ESPN College Football

Adam Rittenberg previews the Insight Bowl.

The 2010-11 Big Ten bowl lineup is now set, with the Insight Bowl moving up in the pecking order and three new games -- Gator, Texas, Dallas Football Classic -- coming aboard. A ton of things can happen between now and Sept. 2, but there's no harm in taking a look at which teams likely will be packing their bags in late December or early January, and which teams will be staying home.

The Big Ten's first BCS entry will go to the Rose Bowl unless it qualifies for the national championship. Because of a new rule taking effect in 2010, if the Big Ten loses its champion to the national title game, it likely would lose a spot in the Rose Bowl to a non-BCS team if that team earns a BCS berth. If both the Big Ten and Pac-10 lose teams to the national title game, the Big Ten could still get a second squad to Pasadena.

Here's one last look at the Big Ten's bowl selection order:

Selection No. 1 (champion): Rose Bowl/BCS vs. Pac-10/BCS, Jan. 1, ESPN
Selection No. 2: Capital One Bowl vs. SEC, Jan. 1, ESPN
Selection No. 3: Outback Bowl vs. SEC, Jan. 1, ABC
Selection No. 4: Gator Bowl vs. SEC, Jan. 1, ESPN2
Selection No. 5: Insight Bowl vs. Big 12, Dec. 28, ESPN
Selection No. 6: Texas Bowl vs. Big 12, Dec. 29, ESPN
Selection No. 7: Dallas Football Classic vs. Conference USA or Big 12, Jan. 1, ESPNU
Selection No. 8: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl vs. MAC, Dec. 26, ESPN

With potentially nine postseason spots available, Big Ten teams that win at least six games are virtually assured of a bowl berth.

And here's how I see things shaking out ...

BOWL LOCKS

• Ohio State: After winning or sharing five consecutive Big Ten championships, the Buckeyes should eclipse the six-win bowl minimum by mid-October.
• Iowa: The team with the Big Ten's second-best bowl winning percentage (.542) will aim for its third consecutive bowl championship after winning in the Outback and the Orange the past two seasons.
• Wisconsin: The Badgers' soft schedule would net them six or seven wins in a down season. This year's team, with the most starters returning in the league, should have no trouble winning eight or more.
• Penn State: There should be some growing pains early on with a young quarterback, but Penn State boasts enough talent on both sides of the ball and a sparkling track record on defense to qualify for its sixth consecutive bowl appearance and its 37th under Joe Paterno.
• Michigan State: I'm taking a bit of heat for my Spartans love right now, but if Michigan State can't win at least six games with this schedule, some significant changes may be in order.

ON THE FENCE

• Northwestern: The Wildcats have been bowl eligible in each of the past three seasons and six of the past seven years. If they can win at least three nonconference games, they should reach the six-win minimum, but they lose some substantial pieces, including All-Big Ten quarterback Mike Kafka.
• Purdue: If the Boilers can build on last year's 4-4 mark in Big Ten play, they'll be going somewhere warm in December or January. Last year's 1-3 nonconference performance was a killer, but Purdue seems like a good bet to end its two-year bowl drought.
• Michigan: A third consecutive bowl-less season likely will signal the end for Rich Rodriguez in Ann Arbor, but the embattled coach has enough firepower on offense to reach the six-win plateau. There are a bunch of questions on defense, so this could go either way, but Michigan simply can't afford another winter at home.

BOWLING UPHILL

• Minnesota: The schedule is the biggest thing working against the Gophers, who for years scheduled their way to six or seven wins. Minnesota must get through nonconference play with no more than one loss, as the home schedule looks very tough with USC, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa. Those teams went a combined 50-15 last season.
• Indiana: Offensive firepower isn't the problem for Indiana, which boasts one of the Big Ten's top passing attacks. But the Hoosiers are fighting their history on defense and in struggling to get to bowl games. They've been to the postseason just once since 1993. Can they get over the hump this fall?
• Illinois: Illinois' postseason fate could be decided in the first six games, as it faces Missouri, Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan State, not to mention a solid team in Northern Illinois and a strong FCS program in Southern Illinois. The Illini must survive that stretch and make major strides on both sides of the ball. Won't be easy.

Minnesota (6-6) vs. Iowa State (6-6)
Dec. 31, 6 p.m. (NFL Network)

The Insight Bowl might not attract much national attention, but you can bet it'll mean a lot in the upper Midwest.

Minnesota and Iowa State haven't played since 1997, but the two schools are separated by only 215 miles and share a hated rival in the Iowa Hawkeyes. Iowa State makes its first bowl appearance since 2005, while Minnesota returns to the Insight Bowl for the second straight year and for the third time in the past four seasons.

This is a very critical game for Gophers fourth-year coach Tim Brewster and a team that broke even despite boasting the Big Ten's most experienced roster. A victory would secure consecutive winning seasons and build momentum for 2010, when Brewster's recruits will occupy most of the key roles. A loss would increase doubts about the program's direction and put Brewster squarely on the hot seat.

The Insight Bowl typically is high scoring, but don't expect too many points on Dec. 31 in Tempe, Ariz. Minnesota has been shut out twice this season and ranks 98th nationally in scoring (21.6 ppg), while Iowa State is even worse, coming in 102nd in scoring (21.1 ppg). Both teams have quarterbacks (Minnesota's Adam Weber, Iowa State's Austen Arnaud) who can do big things, but also hurt their teams with turnovers.

Defense is certainly Iowa State's calling card, as the Cyclones have held opponents to 17 points or fewer in each of their six wins. Minnesota also relies heavily on its defense, particularly linebackers Lee Campbell, Nate Triplett and Simoni Lawrence, but needs some offensive playmakers to emerge at Sun Devil Stadium.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

More good questions over the weekend. Keep 'em coming.

Jeremy from Tecumseh, Mich., writes: Adam, Certianly Jim Tressel is going to be in a difficult situation in the next coming weeks with Jim Cordle coming back from injury and his sophomore tackles playing good. Does he run the risk of messing up whatever chemistry the line is developing by inserting cordle back in the starting lineup or should he let his young tackles start and work cordle in the game at different situations?

Adam Rittenberg: That's a great question, Jeremy, and one I'm sure the Ohio State coaches are debating right now. Tackles Mike Adams and J.B. Shugarts are the future of the Ohio State offensive line, but Jim Cordle's experience shouldn't go to waste. The advantage with Cordle is he can play pretty much any position on the line, so you could move him around a bit. No one is mistaking Ohio State's offense for Texas' right now, so the coaches shouldn't be afraid to make a move. I would keep Adams and Shugarts as the starting tackles and work in Cordle when necessary at either tackle or right guard. If Andrew Miller misses more time with the flu, Ohio State will need a third tackle.

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Zach from Des Moines, Iowa, writes: Adam, are you under contract with ESPN as far as your power rankings go? I have to assume you are because after a year and a half of blogging, not once have you disagreed with the AP poll when ranking Big Ten teams. I just find it funny that your Big Ten rankings are perfectly correlated to the AP poll. Do you really believe that week after week or are you obligated to not break "form"? Be truthful.

Adam Rittenberg: Uh, Zach, you obviously missed the power rankings from Week 2, when I ranked Michigan ahead of Ohio State. So I'm not obligated to anything, and I don't vote in the AP Poll. I've actually ripped the AP voters more than any of my fellow bloggers this season. Given your address, I'm guessing you're upset that Iowa isn't ranked ahead of Ohio State in this week's rankings. When I look at Ohio State and Iowa, I see two very good defenses, two very good special teams groups and two questionable offenses. The difference is Ohio State's defense has been stingier when it comes to points allowed, and Iowa's offense has made more major mistakes than the Buckeyes. The majority of impartial observers would agree that at this point, Ohio State gets an edge against Iowa. But things certainly can change before Nov. 14.

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Chris from Hastings, Minn., writes: Adam, should Minnesota consider a switch at QB and start the freshman Marqueis Gray or do you think the coaching staff is doing the right thing by bringing Gray in sporadically.

Adam Rittenberg: I don't think MarQueis Gray is fully ready to run the offense, and I'm not certain that the pro-style system Minnesota switched to for the season best suits Gray's talents. He seems like more of a spread offense QB. That said, Minnesota should continue to find ways to work Gray into games. He can really be a weapon for a unit that has endured some ups and downs this season. The Gophers' top priority right now is the run game, which definitely looks like the right approach. But quarterback Adam Weber has been a bit shaky this season, so using Gray as a change-up isn't a bad idea at all.

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Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The ACC recently made a change to its bowl lineup, swapping the Humanitarian Bowl for the much-closer GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala. The Big Ten is locked into its bowl agreements through the 2009 season, but the tie-ins will undoubtedly be discussed at next week's meeting of league coaches and athletic directors in Chicago. 

There's some mounting concern about two Big Ten bowl tie-ins, the Capital One Bowl and Champs Sports Bowl, both of which are held at Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando. At issue is the stadium and plans for renovations, which the Big Ten and SEC desperately want but might not get in the current economic climate. 

[Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan] said the SEC and Big Ten have grown tired of waiting for the renovation -- especially with other cities such as Dallas, with a new $1 billion stadium, looking to muscle in on Orlando's bowl positioning.

"The first thing the commissioners told me was 'I thought you guys had approved renovation of the stadium. I don't think you guys realize how important this is for us,'" Hogan said. " ... I didn't expect to be shocked as I was about how pointed and concerned our existing sponsors are right now."

It would be tough to see the Big Ten dump the Orlando games, especially the Capital One, considered by many to be the most prestigious non-BCS bowl. But it's always a good idea to evaluate the league's entire bowl lineup.

The (Champaign) News-Gazette's Bob Asmussen thinks the Big Ten should make at least one change, swapping either the Insight or Motor City bowls for another game, or possibly adding a game. Asmussen argues that the Big Ten could benefit from a bowl game located closer to the league footprint, or perhaps a second bowl in tourist-friendly California. 

I doubt anyone has a major problem with the Outback or Alamo bowls. Those are solid games, so let's not waste time there.

The Big Ten's decision to trade the Sun and Music City bowls for the Champs Sports and Insight looked good at the time, and despite the stadium issues, the Champs Sports is a solid destination for mid-level Big Ten teams. I love the Sun Bowl and the Pac-10 matchup and would be thrilled if it came back, though El Paso is a tough place to travel to. The Insight Bowl is in a great location, but doesn't provide the exposure of other comparable bowl games.

The Motor City is an interesting dilemma for the Big Ten. Keep in mind the MAC-Big Ten relationship does help with nonconference scheduling, especially in this era of playing FCS teams. Playing a MAC team in the postseason helps this relationship. But few Big Ten fan bases like the idea of downtown Detroit in December.

On the other hand, it's rare when a Big Ten team actually plays in the Motor City Bowl. Only two teams have appeared in the game since the agreement began before the 2002 season.    

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

As the only Big Ten team to win its bowl game, Iowa is the lone squad to make a significant move in the final edition of the power rankings. The gap narrowed between Penn State and Ohio State after the Buckeyes' solid effort in the Fiesta Bowl, but Penn State still gets the nod with a better body of work. Northwestern and Michigan State have been mirror images for much of the season and remain that way in the rankings.

	Scott A. Miller/US Presswire
	Shonn Greene rushed for 121 yards and 3 TDs in the Outback Bowl.

Here's the final rundown for 2008.

1. Penn State (11-2) -- The Nittany Lions looked out of sync in Pasadena, but they faced quite possibly the nation's best team in a virtual road game. It wasn't the way a stellar senior class intended to go out, but an 11-1 regular season highlighted by a road win against Ohio State keeps Penn State atop the rankings.

2. Ohio State (10-3) -- There aren't moral victories in Columbus, but Ohio State made a national statement, even in defeat, by outplaying Texas for most of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The Terrelle Pryor-led Buckeyes weren't the same team that had soiled itself against USC on Sept. 13. Ohio State played its best football down the stretch and was seconds away from a fairly substantial upset of Texas.

3. Iowa (9-4) -- Things fell into place perfectly for the Hawkeyes, who ended the season as the Big Ten's hottest team. Iowa rolled over an overmatched South Carolina team in the Outback Bowl to win six of its final seven games. Shonn Greene played a huge role, but so did a defense that led the Big Ten in takeaways (32).

T-4 Michigan State (9-4) -- The Spartans clearly peaked in late September/early October, but they continued to fight hard, especially on the defensive side. They outplayed Georgia for a half in the Capital One Bowl but couldn't capitalize on favorable field position. Though Michigan State beat Northwestern in a head-to-head matchup Oct. 11, the Wildcats played better football down the stretch. So it's a push between the teams.

T-4 Northwestern (9-4) -- Had the Wildcats finished off Missouri in the Alamo Bowl, they would have vaulted to No. 3 in the power rankings and possibly into the top 15 in the national polls. Despite being the biggest underdog in the 34 bowls, Northwestern outplayed Missouri but lost the game because of special-teams blunders. Along with Iowa and Ohio State, the Wildcats saved their best football for the end of the season.

6. Minnesota (7-6) -- The Gophers don't really deserve to move up the rankings after a 21-point loss in the Insight Bowl, but they turned in a better effort than Wisconsin, which self-destructed against Florida State. This team clearly needs some upgrades after losing five straight to close the season, but it was hard to imagine Tim Davis' power run attack clicking right away in the bowl game. There will be a lot of changes in 2009, but Minnesota returns its nucleus.

7. Wisconsin (7-6) -- Despite a win against Minnesota and a better regular-season finish, Wisconsin needed to pay the price for an embarrassing loss in the Champs Sports Bowl. An extremely disappointing season ended with a thud, as Wisconsin had three fumbles, two of which were returned for touchdowns. From coaching to quarterback play to intangibles, Wisconsin seemed to be missing something this fall.

8. Illinois (5-7) -- The Big Ten's bowl fortunes might have been better had the Illini found a way to sneak into the postseason. Then again, a big-play offense and loads of talent translated into only five victories this fall. Head coach Ron Zook seems intent on turning things around with some bold coaching hires. Illinois can't afford another bowl-less winter.

9. Purdue (4-8) -- The Boilermakers sent head coach Joe Tiller out on a high note with a 62-10 pasting of Indiana on Nov. 22. Head coach Danny Hope must restore Purdue's offensive swagger with a new quarterback in 2009, and the Boilers have several holes to fill on defense.

10. Michigan (3-9) -- The Big Ten sorely needs Michigan back in a bowl game in 2009, but Rich Rodriguez has another tough challenge ahead of him. Michigan must identify a capable quarterback, most likely freshman Tate Forcier, and fill gaps along the defensive line. If the offensive line improves and the running game surges behind Brandon Minor, Michigan should be in decent shape for a lower-tier bowl.

11. Indiana (3-9) -- After ending the Big Ten's longest bowl drought in 2007, Indiana slipped back to reality this fall. Head coach Bill Lynch enters 2009 on the hot seat, likely needing at least six victories to keep his job. Indiana has the talent, particularly at defensive end, and if it can stay healthy and improve on defense, a bowl run next fall isn't out of the question.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The Big Ten probably wants to forget this postseason after going 1-6 in bowls. But several players stood out, even in defeat, and they deserve recognition. Let's hand out helmet stickers for the final time this season, beginning with the one Big Ten team (Iowa) that actually won its bowl.

Iowa running back Shonn Greene -- Playing in what would be his final collegiate game, the Hawkeyes' junior went out with a flourish, racking up 121 rushing yards and three touchdowns against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl. Greene eclipsed 100 rushing yards in all 13 games and set a single-season school rushing record with 1,850 yards.

Iowa strong safety Tyler Sash -- South Carolina was in a giving mood (five turnovers), and Sash capitalized with two interceptions, raising his season total to five. Sash, a redshirt freshman who became one of the team's top playmakers, picked off Stephen Garcia's first pass of the game and had interception returns of 45 and 29 yards.

Iowa cornerback Bradley Fletcher -- The senior recorded an interception and a forced fumble in his final game in a Hawkeyes uniform. With Iowa up 14-0, Fletcher squashed any chance of a South Carolina rally by intercepting a Garcia pass in the end zone for a touchback. He also forced a fumble on South Carolina's first play of the second half.

Ohio State quarterback Todd Boeckman -- He hadn't taken significant snaps since September but gave Ohio State a big lift in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl against Texas. The offense was sputtering until Boeckman found Brian Robiskie for a 48-yard completion on the first play of the fourth quarter. Boeckman later threw a touchdown to fellow quarterback Terrelle Pryor and nearly helped Ohio State to a big upset.

Ohio State's defense -- Colt McCoy and Quan Cosby had the final word in Glendale, but Ohio State held the high-powered Texas offense well below its season scoring average. The Buckeyes racked up three sacks and nine tackles for loss and limited big plays until Cosby's 26-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left.

Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bacher -- Bacher ended an up-and-down senior season with arguably his best performance in the Valero Alamo Bowl. He threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns against Missouri in a 30-23 overtime loss. Bacher threw only one interception and spread the ball well to his veteran targets.

Northwestern's senior wide receivers -- Rasheed Ward, Ross Lane and Eric Peterman combined for 19 receptions, 261 yards and three touchdowns in the Alamo Bowl. All three had scoring receptions of 20 yards or longer, highlighted by Lane's circus catch in the back of the end zone late in the third quarter.

Penn State linebacker Navorro Bowman -- The Rose Bowl was a rough one for Penn State's defense, but Bowman certainly did his part with five tackles for loss and a sack. Bowman finished the season with 106 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss. Next season he'll form the Big Ten's top linebacker tandem with Sean Lee.

Michigan State safety Otis Wiley -- Wiley and his fellow defenders held Georgia to three first-half points in the Capital One Bowl and gave the Spartans offense a chance to create some distance on the scoreboard. Michigan State eventually caved against Matthew Stafford, but Wiley had a forced fumble and seven tackles to go along with 87 return yards in his final collegiate game.

Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker -- Decker returned from knee surgery and an ankle injury to boost the Gophers in the Insight Bowl with eight receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown. The junior set Minnesota bowl records for receptions and receiving yards and will return in 2009 as one of the Big Ten's top targets.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The 2008 Big Ten season officially ends tonight as No. 10 Ohio State faces No. 3 Texas in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, but it's never too early to take a look at 2009. Here are five fearless predictions for the Big Ten next fall. 

1. The Big Ten mercifully gets only one BCS entry -- After sending two teams to BCS bowls for four straight years, the Big Ten is limited to only one participant (Rose Bowl). The league's recent big-game flops turn off the bowl selection folks, but the Big Ten gets a more reasonable bowl lineup and finishes above .500. 

2. Penn State repeats, JoePa returns -- The Nittany Lions fix their secondary and produce one of the nation's most dominating defenses en route to a second consecutive league title. Penn State capitalizes on a favorable home schedule (Ohio State, Iowa, Minnesota), and head coach Joe Paterno opts to return for a 45th season. 

3. Michigan reaches the postseason (barely) -- The Wolverines might be making the short drive to Detroit for the Motor City Bowl, but they won't miss the postseason for the second straight year. Freshman Tate Forcier stabilizes the quarterback spot and Michigan finds a way to win six or seven games. 

4. Northwestern wins a bowl game -- The Wildcats should have ended their drought this year against Missouri, but they'll come through next fall in the Champs Sports or Insight bowl. It marks Northwestern's first postseason victory since the 1949 Rose Bowl. 

5. Ax falls on at least one coach -- After a rare offseason with no forced coaching changes, the Big Ten sees some turnover in 2009. Indiana's Bill Lynch can't afford another losing season, and Wisconsin's Bret Bielema needs to show improvement following an extremely disappointing 2008 campaign. 

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Happy New Year to all. It's a huge day for the Big Ten, and here are some of the key story lines. 

• After several second-quarter collapses, Ohio State needs to sustain its momentum in another big game, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch. 

"I think it's been a mental-toughness issue," senior linebacker James Laurinaitis said. "You look at those games and it seemed something happened, like a penalty when we've got them stopped, or a touchdown gets called back, and guys' heads just went down, 'Dang, that's it.'"

• Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz cautions everyone not to read too much into the rumors that he and good friend Scott Pioli could be heading to the Cleveland Browns, Joey Knight writes in the Tampa Tribune. 
• Minnesota's offense took a page from its past in the Insight Bowl. Unfortunately for the Gophers, so did their defense, Kent Youngblood writes in the Star Tribune. 
• USC's motivation continues to dominate the pre-Rose Bowl talk, David Jones writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. 
• Staff changes and reestablishing East Coast recruiting must top Bret Bielema's New Year's wish list at Wisconsin, Jim Polzin writes in The Capital Times. 
• Penn State defensive ends Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans have traded places, Jeff McLane writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer. 

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

I'm about to leave home for the airport, where I'll board a flight to Phoenix. Posting will be light the rest of the day, though I'll have a wrap of the Insight Bowl (I'm scheduled to land midway through the first half). Thursday is a huge day for the Big Ten, and I'll have updates on all the games. 

Happy New Year to all! Given the temperatures here in Chicago, I'm sure I'll find a way to survive in the desert this week. Real tough assignment.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

After a lengthy hiatus, What to Watch is back as we take a look at the first three Big Ten bowl games.

• Champs Sports -- Wisconsin vs. Florida State, Dec. 27
• Valero Alamo -- Northwestern vs. Missouri, Dec. 29
• Insight -- Minnesota vs. Kansas, Dec. 31

Here are some things to keep an eye on as you watch the games (in order).

1. Wisconsin's power run game -- The Champs Sports Bowl will feature strength vs. speed, and Wisconsin needs to overpower a swift Florida State defense with 473 pounds of running back. P.J. Hill and John Clay form a bruising rushing tandem, and Wisconsin will have to control the clock and wear down the Seminoles. The Hill-Clay attack seemed to surge in the final five games.

2. Wisconsin linebacker Culmer St. Jean -- He appeared in every game this fall and racked up 16 tackles, but the Badgers sophomore linebacker takes on a much bigger role against the 'Noles. St. Jean will start at middle linebacker as Jaevery McFadden moves to the weak side to replace the injured Jonathan Casillas. Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema said St. Jean has been peaking in practice heading into the bowl.

3. Wisconsin wide receiver David Gilreath -- The sophomore could be an X-factor in this game. He took on a bigger role in the rushing attack late in the season, but Wisconsin has to find better ways to use his speed. It's baffling that Wisconsin ranks last nationally in kickoff returns despite having Gilreath as the return man. If offensive coordinator Paul Chryst finds creative ways to use Gilreath, Wisconsin could surprise Florida State.

4. The Badgers' offensive line -- Sure, they're big, and at times they've played well as a unit, but few things have gone according to plan for the Wisconsin offense this season. The next task is a daunting one -- finding a way to block Florida State defensive end Everette Brown. Sophomore left tackle Gabe Carimi receives the undesirable task of trying to keep Brown from digesting quarterback Dustin Sherer.

5. C.J. Bacher and Northwestern's passing attack -- Northwestern was able to win nine games without summoning superhuman performances from Bacher, who delivered a couple of them last season. But to get win No. 10, Bacher will need to be at his best. Missouri's high-powered offense probably can't be held down for 60 minutes, but the Tigers' pass defense is miserable. Bacher can put up big numbers with a veteran receiving corps, but he must avoid interceptions, his bugaboo, and make more plays in the red zone.

6. Northwestern defensive end Corey Wootton -- There's some talk that Northwestern's all-conference end could enter the NFL draft after a stellar junior season. He can showcase his ability on a national stage against Chase Daniel and Missouri. Northwestern will have to generate a strong pass rush against Daniel, and Wootton leads a defense that led the Big Ten in sacks (33) this fall.

7. Northwestern running back Tyrell Sutton -- Northwestern likely will get its best all-around player back for the Alamo Bowl, but how he responds from left wrist surgery is a big question. Sutton, who typically carries the ball in his right arm, will wear a cast for the game and expects to be fine. The Wildcats struggled to generate a consistent run game without him and need one to control the clock against Missouri.

8. Minnesota's offensive line -- Head coach Tim Brewster acknowledged his team got beat up down the stretch, and no unit suffered more than the offensive line. Brewster brought in veteran line coach Tim Davis after the regular season, and it will be interesting to see what impact Davis has on a young group. The Gophers need to reduce the pressure on quarterback Adam Weber and find a way to run the ball against Kansas.

9. Minnesota wide receiver Eric Decker -- The first-team All-Big Ten selection underwent left knee surgery after the regular season but is expected to be fine for the Insight Bowl. Minnesota seemed to lose its consistency on offense after Decker sprained his ankle Nov. 1, and Weber undoubtedly will be thrilled to have his top target healthy again. If Weber and Deck regain their rhythm and keep Todd Reesing and the Kansas offense off the field, Minnesota should have a shot in this one.

10. Gophers secondary and forcing turnovers -- Minnesota built its 7-1 start on amazingly opportunistic defense, particularly from the secondary. The Gophers' four starting defensive backs -- Traye Simmons, Tramaine Brock, Marcus Sherels and Kyle Theret -- have combined for 10 interceptions, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. The group also owns a whopping 47 pass deflections. Minnesota's secondary has to force mistakes from Reesing, who has thrown 12 interceptions this season.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Safe travels to all of you heading somewhere for the holidays. After looking at the mess outside my window in Chicago today, I ain't going nowhere.

• Northwestern running back Tyrell Sutton anticipates a return to the field in the Valero Alamo Bowl against Missouri, Bryan Chu writes in the San Antonio Express-News. 
• Ohio State's defensive line turned things around midway through the season, and tackle Nader Abdallah was a big reason why, Ken Gordon writes in The Columbus Dispatch.  
• Joe Paterno still gets the job done, so the Penn State head coach should be allowed to keep doing it, David Jones writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. 

"Almost hard to remember now, but think back to early November 2004 and the losses to Iowa (by the absurd score of 6-4) and at Northwestern (14-7). They brought fresh meaning to the term pathos. It could not have been clearer that Paterno was playing out a ragged, loose end to his career. He was Ali against Trevor Berbick. Johnny U. in Chargers baby blue. The 1950s peacetime Churchill fumbling through speeches. Well, here we are headed to Pasadena. I'm through counting this guy out."

• It wasn't a smooth season for Wisconsin's defense or first-year coordinator Dave Doeren, but there are some reasons to be optimistic looking ahead, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.  
• Expect Minnesota head coach Tim Brewster to receive a contract extension sometime after the Insight Bowl, Kent Youngblood writes in the Star Tribune. 
• Of the two Michigan State players expected to be charged with misdemeanor assault, running back Glenn Winston is still on the roster while wideout Mitchell White is not, the Lansing State Journal's Joe Rexrode writes in his blog. 

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Among my regrets during the Big Ten season was not being able to get to Beaver Stadium for a Penn State home game and a White Out, one of the cooler sights in college sports.

The Nittany Lions are planning another White Out for the Rose Bowl Game presented by Citi. Penn State fans making the trip to Pasadena are encouraged to wear white, which will match the players' jerseys since the Lions will be the visiting team in the game.

It's always somewhat amusing to have home and road teams for bowls. Given how far Big Ten teams travel to every bowl game, save for the Motor City, they should always be wearing the roadies.

Here's the wardrobe breakdown for all seven bowls featuring Big Ten teams.

CHAMPS SPORTS (Dec. 27)

Home: Florida State (garnet jerseys)

Road: Wisconsin (white jerseys)

ALAMO (Dec.29)

Home: Northwestern (purple jerseys)

Road: Missouri (white jerseys)

INSIGHT (Dec. 31)

Home: Minnesota (maroon jerseys)

Road: Kansas (white jerseys)

OUTBACK (Jan. 1)

Home: Iowa (black jerseys)

Road: South Carolina (white jerseys)

CAPITAL ONE (Jan. 1)

Home: Michigan State (green jerseys)

Road: Georgia (white jerseys)

ROSE (Jan. 1)

Home: USC (cardinal jerseys)

Road: Penn State (white jerseys)

FIESTA (Jan. 5)

Home: Texas (burnt orange jerseys)

Road: Ohio State (white jerseys)

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

The first eight games of the 2008 season showed how far Minnesota has come. The last four games showed how far the Gophers still need to go.

Minnesota responded well from the darkest season in team history, which featured only one victory and new lows for defensive futility. The Gophers surged to a 7-1 start behind opportunistic defense, intelligent quarterback play and discipline on both sides of the ball.

Head coach Tim Brewster not only blended several key junior college players into the mix but saw improvement from holdovers like quarterback Adam Weber, defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg and cornerback Marcus Sherels. First-year defensive coordinator Ted Roof oversaw a unit that led the Big Ten with 30 takeaways, boasting seven players with multiple interceptions or forced fumbles. Weber and wideout Eric Decker formed the league's most consistent passing combination and Minnesota won three of its first four road games.

The closing stretch exposed some weaknesses Minnesota had masked for the first two months. A shaky offensive line and a nonexistent rushing attack hamstrung the unit, and turnovers and defensive breakdowns began to pile up. The Gophers imploded against archrival Iowa, suffering their worst loss (55-0) in Big Ten play.

Still, a 7-5 record exceeded most expectations for Minnesota, and a young core raises hope for 2009 and beyond.

Offensive MVP -- Quarterback Adam Weber

Like the rest of the team, Weber had his struggles down the stretch, but he made several important strides this fall. The sophomore ranked third in the Big Ten in passing average (215.4 ypg) and threw only two interceptions in the first seven games. He helped Minnesota to a road win against Illinois just six days after undergoing knee surgery. Decker also deserves a mention here after leading the Big Ten with 76 receptions.

Defensive MVP -- Defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg

VanDeSteeg showed that with two healthy wrists, he's one of the Big Ten's most ferocious pass rushers. The senior earned first-team all-conference honors from the media after leading Minnesota with 9.5 sacks and 18 tackles for loss. He was named National Defensive Player of the Week after recording three sacks and a forced fumble that led to a touchdown against Illinois.

Turning point -- Oct. 11 at Illinois

The Gophers came in at 5-1 but hadn't registered a signature win. They were searching for their first Big Ten road victory since Nov. 11, 2006. Facing Juice Williams and the high-powered Illinois offense, Minnesota forced three turnovers and received a strong performance from running back DeLeon Eskridge (124 rush yards, 2 TDs). The Gophers became bowl eligible and earned a national ranking.

What's next

Minnesota heads to the Insight Bowl as a heavy underdog against Kansas, but an upset of the Jayhawks would take the sting off a rough closing stretch. The future definitely looks bright for the Gophers, who return several standouts on both sides of the ball and open their new stadium on Sept. 12, 2009. If new offensive line coach Tim Davis can improve the play up front and some holes are filled on the defensive line, Minnesota should take another step forward next fall.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg

Tim Brewster helped Minnesota improve its record by six victories this season. Perhaps the Golden Gophers head coach can give the sagging economy a much needed jumpstart. 

Brewster and athletic director Joel Maturi will participate in the opening bell ceremony at the NASDAQ stock exchange this morning in New York. The Insight Bowl set up the opportunity, which will feature Brewster, Maturi, Kansas head coach Mark Mangino and Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins.

Minnesota and Kansas meet Dec. 31 in the Insight Bowl. 

Today's bell-ringing ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. ET and can be viewed at www.nasdaq.com.