Big Ten: Bobby Bowden
Bobby Bowden, Beano Cook, Rece Davis, O.J. McDuffie, Joe Schad, Urban Meyer and Adam Taliaferro reflect on the life of Joe Paterno
Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, who spent nearly a decade battling former Penn State coach Joe Paterno for the most victories in NCAA Division I history, said he was saddened by Paterno’s death on Sunday morning.
Bowden said he learned of Paterno’s death from lung cancer after returning to his home in Tallahassee, Fla. Bowden, 82, coached in the Battle of Florida All-Star Game in Boca Raton, Fla., on Saturday night.
“I hated to hear it,” Bowden said. “It is really sad. The guy had the most illustrious career in the history of college football, probably all of football. To put the years together and have the success he had and then have it all end like this, it’s just tragic. I’m just going to remember the good things because he did so many good things at Penn State.”
Paterno, who spent his last two months battling lung cancer, won 409 games and two national championships in 46 seasons at Penn State. Bowden was ahead of Paterno in all-time victories for a time, but Paterno passed him before Bowden was forced to retire as FSU’s coach near the end of the 2009 season. On Oct. 29, Paterno won his 409th game, moving him past legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson for the most victories among Division I coaches.
Bowden won 389 games in 44 seasons as a coach, including 34 at Florida State. FSU was ordered to vacate 12 victories as part of NCAA sanctions in January 2010, leaving Bowden with a career record of 377-129-4.
“I thought I could outlast him,” Bowden said. “That was kind of my goal in my last years of coaching, but my record wouldn’t allow it. I enjoyed [the battle with Paterno] and kind of fessed up to it. Joe would always say, ‘Oh, I’m not interested in it.’ At one time, I was ahead of him. He was the best.”
Bowden said he first met Paterno in 1962, when Bowden was coaching at Howard College in Birmingham, Ala. After watching the Nittany Lions defeat Georgia Tech 30-15 in the 1961 Gator Bowl, Bowden called Penn State coach Rip Engle to ask if he could observe spring practice in 1962. Paterno was Engle’s 35-year-old offensive coordinator at the time. Bowden later coached against Penn State when he was coach at West Virginia from 1970-1975.
Bowden and Paterno faced each other in two bowl games while Bowden was at Florida State. FSU defeated Penn State 24-17 in the 1990 Blockbuster Bowl, and the Nittany Lions beat the Seminoles 26-23 in three overtimes in the 2006 Orange Bowl.
In 2007, Bowden and Paterno were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame together. At the time, the National Football Foundation waived its rule which said coaches had to be retired to be inducted.
Bowden and Paterno became close friends during their trips together to Nike conventions.
“Joe and I would spend a lot of time together because we were older than everyone else,” Bowden said.
Bowden said he hopes Paterno will be remembered as a great leader and coach, and not for his role in the Jerry Sandusky scandal that rocked Penn State last year. Sandusky, a longtime Paterno assistant, is accused of molesting children over a 15-year period.
“It’s amazing,” Bowden said. “You can do so many good things in your life and then have one mistake. You can’t ignore the great years he had at Penn State and the great things he did for Penn State. That university is known for Joe Paterno and [his wife] Sue. It’s just a great tragedy.”
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Al Bello/Getty ImagesFormer Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said of the passing of Penn State coach Joe Paterno: "The guy had the most illustrious career in the history of college football."
Al Bello/Getty ImagesFormer Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said of the passing of Penn State coach Joe Paterno: "The guy had the most illustrious career in the history of college football."“I hated to hear it,” Bowden said. “It is really sad. The guy had the most illustrious career in the history of college football, probably all of football. To put the years together and have the success he had and then have it all end like this, it’s just tragic. I’m just going to remember the good things because he did so many good things at Penn State.”
Paterno, who spent his last two months battling lung cancer, won 409 games and two national championships in 46 seasons at Penn State. Bowden was ahead of Paterno in all-time victories for a time, but Paterno passed him before Bowden was forced to retire as FSU’s coach near the end of the 2009 season. On Oct. 29, Paterno won his 409th game, moving him past legendary Grambling State coach Eddie Robinson for the most victories among Division I coaches.
Bowden won 389 games in 44 seasons as a coach, including 34 at Florida State. FSU was ordered to vacate 12 victories as part of NCAA sanctions in January 2010, leaving Bowden with a career record of 377-129-4.
“I thought I could outlast him,” Bowden said. “That was kind of my goal in my last years of coaching, but my record wouldn’t allow it. I enjoyed [the battle with Paterno] and kind of fessed up to it. Joe would always say, ‘Oh, I’m not interested in it.’ At one time, I was ahead of him. He was the best.”
Bowden said he first met Paterno in 1962, when Bowden was coaching at Howard College in Birmingham, Ala. After watching the Nittany Lions defeat Georgia Tech 30-15 in the 1961 Gator Bowl, Bowden called Penn State coach Rip Engle to ask if he could observe spring practice in 1962. Paterno was Engle’s 35-year-old offensive coordinator at the time. Bowden later coached against Penn State when he was coach at West Virginia from 1970-1975.
Bowden and Paterno faced each other in two bowl games while Bowden was at Florida State. FSU defeated Penn State 24-17 in the 1990 Blockbuster Bowl, and the Nittany Lions beat the Seminoles 26-23 in three overtimes in the 2006 Orange Bowl.
In 2007, Bowden and Paterno were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame together. At the time, the National Football Foundation waived its rule which said coaches had to be retired to be inducted.
Bowden and Paterno became close friends during their trips together to Nike conventions.
“Joe and I would spend a lot of time together because we were older than everyone else,” Bowden said.
Bowden said he hopes Paterno will be remembered as a great leader and coach, and not for his role in the Jerry Sandusky scandal that rocked Penn State last year. Sandusky, a longtime Paterno assistant, is accused of molesting children over a 15-year period.
“It’s amazing,” Bowden said. “You can do so many good things in your life and then have one mistake. You can’t ignore the great years he had at Penn State and the great things he did for Penn State. That university is known for Joe Paterno and [his wife] Sue. It’s just a great tragedy.”
Have a great holiday weekend! Big Ten bowl season is just around the corner.
AK from Monroe Township, N.J., writes: Hi Adam. OSU fan here. I don't think the bowl ban next year is all that bad. First, I don't see OSU contending for the national title yet. Second, if there are no practices for the bowl game, that means Urban Meyer will be fully hitting the recruiting trails like this year. If he can do an incredible job this year in limited time and scholarship, imagine what he can do next year?
Adam Rittenberg: AK, you're definitely putting a positive spin on things. I see the situation a bit differently. Ohio State would have been the favorite in the Leaders division as the Buckeyes return most of their key players. The bowl ban prevents the Buckeyes from reaching the Big Ten championship game with a chance to go to Pasadena. So it's definitely a blow for next year as things were set up well for the Scarlet and Gray. Also, coaches can still be effective recruiters while preparing their teams for bowl games. Ohio State's team undoubtedly would have benefited from the extra practices next December. Long term, the ban shouldn't sting too much, but it definitely has some drawbacks for the Buckeyes. We do agree on this: Ohio State is more likely to compete for a national title in 2013.
Dave from Pasadena, Calif., writes: Hey Adam! Upon reading all the news re Wisconsin football the last couple days, it stinks to lose Coach Chryst to Pitt (though it's very deserving and expected), lose out on the battle of Dayne Crist (though maybe it's better to groom the current QBs on the roster), and most likely losing Ball to the NFL (again, deserving and understandable). I know last year, everyone on the team is alluding the Rose Bowl loss to distractions. How do you suppose the Badgers will block out these distractions now??
Adam Rittenberg: Dave, this is a really good question. Brian and I talked with Montee Ball for next week's podcast and he brought up the distractions last year and the need for better focus heading into this year's Rose Bowl. Several factors should help the Badgers. It's not their first trip to Los Angeles, and they shouldn't get as caught up in the glitz and glamor this year. Wisconsin had a similar coaching situation last year with defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, who had accepted the top job at Northern Illinois but still coached the bowl game. Doeren's situation didn't seem to negatively affect the Badgers, and Paul Chryst is the type of guy who will do all he can to keep the focus on the team and on the task at hand. Chryst cares a great deal about his players and wants to get this win. I also think it's good that a guy like Ball, who has a big decision to make, understands the potential distractions and has taken a proactive approach toward keeping the team locked in on the game.
Daniel from Lincoln, Neb., writes: I need some understanding behind the move of Rick Kaczenski leaving Iowa to go to Nebraska for the same job. Essentially, he is going to be doing the same thing but just different school. Usually coaches that do this move up, i.e. bigger school, conference, division, ect, but I see this as a lateral move. What do you think is the motivation behind this move? It's obviously not for the better scenery, however, we do have better looking women.
Adam Rittenberg: Ha, no comment on your last point. It's interesting that Kaczenski would take the same position on Nebraska's staff. He's not really closer to a coordinator job as John Papuchis, 33, was promoted to the role on Thursday. Sometimes, you just need a change, and Kaczenski had been at Iowa for a while. We'll see about Kaczenski's salary at Nebraska, but he almost certainly received some sort of bump. The Hawkeyes are changing defensive coordinators when Norm Parker retires following the Insight Bowl, and Kaczenski wasn't going to get the job. He's now working for a defensive-minded head coach in Bo Pelini, and at a program where it might be easier to springboard to other things. I hope to visit with Kaczenski soon and see why he made the move.
Hal from East Meadow, N.Y., writes: Adam, regarding Penn State's next coach there has been a lot of talk, including on this blog, about how it is very likely that Penn State hires from outside of the Penn State community. The main implication of this is that Tom Bradley has virtually no shot of remaining head coach because he is a JoePa disciple. From a PR standpoint this makes total sense, but how much is the school willing to sacrifice quality coaching in favor of what looks good? Bradley was going to be a top candidate to replace JoePa before the scandal, and that was with top flight national candidates competing for the job (presumably). But now, with most of the best head coaching candidates of this offseason either taking jobs elsewhere or denying that they have any interest in coaching at Penn State, it's looking more and more like Bradley is by far the best coach available (from a purely football standpoint) who actually wants the job. With that in mind, how much of a drop off from Bradley is the school willing to take for the sake of appearances?
Adam Rittenberg: Hal, while it appears as though elite coaches don't want the Penn State job, the school could still end up making a really good hire. I don't think we can definitively say Bradley is "by far" the best available coach who wants the job until we see how this saga plays out. There's a good number of good coaches out there, and it only takes one willing to take on the unique challenge at Penn State. No one questions Bradley's coaching ability, and the entire situation is really unfortunate for a guy who has a lot of respect in the Penn State locker room. But I'd be stunned if Bradley gets the job, as he was close to the key figures -- Jerry Sandusky, Mike McQueary, Joe Paterno -- involved in the sex-abuse scandal.
Joe from Chicago writes: Adam,In your budding rivalry take two commentary that compared Iowa-Nebraska and Michigan State-Wisconsin, you characterized Iowa and Nebraska as being in bordering states (implicitly drawing a distinction to Michigan State and Wisconsin). Michigan and Wisconsin do in fact border one another (remember the Upper Peninsula of Michigan), and the two states do in fact hate each other.
Adam Rittenberg: Aaargh! You're right, Joe. And to think I actually did well in geography. I'll have to turn in my card as an honorary Midwesterner for failing to point out that Michigan and Wisconsin also share a border. Beautiful part of the country, too.
Dave from Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada, writes: Hi Adam, love the blog and the job you both do.A Dec 21 blog entry referenced Denard Robinson's paperwork submission to the NFL draft advisory board. Can you elaborate and explain this process for the uninitiated like myself? Thanks in advance!
Adam Rittenberg: No problem, Dave. It's a fairly common practice for draft-eligible juniors like Robinson to submit paperwork to the NFL draft advisory board, which then gives the players an evaluation of where they'd most likely be selected in the draft. The projections come from a panel of professional scouting experts and provide a good picture of whether the players will be first-, second- or third-round picks or fall to the later rounds or out of the draft entirely. The evaluations help players make their decisions on whether to stay in school or go to the draft by Jan. 15.
Steve from West Des Moines, Iowa, writes: If you'll indulge me, I have two memos with regard to today's lunch links:Memo 1 to Bobby Bowden - spare us what you would have done. Shame on your public posturing of a hypothetical when you were the captain of Free Shoes University.Memo 2 to Kirk Ferentz - you can stop reassuring your fans that you are happy at Iowa. Penn State was never interested, nor was the NFL. The more you issue statements the more you sound like Kristen Wiig's SNL character "Lillia" (don't make me say I'm happy at Iowa again).
Adam Rittenberg: Steve, I agree with you on the Bowden thing. He's entitled to his opinion, but he wasn't placed in the same situation with the same circumstances. It's always easy to say what you would have done. And as you say, Bowden didn't exactly run a controversy-free program at Florida State. Wonder if Joe Paterno would ever talk about Florida State's sparkling academic reputation under Bowden. As to the Ferentz thing, it was a bit surprising he chose to come out with the statement, but the Kansas City Chiefs job seemed a bit different from the positions he's been mentioned for in the past. Also, with the way recruiting goes, coaches don't want prospects thinking they're on their way out. While I don't think it was totally necessary, I don't have an issue with the statement, either.
AK from Monroe Township, N.J., writes: Hi Adam. OSU fan here. I don't think the bowl ban next year is all that bad. First, I don't see OSU contending for the national title yet. Second, if there are no practices for the bowl game, that means Urban Meyer will be fully hitting the recruiting trails like this year. If he can do an incredible job this year in limited time and scholarship, imagine what he can do next year?
Adam Rittenberg: AK, you're definitely putting a positive spin on things. I see the situation a bit differently. Ohio State would have been the favorite in the Leaders division as the Buckeyes return most of their key players. The bowl ban prevents the Buckeyes from reaching the Big Ten championship game with a chance to go to Pasadena. So it's definitely a blow for next year as things were set up well for the Scarlet and Gray. Also, coaches can still be effective recruiters while preparing their teams for bowl games. Ohio State's team undoubtedly would have benefited from the extra practices next December. Long term, the ban shouldn't sting too much, but it definitely has some drawbacks for the Buckeyes. We do agree on this: Ohio State is more likely to compete for a national title in 2013.
Dave from Pasadena, Calif., writes: Hey Adam! Upon reading all the news re Wisconsin football the last couple days, it stinks to lose Coach Chryst to Pitt (though it's very deserving and expected), lose out on the battle of Dayne Crist (though maybe it's better to groom the current QBs on the roster), and most likely losing Ball to the NFL (again, deserving and understandable). I know last year, everyone on the team is alluding the Rose Bowl loss to distractions. How do you suppose the Badgers will block out these distractions now??
Adam Rittenberg: Dave, this is a really good question. Brian and I talked with Montee Ball for next week's podcast and he brought up the distractions last year and the need for better focus heading into this year's Rose Bowl. Several factors should help the Badgers. It's not their first trip to Los Angeles, and they shouldn't get as caught up in the glitz and glamor this year. Wisconsin had a similar coaching situation last year with defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, who had accepted the top job at Northern Illinois but still coached the bowl game. Doeren's situation didn't seem to negatively affect the Badgers, and Paul Chryst is the type of guy who will do all he can to keep the focus on the team and on the task at hand. Chryst cares a great deal about his players and wants to get this win. I also think it's good that a guy like Ball, who has a big decision to make, understands the potential distractions and has taken a proactive approach toward keeping the team locked in on the game.
Daniel from Lincoln, Neb., writes: I need some understanding behind the move of Rick Kaczenski leaving Iowa to go to Nebraska for the same job. Essentially, he is going to be doing the same thing but just different school. Usually coaches that do this move up, i.e. bigger school, conference, division, ect, but I see this as a lateral move. What do you think is the motivation behind this move? It's obviously not for the better scenery, however, we do have better looking women.
Adam Rittenberg: Ha, no comment on your last point. It's interesting that Kaczenski would take the same position on Nebraska's staff. He's not really closer to a coordinator job as John Papuchis, 33, was promoted to the role on Thursday. Sometimes, you just need a change, and Kaczenski had been at Iowa for a while. We'll see about Kaczenski's salary at Nebraska, but he almost certainly received some sort of bump. The Hawkeyes are changing defensive coordinators when Norm Parker retires following the Insight Bowl, and Kaczenski wasn't going to get the job. He's now working for a defensive-minded head coach in Bo Pelini, and at a program where it might be easier to springboard to other things. I hope to visit with Kaczenski soon and see why he made the move.
Hal from East Meadow, N.Y., writes: Adam, regarding Penn State's next coach there has been a lot of talk, including on this blog, about how it is very likely that Penn State hires from outside of the Penn State community. The main implication of this is that Tom Bradley has virtually no shot of remaining head coach because he is a JoePa disciple. From a PR standpoint this makes total sense, but how much is the school willing to sacrifice quality coaching in favor of what looks good? Bradley was going to be a top candidate to replace JoePa before the scandal, and that was with top flight national candidates competing for the job (presumably). But now, with most of the best head coaching candidates of this offseason either taking jobs elsewhere or denying that they have any interest in coaching at Penn State, it's looking more and more like Bradley is by far the best coach available (from a purely football standpoint) who actually wants the job. With that in mind, how much of a drop off from Bradley is the school willing to take for the sake of appearances?
Adam Rittenberg: Hal, while it appears as though elite coaches don't want the Penn State job, the school could still end up making a really good hire. I don't think we can definitively say Bradley is "by far" the best available coach who wants the job until we see how this saga plays out. There's a good number of good coaches out there, and it only takes one willing to take on the unique challenge at Penn State. No one questions Bradley's coaching ability, and the entire situation is really unfortunate for a guy who has a lot of respect in the Penn State locker room. But I'd be stunned if Bradley gets the job, as he was close to the key figures -- Jerry Sandusky, Mike McQueary, Joe Paterno -- involved in the sex-abuse scandal.
Joe from Chicago writes: Adam,In your budding rivalry take two commentary that compared Iowa-Nebraska and Michigan State-Wisconsin, you characterized Iowa and Nebraska as being in bordering states (implicitly drawing a distinction to Michigan State and Wisconsin). Michigan and Wisconsin do in fact border one another (remember the Upper Peninsula of Michigan), and the two states do in fact hate each other.
Adam Rittenberg: Aaargh! You're right, Joe. And to think I actually did well in geography. I'll have to turn in my card as an honorary Midwesterner for failing to point out that Michigan and Wisconsin also share a border. Beautiful part of the country, too.
Dave from Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada, writes: Hi Adam, love the blog and the job you both do.A Dec 21 blog entry referenced Denard Robinson's paperwork submission to the NFL draft advisory board. Can you elaborate and explain this process for the uninitiated like myself? Thanks in advance!
Adam Rittenberg: No problem, Dave. It's a fairly common practice for draft-eligible juniors like Robinson to submit paperwork to the NFL draft advisory board, which then gives the players an evaluation of where they'd most likely be selected in the draft. The projections come from a panel of professional scouting experts and provide a good picture of whether the players will be first-, second- or third-round picks or fall to the later rounds or out of the draft entirely. The evaluations help players make their decisions on whether to stay in school or go to the draft by Jan. 15.
Steve from West Des Moines, Iowa, writes: If you'll indulge me, I have two memos with regard to today's lunch links:Memo 1 to Bobby Bowden - spare us what you would have done. Shame on your public posturing of a hypothetical when you were the captain of Free Shoes University.Memo 2 to Kirk Ferentz - you can stop reassuring your fans that you are happy at Iowa. Penn State was never interested, nor was the NFL. The more you issue statements the more you sound like Kristen Wiig's SNL character "Lillia" (don't make me say I'm happy at Iowa again).
Adam Rittenberg: Steve, I agree with you on the Bowden thing. He's entitled to his opinion, but he wasn't placed in the same situation with the same circumstances. It's always easy to say what you would have done. And as you say, Bowden didn't exactly run a controversy-free program at Florida State. Wonder if Joe Paterno would ever talk about Florida State's sparkling academic reputation under Bowden. As to the Ferentz thing, it was a bit surprising he chose to come out with the statement, but the Kansas City Chiefs job seemed a bit different from the positions he's been mentioned for in the past. Also, with the way recruiting goes, coaches don't want prospects thinking they're on their way out. While I don't think it was totally necessary, I don't have an issue with the statement, either.
As always, send me questions and comments. And start following me on Twitter.
You're really missing out.
Joe from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: Very odd how the tone changed from supporting Brandon waiting until 2011 (see your previous post) to todays blog post about RichRod at the UM banquet (saying its big-boy football, Brandon needs to make a move.) Which is it? Is he being a good citizen by letting Harbaugh go to his BCS game without distractions and taking the high road or is Brandon being unfair? I can't see that both positions are consistent. I don't think that it really makes much difference if you go to Harbaugh now or in a month... its such a seismic change that such a 30 days won't really make the 2011/12 seasons any easier and its not like the recruiting class would be salvaged since he's start from scratch with new O recruits. Thanks for your blogging, its the best I read on the 'net.
Adam Rittenberg: Joe, the previous post was about how Brandon's patience might help Rodriguez, but I have never supported Brandon's decision to wait so long to make a ruling on the head coach. All I wrote was that it seemed more likely that Michigan would make changes among the assistants in January than right now. I was just trying to project what Brandon's wait-and-see approach meant for Rodriguez. So it's not two different positions. And after Rodriguez's emotional speech Thursday night, I think there's increased pressure for a resolution one way or the other. Brandon has had a lot of time to gauge interest from other candidates if he wants to make a change. And if he wants to stick with Rodriguez, why let him twist in the wind like this?
Jerry from New York writes: The Arizona State victory at Arizona last night improves Wisconsin's SOS while negatively effecting the SOS of Stanford and of Oregon; especially if Arizona drops from the rankings. An Oregon loss at Oregon State on Saturday -- though unlikley -- might propel Wisconsni past Stanford in the final BCS. Arizona losing at home to Arizona State last night also was not likely. Anything could happen.
Adam Rittenberg: You're right, Jerry, anything could happen, especially with the BCS. But you're also forgetting TCU, which has an average computer ranking of No. 3, while Wisconsin lags behind at No. 7. The Badgers would really need to make a jump in the computers to get ahead of the Horned Frogs. I could see the Badgers leapfrogging Stanford even though neither team plays Saturday. It might take bad losses by both Oregon and Auburn to get Wisconsin in the title game against TCU.
CJ from Philly writes: Adam,What do think the probability is that PSU tells Joe after this year "Joe, we can do this anyway you want but we are not going to extend your contract past 2011. You can do this the easy way and say that you are going to go out on your own, or you can make this difficult and say we are forcing you out. Either way this is going to be the end result." Unlike Bowden (or even when they tried to get him to reign in 2004), Joe's contract will actually be up after next year so technically they are not forcing him out.
Adam Rittenberg: Penn State certainly monitored what happened with Bobby Bowden and wants to avoid a contentious ending with Joe Paterno. But there's a time to make a change, and it feels like next year is the time to do it. Then again, we could feel differently if Penn State wins a Big Ten title and shows upgrades both with the current players and with its recruiting. The problem is that there seems to be a stale feeling around Penn State right now: a so-so team, question marks on both sides of the ball, a slow start to recruiting. The Big Ten is about to get a lot tougher, and Penn State must maintain its status as a powerhouse. So timing is important in all of this, but there's no easy way to handle a situation like Paterno's.
Adam from Alpena, Mich., writes: What's the selection order between the Gator and Insight Bowls? Everything says they are both "4/5." In years past that has meant the bowls alternate picking 4th and 5th, but I can't find any definite statement about which is 4th and which is 5th this year.
Adam Rittenberg: Gator picks first and then Insight this year. Things will change in future years, but Gator will have the initial selection.
Richard from Andersonville in Chicago: Could you please take a minute and try to provide a rational analysis as to why the computers rank Ohio State ahead of Michigan State. Given record of opponents and strength of schedule It defies explanation why State is ranked lower and I was hoping perhaps an expert could shed some light on this is occurring. Much thanks.
Adam Rittenberg: Hello, neighbor! I don't know if "rational analysis" can ever go in the same sentence with BCS computers, Richard. I was really surprised at how low the computers continue to rank Michigan State, which has a more superior schedule strength than both Wisconsin and Ohio State. The computers don't factor in margin of victory like the human voters do. Mark Dantonio and I talked about this, and he's just as surprised as you and I are. He couldn't believe that Richard Billingsley carries over BCS rankings from one season to the next to determine his formula. The Spartans get hammered in the Sagarin ratings, just like Wisconsin and Ohio State. I don't get it.
Rob from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Today you have a recruiting story and a link regarding Big Ten teams, and you also have a lunch link story about Penn State's recruiting...the two stories are completely contadictory. So what is the message? Are you nothing more than a portal? Don't you have ANYTHING to bring to the table?
Adam Rittenberg: Rob, I am largely a portal, but when did presenting multiple viewpoints on a topic become a bad thing? I've offered plenty of original reporting and commentary, but the blog functions largely as a one-stop shop for all things Big Ten related. That means all kinds of links. The message is up to you to interpret, although I'm happy to help. My take on Penn State's recruiting: Things don't look good right now, but the final class won't be as disastrous as some are projecting.
Drew from Washington, D.C., writes: What has to happen at OSU (changing offensive coordinators or changing head coaches) for them to start utilizing an open, spread, and risky type of offense? I love Tressel and I think he is a great coach and a great guy, but OSU's offense is not even close to competing with most of the offenses in the SEC and even the up-and-coming Michigan offense. I understand that Tressel's record is indisputable, but it's not like OSU doesn't have the talent readily available to run such an offense. In this day and age in college football, speed kills and it's hard to compete for a national championship when you're running an offense that used to work reallky well. Your thoughts?
Adam Rittenberg: Drew, Ohio State doesn't have to run an "open, spread and risky type of offense" to have success. What the Buckeyes need to do, and they've done this at times this season, is establish an identity on offense. They've struggled to figure out who they are on offense since Terrelle Pryor became the quarterback. But on the whole, this season has been a step forward for Ohio State, which ranks 10th nationally in scoring, 14th nationally in rushing and 20th nationally in total offense. I get that the spread is chic, but have you watched Wisconsin's offense? That's a traditional, pro-style, power-oriented system that no one stopped in the final seven Big Ten games, including Ohio State. It's more important for Ohio State to establish an identity on offense than just go with what's trendy.
Travis from St. Louis writes: Adam- in reference to Iowa's losing slide, see below. I have been a fan of Iowa since my dad came home with champagne when the Hawks knew they were going to the Rose Bowl in 81/82 (only to be crushed 28-0). It boils down to this simple FACT. Iowa football fans live a life on angst much like Cubs fans. We have a saying in our family, "Iowa, they were almost good... once." Much like the 81 season, or the 85, the 90, 91, 03, 06-07, 09, 10 season Iowa's hopes were high only to be dashed. We'll be back next year convinced they'll go 12-0. Go Hawks
Adam Rittenberg: Travis, some good thoughts here and I'm sure many Iowa fans agree with you. Iowa seems like a program that does best when it's under the radar, rather than dealing with the expectations like this fall. But the Hawkeyes were very good last year, and they were very good from 2002-04. Iowa fans are extremely prideful, and they'll always have confidence that their team will do big things. But Iowa still isn't at a point where it can expect special seasons year in and year out.
You're really missing out.
Joe from Ann Arbor, Mich., writes: Very odd how the tone changed from supporting Brandon waiting until 2011 (see your previous post) to todays blog post about RichRod at the UM banquet (saying its big-boy football, Brandon needs to make a move.) Which is it? Is he being a good citizen by letting Harbaugh go to his BCS game without distractions and taking the high road or is Brandon being unfair? I can't see that both positions are consistent. I don't think that it really makes much difference if you go to Harbaugh now or in a month... its such a seismic change that such a 30 days won't really make the 2011/12 seasons any easier and its not like the recruiting class would be salvaged since he's start from scratch with new O recruits. Thanks for your blogging, its the best I read on the 'net.
Adam Rittenberg: Joe, the previous post was about how Brandon's patience might help Rodriguez, but I have never supported Brandon's decision to wait so long to make a ruling on the head coach. All I wrote was that it seemed more likely that Michigan would make changes among the assistants in January than right now. I was just trying to project what Brandon's wait-and-see approach meant for Rodriguez. So it's not two different positions. And after Rodriguez's emotional speech Thursday night, I think there's increased pressure for a resolution one way or the other. Brandon has had a lot of time to gauge interest from other candidates if he wants to make a change. And if he wants to stick with Rodriguez, why let him twist in the wind like this?
Jerry from New York writes: The Arizona State victory at Arizona last night improves Wisconsin's SOS while negatively effecting the SOS of Stanford and of Oregon; especially if Arizona drops from the rankings. An Oregon loss at Oregon State on Saturday -- though unlikley -- might propel Wisconsni past Stanford in the final BCS. Arizona losing at home to Arizona State last night also was not likely. Anything could happen.
Adam Rittenberg: You're right, Jerry, anything could happen, especially with the BCS. But you're also forgetting TCU, which has an average computer ranking of No. 3, while Wisconsin lags behind at No. 7. The Badgers would really need to make a jump in the computers to get ahead of the Horned Frogs. I could see the Badgers leapfrogging Stanford even though neither team plays Saturday. It might take bad losses by both Oregon and Auburn to get Wisconsin in the title game against TCU.
CJ from Philly writes: Adam,What do think the probability is that PSU tells Joe after this year "Joe, we can do this anyway you want but we are not going to extend your contract past 2011. You can do this the easy way and say that you are going to go out on your own, or you can make this difficult and say we are forcing you out. Either way this is going to be the end result." Unlike Bowden (or even when they tried to get him to reign in 2004), Joe's contract will actually be up after next year so technically they are not forcing him out.
Adam Rittenberg: Penn State certainly monitored what happened with Bobby Bowden and wants to avoid a contentious ending with Joe Paterno. But there's a time to make a change, and it feels like next year is the time to do it. Then again, we could feel differently if Penn State wins a Big Ten title and shows upgrades both with the current players and with its recruiting. The problem is that there seems to be a stale feeling around Penn State right now: a so-so team, question marks on both sides of the ball, a slow start to recruiting. The Big Ten is about to get a lot tougher, and Penn State must maintain its status as a powerhouse. So timing is important in all of this, but there's no easy way to handle a situation like Paterno's.
Adam from Alpena, Mich., writes: What's the selection order between the Gator and Insight Bowls? Everything says they are both "4/5." In years past that has meant the bowls alternate picking 4th and 5th, but I can't find any definite statement about which is 4th and which is 5th this year.
Adam Rittenberg: Gator picks first and then Insight this year. Things will change in future years, but Gator will have the initial selection.
Richard from Andersonville in Chicago: Could you please take a minute and try to provide a rational analysis as to why the computers rank Ohio State ahead of Michigan State. Given record of opponents and strength of schedule It defies explanation why State is ranked lower and I was hoping perhaps an expert could shed some light on this is occurring. Much thanks.
Adam Rittenberg: Hello, neighbor! I don't know if "rational analysis" can ever go in the same sentence with BCS computers, Richard. I was really surprised at how low the computers continue to rank Michigan State, which has a more superior schedule strength than both Wisconsin and Ohio State. The computers don't factor in margin of victory like the human voters do. Mark Dantonio and I talked about this, and he's just as surprised as you and I are. He couldn't believe that Richard Billingsley carries over BCS rankings from one season to the next to determine his formula. The Spartans get hammered in the Sagarin ratings, just like Wisconsin and Ohio State. I don't get it.
Rob from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Today you have a recruiting story and a link regarding Big Ten teams, and you also have a lunch link story about Penn State's recruiting...the two stories are completely contadictory. So what is the message? Are you nothing more than a portal? Don't you have ANYTHING to bring to the table?
Adam Rittenberg: Rob, I am largely a portal, but when did presenting multiple viewpoints on a topic become a bad thing? I've offered plenty of original reporting and commentary, but the blog functions largely as a one-stop shop for all things Big Ten related. That means all kinds of links. The message is up to you to interpret, although I'm happy to help. My take on Penn State's recruiting: Things don't look good right now, but the final class won't be as disastrous as some are projecting.
Drew from Washington, D.C., writes: What has to happen at OSU (changing offensive coordinators or changing head coaches) for them to start utilizing an open, spread, and risky type of offense? I love Tressel and I think he is a great coach and a great guy, but OSU's offense is not even close to competing with most of the offenses in the SEC and even the up-and-coming Michigan offense. I understand that Tressel's record is indisputable, but it's not like OSU doesn't have the talent readily available to run such an offense. In this day and age in college football, speed kills and it's hard to compete for a national championship when you're running an offense that used to work reallky well. Your thoughts?
Adam Rittenberg: Drew, Ohio State doesn't have to run an "open, spread and risky type of offense" to have success. What the Buckeyes need to do, and they've done this at times this season, is establish an identity on offense. They've struggled to figure out who they are on offense since Terrelle Pryor became the quarterback. But on the whole, this season has been a step forward for Ohio State, which ranks 10th nationally in scoring, 14th nationally in rushing and 20th nationally in total offense. I get that the spread is chic, but have you watched Wisconsin's offense? That's a traditional, pro-style, power-oriented system that no one stopped in the final seven Big Ten games, including Ohio State. It's more important for Ohio State to establish an identity on offense than just go with what's trendy.
Travis from St. Louis writes: Adam- in reference to Iowa's losing slide, see below. I have been a fan of Iowa since my dad came home with champagne when the Hawks knew they were going to the Rose Bowl in 81/82 (only to be crushed 28-0). It boils down to this simple FACT. Iowa football fans live a life on angst much like Cubs fans. We have a saying in our family, "Iowa, they were almost good... once." Much like the 81 season, or the 85, the 90, 91, 03, 06-07, 09, 10 season Iowa's hopes were high only to be dashed. We'll be back next year convinced they'll go 12-0. Go Hawks
Adam Rittenberg: Travis, some good thoughts here and I'm sure many Iowa fans agree with you. Iowa seems like a program that does best when it's under the radar, rather than dealing with the expectations like this fall. But the Hawkeyes were very good last year, and they were very good from 2002-04. Iowa fans are extremely prideful, and they'll always have confidence that their team will do big things. But Iowa still isn't at a point where it can expect special seasons year in and year out.
Let's get to it.
- In case you missed them, my Week 10 power rankings as well as a conference race update with tiebreakers explained.
- A good breakdown of what's now a four-team race in the Big Ten from The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Marc Morehouse. The Big Ten will dominate New Year's Day but likely miss out on the BCS title game again, Dave Curtis writes in The Sporting News.
- Indiana athletic director Fred Glass says it's too early to speculate on coach Bill Lynch's job status, Dustin Dopirak writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times (subscription required).
- Iowa has shown resiliency throughout Kirk Ferentz's tenure, Pat Harty writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Begin the countdown now for Iowa-Ohio State, Mike Hlas writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
- Wisconsin is positioned for a run to the Rose Bowl, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Ohio State has been dominant since its Madison stumble and now gets an open week before the big finish, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Despite a lopsided win Saturday, Jim Tressel wasn't overjoyed because of the Buckeyes' mistakes, Ken Gordon writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
- Illinois coach Ron Zook defends himself against claims he ran up the score against Purdue, Herb Gould writes in the Chicago Sun-Times. A historical perspective on Illinois' stifling defense and other notes from Lindsey Willhite of the Daily Herald.
- Bobby Bowden is excited to see his friend Joe Paterno go for win No. 400, Cory Giger writes in The Altoona Mirror. Penn State should stick with Matt McGloin at quarterback, Rich Scarcella and Mike Poorman write.
- Northwestern tries to ruin JoePa's 400 party, Teddy Greenstein writes in the Chicago Tribune.
- Defense continues to doom Rich Rodriguez and Michigan, Angelique Chengelis writes in The Detroit News. Athletic director Dave Brandon speaks briefly to annarbor.com's Michael Rothstein.
- Despite an ugly defeat, all is not lost for Michigan State this fall, Michael Rosenberg writes in the Detroit Free Press. It's time for Michigan State to move on from the loss and the Chris L. Rucker saga, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
- Purdue's quarterback situation remains in limbo for another week, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
- It doesn't make much sense, but Minnesota continues to keep MarQueis Gray away from the quarterback spot, Phil Miller writes in the Star Tribune.
If you haven't done so already, check out the college football front page, where my colleagues have put together an excellent series entitled "20 for '10." They have put together all types of lists for the 2010 season -- hot and not, Heisman Trophy candidates, must-see games and more -- and the Big Ten is featured in most of them.
Let's recap:
HOT AND NOT
It's interesting to see Stanzi make the list ahead of Hawkeyes star defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn. And no John Clay? You kidding me? He's the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. I might need to have a little chat with Mr. Maisel.
BEST SHOT AT NATIONAL TITLE
Schlabach also includes Ohio State defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and his late father, Craig, and Wisconsin receiver Nick Toon and his dad, Al, among college football's familiar surnames this season. Buck-I-Guy and other super fans from Michigan State, Purdue and Iowa appear on this top 20 list.
And, finally, Todd McShay lists Heyward, Clayborn and Wisconsin left tackle Gabe Carimi among his top 20 NFL prospects for the 2011 draft.
Safe to say, all this will keep you busy for a while.
Let's recap:
HOT AND NOT
- Expansion, Ohio State's Week 2 matchup against Miami, Penn State's Week 2 trip to Alabama, Michigan's Week 2 trip to Notre Dame, Purdue quarterback and Miami transfer Robert Marve, the Illinois-Northwestern game at Wrigley Field, Joe Paterno's improved vision and an expanded Michigan Stadium are listed among the "hot" items.
- Embattled Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez, Penn State's opener against Youngstown State, Minnesota coach Tim Brewster, Illinois coach Ron Zook, Illinois' struggles since the 2008 Rose Bowl and the Michigan-Ohio State series appear in the "not" category.
- Big Ten fans will be pleased to also see Big Ten bashing listed in the "not" category. Colleague Mark Schlabach writes, "The conference everyone loved to beat up during the past five seasons stood its ground during 2009 bowl season." That's certainly true, but the league needs to do so again in 2010.
- Miami at Ohio State, Sept. 11: Colleague Andrea Adelson writes, "This game is symbolic of so much -- the last time they met, Ohio State hung on to win the national title in a huge upset. That was the Buckeyes' last victory in the title game. For the Hurricanes, that game was the beginning of a downward slide."
- Ohio State at Iowa, Nov. 20
- Michigan at Notre Dame, Sept. 11: Adelson writes, "After the Wolverines' stunning come-from-behind win last season, this qualifies as must-see TV. Especially with Brian Kelly on the Irish sideline and beleaguered Rich Rodriguez on the other."
- Penn State at Alabama, Sept. 11
- Ohio State at Wisconsin, Oct. 16: Adelson writes, "Wisconsin has had trouble beating ranked Big Ten teams. Now the Badgers get the Buckeyes at home. They have beaten Ohio State only 17 times in 75 meetings."
- Ohio State QB Terrelle Pryor: Colleague Ivan Maisel writes, "If the junior QB plays in the rest of 2010 the way that he played on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl, then he will attend the Heisman ceremony in December."
- Penn State RB Evan Royster: Maisel writes, "A veteran line and a young quarterback translate into a lot of responsibility -- and opportunity -- for this senior running back." Completely agree here.
- Iowa QB Ricky Stanzi: Maisel writes, "The senior QB produced one great fourth-quarter comeback after another last season. Now he must learn to play better in the first three quarters."
It's interesting to see Stanzi make the list ahead of Hawkeyes star defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn. And no John Clay? You kidding me? He's the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. I might need to have a little chat with Mr. Maisel.
BEST SHOT AT NATIONAL TITLE
- Iowa (listed No. 1): Adelson writes, "The Hawkeyes get Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State at home. With 14 starters returning, that is quite a nice trifecta."
- Ohio State (listed No. 3): Adelson writes, "Though the Buckeyes have Terrelle Pryor and 15 other starters returning, the schedule is going to make their run to the title harder. They host Miami and have Big Ten games at Wisconsin and at Iowa."
- Wisconsin (listed at No. 10): Adelson writes, "They get Ohio State at home, and Penn State isn't on the schedule. The toughest road game is at Iowa on Oct. 23. But the knock on the Badgers has been their inability to win the big games against ranked teams in Big Ten play."
- Ohio State, when trailing in the fourth quarter: Schlabach writes, "Some fans might argue that Ohio State's Jim Tressel is too conservative in his playcalling, but the man knows how to hold a lead. Since Tressel took over before the 2001 season, the Buckeyes are 82-6 when leading at halftime."
- Iowa, when hardware is on the line: Schlabach writes, "Iowa's Kirk Ferentz has led his teams to nine straight victories in games in which a trophy was on the line."
- Wisconsin, when your defense is tired: Schlabach writes, "Wisconsin has long been known for its dominant running game, and the Badgers tied with Navy for the national lead in time of possession in 2009. Wisconsin held the ball for an average of 33 minutes, 55 seconds and had 16 five-minute drives in 13 games."
- Rich Rodriguez or Ron Zook: Adelson picks Zook but writes, "The chances that both men are still employed by their respective schools at the end of the season appear slim at this point."
- Joe Paterno or Bobby Bowden: Adelson picks Bowden, writing, "After the age of 80, life just seems better on the golf course."
- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany or SEC commish Mike Slive: Adelson picks Slive.
- Michigan helmet or Notre Dame helmet: Adelson picks the winged headgear. Good call.
Schlabach also includes Ohio State defensive lineman Cameron Heyward and his late father, Craig, and Wisconsin receiver Nick Toon and his dad, Al, among college football's familiar surnames this season. Buck-I-Guy and other super fans from Michigan State, Purdue and Iowa appear on this top 20 list.
And, finally, Todd McShay lists Heyward, Clayborn and Wisconsin left tackle Gabe Carimi among his top 20 NFL prospects for the 2011 draft.
Safe to say, all this will keep you busy for a while.
Ready for camp?
- Quarterback and offensive line are two of Penn State's primary concerns as camp opens today, Derek Levarse writes in The Times-Leader. Joe Paterno remains The Story in State College, statecollege.com's Mike Poorman writes. JoePa should keep quiet about how Bobby Bowden was treated at Florida State, Mike Bianchi writes in the Orlando Sentinel.
- Big Ten players are meeting regularly on how to deal with the agent issue, annarbor.com's Dave Birkett writes.
- Ohio State safety Tyler Moeller finally gets to hit somebody, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Those who think Jim Tressel is conservative apparently have "no investment in the situation," Ken Gordon writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
- The (Champaign) News-Gazette's Loren Tate educates us on the 2010 Illinois football team. Eddie McGee's career hasn't gone according to plan, but the quarterback-turned-receiver has a license to lead this fall, Mark Tupper writes in The (Decatur) Herald & Review.
- Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster might be in the minority, but he likes a nine-game conference slate, Phil Miller writes in the Star Tribune.
- After the NCAA investigation, Michigan players seemed less inclined to show up for summer workouts, according to cornerback Troy Woolfolk, Mark Snyder writes in the Detroit Free Press. Former Wolverines corner Boubacar Cissoko is sentenced for his role in four robberies, Gregg Krupa writes in The Detroit News.
- Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald is only 35, but he doesn't plan to coach even into his sixties, Teddy Greenstein writes in the Chicago Tribune. The Wildcats are looking for big things from defensive tackle Corbin Bryant, Tina Akouris writes in the Chicago Sun-Times.
- Michigan State is loaded at linebacker, prompting a shift to the 3-4, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
- Big Ten analysts have questions about Purdue's rushing attack, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
- A look at five story lines for Indiana as training camp begins, Dustin Dopirak writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times (subscription required).
- Penn State and Iowa love to party.
- Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins grew up wanting to play for Iowa, Pat Harty writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
- According to Jim Delany's criteria (1993-present), Wisconsin looks very strong as the Big Ten decides divisions, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.
Don't forget to chat with me today at 4 p.m. ET!
- Indiana has the nation's easiest nonconference schedule, while Northwestern also lives in cupcake city, according to Sporting News' Matt Hayes.
- Penn State athletic director Tim Curley shares his thoughts on Big Ten divisions and other topics. Former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden will be on hand to watch Joe Paterno and Penn State face Alabama on Sept. 11, colleague Ivan Maisel writes. These Penn State tidbits from statecollege.com's Mike Poorman are en fuego.
- Kim Royston must be Superman's cousin, as the Minnesota safety expects to start the season opener and go through camp following a broken leg in spring ball, Phil Miller writes in the Star Tribune.
- The Big Ten championship should be played at a permanent, indoor stadium, Jared Shanker writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News.
- New Big Ten member Nebraska is picked to win the Big 12 North this season, colleague David Ubben writes.
- George Perles' fingerprints remain on the Michigan State football program, Lynn Henning writes in the Detroit Free Press. The Spartans are poised to add to their 2011 recruiting class, Matt Dorsey writes in the Detroit Free Press.
- Illinois picks up a 2011 commitment from center Tony Durkin, while Northwestern also adds an offensive lineman to its class, ESPNChicago.com's Scott Powers writes.
- Michigan could finally bring in a true middle linebacker if it lands recruit Kellen Jones, Josh Helmholdt writes in the Detroit Free Press.
- Iowa's success at Kinnick Stadium is a big reason why the Hawkeyes have been hyped entering the fall, Andrew Logue writes in the Des Moines Register. A look at Iowa's contingency plan at offensive line this fall, Marc Morehouse writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
- Wisconsin kicker Philip Welch sets his sights on the Lou Groza Award, Hap Fry writes in The (Fort Collins) Coloradoan.
Viewing JoePa without his signature specs
February, 16, 2010
2/16/10
3:00
PM ET
By
Adam Rittenberg | ESPN.com
Joe Paterno can see better than he has in decades, thanks to vision correction surgery. His signature Coke bottle glasses are no longer needed.
But when the legendary Penn State head coach runs on the field this season, will we view him in a different light?
I'm honestly surprised how much attention Paterno's eyewear has received, although the combination of a dead sports month (February) and anything Paterno-related usually generates a good deal of buzz. Paterno's new look does raise some fun questions about iconic coaches and the images they portray.
You can't separate Paul "Bear" Bryant from the houndstooth hat. Or Woody Hayes from the ballcap, the short-sleeved shirt and the tie. Or Tom Landry from the fedora. Or Bo Schembechler from the block 'M' hat and shades. Or Bobby Bowden from the straw hat. Or Jim Tressel from the sweater vest.
And until now, Paterno had always been known for his glasses.
It will be a bit odd to see the 83-year-old run out of the tunnel without his specs. He might as well wear black socks, white shoes and uncuffed trousers.
I certainly can't fault Paterno for improving his vision, especially in a job where a keen eye is critical. And for a guy who often gets teased for being behind the times, he capitalized on the state-of-the-art vision correction technology.
Now if JoePa starts Twittering, it might be time to worry about him.
But when the legendary Penn State head coach runs on the field this season, will we view him in a different light?
I'm honestly surprised how much attention Paterno's eyewear has received, although the combination of a dead sports month (February) and anything Paterno-related usually generates a good deal of buzz. Paterno's new look does raise some fun questions about iconic coaches and the images they portray.
You can't separate Paul "Bear" Bryant from the houndstooth hat. Or Woody Hayes from the ballcap, the short-sleeved shirt and the tie. Or Tom Landry from the fedora. Or Bo Schembechler from the block 'M' hat and shades. Or Bobby Bowden from the straw hat. Or Jim Tressel from the sweater vest.
And until now, Paterno had always been known for his glasses.
It will be a bit odd to see the 83-year-old run out of the tunnel without his specs. He might as well wear black socks, white shoes and uncuffed trousers.
I certainly can't fault Paterno for improving his vision, especially in a job where a keen eye is critical. And for a guy who often gets teased for being behind the times, he capitalized on the state-of-the-art vision correction technology.
Now if JoePa starts Twittering, it might be time to worry about him.
The decade recap marches on as it's time to examine the top 10 games involving Big Ten teams from 2000-09. As with all of these categories, the games list easily could include 25-30 items, so getting it down to 10 wasn't easy. Especially with games. I could probably identify 10 great ones just from my two years of Big Ten blogging.
What makes a great game? Good teams, good players, lots at stake and lots of drama, particularly in the closing minutes.
I put a special emphasis on games that helped to decide Big Ten championships, bowl championships and national championships.
Without further ado ...
1. Ohio State vs. Miami, 2003 Fiesta Bowl: When the national championship game goes to two overtimes and a Big Ten team wins, it'll be at the top of the list. Ohio State nearly won in regulation, nearly lost in the first overtime and then finally prevailed 31-24 against a talent-stocked Miami team that had won 34 consecutive games.
2. Michigan at Ohio State, 2006: This game had it all: No. 1 vs. No. 2, the sport's top rivalry, national championship implications, unparalleled buildup, the drama of Bo Schembechler's death a day before the game. Ohio State and Michigan combined for 81 points before the Buckeyes prevailed to reach the title game.
3. Michigan at Northwestern, 2000: As regular-season games go, this is about the best you can find. The teams combined for 105 points and 1,189 yards of offense in a contest that saw tons of plot twists. Star running backs Damien Anderson and Anthony Thomas both committed an error in the closing minutes -- dropped touchdown for Anderson, lost fumble for Thomas -- before Northwestern emerged with a 54-51 win. Both teams went on to share the Big Ten title with Purdue.
4. Texas vs. Michigan, 2005 Rose Bowl: It didn't go the Big Ten's way in the end, but Michigan and Texas certainly gave us a game to remember. The Wolverines received great play from quarterback Chad Henne and wide receivers Braylon Edwards and Steve Breaston, but Vince Young proved to be too much as Texas won 38-37 on a field goal as time expired.
5. Iowa at Ohio State, 2009: This game essentially decided the Big Ten championship, as the teams met with a Rose Bowl berth at stake. Iowa came in as a major underdog after losing starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi to injury the previous week against Northwestern. Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg displayed incredible poise in his first career start, but Ohio State eventually prevailed in overtime after a 39-yard field goal from backup kicker Devin Barclay, a 26-year-old former Major League Soccer player.
6. Iowa vs. LSU, 2005 Capital One Bowl: You'll never see a more exciting end to a bowl game, and the first 59 plus minutes weren't bad, either. Iowa built a 24-12 fourth-quarter lead behind quarterback Drew Tate, only to watch it disappear down the stretch. It set the stage for Tate's 56-yard touchdown strike to Warren Halloway as time expired as Iowa won 30-25.
7. Michigan State at Michigan, 2004: Michigan State's losing streak at the Big House appeared over as the Spartans led 27-10 with 8:43 left. But Michigan rallied to tie the game as Braylon Edwards hauled in two touchdowns from Chad Henne. Henne and Edwards hooked up again in the third overtime as Michigan won 45-37 and went on to share the Big Ten title with Iowa.
8. Penn State vs. Florida State, 2006 Orange Bowl: Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden generated tons of buildup before kickoff, and the game itself didn't disappoint. It was hardly a masterpiece on either side, but the game generated plenty of excitement as the teams went to three overtimes before Penn State won 26-23 on a Kevin Kelly field goal.
9. Michigan at Minnesota, 2003: Michigan's Big Ten title in 2003 could be directly linked to the greatest comeback in team history against Minnesota at the Metrodome. The Wolverines trailed 28-7 in the third quarter before rallying to win 38-35 on a Garrett Rivas field goal in the final minute. Minnesota was 6-0 before the loss.
10. Penn State at Iowa, 2008: Penn State came to Iowa City with national title aspirations and jumped ahead of Iowa 23-14 late in the third quarter. But Ricky Stanzi stepped up in the fourth quarter and led a dramatic comeback that ended with Daniel Murray's field goal. It marked Penn State's only loss, though the Lions still won a Big Ten title and went to the Rose Bowl.
What makes a great game? Good teams, good players, lots at stake and lots of drama, particularly in the closing minutes.
I put a special emphasis on games that helped to decide Big Ten championships, bowl championships and national championships.
Without further ado ...
1. Ohio State vs. Miami, 2003 Fiesta Bowl: When the national championship game goes to two overtimes and a Big Ten team wins, it'll be at the top of the list. Ohio State nearly won in regulation, nearly lost in the first overtime and then finally prevailed 31-24 against a talent-stocked Miami team that had won 34 consecutive games.
2. Michigan at Ohio State, 2006: This game had it all: No. 1 vs. No. 2, the sport's top rivalry, national championship implications, unparalleled buildup, the drama of Bo Schembechler's death a day before the game. Ohio State and Michigan combined for 81 points before the Buckeyes prevailed to reach the title game.
3. Michigan at Northwestern, 2000: As regular-season games go, this is about the best you can find. The teams combined for 105 points and 1,189 yards of offense in a contest that saw tons of plot twists. Star running backs Damien Anderson and Anthony Thomas both committed an error in the closing minutes -- dropped touchdown for Anderson, lost fumble for Thomas -- before Northwestern emerged with a 54-51 win. Both teams went on to share the Big Ten title with Purdue.
4. Texas vs. Michigan, 2005 Rose Bowl: It didn't go the Big Ten's way in the end, but Michigan and Texas certainly gave us a game to remember. The Wolverines received great play from quarterback Chad Henne and wide receivers Braylon Edwards and Steve Breaston, but Vince Young proved to be too much as Texas won 38-37 on a field goal as time expired.
5. Iowa at Ohio State, 2009: This game essentially decided the Big Ten championship, as the teams met with a Rose Bowl berth at stake. Iowa came in as a major underdog after losing starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi to injury the previous week against Northwestern. Redshirt freshman James Vandenberg displayed incredible poise in his first career start, but Ohio State eventually prevailed in overtime after a 39-yard field goal from backup kicker Devin Barclay, a 26-year-old former Major League Soccer player.
6. Iowa vs. LSU, 2005 Capital One Bowl: You'll never see a more exciting end to a bowl game, and the first 59 plus minutes weren't bad, either. Iowa built a 24-12 fourth-quarter lead behind quarterback Drew Tate, only to watch it disappear down the stretch. It set the stage for Tate's 56-yard touchdown strike to Warren Halloway as time expired as Iowa won 30-25.
7. Michigan State at Michigan, 2004: Michigan State's losing streak at the Big House appeared over as the Spartans led 27-10 with 8:43 left. But Michigan rallied to tie the game as Braylon Edwards hauled in two touchdowns from Chad Henne. Henne and Edwards hooked up again in the third overtime as Michigan won 45-37 and went on to share the Big Ten title with Iowa.
8. Penn State vs. Florida State, 2006 Orange Bowl: Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden generated tons of buildup before kickoff, and the game itself didn't disappoint. It was hardly a masterpiece on either side, but the game generated plenty of excitement as the teams went to three overtimes before Penn State won 26-23 on a Kevin Kelly field goal.
9. Michigan at Minnesota, 2003: Michigan's Big Ten title in 2003 could be directly linked to the greatest comeback in team history against Minnesota at the Metrodome. The Wolverines trailed 28-7 in the third quarter before rallying to win 38-35 on a Garrett Rivas field goal in the final minute. Minnesota was 6-0 before the loss.
10. Penn State at Iowa, 2008: Penn State came to Iowa City with national title aspirations and jumped ahead of Iowa 23-14 late in the third quarter. But Ricky Stanzi stepped up in the fourth quarter and led a dramatic comeback that ended with Daniel Murray's field goal. It marked Penn State's only loss, though the Lions still won a Big Ten title and went to the Rose Bowl.
As the rumor mill turns ...
- Dismissed Michigan State football player Roderick Jenrette could have his burglary case reopened in Florida, Joe Rexrode writes in the Lansing State Journal.
- Minnesota will decide whether or not to grant head coach Tim Brewster a contract extension following the Insight Bowl against Iowa State, Marcus Fuller writes in the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press. Brewster's future could come down to the team's performance in Tempe, Tom Powers writes in the Pioneer Press.
- Joe Paterno is disappointed in the way things ended for his friend Bobby Bowden at Florida State, Andrea Adelson writes in the Orlando Sentinel.
- The Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon is taking nominations for Ohio State's all-decade team.
- Miami provides the perfect litmus test for Wisconsin after a 9-3 season, Max Henson writes in The Badger Herald.
- College Football News names its All-Freshman teams for offense and defense, which include several Big Ten players.
The Big Ten finally wins The Challenge in hoops. Is this a good omen for the bowl season?
- Ohio State should root for Oregon tonight to set up a sexier Rose Bowl matchup, Rob Oller writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
- Mark Dantonio's message of discipline obviously didn't reach its mark at Michigan State, Bob Wojnowski writes in The Detroit News.
- Kirk Ferentz downplays rumors that he's headed to Notre Dame, Andrew Logue writes in the Des Moines Register. Ferentz and AD Gary Barta outline Iowa's pitch for a BCS bowl, Andy Hamilton writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
- Jay Paterno writes that Bobby Bowden deserved another chance to turn things around at Florida State.
- The Detroit Free Press makes its predictions on who will win Michigan's team awards tonight.
- Wisconsin wide receiver Isaac Anderson will try to rebound from a poor performance Saturday against Hawaii, Jim Polzin writes in The Capital Times.
- A Juice Williams timeline at Illinois from The (Champaign) News-Gazette. More Juice moments from the Daily Herald's Lindsey Willhite. It won't cost Illinois too much to cut ties with Ron Zook's assistants after the season.
Let's start with the mess in East Lansing and go from there.
- An overview of the Michigan State assault and the ongoing investigation and ramifications from the Detroit Free Press' Shannon Shelton. More on the eight players suspended Tuesday. Athletics director Mark Hollis addresses the situation, Shelton writes.
- Bobby Bowden's unfortunate exit at Florida State underscores Joe Paterno's impressive longevity, Ron Cook writes in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Bowden's retirement leaves Paterno without his only true peer in coaching, Walt Moody writes in the Centre Daily Times.
- Check out the 193 football players who made Academic All-Big Ten.
- Woody Hayes might have had a messy, drawn-out, Bowden-like finish to his Ohio State career if not for The Punch, Bob Hunter writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
- Wisconsin's coaches expect star running back John Clay to take better care of the football this week at Hawaii, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- The Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein thinks there's a 70 percent chance Northwestern ends up in the Champs Sports Bowl.
- Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster will make his pitch to star recruit Seantrel Henderson tonight, Charley Walters writes in the Star Tribune.
- It has been a roller-coaster ride for Juice Williams at Illinois, GateHouse News Service's John Supinie writes.
Penn State head coach Joe Paterno issued the following statement on the retirement of longtime Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden. Paterno, 82, and Bowden, 80, are the two winningest coaches in major college football history, with Paterno holding a 393-388 edge in career victories.
"Bobby has been a tough competitor. He has meant an awful lot to the universities he coached and to the game of football overall. He and his wife, Ann, have dedicated their lives with untold hours to better the teams and universities they cared so much about. They will be missed by the coaching profession and college football. Sue [Paterno's wife] and I wish them well."
Here's the deal. Girls don't go for all that romantic stuff. They go for power and success. And since you don't have either one of those things, you're gonna be the funny guy.
- Joe Paterno and Penn State are campaigning for a BCS at-large berth, The Associated Press reports. Paterno should be concerned about the way Bobby Bowden is departing his post, CBSsports.com's Dennis Dodd writes.
- Ohio State went conservative with quarterback Terrelle Pryor down the stretch, and it paid off with a Big Ten title, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
- Wisconsin likely will be the last Big Ten team traveling to Hawaii for the foreseeable future, Ferd Lewis writes in The Honolulu Advertiser.
- A very fair synopsis of the Glenn Winston situation at Michigan State from The Grand Rapids Press' Steve Grinczel, who is retiring after 24 years on the MSU beat (best wishes to Steve). Several Spartans assistant coaches could be in the mix for the top job at Youngstown State, Shannon Shelton writes in the Detroit Free Press.
- Notre Dame's next head coach will impact the rivalry with Michigan, Mark Synder writes in the Detroit Free Press.
- It hasn't been a great sendoff for Juice Williams, but the Illinois senior quarterback still deserves some appreciation, Loren Tate writes in The (Champaign) News-Gazette.
- Minnesota remains in the mix for the Alamo Bowl, though a return trip to the Insight Bowl remains more likely, Kent Youngblood writes in the Star Tribune.
- Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema advocates post-Thanksgiving play, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.
- Purdue linebacker Jason Werner hopes to earn a sixth year of eligibility, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Adam Rittenberg
Rittenberg joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four years at the Arlington Heights (Ill.) Daily Herald, where he covered sports at Notre Dame, Northwestern, DePaul and several other colleges. He lives in Chicago.
Brian Bennett
Bennett joined ESPN.com in August 2008 after nine years at The Courier-Journal in Louisville, Ky., where he covered college sports and the University of Louisville beat. He lives in Louisville.
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