Big Ten Country

Alamo: Mizzou 30 NU 23 (OT)

A noble effort by the Wildcats turned into a devastating loss whose chief cause was a missed extra point. Coming out of halftime tied 10-10, Northwestern scored early in the third quarter on a 46-yard C.J. Bacher touchdown pass. The PAT was missed, and the way the game progressed, NU never had a chance to get it back on a 2-point play. Missouri scored the next ten points to get the lead and then at the end of the third quarter the 'Cats found the end zone again. But leading 22-20 at this point, it would have been too high-risk for Pat Fitzgerald to try and get the point back. He instead made sure he got ahead by three points. Missouri was able to tie the game and then won it in overtime.

Kudos to Bacher, who outplayed his more heralded counterpart, Chase Daniel. And Northwestern was also able to run the ball effectively, with Tyrell Sutton racking up 114 yards. However, sacks resulted in NU's net rushing yardage only checking at 72.

The bowl records for each conference that ESPN always runs won't do this game justice. NU was not supposed to rise to this level at the start of the season, while Missouri was a national title contender. The Tigers were laying over two touchdowns at most sports books by the time the lines closed. The fact Northwestern could outplay and nearly upset Mizzou is a credit to the Big Ten and gives hope that victories might be around the corner. Andother Big Ten-Big 12 matchup is set for Wedensday when Minnesota plays Kansas. There's a good place to start.

Champs Sports: FSU 42 Wis 13

A year that was already in the books as a disappointment turned into an absolute disaster for Wisconsin. Early Saturday evening in Orlando was anything but magical for the Badgers, as they were blown out in the second half by Florida State in a 42-13 shellacking.

The game didn't play out like a mismatch, as UW was able to run the ball effectively throughout the first half. Indeed, the Badgers pounded out 201 yards on the ground, including 140 by P.J. Hill. But turnovers were one part of their undoing. They lost three fumbles, including one that was run back 75 yards for a touchdown for FSU's first score. Another one would be run back in the second half.

Special teams were another area the Seminoles dominated. Three times in the first quarter, they pinned Wisconsin inside the 5, essentially reducing the Badger offense to nothing more then a battle for field position for one-fourth of the game.

And finally Florida State's own efficiency cannot be overlooked. Quarterback Christian Ponder came into the game as mistake-prone and there was reason to think that if the game swung on turnovers, it would be the 'Noles that were committing them. But they took care of the ball and Ponder was an efficient 18/31 for 199 yards and no picks. Bobby Bowden's team didn't make mistakes, capitalized on a few of their own and scored touchdowns rather then settle for field goals. That's the way to take a box score that looks otherwise fairly comparable and turn it into a rout.

Who's Got The Most At Stake?

The Big Ten bowl season starts in a few hours when Wisconsin meets Florida State. The Champs Sports Bowl kicks off a run of seven games involving conference teams that will end on January 5 when Ohio State plays Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. So of all the Big Ten teams, who's got the most at stake this bowl season? Not who's in the biggest game. The answer to that is self-evident. But whose season will be made or broken by the results of their bowl game?

Most Big Ten teams are playing with the house's money this bowl season. That is, using reasonable preseason expectations as a benchmark, they have already matched or exceeded them. Losing the bowl game can't diminish that and a win only enhances the legacy. I count five teams in this category right now, led up by Michigan State & Northwestern, closely followed by Iowa and Penn State, with Minnesota also fitting in. Iowa, Northwestern and Minnesota are all back in bowl games after missing out last year. While the Gophers rough finish to the season might add a little pressure to their Insight Bowl date with Kansas on New Year's Eve, there's no still no denying that anyone who goes from 1-10 to 7-5 in one fell swoop has a right to be happy no matter what. The Hawkeyes finished strong and are playing on New Year's Day again. Northwestern won nine games. Michigan State rose all the way to the Capital One Bowl when they looked to be at least a year away from such a lofty prize. And while Penn State was expected to be good, to only come one play from a perfect season was better then anything I saw predicted for them. They also benefit from drawing USC in the Rose Bowl. No one can knock the Lions down for not beating the Trojans in their own backyard, but a win would add another incredible jewel to the treasure chest that is Joe Paterno's bowl history.

Five out of seven playing with nothing to lose is a pretty sunny picture, and it happened because the four teams that missed bowls (Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue) were all teams that were still playing December/January ball last year. Hence, since they missed a bowl altogether, there aren't many disapponting teams left trying to salvage a season or play out a string. Except one. Wisconsin was thought to be a contender for the conference title or at least an at-large BCS ticket. The Badgers lost four of their first five Big Ten games and ended the year having to go to overtime to beat Cal-Poly. At 7-5, they are the team on the negative side of the ledger. Beating Florida State today would be a nice finish, but it can't erase the missed opportunity that was 2008.

Which leaves us with Ohio State. The Buckeyes' only losses were the September massacre at USC and a nail-biter at home to Penn State. At 10-2, they've enjoyed another good year, gotten a share of a fourth straight conference title and earned another ticket to the BCS. Beating Texas would be the exclamation point they need. But what if they lose? Then the season takes on a different spin. OSU would have lost all three games they faced comparable opponents, and a Fiesta Bowl defeat would only add to their downhill spiral on the national stage. Here, I think we have our answer. Ohio State is the team with the most at stake this bowl season. Win, it's a great year. Lose, it's a long offseason.

Irish Snap Bowl Skid

It was a fulfilling Christmas Eve in South Bend. Notre Dame finally broke it's nine-game bowl losing streak and won its first postseason game since 1993 in a 49-21 rout of Hawaii. Jimmy Clausen was the star of the show, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns. Three of them came in a decisive second quarter when the Irish turned a 7-0 lead into a 28-7 halftime cushion.

The breaking of the bowl streak was the main storyline to come out of this game, and even though I led with it in this post, I think that's somewhat overrated. You can't treat every bowl game as equal--is it really better for Notre Dame to have won the Hawaii Bowl this year as opposed to 2005 when they lost the Fiesta Bowl? A bowl losing streak isn't like an NFL playoff losing streak or an NCAA Tournament losing streak because the objective in college football is to draw the toughest game possible.

But overrated or not, any program trying to rejuvenate itself has to clear as much negative spin as they can out of the atmosphere. Winning this game did that for Notre Dame and the bowl streak is no longer a topic of discussion. Now they can get focused on some of the longer-term problems that are holding them back, namely getting a running game established. Even in this victory, the Irish rushed for only 65 yards. Clausen can carry them against a WAC defense, but that won't fly next fall. If Charlie Weis can't fix that, ND fans might want to watch the Orange Bowl carefully, because it will mean the odds of Cincinnati's Brian Kelly landing in South Bend for 2010 got a lot stronger.

Christmas Schedule

Big Ten Country is going to take a brief break for Christmas. My computer's been acting a little funny and slow, and I'm going to take in for a little overhaul and won't be able to update. I will be back in time for the run of conference bowl games that starts on Saturday the 27th in the Champs Sports Bowl (Wisconsin-Florida State).

The next few days will continue to be fairly quiet, but there are some signature games that will provide a welcome respite from holiday stress (or add to it, if it's your team that's not playing well). In the post below, I discussed some good basketball games going today, highlighted by Michigan State-Texas.

On Tuesday the 23rd, the Longhorns continue their run against Big Ten teams when they travel to Madison. Wisconsin beat them on a last-second three-pointer a year ago down in Austin. The Badgers haven't matched up well against top teams so far, losing to UConn and Marquette. But the first of those games was on a neutral site and the second was in Milwaukee. Tuesday night in the Kohl Center will give us a feel for whether Bo Ryan will produce a national contender and conference favorite for the third straight year, or whether UW will have to settle for fighting to be a decent NCAA Tournament squad. Tip time is 9:30 EST on ESPN2.

The lead game on Tuesday night's ESPN2 schedule (7:30 EST) is Missouri-Illinois, one of the fiercest, and most underrated rivalries in the country. Bruce Weber got himself a little breathing room at the end of last year when his team made a run to the final game of the league tournament, but he needs to give the alumni reason to like him if he wants to keep his job much longer. Beating Mizzou would be a good place to start.

On Christmas Eve, our couisins in South Bend have their bowl game. Notre Dame plays Hawaii in an 8 EST kickoff on ESPN in the Hawaii Bowl. It's definitely strange to see the Irish playing in this time slot, but watching the game will serve to keep me awake until it's time to go to midnight Mass, if nothing else. Charlie Weis is in a no-win situation here. Beating the Rainbows won't gloss over the disappointing finish to the season, and losing this game would create a disastrous environment that may set him up for failure next year, just as Gerry Faust entered his fifth year as all but a lame duck back in 1985.

Everybody have a Merry Christmas and we'll see you back here for the bowl run starting a week from today!

Basketball Breaks The Silence

It's been a mostly slow December on the Big Ten sports scene. Normally, bowl action would have started on Saturday in the Motor City Bowl, but with the conference falling short of eligible teams, football doesn't resume until the 27th. But Saturday will produce some good basketball games with teams working on either making a statement or building a resume.

Minnesota plays Louisville in a neutral site tip at Glendale, AZ. The Gophers made a good run at an NCAA bid last year before falling short. They're off to a 9-0 start against mostly non-descript competition this year. But they did beat Virginia, and is it ironic that Tubby Smith's breakout game this year could come against his old archrival from Bluegrass Country? Rick Pitino's Cardinals are one of several Big East teams with the goods for a Final Four run.

Northwestern is off to a 7-1 start that includes the scalps of DePaul and Florida State. Now they'll go out to a Stanford for a late-night game. The Cardinal is 5-0, although they haven't played anyone yet. Saturday will tell us if this year's 'Cats might be able to make a push for the NIT.

The last time Davidson played a Big Ten team they were breaking Wisconsin's heart in the regionals last March. This year they take on a Purdue squad looking to show that it's the team to beat in this conference. The Boilers have lost to two high-profile teams, a close one to Oklahoma and decisively to Duke. Both foes were likely much better then anything they'll see in league play, but the same cannot be said of Davidson. This will be a good test for Matt Painter's club in Conseco Fieldhouse (4 EST, CBS).

And the biggest game of the day will be Michigan State-Texas. Like Purdue, the Spartans were a team to beat in this league, but have missed early opportunities in non-conference play. MSU played poorly in a loss to Maryland (albeit without Goran Suton) and were hammered by North Carolina. They do have a win over one Big 12 foe in Oklahoma State, and will look for another in Austin against the fifth-ranked Longhorns (2 EST, CBS).

The Envelopes Please

With the bowl bids all settled and the regular season completely in the books across the nation, it's time for the postseason awards. The Heisman Trophy will be given out in New York City this weekend. Only three players were invited. Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy will be in attendance. That Graham Harrell from Texas Tech shouldn't win the award outright is debatable at best, given he has the least supporting cast of any of the contenders, but the fact the Red Raider signal-caller isn't even on the guest list is outrageous.

No one in the Big Ten made a real push for the honor, but there were still worthwhile candidates for league MVP. Javon Ringer was the focal point of Michigan State's powerful ground attack as they ran their way to the Capital One Bowl. Chris Wells was a preseason favorite for the Heisman, but an early foot injury kept him out of the USC game and two other non-conference matchups. Wells bounced back to have a good conference year, and actually outrushed Ringer in Big Ten games.

But the runaway winner is Iowa's Shonn Greene. He rolled up 1,729 yards, going over 100 yards every single game. If we restrict the focus to Big Ten games, he widens his edge over Ringer for the rushing title substantially, moving from about a 200-yard lead to one that is approximately 500 yards. Greene was the lynchpin for a team that played its best down the stretch and made it to a New Year's Day bowl. It's as complete a definition of MVP as there is, and he is a worthy winner.

Coach of the Year is a tougher call. Of the seven coaches who made it to bowls, only Jim Tressel and Bret Bielama really lack an argument. Of the four teams that didn't go to bowls, all were teams that were in the postseason a year ago, so there is obviously no argument for any of them. But if you focus in on the big five, Joe Paterno, Mark Dantonio, Kirk Ferentz, Pat Fitzgerald and Rick Brewster have to at least be considered.

While I think Ferentz did a nice job, it wasn't so eye-popping as to make me think "Coach of the Year." Similar for Paterno. Both teams were better then I expected, but in neither case was it shocking. Rick Brewster did an admirable job in turning the Gophers from 1-10 to 7-5, but it must be noted that the program is still no better off then it was when Brewster was hired. He shouldn't be rewarded for the collapse of '07 by using that as a benchmark to make him Coach of the Year this year.

So that leaves us with Mark Dantonio and Pat Fitzgerald. I like and respect Dantonio enormously, and his team is a definite overachiever--something we haven't said about Michigan State football in a long time. But there's still considerably more talent in East Lansing then in Evanston. Fitzgerald's Wildcats got better as the season went on and hit the nine-win plateau, something even the most optimistic of observers would never have guessed. Based on that, I would give the nod to Pat Fitzgerald as the 2008 Coach of the Year.

Bowl Lineup

Here is the lineup for the bowls involving Big Ten teams, plus the BCS schedule. As expected, the Big Ten picked up an at-large bid to the BCS, with Ohio State getting the nod to join Penn State on the big stage. The Buckeye bid pulled everyone else in the conference up a notch. One consequence of this was that the Motor City Bowl on December 26 will not have a conference team involved. The Motor City is contracted to get the #7 team. But only seven teams were bowl-eligible, and once OSU got into the BCS and the ladder moved upward, there was no eighth team to fill in. Instead, Florida Atlantic from the Sun Belt Conference will play MAC champ Buffalo. A definite blow to the Motor City which was surely thinking about having a decent Big Ten team (Minnesota or Wisconsin) playing unbeaten Ball State. Then the Cardinals lost their conference title game, the Buckeyes made the BCS and a nothing game took its place.

Anyway, enough about the Motor City's fate. Here's the schedule:

Wed, 12/24: Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii vs. Notre Dame (8 EST, ESPN)
Remember as recently as 1996 when an 8-3 Notre Dame team declined a minor bowl bid? Now, America's foremost Catholic university will play on Christmas Eve. On a historical note, Gerry Faust's penultimate year in South Bend ended with a tough loss in this very locale (then called the Aloha Bowl). Is that an ominous portent for Charlie Weis? Whatever it is, to say this is must-win, understates the importance for him.

Sat, 12/27: Champs Sports Bowl: Wisconsin-Florida State (4:30 EST, ESPN)
The Badgers make their first trip to this bowl game, but it will be their fifth straight trip to Florida and the third time they've been in Orlando in four years. An interesting subplot to the game will be whether UW fans make their usual strong showing. The game itself is a pretty good one on the undercard. Neither team can really make its season with a win, but for either, it would be a nice way to go into the offseason after a rough year.

Mon, 12/29: Alamo Bowl: Missouri vs. Northwestern (8 EST, ESPN)
What an opportunity for Pat Fitzgerald's Wildcats. On the merits, they should be playing on January 1, but the chance to take on Chase Daniels in a prime-time spot is nothing to sneer at. Both teams have won nine games, but for Missouri that's a big disappointment. Will the Tigers come in looking for redemption or will they have already mailed it in?

Wed, 12/31: Insight Bowl: Minnesota vs. Kansas (5:30 EST, NFL Net)
The Gophers return to the scene of the crime. Glen Mason's career ended here when his team blew a huge lead to Texas Tech following the '06 season. Rick Brewster makes his first bowl appearance here. Minnesota has been coming apart the last three weeks of the season, capped off with a humiliating 55-point loss to Iowa in the finale. Will some time to step back and re-focus be exactly what they need?

Thur, 1/1: Outback Bowl: Iowa vs. South Carolina (11 AM EST, ESPN)
Give the Hawkeye fans credit for this one. Iowa trailed Northwestern by a game in the conference standings and lost to them head-to-head, but the traveling tour de force that is Iowa football got them this bid. On more football-related grounds, even if this bid is beyond what the Hawks earned on the field, 2008 was an impressive comeback year for Kirk Ferentz. A New Year's Day matchup with Steve Spurrier will send that message to the rest of the country and provide a great showcase for Shonn Greene.

Thur, 1/1: Capital One Bowl: Michigan State vs. Georgia (1 EST, ABC)
Another showcase for another turnaround Big Ten program. It only took two years for Mark Dantonio to get his program to this level. Georgia opened the year ranked #1, but an inexperienced offensive line and underperforming defense did them in. They were blown out by Alabama and Florida and just lost a shootout to Georgia Tech. They also won a shootout with LSU, and with a defense like this there is reason to hope Javon Ringer can run wild on New Year's afternoon.

                               THE BCS BEGINS

Thur, 1/1: Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. USC (5 EST, ABC)
The Big Ten's chances for redemption start here. USC is not happy to be here, and the nation is assuming the Trojans will outrun another slow Big Ten team. But Penn State is faster then people give them credit for, and one need only ask Jimmy Johnson's 1986 Miami team what can happen when Joe Paterno gets this much time to prepare.

Thur, 1/1: Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati (8:30 EST, Fox)
The Hokies lost this game last year to Kansas and the ACC hasn't won a bowl game since Florida State's national championship in 1999 (ironically over then-Big East team Va. Tech). Cincinnati is the new kid on the block and head coach Brian Kelly has the last name and pedigree to use this as a platform for a job in South Bend if things don't get better there in 2009.

Fri, 1/2: Sugar Bowl: Utah vs. Alabama (8 EST, Fox)
Utah is the only undefeated team still standing. Though no chance at a national title, they could get themselves a considerable sympathy vote in the AP poll (which is not bound by the results of the national title game) if they beat the Crimson Tide. Can 'Bama get up for a midmajor opponent after being less then a quarter away from playing for the big prize?

Mon, 1/5: Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Texas (8 EST, Fox)
The Buckeyes won the national championship here in 2002 and lost it here in '06. They won this bowl game in 2003 and 2005. Arizona is their new home away from home. Just as the Big Ten needs redemption nationally, so too does Jim Tressel's program. There's no better way to get it then by beating the team many consider the best in the country. This will also be the rubber match of a memorable two-game series these schools played in 2005-06, with the road team winning each one.

Thur, Jan 8: BCS National Championship Game: Oklahoma vs. Florida (8 EST, Fox)
Fitting that this season should be settled by the champs of the Big 12 and SEC. By kickoff we'll know if Tim Tebow joins Archie Griffin as a two-time Heisman winner, or if Sam Bradford will win the trophy and make this the first showdown between Heisman winners. The key question for the game is simply this: Are Big 12 offenses that good or are their defenses just that bad? OU won some impressive games, but when you win a game 61-41 (vs. Oklahoma State a couple weeks ago) I tend to see it as more evidence that you belong in the old WAC conference then collectiong a national championship trophy. I don't have a strong rooting preference on this one--in fact, I lean OU because I do like Bob Stoops--but I'm picking the Gators as a prognosticator.

Ann Arbor Can Smile Again

Michigan fans may have not had much to cheer about during football season, but basketball has already given them reason to smile. The Wolverines pulled off their second upset of a Top 5 team yesterday. Already owning the scalp of UCLA, Michigan knocked off Duke 81-73 in Ann Arbor. John Beilein's club got 28 points and 12 rebounds from DeShawn Sims and 17 points from Manny Harris. Duke got the line only six times all game long and Michigan got revenge for its loss to the Blue Devils in Madison Square Garden during November.

Ohio State delivered its second straight clutch win. Fresh off their win over Miami, the Buckeyes took out an even bigger foe, in edging Notre Dame 67-62. Evan Turner scored 28 and got 10 rebounds to key the win. The Buckeyes join the Wolverines in letting us know early on that the title picture is about more then Purdue, Michigan State and Wisconsin.

The OSU-ND game was part of a doubleheader played in Indianapolis. The other half was Gonzaga matching up with Indiana. Zags coach Mark Few was rumored to be in line for the IU job when Mike Davis was fired. Whether it was lack of interest on the part of Few, Indiana or both, I'm not sure. Hoosier fans got a look at what their program might have been, as Few's fifth-ranked team pulled away in the second half to a 70-54 win. To the credit of Tom Crean's Hoosiers, they hung around a little longer in this game then had been the case in Maui or the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Wisconsin dropped a hard-fought game on the road to in-state rival Marquette. The Badgers did not get their trademark edge from the foul stripe, going just 7/13 from the line, while MU went 14/23. Combine that with a slight Warrior edge in rebounding and turnovers and you have a 61-58 loss for Bo Ryan's squad. It marks the second straight year they've lost to Marquette, something that will cause considerable anguish to Badger alumni, particularly those working in and around the Milwaukee area.

Still, it was a good day for the Big Ten, thanks to Michigan and Ohio State. Today should be another good day. The BCS Selection Show is at night, and the indications are that the Buckeyes will be chosen for an at-large bid. The possiblity of seeing Penn State-USC in the Rose Bowl and Ohio State-Texas in the Fiesta gives the conference plenty of opportunity for redemption.

A Competitive Challenge

The Big Ten-ACC Challenge was just that this year---a challenge. The Big Ten came up a little short, losing 6-5, but at least it was competitive this year. It gives reason for hope that the conference will be stronger up and down as we head into the rest of the December non-conference schedule.

At the top was where the difference was made. ACC powerhouses North Carolina and Duke visited Big Ten co-favorites Michigan State and Purdue respectively, and the Tar Heels & Devils rang up huge wins. UNC blew MSU out of Ford Field with a 98-63 trashing, while the Dookies crushed the Boilers on the boards (44-26) in a 76-60 win at West Lafayette. Robbie Hummel was the only frontline player able to have any impact for Purdue.

But if the ACC has the power teams, the Big Ten did very well in the middle, where true conference strength is often measured. Wisconsin pulled out a win at Virginia Tech, when Trevon Hughes went coast-to-coast with one second left to cap the 74-72 nailbiter. Minnesota & Ohio State each did it with defense, forcing 18 turnovers. The Gophs did it at home against Virginia in a ten-point win, while the Buckeyes went south to #22 Miami, a team that finished last season on a roll, and rallied from a 14-point deficit to win. This was the most impressive win of the entire event for the Big Ten, although it must be noted that the Hurricanes were without Jack McClinton.

Penn State eked out a win against Georgia Tech behind 22 points from Stanley Pringle. In an 85-83 win, the PSU defense was at least able to stop the Yellow Jackets from behind the arc. I suspect this win is a harbinger of things to come for the Nittany Lions. I realize I may be on my annual December/January trap of thinking their basketball program is about to make a splash, but this team is one that I'm projecting right on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, and probably sneaking in. Now is when they cash in the benfits from losing Geary Claxton to injury last year, as it forced a lot of players into minutes and roles  they are now more prepared for this season.

On the down side of the ledger, Michigan, Iowa and Illinois all dropped close games, to Maryland, BC and Clemson respectively. And the key swing vote in the entire event was Indiana-Wake Forest. The decimated Hoosier program was destroyed by Wake Forest, in the kind of matchup that the Big Ten could normally have won, and with it gotten their first-ever triumph in the Challenge. The tainted Kelvin Sampson legacy looms over not only IU, but the entire Big Ten.