Around the Big Ten

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Around the Big Ten
Logan Harper

As basketball seasons is just beginning, and bowl season rapidly approaching we here at BtownBanners wanted to inform all the fans out there where each Big Ten team will be going this bowl season! The Big Ten will have eight, that’s right eight (nine including Nebraska) teams from the conference playing in bowl games, this edition of “Around the Big Ten” will focus on those games (or lack thereof) for each team in the conference. Let’s take a look.

Indiana-Not surprisingly, the Hoosiers are going to be sitting at home watching the drama unfold this season. After a dreary 5 win season, the Hoosiers are in the process of finding their head coach for the future. Top candidates include Randy Shannon, who was just fired from Miami (FL) after their loss to South Florida at home a few weeks ago. Other top candidates include Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo, Michigan State offensive coordinator Don Treadwell, and offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson. The long shot: “Captain Comeback” Jim Harbaugh. Don’t harp on this one too long Hoosier fans, this one is a long shot.

Illinois-Ron Zook’s Fighting Illini will compete in the Texas bowl. Illinois will face a tough Baylor team who competed well in a usually football-heavy Big 12. This game will kickoff December 29 in Houston. This is Illinois’ first bowl appearance since playing in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl in 2008.

Iowa-This season, hopes were high in Iowa City. With a solid offense led by veteran quarterback Ricky Stanzi, Iowa fans were ready for a Rose Bowl push to Pasadena. The Hawkeyes will be heading to the Insight Bowl on December 28 in Arizona. Missouri will be the team the Hawkeyes meet in Tempe, hailing from the Big 12. Missouri was once thought to be a major contender in joining the Big Ten along with Nebraska, but decided to stay with the Big 12. What started out as the Copper Bowl, two Big Ten teams have one the bowl, including Indiana in 1991.

Michigan-Denard “Shoelace” Robinson’s Heisman hype disappeared faster than a he cannot tie his shoes. What started out as a Heisman year for Robinson turned into another decent year for head coach Rich Rodriquez, whose seat seems to get hotter after each season in Ann Arbor. This Wolverines team will play in a bowl game for the first time since 2007. Michigan will face Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida on January 1. Sit back and enjoy this one the day after New Years (those tasty little cocktail weenies are remedy perfect for hangovers). Grab a few snacks and enjoy. The Wolverines have won 19 of 40 bowl appearances.

Michigan State-Hoosier fans may want to take a close look at the offense MSU displays in this one, as coordinator Don Treadwell is one of the candidates to take over the program in Bloomington. The Spartans’ offense is fun to watch, and they are no stranger to trick plays (i.e. the Notre Dame play). The Spartans will travel to Orlando to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide for the Capital One Bowl on January 1. This could be a tough one for the Spartans, who may have not seen a team with as many pro prospects as the Crimson Tide offer. This will mark Michigan State’s third Capital One Bowl appearance, including a win over Florida in 2000.

Minnesota-Minnesota was the worst team in the Big Ten this past season. After firing head coach Tim Brewster in the midst of another disappointing season in Minneapolis, the Gophers will more than likely be looking forward to a possible NCAA tourney birth with their men’s basketball team, as well as enjoying their fair share of those delicious cocktail weenies I suggested before.

Nebraska-With Nebraska set to join the Big Ten in the very near future, it seemed only fair to include the Huskers in this edition of “Around.” Nebraska is playing in the Holiday Bowl in San Diego on December 30. This will mark the Huskers’ 47th bowl appearance in their rich football history, and head coach Bo Pelini’s third straight bowl game as head man in Lincoln. The game will place the Huskers and the Washington Huskies in a rematch from September where Nebraska defeated Washington in Seattle 56-21.

Northwestern-If it was up to me, the Indiana Hoosiers would hire a coach cut from the same cloth as Pat Fitzgerald. An energetic, young coach, Fitzgerald has led the Wildcats to their third straight bowl appearance. Although they found little success in conference play, where the Wildcats only went 3-5, Northwestern will play in the first ever TicketCity Bowl in Dallas. Northwestern will meet Tommy Tuberville’s Texas Tech Red Raiders on January 1.

Ohio State-The Buckeyes will play in their sixth straight BCS Bowl game when the travel to New Orleans to play in the Sugar Bowl. The game, played on January 4, will put the Buckeyes up against the Arkansas Razorbacks. Can OSU right the wrong of the BCS games? The only thing that kept the Buckeyes out of the BCS National Championship was their loss to Wisconsin in Madison. That game would have been fun to watch, placing Auburn’s Cam Newton against Ohio State’s Terelle Pryor.

Penn State-In a year that saw Joe Paterno nab his 400th victory as the Nittany Lion’s head coach, Penn State will play in the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida on January 1. This season’s Outback Bowl will make this the 37th bowl game for Paterno, a truly impressive mark. Penn State will take on the Tim Tebow-less Florida Gators. This should be a good one.

Purdue-After coming off a poor season-ending loss to the Hoosiers, it is Boiler “Down” time for Boilermaker football players. Purdue will be at home watching from their couches this bowl season as well. Head coach Danny Hope is a tough coach, who will make this Purdue team better over the years. Time to sit back and watch the Hummel-less basketball team for Boiler fans compete for the Big Ten title.

Wisconsin-Head coach Bret Bielema has done a phenomenal job this season in Madison, and has the Badgers heading to their first Rose Bowl Game since Ron Dane carried the team to the “Granddaddy of Them All” in 2000. In Pasadena, the Badgers will meet (get this) the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University. This is a rarity in that a Big Ten team is taking on a non-Pac 10 team. Wisconsin, who this season went (11-1 overall, with a 7-1 mark in the Big Ten) lost only to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Had it not been for that single loss in Iowa City, like the Buckeyes, the Badgers could be playing for a BCS National Championship. With all respect to Mark Dantonio, my pick for the coach of the year in the Big Ten would go to the head man up in Madison, who ends all of his media interviews with one simple phrase, “On, Wisconsin!” If the Badgers can defeat the Horned Frogs of TCU on January 1, the entire state of Wisconsin, not just Camp Randall Stadium will be “Jumping Around” loudly and proudly. On, Wisconsin!

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