The end of the season is near and so is Thanksgiving.  Time to be thankful for a few things and get ready for some rival games.  First thing I have to be thankful for is You Tube.  I don’t know how many times I have had the Lee Corso over excited moment from last week sent to me.  I laugh every time I watch it though. I’m not going to apologize for that.  Next I have to give thanks for Tito’s Vodka.  It helps make the Thanksgiving Martinis special.  Of course the rival games are a delight I enjoy.  I just wish Texas hadn’t destroyed the Big 12 and we could continue to watch the A&M-TU game.  Guess I will just have to enjoy a big helping of Michigan – Ohio State.  I’m sure the Big Ten Network can help me out with that.  Before you start cramming your pie hole full of bird and stuffing, here is a preview of this weeks Big Ten action.   Read the rest of this entry →

Cooler weather is moving in across the nation.  Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we are in the home stretch of another football season.  The Legends and Leaders divisions both have one leader.  Could it possibly be a Penn State against Michigan State Big Ten title game?  Wisconsin, Michigan and Nebraska are all lurking in second place looking for their chance to make a run for the title.  Yes, expanding the Big Ten and creating a conference championship game was the right decision.  All games matter this week.  It does make the end of the season a lot more interesting.  Will anyone be able to gain any ground on the division leaders this week?  Here is a preview of this weeks games.

Nebraska at Michigan
Right out of the gate we have a top 25 game and both these teams are tied for second in the Legends division.  Not only does this game feature two top 25 teams, it also features two of the four programs with the most wins in college football history.  Michigan has 892 all time wins to Nebraska’s 845.  History and traditions collide.  Come on Big Ten, where is the trophy for this game?  Nebraska has the second ranked offense in scoring and rushing in the Big Ten.  The running game is anchored by Rex Burkhead and Taylor Martinez.  Burkhead is currently ranked third in the Big Ten in rushing.  They love to run the ball and they run it well.  The Wolverines feature the third ranked offense in scoring.  Led by Deanrd Robinson the Michigan offense is ranked 11th in the nation in rushing but the more impressive statistic is their number one ranking at yards per catch.  When Robinson isn’t doing the work, Fitzgerald Toussaint has been able to take some of the focus off of Robinson and open up the running game.  Both offenses are fun to watch.  This game means the winner still has a shot at the Big Ten title.  This is going to be a big game.  Watch it, enjoy it.
Prediction:  Nebraska 34 Michigan 31 Read the rest of this entry →

Week 9 was certainly frightful for some teams in the Big Ten.  The Spartans must have felt like they had been cast in a “Children of the Corn” sequel as the Cornhuskers tore them up on Saturday.  Ohio State seems to have found a few tricks.  Gophers even get love on Halloween weekend.  Does it get any freakier than that?  Divisional races are starting to take shape now too.  The Legends Division has a three way log jam at the top with Michigan, Michigan State and Nebraska all at 3-1 in conference play.  The Leaders division, well it only seems fitting that Penn State is head and shoulders above the rest with a 5-0 conference record and the lone front runner at the moment.  Wisconsin, Ohio State and Purdue are tied for second with a 2-2 conference record.  Now here is a recap of this weeks games.   Read the rest of this entry →

Saturday at 8pm starts the biggest Big Ten game of the season until December 3rd and the odd thing is we just may see Wisconsin and Michigan State playing for all the marbles in Indianapolis again for the B1G Championship.

Spartans! Expect to dine on lots of Montee Ball and Russell Wilson Saturday night (Icon SMI)

For now, my preview and also Vince invited to a deep-dive podcast on this game alone so be on the  lookout.

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Spartan RB Edwin Baker came up big vs. Michigan this weekend (Icon SMI)

Week 7 shattered a few dreams in the Big Ten.  Illinois and Michigan saw their undefeated streaks come to a close, ironically both losses occurred in Trophy games.  Michigan State won the Paul Bunyan trophy over Michigan for the fourth straight year while Ohio State found new life on the legs of Dan Herron and stole the Illibuck back from Illinois.  That leaves only one undefeated team remaining in the Big Ten and the Badgers are only ranked sixth in the initial BCS.  Maybe there is enough time for them to move up before the end of the year.  For now, we will focus on the top performers from this week. Read the rest of this entry →