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MADISON, Wisc. -- Just thinking about all the talent Wisconsin has lost in the past two years can be a little daunting.

The Badgers saw four first- or second-team All-Americans leave after the 2010 season (Gabe Carimi, John Moffitt, Lance Kendricks and J.J. Watt) and two more depart after last season (Peter Konz, Kevin Zeitler), along with their NCAA record-breaking transfer quarterback (Russell Wilson). Many programs would expect a dip after having so much star power leave town, but Bret Bielema is feeling fine.

"I used to freak out when we lost players, too," Bielema said. "But we do a good job of just developing. We always talk about being a developmental program, and I think it truly is that type of program now."

Wisconsin's ability to keep reloading will be put to the test in 2012. The team returns just 11 starters from last year's Big Ten champions, and six assistant coaches -- including almost all of the offensive brain trust -- left for other jobs in the offseason. Yet many still predict the Badgers will repeat as Leaders Division champs.

They will need new starters to emerge at receiver, on the right side of the offensive line, on the defensive line, in the secondary and of course at quarterback, where Maryland transfer Danny O'Brien could plug the hole. But O'Brien is the exception, as Wisconsin usually just brings along the next man on the depth chart.

"There are All-Americans sitting behind All-Americans, especially at spots like offensive line and running back," linebacker Chris Borland said. "Like last year, having lost Moffitt and Carimi, and then our line was arguably better. I think it speaks more to the development than it does to the players."

Madison might well be the world's leading producer of offensive linemen, and the running back tradition is just as strong. But other positions are becoming known for their string of successes as well, including tight end and safety. In each of the past two years, Wisconsin has lost an all-conference safety -- Jay Valai in 2010 and Aaron Henry in 2011. But Bielema says this year's pair of starters, Dezmen Southward and Shelton Johnson, might be his best duo yet.

"A guy might not be good enough to play right away, but a lot of times he'll develop for a year and come on the scene when a guy leaves or gets injured," said Jared Abbrederis, who's gone from former walk-on to one of the league's best wideouts. "That's kind of how it goes around here."

What's most impressive about the Badgers' recent run is that they've done it without many high-profile recruits. Bielema mostly signs three-star types and rarely brings in the true blue-chipper that gets scouting services drooling. Even though the program's exposure has increased of late, he still has little interest in trying to recruit much outside of a few key areas.

"We do what we can with what we've got," Bielema said. "I don't think we want more national recruits. A lot of times, those guys come with some issues you don't want to deal with. I take a lot of pride with the way our guys go about their business and handle themselves."

Player development is going to be key for Wisconsin's immediate future, because a cavalry of help isn't coming. The team signed only 12 players in February and expects to bring in an even smaller class next year. The reason? So few players have left before their eligibility ended.

"A lot of places sign 24 or 25 kids every year, so something is happening to those kids," Bielema said. "Of the last 66 kids we signed, 64 of them are still on campus, which is an unheard of number."

Last year's Rose Bowl team had only 24 juniors and seniors, and the rest were underclassmen. If those youngsters develop the way their predecessors have, then the Badgers will have a deep and experienced team soon. In fact, when O'Brien -- who has two years of eligibility remaining -- came on his visit, Bielema told him, "I think we'll be really good this year. But next year, on paper, might be the best team I've ever had."

That's a big statement, given how much talent -- both players and coaches -- has exited Madison in the past two years. But Wisconsin is confident in its ability to reload from within.

"We realize we're a developmental program," athletic director Barry Alvarez said. "We don't have the access to a lot of five-star guys. We might have a Joe Thomas coming out of the state or get a Ron Dayne because of his ties to the area. But for the most part, we develop players. And I think we have the right formula."

It figures that the most important meetings to determine college football's future postseason structure are taking place this week in Hollywood, Fla.

After all, every other meaningful event in the sport occurs well south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany needs to make sure that changes, no matter which playoff format the BCS leaders ultimately choose. Forget the laughable "Four Teams Plus" plan that keeps the Rose Bowl in the mix for determining the national champion, but has virtually no chance of being approved by commissioners not from the Big Ten or Pac-12. While Delany loves the Rose Bowl and always will, his top priority this week in South Florida should be proximity.

If a four-team postseason plan is green-lighted, as many expect, Delany must ensure that it's possible for at least some of the games to be played in or near the Big Ten footprint. Because the current system doesn't serve the Big Ten or its fans.

There are myriad reasons for the Big Ten's downturn during the BCS era, but the location of the most significant bowl games, including the national championship, undoubtedly hurts the league, which has played several virtual road contests.

Since the BCS launched in 1998, the Big Ten has dropped two games to LSU in New Orleans, including the national title game after the 2007 season. The Big Ten also is 0-4 against USC at the Rose Bowl. While there are exceptions, like Penn State's Orange Bowl win against Florida State, Big Ten teams generally become roadkill in these matchups.

The Big Ten's destination dilemma is inherent within the current bowl/BCS system. The big bowl games always have been played in the south and west, and because of the "double-hosting" model, the same holds true for the national championship games. Most Big Ten fans understand the reasons behind this, and have willingly hopped on airplanes every December and traveled far and wide to see their teams play. It's this willingness that has made Big Ten teams so attractive to BCS bowl committees.

But the future postseason structure will bring change. A four-team setup would create two semifinals, which might take place within the current bowl structure, but most likely will not. The semis could take place at on-campus sites belonging to the higher seeds, a plan Delany advocates, or at neutral sites like Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium and Detroit's Ford Field. The Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis? Beats facing LSU in NOLA.

"Yes, has to be," Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith recently told ESPN.com. "If you go neutral sites, you've got to have one in the Midwest. You've just got to. If it's campus sites, it's hard to dictate that, because it depends on the rankings. If you go campus sites, you hope some Midwest team is up there and they get to host."

Although Big Ten fans travel better than any in the country, the cost of making two long trips -- for the semifinals and championship game -- in a short span around the holidays will be too much for many to bear.

"If you think about it, just about every conference now has a [championship game], so you expect your fans to go to that," Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, who is attending the BCS meetings along with Delany, told ESPN.com. "Now you're going to go to a bowl site, and if you're in a championship game, that's three games you want them to travel to. It would be nice if one of those games would be at a home site, or two of them."

There's also the possibility the national championship game moves away from the bowl sites and goes to the highest bidder, which could bring venues like Lucas Oil Stadium and Ford Field into the rotation. The chance to play for a title on Big Ten soil will excite fans around the Midwest, but they'll settle for having some type of nationally relevant football game within driving distance in late December or early January.

Delany's ideal setup likely would call for semifinal games on campus, and the national title game at the Rose Bowl every year. Don't hold your breath on either element coming to fruition, but having a neutral-site semifinal in the Midwest every year certainly isn't too much to ask.

Big Ten fans have served their league and its teams extremely well by traveling in droves to big-time bowl games in faraway destinations.

It's time for Delany to return the favor by ensuring they'll have a chance to see their teams play meaningful games closer to home.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When the Big Ten and Pac-12 announced their partnership in December, they targeted 2017 as the first season of head-to-head play in football.

But the nature of nonconference scheduling and the needs of 24 different schools could result in a staggered start. Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez told Brian Bennett that some Pac-12 schools are "dragging their feet a little bit" in relation to football scheduling, citing the difficulty of a slate featuring nine league games, a Big Ten opponent and, for some teams, another major-conference opponent.

There are also obstacles in the Big Ten. Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told ESPN.com that the Buckeyes aren't scheduled to begin the Pac-12 partnership in football until the 2018 season.

The reason: Ohio State already has nonconference games scheduled against Oklahoma (home) and North Carolina (road) in 2017.

"I'm not taking [a Pac-12 game]," Smith said. "We can't start in '17, so we will start in '18."

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany on Thursday issued a statement to ESPN.com that reads in part: "Both conferences reaffirmed plans to play an annual 12 interconference game football schedule beginning in 2017, subject to previously contracted non-conference games." The key line there is subject to previously contracted nonconference games. The way scheduling works, many schools have contracts out to 2017 and beyond.

Big Ten spokesman Scott Chipman on Friday told ESPN.com that the two conferences still have 2017 as the desired start date for all 12 football games. There's a chance teams could move around dates of games, which happens quite often. Michigan State recently added a home-and-home series against Oregon -- not part of the Big Ten/Pac-12 partnership -- because West Virginia had to get out of a series with the Spartans as part of its move to the Big 12.

Bottom line: both sides want an agreement, but there are a lot of moving parts (i.e. signed contracts with other teams). A lot could change before 2017, and the discussions will continue next month when the Big Ten athletic directors have their spring meeting in Chicago.

"It's more an issue of when we start," Smith said. "Is it '17 or '18, or is it '17 with some schools phasing in in '18 and '19? It's going to happen. It's just a matter of will it be just like we felt it was going to be at the beginning. Everybody's committed to making it happen."

MADISON, Wisc. -- In late December, the Big Ten and Pac-12 announced that they would enter into a new scheduling partnership, and that by 2017 there would be an annual football series involving all 12 schools in both leagues.

But Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez told ESPN.com on Thursday that the partnership in football had not been finalized because "there are a couple of teams in the Pac-12 that are dragging their feet a little bit."

"We hope we can finalize it," Alvarez said. "I think it would be healthy for our league and their league."

The sticking point, Alvarez said, is how difficult the schedule could become for some Pac-12 teams. That league is committed to playing a full nine-game conference schedule. A Big Ten opponent would mean 10 tough games, and schools like USC and Stanford have an annual series with Notre Dame.

"So I can see why somebody would be reluctant to jump in with both feet and say, 'Hey this is great,' with the schedule they're playing," Alvarez said. "Most of the people I've talked to have been in favor it, and the ADs out there have been in favor of it. But I can see where some people, some coaches could be reluctant."

However, when contacted by ESPN.com, the Big Ten said the series is still on. The league issued this statement from commissioner Jim Delany.

"We have just concluded very high level presidential meetings, at which time both conferences reaffirmed plans to play an annual 12 inter-conference game football schedule beginning in 2017, subject to previously contracted non-conference games. It was also reaffirmed that the collaboration was critically important to implement across a wide area of athletic and academic endeavors. We have made significant progress across the board in other scheduling areas."

Alvarez said the series will be discussed further when Big Ten athletic directors meet next month in Chicago. While it appears to still be a go, this is a reminder that 2017 is a long way away, and conferences' priorities can change. Remember when the Big Ten was seemingly gung ho about a nine-game league schedule?

Every Big Ten administrator who has commented on the league's four-team playoff proposal also has made sure to acknowledge the Rose Bowl in the same breath.

"The Rose Bowl is extremely important to Michigan State just as it is to every school in the Big Ten and Pac-12," Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis told the Associated Press.

"Any talk of a limited playoff needs to keep the tradition of the Rose Bowl and the bowl system in play," Iowa AD Gary Barta wrote to the Des Moines Register in an email.

"My concern -- first and foremost -- is maintaining our relationship with the Rose Bowl," Wisconsin AD Barry Alvarez wrote in his monthly letter to fans.

Perhaps there's some little-known Big Ten bylaw requiring league officials and administrators to pay homage to the Rose Bowl whenever discussing the future of college football. Commissioner Jim Delany always makes a point to acknowledge the Rose Bowl as the league's most important external relationship.

Kevin Ash, the Rose Bowl's chief administrative officer, enjoys hearing this from one of the game's conference partners. He hopes the pledges continue, as the Rose Bowl needs both the Big Ten and Pac-12 to be in its corner.

One of the big questions with any playoff model is how it would impact the current bowls, including the Rose. Would the Rose Bowl remain a premier sporting event on New Year's Day, or would the game start seeing drops in attendance and ratings like some of the other major bowls?

The Big Ten plan would remove the top four teams from the BCS bowl pool and have semifinal games played on the college campus of the higher seed. The championship game then could be bid out, like the Super Bowl.

The Rose Bowl's fate largely rests with Delany and his Pac-12 counterpart Larry Scott.

"We rely on them heavily to lead on our behalf, because we don't sit at the table with them," Ash told ESPN.com on Thursday. "We're not an active party. We know they have our best interest at heart, and we're a huge part of who they are in the postseason."

Like many, Ash senses the momentum building toward a college football playoff. He understands that the next BCS cycle, beginning in 2014, could bring changes for the Rose Bowl.

"It's going to be interesting to see some of the proposals," he said. "There could be variations that could be OK for the Rose Bowl game. If the commissioners feel we need to move in a different direction, which is best for college football, we've got to be a part of that."

The desire to maintain the traditional Big Ten-Pac-12 Rose Bowl matchup has been viewed as one of the primary impediments to a college football playoff.

Like the Big Ten and, to a lesser extent, the Pac-12, the Rose Bowl has been viewed as an obstruction to a college football playoff. Although the game has loosened its access rules and has had teams from other leagues, most recently TCU in the 2011 game, the desire always has been to have the Big Ten champion face the Pac-12 champion on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.

Any type of playoff format would decrease the likelihood of having both league champions in the game.

"Whatever system they decide to put forward, we will deal with the access issue as it applies to us, and we will embrace any visitor that comes to our game," Ash said. "But each year, we hope to have a Pac-12 and Big Ten champion playing for the Rose Bowl championship. Simple as that. Does it hurt us to have other teams in here? No. But we're traditionalists. It's a part of who we are."

Some see the Rose Bowl's traditionalist nature as being inflexible. The Big Ten, and, to a lesser extent, the Pac-12, have been viewed this way as well.

Ash said it's not the case.

"Since the BCS, we've learned to evolve, and we still have our tradition," Ash said. "Tradition is a two-sided sword. If you sit on tradition, then you can get left behind, but if you are careful about how you move forward, then you can keep that tradition going. There's possibilities out there, models that can be successful for us. We've got to see what plays out."

And follow Delany's and Scott's lead.

"They're very, very intelligent guys, and their leadership is amazing," Ash said. "We need to evolve in order to stay relevant. I think those are the guys who can take us there.

"They're going to protect us as best they can."

Add another influential Big Ten figure to those who are at least open to the idea of a college football playoff.

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez wrote a column for Varsity, the school's online magazine, in which he addressed the plan floated by Big Ten officials that would see a four-team playoff with semifinal games played at campus sites. Alvarez wrote that he feels "comfortable taking a serious look at our potential options" and that he is "definitely intrigued by the proposal."

Alvarez said his "first and foremost" concern is protecting the Rose Bowl, which is understandable given the way Badgers fans have responded to their Pasadena trips. But if that can be done, he said he likes the idea in general, and calls the use of campus sites "one way of leveling the playing field a little bit."

"I've felt that SEC teams have had an advantage because of the number of bowls that have been played in their backyard," Alvarez writes. "What would they think about leaving the South and playing in the Midwest?"

Alvarez said he wants to maintain the importance of the regular season, and pointed to Duke's recent loss at home to Miami in men's basketball as an example of a regular-season game that likely will be long forgotten and irrelevant come tournament time. He doesn't want that to happen in football. But the beauty of the proposal is that teams will have to keep fighting to earn home-field advantage. And since it only adds one more game to the schedule for two teams, Alvarez said the idea is "workable."

The Wisconsin legend's support is important. Remember that Alvarez played a key role in getting Nebraska into the league as the 12th member by relying on his relationship with his alma mater.

In the piece, Alvarez also seeks to clarify his comments last week in response to Bret Bielema's allegations of "illegal" recruiting by Ohio State's Urban Meyer. Alvarez reiterated that there's no "gentleman's agreement" in Big Ten recruiting but said he in no way was trying to contradict or show a lack of respect for his head football coach.

Big Ten coaches didn't sing "Kumbaya" after Friday's meeting at league headquarters in Park Ridge, Ill.

"I don't think anybody wanted to sing," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said, laughing.

But the leagues coaches finished the meeting with handshakes after a contentious week regarding recruiting.

Fitzgerald, the chair of the Big Ten coaches' group, told ESPN.com on Friday the coaches are "unified" and "on the same page" regarding recruiting practices after meeting for several hours. Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema had voiced concerns about the recruiting practices of Ohio State coach Urban Meyer earlier this week, although Bielema told colleague Joe Schad on Friday that he never accused Meyer of violating NCAA recruiting rules. Bielema said the coaches "are moving forward."

Eleven of the league's 12 head coaches gathered Friday for a non-mandatory meeting (Penn State's Bill O'Brien, who is preparing for Sunday's Super Bowl, didn't attend).

"We understand what's acceptable and what's not acceptable in recruiting," Fitzgerald told ESPN.com. "We also talked about regardless of what's been reported, we agreed there's been no basis for accusing any coaches of illegal or unethical recruiting. There's been no gentleman's agreement inhibiting recruitment of verbally committed players, but we're going to do all of our recruiting based on respect for each other.

"Nothing but great dialogue."

Meyer issued a statement earlier Friday calling the meeting "productive" and reiterating that his coaches been in full NCAA compliance and that "no one on this staff did anything illegal or unethical." Bielema on Wednesday said he contacted Meyer about some recruiting issues and "the situation got rectified." Sporting News reported Thursday that Bielema had asked Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez to contact Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany about Meyer's recruiting methods.

But things seemed to be smoothed over during Friday's meeting. While Fitzgerald didn't want to speak for Bielema and Meyer -- "I'd rather have the comments and discussions that were had between Bret and Urban discussed with Bret and Urban," he said -- he doesn't think there's bad blood between the league's coaches.

"Everybody's on the same page," Fitzgerald said. "We're going to do everything relentlessly for our programs and do everything we can to sign the best players we possibly can for our programs, but we're always going to do it with the utmost respect. Regardless of what was reported in the media, we all agree that there was no basis for accusing any coaches of illegal or unethical recruiting."

Delany met with the coaches for a portion of the meeting, and the coaches also met by themselves in executive session. Fitzgerald said the commissioner didn't admonish any coaches for the public spat that surfaced late this week.

"We work through everything together collectively with Jim," Fitzgerald said. "You’re always given a chance to vent and have things discussed. That's healthy. It allows us to get everything on the table."

Earlier today, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez told ESPN.com he was unaware of any recruiting violations by Ohio State's Urban Meyer in the wake of Badgers coach Bret Bielema saying Meyer had used "illegal" methods.

Meyer reportedly shot back at Bielema and some comments from Michigan State at a high school coaches' clinic on Friday.

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith has weighed in, too, and he's not happy with what Bielema said. Here is a statement from Smith sent out from the Buckeyes this afternoon:

“I am disappointed that negative references have been made about our football coaches, and particularly head coach Urban Meyer regarding recruiting. In our league appropriate protocol, if you have concerns, is to share those concerns with your Athletic Director (AD). Then your AD will make the determination on the appropriate communication from that point forward. The ADs in our league are professionals and communicate with each other extremely well. Urban Meyer and his staff have had a compliance conscience since they have arrived.”

In case you're wondering, Ohio State plays at Wisconsin on Nov. 17. There might be a little bit of interest in that game.

Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez spent most of his life in coaching, and he knows recruiting can be a messy process.

But Alvarez also knows the difference between questionable recruiting practices and illegal ones. And to his knowledge, Ohio State coach Urban Meyer didn't do anything illegal in compiling the Buckeyes' latest recruiting class.

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema accused Meyer of "illegal" recruiting practices Wednesday and told the Sporting News on Thursday that Alvarez soon would be discussing Meyer's recruiting with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany. Bielema said Alvarez would bring it up at an athletic directors' meeting Friday, but the Big Ten confirmed to ESPN.com that there is no such meeting.

Colleague Joe Schad caught up Friday with Alvarez, who said he has no issue with coaches "flipping" recruits who had committed to another school. Meyer flipped several for Ohio State's class, including offensive lineman Kyle Dodson, a Wisconsin commit.

"Recruiting is recruiting until they sign," Alvarez told Schad. "If we had somebody who changed their mind and came to us, that's OK. Urban [Meyer] was very aggressive but there is no pact within the conference not to continue to recruit. It's open season until they sign."

Alvarez also said he's unaware of any "illegal" tactics by Meyer and hasn't spoken with Delany.

"It's dangerous to point fingers and make accusations," Alvarez said. "I actually think recruiting is tamer now that it was at one point in time."

Sounds like Bielema and his boss need to have a talk. It's dangerous to throw out the word "illegal" without some strong evidence to back it up.

Again, I don't think Bielema is talking about flipping recruits or the Big Ten's "gentleman's agreement" not to do so. The "agreement" is a joke and gets violated every year by several schools. Wisconsin has violated it in the past. As Bielema told me Wednesday, "As coaches, we're all vultures. They smell something and they want to try and see if there's an interest."

There's a difference between unethical and illegal.

If Meyer violated NCAA rules in his recruiting, someone needs to come forward and talk about it. Vague accusations don't help. But whether or not it's true, there has to be a bigger issue here than flipping recruits.

Is there some larger issue here? If so, Bielema needs to clue in someone. Like Alvarez.

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema made waves Wednesday when he suggested new Ohio State coach Urban Meyer used "illegal" recruiting practices in signing his first class.

Now it appears that Bielema and Wisconsin are taking things to the next level.

Sporting News reported Thursday that Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez will speak with Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany about Meyer's recruiting methods during the league's next athletic director meetings.

During his National Signing Day press conference, Bielema hinted that Meyer was using "illegal" recruiting practices. He said as much again Thursday when contacted by Sporting News, and without getting into specifics offered this:

"I called Urban and we spoke about it," Bielema said. "We talked about it, and he said it would stop and it did. I'll let our commissioner deal with anything else. That's not who we are [in the Big Ten]. We settle things among ourselves as coaches."

Meyer's arrival and big splash on the recruiting trail, which included flipping several recruits committed to other Big Ten schools, clearly has rankled coaches in the league. There's a belief, whether it's real or not, that things are done differently in the Big Ten. Bielema spells it out to the Sporting News' Matt Hayes, saying, "We at the Big Ten don't want to be like the SEC -- in any way, shape or form."

Meyer, of course, made his previous coaching stop in the SEC at Florida.

The Ohio State coach reiterated to Brian Bennett today that he assessed recruits' interest in the Buckeyes and only pursued those who wanted to play in Scarlet and Gray. He added that several prospects, like one-time Michigan State commit Se'Von Pittman, "came after us."

Are Wisconsin's complaints solely about the so-called "gentleman's agreement" in the Big Ten -- where coaches don't poach each other's recruits? Or is there something else?

I've seen the "agreement" violated every year. Even Bielema told me Wednesday, "We're all vultures." Sure, the recruit-flipping hasn't happened with the frequency we saw with Meyer at Ohio State -- nor with so many high-profile recruits -- but it happens a lot.

It'll be interesting to see what action, if any, Delany takes on this matter. Unless Meyer violated some NCAA recruiting bylaw, which it appears he did not, I can't see the Big Ten doing much.

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin-Ohio State rivalry just got even spicier.

Bret Bielema's five-year rollover has been picked up, as the Wisconsin coach's contract now runs through the 2016 season.

Bielema's five-year deal now runs through Jan. 31, 2017. He is 60-19 in six seasons as Wisconsin's head coach and has guided the Badgers to back-to-back Big Ten titles and back-to-back Rose Bowl appearances.

No surprise here, as Bielema's deal will rollover every year unless Wisconsin decides to restructure things. And with the program headed in the right direction, don't expect much to change.

In other Wisconsin news, athletic director Barry Alvarez said Friday that he was unaware of the party thrown by former senior associate AD John Chadima in Los Angeles where Chadima allegedly committed a sexual assault against a student working for the football team.

From the Wisconsin State Journal:

"I didn't know this particular party was going on," Alvarez said. "As a matter of fact, John was supposed to be at dinner with me that night. [Chadima] canceled out just beforehand. I didn't know anything about this party."

However, Alvarez said he was aware that Chadima had held these types of parties during bowl trips in past years. They were referred to as "B team" parties and were meant to reward people who worked behind the scenes in the football program, including equipment workers, secretaries and "the people behind the scenes that get a lot of work done."

"This is one thing they've done over the years for camaraderie," Alvarez said. "They've done it for several years now."

Alvarez said he never attended one of the parties and did not realize student workers went to them. He said he had no knowledge of any underage drinking and no prior concerns about the parties.

Alvarez said he will form a committee to address alcohol-related issues and make sure athletic department personnel understand the guidelines going forward.

We'll try to post all the statements from Big Ten schools on the passing of former Penn State coach Joe Paterno earlier today.

Here are three more:

Wisconsin athletic director and former coach Barry Alvarez

"Today is a sad day. Joe made a difference. He impacted a lot of people. He made a difference in a community, in a college and in college football. He was truly special and an icon. For someone to continue to do what he did through different generations and for such a long period of time and be effective was amazing. I've considered Joe a friend and a mentor. This is sad day for college football and the Penn State community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them and the Paterno family."

Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema

"Coach Paterno obviously did so many wonderful things for a number of years, not only with the success of his teams on the field but the number of lives he shaped. I hope people remember his lifetime achievements. From day one, when I joined the head coaching ranks and was fortunate enough to cross paths with him at coaches meetings and various functions, he was always very engaging and complimentary of the way we did things at Wisconsin and how we played. I enjoyed competing with him at every level. Our Badger football family sends our condolences and deepest sympathies to the Penn State community and the Paterno family."

Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio

"On behalf of my immediate family and the Michigan State football family, we express our deepest sympathy to Joe Paterno's wife Sue, his five children and 17 grandchildren, as well as his extended family, the Penn State football family and the entire State College community. Joe dedicated his life to Penn State and college football. He had unparalleled success during his 46 seasons as the head coach at Penn State. Joe was a major player who helped revolutionize the game of college football. In his six-plus decades at Penn State, he influenced and impacted countless numbers of players and people at a championship level. "Over the past five years, my wife and I have had the privilege of spending time with both Joe and his wife Sue. We appreciated and enjoyed the time spent at our various functions together and will forever remember him as a steward of our profession."

LOS ANGELES -- On Saturday morning in a hotel ballroom, Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema and Oregon coach Chip Kelly will stand together and pose for pictures with the Rose Bowl trophy. It's the kind of staged, sometimes forced, photo op that occurs before every big game.

Stare at this particular picture a bit longer, though. Appreciate the similar traits each man brought to this moment, even though they are in many ways unique. Try to imagine how they'll look in the same pose when they are older. Because this image is likely to be repeated in the future.

Here is Oregon making its second Rose Bowl appearance in three years, and here is Wisconsin back in Pasadena for the second consecutive season. Kelly and Bielema are quickly becoming the faces of the most tradition-laden bowl game, even if they are not exactly cut from a traditional cloth.

One (Kelly) played and coached for more than a decade at the relative outpost of New Hampshire before suddenly emerging as the titan of West Coast football. The other (Bielema) is thoroughly Midwestern -- born in Illinois, played linebacker at Iowa, defensive assistant for the Hawkeyes and Kansas State -- yet knows how to merge new-school fun with old-school, power football.

Kelly is hailed as a genius, the offensive innovator whose forward-thinking, high-speed spread attack plays perfectly to the video-game generation. Bielema's scheme is more brute than scoot but is almost equally as effective. Kelly's Ducks have averaged 43.1 points per game since he became head coach in 2009. In that same time frame, Bielema's Badgers have averaged 39.2.

"What Bret's done with that program, as a coach from the outside you really kind of admire it," Kelly said. "There's a consistency to it. He has a style of offense he plays and a style of defense he plays, and they stick to that. And they're really, really good at it."

Both coaches have achieved a lot at a young age. Kelly is 48, while Bielema turns 42 on Jan. 13.

"I think with his age being a little bit closer to ours, it makes him a lot easier to relate to," Wisconsin linebacker Kevin Claxton said of Bielema. "He knows what we're thinking and going through."

Both men can be described as players' coaches. Kelly handled the very difficult LeGarrette Blount punching controversy in his very first game as head coach with a solid measure of both discipline and compassion for his player. Bielema pumps up rap music at practice and gives his players the freedom to be themselves. Kelly's players buy into his cult of personality. Bielema is more like your favorite uncle.

"He's so outgoing," said quarterback Russell Wilson, whom Bielema recruited as a transfer from NC State over the summer. "He tried to get to know me quickly, like he was my best friend, to be honest with you. But at the same time, he makes you work. He wants to see the best out of you and all his players."

Both men are single in a profession in which being seen as a family man is a good career choice. Bielema is engaged and plans to wed next spring, while Kelly dislikes discussing his private life.

Kelly and Bielema are liked but probably not loved by all their peers. They'll ruffle feathers on occasion with the way their teams continue to pile on the points during blowouts. If you're an opposing team's fan, you'd probably describe them as arrogant. You'd also secretly wish they were your team's coach.

The only real knock on either is a perceived failure to win games. Which is mostly ludicrous, considering that Bielema is 60-18 in six seasons and Kelly is 33-6 in three years at their respective schools. One guy is going to win his first BCS game on Monday night, while the other will have to fight off the "can't win the big one" charge a little harder.

Neither is blessed with an abundance of in-state talent from which to build his program. But Kelly has Phil Knight, those wild uniforms and that offense to attract skill players from around the country. Bielema likes to say his program isn't sexy, but there is no greater destination for an offensive lineman or a running back who wants to earn national honors and go to the NFL. The success of Wilson at quarterback has signaled to other skill players that you can do more at Wisconsin than just grind it out.

Bielema and Kelly are arguably the most successful examples ever of the head-coach-in-waiting practice. That idea is falling out of vogue now, but every school would do it if the transition went as well as it looked in Madison and Eugene. Bielema inherited a Badgers team that won 10 games in Barry Alvarez's final year; Kelly took over after Mike Bellotti won 10 games his last season.

There are subtle differences between the two, of course. Kelly has a heavy hand in play calling on offense, while Bielema delegates more to his assistants (which has helped two coordinators land head-coaching jobs in the past two seasons).

"One of the things I made as a decision early on as a head coach, I wasn't going to be involved in play calling on offense or defense," Bielema said. "I just call the good plays. ... I let guys coordinate and run it, but I'll always have constant feedback on things I like, dislike, and the way I see things unfold during practice."

Bielema is as accessible as any coach at a major program. He's unafraid to open his doors to the media, like when he allowed ESPN to follow Wilson around for a special last summer. Kelly is a little more roped-off, particularly to local reporters. But when he talks, he often gives thought-provoking and colorful answers.

Kelly's reputation has taken a hit with the ongoing NCAA investigation involving recruiting service owner Willie Lyles. Bielema has steered clear of any NCAA issues thus far.

Kelly told reporters on Friday that Bielema couldn't be considered an "up-and-coming" star head coach, because six years is a long time to be in the same job these days. That's true. But these two seem like prime candidates to build a lasting legacy where they are. Bielema enjoys a close relationship with Alvarez, now the Wisconsin athletic director, and has shown no inclination toward leaving Madison. Kelly insisted on placing a $4 million buyout in his contract to ward off potential suitors.

So take a look at the trophy photo again. Or don't. You'll probably have a chance to see it staged again soon.

MADISON, Wis. -- The game ended one debate and added intrigue to another.

Wisconsin's 45-7 dissection of Penn State left no doubt as to which is the best team in the Leaders division. After falling behind early, the Badgers outclassed the Nittany Lions, as they're prone to do in a building where they've now won 16 consecutive games. They earned the right to face Michigan State next week in the inaugural Big Ten championship game.

But the decisive victory only brought more uncertainty to a question Badgers players and coaches love to get asked even though few have an answer.

Who is the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year: quarterback Russell Wilson or running back Montee Ball?

"I'd split it," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "I don't know if there's ever been co-offensive MVPs off the same team. I don't know if that's ever been done, but I don't know how you can give it to one without the other."

It has happened once: Big Ten coaches voted Iowa quarterback Matt Rodgers and running back Nick Bell as co-Offensive Players of the Year in 1990. Will it happen again next week?

Wisconsin wouldn't be where it is without the contributions of Wilson and Ball, who are putting together the best combined quarterback-running back performance in a season in Big Ten history (more on that later). The senior quarterback and junior running back both sparkled again Saturday, having a hand in all six Wisconsin touchdowns against the nation's No. 8 defense. Wilson finished the game 19-of-29 passing for 186 yards and two touchdowns, while Ball recorded 156 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.

It's rare when one NCAA record is set in a game, much less two. How about two records by two players in the same half? Wilson and Ball delivered Saturday.

Ball's second rushing score late in the second quarter gave him 12 consecutive games with multiple touchdowns, breaking Barry Sanders' NCAA record of 11 straight games. Wilson's 21-yard touchdown strike to Jared Abbrederis in the first quarter gave him 36 consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass, tying the NCAA record held by former Texas Tech star Graham Harrell.

Wilson's team single-season touchdown passes record stands at 28. Ball, meanwhile, has his sights set on a loftier mark, one thought to be unreachable. His four touchdowns Saturday give him 34 for the season, the second-most in NCAA history behind only Sanders' 39 scores in 1988.

"It's extremely rare," Wilson said of his and Ball's performances this season. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime type thing. You don't see it very often, but I think with Montee's ability to do a lot of different things, and then with my ability to throw the ball extremely well and to improvise when I have to, it's pretty dangerous."

You think?

Big Ten awards voting wraps up Sunday, and all-conference teams will be announced Monday night. The league's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards are announced Wednesday afternoon, so the debate about Wilson vs. Ball will continue until then.

Don't expect much help from the Badgers.

"I'm very happy I don't have to make that decision," offensive lineman Travis Fredrick said.

"I couldn't say," added fellow offensive lineman Ryan Groy. "I'd be split between both of them."

Ball appeared to provide a definitive answer the first time I asked him.

"I'd pick myself," he said. "Of course, I'd pick myself."

But when asked during a video interview, Ball flip-flopped, saying he'd vote for "the pretty boy, Russell. Because what he brought to this team was a lot." When called out, Ball tried to backtrack, the first time all afternoon he had to.

Wilson was a bit more decisive.

"I'd definitely vote for Montee," he said.

While the debate carries on about which individual performance is superior, the combined effort from Ball and Wilson is more notable.

There's never been anything quite like it in Big Ten history. Wilson's passer rating of 192.9 this season keeps him on pace to break Colt Brennan's single-season NCAA record of 186. He should have no trouble breaking the Big Ten season record of 175.3 set by Michigan's Bob Chappuis in 1947.

Ball already has shattered the Big Ten season touchdowns mark of 26 and should finish among the league's top 10 in single-season rushing (he currently has 1,622).

While the Big Ten has witnessed better individual rushing and passing performances, the combined effort from Ball and Wilson stands alone in league annals. It's the best since Penn State's Kerry Collins and Ki-Jana Carter 1994: Collins passed for 2,679 yards and had a quarterback rating of 172.8, which ranks second in Big Ten history; Carter rushed for 1,539 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Former Wisconsin coach and current athletic director Barry Alvarez brought up Iowa's Chuck Long and Ronnie Harmon in 1985. They had impressive numbers -- Long racked up 3,297 pass yards, 27 touchdowns and a rating of 153.1; Harmon had 1,166 rush yards and nine touchdowns -- but not as impressive as the Wilson-Ball tandem.

"They're both really special," Alvarez told ESPN.com. "You only have one ball, so it's hard to have two guys with numbers like that."

It wasn't hard for Ball and Wilson to mesh. They play different positions and have different responsibilities, but they're driven in the same way.

"It goes back to how hard I worked in the offseason and how hard he worked when he got here," Ball said.

When Wilson arrived July 1, he told Ball he would compete to become one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

"He gravitated to that," Wilson said. "Every day in practice, we work together and communicate extremely well. Our desire to be great and to never be afraid to excel is something we definitely have in common."

For those arguing that Wisconsin and its stars feast on inferior competition, consider this: Ball racked up 495 rush yards and seven touchdowns and added two receiving scores against three top-10 defenses (Michigan State, Penn State and Illinois). While Wilson wasn't at his best in the Michigan State game, he still rallied his team brilliantly in the fourth quarter and stepped up against an excellent Penn State defense on Saturday, completing 15 of 21 passes for 149 yards in the first half.

"Two of the most complete players at their respective positions that I've ever seen play the game," Bielema said.

Wilson and Ball could share Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. One or both could earn an invitation to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation.

But the two are more focused on sharing a podium in two other places -- Indianapolis and Pasadena.

Wisconsin and Nebraska will play what looks like the game of the year in the Big Ten on Saturday. Many expect the two teams to stage a rematch in December at the league championship game. The two states are both football-crazy with only one FBS team within the borders, and they play a similar physical style. There's also the Barry Alvarez connection.

So this game has all the underpinnings of a new rivalry in the making. Except for one small detail: the two teams are in separate divisions and are not guaranteed to play every season.

No matter how classic this weekend's game or subsequent meetings are, that will hurt the chances of this series becoming a true rivalry.

"It's hard to have a real strong rivalry when you won't play every year," said Alvarez, the Wisconsin athletic director.

There's very little history between the Badgers and Huskers. They've only met five times, and the last game came in 1974.

But some certainly wanted this to become an annual event. Badgers coach Bret Bielema asked the league office last year to put Wisconsin and Nebraska together when it was forming divisions, and he thought Nebraska and Wisconsin would make a great end-of-season rivalry game. Instead, Iowa-Nebraska will be that final weekend showdown.

Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne thought the two teams would be together when divisions were being discussed.

"I thought the divisions would go along geographical lines," Osborne said. "But Jim Delany and the folks in the Big Ten decided to go for competitive balance. With us just coming into the league, I wasn't in any position to say, 'Here's what we'd like to have.'"

Osborne saw firsthand in the Big 12 how playing in opposite divisions can affect a rivalry.

"We saw it with Oklahoma," he said. "That was a historic rivalry, but when it came down to two games out of every four years, it certainly diminished the rivalry. I think we'll always see playing Wisconsin as a great opportunity, and they'll see us the same way. But we won't play every year, and that makes a big difference."