ESPN College Football

After an offseason jam-packed with change, most players and coaches in the Leaders Division haven't had time to examine anyone but themselves.

"I have no idea," first-year Penn State coach Bill O'Brien said. "I'm only concerned about one program, and that's Penn State."

The Big Ten had three head-coaching changes in the offseason, all of them in the Leaders Division (Penn State, Ohio State and Illinois). Wisconsin, the two-time defending Big Ten champion, had to replace six assistant coaches, including premier playcaller Paul Chryst and offensive line guru Bob Bostad. Purdue replaced its defensive coordinator, while Indiana brought in a new offensive coordinator.

All six teams have some new flavor and the uncertainty that comes with it. All six teams also sense opportunity in what could be a wide-open division race.

"Everybody has new people," Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill told ESPN.com. "Even Wisconsin, they've got six new assistants, and in most cases, the assistants are who deal with the players the most. So I feel it's wide open. Not that I don't feel that every year, but it's more than usual."

Wisconsin has reached the past two Rose Bowls and won 32 games during the past three seasons. The Badgers return Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball, the Big Ten's offensive player of the year in 2011, and recently added another quarterback transfer in Danny O'Brien, the former Maryland signal-caller.

Although the staff turnover is significant, Bret Bielema has replaced key assistants before, like defensive coordinator Dave Doeren after the 2010 season. There's still a strong case to be made that the Leaders Division title still goes through Mad-city.

"We are the targeted team in the Big Ten because of what we've done the past two years," Ball said. "Everyone is shooting and gunning for us."

Added Bielema: "Everyone thinks it's complacency that's going to affect us, but here at Wisconsin we've become greedy."

Ball lists Ohio State as the team Wisconsin is gunning for, and the Badgers and Buckeyes have a spicy rivalry brewing. Some think Ohio State will end up as the division's top team, but the Buckeyes are banned from postseason play and the Big Ten title game, adding a subplot to the division race.

"We have a great opportunity right now," Purdue defensive tackle Kawann Short said. "We've got a lot of starters coming back. ... Ohio State can't get back in conference championship, so it just gives us a little edge.

"We've got to take advantage of it."

Purdue likely will be a popular pick as a sleeper team in the division. The Boilers return nine starters on both sides of the ball and three quarterbacks -- Caleb TerBush, Robert Marve and Rob Henry -- who have started multiple games. They also have recorded two wins against Ohio State during coach Danny Hope's three-year tenure.

Indiana has a bigger hill to climb after a 1-11 season in 2011. But the Hoosiers are a year older and more familiar with the demands of coach Kevin Wilson and his staff.

"Last year we struggled in my first year, didn't play up to our capabilities," Wilson said. "Hopefully that'll lead to giving ourselves an opportunity to compete with some of those teams as they go through some transition."

While Ohio State can't make it to Indianapolis in Urban Meyer's first year, the other two division teams with new coaches could surprise people. Both Penn State and Illinois have similar profiles, boasting strong defensive front sevens but question marks on offense.

"At this time, everybody is saying the same thing, whether it's Illinois, Ohio State, Wisconsin," Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase said. "... It really comes down to who’s going to go out there every day and get better, who's going to put in the extra work to be the best football team.

"Everybody wants to be, but ultimately one team is going to do it more so than anybody else."

Wisconsin's new-look coaching staff is complete.

Bret Bielema has made his final assistant coaching hire by naming former Wisconsin player Eddie Faulkner as the team's new tight ends coach. Faulkner, a former Wisconsin running back who backed up Ron Dayne during his career from 1996-2000, replaces Joe Rudolph, one of three Badgers assistants who left to join former Wisconsin offensive coordinator Paul Chryst at Pitt.

Faulkner spent the 2011 season as Northern Illinois' running backs coach and special teams coordinator, working under former Badgers assistant Dave Doeren. Here's the interesting part: he had left NIU's staff last month to join Chryst at Pitt but now jumps to Wisconsin. Maybe this is Bielema's way of telling Chryst: two can play this game.

Those conversations between Bielema and his former assistants at Bielema's wedding next month will be fascinating. Chryst took three assistants from Bielema, who took Faulkner and offensive coordinator Matt Canada away from Doeren and Faulkner away from Chryst.

"I'm excited to be able to bring Eddie back to Madison," Bielema said in a statement. "It's always special to be able to hire a former letterwinner. In addition to coaching our tight ends, Eddie brings great experience coaching special teams and has tremendous talents as a recruiter. He's obviously worked with Matt and he is highly-respected among the coaches on our staff."

Faulkner's special teams expertise is key, as he also coached special teams at Ball State, serving under current Michigan head coach Brady Hoke from 2003-08. He hasn't coached tight ends before in his career but inherits a talented group led by Jacob Pedersen.

Barring any more changes in Madison, here's what has transpired with Wisconsin's staff.

WHO'S GONE

Paul Chryst, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Bob Bostad, offensive line coach
Dave Huxtable, linebackers coach
Joe Rudolph, tight ends coach
DelVaughn Alexander, wide receivers coach
DeMontie Cross, safeties coach/special teams coordinator

WHO'S IN

Matt Canada, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Mike Markuson, offensive line
Zach Azzanni, wide receivers
Eddie Faulkner, tight ends
Andy Buh, linebackers
Ben Strickland, assistant for defensive backs and special teams

Bret Bielema made a rapid rise up the college coaching ladder.

Big Ten position coach at 26 ... Big 12 co-defensive coordinator at 32 ... Big Ten defensive coordinator at 34 ... Big Ten head coach at 36.

Bielema's ambition helped put him on the fast track. And when he's hiring assistant coaches at Wisconsin, he wants to see the same qualities.

"When you talk to a coach, if he doesn’t want to advance in this profession, we probably won’t talk very long," Bielema told ESPN.com on Thursday. "I want guys that want to be coordinators, or guys that are coordinators who want to be head coaches. If they don't want to sit at the front of the room, we're probably dealing with the wrong type of coach. I want guys who want to advance."

Bielema has had plenty of assistants advance in recent years.

He lost two after the 2009 season, one of whom, Randall McCray, went from position coach to coordinator. He lost three after the 2010 season: defensive coordinator Dave Doeren became head coach at Northern Illinois, while running backs coach John Settle and nickel backs coach Greg Jackson both departed for posts in the NFL.

Wisconsin has lost six assistants in recent weeks, a number that has raised eyebrows in college football circles. The team is coming off of back-to-back Big Ten titles and back-to-back Rose Bowl appearances. Bielema's job is very secure. While one assistant (Paul Chryst) left for a head-coaching job and two others (Bob Bostad, Dave Huxtable) went from position coaches to coordinators, the exodus has left some wondering whether there's something wrong at Wisconsin.

Bielema views things differently.

"It's really not that unusual," he said. "It's unusual at a program that has as much success as we've had, where we're able to keep that continuity of winning in place. I take it as a compliment to what we've been able to do. All those coaches are moving on. Two of them didn't get coordinator jobs, but everybody else got coordinator jobs or titles that made it significantly better for them where they were going.

"To me, it's a tremendous challenge that I love, I embrace and I have a lot of fun with it."

Bielema has filled two vacancies with offensive coordinator Matt Canada and wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni. After an extensive interview process for the coordinator job, Bielema went with Canada, in large part because Canada has called plays in different systems (spread, pro style) and can adapt.

"I interviewed a lot of coaches of different levels: NFL, college, big college, small college," he said. "I'm not a résumé guy. I want a football coach. And as this thing gets moving forward, I kept coming back to him. I just think he’s going to be a great fit for what we're going to blend together at Wisconsin. I'm going to hire four new offensive coaches that are going to come from different areas of the country and come together and play the style of football we like at Wisconsin."

Wisconsin's staff will be two-thirds new in 2012, but Bielema won't be surprised if he's doing more hiring a year from now.

"I have every year," he said. "Usually the NFL takes two, took two from me last year. It’s just one of those things, the beauty of the beast here at Wisconsin."

Wisconsin has found its replacement for Paul Chryst, and he's a familiar name for those who follow football in the Midwest.

Matt Canada is joining Wisconsin as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach after spending the 2011 season in the same capacity at Northern Illinois. Canada, who worked under former Wisconsin assistant Dave Doeren at NIU, returns to the Big Ten after serving as offensive coordinator at Indiana, his alma mater, from 2007-10.

The interesting thing about the hire is that while Canada has run spread offenses in recent years, he'll lead a pro-style offense with the Badgers. Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema made it clear in the release announcing Canada's hiring, saying, "I know he is very excited about running a pro-style offense and handling a game the way we typically have at Wisconsin."

Canada has run a pro-style offense before, during a previous stint at Northern Illinois' offensive coordinator in 2003. That year, the Huskies ranked 26th nationally in scoring offense (32.2 ppg) but just 60th in total offense (378.9 ypg). NIU put up big numbers under Canada this past season, finishing 11th nationally in total offense and 12th in both scoring and rushing offense. NIU and Wisconsin were two of just five FBS teams to average at least 230 yards both rushing and passing in 2011.

Canada inherited an excellent quarterback in Chandler Harnish at NIU and helped take the unit to the next level, but he'll be facing some different challenges with Wisconsin.

"In the system we ran, I thought he was as good as they get," Doeren told ESPN.com on Tuesday. "We ran as many plays as we humanly could in a game out of as many personnel groups as we could. We were nothing like [Wisconsin], other than we ran zone and power like them. We had a mobile quarterback that we used in the run game, and he was our leading rusher, so we had a lot different system."

It's interesting that Bielema has hired two assistants -- Canada and receivers coach Zach Azzanni -- with backgrounds in the spread offense. But he says in the release that his offensive staff will "come from different directions to come together to play football the way Wisconsin has traditionally played."

Doeren is confident Canada can make the necessary adjustments.

"He's extremely intelligent," Doeren said. "Obviously, Bret wanted him to do whatever he thinks they're supposed to do, so that's what he's going to have to prove to everybody, obviously. I know he's extremely excited about that challenge. He's really competitive."

In 2007, Canada's first season as Indiana's offensive coordinator, the Hoosiers scored a team-record 412 points. But the offense backslid a bit during his final three seasons, and some Indiana fans voiced their displeasure about Canada.

He inherits a Wisconsin offense coming off of two record-setting seasons. The Badgers lose All-Big Ten quarterback Russell Wilson, All-America center Peter Konz and top wide receiver Nick Toon. Heisman Trophy finalist Montee Ball returns at running back along with other weapons like receiver Jared Abbrederis and tight end Jacob Pedersen, but the quarterback position will be Canada's biggest priority from now until Sept. 1.

Bielema still has two offensive staff vacancies (line, tight ends) to fill and one on the defensive side (linebackers).

The season might be over, but the mail never stops.

Let's do this.

Mike from Phoenix writes: As a Badger fan I was waiting to see your final power rankings of the year because I had a feeling that you might make MSU number 1. I just don't get it. It's the same way the coaches poll has MSU and Michigan ahead of Wisconsin. That's a joke.Look at the teams everyone played in the bowl season. MSU barely beat Georgia who is not the 2nd best team in the SEC even though they went to the title game. They are the 4th best team in that league. Michigan looked bad, and played one of the easiest teams in BCS history. Wisconsin would have destroyed both Georgia and Va. Tech, but you are penalizing them for going blow for blow with the most talented offensive team in the country. They were a fumble away from possibly winning.

Adam Rittenberg: Brian and I had a spirited debate about Wisconsin vs. Michigan State for No. 1. You can make good cases for both teams, but you can't base it solely on the bowl competition. Would Wisconsin have rolled Georgia? Maybe, maybe not. Georgia has a much better defense than Oregon and would have moved the ball against a Wisconsin defense that wasn't nearly as good as its stats indicated. Wisconsin also was extremely fortunate to beat Michigan State in the Big Ten title game, which the Spartans dominated for stretches. The two teams are evenly matched, as their two games this season showed. And I believe Michigan State ended the season playing better football than Wisconsin. I also tend to value teams with good to great defenses above those that rely on their offense. Michigan State is certainly superior to Wisconsin on defense.

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Tim from Iowa writes: While it might get you some back lash, I'd like your opinion on this.....me and several friends have the opinion that if 2 B10 teams(esp in our champ game) played like LSU-Bama, the B10 would once again be ripped for 3 yards/cloud of dust 1950's football. I watched parts ofthe game last night, then the final 8min. what I saw was one great def, 2 bad quaterbacks, a very repeative ineffective O from LSU, and Iowa/B10 style ball control from Bama. then Saban being proclaimed the next "Bear".

Adam Rittenberg: Tim, you're right to a degree, although there was less SEC love about the national title game than there was about the 9-6 contest. The SEC in a sense has earned the right to have ugly games because teams from other leagues simply haven't stacked up against the SEC's best. The common belief is that while Oklahoma State would have scored against Alabama, the Tide still would have rolled the Cowboys by 20-30 points. But I agree the SEC is the only league that can "get away" with games like last night's. Most people would much rather see games like the Rose Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. Alabama is a great football team with one of the best defenses I've ever seen. But LSU's offense would be mediocre to bad in most leagues, not just the SEC.

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Ryan from Pittsburgh writes: Adam,What are your thoughts on the new Penn State staff? I have to admit I'm somewhat surprised. For years I thought that PSU would turn the corner if they could only get a younger fresher staff in place to energize recruiting. This new staff that O'Brien has coming in is not young at all, so I doubt they're great recruiters. Plus any Auburn fan will tell you that Roof was fired. Mack Brown fired McWhorter last year. Am I overreacting?

Adam Rittenberg: You bring up a good point, Ryan. A lot of veteran assistants are joining Bill O'Brien in State College. Keeping Larry Johnson is huge and a somewhat obvious move. He's one of the Big Ten's top recruiters, and he'll maintain Penn State's presence in the Maryland/DC area. His age isn't a factor in that regard. Ted Roof is the hire that has some Penn State fans upset. I agree he doesn't have the best track record, but the overall defensive staff with both Johnson and Ron Vanderlinden still looks solid to me. Charles London is a younger guy (mid-30s), but he's definitely the junior member right now. It'll be interesting to see who O'Brien hires to fill out the staff. Some more youth would be nice.

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Jeff from Omaha, writes: Adam? Why am I so awesome?

Adam Rittenberg: Ask myself the same thing every morning.

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Sam from Kalamazoo, Mich., writes: Adam, can you please explain your rationale for naming MSU as an early favorite to win the B1G in 2012 over, say, Michigan? The Wolverines return two 1,000 yard rushers in Denard and Fitz Toussaint, 3 starting receivers, and a top-5 recruiting class loaded with 4 and 5 star DLs, LBs, and OLs. Molk, Van Bergen, and Martin will be sorely missed, but I'm not sure it makes sense that MSU is so ramped for success after losing 6 All-Big Ten players and playing in the Big House. Can you even name next year's replacement for mighty Kirk Cousins off the top of your head?

Adam Rittenberg: Sure, Sam. Andrew Maxwell. Michigan State has been grooming him the past two seasons. Will he be as good as Cousins? That's a tall order, but he's not coming out of nowhere. Michigan State is my pick because of its defense. While Jerel Worthy is a big loss, the Spartans return a ton of elite athletes in all three levels, players like Will Gholston, Denicos Allen, Johnny Adams and Darqueze Dennard. The Spartans have more difference-makers on defense than Michigan will in 2011, at least in my view. I also believe MSU will be a more effective running team than it was this season because of an experienced line and a strong lead back in Le'Veon Bell. I certainly could see Michigan winning the division, but the Wolverines have a much tougher schedule in 2012 and could have a better team with a worse record (much like MSU this season versus 2010).

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Ben from Fargo, N.D., writes: One of the big stories in 2012 will be a surprising improvement in Minnesota's defensive line play. Ask Jerry Kill about Thieren Cockran. He's coach Kill's secret weapon.

Adam Rittenberg: Will do, Ben. Thanks for the note. Minnesota's defensive line play has struggled since Willie VanDeSteeg departed following the 2008 season. Gophers have ranked and 78th, 120th and 86th nationally in sacks in the past three seasons. It's an area of focus throughout the offseason as Minnesota loses linebacker Gary Tinsley and standout safety Kim Royston. Cockran, a redshirt freshman defensive end from Florida, is among those who needs to step up in 2012.

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Matt from Burbank, Calif., writes: Hi Adam,Regarding Northwestern next year, do you think Kain Colter gets the starting QB job? I've been of the opinion that he is more dangerous in a utility role as he was used these season, but on the other hand he's proven he can win and be effective as the top guy. Additionally, do you think there's any hope for this defense?Thanks for a great season, can't wait till next year! Bowl win or bust!

Adam Rittenberg: Matt, I think Colter will be the starter for 2012, but he has to make some important strides as a passer during the offseason. Northwestern's offense is predicated on short passing and accuracy. The Wildcats convert a lot of third downs, and Colter has to be able to make the throws Dan Persa, Mike Kafka and C.J. Bacher have made in recent years. He's the best athlete Northwestern ever has had at quarterback, and he's a perfect fit for the spread -- as long as he gets better as a passer. If there's little to no progress, Northwestern will have to use another quarterback, likely Trevor Siemian, to spark the passing game. Offensive coordinator Mick McCall has developed quarterbacks well at Northwestern, and Colter is his next big project.

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Kevin from New Orleans writes: It's been a tough couple weeks to be a Badger. Lost the Rose Bowl, lost 3 straight in hoops, lost 5 coaches. First let me say, if Bielama has Barry's confidence and support, then he has mine. Have you heard anything? Are the Badgers getting some really good coaches? I doubt we'll get anybody that can match the talent we are losing, but maybe we get an upgrade on the recruiting. 4 of the 5 coaches that left were not good recruiters. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Adam Rittenberg: Kevin, while it's tough right now, I think Wisconsin fans should have faith in Bret Bielema to make some good hires. As you note, Joe Rudolph is the only major loss from a recruiting standpoint. Bielema has made good choices in the past, such as defensive coordinator Dave Doeren (now head coach at Northern Illinois), Dave Huxtable (did a great job with UW linebackers in only year) and Chris Ash (has upgraded secondary, now defensive coordinator). It'll be interesting to see where he turns to replace Paul Chryst and Bob Bostad, but a lot of good coaches will want to come to Madison after seeing what Wisconsin has done the past few years. So I would look at Bielema's hiring track record and feel confident.

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Lance from Arlington writes: "While Penn State has produced some solid college quarterbacks -- most recently Daryll Clark, the 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year"While your opinion is correct in general, saying Daryll Clark was solid does him an injustice. DC (along with Drew Brees) was the best QB the Big Ten has had since Kerry Collins and Michael Robinson is right there. Simply put, Penn State has produced three of the top five QB's to have competed in the Big Ten since their arrival. You will no doubt disagree since you hate Penn State but you are wrong.

Adam Rittenberg: Lance, I don't hate Penn State. I hate every school according to you folks. Let's get that cleared up. I was a big Daryll Clark fan during his career, but your argument doesn't hold up. Troy Smith won a Heisman Trophy in 2006. He played between Brees and Clark. Iowa's Brad Banks won the Davey O'Brien award in 2002. He played between Brees and Clark. While Clark led the Big Ten in pass efficiency in conference games in 2009 (136.6), it's the lowest rating for a Big Ten leader since at least 1980. His season rating that year (142.6) didn't lead the league (Terrelle Pryor did) and ranks behind all of the league leaders since 1980. Again, not hating on Daryll, who has a really nice career in State College, as did Michael Robinson. But there have been better Big Ten quarterbacks since Kerry Collins, including Wisconsin's Russell Wilson this year.

Have a great holiday weekend! Big Ten bowl season is just around the corner.

AK from Monroe Township, N.J., writes: Hi Adam. OSU fan here. I don't think the bowl ban next year is all that bad. First, I don't see OSU contending for the national title yet. Second, if there are no practices for the bowl game, that means Urban Meyer will be fully hitting the recruiting trails like this year. If he can do an incredible job this year in limited time and scholarship, imagine what he can do next year?

Adam Rittenberg: AK, you're definitely putting a positive spin on things. I see the situation a bit differently. Ohio State would have been the favorite in the Leaders division as the Buckeyes return most of their key players. The bowl ban prevents the Buckeyes from reaching the Big Ten championship game with a chance to go to Pasadena. So it's definitely a blow for next year as things were set up well for the Scarlet and Gray. Also, coaches can still be effective recruiters while preparing their teams for bowl games. Ohio State's team undoubtedly would have benefited from the extra practices next December. Long term, the ban shouldn't sting too much, but it definitely has some drawbacks for the Buckeyes. We do agree on this: Ohio State is more likely to compete for a national title in 2013.

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Dave from Pasadena, Calif., writes: Hey Adam! Upon reading all the news re Wisconsin football the last couple days, it stinks to lose Coach Chryst to Pitt (though it's very deserving and expected), lose out on the battle of Dayne Crist (though maybe it's better to groom the current QBs on the roster), and most likely losing Ball to the NFL (again, deserving and understandable). I know last year, everyone on the team is alluding the Rose Bowl loss to distractions. How do you suppose the Badgers will block out these distractions now??

Adam Rittenberg: Dave, this is a really good question. Brian and I talked with Montee Ball for next week's podcast and he brought up the distractions last year and the need for better focus heading into this year's Rose Bowl. Several factors should help the Badgers. It's not their first trip to Los Angeles, and they shouldn't get as caught up in the glitz and glamor this year. Wisconsin had a similar coaching situation last year with defensive coordinator Dave Doeren, who had accepted the top job at Northern Illinois but still coached the bowl game. Doeren's situation didn't seem to negatively affect the Badgers, and Paul Chryst is the type of guy who will do all he can to keep the focus on the team and on the task at hand. Chryst cares a great deal about his players and wants to get this win. I also think it's good that a guy like Ball, who has a big decision to make, understands the potential distractions and has taken a proactive approach toward keeping the team locked in on the game.

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Daniel from Lincoln, Neb., writes: I need some understanding behind the move of Rick Kaczenski leaving Iowa to go to Nebraska for the same job. Essentially, he is going to be doing the same thing but just different school. Usually coaches that do this move up, i.e. bigger school, conference, division, ect, but I see this as a lateral move. What do you think is the motivation behind this move? It's obviously not for the better scenery, however, we do have better looking women.

Adam Rittenberg: Ha, no comment on your last point. It's interesting that Kaczenski would take the same position on Nebraska's staff. He's not really closer to a coordinator job as John Papuchis, 33, was promoted to the role on Thursday. Sometimes, you just need a change, and Kaczenski had been at Iowa for a while. We'll see about Kaczenski's salary at Nebraska, but he almost certainly received some sort of bump. The Hawkeyes are changing defensive coordinators when Norm Parker retires following the Insight Bowl, and Kaczenski wasn't going to get the job. He's now working for a defensive-minded head coach in Bo Pelini, and at a program where it might be easier to springboard to other things. I hope to visit with Kaczenski soon and see why he made the move.

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Hal from East Meadow, N.Y., writes: Adam, regarding Penn State's next coach there has been a lot of talk, including on this blog, about how it is very likely that Penn State hires from outside of the Penn State community. The main implication of this is that Tom Bradley has virtually no shot of remaining head coach because he is a JoePa disciple. From a PR standpoint this makes total sense, but how much is the school willing to sacrifice quality coaching in favor of what looks good? Bradley was going to be a top candidate to replace JoePa before the scandal, and that was with top flight national candidates competing for the job (presumably). But now, with most of the best head coaching candidates of this offseason either taking jobs elsewhere or denying that they have any interest in coaching at Penn State, it's looking more and more like Bradley is by far the best coach available (from a purely football standpoint) who actually wants the job. With that in mind, how much of a drop off from Bradley is the school willing to take for the sake of appearances?

Adam Rittenberg: Hal, while it appears as though elite coaches don't want the Penn State job, the school could still end up making a really good hire. I don't think we can definitively say Bradley is "by far" the best available coach who wants the job until we see how this saga plays out. There's a good number of good coaches out there, and it only takes one willing to take on the unique challenge at Penn State. No one questions Bradley's coaching ability, and the entire situation is really unfortunate for a guy who has a lot of respect in the Penn State locker room. But I'd be stunned if Bradley gets the job, as he was close to the key figures -- Jerry Sandusky, Mike McQueary, Joe Paterno -- involved in the sex-abuse scandal.

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Joe from Chicago writes: Adam,In your budding rivalry take two commentary that compared Iowa-Nebraska and Michigan State-Wisconsin, you characterized Iowa and Nebraska as being in bordering states (implicitly drawing a distinction to Michigan State and Wisconsin). Michigan and Wisconsin do in fact border one another (remember the Upper Peninsula of Michigan), and the two states do in fact hate each other.

Adam Rittenberg: Aaargh! You're right, Joe. And to think I actually did well in geography. I'll have to turn in my card as an honorary Midwesterner for failing to point out that Michigan and Wisconsin also share a border. Beautiful part of the country, too.

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Dave from Fredricton, New Brunswick, Canada, writes: Hi Adam, love the blog and the job you both do.A Dec 21 blog entry referenced Denard Robinson's paperwork submission to the NFL draft advisory board. Can you elaborate and explain this process for the uninitiated like myself? Thanks in advance!

Adam Rittenberg: No problem, Dave. It's a fairly common practice for draft-eligible juniors like Robinson to submit paperwork to the NFL draft advisory board, which then gives the players an evaluation of where they'd most likely be selected in the draft. The projections come from a panel of professional scouting experts and provide a good picture of whether the players will be first-, second- or third-round picks or fall to the later rounds or out of the draft entirely. The evaluations help players make their decisions on whether to stay in school or go to the draft by Jan. 15.

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Steve from West Des Moines, Iowa, writes: If you'll indulge me, I have two memos with regard to today's lunch links:Memo 1 to Bobby Bowden - spare us what you would have done. Shame on your public posturing of a hypothetical when you were the captain of Free Shoes University.Memo 2 to Kirk Ferentz - you can stop reassuring your fans that you are happy at Iowa. Penn State was never interested, nor was the NFL. The more you issue statements the more you sound like Kristen Wiig's SNL character "Lillia" (don't make me say I'm happy at Iowa again).

Adam Rittenberg: Steve, I agree with you on the Bowden thing. He's entitled to his opinion, but he wasn't placed in the same situation with the same circumstances. It's always easy to say what you would have done. And as you say, Bowden didn't exactly run a controversy-free program at Florida State. Wonder if Joe Paterno would ever talk about Florida State's sparkling academic reputation under Bowden. As to the Ferentz thing, it was a bit surprising he chose to come out with the statement, but the Kansas City Chiefs job seemed a bit different from the positions he's been mentioned for in the past. Also, with the way recruiting goes, coaches don't want prospects thinking they're on their way out. While I don't think it was totally necessary, I don't have an issue with the statement, either.

Paul Chryst has been a hot head-coaching candidate for a couple of years, and he finally got his well-deserved chance at Pittsburgh. It's a good job but not the easiest of situations in which to prove himself.

Any school that was looking for a successful coordinator couldn't have done much better than Chryst. His Wisconsin offenses have been some of the most productive in the nation during his six years calling plays for the Badgers. Chryst oversaw an attack that has averaged 39.3 points per game the past three years. He might have done his finest work this season, incorporating quarterback Russell Wilson into the fold this past summer and blending Wilson's talents perfectly with the running game, as Wisconsin averaged nearly 45 points per game and made its second straight Rose Bowl.

Chryst has been a candidate at several schools the past two years and probably would have gotten a head-coaching job earlier if not for his low-key personality. He interviewed at Pitt in January but did not impress the selection committee, who instead went with the more energetic -- and, it turns out, completely phony -- personality of Todd Graham.

Chryst obviously learned from those experiences and did better this time in the interview process. He's still not a guy who loves the limelight, and the public demands of the job, from meeting the media to glad-handing boosters and speaking on the rubber-chicken circuit, will be things he'll have to work on and develop over time. How his personality will work in recruits' homes as the man representing the university also remains to be seen.

But from a pure X's and O's standpoint, few coaches are better. Chryst's offense isn't a gimmicky spread, either. It's based on the power running game with the ability to adapt to defensive game plans. I think his philosophy will go over big in blue-collar Steel City, which knows a little something about smashmouth football.

I covered Pitt as the Big East blogger and know it can be a great job with the right leadership. Although fans there can be a bit fickle, they also haven't been given a consistent winner in decades. The facilities, which the team shares with the Pittsburgh Steelers, are top-notch, and there is plenty of high school talent to be mined in western Pennsylvania. Dave Wannstedt had the program on the verge of doing some great things, getting the Panthers to within a last-minute touchdown of winning the Big East in 2009, but he could never quite push the ball across the goal line.

Pitt would have been better off keeping Wannstedt than entering into a disastrous chain of events that started last December when it replaced Wannstedt with Mike Haywood, only to fire him a couple of weeks later after Haywood was charged in a domestic assault issue. Then Graham came in preaching loyalty before showing he was loyal only to himself. Chryst will have to win over a team that probably isn't too eager to trust any head coach, and Pitt's head-coaching foibles and changing styles have badly damaged recruiting.

In time, though, Chryst should be a good fit for that program and doesn't seem like someone who'll jump to the next job at his first chance. It will be interesting to see whether Chryst brings any Wisconsin assistants along with him. Surely, Bret Bielema will want to hold on to offensive line coach Bob Bostad, who simply keeps churning out All-Americans up front. Where will Bielema turn for his next offensive coordinator, and will the Badgers be able to keep up their impressive performance on that side of the ball?

We know this: Wisconsin is becoming a place where assistants turn into head coaches. Bielema did it himself while succeeding Barry Alvarez. Defensive coordinator Dave Doeren got the Northern Illinois job last year and led the Huskies to a bowl game. And now Chryst.

Chryst will stay on to coach in the Rose Bowl, just as Doeren did a year ago. Wisconsin fans ought to appreciate him for one last game.

When Wisconsin linebacker Mike Taylor studied film of himself during the offseason, he didn't like what he saw.

"I saw myself maybe take some plays off," he told ESPN.com. "Not necessarily taking plays off, but not finishing to the ball."

It's not that Taylor had an effort issue or a motivation problem. The redshirt junior reflects the no-frills, workmanlike approach Wisconsin wants all of its players to have on the field. Growing up in Ashwaubenon, Wis. -- practically in the shadows of Lambeau Field -- the 6-2, 230-pound Taylor has been a football fanatic from a very young age.

He doesn't say much. He just does his job.

But even the more consistent Big Ten defenders downshift for a play here and there and commit "loafs," as former Badgers defensive coordinator/linebacker coach Dave Doeren would call them.

Taylor wanted to make sure his loafs went away.

"You could be jogging to the ball, thinking the guy's going to get tackled or it's going to be an incomplete pass, but before you know it, the ball's up in the air," he said. "You can get a pick. You can pick up a fumble, or a guy can cut back and you can tackle him. So when you run to the ball, things can happen."

Good things have happened for Taylor throughout a breakout 2011 season.

He leads the Big Ten and is tied for seventh nationally with 108 tackles, six ahead of the Big Ten's No. 2 tackler, fellow Badgers linebacker Chris Borland. In nine games Taylor has nearly doubled his tackles total from 12 games last season (58). He has recorded double-digit tackles in five games and nine stops in two others, twice earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts.

Part of Taylor's production spike can be attributed to being healthy. After a promising start to the 2009 season, he suffered a season-ending ACL tear against Iowa. While he played in the final 12 games last year, Taylor wasn't at full speed.

He has performed in fifth gear throughout this fall.

"The most improvement I've had is just running to the ball," he said.

No game better reflected this than an Oct. 29 contest at Ohio State, where 105,511 fans in the Horsehoe got to know the name Mike Taylor. That's because Taylor recorded 22 tackles in the game, the most for a Wisconsin player since 1998 and the fourth-highest total in the FBS this season.

Taylor had 2.5 tackles for loss against the Buckeyes and added a pass breakup.

"You just play and play, and before you know it, those tackles can add up," he said. "I credit just running to the ball and never giving up on a play."

Taylor's most important contribution that night, however, might have come after the game. Wisconsin suffered its second consecutive heartbreaking loss, and for the second straight week the defense was on the field for the decisive play.

In a deflated locker room, the man of few words decided to speak up.

"Keep your head up," he remembers telling his teammates. "The only thing you can do is just move forward. The past is the past. We've still got good things to come."

Taylor's message struck a chord.

"The best leaders, a lot of times, are the guys that say very little and do a lot on the field," coach Bret Bielema said days after the Ohio State game. "But when they speak, a lot of people listen. So I think Mike's in a position to really say some great things and have our guys pay attention."

It helps when the speaker backs up his words, as Taylor did the following week with nine tackles and an interception against Purdue. He recorded a team-high 13 stops in last week's win at Minnesota.

Wisconsin's high-powered offense gets most of the publicity, as quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Montee Ball are candidates for national awards. The Badgers defense, meanwhile, quietly ranks in the top six nationally in pass yards allowed, points allowed and total yards allowed. It has been called a no-name unit. Taylor likes it that way, though his numbers suggest he deserves more recognition.

"We’re just a bunch of guys who like to have fun out there on the field and play for each other," Taylor said.

Every single snap.

It's time to nitpick the Week 3 picks.

Do I have to? Yes, Adam, you have to. You're terrible and you can't hide from it. Now stop talking to yourself on the blog.

OK, here's the deal. After three years of fairly strong predictions, I've fallen apart this season. An 8-4 mark in Week 3 is just the latest setback. I'm below 70 percent in picking winners for the first time ... maybe ever.

Mr. Bennett, meanwhile, continues to extend his lead in the standings, although he shouldn't feel too giddy about a 9-3 mark.

Let's check the standings:

WEEK 3

Adam Rittenberg: 8-4

Brian Bennett: 9-3

SEASON

Rittenberg: 25-11 (.694)

Bennett: 28-8 (.778)

Now let's look back on the predictions:

Eastern Michigan at Michigan

• Bennett's pick: Michigan 42, Eastern Michigan 10
• Rittenberg's pick: Michigan 36, Eastern Michigan 14
• Actual score: Michigan 31, Eastern Michigan 3
• 20-20 hindsight: Not a bad start for us, and Bennett was right about Eastern Michigan having no answer for Denard Robinson, at least on the ground (198 rush yards, 3 touchdowns). My prediction of offense coordinator Al Borges sticking to his system more didn't pan out, as Michigan looks like a spread team once again.

Penn State at Temple

• Bennett's pick: Penn State 21, Temple 17
• Rittenberg's pick: Penn State 23, Temple 16
• Actual score: Penn State 14, Temple 10
• 20-20 hindsight: Two pretty solid score predictions, and both of us expressed concerns about Penn State's offense, which struggled yet again. RB Silas Redd came through for me with a rushing touchdown. Wide receiver Derek Moye made Bennett look wise with a big day catching the ball, although he didn't score.

Pitt at Iowa

• Bennett's pick: Iowa 28, Pitt 19
• Rittenberg's pick: Iowa 27, Pitt 20
• Actual score: Iowa 31, Pitt 27
• 20-20 hindsight: The score predictions aren't far off, but neither of us saw Iowa needing to rally from 17 points down in the fourth quarter to complete the biggest comeback in team history. I correctly predicted Pitt to take an early lead, but I wasn't thinking 24-3. Iowa quarterback James Vandenberg came of age in the fourth quarter.

Southeast Missouri State at Purdue

• Bennett's pick: Purdue 35, SEMO 10
• Rittenberg's pick: Purdue 34, SEMO 17
• Actual score: Purdue 59, SEMO 0
• 20-20 hindsight: Neither of us saw another nailbiter for the Boilers, but we also underestimated the offense against an FCS foe. Purdue racked up 33 first downs and 627 offensive yards as quarterbacks Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve carved up Southeast Missouri State. I correctly predicted a big day for the Boiler run game, which piled up 393 yards and seven touchdowns.

South Carolina State at Indiana

• Bennett's pick: Indiana 41, South Carolina State 17
• Rittenberg's pick: Indiana 30, South Carolina State 17
• Actual score: Indiana 38, South Carolina State 21
• 20-20 hindsight: Some decent score predictions here, especially Bennett's, as Indiana recorded its first win. I correctly predicted Indiana's run game would come to life a bit, but it was freshman D'Angelo Roberts who provided the spark with 102 rush yards and a touchdown.

Michigan State at Notre Dame

• Bennett's pick: Michigan State 31, Notre Dame 28
• Rittenberg's pick: Michigan State 27, Notre Dame 24
• Actual score: Notre Dame 31, Michigan State 13
• 20-20 hindsight: We both whiffed here, as Michigan State fell behind early and couldn't claw back. The close game we both envisioned never materialized as Notre Dame made the big plays and totally shut down the Spartans' rushing attack.

Miami (Ohio) at Minnesota

• Bennett's pick: Minnesota 21, Miami 20
• Rittenberg's pick: Miami 27, Minnesota 21
• Actual score: Minnesota 29, Miami 23
• 20-20 hindsight: Of course, Bennett looks like the genius as Minnesota seemed to elevate its play for coach Jerry Kill, who returned to the sideline only a week after suffering a seizure. As Bennett predicted, there was some drama at the end, but Minnesota's shaky secondary made enough plays to win.

Washington at Nebraska

• Bennett's pick: Nebraska 31, Washington 14
• Rittenberg's pick: Nebraska 28, Washington 16
• Actual score: Nebraska 51, Washington 38
• 20-20 hindsight: Both of us once again gave too much credit to Nebraska's defense, which now ranks 66th nationally in points allowed (24.7 ppg). At least Bennett predicted another big day for his fantasy team star Taylor Martinez, who recorded three touchdowns (2 pass, 1 rush).

Northwestern at Army

• Bennett's pick: Northwestern 24, Army 20
• Rittenberg's pick: Northwestern 27, Army 21
• Actual score: Army 21, Northwestern 14
• 20-20 hindsight: We both predicted a close game and I nailed Army's score, but we both expected much more from quarteback Kain Colter and the Northwestern offense. As I thought, Northwestern showed more willingness to pass the ball, but Colter didn't execute like he needed to, and neither did the Wildcats' defensive line against Army's triple-option.

Wisconsin vs. Northern Illinois (at Chicago)

• Bennett's pick: Wisconsin 38, Northern Illinois 24
• Rittenberg's pick: Wisconsin 45, Northern Illinois 21
• Actual score: Wisconsin 49, Northern Illinois 7
• 20-20 hindsight: We both put too much stock in former Badgers assistant Dave Doeren and Northern Illinois' high-powered offense led by quarterback Chandler Harnish. The Wisconsin defense buckled down again, surrendering only 11 first downs. Bennett went out on a limb with his Russell Wilson prediction, as the Wisconsin quarterback continued to sizzle (347 pass yards, 3 touchdowns).

Arizona State at Illinois

• Bennett's pick: Arizona State 51, Illinois 48
• Rittenberg's pick: Illinois 33, Arizona State 31
• Actual score: Illinois 17, Arizona State 14
• 20-20 hindsight: Both of us forecast a close game, but neither of us saw a defensive struggle between the Fighting Illini and Sun Devils. Illinois' Nathan Scheelhaase ended up providing the game-winning score, as I predicted, but it was on a pass to A.J. Jenkins, not a run.

Ohio State at Miami

• Bennett's pick: Miami 21, Ohio State 16
• Rittenberg's pick: Ohio State 20, Miami 17
• Actual score: Miami 24, Ohio State 6
• 20-20 hindsight: We both thought it would be a difficult night for the Buckeyes offense, but neither of us saw Ohio State recording only 35 pass yards on 4 of 18 attempts. Running back Jordan Hall (14 carries, 87 yards) had a nice performance in his season debut, as I predicted, but it wasn't nearly enough. Bennett correctly picked the Canes.

Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren knows Wisconsin's personnel intimately from serving as the Badgers' defensive coordinator before this year.

That doesn't mean he knows how to stop the Badgers' offense. He also didn't experience slowing down down Russell Wilson, and it shows.

Any concern that familiarity would breed competitiveness has so far proven unwarranted. The Badgers are motoring right along just as they have the first two weeks, leading the Huskies 28-7 at halftime at Soldier Field.

Wilson has been his usual brilliant self, completing 15-of-19 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns. His receivers have mostly been wide open, and Wilson almost never misses the open guy. Northern Illinois has held Montee Ball and James White to a combined 67 yards, but they each have a touchdown run, and Wilson has run for 36 yards. And if you play to stop the run, Wisconsin can beat you with the pass.

Give Doeren credit for being aggressive. After Northern Illinois scored its lone touchdown in the first quarter, he called an onside kick that the Huskies very nearly recovered.

They're going to need a lot more than that to have a chance in the second half against a Wisconsin team that's in another offensive groove.

Ten items to track throughout the Big Ten on Saturday.

1. The Ineligi-Bowl: Even if you hate Ohio State and Miami, you'll have a tough time turning away from Saturday night's game at Sun Life Stadium. Two programs dealing with personnel losses, first-year coaches, NCAA investigations and uncertain futures meet in a game that, if nothing else, should be very compelling. Ohio State hits the road for the first time after a narrow escape against Toledo, and the Buckeyes are still trying to survive without several of their best players. Miami regains the services of quarterback Jacory Harris from suspension and tries to generate some good news after a very rough month.

2. A Champaign test: Illinois looks like a good team, but there's a hesitancy to buy into the Illini. Whether it's a lack of faith in coach Ron Zook or a program that has teased us many times before, national respect has been hard to come by. The Illini have an excellent opportunity to prove themselves against No. 23 Arizona State. Zook's crew looks for its first win against a ranked opponent since stunning then-No. 1 Ohio State in Columbus in 2007. The Ohio State win spurred Illinois to a Rose Bowl appearance. A victory Saturday night could be the start of something special.

3. Spartans' rough road begins: Michigan State's taxing road schedule will provide a perfect gauge of the program's position under coach Mark Dantonio. "The championship's going to run through how we play on the road," Dantonio has told his team this year. The road stretch begins Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium, where Michigan State has won six of its last seven games. Notre Dame likely won't be Michigan State's toughest road opponent, but the Spartans might not face a more desperate team than the Fighting Irish, who have played better than their 0-2 record indicates.

4. Huskers-Huskies, Round 3: Nebraska and Washington played two very different games with two very different results last season. In Week 3, Taylor Martinez and the Huskers obliterated Washington 56-21 in Seattle, a statement win that built hype around T-Magic and Big Red. But Martinez wasn't the same player in the Holiday Bowl, and Washington humbled the Huskers 19-7. After the bowl loss and an inconsistent performance last week against Fresno State, Bo Pelini's squad has no shortage of motivation as Washington visits Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

5. Reunion in the Windy City: Wisconsin players will see a familiar face across the field Saturday at Chicago's Soldier Field. Former Badgers defensive coordinator Dave Doeren leads Northern Illinois against the nation's No. 7 team. Doeren knows Wisconsin's personnel well and will have his team prepared, but NIU's young defense needs to grow up quickly to contain Russell Wilson & Co. Although Doeren is a defensive coach, the Northern Illinois offense is the unit to watch. Wisconsin's secondary depth could be tested without starting cornerback Devin Smith.

6. High-Octane Hawkeyes: Iowa's struggles to keep the lead late in games have spilled over from the 2010 season into the current campaign. Do the Hawkeyes have a conditioning problem or just a finishing problem? We should learn more Saturday against a Pitt team that lives by the motto "High-Octane Football." Panthers coach Todd Graham wants his spread offense to operate at warp speed and wear down opposing defenses with its tempo. Iowa's defense has struggled against spread teams as of late, and the Hawkeyes face the nation's leading rusher in Ray Graham.

7. Penn State's QB saga heads to Philly: I'm not sure what Joe Paterno needs to see to settle on one quarterback, but he gets another chance to evaluate both Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin on Saturday at Temple. Penn State's top two quarterbacks reportedly are pacing one another in practice, but game day proves the opportunity to separate yourself. Although Temple isn't Alabama, Paterno thinks this Owls team is the best he's seen. Temple has allowed just 10 points in victories against Villanova and Akron.

8. Purdue's quarterback quandary: Robert Marve is medically cleared to play after dealing with knee soreness, which could be very good news for Purdue. On the other hand, coach Danny Hope wants to create some continuity at quarterback with Caleb TerBush, who has started the first two games and performed decently. Hope has talked extensively about getting two quarterbacks ready and using them in games. Hope gets his wish, and it'll be interesting to see how he works in Marve on Saturday against Southeast Missouri State.

9. Northwestern's unique challenge: Army's triple-option offense and double-eagle flex defense created quite a preparation headache for Northwestern this week. Pat Fitzgerald had his team practice on two separate fields to get ready for the Black Knights, who are 0-2 but have shown promise and will be playing at home Saturday. Army's defense will crowd the line and dare Northwestern to pass, which it avoided for much of last week's game against Eastern Illinois. Quarterback Kain Colter has been a brilliant ball-carrier so far, but he likely needs to show a greater willingness to pass on Saturday, as Northwestern's talented receivers should be utilized.

10. Gophers, Hoosiers look for Ws: The Big Ten's two winless teams try to get off the mat Saturday. Minnesota likely will have coach Jerry Kill back for Saturday's game against Miami (Ohio), as Kill's recovery from a sideline seizure has gone well. Indiana must rebound from a heart-breaking loss to Virginia against FCS South Carolina State. After admitting to taking New Mexico State too lightly, Minnesota must be more polished on both sides of the ball against the defending MAC champions. Hoosiers coach Kevin Wilson looks for quarterback Ed Wright-Baker to be more of a difference-maker this week.

Before we get to pad our stats (hopefully) in Week 4, it's time to forecast an intriguing slate of Week 3 games.

Thus far, neither of us has had anything resembling perfection. Will it change this week?

Let's get to the picking ...

EASTERN MICHIGAN at MICHIGAN

Brian Bennett: Michigan's biggest problem will be adjusting to the weirdness of playing during the day. Other than that, former Wolverines defensive coordinator Ron English's team has no answer for Denard Robinson. ... Michigan 42, Eastern Michigan 10

Adam Rittenberg: I see the Wolverines starting off a bit slowly against the 2-0 Eagles, but Robinson and the running backs will get going in this one and coordinator Al Borges can stick to his system more. Don't see Brady Hoke running up the score on English and Mike Hart. ... Michigan 36, Eastern Michigan 14

PENN STATE at TEMPLE

Adam Rittenberg: Penn State's ongoing indecision at quarterback concerns me, especially against a Temple defense playing well. Like last year's game, this contest will be low scoring but Silas Redd and Brandon Beachum come up big in the second half with touchdowns. ... Penn State 23, Temple 16

Brian Bennett: I agree Temple will keep it close behind the running of Bernard Pierce at home. Penn State does just enough to win on a late TD pass to Derek Moye -- just don't ask me who throws it. ... Penn State 21, Temple 17

PITTSBURGH at IOWA

Brian Bennett: I covered Pitt closely the past three seasons and have no confidence in the Panthers to win a tough road game, especially the way quarterback Tino Sunseri has played. Iowa's defense rebounds after a rough day in Ames and grounds the High Octane. ... Iowa 28, Pitt 19

Adam Rittenberg: No love for the Big East? I hereby revoke your Primanti Bros. privileges. Pitt takes an early lead against a reeling Hawkeyes defense, but Iowa rallies in the second half behind running back Marcus Coker (last chance, Marcus). ... Iowa 27, Pitt 20

SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE at PURDUE

Adam Rittenberg: The heat is rising on coach Danny Hope, but Purdue should get through the fourth quarter without tension for the first time this year. Both Caleb TerBush and Robert Marve play at quarterback, but Purdue's run game makes the big difference in this one. ... Purdue 34, SE Missouri State 17

Brian Bennett: Just what Purdue needs after two shaky performances: a highly beatable FCS team. No field goal blocks needed this time. ... Purdue 35, SE Missouri State 10

SOUTH CAROLINA STATE at INDIANA

Brian Bennett: And just what Indiana needs, too. Finally a big offensive performance for Kevin Wilson's club against an overmatched FCS squad. ... Indiana 41, SCSU 17

Adam Rittenberg: Wilson can be as reckless as he wants to with big decisions and still get his first win as IU's coach. Matt Perez and the Hoosiers' run game show some signs of life for the first time this season. ... Indiana 30, SCSU 17

NO. 15 MICHIGAN STATE at NOTRE DAME

Adam Rittenberg: Las Vegas isn't giving Michigan State any respect, and the Notre-Dame-is-actually-good-honest-to-God rhetoric is getting tiresome. The Spartans typically play well in South Bend and win another close one against a desperate Irish team that doesn't know how to close. ... Michigan State 27, Notre Dame 24

Brian Bennett: How can anyone pick Notre Dame at this point? I wouldn't pick the Irish in an intrasquad scrimmage. The Spartans get a big step up in competition, but Kirk Cousins leads them to the first of what they hope are many road wins. ... Michigan State 31, Notre Dame 28

MIAMI (OHIO) at MINNESOTA

Brian Bennett: A tough game to predict, not knowing how the players will respond to the Jerry Kill situation. I'm thinking Kill returns to the sidelines and they play inspired to give their coach a dramatic first victory with the Gophers. ... Minnesota 21, Miami 20

Adam Rittenberg: I thought Minnesota would lose this game before the season, and then felt differently after the Gophers' gutsy performance at USC. But last week's clunker against New Mexico State soured me on Minnesota, and Miami has had two weeks to prepare. ... Miami 27, Minnesota 21

WASHINGTON at NO. 11 NEBRASKA

Adam Rittenberg: After a week of enduring Bo Pelini's wrath, the Blackshirts respond against young quarterback Keith Price as Nebraska pulls ahead in the fourth quarter. ... Nebraska 28, Washington 16

Brian Bennett: The defense simply has to get better, and I think it will slow down Washington's Chris Polk. Taylor Martinez atones for the bowl game as Huskers-Huskies III goes the home team's way. ... Nebraska 31, Washington 14

NORTHWESTERN at ARMY

Brian Bennett: If Dan Persa doesn't play, will either team pass the ball more than five times? Army's unique style will give the Wildcats fits, but they pull it out in the end. ... Northwestern 24, Army 20

Adam Rittenberg: Northwestern has to show more willingness to throw the ball with Kain Colter, as the Wildcats boast great weapons at receiver and tight end and Army struggles against the pass. Coordinator Mick McCall opens up the offense and the Wildcats' defensive line plays well enough for a win. ... Northwestern 27, Army 21

NO. 7 Wisconsin vs. NORTHERN ILLINOIS (at Chicago)

Adam Rittenberg: There will be no shutout this week as Northern Illinois' Chandler Harnish makes some plays against Wisconsin. While former Badgers defensive coordinator Dave Doeren will improve the Huskies' defense eventually, NIU's youth and inability to stop the run proves costly against Montee Ball and James White. ... Wisconsin 45, Northern Illinois 31

Brian Bennett: Doeren's knowledge of the personnel makes this one interesting, and Northern Illinois is better offensively than Oregon State. Russell Wilson is the difference as Doeren sells out against the run. ... Wisconsin 38, Northern Illinois 24

NO. 22 ARIZONA STATE at ILLINOIS

Brian Bennett: Illinois is out to prove itself, but Arizona State is a little more battle tested after beating Missouri last week. Brock Osweiler throws the game-winning pass in overtime of a wild shootout. ... Arizona State 51, Illinois 48

Adam Rittenberg: This is the type of game both of these programs tend to lose. But I'm buying into Illinois and think the Illini rise to the occasion and notch a statement win at home. Vontaze Burfict introduces himself to Nathan Scheelhaase a few times, but Scheelhaase scores a touchdown in the final minute for the game winner. ... Illinois 33, Arizona State 31

NO. 17 OHIO STATE at MIAMI

Adam Rittenberg: This will be a slog for the Buckeyes, who remain shorthanded at key positions. Both Ohio State quarterbacks play and Jordan Hall helps in his return, but the main reason I'm picking the Buckeyes is because I simply don't trust Jacory Harris to limit mistakes. Ohio State 20, Miami 17

Brian Bennett: I'd rather purchase snake oil in bulk from a traveling salesman than pin my hopes on Harris. And yet ... I just don't think Ohio State can make enough explosive plays on offense after that Toledo showing. The Fightin' Shapiros pull the upset. ... Miami 21, Ohio State 16

SEASON RECORDS

Bennett: 19-5 (.792)

Rittenberg: 17-7 (.708)

If you ever plan on calling the cops on one of my guys again, you go ahead and get two barrels.

• Jerry Kill's top coordinators will try to keep things running smoothly at Minnesota until the boss returns. Gophers players admit they were rattled by Kill's seizure on the sidelines.
• Michigan State is 2-0, but we will really find out what the Spartans are made of this week at Notre Dame. Linebacker Max Bullough has some family ties to the Irish.
• Fumbles remain a problem for the Nebraska offense. The Huskers defensive backs look to step up this week, with or without Alfonzo Dennard.
• Both Ohio State and Miami are fighting some negative national stigmas. Braxton Miller will eventually play a lot, and maybe soon. A booster admitted he's the one who gave three Buckeyes cash at a charity event.
• Penn State's Devon Still is a quiet leader who has matured since the birth of his daughter. The Nittany Lions are trying to move past the Alabama loss. The two-quarterback system, loved by almost no one, will continue.
• An empty backfield with Russell Wilson is a new wrinkle for the Wisconsin offense. The Badgers are changing their signals this week so former assistant Dave Doeren won't steal them.
• Kirk Ferentz says he didn't blackball former Hawkeye receiver Derrell Johnson-Koulianos. DJK has no one to blame but himself, Mike Hlas says. Former Iowa player Brent Greenwood is showing some positive signs after going into an induced coma over the weekend.
• Al Borges plans to put Denard Robinson under center more to help the Michigan tailbacks. Defensive tackle Will Campbell is earning himself some more playing time.
• Illinois safety Supo Sanni had the same injury as Northwestern's Dan Persa and feels Persa's pain. The Illini are turning up the intensity with Arizona State heading to town.
• Kevin Wilson has shown he's willing to roll the dice in key situations. Indiana defensive end Fred Jones has finally put in the hard work, and it's paying off.
• Purdue's Cody Webster is among the nation's top punters after two weeks. Robert Marve should make his season debut Saturday, but Caleb TerBush remains the Boilers' top quarterback.

A potential reunion with the Wisconsin Badgers crossed Dave Doeren's mind even before he became Northern Illinois' coach.

As he mulled NIU's offer in December, Doeren, then the Badgers' defensive coordinator, called his boss and friend, Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema.

"Bret and I were talking about whether I should or shouldn't take it, the pros and cons, this and that," Doeren recalled. "And I started laughing. I said, 'One of the deals is I've got to play two schools where I've worked, Kansas and Wisconsin. That sucks.' That's the negative to it when you look at being friends."

Bielema knew it would "put an interesting spin on everything."

"I still called the AD, did everything I could to help him get that job," he said. "It was something Dave had earned."

The positives of the NIU job won out, and Doeren accepted. After facing Kansas last week, he'll lead his Huskies team against Bielema and the seventh-ranked Badgers on Saturday afternoon at Chicago's Soldier Field.

Doeren's familiarity with Wisconsin's players and coaches could help Northern Illinois as it prepares for the game. Then again, the Badgers aren't known for tricky schemes. They do what they've always done, and they do it well.

"They're playing so well right now, I don't know if being there [previously] really helps," Doeren said. "They're a really talented football team. Obviously, I have some insight into their players, so that does help, but schematically, whether you were there or not, when you play Wisconsin, you're going to know what they're going to be in.

"You've just got to be able to stop it, and they take pride in that."

While Doeren saw Wisconsin's offense every day in practice the past few years, he's not as familiar with the man calling signals for the Badgers. Quarterback Russell Wilson, who transferred from NC State this summer, has been brilliant in his first two games for Wisconsin, ranking second nationally in passer rating (237.6) and completing 27 of 34 attempts (79.4 percent).

Doeren says Wilson is "like having Tolzien who can run," referring to former Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien, who completed 72.9 percent of his passes in 2010 but wasn't known for his foot speed.

"You've got that extremely confident, intelligent leader that knows how to manage the game," Doeren said, "but now when things break down, he can run for touchdowns. ... The athletic dimension he brings when things break down is something they haven't had since Tyler Donovan."

Wisconsin's ground game remains its M.O., and Northern Illinois' young defense ranks near the bottom of the FBS against the run, allowing 556 rush yards and six touchdowns in its first two games against Army and Kansas. If the Huskies can't stop Wisconsin's run attack Saturday, they'll have "no chance," Doeren said.

What gives NIU hope is an explosive offense led by senior quarterback Chandler Harnish. The Huskies have scored 91 points in their first two games and Harnish ranks among the top 10 nationally in both passer rating (197.96) and total offense (339.5 ypg).

Although Wisconsin comes off of a shutout against Oregon State, it lost starting cornerback Devin Smith to a season-ending foot injury. The Badgers lack depth at corner and could be vulnerable against the pass.

"Our skill is very good, our quarterback is playing well, tailbacks are all running hard when they're in there and we have a veteran O-line," Doeren said. "To me, that is where we match up well."

Doeren recruited Badgers defenders like safety Aaron Henry and linebacker Kevin Claxton. He considers Bielema and co-defensive coordinators Chris Ash and Charlie Partridge among his best friends.

"It's part of the deal," Doeren said. "You're going to run into guys that you're friends with and coach against them. You recruit against your friends all the time.

"It's not the most fun thing to do, but it's something you do quite a bit."

Kicking off Week 3 with your recommended daily dosage of links:

• Jerry Kill's brother says the Minnesota coach is sore and embarrassed but otherwise is doing fine after his seizure at the end of Saturday's game.

• Michigan still needs plenty of work after its dramatic victory against Notre Dame. The Wolverines got a lot of luck in their win, which might not please Brady Hoke. Denard Robinson was great, but he needs help from the rest of the offense.

• What exactly is Penn State football right now? If Joe Paterno wants to coach, then he should get to coaching this team, Mark Wogenrich writes. The Nittany Lions need to make a quarterback decision and stick to it.

• Illinois will have a tall order on its hands this week against Arizona State.

• Kirk Ferentz says Iowa has some "hot spots" that need to be fixed in all three phases. The Hawkeyes once again struggled against a dual-threat quarterback this weekend.

• Wisconsin players and coaches will have to put aside their fond feelings for Dave Doeren this week. The Badgers look like one tough animal to tame.

• The Nebraska offensive line took little steps forward in Week 2 but will need to get much better before Big Ten play. It might be time to temper expectations for the Huskers. Getting Alfonzo Dennard back would really help the defense.

• Northwestern is spreading the ball around in the running game, and so far it's working. Kain Colter hopes people keep underestimating the Wildcats.

• What are we to make of the Buckeyes' shaky performance against Toledo? Jake Stoneburner shared Ohio State fans' sense of relief after the victory.

• Michigan State made tremendous progress from Week 1 to Week 2. Kirk Cousins is ready to shut up the echoes this week.

• The Indianapolis Star's Terry Hutchens plays Sunday morning quarterback on the Indiana loss to Virginia.

• Danny Hope remains optimistic despite Purdue's disappointing loss to Rice.

• Week 2 exposed some flaws in the Big Ten.