The Ohio State Buckeyes won the Big Ten Championship in each of the past four years, and have made the College Football Playoff in each of the past two seasons. And while they will face challengers, it will take something special for anyone to dethrone the Buckeyes as conference champions […]
Tag: Big Ten Football
Wildcat for Life? Northwestern Locks Up Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald Thru 2030
The Northwestern Wildcats rewarded head coach Pat Fitzgerald with a 10-year contract extension, meaning the most successful coach in Northwestern football history will remain with the team throughout the next decade. Northwestern has a record of 106-81 since Fitzgerald took over as head coach in 2006. Fitzgerald fielded numerous job […]
Music City Bowl Becomes 17th Post-Season Game Cancelled Due to COVID-19
The TransPerfect Music City Bowl was called off late Sunday after the Missouri Tigers put up the red light due to a rise in COVID-19 cases within their program. The Tigers (5-5) were set to face No. 15 Iowa (6-2) on Wednesday in Nashville, but Missouri canceled practice Sunday after […]
Iowa Football on Pause Due to COVID-19 Outbreak, Infected Head Coach Still Wants Team to Play in Music City Bowl
The University of Iowa football program paused all workouts and team meetings late Monday as an undisclosed number of players, and six coaches tested positive for COVID-19. Despite the inability to gather, and the fact that most other bowl-eligible Big Ten programs have shut down, school officials say the No. […]
Old Oaken Bucket Game Canceled for First Time Since 1903, Frisco Bowl Latest To Scratch
The rescheduled rivalry game between No. 7 Indiana and Purdue was called off for good Tuesday as both programs remain shut down with COVID-19-related issues. The rivalry game started in 1891 and has taken place every season, except in 1903. That year, the game, scheduled on Oct. 31 at Washington […]
Michigan Officially Cancels ‘The Game’ Against Ohio State, Buckeyes’ Postseason Hopes in Doubt
For the first time in more than a century, the annual rivalry game between Ohio State and Michigan has been called off due to a continued rise in COVID-19 cases in the Wolverines’ program. The Michigan athletic department, which announced the decision Tuesday morning, said they decided to continue their […]
Big Ten Rules Change Could Pave Way for Ohio State to Play in Championship Game
A college football season that continues to be the most physically and mentally challenging in a century just got stickier for the Big Ten. News leaked this weekend that conference athletic directors are willing to change eligibility rules to squeeze No. 4 Ohio State into the championship game. On Saturday, […]
Can Indiana Remain the Lone College Football Program Perfect Against the Spread?
One of the few remaining bright spots in what is best described as a COVID-19-fractured college football season is Saturday’s marquee Top-25 matchup, No. 10 Indiana at No. 18 Wisconsin. The Big Ten, arguably the most affected conference when it comes to the pandemic, has a sleeper in the upstart […]
Midwest Hit Hardest By COVID-19, and Mess That is Big Ten Football Reflects That
COVID-19 is killing more than 550 people a day in the Midwest — the most in the nation, per capita. And yet, as the population continues to get sick, college football is still happening there … sort of. Thus far this season, only opening week in the Big Ten went […]
Could Return of Big Ten Football Be a COVID-19 Superspreader?
As the Big Ten readies to kick off its truncated college football season this weekend, host city mayors are concerned that not enough precautions have been taken to protect communities already at “uncontrollable” levels of COVID-19 spread. In an open letter sent Monday to Big Ten conference officials, mayors for […]
Big Ten Championship: Ohio State Looks to Repeat Regular Season Demolition of Wisconsin
No. 1 Ohio State (12-0) is looking to repeat its regular season success against No. 8 Wisconsin (10-2) when the two teams meet Saturday night in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Buckeyes easily dismissed the Badgers at home in their first encounter back […]
Northwestern Opens as 40-Point Favorite Over 1-9 UMass
Even though the Northwestern Wildcats are 1-8 and stuck in last place in the Big Ten West basement, bookmakers released a big point spread when Northwestern opened as a 40-point favorite over the hapless, one-win, University of Massachusetts Minutemen (1-9). UMass is in the discussion for the worst team in […]
Minnesota Upsets No. 4 Penn State, Gophers 9-0 First Time Since 1904
In a battle of unbeaten Big Ten teams, the #17 Minnesota Golden Gophers (9-0), led by head football coach PJ Fleck, upset the #4 Penn State Nittany Lions 31-26 in front of a sold-out crowd at TCF Bank Stadium. Minnesota never trailed in this game, and came in as a […]
What’s Up With the Undefeated Minnesota Golden Gophers?
The University of Minnesota football team is the Rodney Dangerfield of Division 1 football. The Golden Gophers are ranked #13, making them the lowest ranked undefeated team in football. As such, Minnesota is getting very little respect. The question is — do they deserve any? That question will be answered […]
Wisconsin Crashes to Earth, Penn State Rises to Challenge in Big Ten
This was supposed to be the week of the big game in the Big Ten. But Wisconsin apparently got caught looking ahead to Ohio State. The Badgers were ambushed by Illinois and virtually run out of the Big Ten title chase. Penn State, on the other hand, took down Michigan […]
Penn State, Wisconsin Face Crucial Tests in Big Ten Showdowns
With conference favorite #3 Ohio State off this week, it’s time to see if Penn State is really going to challenge for the Big Ten East title. Penn State (5-0) travels to Iowa (4-1) this Saturday. The Hawkeyes are coming off a disappointing performance at Michigan, losing a snore-fest, 10-3. […]
Friday Night Football: Maryland Home Dog vs. No. 12 Penn State
The Maryland Terrapins are 6.5-point home dog on Friday night against the #12 Penn State Nittany Lions, who are seeking to stay undefeated and improve to 4-0. In this Big Ten battle, Terrapins are hoping they can fend off Penn State and avoid sinking to a 2-2 record. #12 Penn […]
Ohio State and Wisconsin Continue to Roll in Big Ten
The preseason hype has been trashed. The non-conference games are mostly over. Once again, Ohio State is the team to beat in the Big Ten. The only murmurs of disagreement are coming out of Madison, Wisconsin but the Badgers and the Buckeyes don’t face each other until Halloween week. The […]
Money Swings as Michigan Rolls into Wisconsin for Big Ten Conference Play
Two ranked teams meet to decide who really has a chance at the Big Ten title. Michigan takes a #11 ranking into Camp Randall stadium against #13 Wisconsin. The betting odds have shifted more than 9 points and even switched the favorite since the opening line was posted. Both Wisconsin […]
Big Ten Football: Week 3 Features the Battle of Iowa
Big Ten Football it entering its final week of non-conference tune-ups. In a traditional September rivalry, that means Iowa travels to Ames to take on Iowa State. Both teams are 2-0 and were ranked last week, but State struggled in an overtime win against Northern Iowa and fell out of […]