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After a historically slow start to the 2012 NFL draft, the Big Ten ended up having 41 players selected during the three-day event. It's a strong overall total, one behind the SEC, the league with the most picks (42). Michigan State, Iowa and Wisconsin led the way with six picks each, followed by four teams -- Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State -- with four selections. Michigan had three players selected, and both Purdue and Northwestern had two. Neither Minnesota nor Indiana had a player drafted this year.

Here's the full rundown:

ROUND 1 (four selections)


No. 23 overall: Iowa T Riley Reiff, Detroit
No. 26: Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus, Houston
No. 27: Wisconsin G Kevin Zeitler, Cincinnati Bengals
No. 30: Illinois WR A.J. Jenkins, San Francisco

ROUND 2 (seven selections)


No. 44: Illinois G Jeff Allen, Kansas City
No. 48: Illinois S Tavon Wilson, New England
No. 51: Michigan State DT Jerel Worthy, Green Bay
No. 53: Penn State DT Devon Still, Cincinnati
No. 55: Wisconsin C Peter Konz, Atlanta
No. 56: Ohio State OT Mike Adams, Pittsburgh
No. 58: Nebraska LB Lavonte David, Tampa Bay

ROUND 3 (three selections)


No. 68: Ohio State WR DeVier Posey, Houston
No. 75: Wisconsin QB Russell Wilson, Seattle
No. 82: Michigan DT Mike Martin, Tennessee

ROUND 4 (five selections)


No. 102: Michigan State QB Kirk Cousins, Washington
No. 121: Michigan State WR Keshawn Martin, Houston
No. 122: Wisconsin WR Nick Toon, New Orleans
No. 126: Nebraska DT Jared Crick, Houston
No. 132: Iowa DE Mike Daniels, Green Bay

ROUND 5 (six selections)


No. 141: Iowa G Adam Gettis, Washington
No. 149: Penn State G Johnnie Troutman, San Diego
No. 153: Purdue T Dennis Kelly, Philadelphia
No. 156: Iowa CB Shaun Prater, Cincinnati
No. 157: Wisconsin FB Bradie Ewing, Atlanta
No. 158: Penn State DE Jack Crawford, Oakland

ROUND 6 (seven selections)


No. 180: Michigan State S Trenton Robinson, San Francisco 49ers
No. 183: Michigan State WR B.J. Cunningham, Miami Dolphins
No. 191: Ohio State RB Dan Herron, Cincinnati Bengals
No. 194: Iowa WR Marvin McNutt, Philadelphia Eagles
No. 195: Purdue T Nick Mondek, Houston Texans
No. 197: Ohio State S Nate Ebner, New England Patriots
No. 207: Wisconsin P Brad Nortman, Carolina Panthers

ROUND 7 (nine selections)


No. 217: Iowa CB Jordan Bernstine, Washington
No. 224: Nebraska CB Alfonzo Dennard, New England
No. 227: Michigan C David Molk, San Diego
No. 230: Penn State LB Nate Stupar, Oakland
No. 233: Northwestern TE Drake Dunsmore, Tampa Bay
No. 234: Nebraska T Marcel Jones, New Orleans
No. 235: Northwestern WR Jeremy Ebert, New England
No. 238: Michigan WR Junior Hemingway, Kansas City
No. 250: Michigan State RB Edwin Baker, San Diego

POSITION BREAKDOWN

Wide receiver: 8
Offensive tackle: 5
Defensive tackle: 4
Guard: 4
Cornerback: 3
Defensive end: 3
Safety: 3
Center: 2
Quarterback: 2
Running back: 2
Linebacker: 2
Fullback: 1
Tight end: 1
Punter: 1

We'll post some of the free-agent signings later today, but first some thoughts and themes on the draft.

[+] Enlarge
AP Photo/Chris O'MearaWith Robert Griffin III on the roster, one has to wonder about Kirk Cousins' future in Washington.
• Many had projected Cousins to be the first Big Ten quarterback off of the board, but Russell Wilson went ahead of him to Seattle. Cousins was one of the more intriguing third-day picks as he went to Washington, which selected Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III with the No. 2 overall selection. Griffin is the future of the Redskins franchise, and it leaves Cousins in a potentially tough spot on the depth chart. The selection surprised Cousins, who didn't know the Redskins were interested and told the Detroit Free Press, "I think Robert is in their immediate plans and the long-term hope for their fan base, but they wouldn't have selected me unless they believed in me."
• The verdict on Ron Zook always seemed to be great recruiter, average coach, and this draft validated it. Illinois was the only Big Ten team with two first-round picks and had four of the first 48 overall selections, yet the team went 7-6 last season after a 6-0 start. Talent clearly wasn't the problem during Zook's tenure in Champaign. Defensive line coach Keith Gilmore is on a roll with back-to-back first-round picks (Corey Liuget and Mercilus). He has two more potentially big-time prospects (Akeem Spence and Michael Buchanan) this year.
• The Houston Texans clearly like what they see from Big Ten country. After drafting Wisconsin defensive end J.J. Watt with the No. 11 overall pick last year, the Texans added Mercilus, Posey, Keshawn Martin, Crick and Mondek. Watt welcomed the group on Twitter, tweeting, "Big Ten takeover. Welcome to the Texans." The Cincinnati Bengals also had a nice Big Ten haul with Zeitler, Still, Prater and Herron.
• Posey, who last week told me he had no idea where he'd be drafted, had to be pleased with a third-round selection after appearing in only three games last fall because of suspension. Teams didn't shy away from the Ohio State star too much because of his off-field issues. Posey's Buckeyes teammate, Mike Adams, meanwhile, appeared to pay a bit of a price for his off-field issues, falling to the late second round.
• On the flip side, Nebraska cornerback Alfonzo Dennard, the Big Ten's defensive back of the year in 2011, slipped all the way to the seventh round. Keep in mind some draft gurus, including ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., once projected Dennard in the first round. But after being ejected from the Capital One Bowl, failing to impress in predraft events and getting arrested the weekend before the draft for allegedly punching a cop, Dennard plummeted to No. 224. At least he'll have no trouble getting motivated to prove himself.
• Dennard wasn't the only Big Ten player selected later than expected. Michigan's David Molk, who called himself the best center in the draft, also fell to the seventh round. And Ohio State center Mike Brewster, a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2010, didn't hear his name called at all. While Brewster's play slipped during his senior season, he seemed like a mid-round candidate.
• Other players I expected to be picked earlier: Mercilus, David, Adams, Mike Martin, Cousins, Daniels, McNutt, Hemingway and Baker.
• Some players I expected to be picked later: Jenkins, Allen, Russell Wilson, Tavon Wilson and Posey.
• Although the Big Ten had more wide receivers drafted than any other position, only one (Jenkins) went in the first two rounds and only two, Jenkins and Posey, went in the first three rounds. With only two quarterbacks and two running backs drafted, none in the first two rounds, it's fair to question whether the Big Ten is producing enough elite-level offensive skill players. It will be interesting to see which Big Ten running backs can rise up the draft boards in 2013. Running back might be the league's strongest position group this coming season.
• I'll be very interested to watch how Worthy and Still fare at the next level. Both men have first-round talent, but both seemed to slip to the second round because of questions about their motor. If they don't take plays off in the NFL, they both could be extremely disruptive for the Packers and Bengals, respectively.
• Wisconsin had players selected in each of the first six rounds and had the Big Ten's lone fullback (Ewing) and punter (Nortman) selected in the draft.
• Ohio State's Ebner was one of the more interesting third-day picks. He didn't play football at all in high school -- he starred in rugby -- and spent most of his Buckeyes career on special teams. His selection shows the premium some teams place on the third phase.

Happy madness. Hoping for some great games at the Yum! today.

• Brady Hoke handed out copies of the recent Sports Illustrated story on UCLA basketball to Michigan staffers, underlying how quickly success can fade if details aren't followed. Ryan Van Bergen is eager to prove himself at the Wolverines' pro day.
• Jerel Worthy improved on his combine performance at Michigan State's pro day. Kirk Cousins is confident that Andrew Maxwell can take the reins for the Spartans.
• New secondary coach Terry Joseph feels right at home at Nebraska. Huskers players and coaches are getting a break next week.
• Devon Still worked out at Penn State pro day but says he's still limited by a turf toe injury.
• Examining the quarterback position for Iowa this spring.
• Former Wisconsin punter Brad Nortman is not ready to give up football.
• Eleven Warriors takes a closer look at what to expect from the Ohio State offense.

Our series ranking each position group from the 2011 Big Ten season comes to a close today with the final group, and one that is often overlooked but is always important: special teams.

Special teams is a broad spectrum, so we're combining performances in punting, kickoffs and field goals to come up with each team's position on this list.

And away we go:

1. Nebraska: Boy, did we mess this up in the preseason by ranking the Huskers 11th out of 12. Though we wrote at the time that Nebraska would almost certainly outperform its low rankings, we thought replacing star punter/kicker Alex Henery would be tough. Not really, as Brett Maher was one of the best punters and kickers in the league and the country. Freshman Ameer Abdullah was a star in kick returns, finishing ninth nationally in that category. So just remove one of the ones from that preseason number, and then we've got it right.

2. Purdue: The Boilermakers were mostly mediocre on offense and defense but did some great work on special teams. Freshman Raheem Mostert led the nation in kickoff returns, while sophomore Cody Webster finished second in punting. The strong-legged Carson Wiggs tied Maher for most field goals made in the league, though he still needs to improve his accuracy. Blocked kicks helped secure wins over Middle Tennessee and Ohio State, but Purdue lost on a blocked field goal try at Rice.

3. Penn State: When Anthony Fera returned from suspension and took over field goal duties, the Nittany Lions' special teams became truly special. Fera hit 14 of 17 field goals after Penn State had looked very shaky in that area early in the year, and he was also one of the league's top punters. Chaz Powell and Justin Brown were dangerous return men.

4. Ohio State: The Buckeyes ranked among the top third of Big Ten teams in just about every special-teams category. Field goal kicker Drew Basil made a dozen in a row at one point, and Ben Buchanan was solid at punter. Jordan Hall added some big returns.

5. Michigan State: We ranked the Spartans No. 1 in the preseason, and they came up with some game-changing plays, particularly in the first game against Wisconsin and in the Outback Bowl win over Georgia. But statistically speaking, Michigan State was average in most aspects of the kicking game. But Mike Sadler had some big moments punting, and Keshawn Martin did excellent work on punt returns.

6. Wisconsin: A tough team to rank, as there was both good and bad here. Jared Abbrederis led the nation in punt return average at 15.8 yards per attempt. Brad Nortman was a very reliable punter, while Philip Welch made five of his six attempts at field goals, something the Badgers didn't need very much with Montee Ball assaulting the end zone. But we can't ignore the big special-teams breakdowns against Michigan State and Ohio State that had as much as anything to do with ruining a potential undefeated season.

7. Michigan: The Wolverines weren't outstanding at any one area on special teams, but they proved much better than the No. 12 ranking we saddled them with in the preseason. Brendan Gibbons solidified what looked like a scary place-kicker situation and played a large role (along with brunette girls) in the Sugar Bowl victory. Michigan was also strong in punt returns and kick coverage, though its punting and kickoff returns left much to be desired.

8. Iowa: The good news first: Iowa led the league in net punting, thanks to a strong showing by senior Eric Guthrie in his first year starting. Now the bad: The Hawkeyes ranked second-to-last in kickoff coverage, and Mike Meyer missed six of his 20 field goal attempts, including both tries in the humbling loss to Minnesota.

9. Minnesota: Even without premier return man Troy Stoudermire, who missed most of the year with an injury, the Gophers ranked fifth in the league in kickoff returns, and they led the league in kickoff coverage. But a team that punted as much as Minnesota did in 2011 needed to do better than 11th in the conference in that category. Bonus point for the perfectly executed onside kick in the Iowa win.

10. Northwestern: The Wildcats' defense got the brunt of the blame in Northwestern's losses, but special teams didn't hold up its end of the bargain, either. Northwestern made only six field goals all year and ranked near the bottom of the conference in most categories. The bright spot was a league-best punt return unit.

11. Indiana: Mitch Ewald went 13-of-16 on field goals, but the Hoosiers weren't very good in most other areas. They returned more kickoffs than anyone in the Big Ten -- a product of a crummy defense -- but didn't do enough with them in finishing 108th nationally in that stat.

12. Illinois: Ron Zook didn't help his case to be retained as head coach through the performance of his special teams, a part of the game that was supposed to be his field of expertise. Illinois was simply dreadful in creating advantageous field position, finishing last in the nation in kickoff returns and third-to-last in punt returns. The Illini also weren't very good at kickoff coverage, though at least Derek Dimke made 10 of 12 field goals. Even that was marred by his missed 42-yarder at the end of a 10-7 loss at Penn State.

I'm a man of letters.

Well, emails, actually. Let's see what's on your mind:

Patrick G. from Alexandria, Va., writes: That "coach you most dislike" poll was a terrible idea. Despite your plea to keep it sportsmanlike it (predictably) offered another opportunity for child-like sniping in the comments section, as could have been predicted. Worse, it focuses on exactly the wrong thing. You really couldn't think of anything else for a Big Ten blog item?

Nik from Colorado Springs, Colo., writes: Love the "hated coach" poll! Have to be a winner to make that list it looks like. (I picked the Cheesehead).

Brian Bennett: Different strokes for different folks, I suppose. Look, we were having a little fun with the idea during a pretty dead period, and clearly it resonated with some people as we got more than 27,000 votes in our poll. There is "child-like sniping in the comments section" every minute of every day, so what's the difference? And as Nik mentions, every coach on that list is a big winner, so it's an honor just to be nominated as "disliked." No fan dislikes an opposing coach who never beats his or her team.

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Mark from NYC writes: Hypothetical...Bill O'Brien has Penn State back in the top 15 in the next 3-4 years, PSU starts grabbing recruits from outside their traditional recruiting footprint and the offense transforms into an exciting/high-scoring (dare I say flashy) squad. What does this do to Joe's legacy? I can see non-Penn Staters, especially people outside of the Big Ten, using that scenario (and the scandal) as an excuse to take away from Joe's legacy, specifically the latter years.

Brian Bennett: Interesting thought. I feel like Penn State has in many ways underachieved in recent years. The Nittany Lions have great facilities, a huge fan base and good high school football in their area. If Bill O'Brien can win big early, especially with the handicap he was given to start with, then that definitely underscores the point that Penn State could have done more in Paterno's final years. Does it take away from his legacy? Maybe a little, but you can't argue with all of Paterno's accomplishments on the field.

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Rexcellent from Louisville writes: Great blog, gets me through my drudging day at work. So what do you think about the possibility of Braxton Miller taking a Heisman this year? With all the talent Ohio State has surrounding him (including our underrated wide receiver core in my opinion) and the great coaches he now has to mentor him. I know I may be dreaming a little, but the voters usually go with a guy on a winning team. Ohio State has a great chance, this year, to be undefeated.

Brian Bennett: Never say never, because who would have thought a Baylor quarterback would win the Heisman this past year? Yet I disagree with your assessment of the receiving corps. It is still largely unproven, and Urban Meyer has said he doesn't have enough speed. Combine that with the fact that Miller will be adjusting to a whole new system and coaches, and there will be some bumps in the road in his development. That said, I really like his chances to contend for the Heisman in 2013 and 2014, especially because the Buckeyes should be national title contenders themselves those years.

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Mark R. from Hamilton, Ohio, writes: No pretending here, I'm a Michigan Man to a fault. My question is this; Why is Ohio rated so high in all the "way too early" polls? They weren't that good last season, and this season have a a complete change of system and coaches just as Michigan did when R.R came to town. Yes they have an excellent class coming in, but their QB doesn't throw that well, not to mention no returning WR has more than 14 catches. That combined with HUGE concerns at the RB position do not translate in to the Top 20 realm. Please explain why all the optimism surrounding the Bucks next year. Thanks ...and GO BLUE!!!

Brian Bennett: Two words, Mark: Urban Meyer. Justly or not, Ohio State is getting a lot of love because of Meyer's track record. But dig a little deeper, and you can see why there should be optimism. Miller will be in his second year of starting and should be a lot better, and he seems like a perfect fit for this system. Ohio State returns 15 starters, and that doesn't include defensive lineman Nathan Williams, who missed all but one game last year with a knee injury. Several of the incoming freshmen will have a chance to make an immediate impact. The Meyer factor might have the optimism running a bit too high, but with a very manageable nonconference schedule and an experienced team, the Buckeyes should be a Top 25 club.

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Kevin from Arlington writes: Penn State's defensive line No. 3? Michigan #2? I have learned not to expect much from you guys given your limited knowledge but really? Are you sure Adam's bias hasn't infected you? Look, Michigan made huge improvements from the previous year but no way. Mike Martin is a nice player but no Wolverine linemen (or any other defender) would have started for Penn State. Simply put, Penn State had the best line in the league, the best linebacking corps and best defense.

Brian Bennett: I agree that Penn State's defense was excellent and that its front was outstanding, led by All-American Devon Still. But Michigan's defensive line was terrific as well, and you can't tell me Martin wouldn't have started next to Still. We also took into account how both lines finished up. Penn State seriously faltered against Wisconsin and Houston in two blowout losses to end the year, while the Wolverines had a great performance up front against Virginia Tech.

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Kevin from Chicago: With March Madness coming up, Northwestern needs to win games. Which is worse, the basketball team being in the Big Ten and never making a March Madness Tourney or the football team being in the Big Ten and not winning a Bowl game in 63 years?

Brian Bennett: Easy call. Not making the basketball tournament a single time is unforgivable. At least the football team has gone to bowl games and even made a Rose Bowl. How a school located in Chicago cannot ever win enough games to get into a 64- or 68-team basketball tournament boggles the mind. Sadly, Adam was convinced in the fall this would be the year for his Wildcats.

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Peter from Wisconsin writes: As a Wisconsin fan, I am frustrated with recruiting. I realize that recruiting is only half the battle, the other half is developing which Bielema and Co. do a great job of, but our lack of athleticism on the defensive side (ie vs Oregon) was evident and that reflects on recruiting. I feel like we could be a championship contender if we brought in a few more four-stars every year. I know recruiting isn't everything (which we prove every year) but still wouldn't you agree that we need to start being a little more aggressive to push us over the hump?

Brian Bennett: The Badgers have a system and philosophy that they recruit to, especially offensively, and it has worked out beautifully. The defense has been a little bit underrated, and indeed, if Wisconsin makes three more plays last year it goes undefeated. So I don't think a total overhaul is necessary. But the defensive side needs a little more speed and athleticism. While it's true that Oregon's offense (and to a slightly lesser degree, TCU's from the previous year) would have given a lot of teams trouble, it's also true that the Badgers are going to face those types of teams on the national stage more often. They need a few more difference-makers on defense, in my opinion.

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Rich from Denver writes: Brian, What does it say that Bill O'Brien's contract at PSU contains a larger incentive for making a bowl game, which could be the pizza bowl, than for winning the league or the BCS?

Brian Bennett: I think it says O'Brien has a good agent. He can earn $104,500 bonus if the Nittany Lions simply make a bowl game next season, which shouldn't be a major hurdle to clear. O'Brien would receive $47,500 for a division title, $76,000 for a Big Ten championship and $85,500 for a BCS national championship in 2012. It's almost as if Penn State is saying, hey, just make sure we have a winning team next year after all this controversy, and you'll be rewarded. Some readers also asked about the lack of incentives for academic achievements and whether that is uncommon. Many coaches have incentives in their contracts for such things, including Meyer, whose deal contains bonuses for things like APR scores and graduation rates. My thought here is that Penn State has been so good at graduating players for so long that the school considers that part of the underlying agreement.

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Max from Cleveland writes: Not sure why they pay you to write about college football. From your chat wrap, you say that you have to have the four best teams in a playoff, but we all know that often the best team doesn't win a game (see Alabama vs LSU during the season) and sometimes doesn't even win their conference. But if you're not going to give credit for winning a conference, why bother having the conferences? Every conference has a method of selecting a champion. It needs to be used, and any playoff limited to those teams who have earned the right to be there.Secondly, throwing out Yankee Stadium as a potential OOC site for a Pac-12 Big 10 matchup is just dumb. There are so many other sites within the Big 10 footprint, and Yankee Stadium is only slightly less horrible than Wrigley for football. Where's your brain?

Brian Bennett: Let me make sure I understand your argument here, Max. You're using the Alabama-LSU regular-season game to prove the best team doesn't always win, but at the same time you wouldn't want Alabama to have a chance to play for the national title? Sure, that makes sense. We all knew that Alabama was at least one of the three best teams in the country at the end of the year, and it turns out the Tide were the best. Why should we have included, say, a two-loss Big Ten or Pac-12 champion that clearly wasn't as good as Alabama into the playoff? The system should be about selecting the best teams in the country, period. In baseball, football and even college basketball (hello, UConn), plenty of teams win championships that didn't win their league or division and no one complains. Why should college football be any different?

As for Yankee Stadium, Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany mentioned the idea of playing the Pac-12/Big Ten challenge there when the alliance was first announced in December, and I wrote about it at the time. So my brain is hanging out in the facts, research and reporting lounge. Plenty of room in here if yours ever wants to check it out.

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Scott from Hardy, Va., writes: When talking about a playoff system, I hear "academic calendar" a lot. I also hear about time to promote the game, prepare for the teams, site visits to quote Adam in the mailbag. Fair enough. I also understand that football one of the roughest games in college (probably second to rugby) and cannot be compared to basketball. But if we are talking about the academic calendar, I think the kids playing basketball have more travel and more games. March Madness schedules venues well in advance throughout the country. So I don't buy the "let's remember these athletes are students first." My idea of a playoff involves conference champions and two at-large births for 8. The NCAA is dense but surely they can figure out how to schedule 6 venues (1 per conference) and then bid out the title game. Makes way too much sense for them to consider, but what do you think?

Brian Bennett: It's also funny how players in the FCS and Division II can play their tournament through December, huh? Let's put aside cynicism for a moment and accept that avoiding a clash with December finals is a noble idea. Schools on the semester system don't have to worry about that conflict in basketball and usually have spring break during March Madness. I've always wondered, though, how players whose teams reach the Final Four and are basically on the road for four straight weeks can possibly concentrate on their studies. There's a way that a football playoff can be held without affecting finals weeks; some of the bigger concerns are how fans could travel to the games and how the extra games would impact the health of the players. But those are issues that can be solved if there is resolve to get it done.

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Keenan from Maine writes: You say the SEC has won 6 straight, I say the SEC lost the NC this year. I don't have question, I just wanted to say that.

Brian Bennett: Whatever helps you sleep at night, Keenan.

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Charles from Phoenix writes: Your "Look Inside Big Ten Valentine's Day" post really touched my heart...with HILARITY! Great job on the notes, so great in fact that I can't pick a single favorite, but if I had to choose I'd go with the back and forth between Coach (Chewbacca) Bielema (Who's the BOSS) and Urban Meyer -- so funny! But, I think you missed a very vital Valentine:

To: Sparty Nation
From: Brad Nortman and (Bo Ryan)

Sure, I (he) may have acted a "little" but the punter was clearly "ran into" - DEAL WITH IT!

Keep up the great blogging, and if you didn't serve your sweetie Filet Mignon with Lobster Tail, Snow Crab Legs and Asparagus, well, you're not me.

Brian Bennett: Something tells me Charles needed no help sleeping on Valentine's night.

E. Gordon Gee says if you're not sending questions into this mailbag, you need to get a life.

Let's answer some emails:

Ben from Connecticut writes: If the Big Ten's playoff proposal is adopted, do you see activist voters determining homefield advantage in the 2 v 3 matchup? Given what happened between Alabama/Ok. State, Florida/Michigan, and Texas/Cal, I'd be a lot more comfortable if a body more accountable than the BCS were in charge of seeding. I don't want a bunch of voters bumping Florida up a notch so they don't have to travel to Madison in December.

Brian Bennett: Ben, I think the poll jockeying would likely involve who's No. 4 vs. No. 5 instead of the home sites. For example, had that system been in place this year, I believe voters would have moved Oregon, which finished No. 5, ahead of Stanford for the No. 4 spot since the Ducks beat Stanford and won the Pac-12 title. But I totally agree that a better system than the current BCS model is needed to determine the matchups, because using the coaches' poll is just inviting massive conflicts of interest into the process.

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Chuck D. from Mt Morris, Mich., writes: I thought it was interesting that after the Big Ten announced that they were looking into a playoff, Mike Silve seems to be backing off now. Everyone always comments that the SEC and Big 12 were interested in the playoff four years ago, but is the SEC having a change of heart with their run of BCS championships, especially this past championship game? And (possibly) giving up their home field advantage, at least in the semi-final games?

Brian Bennett: Who could blame Mike Slive? The current system has allowed his league to win six straight national titles, including this year's when two SEC teams were in the championship game. Slive should be the only guy fighting a change to the BCS system.

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Topher from Denver writes: It seems that everyone has gotten so caught up with the reshuffling at Iowa that everyone has forgotten to ask a very important question. Who will be the QB coach? Ken O'Keefe has done a great job, and we have been blessed to have some great QBs. But if any of the internal candidates get the OC position it would make more sense for them to stay with their current position coaching duties rather than trying to take over QBs. So who would be the top candidate to take over QBs?

Brian Bennett: That's a good question. Kirk Ferentz addressed this a little bit on Wednesday but didn't say a whole lot. If current receivers coach Erik Campbell is promoted, then it makes sense for him to keep working with receivers as well. Then I think you could see Iowa bring in somebody from the outside to coach the quarterbacks. Or Ferentz could hire an outside person for the coordinator spot who has experience with the quarterbacks, though promoting from within seems to be his preferred method right now. Those who criticized O'Keefe should recognize what a good job he did developing quarterbacks.

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Tim from Niamey, Niger, writes: I usually write Adam, but since he doesn't answer me, I thought I would give you a shot:) I have been reading alot of different articles on the fact that the Buckeyes and Wolverines are back in a big way. After a 6-7 season, even with the hiring of Meyer, isn't that putting the cart before the horse? I mean, don't the Bucks have to go win some big games before they can be declared back? After a mediocre season at best, I am waiting for all this hype to be turned into some wins.

Brian Bennett: Adam ignores all emails from Niger. It's shameful, really. Anyway, this may shock you, but we in the media have a tendency to jump the gun a little bit on stories (no, really). So I see where you're coming from. At the same time, though, Urban Meyer is a proven winner, and it's hard to deny the talent he's bringing in. Ohio State had a rough 2011 but wasn't that far away from winning most of its games, and that was with a rookie head coach, a freshman quarterback, several suspensions and all kinds of off-the-field distractions. Yes, the Buckeyes still have to prove it on the field, but there's every reason to believe that will happen, and quickly.

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John from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Adam keeps saying that Nebraska needs to get more recruits from B1G country. The way I see it is that Pelini and Co. need to go after the best recruits out there, not dependent on their location. If there is a good player somewhere in B1G country and there was a slightly better player from Texas/Cali/Florida why not go after the better player? It's not like we can't get the player from outside of the B1G (Neb has recruiting ties all over). The only way I really see MORE benefit from getting players in B1G conference territory would be keeping that player away from a conference rival and having to play against him.

Brian Bennett: Well, sure, Nebraska should get the possible player, but I don't think it's that simple. The Huskers used to be able to recruit Texas so well in part because they played games in Texas and had a presence there. Leaving the Big 12 will likely hurt that. Fact is, a lot of recruits want to play either close to home or at a school that will play games in their home areas. That means a more Midwestern focus in recruiting efforts for Nebraska, which isn't blessed with a natural talent base in its own backyard.

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Greyson F. from Lansing, Mich., writes: How often do you sing "I am evil Homer" when you see the statue on your desk?

Brian Bennett: About the same number of times I sing the "Itchy & Scratchy" theme song. "They fight, they bite ..."

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Diamond G. from Detroit writes: What match up would you like to see in the first year of the B1G Ten vs Pac 12? for me I would like to see Stanford at Wisconsin, Ohio at Oregon, USC at MSU, Arizona at Michigan, Nebraska at Arizona State, and Cali at Iowa are my top choices, what you thing would be a out come if that played?

Brian Bennett: I had some fun with potential matchups back in December, Diamond. You can see those here. The series won't start until 2017, so predicting outcomes is impossible.

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Kevin from Mt. Prospect, Ill. writes: No Kain Colter in the top 25? Huge part of the wildcats success this year especially against Nebraska and his multiple uses at QB, running back and WR.

Brian Bennett: Devising a 25-player list in a 12-team league is really hard and means that many great players will be left off. Colter did some really nice work in filling in for Dan Persa, and he might have been the most versatile player in the league. But he also had several games late in the season where he wasn't a big factor once Persa came back. Ultimately, he just missed the cut.

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Patrick from Chicago writes: Brian, I enjoyed the NFL combine list. To me it's the perfect bookend to recruiting rankings. That, or graduation rates...but college football isn't about educating students. Wisconsin has 8 going, 7 from various recruiting classes + Russell Wilson. How many of those were 4-star recruits?

Brian Bennett: Using ESPN.com's recruiting rankings, only offensive tackle Josh Oglesby was a four-star prospect out of Wisconsin's eight combine invitees. He was an ESPNU150 prospect rated No. 28 overall in his class. Center Peter Konz was a three-star prospect. The rest -- fullback Bradie Ewing, cornerback Antonio Fenelus, punter Brad Nortman, receiver Nick Toon and offensive guard Kevin Zeitler, did not get ranked by ESPN.com as recruits. Toon was a four-star prospect according to Rivals, which also rated Zeitler and Nortman as three-star prospects. Ewing, Fenelus and even Wilson to some extent would all have to be considered surprises to the recruiting folks.

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Tim from Lincoln, Neb., writes: Random thought while watching the Super Bowl: Jason Pierre-Paul was committed to Nebraska before he switched to South Florida...I'm drooling a little thinking about him and Ndamukong Suh destroying quarterbacks.

Brian Bennett: That would have been almost unfair. I covered JPP in his one year at South Florida and knew he had beast written all over him. He developed late because he didn't play the game early on, but what a force he is now.

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Keenan from Maine writes: Because I'm bored and I don't care what my hair looks like as long as it's short enough to not pay attention to, I got a haircut to emulate Bielema. It didn't turn out perfect, I over exaggerated the peak so I look more like Tintin. I'm now curious what Bielema tells his barber how to cut his hair. A friend mentioned he was getting a haircut I suggested getting it cut like Hoke, his favorite teams coach, he said only crazy people get their hair cut like coaches or cartoon characters. Now i'm curious how each B1G coach gets their hair cut and maybe what the most common hairstyles are across the board in college.I know....I need a better hobby.

Brian Bennett: E. Gordon Gee agrees, Kevin.

The North team recorded a 23-13 win against the South in Saturday's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., and several Big Ten players contributed to the victory.

Big Ten players factored in all the scoring for the North squad. Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson and Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins both fired touchdown passes, and Purdue kicker Carson Wiggs connected on three field goal attempts, including a 28-yarder that helped seal the win with 4:11 left. The North starting offensive line featured four of five players from the Big Ten.

Other than Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins and Illinois left tackle Jeff Allen, all of the Big Ten players in the game competed for the North squad.

Wilson started for the North and led three offensive series, two of which resulted in points. He finished the game 4 of 7 passing for 45 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Cousins was the third quarterback from the North squad to see the field and fired a 41-yard touchdown pass to Arizona State's Gerell Robinson early in the third quarter. Cousins finished the game 5 of 11 passing for 115 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

Wiggs connected on field goal attempts of 27, 28 and 32 yards and missed a 37-yard try in the closing minutes.

Other Big Ten notables:

• Michigan State safety Trenton Robinson had two tackles and a fumble recovery
• Ohio State wide receiver DeVier Posey had a 33-yard reception
• Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David had four tackles
• Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford had three tackles
• Michigan defensive tackle Mike Martin had three tackles
• Illinois wideout A.J. Jenkins had a 26-yard reception
• Michigan State tight end Brian Linthicum had a 9-yard reception
• Penn State cornerback D'Anton Lynn had two tackles
• Wisconsin punter Brad Nortman averaged 43.7 yards on three attempts and also had one kickoff, while Wiggs had five kickoffs.
• Ohio State running back Dan Herron had six carries for 14 yards and two receptions for 4 yards
• Wisconsin long-snapper Kyle Wojta had one tackle
• Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing had one carry for 1 yard

North team starters included: Wilson, Ewing, Linthicum, Ohio State left tackle Mike Adams, Ohio State center Mike Brewster, Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler, Penn State guard Johnnie Troutman, Crawford, Martin and Robinson. Jenkins and Allen both came off the bench for the South squad.

ESPN's NFL draft expert Mel Kiper has revised his list of top 5 players at each position for the 2012 draft and compiled the top 5s among returning seniors for the 2012 college football season.

Big Ten players are on both lists, so let's take a look.

2012 NFL DRAFT

• Wisconsin's Bradie Ewing, No. 1 fullback
• Iowa's Reilly Reiff, No. 2 offensive tackle
• Ohio State's Mike Adams, No. 4 offensive tackle
• Wisconsin's Kevin Zeitler, No. 4 guard
• Wisconsin's Peter Konz, No. 1 center
• Ohio State's Mike Brewster, No. 2 center
• Michigan's David Molk, No. 3 center
• Illinois' Whitney Mercilus, No. 4 defensive end
• Penn State's Devon Still, No. 1 defensive tackle
• Michigan State's Jerel Worthy, No. 5 defensive tackle
• Nebraska's Lavonte David, No. 3 outside linebacker
• Nebraska's Alfonzo Dennard, No. 4 cornerback
• Wisconsin's Philip Welch, No. 2 kicker
• Illinois' Derek Dimke, No. 4 kicker
• Iowa's Eric Guthrie, No. 5 punter

Thoughts: Center and defensive tackle clearly were the Big Ten's strongest positions in 2011. Worthy appears a bit lower than I thought and needs to help his stock in the predraft events. Dennard also has fallen off a bit. It will be interesting to see the order in which Konz, Brewster and Molk are drafted. Welch's placement above Dimke comes as a bit of a surprise, while I expected to see Wisconsin's Brad Nortman on the top 5 punters list.

TOP RETURNING SENIORS BY POSITION

• Wisconsin's Montee Ball, No. 1 running back
• Ohio State's Zach Boren, No. 2 fullback
• Penn State's Mike Zordich, No. 4 fullback
• Michigan's Denard Robinson, No. 2 wide receiver
• Ohio State's Jake Stoneburner, No. 4 tight end
• Nebraska's Kyler Reed, No. 5 tight end
• Wisconsin's Ricky Wagner, No. 1 offensive tackle
• Illinois' Graham Pocic, No. 2 center
• Ohio State's John Simon, No. 2 defensive end
• Purdue's Kawann Short, No. 1 defensive tackle
• Penn State's Jordan Hill, No. 5 defensive tackle
• Penn State's Gerald Hodges, No. 3 outside linebacker
• Iowa's Micah Hyde, No. 3 cornerback
• Michigan State's Dan Conroy, No. 5 kicker
• Nebraska's Brett Maher, No. 3 punter

Thoughts: Robinson's name jumps out as Kiper has the Michigan quarterback listed as a wide receiver, adding that NFL general managers won't draft him unless he's willing to change positions. It will be interesting to see if Ball can hold onto the top spot among running backs on Kiper's board as Wisconsin's offense will have some new faces in 2012. Defensive tackle once again should be a strength for the Big Ten, and tight end and fullback could be positions to watch. Stoneburner could have a huge senior season at Ohio State, and Reed comes off an injury-plagued 2011 campaign.

Pre-draft season is right around the corner, and the nation's premier all-star game, the Senior Bowl, takes place Jan. 28 in Mobile, Ala.

The Senior Bowl on Wednesday announced the 24 Big Ten players who will be participating in this year's game. Eight Big Ten squads are sending players to Mobile.

Here's the full list (part of which had been revealed earlier):

IOWA

• DT Mike Daniels
• WR Marvin McNutt

MICHIGAN

• DT Mike Martin
• C David Molk*

MICHIGAN STATE

• QB Kirk Cousins
• TE Brian Linthicum
• S Trenton Robinson

NEBRASKA

• LB Lavonte David
• CB Alfonzo Dennard

OHIO STATE

• LT Mike Adams
• C Mike Brewster
• RB Dan Herron
• WR DeVier Posey

PENN STATE

• DE Jack Crawford
• CB D'Anton Lynn
• DT Devon Still
• G Johnnie Troutman

PURDUE

• K Carson Wiggs

WISCONSIN

• FB Bradie Ewing
• P Brad Nortman
• WR Nick Toon*
• QB Russell Wilson
• LS Kyle Wojta
• G Kevin Zeitler

*injured and will not participate in game

It's a strong contingent that features the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (Still) and 21 all-conference selections.

My apologies for posting this a bit late, but the initial invitations list is out for the 2012 NFL scouting combine, which takes place next month in Indianapolis. This list does not include the five Big Ten juniors who have declared for the draft.

Let's check out which players made the initial list (a full list will come out later this month).

Quarterbacks

• Kirk Cousins, Michigan State
• Russell Wilson, Wisconsin

Running backs

• Dan Herron, Ohio State

Wide receivers

• B.J. Cunningham, Michigan State
• Junior Hemingway, Michigan
• A.J. Jenkins, Illinois
• Keshawn Martin, Michigan State
• Marvin McNutt, Iowa
• DeVier Posey, Ohio State
• Nick Toon, Wisconsin

Offensive linemen

• Mike Adams, Ohio State
• Jeff Allen, Illinois
• Mike Brewster, Ohio State
• Marcel Jones, Nebraska
• David Molk, Michigan
• Josh Oglesby, Wisconsin
• Markus Zusevics, Iowa

Defensive tackles

• Jared Crick, Nebraska
• Mike Daniels, Iowa
• Mike Martin, Michigan
• Devon Still, Penn State

Defensive ends

• Jack Crawford, Penn State

Outside linebackers

• Lavonte David, Nebraska
• Tyler Nielsen, Iowa

Cornerbacks

• Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
• Antonio Fenelus, Wisconsin
• D'Anton Lynn, Penn State
• Shaun Prater, Iowa

Safeties

• Trenton Robinson, Michigan State

Kickers

• Derek Dimke, Illinois
• Carson Wiggs, Purdue

Punters

• Brad Nortman, Wisconsin

There are no Big Ten tight ends, inside linebackers or long snappers on the initial list.

I'm a bit surprised not to see several names, including Penn State WR Derek Moye. Still, wide receiver was a position of strength for the Big Ten in 2011, along with defensive tackle.

It's time to pass out season grades for the 2011 Big Ten champion Wisconsin Badgers.

OFFENSE: A

The record-setting 2010 Badgers offense left a tough act to follow, but this year's unit maintained the production and added elements Wisconsin hasn't seen before. Most of those new elements came from quarterback Russell Wilson, who transitioned seamlessly after transferring from NC State and earned consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors. Wilson completed 72.4 percent of his passes and ranked second nationally in pass efficiency (191.6), trailing only Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III. His ability to extend plays and attack defenses helped a unit that needed greater balance this year. Wilson shared a backfield with Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball, who led the nation with 38 touchdowns (32 rush, 6 receiving), one shy of Barry Sanders' single-season NCAA record. Ball and Wilson had the best combined running back-quarterback season in Big Ten history, and Wisconsin ranked fourth nationally in scoring. Center Peter Konz led the offensive line and the receivers had big years working with Wilson.

DEFENSE: B+

The unit wasn't quite as dominant as its numbers indicate, although it's notable that Wisconsin finished in the top 10 nationally in total defense, scoring defense and pass defense. The Badgers lacked a superstar like All-American J.J. Watt in 2010 but received production from several sources, namely linebackers Mike Taylor and Chris Borland, and defensive backs Aaron Henry, Shelton Johnson and Antonio Fenelus. Wisconsin once again showed play-making ability on defense and recorded 24 takeaways, the third-highest total in the league. The Badgers held 10 opponents to 17 points or fewer and only seemed to struggle in the two games against Michigan State, which boasts tremendous speed on the edges, as well as with Ohio State's rushing attack led by Dan Herron and Braxton Miller.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

The kicking game was Wisconsin's Achilles' heel this season, and major mistakes surfaced in both regular-season losses. Wisconsin had punts blocked against both Michigan State and Ohio State, both of which led to touchdowns. And if Michigan State isn't flagged for running into the punter in the Big Ten title game, Wisconsin might have lost after allowing a long return by Keshawn Martin. The Badgers had some bright spots, such as punt returner Jared Abbrederis, who ranked third nationally (16.1 ypr), and punter Brad Nortman. But it's hard to look past the two breakdowns.

OVERALL: A-

Wisconsin began the season as the Leaders division favorite and elevated expectations with its blistering start. Anything less than a Rose Bowl appearance would be considered a significant disappointment. A handful of players in East Lansing and in Columbus prevented Wisconsin from having a truly special season, but the Badgers rebounded in November and outlasted Michigan State in Indianapolis despite being outplayed most of the game. Wisconsin is making consecutive Rose Bowl appearances for the first time since 1998-99, but the Badgers need a win to validate themselves as nationally elite.

Let's review Week 14 in the Big Ten. If you don't know what the team of the week and the game of the week were, then I can't help you.

Biggest play: Russell Wilson's 36-yard prayer was answered by Jeff Duckworth on fourth-and-six from the Michigan State 43 with about four minutes left in the Big Ten title game. Duckworth had two defenders around him but still managed to come down with the ball. Duckworth had only 12 catches in the regular season but hauled in three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown in the championship game.

Biggest call: Obviously, the 5-yard running-into-the-punter penalty on Isaiah Lewis that gave Wisconsin a first down and allowed the Badgers to go into the victory formation. Adam Rittenberg broke it all down here. What really stings for Michigan State is that Keshawn Martin returned the punt all the way inside the Wisconsin 5, though we'll never know if that return plays out the same way without Wisconsin players seeing the flag on the carpet.

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio said it was his call to go after the punt, a totally understandable decision given the Badgers' problems with punt protection this year. But Wisconsin was also punting from its own 26 with 1:57 left, and the Spartans had their most dangerous player ready for the return. Even if Martin doesn't get much yardage, he caught Brad Nortman's punt on his own 34. Michigan State would have needed to go about 30 yards with no timeouts left to get in position for a long field goal try. There's no guarantee of that happening, but Kirk Cousins and the offense had moved the ball well all night.

It's a play that will haunt the Spartans all offseason. And it's another reason why I'm glad I'm not a coach.

Big Man on Campus (Offense): Russell Wilson. The Wisconsin quarterback capped a spectacular season by earning Big Ten championship game MVP honors. Once again, he showed great poise in a crucial spot, completing 12 of his 15 passes in the second half for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Where would the Badgers be without him?

Big Man on Campus (Defense): Michigan State linebacker Denicos Allen. The sophomore had a career-high three sacks, four tackles for loss and nine total tackles in an impressive performance. He should enter 2012 as one of the top linebackers in the Big Ten.

Big Man on Campus (Special teams): Nortman. He was big in flipping field position for Wisconsin, averaging 45 yards on five punts, including a 54-yarder. And his little extra acting on the penalty sure didn't hurt.

Best bowl matchup: Wisconsin vs. Oregon. These are two teams that are talented enough to be playing for the national title and have to be considered the best two-loss teams in America. Both have ridiculous offenses, including two of the top running backs in the country in LaMichael James and Montee Ball. The news conferences with Bret Bielema and Chip Kelly alone make it worth going to Pasadena.

Best non-BCS bowl matchup: Nebraska vs. South Carolina. A sneaky good game between the 9-3 Huskers and the 10-2 Gamecocks. Both teams have flaws -- Nebraska's defense doesn't always show up, and South Carolina's offense is likewise inconsistent at best -- but both also have a lot of athletes and speed. The Cornhuskers can prove their worth to the Big Ten by beating an SEC team.

Dumbest matchup: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech. The Hokies in a BCS game? Really? They beat no one of value in the nonconference schedule and were blown out twice by the best team they played, Clemson. Virginia Tech never wins BCS games unless it can play a mediocre Big East team. The Allstate Sugar Bowl had a chance to match Michigan up with Boise State or Kansas State or Baylor to create some buzz but chose to go with a game few will care about.

Best bet-the-over game: Northwestern vs. Texas A&M in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. Both teams have excellent quarterbacks -- Ryan Tannehill for Texas A&M and Dan Persa for the Wildcats -- and bad defenses. Whatever the over/under will be is probably not enough.

Toughest matchup: Iowa vs. Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl. The Hawkeyes did not prove this year that they could beat top-flight competition, especially away from home. They could have a very difficult time against the Sooners, who were overrated all year but still have a ton of talent. Iowa's best hope is that Oklahoma -- which was in the mix for a BCS bowl -- isn't motivated for this one.

Luckiest bowl team: Illinois. You could make a strong case for the Illini not going to a bowl, with their six-game losing streak, disinterested fans and unsettled coaching situation. Despite not getting included in the Big Ten's bowl lineup, Illinois will go to San Francisco to play a highly-beatable, 6-7 UCLA team. While it's very questionable how many Illinois fans will make the long trip out West for this game, would you rather be in San Francisco on New Year's Eve playing a Pac-12 team or be in Detroit on Dec. 27 against Western Michigan like Purdue?

Best quote to remember: "Deserve's got nothin' to do with it." Just keep repeating Clint Eastwood's line in "Unforgiven" whenever you complain about bowls. Did Michigan deserve a BCS bid over Michigan State, who finished ahead of the Wolverines in the Legends Division and thumped their rivals by two touchdowns? No. Did a 9-3 Penn State team deserve to slide all the way down to the TicketCity Bowl? Of course not. Did 6-6 Ohio State, which lost to Penn State, deserve to go to the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl? Heck no.

Always keep in mind that the BCS is set up only to pit the No. 1 vs. No. 2 teams (and it doesn't even get that right every time). Virtually every other bowl is an exhibition game put on by a city to boost tourism. That's it. Nothing more. It's preposterous that schools allow their most valuable property -- the postseason -- to be run by some chamber of commerce in a distant city and will eagerly agree to outrageous ticket guarantees that amount to little more than blackmail.

But that's the system we have. And deserve's got nothin' to do with it.

A Big Ten champion has been crowned and the league's bowl lineup is set. There was only one game on the docket in Week 14, but what a game it turned out to be as Wisconsin and Michigan State provided great theater in Indianapolis.

The Badgers move into the top spot by virtue of their 42-39 win, but as we saw Saturday night, there's not much separating the league's top two teams.

The final 10 spots in the rankings remain the same.

Let's get to it.

1. Wisconsin (11-2, 6-2): Outplayed for long stretches in Indy, Wisconsin found a way to win as senior quarterback Russell Wilson stepped up in the fourth quarter and unlikely heroes like receiver Jeff Duckworth and, yes, punter Brad Nortman made key plays. The Badgers will need a better defensive performance in Pasadena to slow down Oregon, but they get a chance to redeem themselves at the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO.

2. Michigan State (10-3, 7-1): The Spartans looked like the Big Ten's best team for much of the championship game, holding edges in almost every key statistical category except points. But a few critical mistakes cost Michigan State and prevented the team from reaching the Rose Bowl for the first time in 24 seasons. While the disappointment will sting, the Spartans need to shake it off and beat Georgia in the Outback Bowl to secure their first postseason win under coach Mark Dantonio.

3. Michigan (10-2, 6-2): Unlike Michigan teams of recent years, Brady Hoke's crew ended the season on a roll, winning the final three games. Quarterback Denard Robinson bounced back nicely against both Nebraska and Ohio State and will need another strong performance in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against Virginia Tech.

4. Nebraska (9-3, 5-3): The Huskers will play a Florida bowl game for just the second time since facing Tennessee in the 1998 Orange Bowl. They have a chance to win 10 games for the third consecutive season, which hasn't been done since 1999-2001 and build some momentum for the 2012 campaign. Taylor Martinez and the Nebraska offense will be tested against a very good South Carolina defense.

5. Penn State (9-3, 5-3): Passed over by several bowl games, the Lions have a chance to show those groups what they missed with a strong performance against high-powered Houston in the TicketCity Bowl. The defense must rebound from its worst performance of the season, and RB Silas Redd should be well rested and able to reclaim his midseason form in the bowl game. A Lions bowl win gives them 10 or more wins for third time in the past four years.

6. Iowa (7-5, 4-4): It was a rocky season for Kirk Ferentz's team, which never won more than two games in a row. Fortunately, the Hawkeyes are going bowling, where they've thrived under Ferentz, going 6-3 with wins in each of the past three contests. After a lousy performance at Nebraska, Iowa will look to finish strong against Oklahoma in the Insight Bowl.

7. Ohio State (6-6, 3-5): While Urban Meyer won't coach the Buckeyes in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, he'll be a central figure as Ohio State takes on his former team in Florida. It should be an interesting atmosphere to say the least. Luke Fickell tries to go out with a win as a head coach before returning to an assistant role, and it will be interesting to see how Braxton Miller performs on his first bowl stage.

8. Northwestern (6-6, 3-5): The Wildcats endured a disappointing regular season after returning a veteran-laden team, but they can still make history by winning their first bowl game since the 1949 Rose. Quarterback Dan Persa has another month to rest up before his final game. Northwestern will need a stronger effort from its defense to end its bowl losing streak against Texas A&M.

9. Purdue (6-6, 4-4): The bowl wait will end for Purdue on Dec. 27 when it faces Western Michigan in the Little Caesars Bowl. It's an important opportunity to finish with a winning record and finish the season with some momentum before what should be a pivotal 2012 season for coach Danny Hope.

10. Minnesota (3-9, 2-6): The Gophers ended a rough season on a high note for the second straight year. It's now about recruiting for Jerry Kill and his staff, and offseason development for the players, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Minnesota will be an improved team in 2012 but must build on the mini defensive surge we saw late in the season.

11. Illinois (6-6, 2-6): There was some talk early in the week that the Illini players might not want to play a bowl game after their second-half collapse, but the Orange and Blue are headed to San Francisco, where they'll face UCLA in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. It provides one final opportunity for a talented team to do something positive before beginning a new chapter under a coach yet to be named.

12. Indiana (1-11, 0-8): A vital recruiting period is under way for Kevin Wilson and his staff, who have to upgrade their talent on the defensive side of the ball. Indiana has a nice foundation in quarterback Tre Roberson and running back Stephen Houston, but the Hoosiers need to build depth and hope all the young players thrown to the fire this fall take steps in the winter months.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Russell Wilson had barely arrived in Madison this past summer when he shared his vision for the season.

"I want to be part of something special," the NC State transfer announced upon meeting his new Wisconsin teammates. "I don't want to be common. I want to be uncommon."

Very little was common about the first Big Ten championship game. A league known for grinding it out in cold weather put on a thrilling, offensive pingpong contest at Lucas Oil Field. Michigan State and Wisconsin figured to have a hard time matching their Oct. 22 classic, but they came pretty close to repeating it note for note. And the Badgers won 42-39 despite getting outgained and outplayed most of the night before somehow finding a way to secure their second consecutive trip to the Rose Bowl.

"The adversity we faced this season helped us tonight, I believe," Wisconsin fullback Bradie Ewing said. "To be able to battle back like that is special. You remember a season like that more than you would a lot of other seasons."

A season that began with enormous expectations nearly came crashing down on consecutive October weekends, when Michigan State and Ohio State delivered last-minute, intestine-twisting, game-winning touchdowns. The Badgers had zero room for error after those two conference losses and needed help from other teams just to get to Indianapolis.

When they got here, they had to face a Spartans team that beat them in three of the previous four meetings. And the rematch began to play out in eerily similar fashion to Michigan State's 37-31 victory on Oct. 22 in East Lansing.

Just as in that game, the Badgers raced out to a two-touchdown lead in the first quarter, only to see the wheels come off. The Spartans outscored Wisconsin 23-0 in the second quarter of the first game; on Saturday, they ripped off 22 consecutive points to take a 29-21 halftime lead.

"For whatever reason, we don't play well in the second quarter against Michigan State," head coach Bret Bielema said. "So we survived it."

Wisconsin inched back into the game but still trailed 39-34 late in the fourth quarter and had little choice but to go for a fourth-and-6 from the 43-yard line. As he had been many times in the game, Wilson got flushed from the pocket by Michigan State's pressure. He flung a pass toward Jeff Duckworth, who had two Spartans covering him.

"I had to give him a shot," Wilson said. "It was pretty much the only thing I could do. I knew I had to throw it up and give it a chance."

Duckworth had broken his corner pattern to the inside -- "It was kind of a bad route, actually," he would say later. But the receiver who caught only 12 passes in the regular season went up and grabbed the ball for a first down at the 7. Montee Ball then did what he does best, scoring his 38th touchdown of the season, and Wilson scrambled until he could find Jacob Pedersen for the 2-point conversion.

The Duckworth pass brought back instant memories of Michigan State's Hail Mary pass to win in East Lansing on Oct. 22. That play started from 1 yard farther back on the field and also went toward the right corner of the end zone, although the degree of difficulty was higher. Karmic payback, perhaps?

"A common saying that we've been using quite a bit over the last three or four weeks is 'Those who are humbled will be exalted, and those who are exalted will be humbled,'" Bielema said. "And I thought that play right there gave justice to everything."

More weird turnarounds were at work. Special-teams breakdowns played a key role in both Badgers losses this season, as Michigan State and Ohio State each blocked a punt that was taken in for a score or directly led to a touchdown. Surely the Spartans considered that weak spot when they decided to go after a Wisconsin punt with less than two minutes left.

That proved disastrous when Isaiah Lewis was flagged for running into punter Brad Nortman, resulting in a first down and Wisconsin bringing on the victory formation. (It only adds to the irony that Lewis made headlines before the first game when he said Michigan State's defense was going to hurt Wilson.) Nortman had an excellent game, averaging 45 yards on five punts, and Wisconsin actually forced a turnover in the kicking game to score a touchdown.

"I preached special teams all week," Bielema said.

This was an uncommon way to win a championship. The Badgers were outgained 471 to 345 by the Spartans and had only 126 rushing yards to Michigan State's 190. Ball alone ran for 105 yards in the first quarter before the normally powerful ground game stalled. Michigan State took advantage of Wisconsin's lack of speed on the edge of its defense most of the night. Look at the stat sheet, and it's hard to figure out how the Badgers won. But their entire season was about not staying down.

"With the team we had, we were thinking national championship," safety Aaron Henry said. "For us to lose the way we did in those two games, it was definitely devastating. [But] our guys rallied, and it pretty much unfolded in front of your eyes."

In Wilson's case, an ear told the story. He tucked a rose over his right ear and kept it there long after the game was over, savoring his first chance to play in a BCS bowl. His vision from the summer had been fulfilled.

"We are definitely uncommon," he said.

INDIANAPOLIS -- There would have been no qualifiers this time for Michigan State.

No talk of Hail Marys or fortunate breaks or uncharacteristic mistakes from the opponent everyone assumed was better and more talented. The win wouldn't have been chalked up to the home crowd or questionable timeout choices or a few good bounces or the lack of penalty flags on the turf.

Had Michigan State held on to beat Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game, the Spartans would have earned every bit of the victory. For most of the night, they had been the better team, the more dominant team, the better prepared team, the more energized team. Their offense was seemingly unstoppable, racking up 23 first downs and 471 total yards. After a rough start, their defense made more plays than Wisconsin's, receiving a huge performance from linebacker Denicos Allen (3 sacks, 4 tackles for loss) and others.

Michigan State would be heading to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 24 years, and no one would be questioning whether the Spartans were the Big Ten's best team. The Spartans might have finally grasped the thing that eluded them despite another 10-win season: respect.

But what seemed so inevitable throughout Saturday night didn't come to pass. A handful of plays and a handful of mistakes kept the Spartans from putting roses between their teeth and celebrating with their large contingent of fans.

What if Isaiah Lewis never touches Wisconsin punter Brad Nortman? What if coach Mark Dantonio doesn't go for the punt block? What if quarterback Kirk Cousins takes off and runs on third-and-8 rather than attempt a tough throw to Keshawn Martin?

"It's tough," said Cousins, who was brilliant Saturday night with 281 pass yards and three touchdowns. "Came close two years in a row. It's tough."

In 2010, the BCS standings kept Michigan State from Pasadena even though the Spartans had beaten Wisconsin, which received the Big Ten's automatic berth. While the Spartans had a legitimate gripe, Dantonio noted that they didn't look BCS-worthy in a blowout loss to Alabama in the Capital One Bowl.

Saturday night, they looked the part, which might be the most painful element of the loss. Michigan State looked better than Wisconsin and had the edge in first downs (23-16), rushing yards (190-126) and total yards (471-345).

"We felt like we were having our way offensively all game long," Cousins said.

Offensive coordinator Dan Roushar called an excellent game, employing swing passes to capitalize on the Spartans' superior speed on the edge.

The defense recovered from a 21-point first quarter to allow minus-4 yards in the second quarter. Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson had only 30 passing yards in the first half. Badgers running back Montee Ball had only 32 rushing yards on 14 carries in the final three quarters.

"It's tough to deal with it," Dantonio said, "because you're going to replay a lot of things in your mind because you are so close. It could be one little thing, one little inch here or there and we could have won the football game."

Michigan State's loss likely takes the Spartans out of BCS at-large contention, while their rival Michigan, a team the Spartans beat on Oct. 15, could reach a BCS bowl. Dantonio made one final plea for his team.

"I do think the two best teams in the Big Ten played today," he said. "I do think we're worthy to compete and play at a BCS level, but you've got to get the votes to do that. I do believe we're a BCS-type football team."

The Spartans performed like one for much of the night. And while their Rose Bowl drought will reach a quarter-century, the program is getting closer and closer to its ultimate goal.

"Very difficult, the end of the football game, the way it all went down," Dantonio said. "But we'll rise again."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The first call came from Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio.

He decided to come after the punt. Again. Wisconsin had changed its protection after Dantonio's Spartans blocked a punt in a Oct. 22 contest in East Lansing. But the alignment left a man free, and Michigan State's Tony Lippett nearly had blocked a punt earlier in Saturday night's Big Ten championship game.

"With 1:57 to go, it's my call," Dantonio said. "I told them, 'Let's go for the block.'"

As Wisconsin cornerback Antonio Fenelus lined up as a gunner, he saw his teammates in disarray. The Badgers tried to gauge whether Michigan State would go for the block or the return, and the coaches wanted long snapper Kyle Wojta to hold off on snapping the ball.

"I was right next to where the coaches were," Fenelus said. "They were telling him not to snap the ball and he did."

Fullback Bradie Ewing sensed a potential problem from his spot at left guard.

"There was a little bit of miscommunication," Ewing said. "I didn't know if we were just going to hold the snap and not snap it. But as far as I knew, we were running the protection, [Wojta] hiked it, I released out and I heard the crowd scream and yell like they do when it's a blocked punt."

The reaction came not from a block this time, but from the penalty flags strewn on the field.

Officials flagged Michigan State's Isaiah Lewis for running into punter Brad Nortman. The 5-yard penalty resulted in a first down and allowed Wisconsin to run out the clock to seal a 42-39 victory.

"He hit him," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "He got the 5-yard penalty, gave us the first down. It is what it is."

Not surprisingly, Dantonio had a different take.

"I don't know if he hit him," Dantonio said. "You guys probably have a better view of that and have seen all the replays. But [the officials] threw the flag. Thought [Nortman] flopped a little bit. If [Lewis] hit him, he just nicked 'em."

Nortman's assessment isn't too far off from Dantonio's.

"There was certainly some contact," Nortman said, smiling. "It doesn't hurt to put a little bit extra on it, however. I wasn't thinking before the play, 'I'm going to take a flop here,' but when you're in the air and a little vulnerable, a little bit extra didn't hurt."

It brought out the flag, which is all that matters. Fenelus, meanwhile, began chasing Michigan State returner Keshawn Martin, who returned a punt for a touchdown in last year's win against Wisconsin and had tortured the Badgers yet again Saturday night (115 receiving yards, 26 rush yards).

Martin broke free and sprinted down the sideline until Nortman knocked him out of bounds just shy of the goal line.

"It was a great relief," Fenelus said. "Knowing that they could end up winning the game off of that if there wasn't a penalty on the play."

Nortman wasn't surprised Michigan State came after the punt, calling the Spartans "an aggressive team." Lining up deep in Wisconsin territory, he knew he couldn't afford another disaster after having punts blocked in both of Wisconsin's losses.

"Special teams might have been part of the issue in the losses," Nortman said. "It was great to be part of a win today."

Dantonio and his players repeatedly referred to a "game of inches" after the loss. While the punt play will be discussed for some time, Spartans quarterback Kirk Cousins tried to deflect the spotlight.

"There was no one play that lost this football game," Cousins said. "We don't think Isaiah needs to be singled out. He did nothing wrong. [Dantonio] calls for the block, you got to do that in that situation. He gave us 110 percent effort and the call doesn't go our way."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field ...

"Best call of the game," Nortman said.