ESPN College Football

Every good conference boasts some coaching villains, and the Big Ten has several men who fill the role. No one will confuse the Big Ten with the SEC, where all 12 coaches have voodoo dolls of one other and dart boards with their opponents' heads as the bull's-eyes. But let's not forget the Big Ten produced Woody and Bo, two men who certainly played the villain when they set foot on opposing soil. The Big Ten may never see Woody versus Bo, Part II, but you get 12 Type A personalities competing for championships in a high-stakes sport, and it's going to get heated.

Last month, we asked you to weigh in on the most disliked Big Ten coach. Not surprisingly, the three highest vote-getters also earned our nod for their villainous traits. Remember, this is all in fun, and it's important to note that it's hard to be a coaching villain if you don't win a lot of games or tick off multiple fan bases.

Let's take a look.

Bret Bielema, Wisconsin (six seasons, 60-19 overall and at Wisconsin)

Any coach who plays college ball, has his team's logo tattooed on his leg, and then ends up coaching a major rival is predisposed to be a villain. Bielema, a former Iowa defensive lineman, still sports the Tigerhawk stamp on his leg, but he's very much a Badger these days. While Bielema might not be a favorite son in Iowa, he has ticked off others around the league a little more.

In 2010, Bielema ignited a flap with Minnesota when he called for a 2-point conversion attempt with Wisconsin ahead by 25 points in the fourth quarter. Minnesota coach Tim Brewster confronted Bielema after the game and later said Bielema made "a poor decision for a head football coach." Bielema claimed he was following the coaches' card of when to go for two or not, but given tension with Brewster and the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry, few bought his explanation. The Wisconsin coach didn't help his rep a few weeks later when the Badgers' record-setting offense put up 83 points against Indiana, although the sportsmanship complaints seemed hollow as Indiana totally packed it in that day.

Then came national signing day in February, when Bielema at a news conference referred to "illegal" recruiting tactics by new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. Many incorrectly interpreted Bielema's comments as sour grapes about losing a recruit (Kyle Dodson) to Meyer, but Bielema didn't publicly specify what he meant or why he contacted Meyer to discuss the situation. The allegations didn't sit well with Meyer or Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, although the situation put to rest the ridiculous belief about a "gentleman's agreement" among Big Ten coaches.

Bielema is relatively young, highly successful and never short on confidence. He's very media savvy and knows how to get his message across. He may fill the villain role for several fan bases, but he's the one going to Pasadena every year.

Urban Meyer, Ohio State (first season, 104-23 overall in 10 seasons)

Meyer hasn't coached a single game as Ohio State's head man, but he still received the most votes as the league's most disliked coach. Unlike the others in the Big Ten villain mix, Meyer sparks ire in other parts of the country, particularly in a little place they call Gator Country.

He left Florida after the 2010 season -- after nearly stepping away the previous year -- citing health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family. Some saw him taking the Ohio State job, undoubtedly another pressure cooker, just a year after leaving Florida, as disingenuous. More Florida fallout arrived this spring in a Sporting News story that showed Meyer as the overseer and enabler of a mess in Gainesville.

Meyer's Big Ten villainy stems mostly from his immediate success on the recruiting trail after being hired in late November. In two months he put together the Big Ten's top-rated recruiting class, which included several players who had flipped from other programs to the Buckeyes. His surge drew comments from Bielema and Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, and the perception that Meyer has rocked the boat in the Big Ten remains very much alive.

Although Meyer and Michigan coach Brady Hoke have been cordial to this point -- they have the same agent, Trace Armstrong -- it's only a matter of time before things get spicy. Ohio State set off a mini blaze by displaying a sign in the football complex comparing its players' academic majors with those of Michigan's.

Buckle up.

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State (five seasons, 44-22 at MSU, 62-39 in eight seasons overall)

The seemingly permanent scowl. The deep, borderline monotone voice. The willingness to stick up for players who make mistakes and fuel rivalries. In many ways, Dantonio looks and sounds more like a villain than any of his Big Ten coaching brethren. Warm and fuzzy he is not, and while he has a unique sense of humor and can be charming, he comes off serious, intense and, some would say, confrontational.

Dantonio has made some notable statements about archrival Michigan in his five seasons in East Lansing. Who can forget his "pride comes before the fall" response to Mike Hart after the 2007 Michigan State-Michigan game? After last season's personal-foul fest against Michigan, a game Michigan State won 28-14, Dantonio drew criticism for not suspending defensive end William Gholston, who had punched a Wolverines player and twisted the helmet of another (the Big Ten later suspended Gholston for a game). In January, he interrupted Michigan assistant Jeff Hecklinski during a presentation to state high school coaches. And this spring, he set off some fireworks by telling Brian Bennett, "We're laying in the weeds. We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?"

Some Michigan fans still dismiss Michigan State as not a real rival, but Dantonio has certainly gotten under the skin of Wolverines backers, especially because he keeps beating the Maize and Blue.

Dantonio also was looped into the Meyer/Bielema flap in February, although his general comments about recruiting were misinterpreted by a reporter.

The hyper intense Dantonio has some villain in him. And if he keeps winning at Michigan State, the image will continue to grow.

Big Ten spring meetings take place Tuesday-Wednesday in Chicago. I'll be on hand throughout, so be sure and check the blog for updates.

Onto the links.

• Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman admits the school made the wrong call in hiring RichRod. Wolverines coach Brady Hoke reminisces about Bo Schembechler.
• Iowa athletic director Gary Barta favors increasing the bowl eligibility requirement to seven victories.
• Former Nebraska running back Aaron Green is transferring to TCU. Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman hasn't shied away from talking athletics during his tenure. The Lincoln Journal Star looks at Nebraska's most memorable touchdowns, from 1 yard to 100.
• Texas A&M edges Nebraska to host an ESPN "College GameDay" commercial.
• The system is the star at Wisconsin, which will make it easier to replace some star power, SI.com's Andy Staples writes.
• Ohio State's shift from quarters to semesters will impact the team's preseason preparation. Tom Herman's recruiting connections in Texas have put Ohio State in the mix for some top prospects.
• A look inside Bill O'Brien's offensive playbook at Penn State.
• A Michigan State verbal commit could be swayed to stay and play at home in Texas. Another Spartans recruit draws high marks at the Elite 11 tryout.
• Illinois quarterback recruit Aaron Bailey is a humble star. Illini fans can meet coach Tim Beckman this week.
• Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany needs to get over his SEC obsession, David Climer writes.
• Former Michigan State star Jerel Worthy calls Wisconsin's offensive line the best he faced in college. Former Wisconsin center Peter Konz is bringing back the "Dirty Bird" to the Atlanta Falcons.
• Juco defender Randy Gregory remains committed to Purdue. Boilers great Jim Carter, he of "Touchdown Twins" fame, died last week at 100.
• BTN.com's Tom Dienhart breaks down Northwestern's 2012 schedule.

And the wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws.

RIP, Maurice Sendak.

• The date of the alleged locker-room shower incident involving Jerry Sandusky has changed, which could help two former Penn State officials in their perjury case.
• Recruit Alex Anzalone hasn't ruled out Ohio State after decommitting from the Buckeyes last week. The sex offender who posted pictures of himself and Anzalone on the Web was arrested Monday.
• Spring football accelerated the healing process at both Penn State and Ohio State, colleague Gene Wojciechowski writes.
• Northwestern might be a long shot to bring ESPN's "College GameDay" to campus, but coach Pat Fitzgerald is taking the challenge head on. Matt Micucci starred as a prep quarterback, but he'll walk on as a kicker/punter at Northwestern.
• Several former Illinois players gear up for NFL camps, John Supinie writes. A look back at the year for Illinois football.
• There's a chance Iowa's season opener at Soldier Field might not be televised. The Hawkeyes roll out the welcome mat for folks from Camp Courageous.
• Here's the latest on the arrest of Purdue wide receiver Antavian Edison. Former Purdue star Matt Light has announced his retirement from the NFL's New England Patriots.
• Michigan safety Jordan Kovacs steps into a primary leadership role. Soon-to-be baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin talks about how he told Bo Schembechler he was quitting football at Michigan.
• Dirk Chatelain has a very personal take on the controversy surrounding Nebraska assistant Ron Brown.
• Wisconsin's coaches need to make a stronger effort to ensure their athletes avoid bad choices. Montee Ball wasn't the only elite athlete on Mifflin Street -- oh, Kaner.
• BTN.com's Tom Dienhart ranks his top Big Ten tandems.
• Bill O'Brien is aware of the expectations he faces at Penn State. The Beaver Stadium scoreboard makeover won't be complete until 2014.
• Several former Minnesota players are chasing their NFL dreams with the Vikings.
• A defensive recruit from Florida lands his first scholarship offer from Indiana.
• The Football Writers Association of America gives some well-deserved recognition to Michigan State's athletic communications staff.
• The Naples News' David Moulton favors Jim Delany's proposal for a college football playoff.

It didn't take long for Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison to realize that repairing Michigan's defense would take more than schematic adjustments and refurbished fundamentals.

The problems went deeper than that. They struck at the core of each player who had suffered through the darkest stretch of defensive football in Michigan history.

Hoke, the Wolverines' first-year head coach, and Mattison, the team's defensive coordinator, inherited defenders whose pride had been wounded.

"When we went through spring, maybe the offense does something well or Denard [Robinson] gets loose -- there were some runs that were big plays," Hoke told ESPN.com, "and I don't know if [defenders] didn't have the confidence or if how they practiced was different, but you could see a little bit of a self-defeating attitude."

Mattison tried to clean the slate. He didn't care about the past, so why should his players? But he soon learned that he couldn't ignore what had happened or its effects.

"All you had to do was read papers," Mattison said. "Any comments that ever talked about the Michigan defense always ended with, 'Boy, the defense was not very good.' You can sense that when people look at you, they go, 'Oh boy, they're bad.'

"You don't wish that on anybody that works hard."

Mattison and Hoke had to change attitudes on defense, but they never had to worry about players working hard. While many factors played into Michigan's renaissance on defense this season, perhaps none meant more than the players being fed up with their reputation and hungry to change it.

The result was a defense that improved from 110th nationally to 17th, the biggest one-year jump in college football. Michigan improved from 108th to seventh in points allowed.

Name a significant category -- rush defense (95th to 34th), takeaways (77th to 22nd), red zone defense (87th to fourth), third-down defense (95th to 30th), first downs allowed (107th to 16th), sacks (98th to 27th) -- and Michigan not only made strides, but dramatic ones.

The papers now describe Michigan's defense in a different light. The unit is the single biggest reason why the Wolverines won 10 games this season and returned to a BCS bowl for the first time since the 2006 season. Michigan faces Virginia Tech next Tuesday night in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

"Nobody likes being criticized," safety Jordan Kovacs said. "But at the same time, it made us the defense that we are today."

The coaching staff also played a significant role in the transformation. Hoke and Mattison, defensive assistants at Michigan in the 1990s, knew what Wolverines defense was supposed to look like.

When Hoke hired Mattison away from the NFL's Baltimore Ravens, he didn't have to map out the defensive plan with his coordinator. The two men go way back, to their days as assistants with Western Michigan in the mid-1980s.

"Brady knew he and I thought exactly the same," Mattison said. "It all starts up front, it starts with technique, it starts with running to the football -- all the things great defenses do."

The line became the focal point. Michigan had used three-man fronts for much of the past three seasons, but Mattison restored the base 4-3 set, the one to which senior linemen like Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen had been recruited.

Although Hoke hired a defensive line coach in Jerry Montgomery, both Hoke and Mattison spent much of their time with the front four. Hoke even coached a position, nose guard, setting him apart from most head coaches, who either work with specialists or serve primarily as overseers.

"I'm not one of those head coaches who's going to walk around," Hoke said. "I've hired good assistants, guys who understand how we want to play. I'm smart enough to know where my strengths are. And selfishly as much as anything, I love my time with those guys, coaching defensive line."

The coaches were fortunate that the line, more than any area on defense, featured veterans such as Martin, Van Bergen and end Will Heininger, a walk-on. The three seniors had one final season to make things right, and they played with great urgency.

Michigan's line accounted for 16.5 sacks, 33.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and a safety. The Wolverines have 28 sacks through 12 games, 10 more than they had in 13 contests last season.

Michigan's improvements up front helped the rest of the unit.

"There were times last year where you're beat and they'll complete that ball," Kovacs said. "There's times this year where you're beat and you feel like, 'Oh, gosh, please don't throw it.' And the next thing you know, we've got a sack, or [the opposing quarterback] had to check it down because of our pressure from the defensive line and linebackers."

The secondary absorbed most of the criticism for Michigan's defensive woes the past three seasons. A combination of youth, injuries, attrition and flat-out poor play led to repeated breakdowns.

When Mattison arrived, Kovacs remembers him telling the defensive backs, "Keep the ball inside and in front of you. Don't give up the big play. Live to play another down and let these guys in front of you do their jobs." The DBs obliged and several players made significant contributions, including Kovacs, an effective blitzer who recorded eight tackles for loss, four sacks and two forced fumbles.

"It's different, but I can't say I don't like it," he said. "In the first game, there were a couple blitzes I came clean on, and I realized I really like to blitz."

Michigan's defensive awakening can be traced to three areas.

1. Eliminating big plays: According to ESPN Stats & Information, Michigan's defense last season allowed 64 plays of 20 yards or longer (46 passes, 18 rushes). This season, Michigan's defense has allowed only 41 plays of 20 yards or longer (25 passes, 16 rushes). The Wolverines went from 107th nationally in allowing passes of 20 yards or longer to eighth this season.

2. Third-down defense: Michigan ranked 95th nationally last season, allowing conversions at 43.3 percent. Five of eight Big Ten opponents converted more than half of their third downs against the Wolverines. This season, Michigan ranks 30th nationally, allowing conversions at 36.1 percent. Only one Big Ten team, Michigan State, converted half of its third-down attempts against the Wolverines.

3. Takeaways: Last season, Michigan had 19 takeaways, which ranked 77th nationally and eighth in the Big Ten. The Wolverines matched the total in just seven games this fall and finished the regular season with 27 takeaways, tops in the Big Ten and tied for 22nd nationally. They recorded at least one takeaway in all but one game and multiple takeaways in nine contests.

"Those three things," Mattison said, "are what separate defenses."

Michigan's defense separated itself this season despite a lack of star power. The Wolverines feature no first-team All-Big Ten defenders and just one second-team selection in Martin. The starting defense includes two walk-ons (Kovacs and Heininger) and three freshmen (linebackers Jake Ryan and Desmond Morgan and cornerback Blake Countess).

But the components meshed under Mattison's leadership, and after being trashed in print and elsewhere, the Wolverines found a way to write a different conclusion to their story.

"Every man on that defense, especially the older ones, wanted to come out of Michigan being successful," Mattison said. "It's something you have to have been at Michigan to understand. You're judged by how you play when you graduate. You won't get around that. That's been forever, since Bo [Schembechler] was here.

"To see these guys buy in and work as hard as they did, and to have the success they had at times, was probably one of the most rewarding things I've ever had in my coaching career."

The next time a Big Ten fan base gets excited about a MAC coach likely will be the first.

Big Ten fans want big names, even if they're more hyped than proven. There's a sense that Big Ten programs should be able to reach further than the MAC, even though the MAC has produced some excellent major-conference coaches, many of whom have done well in the Big Ten. Some are known only by their first names: Woody, Bo and Ara. All three succeeded at Big Ten programs after coming from a MAC school, Miami (Ohio).

Still, coaching searches are often the time when fan perception meets program reality. It happened this week at Illinois.

The rumor mill began buzzing Tuesday that Illinois was close to a deal with Houston coach Kevin Sumlin. Regarded as a rising star in coaching, Sumlin is one of those names that gets fans excited, even if his track record doesn't quite match the hype around him. He runs an exciting offense at Houston, led by quarterback Case Keenum. He's a Big Ten guy (Purdue product) who had great success as a Big 12 assistant. Perhaps most important, he's wanted by others.

I never bought the Sumlin-to-Illinois talk. With a vacancy at Texas A&M, it makes too much sense for Sumlin to eventually move up the road to College Station. Illinois wanted him, but he didn't want Illinois. Predictably, the Sumlin buzz died down and Toledo's Tim Beckman became the target for Illinois first-year athletic director Mike Thomas.

Beckman will be introduced as Illinois' coach at a 4 p.m. ET news conference Friday in Champaign, Ill. He comes to the Illini after recording a 21-16 record in three seasons with Toledo.

There's a lot to like about Beckman. He's an Ohio native who knows the Big Ten and has recruited well, particularly in his home state. He has worked for successful programs (Oklahoma State, Ohio State and Bowling Green) and for successful head coaches (Mike Gundy, Jim Tressel, Urban Meyer). He took over a Toledo program dealing with a point-shaving scandal and led the Rockets to 8-win seasons in each of the past two years. He's known as a tireless worker with a fiery personality.

I have a feeling Illinois fans will feel better about the hire after Friday's news conference.

But some still will only see "MAC coach." And that's fine. Beckman will have to win them over by winning. If he mirrors what former Toledo coach Gary Pinkel has done at Missouri, or what former Toledo coach Nick Saban did at Michigan State, or what Bo, Woody and Ara did at Michigan, Ohio State and Northwestern, respectively, no one will remember where he came from.

When Thomas announced Ron Zook's firing, he noted that his track record shows he hires coaches with previous experience leading programs. He didn't add that he hires them from the MAC, as he brought both Brian Kelly and Butch Jones to Cincinnati from Central Michigan. Kelly had historic success at Cincinnati before moving onto Notre Dame, while Jones has the Bearcats at 9-3 this season. The Beckman hire follows the pattern for Thomas, who also reportedly expressed interest in two other MAC head-coaches: Eastern Michigan's Ron English and Temple's Steve Addazio.

If Beckman succeeds at Illinois, Thomas will be hailed as strong evaluator of under-the-radar coaches. If Beckman fails, Thomas will be seen as an AD who couldn't reel in the big fish. While Illinois reportedly was willing to spend big bucks for Sumlin, Beckman likely comes as a bargain, as he made $400,000 at Toledo.

Beckman inherits some talent at Illinois. Talent never was the problem for Zook, who recruited well. But Beckman will need to develop players better than his predecessor.

There are some potential concerns with Beckman, namely that he's a defensive coach whose defenses didn't exactly rank among the nation's best.

Here's a look:

2011 (Toledo): 76th in total defense, 89th in scoring defense
2010 (Toledo): 56th in total defense, 73rd in scoring defense
2009 (Toledo): 95th in total defense, 116th in scoring defense
2008 (Oklahoma State): 93rd in total defense, 73rd in scoring defense
2007 (Oklahoma State): 101st in total defense, 79th in scoring defense

To be fair, fielding a decent defense in the MAC is no easy task. But Toledo also surrendered 63 points in back-to-back games, including a 63-60 loss to Northern Illinois in which Beckman's timeout decisions came under heavy scrutiny.

Beckman could win points with many Illini fans by retaining Vic Koenning as his defensive coordinator. Koenning has done a masterful job with Illinois' defense, which boasts an All-American in defensive end Whitney Mercilus and ranked No. 7 nationally in yards allowed, No. 4 against the pass, No. 5 in tackles for loss and No. 9 in sacks. Whether their defensive philosophies match remains to be seen, but Beckman certainly should consider keeping Koenning.

His bigger task will be establishing consistency with an Illinois program that hasn't seen nearly enough in the past two decades. Although Illinois has reached back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 1991-92, the team has too often been a tease, arguably never more so than this season when it started 6-0 and finished 0-6. The talent has been in Champaign, but Illinois has been too fragile of a team. Beckman must change the culture.

Some coaches create buzz just by showing up (see: Meyer, Urban). Others create it by what they do on the field.

Beckman must show he can do the latter at Illinois.

A few news and notes from WolverineNation:

Chantel Jennings: Brady Hoke knows this game generates emotion, but he’s reminding his players to stick to the routine that got them here.

Chantel Jennings : Jim Harbaugh guaranteed a victory in 1986, and Bo Schembechler had his QB’s back.

Tom VanHaaren : Michigan will have more than 30 visitors, some of whom offered predictions for this weekend.

Ivan Maisel writes: Five years after Bo Schembechler's death, the Michigan family he helped build is only beginning to recover.

Michael Rothstein writes: Michigan lost its way in the wake of Bo Schembechler’s death five years ago today, but in the interim it has hired an AD and a head football coach steeped in his ways.

Chantel Jennings writes : The often cantankerous coach could be sweet, charming and endearing with those he held closest.

More from Rothstein: Bo began the day before his death attending a funeral, that of a former player. He delivered a speech to the Michigan football team that was about to leave for Columbus, Ohio, that night.

WN staff writes : Former players, coaches tell their favorite Bo stories. (Dave Brandon and Tony Gant are priceless)

Tom VanHaaren writes : If you wanted to win, you recruited hard. Bo promised: You’ll get a degree, play on TV and be a champion. He delivered on all three.

More from Jennings : Bo brought Jon Falk from Miami to Michigan to be his equipment man with promises of the Rose Bowl. They made eight together.

More Rothstein : Head coach Brady Hoke and assistant Fred Jackson on their fondest memories.

Thanks to ESPN Stats & Info for these nuggets on Big Ten games featuring Top 25 teams on Saturday ...

• Brady Hoke is trying to do something that Bo Schembechler and Lloyd Carr couldn't do, beat Michigan State in his first year as head coach. No first-year Michigan coach has beaten MSU since Bennie Oosterbaan in 1948. Hoke’s 6-0 start is the best for a first-year Michigan coach since Oosterbaan. Oosterbaan's 1948 team finished 9-0 and won the national championship.
• Ohio State has won eight straight road games against Illinois. The last time the Buckeyes lost at Illinois was 20 years ago (1991), a 10-7 loss. Illinois has beaten Ohio State five times since then, all on the road.
• Michigan QB Denard Robinson leads the FBS with 77 rushes of 10 or more yards since the start of last season. Robinson has had at least one such run every game over the past two seasons, including seven games with at least five such runs.
• Wisconsin has scored at least 35 points in each game and has won all five games by at least 31 points this season. Dating back to last season, the Badgers' last nine wins have been by at least 20 points. The Badgers also have tremendous balance on offense. They're the only FBS team to average at least 240 pass yards and at least 240 rush yards.
• This is the first time a ranked Illinois team is playing an unranked Ohio State team since 1989. That year, Illinois won 34-14.
• Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins is completing 31.6 percent of his throws of 20 yards or more this season, down eight percentage points from 2010. One reason why is the departure of Mark Dell. Dell was the only Michigan State receiver last season to whom Cousins completed over 50 percent of these passes. With Dell gone, B.J. Cunningham has been Cousins' best downfield option. Cousins has targeted Cunningham 12 times on throws of 20 yards or more, and other players only seven times.
• Indiana has lost 13 straight games against teams ranked in the AP Poll. The Hoosiers' last win against a ranked team was in 2006 against No. 15 Iowa.

The new guy in the room quickly discovered that the Big Ten still operated in the old ways.

The year was 2005, and Ron Zook had traveled to Chicago to attend his first Big Ten coaches meeting. Hired the previous December as Illinois' coach, Zook gathered with his new colleagues to discuss key issues and to propose possible changes.

But some Big Ten coaches greeted the prospect of change with hesitation.

"People would say, 'Bo didn't do that and Woody didn't do that,'" Zook recalled. "Well, you know what? Those guys have been gone for a long time, and the game has changed."

In the six years since the meeting, the Big Ten began to change, too. Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes might have a tough time recognizing the league these days.

If those iconic coaches, who shaped the Big Ten brand during decades at Michigan and Ohio State, were still alive, they'd see a very different conference. ...

Click here to read the rest of the story

Jim Tressel's resignation from Ohio State on Monday ends one of the most successful runs in Big Ten coaching history.

Tressel spent 10 seasons in Columbus, compiling a 106-22 record (66-14 Big Ten).

Many thanks to ESPN's Stats & Information crew for the following nuggets on Tressel's time at Ohio State (note: there's a possibility these numbers could change depending on NCAA penalties against Tressel/Ohio State):

• Tressel is tied with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops for the most appearances by a coach in BCS bowls (8). He boasts a 5-3 record that includes a 1-2 mark in games that decided the national championship.
• Tressel has guided Ohio State to 10 or more wins in six consecutive seasons, the fifth-longest such streak in FBS history and the longest in Big Ten history.
• Tressel is the only coach in NCAA history to win more than 100 games at two separate schools (Youngstown State and Ohio State).
• Tressel's 106 wins are the third most by an Ohio State coach, behind Woody Hayes (205) and John Cooper (111). His winning percentage of .827, meanwhile, is significantly higher than both Hayes (.761) and Cooper (.715).
• Tressel last year became the third-fastest coach in Big Ten history to reach 100 victories, doing so in his 121st game. Michigan's Bo Schembechler and Fielding Yost both reached the 100-win mark in 119 games.
• Under Tressel, the Buckeyes spent 14 weeks as the No. 1-ranked team.

Several more nuggets from yours truly ...

• Tressel's Big Ten winning percentage ranks second in league history behind only Schembechler (.850).
• He coached 21 first-team All-Americans at Ohio State and 47 first-team All-Big Ten selections.
• Tressel boasts a 9-1 record against archrival Michigan and is the only Ohio State coach to defeat the Wolverines in seven consecutive games.

In a perfect world, if fans controlled nonconference scheduling rather than cost-conscious athletic directors, college football would have more intersectional rivalries than it currently does.

Colleague Bruce Feldman recently took a look at 'should-be' rivalries -- series that would be great if they regularly took place, or, in some cases, resumed.

Three games involving Big Ten teams made his list: Ohio State vs. Oklahoma, Michigan vs. LSU and Penn State vs. Pitt.

Here are Feldman's thoughts on each 'should-be' rivalry:

Ohio State-Oklahoma:

Both programs have deep ties to Youngstown, through their coaches Jim Tressel (former coach at Youngstown State) and Bob Stoops (a Youngstown native). These are two programs that have been great for over a half-century and whose fan bases are about as big as they come. It's a shame these two powerhouses have only played twice, once in 1977 and the other time in 1983.

LSU-Michigan:

After years of rumors that LSU coach Les Miles, a former Wolverines lineman and Bo Schembechler disciple, would return to Ann Arbor to rescue his alma mater, we now know that he's not leaving Tiger Stadium for the Maize and Blue. Of course, it would be fun if he and his program visited Michigan every other year. Any time one of Jim Delany's prized programs takes on one of Mike Slive's, you're going to end up with a lot of compelling drama.

Penn State-Pitt:

One of the great rivalries in the sport -- which was first played in the 1890s -- has been put on ice since 2000. The break occurred not that long after the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten and left their nemesis behind in the process. The two are still fierce rivals on the recruiting trail, but it would be fun to see them square off on the field every year again.

Count me among those who would love to see these three series, among others.

Ohio State-Oklahoma especially intrigues me. Both programs have been consistently elite under their respective coaches, and both also have fallen short on the biggest stage. I've always felt Ohio State gets trashed more than the Sooners, even though the teams' big-game struggles are similar.

I wonder if Nebraska-Iowa would have made Feldman's list before the Huskers joined the Big Ten. Don't have to worry about that any more.

Some other series I'd like to see start or resume:

• Iowa-Missouri
• Indiana-Kentucky
• Northwestern-Stanford (four-game series starts in 2019)
• Penn State-Alabama (I'll miss it after this year's game; tremendous respect between the fan bases)
• Ohio State-SEC power (Florida/Alabama/LSU/Georgia)

What series would you like to see?

The Rich Rodriguez era is over at Michigan.

So where does the program go from here?

First-year athletic director Dave Brandon put himself in a bit of a bind by waiting so long to dismiss Rodriguez. Most head-coaching changes happen in early December, not after Jan. 1. Michigan now could be competing with several NFL teams for top candidates.

All along, I've felt that Michigan should only dump RichRod if it can land Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh as his replacement. Harbaugh's stock might never be higher, and he's the kind of coach who can inspire the fan base and recruit well despite what could be a very rough time on the field. But the reports Tuesday that Harbaugh is unlikely to return to his alma mater certainly change the scope of Michigan's coaching search.

The two candidates you'll hear a lot about are LSU coach Les Miles and San Diego State coach Brady Hoke. Miles played for Bo Schembechler at Michigan, and both he and Hoke served as Michigan assistants. Miles had strong interest in the Michigan job before Rodriguez was hired, and Hoke has made it pretty clear that Michigan is his dream job.

Both Miles and Hoke have the Michigan ties that Rodriguez lacked, but I'm not crazy about either one as the next Wolverines coach. Miles has too many red flags with clock management and other areas, and while Hoke has done masterful work in turning around both Ball State and San Diego State, he's unproven at the highest level. Miles certainly can recruit and his defenses have been strong, which would be a plus for the Wolverines.

If Brandon looks outside the family, he'll have to do a good job of selling the Michigan brand, which he has worked to build and enhance during his brief tenure as AD. Hot coaching prospects like TCU's Gary Patterson and Boise State's Chris Petersen would need to be lured away from comfortable situations with the prospect that Michigan isn't far away from competing at the national level.

Brandon's personal involvement with the football program also is a factor. He watched tape with Rodriguez and his staff Sunday mornings after games. Not sure many coaches want their boss to be such a part of the inner workings.

Michigan needs to get this hire right, but it would be a good idea to act quickly. National signing day is less than a month away, and Michigan can't let its 2011 recruiting class totally fall apart.

There's also the matter of the current players. Some undoubtedly will leave the program. Happens with every coaching change.

The big question: Will Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Denard Robinson be one of those heading elsewhere? Unless the next Michigan coach runs some version of a spread offense, I wouldn't blame Robinson for transferring. No Michigan player is impacted more by Rodriguez's firing than Robinson, whose success was so closely tied to Rodriguez's system.

It's hard not to see the team backsliding in 2011, and the 2012 schedule is absolutely brutal. Michigan could be waiting a while longer to rejoin the nation's elite.

Brandon has been impressive in his first year as AD, especially in his handling of the NCAA investigation into the football program. But his delayed decision on Rodriguez hasn't gone over well, especially with the Harbaugh news.

Most ADs don't get to hire two football coaches, so Brandon's legacy will be largely shaped in the coming days.

Stay tuned.

The Big Ten finally revealed the new names for its football divisions, along with a new logo and 18 (count 'em) new trophies for football.

Sadly, my two suggestions for division names -- Delany and Delaney, and Adam and Rittenberg -- did not make the cut.

I'll get to my reaction for each part below. Overall, I feel like many of you do: The league could have done better and didn't help its national perception, at least in the short term. But unlike many folks, I care a lot more about who is in the divisions than what they are called. The amount of attention this topic generated really surprised me.

Overall, the reaction from fans and media members hasn't been positive.

"Any time you have something new, whether it’s a mark or trophies, it takes some time to get used to," league commissioner Jim Delany said on a teleconference.

That might be wishful thinking.

DIVISION NAMES

Meh.

After months of taking suggestions and brainstorming possibilities, the Big Ten ended up with Legends and Leaders. Here's the breakdown:

Legends Division: Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern and Nebraska

Leaders Division: Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana

While the league's intentions here are understandable -- to honor its rich history and long lineup of legendary figures -- the Big Ten got too caught up in avoiding specific names. Make no mistake: The Big Ten was never going to name the divisions Woody and Bo. Way too exclusive. But there are former commissioners who could have been honored or historical figures who represent this area of the country.

The league also wanted to avoid geography in the division names. While I completely agreed that geography shouldn't have been the deciding factor in determining how teams were assigned to divisions, I didn't have nearly as big of an issue with geographical distinctions for division names. Lakes and Plains would have been just fine with me.

The Big Ten also couldn't have gone wrong with names that sounded patriotic: Liberty and Freedom or Stars and Stripes (suggested by the Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein) would work.

"People suggested Schembechler and Hayes," Delany said. "Any time you looked at it, it seemed to be too exclusive and not inclusive enough. ... As we looked at ourselves, we believed at the core of who we are are our traditions and heritage. And those traditions are largely people, legendary people."

The Big Ten recognized plenty of those people in the new trophies. But Legends and Leaders is too generic, a little too arrogant and too Little League for me. Another good point raised by Greenstein: Two divisions that start with the letter "L" have a negative connotation in sports.

LOGO

As my wife often reminds me, I don't have a great eye for design. Aside from being named "Most Improved" in a middle school art class, my skills in this department are limited.

The Big Ten's new logo has its flaws, but I can live with it. The mark, created by Pentagram Design, certainly comes off a bit retro and looks more like something that would have been done when Delany first became commissioner in 1990 than now.

There's no hidden "12" in the logo like there is with "11" in the current Big Ten logo.

"A lot of people thought we would use negative space to [use] 12," Delany said. "Pretty much everybody in the design world said, 'No, don't do that.' "

What the league tried to do was create a link back to its pre-Penn State logo with the B-I-G 1-0, substituting the "I" in Big as the No. 1. Asked about the "G" looking like the No. 6, which feeds into the conspiracy theory that the Big Ten eventually will expand to 16 teams, Delany said, "We were thinking 10, not 16."

TROPHIES

Of the three new elements, the Big Ten definitely did best here. While 18 trophies is extremely excessive, the league was able to honor some of its great players and coaches.

The big additions are the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy given to the winner of the Big Ten football title game, which beings next year. The trophy honors former University of Chicago coach Amos Alonzo Stagg and current Penn State coach Joe Paterno. The MVP of the title game receives the Grange-Griffin Trophy, which recognizes former Illinois star Red Grange and former Ohio State star Archie Griffin, the only two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy.

The complaint some have raised with these trophies is that they honor current Big Ten coaches like Paterno and Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, whose name appears on the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award.

I don't have a problem with this. We don't need to wait for Paterno to die or stop coaching to recognize what he means to the Big Ten and to college football. While he hasn't been in the Big Ten for most of his career, his presence in this league is felt.

Many of the league's greats are still alive, so why not recognize them?

"A lot of people say you can't honor somebody who was alive, you can’t honor somebody who was active," Delany said. "I don’t subscribe to those rules. We were trying to get a good blend of great people, deceased and alive, who stand for great athletic contributions."

I also like that none of the Big Ten's trophies will be connected with corporate sponsorships.

Here's the full list of new trophies:

Championship game trophies

• Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy: Honors Amos Alonzo Stagg (University of Chicago) and Joe Paterno (Penn State)
• Grange-Griffin Championship Game MVP: Honors Harold Edward “Red” Grange (Illinois) and Archie Griffin (Ohio State)

Postgraduate Awards

• Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award: Honors President Gerald R. Ford (former Michigan player) and Nile Kinnick (Iowa)
• Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award: Honors Tony Dungy (Minnesota) and Anthony Thompson (Indiana)

Annual Awards/Trophies

• Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year: Otto Graham (Northwestern) and Eddie George (Ohio State)
• Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year: Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski (Minnesota) and Charles Woodson (Michigan)
• Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year: Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes (Ohio State) and Glenn Edward “Bo” Schembechler (Michigan
• Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year: Darrell Thompson (Minnesota) and Antwaan Randle El (Indiana)
• Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year: Honors Dave Rimington (Nebraska) and Orlando Pace (Ohio State)
• Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Honors Charles Aaron “Bubba” Smith (Michigan State) and Courtney Brown (Penn State)
• Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year: Honors Bob Griese (Purdue) and Drew Brees (Purdue)
• Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year: Honors Alan Ameche (Wisconsin) and Ron Dayne (Wisconsin)
• Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year: Honors Jack Tatum (Ohio State) and Rod Woodson (Purdue)
• Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year: Honors Dick Butkus (Illinois) and Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
• Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year: Honors Pat Richter (Wisconsin) and Desmond Howard (Michigan)
• Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: Honors Ted Kwalick (Penn State) and Dallas Clark (Iowa)
• Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year: Honors Jim Bakken (Wisconsin) and Morten Andersen (Michigan State)
• Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year: Honors Thomas Dwight “Dike” Eddleman (Illinois) and Brandon Fields (Michigan State)

Whew. A lot to digest. I'll have more on the announcement, so stay tuned.

A few notes and nuggets to hopefully make you smarter when you watch the second Saturday of Big Ten play. Thanks to the fine folks at ESPN Stats & Info for most of these.

• Jim Tressel’s next win will be his 100th as the Ohio State coach (99-21 record). Only two coaches have reached 100 wins at a Big Ten school in fewer games than Tressel -- Fielding Yost and Bo Schembechler (both at Michigan). Each accomplished the feat in their 119th game at the school.
• Indiana is 0-26 all-time against teams ranked No. 1 or No. 2. The highest-ranked opponent the Hoosiers have defeated is No. 3 Purdue in November 1967. IU faces No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday.
• This is just the third time that both Michigan and Michigan State have started 5-0 in the same season and the first time since 1999. That season was also the last time both teams came into this game undefeated. Michigan State won the game 34-31 in East Lansing. It's the first time these two teams have met as ranked opponents since 2003 when 11th-ranked Michigan beat 9th-ranked Michigan State 27-20 in East Lansing.
• Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has 98 rush attempts this season, but only once has he scrambled for a gain after dropping back and looking to throw the ball. Robinson has been the designated ballcarrier on a running play 76 times, has kept the ball on a zone read 19 times, and the final two rushes were a sack and a fumbled snap. Robinson has used a run-fake before exactly one-third of his passes this season, and he has completed more than 78 percent of his passes after faking the run. Perhaps the greatest effect of Michigan’s play-action is giving Robinson time to hit receivers downfield.
• After being ranked in the Associated Press poll for the past 38 polls (tied with Alabama for fourth-longest in the nation), Penn State is not ranked in the AP or USA Today Coaches' polls this week.
• Indiana is the only team in the country with three receivers in the top 30 in receptions per game -- Damarlo Belcher, Tandon Doss and Terrance Turner -- and is one of two programs (Hawaii) with two receivers in the top 12 in receiving yards per game (Belcher and Doss).
• Wisconsin has not turned the ball over since the third quarter of the San Jose State game. The last time the Badgers had three consecutive games without a turnover was during the first three games of the 2007 season when Wisconsin had zero giveaways against Washington State, UNLV and The Citadel. Wisconsin is 30-5 under coach Bret Bielema when it wins the turnover battle or is even in turnover margin.
• Saturday night's meeting between Purdue and Northwestern will be played almost 75 years to the day of the first-ever night game in Big Ten history. That game also involved Northwestern and Purdue, on Oct. 5, 1935 in Evanston. Purdue and Northwestern have not met in a night game since that inaugural game under the lights.
• Before last week's game with Northwestern, Minnesota junior running back DeLeon Eskridge hadn't rushed for 100 yards or more in nearly two years. Eskridge ripped off 119 yards against the Wildcats for his third career 100-yard game. The last time he eclipsed the century mark was Oct. 11, 2008 when he rushed for 124 at Illinois. In between those two games, he hadn’t rushed for more than 80 yards.
• Northwestern has started 5-0 for the second time in the past three years. It has not started 6-0 since 1962, the last time Northwestern was ranked No. 1 in the nation.
• Illinois is one of only five teams in the nation to score on all of its red zone drives this season. In 12 trips inside the 20, the Illini have scored seven touchdowns and five field goals. East Carolina (15-15), Washington (13-13), San Jose State (9-9) and Memphis (8-8) are the only other teams with a perfect red-zone scoring percentage.
• Purdue senior defensive end Ryan Kerrigan forced his 12th career fumble against Toledo on Sept. 25 to tie James Looney (1979-80) for the team record. His next strip will tie him for the Big Ten record, which is currently shared by Simeon Rice of Illinois (1992-95) and Bob Sanders of Iowa (2000-03).

The house of pain is in effect 'yall
I say the house of pain is in effect
You know the house of pain is in effect y'all
And anyone that steps up is gettin' wrecked

And, with those poetic lines from Everlast, we enter the Big Ten's House of Pain. All week at ESPN.com, we're exploring the most-painful losses in a team's history. What constitutes pain? First, the game has to be significant. A rough loss in a going-nowhere year doesn't sting as much as one that prevented a team from reaching its ultimate goals.

Painful losses often happen against rivals. Painful losses often have especially painful endings. Painful losses often take place at the worst possible times. Although blowout defeats certainly can qualify as painful, losses that culminate with crunch-time turnovers, field goal makes or misses or generally bizarre plays usually stick out more.

The most important criteria: painful losses linger for you, the fans.

Trust me, this wasn't easy, and I know many of you will disagree with the choices. But I only got to pick one game for each Big Ten team. A special thanks to the Big Ten sports information staffs for helping me with the project.

Here goes ...

ILLINOIS
Date: Nov. 3, 1990
Opponent: Iowa
Site: Memorial Stadium (Champaign, Ill.)
Final score: Iowa 54, Illinois 28

After winning a Citrus Bowl championship the previous January, Illinois entered the 1990 season with raised expectations. The Illini lost the opener but won their next six, rising to No. 5 in the national rankings. They had big dreams, but rival Iowa changed everything by crushing them in front of their own fans at Memorial Stadium. John Mackovic's team had no answer for Iowa's Nick Bell, who rushed for 168 yards. After allowing one touchdown in its opponents' previous 49 possessions, Illinois watched Iowa reach the end zone on its first five drives. Illinois' 2000 loss to Michigan deserves honorable mention.

INDIANA
Date: Nov. 7, 1988
Opponent: Illinois
Site: Memorial Stadium (Champaign, Ill.)
Final score: Illinois 21, Indiana 20

Indiana went to Champaign ranked No. 20 nationally and boasting a 4-1 mark in Big Ten play after a win against Iowa. The Hoosiers seemingly had the game in hand, up 20-9 with less than four minutes remaining. But Illinois quarterback Jeff George, an Indianapolis native who attended Indiana's archrival Purdue before transferring, led the comeback and fired a touchdown pass with 21 seconds left. Illinois' drive came after Indiana quarterback Dave Schnell fumbled on a bootleg. The loss took Indiana out of the race for the Big Ten championship. Indiana's most painful moment came against Anthony Carter and Michigan in 1979.

IOWA
Date: Jan. 1, 1986
Opponent: UCLA
Site: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
Final Score: UCLA 45, Iowa 28

Iowa felt the pain both for what happened during the game and what happened soon afterward. Maxwell Award winner Chuck Long led the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes into Pasadena, but he was sacked four times by the Bruins. Tailback Ronnie Harmon had a miserable day, fumbling four times after doing so just once all season and dropping a wide-open touchdown pass. Some believed Harmon threw the game. An Iowa win could have led to a national championship after No. 1 Penn State and No. 2 Miami both lost in their bowl games.

MICHIGAN
Date: Nov. 24, 1973
Opponent: Ohio State
Site: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Final score: Ohio State 10, Michigan 10

Michigan has had its share of painful losses -- Appalachian State, Ohio State in 2006, Colorado in 1994 -- but this tie with the hated Buckeyes really stung the Maize and Blue. The game featured its share of pain, as Michigan rallied from a 10-0 deficit to tie things up, but missed two field goals in the closing moments. The controversy really started afterward, as Big Ten athletic directors voted that Ohio State should play in the Rose Bowl ahead of Michigan. The Big Ten's no-repeat rule had been scrapped just two years earlier. Michigan coach Bo Schembechler called the decision "an embarrassment to the Big Ten Conference" and stewed about it until his death in 2006.

MICHIGAN STATE
Date: Jan. 1, 1966
Opponent: UCLA
Site: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
Final score: UCLA 14, Michigan State 12

The Spartans came to Pasadena undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country. UCLA jumped ahead as the Spartans coughed up the ball four times in the first half. Still, Michigan State had a chance and outgained UCLA 314-212 in the game. The Spartans rallied and scored with less than a minute left, setting up a potential tying two-point conversion attempt. But fullback Bob Apisa was stopped short of the goal line by UCLA's Bob Stiles, who knocked himself out making the tackle. Alabama was awarded the AP national title. Michigan State's 2006 loss to Notre Dame and 1966 tie against the Irish deserve honorable mention.

MINNESOTA
Date: Oct. 10, 2003
Opponent: Michigan
Site: Metrodome (Minneapolis)
Final score: Michigan 38, Minnesota 35

Minnesota was 6-0 and entered the Little Brown Jug rivalry ranked No. 17 nationally. Led by tailbacks Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney, Minnesota led 28-7 after three quarters and 35-21 with 11:11 left. But Michigan couldn't be stopped in the fourth quarter and scored 31 points in the final 15 minutes, capped by Garrett Rivas' field goal with 47 seconds left. Minnesota rushed for 424 yards but still felt short. The Gophers arguably have never been the same. No Big Ten team has more painful losses than Minny.

NORTHWESTERN
Date: Nov. 11, 2000
Opponent: Iowa
Site: Kinnick Stadium
Final score: Iowa 27, Northwestern 17

Northwestern has seen huge leads evaporate (Michigan State in 2006), suffered shocking early losses (Miami University in 1995) and come very close to ending its bowl drought the past two seasons. But Rose Bowl opportunities don't come around too often for the Wildcats, and they squandered one by falling to Iowa. A week after an unforgettable win against Michigan and ranked No. 12 nationally, Northwestern was totally outplayed by a Hawkeyes team that went 3-9. On a day when Purdue opened a path to Pasadena with a loss to Michigan State, the Wildcats stumbled on the doorstep.

OHIO STATE
Date: Nov. 22, 1969
Opponent: Michigan
Site: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Final score: Michigan 24, Ohio State 12

The Buckeyes brought one of their greatest teams ever to "that state up North" to face a Michigan team regaining respectability under first-year coach Bo Schembechler. Although Michigan played at home and carried a four-game win streak into The Game, Ohio State was a 17-point favorite. The Buckeyes scored a quick touchdown but never really recovered, as a Michigan team inspired by Schembechler and a 50-14 loss the year before shut down Rex Kern and Co. Ohio State committed seven turnovers and suffered one of the biggest upsets in college football history. It also spawned the Ten-Year War between Schembechler and Woody Hayes. Ohio State's 1998 loss to Michigan State merits honorable mention.

PENN STATE
Date: Nov. 6, 1999
Opponent: Minnesota
Site: Beaver Stadium (State College, Pa.)
Final score: Minnesota 24, Penn State 23

Undefeated Penn State looked every bit like a national championship team, rising to No. 2 in the polls behind freakish defenders like LaVar Arrington and Courtney Brown. The Nittany Lions held a two-point advantage when Joe Paterno decided to punt rather than attempt a long field goal try in the closing minutes, trusting his dominant defense. Minnesota began the game's decisive drive with a Hail Mary pass from Billy Cockerham to Ron Johnson. Moments later, the Gophers converted a fourth-and-16 to set up the game-winning field goal by freshman kicker Dan Nystrom. Penn State lost its final two regular-season games. The Lions' 1979 Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama and their 2005 loss to Michigan gain honorable mention.

PURDUE
Date: Oct. 16, 2004
Opponent: Wisconsin
Site: Ross-Ade Stadium (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Final score: Wisconsin 20, Purdue 17

Purdue's program hasn't been the same since The Fumble. The Boilers came in 5-0 and ranked fifth nationally, while quarterback Kyle Orton had established himself as the Heisman Trophy front-runner. Purdue led 17-7 with eight minutes left and had a three-point advantage and the ball with 2:49 remaining. On third-and-3, Orton scrambled and made a lunge for the first down, only to have the ball knocked loose. Wisconsin's Scott Starks scooped it up and raced 40 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 2:36 left. Purdue lost its next three games and backslid to the Sun Bowl, where it fell to Arizona State.

WISCONSIN
Date: Oct. 23, 1993
Opponent: Minnesota
Site: Metrodome (Minneapolis)
Final score: Minnesota 28, Wisconsin 21

Wisconsin might have celebrated a national championship had it found a way to beat the rival Golden Gophers. The Badgers were 6-0 heading to the Metrodome but fell behind 21-0 to a Minnesota team that went 4-7 that fall. Wisconsin closed to within 21-14 and reached the Minnesota 8-yard line before Brent Moss was stuffed on fourth-and-1. The Badgers went on to share a Big Ten championship and reach the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1963, but they were so close to winning it all. Honorable mentions include 1999 against Cincinnati, 1998 against Michigan and 2005 against Iowa in Barry Alvarez's final game.