ESPN College Football

As part of ESPN.com's Hate Week, we asked you on Tuesday to vote for the most hated coach of all time in the Big Ten.

Now to wrap up Hate Week -- and we promise it's only going to be love from now on in this space (ahem) -- here are some of your comments on that topic. Let's conclude the Haters' Ball with a bang.

Philip from Iowa writes: No question it's Jim Tressel. First, he wins a lot of Big Ten Championships so naturally everyone else hates him for that. Second, he lost twice in a row in the National Championship, embarrassing the conference on the national stage -- and it hasn't yet been rebuilt. To make matters worse, the 2 games were 1 where OSU was the overwhelming favorite (against FL) and the other was to a 2 loss team (LSU)! Finally, there is the Terrell Pryor saga that happens while Tressel puts out a book called "The Winners Manual for the Game of Life" There is no contest, every school in the Big Ten, including many OSU alums and fans, hate Jim Tressel. Not many coaches can manage that.

Bert from Portland, Ore., writes: Most hated Big Ten Coach.Bo Schembechler. I attended Northwestern during 1975-79 and the football program won five games during that time (with an infamous 0-0 tie agaisnt Illinois). Woody Hayes would bring his team to town and in the post-game conference at least say that Northwestern played hard. Schembechler would complain that Northwestern did not belong in the Big Ten and that Michigan did not make enough money when it played in Evanston. He was a jerk of the worst kind. I remember watching the Homecoming game in 1978 when, during a rout, Northwestern managed to score a touchdown on a trick play embodiment of a fake punt fairly late in the game. Schembechler started screaming at his players and looked like he was on the verge of having a heart attack. The Northwestern fans started chanting "Rose Bowl! Rose Bowl!" In fact, Schembechler was probably the only man in the world who could make me root for USC in the Rose Bowl (which beat Michigan that season). Woody could be gracious in victory and even humble in own way. Schembechler could accomplish neither.

Logan D. from Saginaw, Mich., writes: The most hated coach in the B1G, or who should be the most hated coach, is without a doubt Bret Bielema. The guy just radiates egotism. All you need to do is type his name into Google followed by "is" and you will know exactly what he's like from the suggested words. As a Michigan State fan, I'm not sure if I have ever been angrier with a coach than I was at the end of last year's Big Ten Championship game. After Wisconsin's punter made his Oscar-worthy dive to seal the game, I don't know if I've ever seen a coach as outwardly exuberant as Bret was in that moment. You would have thought his team just scored a touchdown on the most miraculous play in history. I don't know another coach that would be as excited over seeing a yellow flag in the backfield. Plus, not that the guy is in need of an ego-boost whatsoever, but what compels you to put up 70 on Austin Peay and 83 on Indiana? We get it. You can score a lot of points against bad teams.

Brad W. from Philadelphia writes: Most hated coach? Hayden Fry. Unsportsmanlike, completely ungracious, score-runner-upper, never giving the opposition any credit, moronic 3rd-grade stuff like the pink locker room ... just an unpleasant, vicious old man. Could never beat his butt often enough. Runners-up: Earle Bruce, Mike White.

Rich H. from Wayne, N.J., writes: Most hated coach ever? Woody Hayes without a doubt. Surly, unprofessional, a hick, temper tantrums and unpolished. Dial up an automatic loss in almost every bowl game he coached. Track record of more NFL busts than any program sans Nebraska. Unimaginative offense; never changed with the times either. Never scheduled a tough out of conference game regular season without a 2-1/3-1 deal. His famous bout with Ref Jerry Markbreit on the sideline circa 1971? Should have been fired right then and there. Of course 1978 vs Clemson and Mr. Baumann will live in infamy and is the most embarrassing complete breakdown of any major head-coach EVER and televised on national TV to boot. Good thing he wasn't around in today's day and age - that dooming episode would have gone virile in 20 seconds. Yet alums adore this basic jackwagon, go figure. Did I mention his graduation rate? Less than 70%. Should I continue? Nah, jury rests...

Paul from Johnstown, Pa., writes: Love the Hate! I nominate two coaches, one current and one former. First, Bret Bielema...a totally spineless, classless jerk. Runs up the score. Goes for 2 late in the 4th Qtr with games in hand. Whines, whines, whines, whines like a 5 year old. Loses to TCU with a completely loaded team. Makes tacky comments about how great it is to be a Badger fan when questioned about the situations at PSU, OSU and UM. Sprints across the field like a tool to shake hands quickly with opposing coach in total disprespectful fashion .Second, Bo Scumbechler ... yes, "Scumbechler." As a PSU fan, I have an obligation to hate this man for the lack of class he showed when PSU was brought into the B1G. His comments and efforts to exclude PSU and/or to make PSU's admission into the conference unwelcoming still boils my blood.

Danny from Davenport, Iowa, writes: Adam, as a Hawkeye fan it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep from hating Pat Fitzgerald. He may not be on the radar much outside of Iowa City and his body of work may leave some to question this hatred for PF. But, look at this from an Iowa fan standpoint. PF is a whiner and a coward. Take last year, for instance. PF hid behind one of his own players while that player took heat for admitting to the world that Pat Fitz hated Iowa with a passion. One cannot help but think that this is hostility boiling over from the injury incurred during a game when PF was still in pads. Grow up and get over it. Then, there was PFs whole twitter controversy, or should I say the "director of football operations" twitter controversy while he was "accidentally" logged into PFs account. SURE, man up.

Mark from Oklahoma City writes: John Cooper. I was born in Ohio in 1986. Growing up and watching the pain and anguish that John Cooper put on my father's face Saturday afternoons in late November during the 90s was enough to make me despise him. Interestingly, it's during the same period I grew to despise Lloyd Carr. I hated him more at one point until I went to Ohio State during the Jimmy T era which he spent a good amount of time of beating the same Lloyd Carr into "retirement" which cemented Cooper as my most hated coach. Go back to Arizona State, take Gene Smith with you. Give me a coach from Ohio.

Shawn from Minneapolis writes: You gotta admire talent, so I'm not picking on anyone who won, not even those [REDACTED] coaches from Michigan. Most hated B1G coach: Tim Brewster, with a pathetic record of (*googles* ... cripes it didn't feel like that many wins) 15-30 in FOUR LONG YEARS. Long live Coach Kill!

Zach from Lincoln, Neb., writes: In regards to your most hated coach ever...Can the worst coach not have ever coached in the B1G? I think universally, Bill Callahan (excuse my french) is the dirtiest word that can be spoken in 'sker country.

Joe P. from Chicago writes: My most hated Big Ten coach ever is John L. Smith. As a Spartan fan, it was bad enough getting regularly slaughtered by our rivals (and inferior programs like Indiana), but he made our program into a punchline. God Bless Dantonio.

Chris from Wisconsin writes: As soon as Urban Meyer entered the B1G he instantly became the most hated coach of all time. As a Badger fan, I didn't even really hate any coaches in the Big Ten over the years but wow do I hate Urban Meyer and I can't even figure out what it is. I can't stand the guy and he has yet to coach a game at OSU hoping Bielema runs up the score on him for many years to come "and for Urban many is about 3 which is how long I expect him to stay at OSU.

Robert V. from West Bloomfield, Meechigan, writes: Most Hated Big Ten Coach:Wayne Woodrow Hayes.

Travis form Midland, Mich., writes: As a Michigan fan, I would have to say I hate Jim Tressel the most. I was not alive during the 10-year war between Woody and Bo, so I don't hate Woody as much as some other Michigan fans. The biggest reason I hate Tressel the most would be the violations. Before "tattoogate" broke, I hated him, but I respected him for running an honest program. After the NCAA violations, I hated him and I lost most of my respect for him. Personally (and this might be my Michigan fan bias), I believe Ohio State went beyond just the tattoos. I believe that there were rule infractions as early as Maurice Clarett. To sum it up, I hate Jim Tressel because, 1. He coached at Ohio State, 2. He was extremely successful against Michigan, 3. He turned his back to NCAA violations and is labeled a cheater in my mind because of this. My second least favorite coach might just be Jerry Sandusky, for obvious reasons.

John from New Hampshire writes: Easy question: Lloyd Carr hands down without a doubt. His sideline ranting made it even easier to just despise Meeechigan. His BS screaming for more time on the clock won him a miracle game about five years ago when Penn State was in the Big House and winning till Lloyd's crying got the refs to make a historically insipient call, giving undue time on the clock and giving those hideously clad (...that bright yellow....) chumps the game - and costing my beloved Nittany Lions perhaps a perfect season.

Every good conference boasts some coaching villains, and the Big Ten has several men who fill the role. No one will confuse the Big Ten with the SEC, where all 12 coaches have voodoo dolls of one other and dart boards with their opponents' heads as the bull's-eyes. But let's not forget the Big Ten produced Woody and Bo, two men who certainly played the villain when they set foot on opposing soil. The Big Ten may never see Woody versus Bo, Part II, but you get 12 Type A personalities competing for championships in a high-stakes sport, and it's going to get heated.

Last month, we asked you to weigh in on the most disliked Big Ten coach. Not surprisingly, the three highest vote-getters also earned our nod for their villainous traits. Remember, this is all in fun, and it's important to note that it's hard to be a coaching villain if you don't win a lot of games or tick off multiple fan bases.

Let's take a look.

Bret Bielema, Wisconsin (six seasons, 60-19 overall and at Wisconsin)

Any coach who plays college ball, has his team's logo tattooed on his leg, and then ends up coaching a major rival is predisposed to be a villain. Bielema, a former Iowa defensive lineman, still sports the Tigerhawk stamp on his leg, but he's very much a Badger these days. While Bielema might not be a favorite son in Iowa, he has ticked off others around the league a little more.

In 2010, Bielema ignited a flap with Minnesota when he called for a 2-point conversion attempt with Wisconsin ahead by 25 points in the fourth quarter. Minnesota coach Tim Brewster confronted Bielema after the game and later said Bielema made "a poor decision for a head football coach." Bielema claimed he was following the coaches' card of when to go for two or not, but given tension with Brewster and the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry, few bought his explanation. The Wisconsin coach didn't help his rep a few weeks later when the Badgers' record-setting offense put up 83 points against Indiana, although the sportsmanship complaints seemed hollow as Indiana totally packed it in that day.

Then came national signing day in February, when Bielema at a news conference referred to "illegal" recruiting tactics by new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer. Many incorrectly interpreted Bielema's comments as sour grapes about losing a recruit (Kyle Dodson) to Meyer, but Bielema didn't publicly specify what he meant or why he contacted Meyer to discuss the situation. The allegations didn't sit well with Meyer or Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith, although the situation put to rest the ridiculous belief about a "gentleman's agreement" among Big Ten coaches.

Bielema is relatively young, highly successful and never short on confidence. He's very media savvy and knows how to get his message across. He may fill the villain role for several fan bases, but he's the one going to Pasadena every year.

Urban Meyer, Ohio State (first season, 104-23 overall in 10 seasons)

Meyer hasn't coached a single game as Ohio State's head man, but he still received the most votes as the league's most disliked coach. Unlike the others in the Big Ten villain mix, Meyer sparks ire in other parts of the country, particularly in a little place they call Gator Country.

He left Florida after the 2010 season -- after nearly stepping away the previous year -- citing health concerns and a desire to spend more time with his family. Some saw him taking the Ohio State job, undoubtedly another pressure cooker, just a year after leaving Florida, as disingenuous. More Florida fallout arrived this spring in a Sporting News story that showed Meyer as the overseer and enabler of a mess in Gainesville.

Meyer's Big Ten villainy stems mostly from his immediate success on the recruiting trail after being hired in late November. In two months he put together the Big Ten's top-rated recruiting class, which included several players who had flipped from other programs to the Buckeyes. His surge drew comments from Bielema and Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, and the perception that Meyer has rocked the boat in the Big Ten remains very much alive.

Although Meyer and Michigan coach Brady Hoke have been cordial to this point -- they have the same agent, Trace Armstrong -- it's only a matter of time before things get spicy. Ohio State set off a mini blaze by displaying a sign in the football complex comparing its players' academic majors with those of Michigan's.

Buckle up.

Mark Dantonio, Michigan State (five seasons, 44-22 at MSU, 62-39 in eight seasons overall)

The seemingly permanent scowl. The deep, borderline monotone voice. The willingness to stick up for players who make mistakes and fuel rivalries. In many ways, Dantonio looks and sounds more like a villain than any of his Big Ten coaching brethren. Warm and fuzzy he is not, and while he has a unique sense of humor and can be charming, he comes off serious, intense and, some would say, confrontational.

Dantonio has made some notable statements about archrival Michigan in his five seasons in East Lansing. Who can forget his "pride comes before the fall" response to Mike Hart after the 2007 Michigan State-Michigan game? After last season's personal-foul fest against Michigan, a game Michigan State won 28-14, Dantonio drew criticism for not suspending defensive end William Gholston, who had punched a Wolverines player and twisted the helmet of another (the Big Ten later suspended Gholston for a game). In January, he interrupted Michigan assistant Jeff Hecklinski during a presentation to state high school coaches. And this spring, he set off some fireworks by telling Brian Bennett, "We're laying in the weeds. We've beat Michigan the last four years. So where's the threat?"

Some Michigan fans still dismiss Michigan State as not a real rival, but Dantonio has certainly gotten under the skin of Wolverines backers, especially because he keeps beating the Maize and Blue.

Dantonio also was looped into the Meyer/Bielema flap in February, although his general comments about recruiting were misinterpreted by a reporter.

The hyper intense Dantonio has some villain in him. And if he keeps winning at Michigan State, the image will continue to grow.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a look:

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

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

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

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

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

Beckman must show he can do the latter at Illinois.

Ohio State football is headquartered at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. The Buckeyes play their home games at 411 Woody Hayes Drive.

No name is more synonymous with Ohio State football than Wayne Woodrow "Woody" Hayes, the Buckeyes' coach from 1951-78. He's a college football icon and Ohio State royalty. Hayes was bigger than the program.

But he didn't arrive that way, coming to Ohio State from Miami (Ohio). Ohio State's subsequent coaches -- Earle Bruce, John Cooper and Jim Tressel -- made similar, somewhat understated entrances, from Iowa State, Arizona State and Youngstown State, respectively. Tressel, like Hayes, achieved icon status at Ohio State, but only after he had been on the job for a while. And the buttoned-down, sweater-vested Tressel never truly became bigger than the program, at least not like Hayes.

Enter Urban Meyer, rock-star coach. Roll out the scarlet carpet. Ohio State has never seen anything quite like this.

Meyer, expected to be introduced as Ohio State's coach today at a news conference scheduled for 5:15 p.m. ET, comes to Columbus as one of the biggest names in college football. He has won two national championships and enjoyed tremendous success at his three previous coaching stops (Florida, Utah and Bowling Green). He doesn't come to Ohio State from another program, but from ESPN, where he has been on your TV screen throughout the college football season.

When Ohio State introduces Meyer as its next coach, no one is going to look at the podium and ask, "Who's this guy?"

Meyer likely will talk about coming home to Ohio, and to a program where he got his start in college coaching as a graduate assistant in 1986. He'll discuss the program's tradition and mention its status, until recently, as a powerhouse both in the Big Ten and nationally. He'll try to make it about Ohio State.

Not happening. Urban Mania is sweeping through Columbus, and Meyer will be the top story in college football during the first part of championship week. The spotlight will be on Meyer's decision to return to coaching, his health status and whether he was hypocritical for leaving Florida. Coaches rarely make the jump from one national powerhouse to another -- with a network TV gig in between -- but Meyer always has been on a faster track.

This is a big-time, big-money, big-splash hire for the Scarlet and Gray.

How will Ohio State react to a coach who's bigger than the program? Most fans will be and should be thrilled, especially after a subpar season and a nightmarish 11 months. But there could be some skeptics as well, unsure of the new coach with the championship rings and the good looks and the glitzy offense.

Buckeye Nation will agree on one thing: expectations for Meyer. They'll be sky-high.

Tressel had consistent success at Ohio State, but his program lacked flashiness of other elite ones around the country. I remember covering USC-Ohio State in 2009, and attending USC's walk-through at Ohio Stadium the day before the game. Hollywood had definitely come to flyover country.

Meyer might not be Hollywood, but he's in the neighborhood.

And it's not just Meyer who will increase Ohio State's Q score. Tressel assembled quite possibly the most anonymous staff of any national program. He had some good assistants, but you rarely heard much about them outside Columbus.

Just a hunch, but Meyer's staff will have a little more national appeal.

Meyer ultimately will be judged by what he does after he gets the Ohio State job. And he should be. The same held true for Hayes, Tressel and the others.

But unlike previous Buckeyes bosses, Meyer won't have to introduce himself to Ohio State. Everyone already knows who he is.

The spotlight is ready and the big show is coming. Brace yourself, Columbus.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Ohio State players know many of you have been enjoying this.

After a decade of dominance in the Big Ten, the Buckeyes' backslide both on and off the field in recent months has brought delight to folks around the country. The suspensions, the departures, the NCAA issues and, most recently, the losses have created one giant Scarlet and Gray snowball, rolling down the mountain.

"A lot of people," cornerback Travis Howard said, "are waiting for us to fold."

They're still waiting.

Ohio State reached a crossroads Saturday at Memorial Stadium. After collapsing the week before at Nebraska, the Buckeyes were in danger of slipping to 0-3 in the Big Ten and below the .500 mark for the first time since 1999 (and this late in the year for the first time since 1988). Coach Luke Fickell took heat during the week. Backup quarterback Joe Bauserman took even more heat.

A loss to No. 16 Illinois might be the breaking point for Ohio State.

Instead, it could turn out to be the turning point.

Ohio State silenced Illinois in a 17-7 victory and, in the process, sent a loud-and-clear message to the rest of the Big Ten.

"Ohio State is going to be here," Howard said. "This is Ohio State football. This is what we do, and we're going to continue to keep fighting."

The Buckeyes' unconventional method for victory suited what has been an unconventional season in Columbus. Their three scoring drives totaled 79 yards.

They completed one pass -- one! -- and attempted just four. It marked the first time since a 1976 loss to Missouri that Ohio State finished with just one pass completion.

Ohio State's coach that day? Woody Hayes. He would have loved this one. The current coach, a former Buckeyes defensive lineman and defensive assistant, didn't mind it, either.

"The game plan was to win," Fickell said. "That was the ultimate, most important thing, and however we had to do it, we were ready to to do it."

The Buckeyes won with physical strength at the line of scrimmage, hard-hitting defense, opportunistic play and running -- lots of it, 51 carries for 211 yards.

Running back Dan "Boom" Herron, one of the infamous Tat-5, made his season debut after serving a six-game suspension and looked like the freshest player on the field. He repeatedly evaded an aggressive Illini defense, racking up 114 rush yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.

Herron had spent the first six games watching at home, often with teammate DeVier Posey, who remains suspended until Nov. 19. Both men were suspended for multiple NCAA rules violations.

"I learned a lot," Herron said. "Just thinking twice before making decisions. It really made me grow up as a man. I'm just not taking anything for granted."

An Ohio State team that seemingly could take great seasons for granted no longer has that luxury. The suspensions of quarterback Terrelle Pryor, Herron, Posey and left tackle Mike Adams left the offense in a bind.

For the Buckeyes to succeed this fall, the defense would have to perform at a championship level. After falling apart at Nebraska, showing uncharacteristically poor tackling and an inability to stop big plays, Ohio State re-established its identity.

"We wanted to go out and prove something," said safety C.J. Barnett, who delivered several jarring hits. "We were kind of pissed off. ... Being at Ohio State, the people that came before us, they established a tradition of excellence. With the losses, we weren't really living up to that."

Ohio State received standout performances from linemen Johnathan Hankins and John Simon, the team's top two tacklers, who combined for six tackles for loss. Safety Tyler Moeller (5 tackles, forced fumble) and linebacker Storm Klein (forced fumble, fumble recovery, tackle for loss) helped the effort along with Howard and cornerback Bradley Roby, both of whom recorded interceptions.

With the offense struggling, the defense set up short fields with its first two takeaways, both of which led to touchdowns. Although Ohio State listed better tackling and limiting big plays as its top two priorities, the takeways proved to be huge.

"This is a game of momentum," Fickell said. "The one thing we've lacked on defense is making some plays."

Illinois had made plenty of play in its first six games, storming out to its best start since 1951. But Ohio State flustered quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase and prevented star receiver A.J. Jenkins from going off again.

Although the Illini received a strong performance from their defense, the offense didn't show up until the closing minutes.

"You can't scrap the season," coach Ron Zook said. "We have a chance to be pretty good."

The Buckeyes think they do, too, although they haven't looked the part for much of the year. While Saturday's win was anything but pretty, Ohio State improved to 1-0 in Leaders division play. Remember, the Buckeyes face division leaders Wisconsin and Penn State at Ohio Stadium.

They now enter a much-needed bye week before Russell Wilson and the Badgers come to town.

As players and coaches ran to the southeast corner of the stadium to celebrate with their fans and sing "Carmen Ohio," a jubilant Herron shouted, "We're back!"

Maybe not all the way back, but they're not dead, either.

Far from it.

"We got momentum," Fickell said. "It's so huge, that feeling is so huge. That's what drives you to do this. Those guys haven't had that in a while."

Some notes and nuggets to hopefully make you smarter as you head out to the games this weekend.

• Penn State's 23-game nonconference home winning streak is tied for second-longest in the nation with Florida. LSU leads at 31. The Nittany Lions' last nonconference loss in Beaver Stadium was to Boston College on Sept. 6, 2003.
• Wisconsin accumulated 499 yards of total offense on just 53 plays against UNLV, averaging 9.42 yards per play. That was the second best mark in the country, behind only Georgia Tech’s 10.34 yards per play against Western Carolina. The Badgers have scored at least 37 points in the first half in each of their past three home games. In its past six home games, Wisconsin has combined to score 346 points. That is an average of 57.7 points per game.
• Michigan had a plus-3 turnover margin against Western Michigan in Saturday's season-opening win, the first time the Wolverines won the turnover battle since Sept. 11, 2010, when they were plus-3 at Notre Dame.
• With the 42-0 win against Akron last Saturday, Luke Fickell became the first Ohio State head coach to record a shutout in his head-coaching debut since Woody Hayes in 1951.
• Tackle Tyler Moore last week became first true freshman offensive lineman to start a season opener in Nebraska history, and just the fourth freshman offensive lineman to earn a start in Nebraska's season opener, joining redshirt freshmen Jeremiah Sirles (2010 vs. Western Kentucky), Marcel Jones (2008 vs. Western Michigan) and Richie Incognito (2002 vs. Arizona State). Moore is only the fourth true freshman offensive lineman to start a game at any point in a season, and only the 10th true freshman offensive lineman to play at Nebraska.
• Illinois was penalty-free in the opener, marking the first time in 18 years it did not commit a penalty in a game. The last time it happened was Nov. 20, 1993, against Wisconsin. Illinois is one of just three FBS teams that did not get flagged in the opening week (Eastern Michigan and Navy).
• Iowa has held its opponents to two touchdown passes or fewer in 35 straight games. The Hawkeyes' defense has collected at least one takeaway in 57 of its last 63 games, dating back to 2006.
• Minnesota came from behind in all six of its victories in 2009 and all three in 2010. The last time the Gophers won a game without trailing was a 17-6 win at Purdue on Oct. 25, 2008.
• After spending much of 2010 searching for a consistent running attack, Northwestern has now surpassed 200 yards rushing in back-to-back contests for the first time since the final two games of 2003. NU totaled 229 ground yards in the TicketCity Bowl to close last season and went for 227 Saturday against Boston College.
• With 222 passing yards against Youngstown State, Michigan State senior quarterback Kirk Cousins became just the fourth Spartans quarterback to eclipse the 6,000-yard mark, joining Jeff Smoker (8,932 yards), Drew Stanton (6,524 yards) and Brian Hoyer (6,159 yards). Cousins also moved into a tie for fifth place at Michigan State for most touchdown passes (42) as he threw an 18-yard strike to B.J. Cunningham in the third quarter. Cousins now has 6,037 career passing yards and his completion percentage of .648 is currently the best in team history and third in Big Ten history.
• After rushing for 201 yards in the opener against Middle Tennessee, Purdue improved to 7-1 under coach Danny Hope when eclipsing the 200-yard rushing mark. Purdue racked up 200 rush yards or more in all four victories last season.
• Ten true freshmen saw action for Indiana in the opener against Ball State, the most for an IU squad since 11 took the field during the 2003 campaign. Indiana only played eight true freshmen from 2007-10.

Although Jim Tressel exited Ohio State in disgrace, he still holds a great deal of respect in the coaching ranks, particularly within his home state.

As you probably know, the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association is recommending that its members wear ties during the opening weekend of the season to recognize Tressel and his contributions to high school football in the state.

But how many coaches will go through with the Tressel tribute?

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer recently surveyed about 150 coaches about the recommendation. Eighty-two coaches replied: 48 say they won't wear ties, 25 say they will and nine are undecided.

Here are two of the most interesting responses:

Strongsville coach Russ Jacques: "I cannot stand in front of my team honoring someone who talked about 'trust,' 'honesty' and 'doing the right things on and off the field,' as we do in our program, and have this same man go against everything he preached. He has done a lot for high school football, but what he did by lying is inexcusable as far as the integrity of our game and our profession. When [former OSU] Coach [Woody] Hayes was fired, did the high school football coaches honor him that first week of the season? He did a lot more for high school football and Ohio State than Tressel did."

St. Ignatius coach Chuck Kyle: "Jim Tressel made a mistake and has certainly received the consequences. The friendship and good will that he has for Ohio high school football should not be discarded because of that mistake. Young people can learn that a friend can make a mistake, serve a consequence, and still be a friend. Hopefully young people can still see the good within the person."

Another coach, Manchester's Jim France, tells the Plain Dealer that Tressel once called him at 10 p.m. the night before an Ohio State game to congratulate him on a big victory.

"How many big-time college coaches would make a personal phone call the night before a Big Ten game at 10 p.m. to a nobody Division IV head football coach to add congratulations for a significant victory? Jim Tressel did."

Some coaches also cite Tressel's book, "The Winners Manual," as both an example of his contributions to the profession and his contradictory actions.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out as the high school football season begins. I can't fault individual coaches for paying tribute for Tressel because it's their personal choice, but I certainly understand why most of the coaches voted no, citing that they want the focus to be on their players.

Tressel certainly can appreciate that sentiment.

The new guy in the room quickly discovered that the Big Ten still operated in the old ways.

The year was 2005, and Ron Zook had traveled to Chicago to attend his first Big Ten coaches meeting. Hired the previous December as Illinois' coach, Zook gathered with his new colleagues to discuss key issues and to propose possible changes.

But some Big Ten coaches greeted the prospect of change with hesitation.

"People would say, 'Bo didn't do that and Woody didn't do that,'" Zook recalled. "Well, you know what? Those guys have been gone for a long time, and the game has changed."

In the six years since the meeting, the Big Ten began to change, too. Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes might have a tough time recognizing the league these days.

If those iconic coaches, who shaped the Big Ten brand during decades at Michigan and Ohio State, were still alive, they'd see a very different conference. ...

Click here to read the rest of the story

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald doesn't think Luke Fickell needs his advice.

"He's a great coach and was a great player, and he's obviously been under some great mentors, [Jim Tressel] especially," Fitzgerald said Monday night. "So he's in great shape."

But should Fickell choose to seek guidance during a crucial juncture in his coaching career, Fitzgerald could be a good resource. Fitzgerald knows what it's like to become a head coach unexpectedly. He knows what it's like to take over the football program at his alma mater at an awkward and difficult time with a season rapidly approaching. He knows the challenges Fickell will begin facing in the coming days and months.

The death of former Northwestern coach Randy Walker in June 2006 and Tressel's resignation from Ohio State on Monday are different situations and should be viewed as such. Another difference: Fitzgerald was elevated to a permanent head coach position a week after Walker's death, while Fickell will serve in an interim role through the 2011 season.

But it's impossible to deny the similarities of the coaches thrust into leading roles: thirtysomethings, rising stars in the coaching ranks, former defensive players with deep roots at their alma maters, standout recruiters. Fitzgerald and Fickell even coached the same position group (linebackers) before their respective appointments to head coach.

Walker made no secret about his desire to have Fitzgerald succeed him at Northwestern. And while Tressel looked extremely secure at Ohio State until recent months, Fickell's name had been mentioned by fans and media as a potential successor even before the program's troubles.

What neither Fitzgerald nor Fickell could see coming was a move into the head-coaching role so soon.

How should Fickell approach his new task?

"I would just tell him to be himself," Fitzgerald said. "He can't be Jim Tressel, he can't be John Cooper, he can't be Woody Hayes. He's got to just be himself, go out and do what he can to help the program through this. Things happen, and those are out of his control, but what's in his control is how he leads this group of young people through some adversity."

Fitzgerald thinks Fickell will benefit from knowing since March that he'd be taking on Tressel's duties for at least the first five games of the season. Fickell will have the next two months to prepare before fall camp kicks off in August.

But the overnight transition from position coach to full-time head coach can't be minimized.

"When I visited with coach [Gary] Barnett and with Randy and Tom Cable and Ron Vanderlinden on different things, they'd always say, 'You really don't get it until you sit in this chair, the head-coaching chair,'" Fitzgerald said. "You go from being an assistant coach, a guy who's on a need-to-know basis, worrying about your group of guys ... to now being the guy that needs to know everything. You're managing an entire program, not just the players but everything.

"It's a completely different level of responsibility," he continued. "Does being a position coach and being a coordinator prepare you for it? Absolutely. But what prepares you more are the experiences you've had as a person, developing and leading people.

"Luke is going to do a phenomenal job."

Fitzgerald also notes that the burden shouldn't be on Fickell's shoulders alone. Ohio State's players, especially the team leaders, need to answer the bell, especially during the critical summer months.

Fickell also should benefit from having some more experienced coaches on his staff, much like Fitzgerald did at Northwestern.

"You've got to look at the group and let everybody know, 'We're going to do this together,'" Fitzgerald said. "It's not going to be about Luke Fickell. It's going to be about the Ohio State Buckeyes and their program, and they're going to get through it together. Through adversity, a lot of times, people come together and become even tighter."

Fitzgerald also shared some thoughts on Tressel.

"It's a sad day, it's unfortunate," he said. "We lose a great football coach and someone who to me was always gracious in Jim Tressel. He was always humble, always very open with me and always tried to help other coaches in the profession. And for that, I'll forever be indebted.

"As a guy who has the utmost respect for Coach, it's a disappointing and sad day."

Jim Tressel's resignation from Ohio State on Monday ends one of the most successful runs in Big Ten coaching history.

Tressel spent 10 seasons in Columbus, compiling a 106-22 record (66-14 Big Ten).

Many thanks to ESPN's Stats & Information crew for the following nuggets on Tressel's time at Ohio State (note: there's a possibility these numbers could change depending on NCAA penalties against Tressel/Ohio State):

• Tressel is tied with Oklahoma's Bob Stoops for the most appearances by a coach in BCS bowls (8). He boasts a 5-3 record that includes a 1-2 mark in games that decided the national championship.
• Tressel has guided Ohio State to 10 or more wins in six consecutive seasons, the fifth-longest such streak in FBS history and the longest in Big Ten history.
• Tressel is the only coach in NCAA history to win more than 100 games at two separate schools (Youngstown State and Ohio State).
• Tressel's 106 wins are the third most by an Ohio State coach, behind Woody Hayes (205) and John Cooper (111). His winning percentage of .827, meanwhile, is significantly higher than both Hayes (.761) and Cooper (.715).
• Tressel last year became the third-fastest coach in Big Ten history to reach 100 victories, doing so in his 121st game. Michigan's Bo Schembechler and Fielding Yost both reached the 100-win mark in 119 games.
• Under Tressel, the Buckeyes spent 14 weeks as the No. 1-ranked team.

Several more nuggets from yours truly ...

• Tressel's Big Ten winning percentage ranks second in league history behind only Schembechler (.850).
• He coached 21 first-team All-Americans at Ohio State and 47 first-team All-Big Ten selections.
• Tressel boasts a 9-1 record against archrival Michigan and is the only Ohio State coach to defeat the Wolverines in seven consecutive games.

What a Sunday night in America, and Big Ten students were part of the celebration here and here.

• Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins ends the spring with a big performance, Matt Charboneau writes in The Detroit News. Spartans basketball player Draymond Green logs a few reps in the spring game, George Sipple writes in the Detroit Free Press. More Michigan State spring game coverage here and here.
• A new billboard in Michigan taunts embattled Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.
• Iowa has six players selected in the NFL draft for the second consecutive year, Andy Hamilton writes in the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
• Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez says the Big Ten opposed a new NCAA credit requirement rule, Jeff Potrykus writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Offensive lineman Bill Nagy rounds out a strong crop of Wisconsin's draftees, and barely avoids becoming Mr. Irrelevant, Tom Mulhern writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.
• The bonds between Ohio State and Jim Tressel make a clean break impossible, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Tressel and Woody Hayes are now united by success and scandal, Bill Livingston writes in the Plain Dealer. The wait ended this weekend for four Ohio State draft hopefuls, Tim May writes in The Columbus Dispatch.
• Nebraska's new NFL draftees can learn from the case of former Husker Trev Alberts, Steven M. Sipple writes in the Lincoln Journal Star. Take a closer look at coach Bo Pelini's revised contract.
• A long day had a happy ending for Michigan offensive lineman Stephen Schilling, annarbor.com's Michael Rothstein writes. Michigan's 2012 recruiting class now features eight verbal commits. More thoughts on the late Jim Mandich from John U. Bacon.
• The Saints looked to Illinois for two of their draft picks, ESPNChicago.com's Scott Powers writes.
• Penn State's Stefen Wisniewski should feel right at home in Oakland, Jeff Rice writes in the Centre Daily Times. Nittany Lines takes a look at a lean draft for Penn State.
• Two Indiana players hear their names called in the fourth round of the draft. Quarterback Ben Chappell is among the IU players still waiting for an NFL opportunity, Dustin Dopirak writes.
• Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan makes a good first impression with the Redskins, The Associated Press' Joseph White writes.
• A spring snapshot of Minnesota from The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Scott Dochterman.

The Big Ten finally revealed the new names for its football divisions, along with a new logo and 18 (count 'em) new trophies for football.

Sadly, my two suggestions for division names -- Delany and Delaney, and Adam and Rittenberg -- did not make the cut.

I'll get to my reaction for each part below. Overall, I feel like many of you do: The league could have done better and didn't help its national perception, at least in the short term. But unlike many folks, I care a lot more about who is in the divisions than what they are called. The amount of attention this topic generated really surprised me.

Overall, the reaction from fans and media members hasn't been positive.

"Any time you have something new, whether it’s a mark or trophies, it takes some time to get used to," league commissioner Jim Delany said on a teleconference.

That might be wishful thinking.

DIVISION NAMES

Meh.

After months of taking suggestions and brainstorming possibilities, the Big Ten ended up with Legends and Leaders. Here's the breakdown:

Legends Division: Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern and Nebraska

Leaders Division: Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue and Indiana

While the league's intentions here are understandable -- to honor its rich history and long lineup of legendary figures -- the Big Ten got too caught up in avoiding specific names. Make no mistake: The Big Ten was never going to name the divisions Woody and Bo. Way too exclusive. But there are former commissioners who could have been honored or historical figures who represent this area of the country.

The league also wanted to avoid geography in the division names. While I completely agreed that geography shouldn't have been the deciding factor in determining how teams were assigned to divisions, I didn't have nearly as big of an issue with geographical distinctions for division names. Lakes and Plains would have been just fine with me.

The Big Ten also couldn't have gone wrong with names that sounded patriotic: Liberty and Freedom or Stars and Stripes (suggested by the Chicago Tribune's Teddy Greenstein) would work.

"People suggested Schembechler and Hayes," Delany said. "Any time you looked at it, it seemed to be too exclusive and not inclusive enough. ... As we looked at ourselves, we believed at the core of who we are are our traditions and heritage. And those traditions are largely people, legendary people."

The Big Ten recognized plenty of those people in the new trophies. But Legends and Leaders is too generic, a little too arrogant and too Little League for me. Another good point raised by Greenstein: Two divisions that start with the letter "L" have a negative connotation in sports.

LOGO

As my wife often reminds me, I don't have a great eye for design. Aside from being named "Most Improved" in a middle school art class, my skills in this department are limited.

The Big Ten's new logo has its flaws, but I can live with it. The mark, created by Pentagram Design, certainly comes off a bit retro and looks more like something that would have been done when Delany first became commissioner in 1990 than now.

There's no hidden "12" in the logo like there is with "11" in the current Big Ten logo.

"A lot of people thought we would use negative space to [use] 12," Delany said. "Pretty much everybody in the design world said, 'No, don't do that.' "

What the league tried to do was create a link back to its pre-Penn State logo with the B-I-G 1-0, substituting the "I" in Big as the No. 1. Asked about the "G" looking like the No. 6, which feeds into the conspiracy theory that the Big Ten eventually will expand to 16 teams, Delany said, "We were thinking 10, not 16."

TROPHIES

Of the three new elements, the Big Ten definitely did best here. While 18 trophies is extremely excessive, the league was able to honor some of its great players and coaches.

The big additions are the Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy given to the winner of the Big Ten football title game, which beings next year. The trophy honors former University of Chicago coach Amos Alonzo Stagg and current Penn State coach Joe Paterno. The MVP of the title game receives the Grange-Griffin Trophy, which recognizes former Illinois star Red Grange and former Ohio State star Archie Griffin, the only two-time winner of the Heisman Trophy.

The complaint some have raised with these trophies is that they honor current Big Ten coaches like Paterno and Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald, whose name appears on the Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year award.

I don't have a problem with this. We don't need to wait for Paterno to die or stop coaching to recognize what he means to the Big Ten and to college football. While he hasn't been in the Big Ten for most of his career, his presence in this league is felt.

Many of the league's greats are still alive, so why not recognize them?

"A lot of people say you can't honor somebody who was alive, you can’t honor somebody who was active," Delany said. "I don’t subscribe to those rules. We were trying to get a good blend of great people, deceased and alive, who stand for great athletic contributions."

I also like that none of the Big Ten's trophies will be connected with corporate sponsorships.

Here's the full list of new trophies:

Championship game trophies

• Stagg-Paterno Championship Trophy: Honors Amos Alonzo Stagg (University of Chicago) and Joe Paterno (Penn State)
• Grange-Griffin Championship Game MVP: Honors Harold Edward “Red” Grange (Illinois) and Archie Griffin (Ohio State)

Postgraduate Awards

• Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award: Honors President Gerald R. Ford (former Michigan player) and Nile Kinnick (Iowa)
• Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award: Honors Tony Dungy (Minnesota) and Anthony Thompson (Indiana)

Annual Awards/Trophies

• Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year: Otto Graham (Northwestern) and Eddie George (Ohio State)
• Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year: Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski (Minnesota) and Charles Woodson (Michigan)
• Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year: Wayne Woodrow “Woody” Hayes (Ohio State) and Glenn Edward “Bo” Schembechler (Michigan
• Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year: Darrell Thompson (Minnesota) and Antwaan Randle El (Indiana)
• Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year: Honors Dave Rimington (Nebraska) and Orlando Pace (Ohio State)
• Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Honors Charles Aaron “Bubba” Smith (Michigan State) and Courtney Brown (Penn State)
• Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year: Honors Bob Griese (Purdue) and Drew Brees (Purdue)
• Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year: Honors Alan Ameche (Wisconsin) and Ron Dayne (Wisconsin)
• Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year: Honors Jack Tatum (Ohio State) and Rod Woodson (Purdue)
• Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year: Honors Dick Butkus (Illinois) and Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern)
• Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year: Honors Pat Richter (Wisconsin) and Desmond Howard (Michigan)
• Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: Honors Ted Kwalick (Penn State) and Dallas Clark (Iowa)
• Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year: Honors Jim Bakken (Wisconsin) and Morten Andersen (Michigan State)
• Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year: Honors Thomas Dwight “Dike” Eddleman (Illinois) and Brandon Fields (Michigan State)

Whew. A lot to digest. I'll have more on the announcement, so stay tuned.

The Ohio State Buckeyes have taken many paths to the Big Ten title in recent years.

They have won it in dominating fashion (2006). They have overcome a late loss to hang onto the crown (2007). They have rallied to win the league after being written off (2009). They also have shared the championship with Penn State after the Nittany Lions stumbled elsewhere (2005, 2008).

Despite the different routes to the title, Ohio State has been able to call itself the Big Ten champion in each of the last five seasons.

(Yes, I know the co-champs thing is lame, but we only have to put up with it until 2011.)

The Buckeyes began 2010 favored to win a record-tying sixth consecutive Big Ten crown. Woody Hayes led Ohio State to six straight championships (five shared, one outright) between 1972-77.

The streak is still alive entering the final two weeks of play. Ohio State can clinch at least a share of the Big Ten title by sweeping its final two games. But a loss likely would end the run of titles, as both Michigan State and Wisconsin are tied with Ohio State, and both squads have easier schedules down the stretch.

"I've never heard [the players] discuss it," coach Jim Tressel said of the title streak. "As we began the Big Ten schedule, it was obviously a goal of ours, but as soon as you get punched in the nose in the Big Ten and get reminded of how hard the journey is, it brings you back to reality.

"There's two very, very critical weekends left for the whole conference, and that's a lot of football left to be played."

Ohio State's biggest test comes Saturday at Kinnick Stadium against an Iowa squad that likely fell out of the title mix with a loss last week at Northwestern. Although there's a chance all the contenders will drop two league games, Hawkeyes coach Kirk Ferentz acknowledged Tuesday, "The chances of us being in the title talk have been reduced to a very slim percentage."

The Buckeyes still should expect a spirited effort from Iowa, especially from a decorated senior class playing their final home game. Iowa took Ohio State to overtime last year in the pseudo Big Ten championship at Ohio Stadium, and the Hawkeyes did so without the services of starting quarterback Ricky Stanzi.

Aside from a 1-point loss to Wisconsin, Iowa has outscored opponents 178-23 at Kinnick Stadium this season. And Ohio State has looked less than stellar in two of its three road games, falling to Wisconsin in Madison and struggling to pull away from Illinois in Champaign.

"The most difficult that you face is going into a place like Kinnick Stadium at this time of year," Tressel said. "It's going to be a tremendous challenge. We better be a good road team."

Ohio State has been somewhat of an enigma this season: dominant for stretches and several games, and seemingly disinterested at other times. Saturday's win against Penn State encapsulated the inconsistency, as Ohio State sleepwalked through the first half before crushing the Nittany Lions in the final 30 minutes.

It took an uncharacteristically animated speech from The Vest at halftime to light a fire under his team.

"His heel didn't stop moving and he was shaking his leg," receiver DeVier Posey recalled. "I knew he had something to say. I just didn't know what it was going to be.

"He definitely got our team fired up and I think we needed that."

Ohio State should need no pep talks this week. The Streak is at stake.

It's game week, people. You ready for some football?

• Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema has grown up in the job, Michael Hunt writes in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Barry Alvarez always said a team needs five great players, and Wisconsin has the magic number this year, Andy Baggot writes in the Wisconsin State Journal.
• Some very revealing stuff from Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez in this interview with the Detroit Free Press' Mitch Albom. Annarbor.com's Pete Bigelow looks into the crystal ball and sees what Rodriguez needs to turn things around at Michigan this fall. More on Rodriguez and the hot seat from Rivals.com's Tom Dienhart.
• Could Jim Tressel catch the great Woody Hayes in coaching wins at Ohio State? The Columbus Dispatch's Ken Gordon breaks it down. According to Buckeyes receiver Taurian Washington, the team has added Florida State transfer Dionte Allen. If Ohio State wins a national title this fall, the 2008 recruiting class could be a big reason why, Doug Lesmerises writes in The Cleveland Plain Dealer.
• Robert Bolden appears to be Penn State's best quarterback, and The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News' David Jones asks when the freshman should see the field. The Nittany Lions play the Big Ten's toughest schedule this fall, Jared Shanker writes in The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News. Penn State's league schedules for 2011 and beyond have been wiped clean, Cory Giger writes in The Altoona Mirror.
• An in-depth look at Illinois' all-time football roster from The (Champaign) News-Gazette. New coordinator Paul Petrino is being called "the offensive Ron Zook" by Zook himself Shannon Ryan writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Indiana quarterback Ben Chappell is right at home in his hometown, Dustin Dopirak writes in The (Bloomington) Herald-Times (subscription required). Good guy Bill Lynch will take the Hoosiers bowling this season, Hugh Kellenberger writes in The Herald-Times.
• A great piece on the history of traveling trophies in the Big Ten from The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette's Scott Dochterman.
• Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald refuses to eat at In-N-Out Burger until the Wildcats head back to the Rose Bowl, Teddy Greenstein writes in the Chicago Tribune.
• Michigan State has the ingredients for a renaissance this fall, most importantly team unity, Lynn Henning writes in The Detroit News.
• An in-depth season preview for Iowa from the Iowa City Press-Citizen and Des Moines Register. Quarterback Ricky Stanzi and defensive end Adrian Clayborn are two reasons why Iowa could be special this fall, Marc Morehouse writes in The (Cedar Rapids) Gazette.
• The Detroit Free Press' Shannon Shelton examines the outlook for Northwestern, Purdue, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota this fall. Iowa tops the Big Ten in Terry Hutchens' league preview (The Indianapolis Star).
• Minnesota's coaching staff has gone through a lot of shuffling, but co-defensive coordinators Kevin Cosgrove and Ron Lee provide stability, Marcus Fuller writes in the (St. Paul) Pioneer Press.
• The Big Ten is poised for some very big changes in the coming weeks, Bernard Fernandez writes in the Philadelphia Daily News.
• Purdue's strength once again will be through the air this fall, Mike Carmin writes in The (Lafayette) Journal and Courier.

The house of pain is in effect 'yall
I say the house of pain is in effect
You know the house of pain is in effect y'all
And anyone that steps up is gettin' wrecked

And, with those poetic lines from Everlast, we enter the Big Ten's House of Pain. All week at ESPN.com, we're exploring the most-painful losses in a team's history. What constitutes pain? First, the game has to be significant. A rough loss in a going-nowhere year doesn't sting as much as one that prevented a team from reaching its ultimate goals.

Painful losses often happen against rivals. Painful losses often have especially painful endings. Painful losses often take place at the worst possible times. Although blowout defeats certainly can qualify as painful, losses that culminate with crunch-time turnovers, field goal makes or misses or generally bizarre plays usually stick out more.

The most important criteria: painful losses linger for you, the fans.

Trust me, this wasn't easy, and I know many of you will disagree with the choices. But I only got to pick one game for each Big Ten team. A special thanks to the Big Ten sports information staffs for helping me with the project.

Here goes ...

ILLINOIS
Date: Nov. 3, 1990
Opponent: Iowa
Site: Memorial Stadium (Champaign, Ill.)
Final score: Iowa 54, Illinois 28

After winning a Citrus Bowl championship the previous January, Illinois entered the 1990 season with raised expectations. The Illini lost the opener but won their next six, rising to No. 5 in the national rankings. They had big dreams, but rival Iowa changed everything by crushing them in front of their own fans at Memorial Stadium. John Mackovic's team had no answer for Iowa's Nick Bell, who rushed for 168 yards. After allowing one touchdown in its opponents' previous 49 possessions, Illinois watched Iowa reach the end zone on its first five drives. Illinois' 2000 loss to Michigan deserves honorable mention.

INDIANA
Date: Nov. 7, 1988
Opponent: Illinois
Site: Memorial Stadium (Champaign, Ill.)
Final score: Illinois 21, Indiana 20

Indiana went to Champaign ranked No. 20 nationally and boasting a 4-1 mark in Big Ten play after a win against Iowa. The Hoosiers seemingly had the game in hand, up 20-9 with less than four minutes remaining. But Illinois quarterback Jeff George, an Indianapolis native who attended Indiana's archrival Purdue before transferring, led the comeback and fired a touchdown pass with 21 seconds left. Illinois' drive came after Indiana quarterback Dave Schnell fumbled on a bootleg. The loss took Indiana out of the race for the Big Ten championship. Indiana's most painful moment came against Anthony Carter and Michigan in 1979.

IOWA
Date: Jan. 1, 1986
Opponent: UCLA
Site: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
Final Score: UCLA 45, Iowa 28

Iowa felt the pain both for what happened during the game and what happened soon afterward. Maxwell Award winner Chuck Long led the fourth-ranked Hawkeyes into Pasadena, but he was sacked four times by the Bruins. Tailback Ronnie Harmon had a miserable day, fumbling four times after doing so just once all season and dropping a wide-open touchdown pass. Some believed Harmon threw the game. An Iowa win could have led to a national championship after No. 1 Penn State and No. 2 Miami both lost in their bowl games.

MICHIGAN
Date: Nov. 24, 1973
Opponent: Ohio State
Site: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Final score: Ohio State 10, Michigan 10

Michigan has had its share of painful losses -- Appalachian State, Ohio State in 2006, Colorado in 1994 -- but this tie with the hated Buckeyes really stung the Maize and Blue. The game featured its share of pain, as Michigan rallied from a 10-0 deficit to tie things up, but missed two field goals in the closing moments. The controversy really started afterward, as Big Ten athletic directors voted that Ohio State should play in the Rose Bowl ahead of Michigan. The Big Ten's no-repeat rule had been scrapped just two years earlier. Michigan coach Bo Schembechler called the decision "an embarrassment to the Big Ten Conference" and stewed about it until his death in 2006.

MICHIGAN STATE
Date: Jan. 1, 1966
Opponent: UCLA
Site: Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
Final score: UCLA 14, Michigan State 12

The Spartans came to Pasadena undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the country. UCLA jumped ahead as the Spartans coughed up the ball four times in the first half. Still, Michigan State had a chance and outgained UCLA 314-212 in the game. The Spartans rallied and scored with less than a minute left, setting up a potential tying two-point conversion attempt. But fullback Bob Apisa was stopped short of the goal line by UCLA's Bob Stiles, who knocked himself out making the tackle. Alabama was awarded the AP national title. Michigan State's 2006 loss to Notre Dame and 1966 tie against the Irish deserve honorable mention.

MINNESOTA
Date: Oct. 10, 2003
Opponent: Michigan
Site: Metrodome (Minneapolis)
Final score: Michigan 38, Minnesota 35

Minnesota was 6-0 and entered the Little Brown Jug rivalry ranked No. 17 nationally. Led by tailbacks Marion Barber and Laurence Maroney, Minnesota led 28-7 after three quarters and 35-21 with 11:11 left. But Michigan couldn't be stopped in the fourth quarter and scored 31 points in the final 15 minutes, capped by Garrett Rivas' field goal with 47 seconds left. Minnesota rushed for 424 yards but still felt short. The Gophers arguably have never been the same. No Big Ten team has more painful losses than Minny.

NORTHWESTERN
Date: Nov. 11, 2000
Opponent: Iowa
Site: Kinnick Stadium
Final score: Iowa 27, Northwestern 17

Northwestern has seen huge leads evaporate (Michigan State in 2006), suffered shocking early losses (Miami University in 1995) and come very close to ending its bowl drought the past two seasons. But Rose Bowl opportunities don't come around too often for the Wildcats, and they squandered one by falling to Iowa. A week after an unforgettable win against Michigan and ranked No. 12 nationally, Northwestern was totally outplayed by a Hawkeyes team that went 3-9. On a day when Purdue opened a path to Pasadena with a loss to Michigan State, the Wildcats stumbled on the doorstep.

OHIO STATE
Date: Nov. 22, 1969
Opponent: Michigan
Site: Michigan Stadium (Ann Arbor, Mich.)
Final score: Michigan 24, Ohio State 12

The Buckeyes brought one of their greatest teams ever to "that state up North" to face a Michigan team regaining respectability under first-year coach Bo Schembechler. Although Michigan played at home and carried a four-game win streak into The Game, Ohio State was a 17-point favorite. The Buckeyes scored a quick touchdown but never really recovered, as a Michigan team inspired by Schembechler and a 50-14 loss the year before shut down Rex Kern and Co. Ohio State committed seven turnovers and suffered one of the biggest upsets in college football history. It also spawned the Ten-Year War between Schembechler and Woody Hayes. Ohio State's 1998 loss to Michigan State merits honorable mention.

PENN STATE
Date: Nov. 6, 1999
Opponent: Minnesota
Site: Beaver Stadium (State College, Pa.)
Final score: Minnesota 24, Penn State 23

Undefeated Penn State looked every bit like a national championship team, rising to No. 2 in the polls behind freakish defenders like LaVar Arrington and Courtney Brown. The Nittany Lions held a two-point advantage when Joe Paterno decided to punt rather than attempt a long field goal try in the closing minutes, trusting his dominant defense. Minnesota began the game's decisive drive with a Hail Mary pass from Billy Cockerham to Ron Johnson. Moments later, the Gophers converted a fourth-and-16 to set up the game-winning field goal by freshman kicker Dan Nystrom. Penn State lost its final two regular-season games. The Lions' 1979 Sugar Bowl loss to Alabama and their 2005 loss to Michigan gain honorable mention.

PURDUE
Date: Oct. 16, 2004
Opponent: Wisconsin
Site: Ross-Ade Stadium (West Lafayette, Ind.)
Final score: Wisconsin 20, Purdue 17

Purdue's program hasn't been the same since The Fumble. The Boilers came in 5-0 and ranked fifth nationally, while quarterback Kyle Orton had established himself as the Heisman Trophy front-runner. Purdue led 17-7 with eight minutes left and had a three-point advantage and the ball with 2:49 remaining. On third-and-3, Orton scrambled and made a lunge for the first down, only to have the ball knocked loose. Wisconsin's Scott Starks scooped it up and raced 40 yards for the game-winning touchdown with 2:36 left. Purdue lost its next three games and backslid to the Sun Bowl, where it fell to Arizona State.

WISCONSIN
Date: Oct. 23, 1993
Opponent: Minnesota
Site: Metrodome (Minneapolis)
Final score: Minnesota 28, Wisconsin 21

Wisconsin might have celebrated a national championship had it found a way to beat the rival Golden Gophers. The Badgers were 6-0 heading to the Metrodome but fell behind 21-0 to a Minnesota team that went 4-7 that fall. Wisconsin closed to within 21-14 and reached the Minnesota 8-yard line before Brent Moss was stuffed on fourth-and-1. The Badgers went on to share a Big Ten championship and reach the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1963, but they were so close to winning it all. Honorable mentions include 1999 against Cincinnati, 1998 against Michigan and 2005 against Iowa in Barry Alvarez's final game.