ESPN College Football

Time to take a break from Day 2 of my Hoosier State adventure and answer some of your emails:

Brian from Atlanta writes: Why are you two always so wrong about every issue surrounding a playoff? Every system has problems, and the four team plus is no worse than the others in that regard. A 4 team playoff has lots of problems (EX. If a 1 loss team beats an undefeated team in the semis -- why does that loss count more?), and it hurts the Rose Bowl. You playoff proponents put blind faith in the system to accurately pick the top 4 teams and seed them, but somehow think that same system would fail after the bowls. That makes no sense. Either the system works all the time or none of the time.

Brian Bennett: Well, Brian (great name by the way), I can give you a very simple answer as to why the proposed plan to include the Rose Bowl in a playoff is dumb: It's being called, as you mentioned, a "four-team plus." How ridiculously convoluted does that sound? And that's the very point: We've finally gotten to a place where the powers that be are very open to the excellent idea of a four-team playoff and now there's an option that would muck up the whole thing.

No playoff system is perfect; there are those who would argue that the NCAA basketball tournament doesn't always crown the best team because of its single-elimination format (though the bracket did a pretty darn good coronation job this year). But a four-team, seeded football playoff where the best teams qualify is as good as we're going to get. Let's not ruin it before it begins.

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Scott from East Lansing, Mich., writes: Brian, I think the talk about the Pac-12/Big Ten partnership making it harder for either of the conferences to reach the title game is unjustified. I think it would make it more likely that a team from one of those conferences would go. You need to run a stronger schedule to convince people to get into the championship game, and these match-ups would only make it more likely that the most dominant teams in both conferences could make it to the BCS title game. Am I right or are people seeming something I am not? Also, I am so stoked for the MSU/Oregon series!

Brian Bennett: What the Pac-12/Big Ten series does is potentially make it harder to go undefeated. And going undefeated is the surest way to get into a four-team playoff, because there's no way a team from either league that goes 13-0 would be left out. Adding another difficult game only increases the chances for a loss. Though it does add to a team's strength-of-schedule argument, that would really only come into play if a one-loss Big Ten or Pac-12 team was trying to lobby its way in against other one-loss or non-power-league teams.

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Brian from Newmarket, United Kingdom, writes: I was curious on your thoughts regarding Don Van Natta Jr's article on Penn State? Do you feel differently about JoePa's firing? Seems like Joe may not have been as guilty as everyone says and there was some other shady things going on.

Brian Bennett: Cheers, Brian (great names in the 'bag today!). The story was a fascinating look at all the political and behind-the-scenes power struggles going on in the context of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. But it doesn't really change my opinion of whether Joe Paterno needed to be let go. I've said all along that virtually no one in this entire saga -- not Paterno, not Penn State administrators and trustees, not the governor, not the original investigators -- comes off looking good in this whole mess. I still believe Paterno should have done more and that he could not have been allowed to coach another game under the circumstances, though the way his dismissal was hired by the trustees was also handled very poorly.

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Ben from Connecticut writes: OK, I give. Every article involving Jim Delany always -- always! -- refers to him as some flavor of "powerful." Just what makes him so powerful? Is it simply the title of Big Ten commish or something more? Chutzpah? Dirty pics of Mike Slive? I'd love to know how, if the rest of the world wanted to do something, he'd be able to stop it.

Brian Bennett: He has pictures of Slive eating Chick-fil-A on a Sunday. Actually, Chris, in some respects anyone who is the commissioner of the Big Ten (or the SEC) is going to wield enormous influence simply because of the league he represents. The Big Ten might not be winning national titles in football right now, but it still has a tremendous financial impact on the sport. That said, some milquetoast commissioner wouldn't have the same respect as Delany has. He's been extremely successful and is always going to be one of the brightest guys in any room. The rest of the power brokers need him and the Big Ten to make this playoff system happen.

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Grant from Detroit writes: Thanks for your interview piece with Pat Narduzzi. From your experience with the B1G D-Coordinators, is there a better one in the B1G? And I don't mean that I want you to point out DC's whose teams are successful. I am asking if there is another DC in the conference who has done more with such unheralded recruiting classes. I don't think it takes a great coach to maintain the play of great recruits. I think a great coach sees the talent where others don't and grows that talent into true greatness.

Brian Bennett: I've been impressed with his work since I covered Cincinnati over on the Big East blog, and many of the players that he coached played major roles in getting the Bearcats to BCS games under Brian Kelly. Narduzzi is very bright, a great motivator and one of the best in the business. You also can't discount the impact of Mark Dantonio, who's a defensive-minded coach (and a former brilliant defensive coordinator himself). I think it's the combination of those two guys and their working relationship that has made the Spartans' defense so good.

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Cam from Columbus, Ohio, writes: Love the blog and all, but in your Week 9 road trip post, you said that Michigan State-Wisconsin has become the most exciting new rivalry in the B1G. With all due respect, I wholeheartedly disagree. I would say Ohio State-Wisconsin has become a MUCH more intriguing rivalry in recent years. Ohio State's only loss of the regular season coming in Camp Randall in 2010, followed up by a last-minute upset of the Badgers in the Shoe in 2011, and some poisonous feelings that definitely are felt in other sports too (see: Ohio State vs. Wisconsin basketball final seconds; timeouts BETWEEN last second freethrows? Cold.). Now that both of these teams are possible "elites" again, what do you think about their budding rivalry and its effects on the B1G as a whole?

Brian Bennett: I love college hoops as much as anybody, but I don't think you can include that in this discussion. Michigan State-Wisconsin gets the nod for me because they played two thrilling, monumental games last year; because the Spartans ruined Wisconsin's shot at a perfect season in 2010; and because the two teams staged very close games in the previous three years. Other than last year's barnburner in Columbus, the Wisconsin-Ohio State series hasn't been nearly as close, as four of the previous five games were decided by double digits. So Spartans-Badgers is more exciting, though this year's Ohio State-Wisconsin game could easily ratchet things way up.

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A.J. from Madison, Wis., writes: If the Badgers had their 2012 schedule in 2011, would they have gone undefeated in the regular season? They would have gotten OSU and MSU, their two losses, at home but had to play Nebraska and Penn State on the road.

Brian Bennett: Really interesting question. Wisconsin absolutely pounded Nebraska and Penn State at home, so logically you could assume the Badgers would have won those games on the road, too. And Camp Randall would likely have provided enough of an advantage to change the outcomes against Michigan State and Ohio State. But here's why I say no: Wisconsin is simply so, so much better at home that the odds are the Badgers would have slipped up somewhere on the road, where they undid themselves with special-teams disasters and mental breakdowns in the two regular-season losses last season.

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Brian from Warrensburg, Mo., writes: Can you please explain why you guys think Michigan St will finish atop Nebraska this season? Unless their schedule is considerably easier, I feel like they lost too much star power last year to compete head to head with a Nebraska team that only lost a couple good players and beat them very soundly last year.

Brian Bennett: Another Brian! This must be some kind of a record. I put very little stock in last year's Nebraska-Michigan State game when trying to forecast this season. While the Huskers deserve all the credit for playing a great game, I firmly believe the Spartans were emotionally spent from playing and beating Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan in three successive weeks before going to Lincoln. And didn't Nebraska lose almost as much star power as Michigan State, with Alfonzo Dennard, Lavonte David and Jared Crick? I know that Michigan State's defense is going to be great; I don't know how good Nebraska's defense is going to be or if the Huskers' offense can become more consistent in league play.

With all that said, it's not even tax day yet, so these early predictions don't mean a whole lot. I will form better opinions after spring practice. Adam has seen Nebraska up close, and I will be checking out the Spartans soon. Can't wait to compare notes.

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Nate from Easley, SC, writes: I really like the idea of a spring scrimmage but, other than injuries, I have one major concern. The current system is slanted toward benefiting those with a good pre-season ranking, so, if voters took the results of a glorified scrimmage into account, wouldn't it further skew the pre-season rankings? (Granted, voters' pre-season ranking are already perception-based and not entirely accurate.) Said another way, do you think a scrimmage "Win" would take on more value than player development? Would two highly perceived teams want to to scrimmage if it hurt their stock going into the season?

Brian Bennett: That's an angle I hadn't considered. On one hand, maybe it's not so bad if voters took spring scrimmages into account, because preseason polls are mostly based now on what a team did last year and what it brings back, never having seen one spring or summer workout. If a voter actually paid attention to a spring scrimmage and how a team looked in an exhibition like that, that's probably at least as accurate as the way most voting is done now. I don't think preseason rankings are as big of a deal in a four-team playoff anyway, because the cream should rise to the top in most years.

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The road trip of all road trips is winding its way through the nonconference slate. In case you're just joining us, we're picking which game we would attend in each week of the Big Ten season if it were up to us (which it's not). Some of our desired destinations will come true, and others won't.

But in a perfect world, we'd be heading to these spots in Week 4 of the 2012 season.

First, let's survey the options:

Michigan at Notre Dame
Temple at Penn State
Louisiana Tech at Illinois
Syracuse at Minnesota
Central Michigan at Iowa
UTEP at Wisconsin
Eastern Michigan at Michigan State
UAB at Ohio State
South Dakota at Northwestern
Idaho State at Nebraska

Adam Rittenberg's pick: Michigan at Notre Dame

When the Big Ten blog launched in 2008, I fully expected to spend at least one fall Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium. While there weren't many things I enjoyed about covering ND in my previous gig, I loved game day in South Bend. But for various reasons, I haven't made it back to see the Fighting Irish on their home field. In a perfect world, things will change this fall. Week 4 isn't a great slate of games, and Michigan-Notre Dame easily jumps out as the best of the bunch. Bennett, you were fortunate enough to cover last year's edge-of-your-seat contest at Michigan Stadium, the first night game in Big House history. Now it's my turn to see the Wolverines and Fighting Irish meet under the lights.

It'll be interesting to see what type of condition the teams will be for this game. Michigan has an extremely tough opener against Alabama, followed by a tricky game against Air Force. Notre Dame will be coming off of a tough test at Michigan State. This should be a pivotal game for both squads. Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson has tormented Notre Dame during his career, turning in a record-setting performance two years ago in South Bend and following it up with last year's fourth-quarter comeback. Fighting Irish fans must have nightmares about No. 16, and he'll try to torment Notre Dame again and post Michigan's fourth consecutive win in the series. Brian Kelly's head might explode. Both defenses should be a lot better than what we saw last year. It's Michigan-Notre Dame under the lights at one of college football's iconic settings. Sign me up.

Brian Bennett's pick: Michigan at Notre Dame

I guess Adam and I will arm-wrestle over this one, or else we'll have this one staffed to the gills. If this one is ruled out for me, I might say my couch would be the best place to watch games on this Saturday. The Syracuse-Minnesota game could be kind of interesting, and I haven't been to TCF Bank Stadium yet.

But Michigan-Notre Dame is always special, and especially under the lights. I was there last year in Ann Arbor for the first night game at the Big House, and it was one of the wildest games I've ever seen. I definitely don't want to miss the rematch.

Previously on the road trip ...

Week 1: Adam at Boise State-Michigan State, Brian at Michigan-Alabama.

Week 2: Brian at Penn State-Virginia, Adam at Nebraska-UCLA

Week 3: Adam at Notre Dame-Michigan State, Brian at Cal-Ohio State

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a look:

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

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

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

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

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

Beckman must show he can do the latter at Illinois.

Russell Wilson's success at Wisconsin this season after transferring from NC State has caught the eye of other players looking for new destinations.

"Because of the success of Russell Wilson," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said last week in Indianapolis, "I've been contacted by almost 10 players who want to talk about the opportunity to transfer in to the University of Wisconsin."

One of those players is quarterback Dayne Crist, who recently asked for an received his release from Notre Dame. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported earlier this week that sources say Crist is very interested in Wisconsin as a transfer destination. He has one year of eligibility remaining, and because he's set to graduate this month, he could play in 2012. It was the same situation with Wilson, who completed his undergraduate requirements at NC State and could play immediately for Wisconsin.

Crist started the past two season openers for Notre Dame but had his struggles and some bad luck in South Bend. He tore the ACL in his right knee during his sophomore season in 2009 and ruptured the patella tendon in his left knee in late October of last season. Crist won the starting job entering this fall but was benched at halftime of the season opener against South Florida. Tommy Rees has been the Irish starting quarterback ever since.

ESPN.com has learned Crist had Wisconsin on his radar screen soon after the benching against South Florida.

Crist came to Notre Dame as a decorated recruit set to play in Charlie Weis' pro-style offense. He had to adjust to Brian Kelly's scheme after Weis was fired.

Wisconsin makes sense for Crist, who could be a good fit in the Badgers' pro-style system.

The bigger question: Should Wisconsin add a one-year transfer quarterback for the second consecutive season?

Given the uncertainty at the QB position, the answer is yes. Wisconsin doesn't want to get in the habit of doing this every year, but there are major question marks with the Badgers signal callers after Wilson departs. Jon Budmayr, the projected starter coming out of spring practice, hasn't played all season because of nerve problems in his throwing elbow. It's a tricky injury, particularly for a quarterback. Curt Phillips, meanwhile, hasn't played since 2009 because of a series of serious knee injuries.

Reserves Joel Stave and Joe Brennan are in the mix, and highly touted recruit Bart Houston arrives next season. But none of the Badgers' quarterbacks has as much experience as Crist.

While it's unrealistic to expect another transfer quarterback to duplicate Wilson's success this season, Wisconsin can't close the door to any options. The team should have a more stable quarterback situation in 2013 than 2012, so another one-year QB might be a smart choice.

What do you think?

Illinois first-year athletic director Mike Thomas met with the media moments ago to discuss the school's dismissal of football coach Ron Zook earlier Sunday and the upcoming head-coaching search.

Some notes and observations:

• Although Illinois' historic 0-6 finish sealed Zook's fate, Thomas reiterated that he looked at the program's overall body of work under Zook and cited the team's struggles in Big Ten play as a major reason for the change. Zook's teams went just 18-38 (.321) in league games and had just one winning season out of seven in Big Ten play (6-2 in 2007). Zook had a winning record against only one Big Ten team -- Indiana. "When you look at us, first of all in the conference, are we competitive?" Thomas said.
• Thomas will lead the search committee, which also will include other university employees. He's not planning to hire a search firm at this time. It sounds like Jason Lener, who Thomas recently brought in from Miami (Ohio) as his new senior associate athletic director, will be very involved in the process.
• Thomas noted that his track record shows he hires coaches with previous head-coaching experience, but he won't rule out those who don't. He wants someone who has a "holistic approach" to the job and can excel both on and off the field. Thomas would be wise not to exclude top Big Ten assistants like Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst from the process.
• Thomas has said previously that hiring coaches is one of his strengths. He pointed to his time at Cincinnati, which had the worst facilities and resources of the Big East football programs, and his ability to bring in Brian Kelly. "At the University of Illinois, we should be thankful we have a lot to sell," he said. "... I have not seen anything that tells me we don't have what it takes as far as resources and infrastructure to have a successful program." He later added of the program, "I don't think this is a reclamation project."
• Along those lines, it doesn't sound like salary should be too much of an obstacle for Illinois, both with the head-coaching hire and with the assistants. Illinois allowed Zook to bring pay his top assistants well the past two seasons, and the approach likely won't change under the next coach. "Salaries are going up all the time, and you need to keep up with that if you want to be competitive," Thomas said. Zook, by the way, will be paid $1.3 million during the final two years of his deal.
• Thomas said he was "continually assessing and evaluating the process" but reached a final decision on Zook on Saturday night after the team's uninspiring loss to Minnesota. He met with Zook on Sunday morning to tell him the news, which the coach took well. "If it was about Ron the person, he certainly would have been worthy of a lifetime contract," said Thomas, who later called Zook "an A-plus person."
• Attendance and fan enthusiasm definitely seemed to be factors in Thomas' decision. Illinois averaged 49,548 fans per game and eclipsed 60,000 just once, against Michigan. "It’s easy in some ways to use the economy as an excuse but a lot of schools are filling up the stadium," Thomas said. "This program, there needs to be a certain buzz around it."
• Defensive coordinator Vic Koenning will serve as head coach through Illinois' upcoming bowl game. The other assistants on Zook's staff will remain, Thomas said, although it doesn't sound like any will be in the mix for the permanent head-coaching job (no surprise). Thomas said the assistants' future with Illinois will be up to the new head coach.
• Thomas plans to reach out to Illinois' verbal commits for the 2012 class and will honor their commitments to the team. Illinois has 14 players committed for the 2012 class.
• Thomas plans on "moving quickly" with the search. Although university hiring policies could delay the process, Thomas wants to work fast and get a coach in place before Illinois' bowl game in late December or early January.

We'll be following the search throughout, and it will be interesting to see where Thomas turns. A few names to keep in mind: Chryst, Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads, Houston coach Kevin Sumlin and maybe, just maybe, pretty please, Mike Leach.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- In a makeshift media room a football's throw away from the same Ross-Ade Stadium field he just watched his team demolish Purdue on, Brian Kelly was finishing off his opening statement when screams, roars and general excitement began emanating from the nearby Notre Dame locker room.

"You can see they're pretty happy about the way they played," the Fighting Irish coach explained.

What's not to love for Notre Dame fans about a 38-10 thrashing that, for at least one night, validated the early preseason expectations of Year 2 of the Kelly era?

His spread offense looked every bit as high powered as many initially expected, totaling 551 yards. The quarterback he has stood behind through a rocky three-and-a-half games impressed, completing 24 of 40 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns.

The wide receiver he insisted would not be kept under wraps after a rough showing at Pitt amassed 137 yards on 12 catches, none more important than his 35-yard grab on a beautiful play-action fake by Tommy Rees on Notre Dame's second play from scrimmage, making it 7-0 24 seconds into action.

"On the road it's really important," Kelly said of Michael Floyd's early touchdown. "You wanna take the crowd out of it, you wanna be able to put the first one on the board and kind of dictate the tempo of the game, and we did that at Michigan as well, we just didn't finish. It was very similar in the way we really started well [and we] built on that.

"The difference between the two games is we finished this one in the third quarter, is really where we finished it. We deferred, got the ball in the third quarter, had a great opening drive. I think dominating the third quarter really put us in a great position."

Rees completed 9 of 11 passes in the third quarter, ending both of the Irish's drives with touchdown passes. Notre Dame punted on just one of Rees' nine drives at quarterback (excluding his knee to end the first half).

And, more importantly, Rees, and the Irish, did not turn the ball over a single time; this after entering the night with an FBS-worst 15 giveaways.

"I don't know that that is a sigh of relief as much as we have a way that we need to play the game if we're gonna be successful, and we've said that from Day 1," Kelly said. "We're making good decisions, we ran hard. I thought physically our backs, both Jonas Gray and Cierre Wood, really exerted their will on Purdue today, and playing that way physically gives them a confidence that there's no reason why the ball should be on the ground."

No kidding. Notre Dame averaged a ridiculous 7.2 yards per rush, bursting through holes on the left side all night that Kelly, three weeks shy of his 50th birthday, could have probably run through himself.

Wood finished with 191 yards and a touchdown. Gray rushed for 94 yards and a score.

Asked if the backs or linemen were more excited breaking out of each huddle, Gray said: "Offensive line, definitely. You got five against two, they wanted to run it every play."

Tough to blame the group. Hit hard, hit early, leave no doubt. The Irish, above .500 for the first time this season, finally put on the performance they expected all along.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- A Notre Dame team that had trouble putting everything together did just that Saturday night, routing Purdue by a final of 38-10 before an announced crowd of 61,555 at Ross-Ade Stadium.

Gary Gray set the tone early, picking off Caleb TerBush on the first play from scrimmage. Two plays later, Tommy Rees hit Michael Floyd for a 35-yard touchdown, and the rout was on.

Floyd returned to his normal self after an off week at Pitt. The senior eclipsed the 10-catch, 100-yard mark once again, re-inserting himself into the conversation as one of the nation's top receivers.

More importantly, the Fighting Irish imposed their will on the ground, running over and around the Boilermakers throughout the evening and controlling the tempo in the second half.

The Irish defense, meanwhile, continued a stellar effort, allowing Purdue to cross midfield just twice in the first half and allowing just a field goal during that span.

Be sure to keep it right here for Brian Kelly and player reaction from the Irish's convincing win.

Bennett might be the new guy around here, but you wouldn't know it from the predictions. At this rate, Rittenberg might want to find a new conference home. I hear the Big East needs bodies.

Week 4 brings both bloggers a chance to pad their stats, only one opponent from a major conference, Colorado, is on the docket.

Let's get to the predictions!

CENTRAL MICHIGAN at MICHIGAN STATE

Brian Bennett: The first of our many directional Michigan school games this week. The Chippewas don't have enough firepower to counteract a tough Spartans' D. ... Michigan State 31, Central Michigan 13

Adam Rittenberg: The Chips are no longer the world beaters they were under Brian Kelly. Michigan State's defense performs well and a patchwork offensive line does enough to help Kirk Cousins have a big day. ... Michigan State 28, Central Michigan 14

SAN DIEGO STATE at NO. 22 MICHIGAN

Adam Rittenberg: Ah, the Brady Hoke Bowl. The Aztecs will be fired up for this one, and they'll give Michigan a very good test before Big Ten play begins. Ronnie Hillman makes some plays, but Denard Robinson makes more as Michigan survives. Michigan 31, SDSU 27

Brian Bennett: Michigan better avoid its slow starts this week, because the last thing it wants is a confident, revenge-minded bunch of Aztecs on its hands. Robinson does his thing, though, and the Wolverines get a couple of key turnovers to stay unbeaten. ... Michigan 28, SDSU 23

EASTERN MICHIGAN at PENN STATE

Brian Bennett: The Eagles hung tough for a half at the Big House last week, and Penn State's offense will let a lot of teams hang around. But the talent gap is still too large, and Silas Redd goes for more than 100 yards on the ground. ... Penn State 27, E. Michigan 3

Adam Rittenberg: I think this is the week when Penn State gets clarity at the quarterback position. Just don't ask me which guy separates himself. Either way, the Lions' defense rolls, recording at least two takeaways. ... Penn State 30, E. Michigan 7

LOUISIANA-MONROE at IOWA

Adam Rittenberg: ULM isn't a bad defensive team (38th nationally in yards allowed), but Iowa has some confidence in the passing game as several options emerged last week alongside Marvin McNutt. James Vandenberg tosses two touchdown strikes in this one. ... Iowa 31, ULM 14

Brian Bennett: The Warhawks got off to a great start last week at TCU before fading. Iowa should have some momentum from last week's comeback, though. ... Iowa 35, ULM 17

COLORADO at OHIO STATE

Brian Bennett: My boldest prediction: the Buckeyes complete more than four passes. Braxton Miller starts and has an up-and-down day, but the Silver Bullets clamp down the Buffs. ... Ohio State 21, Colorado 10

Adam Rittenberg: Wow, you truly are a gambler, BB. It definitely sounds like Miller time in Columbus. Can't see Ohio State lighting up anyone right now, but the Buckeyes do enough in the second half to win this one. Ohio State 19, Colorado 12

SOUTH DAKOTA at NO. 6 WISCONSIN

Adam Rittenberg: Bucky Badger had better bulk up this week. He'll be doing plenty of push-ups in this one as Wisconsin keeps it on the ground with Montee Ball and James White. ... Wisconsin 66, South Dakota 10

Brian Bennett: I actually feel kind of sorry for the Coyotes. Since Bret Bielema was still passing up 49-7 on Northern Illinois last week, this one could get real ugly. ... Wisconsin 70, South Dakota 13

WESTERN MICHIGAN at NO. 24 ILLINOIS

Brian Bennett: Trap Game Alert! Sandwiched between the Arizona State upset and the Big Ten opener against Northwestern, I think the Illini are due for a letdown. But the defense showed me last week that it's better than I thought, and it will slow Alex Carder and the Broncos just enough. ... Illinois 31, Western Michigan 23

Adam Rittenberg: I agree on the letdown front. Illinois has some holes in the secondary that Carder will exploit, but Western Michigan won't be able to stop a revived run game from Jason Ford, Nathan Scheelhaase and Donovonn Young. ... Illinois 35, Western Michigan 24

NORTH DAKOTA STATE at MINNESOTA

Adam Rittenberg: The Gophers have no reason to overlook North Dakota State after their recent struggles against FCS foes. Jerry Kill will make sure his team is ready. That doesn't mean it won't be close, but MarQueis Gray again shows why he's the best athlete on the field. ... Minnesota 28, North Dakota State 23

Brian Bennettt: As I said in my chat, it's not a good idea to sleep on the Bison, figuratively or literally. This is a very good FCS team that will be highly motivated. But I liked what I saw from the Gophers last week, and they win on a late field goal. ... Minnesota 24, NDSU 21

INDIANA at NORTH TEXAS

Brian Bennett: The Polite Green rank No. 6 in our Bottom 10 this week and are about as big a pushover as it gets in the FBS. But it's not like Indiana can just show up and beat anyone, especially on the road. The Hoosiers offense is getting a little better, though, and Ed Wright-Baker comes through in the fourth quarter. ... Indiana 35, North Texas 24

Adam Rittenberg: I worry about Indiana's young offensive line on the road, especially after false start fever last week at home. But North Texas is truly abysmal, and Indiana will find a way to prevail in Denton. ... Indiana 27, North Texas 21

NO. 9 NEBRASKA at WYOMING

Adam Rittenberg: Wyoming is undefeated but hasn't faced any team close to Nebraska's level. The Pokes hold their own in the first quarter or so before Taylor Martinez and Rex Burkhead run away with this one. ... Nebraska 38, Wyoming 14

Brian Bennett: The Huskers offense will have a field day, and I also see a bounce back for the Blackshirts against Wyoming's true freshman quarterback. ... Nebraska 44, Wyoming 13

Byes: Northwestern, Purdue

Yes, it's lame that we agree on every game, but given this sorry slate, what did you expect?

SEASON RECORDS

Rittenberg: 25-11 (.694)

Bennett: 28-8 (.778)

It's only fitting that Michigan State's first road game takes place in the state of Indiana.

Like every Big Ten team, Michigan State wants to reach Indianapolis on Dec. 3 for the inaugural conference championship game. And after claiming a share of the Big Ten title for the first time in 20 years last season, the Spartans possess the pieces to get to Naptown. They have veteran leadership in fifth-year senior quarterback Kirk Cousins, excellent depth at the offensive skill positions and a defense that flexed its muscles Saturday by holding Florida Atlantic to one first down, 48 total yards and zero points.

But the Spartans' route to Lucas Oil Stadium is a potentially treacherous one, beginning this week at Notre Dame Stadium and weaving through Columbus, Lincoln, Iowa City and Evanston. Their road opponents -- Notre Dame, Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa and Northwestern -- all went to bowl games in 2010 and had a combined record of 45-21.

Among major-conference teams, Michigan State might have the most taxing road schedule in the country.

And while Spartans fans might disagree, that's the beauty of this year's schedule. We'll know exactly where the Michigan State program stands when December rolls around. Tough road games are the best barometer of whether a program can go from good to great.

"A lot of away games in challenging environments," Cousins told ESPN.com in August. "So we're going to find out what we're really made of."

Michigan State won a team-record 11 games last season, including three -- Notre Dame, Northwestern and Purdue -- in dramatic fashion. But the Spartans' two losses, both away from home and by a combined score of 86-13, prevented them from claiming a spot among the nation's elite.

Mark Dantonio has guided Michigan State to postseason appearances in each of his first four seasons as coach. He has provided stability to a chronic underachiever and has elevated the program's profile in several areas.

But there are two items that remain on Dantonio's checklist: bowl victories and signature road wins.

Michigan State is 10-9 in true road games under Dantonio, a very respectable mark. Dantonio has guided the Spartans to historic road wins like last year's triumph at Penn State, Michigan State's first since 1965 -- the year before Joe Paterno took over as Nittany Lions coach.

But Dantonio is just 1-6 at Michigan State against ranked teams in road or neutral-site games. The Spartans likely will face at least two ranked opponents on the road -- Ohio State and Nebraska -- while Iowa and Northwestern could be ranked by the time Michigan State comes to town.

Saturday's road opener at Notre Dame has no direct bearing on whether Michigan State reaches its desired destination of Indianapolis. But the game provides an opportunity for the Spartans to build their mettle away from the comforts of home.

They'll be facing a Notre Dame team desperate for a win after confounding losses to both South Florida and Michigan. The Irish average 510.5 yards of offense per game and, at times, have displayed improvement on the defensive side.

A loss drops Notre Dame to 0-3, ruins any expectations of a breakthrough season and potentially makes Brian Kelly's head explode.

Dantonio has won in South Bend before -- Michigan State crushed a horrendous Irish team 31-14 in 2007 -- but only one of his current players, fifth-year senior nose tackle Antonio Jeremiah, was on the field that day. Two years ago, the Spartans fell 33-30 at Notre Dame Stadium as Cousins overthrew a wide-open Larry Caper in the end zone for the potential game-winning touchdown and then tossed a loss-sealing interception moments later.

Saturday marks a chance for redemption. It also marks a chance to set the tone for tougher road tests ahead.

The Spartans hope their first trip to the Hoosier State won't be their last in 2011.

We finally had games to discuss during today's Big Ten chat, and all you care about was realignment.

I don't blame you. Once again, the prospect of major conference expansion is overshadowing the product on the field. And while the Big Ten continues to say expansion is on the back burner, the league isn't burying its head in the sand.

Here's the full chat wrap-up, and some highlights:

David (NY): With the probable A&M move and the likely disbanding of the Big 12, do you think that the Big 10 will be able to force ND's hand. I think that after ND, Rutgers and Syracuse make the most sense, both academically and regionally to bring NY into the fold.

Adam Rittenberg (12:05 PM): David, if the landscape changes to a point where ND has to join a conference, the Big Ten should do everything it can to add the Fighting Irish. I don't think it makes sense to add both Rutgers and Syracuse. One is fine, but neither program really moves the needle nationally (Syracuse more than Rutgers). I'd prefer to see Rutgers/Syracuse and a team like Maryland, which puts the Big Ten in another market.

Rick (Adel, Ga.): Hey Adam. I like the current 12 team format in the B1G. I really do not want it to change. My question is will the standards of the B1G cause the conference to paint itself into a corner in terms of not exploring the idea of a great and traditional program like Oklahoma. If the B1G ever expands I just dont see how adding Maryland, Syracuse, and Rutgers would help the B1G product. In fact I think it will dillute it. Sure they are great academic schools and in great media markets but compare that to Oklahoma which is rich in tradition, okay academically, and a great product to promote on TV. I just rather watch Oklahoma vs. Michigan, OSU, Penn St. Neb. etc. over Syracuse vs the same teams I mentioned.

Adam Rittenberg (12:15 PM): Rick, you bring up some really good points here, and I think Brian and I will explore Oklahoma more in the blog. There are some programs the Big Ten certainly could add and other programs the league never would add. Oklahoma falls somewhere in the middle. I know this is hard for some fans to understand, but Oklahoma would be an academic stretch for the Big Ten. No AAU membership, and while OU has a decent academic reputation, it would lag behind the others in the Big Ten. I know I'll take some heat for this, but Nebraska was a bit of a reach, too. I agree OU brings a lot to the table and could be a great addition in a lot of ways, but I just don't think the Big Ten presidents are willing to overlook the school's shortcomings.

Will (Columbus, OH): If Denard passes for 200 yds and runs for 50 more, can Fitz or Shaw carry the load and give Michigan a victory or is Denard going to have to carry the load like he did in last years ND game?

Adam Rittenberg (12:21 PM): Great question, Will. It has taken heroic performances by QBs for Michigan to win its past two games against ND (Tate Forcier in 2009, Denard last year). I think it's imperative for Michigan to establish a rushing attack outside of Robinson. I liked what I saw from Fitz Toussaint last week. Now can he stay healthy? Time will tell. But if the Michigan line performs well and the RBs take the load off of Robinson, it makes the Wolverines' offense really dangerous. That said, I expect a much better performance from Notre Dame this week.

Jake (Chicago): I know Notre Dame has many Big Ten rivalries already, but don't you think an annual Illinois-Notre Dame game in Chicago makes a lot of sense? Tons of alumni/fans for both schools are in Chicago, I think it would become a great tradition...also the new Illini AD has a relationship with Brian Kelly so that could help make this happen

Adam Rittenberg (12:41 PM): Jake, that's a really good call. I don't know how willing Notre Dame would be to play another Big Ten school, but an Illinois game in Chicago makes a lot of sense. The Mike Thomas-Brian Kelly connection certainly could help. I doubt we'd see more than a two-game series -- especially with ND playing Northwestern in 2014 and 2018 -- but it would be a good starting point.

Thanks again for the questions. Same time, same place next week.

Ron Zook no longer has to wonder about the individual he'll need to impress most this season.

Illinois has a new athletic director in Mike Thomas, hired Wednesday after spending nearly the past six years in the same post at the University of Cincinnati. Thomas looks like a solid hire, as he upgraded Cincinnati's athletic program in several ways, most notably by hiring Brian Kelly as the school's football coach in 2006.

Kelly led a program with almost no history of success to consecutive Big East titles and BCS games, including a 12-0 regular season in 2009, before being lured away by Notre Dame. Thomas also dealt with the fallout from the ugly firing of popular basketball coach Bob Huggins shortly before his arrival. He fired Andy Kennedy and hired Mick Cronin, sticking by him during some tough times. Cronin finally got Cincinnati back to the NCAA tournament last year.

Thomas oversaw a Cincinnati athletic program that was burdened by debt rung up by previous administrations. But he is known for having a solid business acumen, and he helped raise funds to build the first-ever practice facility for the Bearcats football team.

Thomas has no obvious ties to Zook, who enters his seventh year as Illini head coach this fall. Any athletic director change raises coaches' blood pressure, but Zook lost a man many regarded as his security blanket when longtime Illinois AD Ron Guenther announced his retirement in May. Guenther not only hired Zook in 2004 but stuck by his coach when few did after the 2009 season.

Most ADs like to bring in their own people, and Thomas brought in a great coach in Kelly. Zook likely won't have as much leeway as he did with Guenther. Illinois made strides on the field last fall and could be poised to take another step this year, as a favorable schedule and a formidable offense led by dynamic quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase provide reasons for optimism.

Anything less than a second consecutive bowl trip for the first time since 1991-92 would constitute a major disappointment for Illinois. And any step back would turn up the heat on Zook.

As is the case with any new boss, it's important for Zook to build a relationship with Thomas during the next few months. But as Zook knows, this is a performance-based business, and he must continue to get it done between the lines.

My team-by-team breakdown of each Big Ten schedule continues with the Michigan Wolverines.

Nonconference opponents (with 2010 records)

Sept. 3: Western Michigan (6-6)
Sept. 10: Notre Dame (8-5)
Sept. 17: Eastern Michigan (2-10)
Sept. 24: San Diego State (9-4)

Legends division games

Oct. 1: Minnesota
Oct. 8: at Northwestern
Oct. 15: at Michigan State
Nov. 5: at Iowa
Nov. 19: Nebraska

Crossover games

Oct. 29: Purdue
Nov. 12: at Illinois
Nov. 26: Ohio State (protected)

No plays

Indiana
Penn State
Wisconsin

Gut-check game: At Michigan State. Michigan's trip to Northwestern a week before also could qualify, but we'll learn a lot about the Wolverines at Spartan Stadium. New coach Brady Hoke has played up Michigan's top two rivalries -- Michigan State and Ohio State -- placing countdown clocks to both games around Schembechler Hall. Hoke can gain some goodwill among Michigan fans if he leads the Wolverines to a victory in East Lansing, ending Michigan State's three-game win streak in the series. Michigan State has no intention of relinquishing the Paul Bunyan Trophy and still feels disrespected by Michigan, so this will be a test.

Trap game: Purdue. This non-division game falls between the Michigan State trip and another Legends division road game at Iowa. Michigan won an ugly game last year in West Lafayette, but Purdue ended its losing streak at the Big House in 2009 and should be a much improved offensive team. This is Michigan's only home game in a stretch of four out of five on the road, the Wolverines must handle their business against the Boilers.

Snoozer: Eastern Michigan. Other than the two schools being only a few miles apart, there isn't much upside to this game. The Ron English-Brady Hoke story is nice and will be rehashed leading up to kickoff, but Eastern Michigan still is building its program to a respectable level. Expect a big day for Denard Robinson and the Wolverines offense.

Non-con challenge: Notre Dame. The first night game at Michigan Stadium should be electric, and Notre Dame will bring in a squad likely ranked in the top 20. Unlike Michigan, the Irish ended 2010 on a good note and could take a significant step in Brian Kelly's second season as coach. Robinson went nuts against Notre Dame last year in South Bend. It'll be interesting to see how he fares in Michigan's new offense as the Wolverines get their first test. Michigan also shouldn't forget about San Diego State in Week 4. Obviously, there's a lot of familiarity between the two coaching staffs.

Key stretch: The home games against Nebraska and Ohio State in late November stand out, but Michigan's season likely hinges on how the team performs on the road. Michigan plays four out of five games away from Ann Arbor between Oct. 8-Nov. 12, including three Legends division road games (Michigan State, Northwestern, Iowa). The Wolverines could gain a lot of confidence from the stretch or stumble and be fighting to make a bowl game.

Analysis: Here's a case where the cross-division schedule isn't nearly as daunting as the division slate. Michigan misses both Wisconsin and Penn State and hosts rival Ohio State at a time when the Buckeyes could be reeling. On the flip side, the Wolverines play three of their five division games on the road before a tough finish against Nebraska and Ohio State. Michigan once again has a chance to start off strong as it plays five home games to open the season. The big key will be performing better against mid- to upper-tier Big Ten competition.

More B1G schedule analysis

• Illinois
• Wisconsin
• Ohio State
• Iowa
• Minnesota
• Penn State
• Michigan State
• Nebraska

Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly summed it up perfectly Thursday on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" show.

"It just makes sense," Kelly said.

A Northwestern-Notre Dame series makes a lot of sense for both schools, and the two teams announced Thursday they will play in 2014 and 2018. Both Kelly and Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald appeared on "Mike & Mike" to make the announcement.

This is obviously a bigger deal to Northwestern than it is to Notre Dame. The Wildcats will host Notre Dame in 2018, which will mark Notre Dame's first trip to Evanston since the 1976 season. Some are already wondering if this game will be moved to Soldier Field. Not happening. Northwestern wouldn't agree to the series if it didn't get a true home game. By then, Ryan Field will be renovated, and Northwestern is hopeful its recent success on the field, combined with its recent marketing push, means the crowd will be more purple than green.

The teams first will play on Nov. 15, 2014, at Notre Dame Stadium. It will mark their first meeting since the 1995 opener, when Fitzgerald led Northwestern to a historic upset that propelled the Wildcats to the Big Ten title and a Rose Bowl appearance. The game marked the end of a four-year run of games between the schools, and Notre Dame had little incentive to play the Wildcats after the 1995 loss.

Things have changed for both programs in the past 16 years. Notre Dame now schedules the likes of Tulsa and Western Michigan. Northwestern, meanwhile, has become a consistent bowl participant. Although a Notre Dame loss to Northwestern wouldn't go over well among the Irish faithful, the shock value of the 1995 loss probably won't be there. Notre Dame also benefits from a trip to Chicago, given its fan base and its recruiting base in the area.

It's no secret how this series came about. Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips previously served as an associate athletic director at Notre Dame and knows Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick well.

"Northwestern and Notre Dame represent two of the finest academic institutions in the nation, and it's only fitting that we renew our rivalry on the football field," Phillips said in a prepared statement.

No arguments here.

The Notre Dame addition also continues to beef up Northwestern's nonconference schedules, which will feature Cal, Boston College and others in the coming years.

Notre Dame still will face three Big Ten teams in both 2014 and 2018. The Irish take a break with Michigan State in 2014-15 and take a break with Michigan in 2018-19. They will face Michigan, Northwestern and Purdue in 2014 and Michigan State, Purdue and Northwestern in 2018.

LOS ANGELES -- When the time came for J.J. Watt to provide a senior quote for his high school yearbook, he started to search for the perfect words.

Watt studied several possibilities, including famous quotes from legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. But the most meaningful words had to come from within.

"I came up with dream big, work hard," Watt said.

Anyone who has followed Watt's career at Wisconsin knows the phrase well. The Badgers' All-American junior defensive end ends many posts on his popular Twitter page with those four words or the acronym DBWH.

The motto carries Watt through everything he does.

"It really exemplifies what I am as a person," he said. "I want to get the message out that if you dream big, you can do anything you want in the world. But that's only half of it. If you're not willing to work hard, put in the time and the effort that it takes, you're just going to be dreaming."

Watt is living the dream this week in California as he and his Wisconsin teammates prepare to face TCU in the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO.

Watt blossomed for the Badgers this season, earning consensus first-team All-Big Ten honors and appearing on several All-America squads. He ranks third nationally in tackles for loss with 21 and is arguably the Big Ten's most versatile defender, recording every defensive statistic except safety this fall, and blocking three kicks on special teams.

College football fans know J.J. Watt, the finished product. He's a 6-6, 292-pound force projected to be an early-round pick in the 2011 NFL draft if he chooses to forgo his senior season.

It's hard to believe the same guy was a tight end in the MAC in 2007.

"I've never heard of it before," Badgers defensive coordinator Dave Doeren said. "His journey, it's unreal. To think that he was 6-4, 210 in high school and nobody recruited him, and now he's 6-6, 290, and everyone is telling him he should leave college early.

"What he's done is tremendous."

Badgers linebacker Blake Sorensen remembers the first time he saw Watt.

Both attended a football camp at the University of Minnesota as high school players. Sorensen was "Mr. Football" in Minnesota; a two-time all-state selection who led his team to back-to-back state championships.

And Watt?

"He's was this lanky, awkward-looking, random kid," Sorensen said.

Doeren, who served as Wisconsin's recruiting coordinator at the time, remembers discussing Watt. But Wisconsin didn't offer a scholarship.

Watt initially committed to Central Michigan, switched to Minnesota when Brian Kelly left CMU and then switched back to the Chippewas after Minnesota fired Glen Mason.

Although Watt appeared in every game for Central Michigan in 2007, he didn't feel right there. He returned home for six months, delivered pizzas and took classes at a local community college before transferring to Wisconsin and walking onto the team.

"Obviously, we didn't look very good when he transferred back and became our best player," Doeren said. "But it all worked out in the end."

The coaches didn't have high expectations for their new walk-on transfer, and Watt had to ask head coach Bret Bielema if he could try out at defensive end.

"I don't know if they really thought I was going to be much of a football player when I came here," he said. "I tried to make the most of it."

He began by transforming his body.

"It took a lot of hard work in the weight room, a lot of hard work in the kitchen, eating," Watt said. "It was tough to put on as much weight as I put on."

Watt left high school at 228 pounds. When he started his first game at Wisconsin in 2009, he weighed 286 pounds.

"It'd be like telling you," Sorensen said, looking at me, "that you'll look like Arnold Schwarzenegger."

In addition to super-sizing himself, Watt also faced the mental challenge of mastering a new position at the college level. After earning Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year honors in 2008, Watt started all 13 games last season and finished second on team in tackles for loss (15.5), pass breakups (5) and fumble recoveries (2) and third in sacks (4.5).

He ended the season strong, recording five tackles for loss, three sacks and two quarterback hurries in the final two games.

"If you look up a quote from last season, someone asked me who is going to be the unnamed guy who is going to be a good player, and I said J.J.," Badgers star left tackle Gabe Carimi said. "He's the one that I said. So it's not surprising. He's big, strong, powerful.

"There was no question that he was going to be a good player here."

Watt took his game to another level this fall, especially in Big Ten play. He recorded multiple tackles for loss in six of eight conference games and made more game-changing plays than any defender in the league.

Despite his size and ability to play both line positions -- there was some talk Watt would play defensive tackle this season-- he grew his pass-rushing repertoire.

"I've seen more finesse out of him than anything," said TCU tackle Marcus Cannon, who will oppose Watt in the Rose Bowl. "He has some really nice moves. I think power would be probably second to his speed."

The combination could prompt Watt to enter the NFL draft in April. He boasts an impressive college résumé, both on and off the field.

Watt this year established the Justin J. Watt Foundation, which raises money for local elementary and middle schools that lack funding for athletics. Like several of his teammates, he's a regular visitor at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison.

Few were surprised when Watt won the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which recognizes both on-field performance and personal character.

It has been a long and unusual journey to Pasadena, but Watt wouldn't change a thing.

"I wouldn't have the work ethic I have," he said. "I wouldn't have the outlook on life that I have right now if it wasn't for everything that I had to go through to get here. So being in the Rose Bowl right now means that much more to me. ...

"I've seen everything," Watt continued. "I've seen the bottom, I've seen being out of college football, and now I'm seeing the top of college football. I was talking to my high school coach the other day. He told me, 'You've reached the Mecca of college football.' That's essentially what it is. The Rose Bowl is the biggest thing you can really do in the Big Ten.

"I'm just taking it all in and having a blast."

Mark Dantonio, your table is ready.

WOW!

The Michigan State coach just made the Call of the Year in college football. And I'll be honest: I didn't think he had it in him.

This is a guy who cut his teeth under Jim Tressel. Speaking of Tressel, I'd love to know what The Vest thought when his pupil risked it all against Notre Dame on a fake field goal. I'll have to ask him on Tuesday.

Dantonio's decision to eschew a 46-yard attempt in overtime worked to perfection, as punter Aaron Bates, a former high school quarterback, found a wide-open Charlie Gantt streaking to the end zone for a 29-yard touchdown as Michigan State beat Notre Dame 34-31 at Spartan Stadium. Michigan State had stalled on its overtime possession, as Kirk Cousins took a costly sack on third down.

When you step back and think about it, Dantonio's call made a lot of sense. Dan Conroy is a first-year starter at kicker, although he had three conversions of 40 yards or longer last week against Florida Atlantic. Dantonio said afterward that Michigan State had practiced the fake all week, and Bates and Gantt executed it to perfection.

After several of Brian Kelly's gambles failed against the Big Ten, Dantonio's decision paid off in a huge way for Michigan State.

Dantonio's tenure has been defined by close losses, especially in 2007 and 2009. Cousins did a lot of good things tonight, but he struggled once again in the clutch. Michigan State couldn't convert some chances at the end of regulation, and Notre Dame seemed to have the momentum in OT. That is, until Dantonio, Bates and Gantt changed everything.

This could be a turning point in Dantonio's career and for a Michigan State team aiming to join the Big Ten's lead pack.