Bowl Bound

Last night teams found out what Bowl Games they would be playing in to end their seasons. There will be 8 Big Ten teams earning bowl bids.  Ohio State and Wisconsin were picked to play in BCS games.  Rose Bowl bound Wisconsin will have to face TCU.  This game will hopefully prove to Ohio State President, Gordon Gee, if he was accurate when making his statement a couple weeks ago (read previous blog).  Ohio State will battle against Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl; Michigan State will go head-to-head with Alabama in the Capital One Bowl; the Outback Bowl will feature Penn State and Florida; Michigan will take on Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl; Iowa and Missouri will face off in the Insight Bowl; the Texas Bowl will see Illinois and Baylor; and Northwestern will play Texas Tech in the TicketCity Bowl.  I am really excited to see how these games play out. For the most part, I feel they are good match-ups and will hopefully prove to others who the strong conferences are.  It is pretty cool to see so many teams from one conference be bowl eligible and hopefully show others how deserving they are.

Big Ten Equals Conference Record with Eight Schools Earning Bowl Bids

Just Another Reason To Not Like Ohio State...

I'm sure most of you have heard the nonsense that Ohio State President Gordon Gee said last week. He made the comment that teams from the Big Ten and SEC are more deserving to play in the BCS National Championship game because they play tougher schedules than other teams.  I understand that the teams in the Big Ten and SEC do have tough schedules, but how can the Ohio State president have any input on that!? Does he not look at their schedule every year!? I know they played Miami this year, which was a tough game, but their other non-conference games were Marshall, Ohio, and Eastern Michigan... c'mon! If Gee thinks his team is deserving to play in the National Championship game, I suggest scheduling harder non-conference games to gain more points in the standings.  It's just so annoying to always hear Ohio State fans talk about football, because they are constantly saying how great they are and others overlook them when it comes to deciding rankings. Just a little FYI: there is more to life than Buckeye football; give it a break people.

Ohio State president: Football Not My Arena

2010 All-Conference Teams

So Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin share the Big Ten Championship, but it was Wisconsin who had the most individual honors which were announced on the 29th.  They had recipients earn Offensive Lineman of the Year and Freshman of the Year. I'm so glad that Denard Robinson was the Offensive Player of the Year.  I understand that some people don't think Robinson deserves this honor because Michigan didn't have that great of a year, but look at the kid's stats! He set too many records to not be recognized! I found it comical (as one who can't stand Ohio State football) how Terrelle Pryor was looked at as a possible Heisman Award candidate at the beginning of the year, fell off that chart, and was only rewarded Honorable Mention in the Big Ten. Hopefully the Ohio State fans, and others, realize he isn't all that he's cracked up to be! I'm just ready for the final BCS standings to be released, so we can see what bowl games teams will be playing in. Crossing my fingers Wisconsin is going to the Rose Bowl and not the Buckeyes! :)

Big Ten Announces 2010 Football All-Conference Teams and Individual Honors

OSU and Michigan Can Work Together

In my hometown newspaper on Friday, there was a touching story about a young man who was paralyzed in a horrific car accident Christmas Eve of 2007.  This young man was Brock Mealer, and his brother Elliot, who was also in the car that night, is the offensive lineman for the Wolverines.  Brock was just 13 credit hours away from graduating from Ohio State.  Even though the brothers went to rival schools, but colleges, and head football coaches, were able to help Brock during his recovery and provide him with great motivation and therapy.  I had heard this story before last year's match up between Michigan and Ohio State, and I remember crying during the whole thing.  What I failed to mention before was that Elliott's 17 year-old girlfriend, Hollis Richer, father, and mother were also in the car.  Elliott and his mother crawled out the window of the mangled car, the only two without life threatening injuries.  Hollis was dead beneath the vehicle, and their father was dead lying on top of Brock who was pinned by the twisted metal.  It gives me chills just thinking about this devastating night. No family should ever have to go through this disaster. I know I can't explain the story just how it went, so watch the video I have attached from an E:60 special that I had watched a year ago.  What this story doesn't mention is that Brock led his brother and the rest of the Wolverines onto the field for their season-opener against Connecticut, with the help of two canes and leg braces.  This is one of the most touching/sad/motivating stories one can hear. It goes to show that even two teams with the biggest rivalries, can pull together when needed to.

E:60 - Elliott Mealer

Joe Pa Returning for 2011

Coach Joe Paterno announced last Tuesday that he will be returning for another season at Penn State.  Joe Pa is going to be 84 on December 21 and will be back for his 46th season as major college football winningest coach.  I understand that he loves the sport and the athletes, but most of our grandparents don't even live to the age of 84, yet coach a major Division I football program. He is a great coach and one of the biggest symbols for Penn State, but when he is battling illness and having to cut back on in-season obligations, I think it should be time to call it quits. My dad made a good comparison the other day, saying Paterno is as bad as Brett Favre, and they both are messing around with retirement and just need to go.  I feel like a coach can only do some much with a program and being there 46 years should be enough! If I was the Athletic Director, I would think it was time for him to step down, see what another coach can do with the program, and give Paterno time to take care of himself.  Paterno has done more at one school than most coaches will ever do in a lifetime; he has nothing left to prove. Please only one more year Joe!

Joe Paterno Plans to Coach in 2011

Unnoticed Champs?

From my last post, I mentioned how Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin could all share a part of the Big Ten Title, so why haven't we heard anything about Wisconsin this year?!  I feel that Ohio State is ALWAYS being talked about, whether they are having a good year or not, and Michigan State started with a school record with consecutive wins, so I can see why those teams are being mentioned, but why not Wisconsin? I am not going to say I am a hardcore football fanatic, so there are some facts and teams that I am not all that aware of, but Wisconsin is 10-1 and I can't even name their starting quarterback.  They returned the league's offense player of the year in running back John Clay, but with a knee injury, he has sat out the last couple games. Wouldn't one think Wisconsin would struggle without him? No, they have been able to put up better numbers during his absence! I just don't get how a team can be leading the league and 7th in the nation in scoring and no one ever talks about them! I'm not saying I'm a Wisconsin fan by any means, but can't they get some credit every now and then!? They will have to prove themselves today when they play Northwestern, to see if they do deserve some of hype, but I feel they will come out victorious and be the unnoticed champs of the Big Ten.

Conference Championship

Three teams will all play Saturday for a chance to clinch at least a share of the Big Ten Championship.  Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Ohio State all enter Saturday's contests with records of 6-1 in the conference.  The race will start at noon on the 27th when the Buckeyes host rival Michigan, and when the Spartans travel to Penn State.  Wisconsin will battle against Northwestern at 2:30. I am really excited to see how this all pans out.  I feel that Northwestern is a team that can definitely pull the upset over Wisconsin, and Penn State will be a handful for Michigan State.  Even though Michigan has a terrible defense, its a huge rivalry, so I am hoping they come to play against Ohio State! I would love to see Ohio State and Wisconsin lose, but I can handle Michigan State sharing the title with Wisconsin.  

Scoring Touchdowns or Hitting Homeruns...

I'm not sure if everyone was aware of the Big Ten game that was played this past Saturday, but Northwestern and Illinois were able to play their game on Wrigley Field.  I hadn't been watching much television to keep up with the hype of the game, but after reading about the rule changes and recap of the game, I think it was a pretty cool setting. I found it very interesting that the most notable rule change was that all offensive series would be ran only towards the west end zone, or should I say the third base dugout.  I think this would be a great experience and definitely something the players will remember for a long time. The only downfall I see from this type of game, would be that the players might not be able to take the competition as serious as they should.  Its a different atmosphere and probably wouldn't feel like a real game day. Overall, it was a pretty neat idea even with all the crazy rules that had to be installed. Does anyone know if this is going to be a tradition!?

BCS Rankings

The Big Ten is having a great showing this year among other conference teams.  With the latest BCS rankings, the Big Ten had three teams in the Top 12, tying for the lead with other conferences.  Wisconsin is ranked 7th after putting 83 points on the board in their victory against Indiana on Saturday.  The 7th place ranking is the highest since 2006.  Ohio State remains at 9th after defeating Penn State and Michigan State dropped one spot to 12th even though they had a bye on Saturday.  Iowa had a tough loss against Northwestern, but still remains in the rankings at 20th. I'm especially excited to see other teams doing well in the Big Ten, because it seems that Ohio State is the only Big Ten team anyone ever talks about.

Heisman Watch

The week has come where no Big Ten football players are in the Top 5 for the 2010 Heisman Watch. Denard Robinson fell from being the #1 candidate early in the season to no longer being on the list.  This doesn't surprise me all that much. Robinson did have a very strong start at the beginning of the season, but has battled some injuries and poor perfomances lately.  Terrel Pryor was also in the mix of things in the beginning of the year, and is not in the Top 5 anymore.  I like seeing this; mainly because I can't stand Ohio State football and because I think Pryor isn't nearly as good as what people talk him up to be. Cameron Newton is the #1 candidate as of yesterday.  It will be interesting to see how the rest of his season turns out, and what happens with all the hype about his father soliciting money during his recruiting process.


2010 Heisman Watch

Basketball Game!?!

Michigan proved just how bad their defense is during Saturday's game, but Illinois didn't fair much better!  The final score: 67-65 in 3OT with Michigan coming out on top. I didn't have the chance to watch any games this past weekend, but when I saw this score, I thought for sure I had read a basketball score.  This was the highest scoring game in Big Ten history, which I can see why. I just don't get how the winningest team in college football can be that bad defensively. At least they have been making positive strides from the last couple seasons, and are actually winning some games this year. It will be interesting to see how the rest of their season ends, and what bowl game they will get to play in. Hopefully Denard Robinson can start making it through the entire game!

Michigan Beats Illinois 67-65 in 3OTs

Notre Dame Student

I know Notre Dame isn't part of the Big Ten Conference, but I felt that as football followers this story would be touching.  A 20-year-old junior Notre Dame student, Declan Sullivan, who was filming the football team's practice on Wednesday, was pronounced dead after the scissor lift he was standing on fell over due to large gusts of wind.  This is such a scary story to hear. I'm sure working for a Division I football team, any student would love to have that opportunity. I'm just not sure why anyone let him up on the lift with the wind gusts being so strong, but I am hoping the Sullivan family and school can make amends.


Attached is an article from ESPN:
Notre Dame Fighting Irish AD: Accident Followed Gust

Football Recap: October 30

Halloween weekend had a scary ending for some teams, but nice treats for others! Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois, and Northwestern had nice wins, but the game of the weekend, didn't exactly turn out like most had hoped. Iowa dominated Michigan State from the opening kick-off and handed the Spartans their first loss of the year with a 37-6 victory.  From my last post, I had pictures of Micah Hyde and Marcus Hyde, who I grew up playing baseball with when I was younger, and who both had their names being heard across the country on Saturday. Marcus didn't fare as well as he would have liked in his last game against Iowa, but was still one of the team leaders in tackles with 9. Micah on the other hand, only had 5 tackles, but returned an interception by Sash, into a touchdown. It was awesome! I acted like a little kid when it happened! It will be interesting to see what happens in the Conference the next couple weeks.

Above: Micah diving into the endzone on the interception return!

Hyde Brothers

Micah Hyde: Sophomore Cornerback

Marcus Hyde: 5th Year Senior Safety

Week 8 Updates

Okk.. so I have been slacking on my updates from last weekends games. The big game from last week was the Iowa vs. Wisconsin game. I'm sure everyone knows that Wisconsin won 31-30 from a touchdown in the last minute of the game. I was very frustrated with the outcome and the last couple play calls, but what do I know! The other close call game was Michigan State vs. Northwestern. MSU went into the game undefeated and survived a tough battle with a 35-27 win. Aside from the Big Ten last weekend, it was crazy to see a #1 team fall once again! I'm a big fan of upsets and makes the game more interesting.

Rifles Allowed Into Stadium..!?

Found a very interesting article last week when I was reading Sports Illustrated articles on college football. During the October 9th game between Michigan and Michigan State, which was held at Michigan Stadium, a National Guardsman was allowed into the stadium with two unloaded M16 assault rifles. He told security he was part of the official honor guard and was allowed into the stadium after being checked for ammunition. Forty-five minutes after kickoff, he was reported as an imposter and was escorted out of the stadium. This is just very disturbing to read, considering I knew a lot of people that attended this game. There could have been so many ways for him to retrieve ammunition (a friend that could have got into the stadium), and tragic events could have occurred. The last Division I football game I attended was the Notre Dame/Michigan State game last season, but I cannot recall if I was searched before entering. Very scary situation, and hopefully other colleges/universities take note of this and reconstruct their security measures.

Full article from SI.com:

Week 8 Preview

Week 8 of Big Ten football will kick-off Saturday with a couple big match-ups. Illinios takes on Indiana in their 100th annual homecoming game. Michigan State will hope to remain undefeated as they play at Northwestern. Penn State plays Minnesota as they both fight for their first Big Ten Conference win. Purdue takes on an Ohio State team who lost their first game of the season last weekend. The big game of the conference this Saturday is Wisconsin vs. Iowa. Saturday will be the 86th meeting between Iowa and Wisconsin and the seventh contest for the Heartland Trophy.

Disappointed I won't be able to watch any of the games since I have to work the Baldwin-Wallace football game instead. Excited to see the outcome of the Iowa/Wisconsin game and hoping MSU continues their streak!

http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/102210aab.html

Weekly Football Honors

Two Ohio high school graduates earned weekly football honors for their performances during Saturday's games. Ricky Stanzi from Iowa and Greg Jones from Michigan State earned Offensive POW and Defensive POW. Stanzi is a Lake Catholic graduate, and Jones is an Archbishop Moeller grad.

http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101810aaa.html

I also have to mention that a childhood friend who plays for MSU also had an interception and 10 tackles during Saturday's game, while his younger brother who plays at Iowa had 8 tackles.

October 16 Recaps

Week 7 was full of upsets throughout the country. Ohio State was upset by Wisconsin after gaining the #1 spot the week before. Michigan State is now the only Big Ten team that remains undefeated. Iowa and Purdue also continue their win-streaks to stay undefeated in conference play. How will the Buckeyes respond to the bug upset next weekend and where should they land on the AP Poll?


Read Saturday's highlights on the link below:

http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101610aac.html

Big Ten in the NFL

Found an article that gave an update on what NFL players, who played in the Big Ten, had done in their last game. What Big Ten player this year will make the biggest impact in the NFL?!?

http://www.bigten.org/blog/2010/10/fb-big-ten-in-the-nfl---week-5.html

Heisman Watch

For the first couple weeks of the season, Denard Robinson was one of the surprise candidates in the running for this year's Heisman winner.  After starting the season 5-0, and piling up hundreds of yards per game he was one of the top candidates, until last weeks performance against undefeated Michigan State.  Quarterback Kellen Moore from Boise State is currently in the number one spot in the Heisman rankings.  There is still a lot of football left to be played, but who do you see winning the 2010 Heisman?!?

ESPN 2010 Heisman Watch

Big Ten Football Preview: Week 6

October 9 Match-Ups

Illinos @ Penn State         

Indiana @ Ohio State

Minnesota @ Wisconsin

Michigan State @ Michigan

Purdue @ Northwestern

What are your predictions???         

October 2 Game Recaps

Ohio State 24 (5-0, 1-0) - Illinois 13 (2-2, 0-1)

Northwestern 29 (5-0, 1-0) - Minnesota 28 (1-4, 0-1)

Michigan State 34 (5-0, 1-0) - Wisconsin 24 (4-1, 0-1)

Michigan 42 (5-0, 1-0) - Indiana 35 (3-1, 0-1)

Iowa 24 (4-1, 1-0) - Penn State 3 (3-2, 0-1)

Bye Week: Purdue (2-2, 0-0)