he decides that missteps carry a price too high to pay.
2. The Big Ten Championship Game is a classic matchup of strength against strength, Michigan State’s old-school defense and Ohio State’s explosive offense (when the Spartans have the ball, make a fridge run). The Buckeyes rank in the top 10 in seven offensive categories. Michigan State ranks first or second in five defensive categories. Ohio State has played only one top-30 defense: Wisconsin. But the Buckeyes played well against the Badgers, scoring 31 points with a balanced attack. I don’t think Ohio State needs to score 31 to win Saturday night.
3. Marques Tuiasosopo is a 34-year-old assistant coach with a pedigree as a Huskies hero. He led Washington to a Rose Bowl victory in the 2000 season. He has done good work with current quarterback Keith Price. Under different circumstances, it’s conceivable that Tuiasosopo, whom Washington named as interim coach, could be seen as a genuine candidate to replace Steve Sarkisian. But the Huskies have closed a huge gap in the Pac-12 North. It seems as if athletic director Steve Woodward would want a veteran to help Washington catch Stanford and Oregon.
