SB Nation - Minnesota Golden Gophers

Insight Bowl: A Quick History

jerdogg1 — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:16:57 -0000

They say that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. So what exactly does that say about the Minnesota Gophers football squad returning to the Insight Bowl for the third time in four years?

We'll get to that another time. As for today, what is the history of this bowl?

The Insight Bowl is the third incarnation of the name of the bowl that started out as the Copper Bowl in 1989, then changed to the Insight.com Bowl in 1996 when Insight Enterprises took over the naming rights. The game has been called the Insight Bowl since 2002.

The Big Ten got involved with the Insight Bowl in 2006 when the game began to feature a match-up between our beloved conference and a Big 12 school. That, of course, was the year Texas Tech staged the biggest comeback in Division I bowl history, coming back from a 38-7 deficit mid-way through the 3rd quarter. That utter collapse also proved to be the final straw in Glen Mason's undoing as head of the Gophers.

In the three year history of the Big Ten v Big 12 match-up in the Insight Bowl, the Big Ten is 0-3, with Minnesota accounting for two of those losses (2006 v Texas Tech, 2008 v Kansas). The other was an Indiana loss in 2007 to Oklahoma State.

The reality of the situation is that, outside of the first two and a half quarters of the 2006 Minnesota v Texas Tech Insight Bowl, the Big Ten has not been competitive in this game.

Gopher fans and Big Ten fans alike can agree on one thing, that needs to change this year.

Big Ten Power Poll - Regular Season Final

Bama Hawkeye — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:08:54 -0000

Let's wrap this season up. We skipped two weeks so that everyone could get their final games played. Here are the results of the final vote. And as you plan your travels, here are some final thoughts about what to wear as you bowl...

1.	121 (11)	It was festive of the Rose Bowl to go with the Christmas-colored matchup. The Buckeyes will be wearing their whites in Pasadena.
2.	110	A side note: If you're going to a bowl game, you have to get the helmet T-Shirt. There is nothing better, win or lose, than pulling that out of the drawer 15 years later. Although they're the home, team, Georgia Tech has chosen to wear white. That means the Hawks will wear their black in the Orange Bowl.
3.	99	LSU is the home team, but they too prefer to wear white. Bring the Navy to the CapOne Bowl.
4.	85	Last year, the Badgers were humiliated in the Champs Bowl while wearing their whites. Let's hope for a different result in the reds.
5.	80	The 'Cats will be wearing white when they play Auburn on New Year's Morning. Hopefully you can make it out through your bleary eyes.
6.	62	Any Spartans who haven't been suspended yet will wear white as they face off with Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl.
7.	55	The Gophers will be decked out in white. I know that this is the three season-old jersey style. Apparently the play of the last two years hasn't moved a lot of product.
8.	46	I recommend rocking the basketball jersey while reminding everyone that Purdue is the basketball school in the state.
9.	25	Scrub team...scrub top. Perfect for the couch.
10.	21	Put on your slippers...you're not going bowling this year. Again.
11.	20	I'd wear this sweatshirt to remind friends that Illinois is still a part of the Big Ten. For now. If they lose to NIU next year, we'll have to reconsider if we have the right state school in the league.

Maize and Brew Dave, Adam Hoge, Hawkeye State, Pete Rossman, BoilerTMill , Joe Kutsunis, Rodger Sherman, Sam @ WWAHT, DailyGopher, Graham Filler, Law Buckeye, Bama Hawkeye, HMLee

The Rivalry, Esq has reached out to the SBNation Big Ten bloggers to create this poll. Its purpose: find a consensus as to the power of the Big Ten teams. We invited each SBNation Big Ten blog to participate. We will vote each week. Invitations remain extended to the writers of Black Shoe Diaries and the Crimson Quarry to participate.

Daily Nugs 12.8.2009

Buck Bravo — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 09:00:26 -0000

Ohio State boards are excited about their prospects at landing several players including Seantrel Henderson at this link, yet raise the issue that Jim "Sweater-Vest" Tressel may be on the hot seat:

I really think Minnesota is still in the hunt here...Brewster absolutely needs this kid and I don't see them going down quietly. Whoever ends up at ND will obviously make Seantrel a priority as well. I think USC is too far away. Lots of positives for OSU but I've seen this movie before and it doesn't seem to end well for JT more often than not.

Iowa fans are drooling over a rumor that Henderson may be considering the Hawkeyes as a top choice at this link. Iowa has a good football team, but probably hit the pinnacle of their success this season. It would be very interesting if Henderson went to Iowa and became to Minnesota what Brett Favre is to Wisconsin, but I would be very surprised to see him end up down there.

Down With Goldy previews tonight's matchup with Morgan State on the basketball court.

Four Star running back Josh Huff has decommitted from the Gophers to attend TCU. TCU is having a great season, but there are a few reasons to seriously question this decision: their head coach will probably leave soon for a higher profile job, they are historically only the 4th best team (over the last decade) in Texas, and they don't even have a blog that I can link to!

Poll

Where will Seantrel Henderson play football next year?:

You're Welcome, Syracuse Opponents Who Went Bowling

Sean Keeley — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:32:32 -0000

via supermarkethq.com

View full size photo »

Of the 12 teams Syracuse faced this season, 10 9 of them went bowling. Not that I'm propping that up as some kind of excuse or anything, just the opposite. We at SU enjoy the feeling of helping others along on the road to success. If we played any small part in their successes, or played a hand in making sure they ended up in St. Petersburg with a short schedule rather than Toronto and a month of extra practice, then consider yourselves very, very welcome.

St. Petersburg Bowl
Rutgers vs. Central Florida

Meineke Car Care Bowl
Pitt vs. North Carolina

Insight Bowl
Iowa State vs. Minnesota

Outback Bowl
Auburn vs. Northwestern

Gator Bowl
West Virginia vs. Florida State

Capital One Bowl
LSU vs. Penn State

Sugar Bowl
Cincinnati vs. Florida

International Bowl
Northern Illinois vs. South Florida

PapaJohns.com Bowl
UConn vs. South Carolina

Check out the full bowl line-up here.

Will Seantrel Henderson Choose to be a Star or a Legend?

Buck Bravo — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:00:25 -0000

As the top high school football recruit in the country, Seantrel Henderson of St. Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall High School could probably attend any college in America while starring on the football team. Henderson would probably be a top NFL draft pick this Spring if high school players were able to enter the draft.

So, what is to be made of the decision Seantrel Henderson will have to make? Their appears to be two possible outcomes. He could attend a perennial powerhouse program such as USC, Ohio State, or Oklahoma and enter the NFL draft three years down the road. The second option, which still appears to be a possibility, would be to play for his home state's team before entering the NFL draft three years down the road. The bottom line is that Henderson will most likely be a high draft pick regardless of what school he attends.

Fans and supporters of college football programs will often criticize local recruits who choose to attend a school in another part of the country. There have been several recruits from the state of Minnesota who sought greener grass at other programs, only to fade into anonymity. In those cases, the criticism made sense. Seantrel Henderson is different. He will be a star at any school that he attends.

So, what are the pros and cons of Seantrel Henderson committing to a powerhouse program such as USC or Oklahoma?:

Pros of Attending an Elite Program

A chance to play alongside elite talent.
A change of venue...USC isn't far from the beach.
National television exposure on a frequent basis.
Joining a team with a recent history of winning.
A chance to experience college as a star player, while alongside other star players, at a top program.

Pros of Attending Minnesota

A chance to play home games in front of family and friends. He'd probably have at least a few hundred people at every game who are attending specifically because he is on the team.
He'd be playing alongside Big Ten talent, and would be facing some of the best teams in America on a weekly basis.
Henderson probably has a big payday coming in a few years, and in Minnesota he could have a strong support network of friends and family to help navigate the con artists and fame seekers looking to secure a piece of that future.
While Henderson could be a star no matter where he goes, at Minnesota he could become a legend. Imagine Joe Mauer on the Yankees: he'd still be an All-Star but would play in the shadows of Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. The Twins may be a smaller market, but Joe Mauer will be remembered 60 years from now. In New York, he'd just be another player on a long list of great players. The same is true of Henderson.
Seantrel Henderson could make an immediate impact. Minnesota lacks talent on the offensive line, and a player with his abilities could have led to Gophers to an additional two or three wins this season alone.

Seantrel Henderson has several great options for his college career. Most analysts unanimously agree that he is bound for a future in the NFL. If he commits to a school such as USC or Oklahoma, he will probably be a star at that program for the next several years. If he commits to Minnesota he would have the opportunity to not only be the brightest star, but he might also become a legendary figure in the program.

Have you ever seen the movie about recruiting from 1988, Johnny Be Good? It's a comedy about an elite football recruit facing the same decisions as Henderson. If you haven't seen it, check it out and pay attention to the Hollywood ending.

----------

GN ADDITION: We all know SH was taking his official visit to USC last weekend. The LA Times noted his presence by saying this,

Seantrel Henderson, an offensive lineman from Minnesota here on a recruiting trip was seated on the Trojans bench -- and still stood out.

Henderson, 6 feet 8 and 337 pounds, is the top-rated high school offensive tackle in the country, according to Scout.com.

Which proves Buck's point. Henderson was just "an offensive lineman from Minnesota." At Minnesota he is THE #1 recruit in the country and a program changer, not just some big kid from Minnesota.

Ten Monday Thoughts on the Big Ten Bowls

Bama Hawkeye — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:42:52 -0000

1. I am both surprised and disappointed that we see TCU-Boise in the Fiesta Bowl and Iowa-Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. I'm most disappointed because of the "kiddie table" feel that the game has. I feel the same way when a mid-major 12 seed gets pit against a mid-major 5 seed in the NCAA tournament. Where's the fun in that? The joy of underdogs is beating the giant. Obviously, I'm not alone in this thought. I also wanted to see Iowa in the Fiesta for personal reasons. For non-selfish reasons, I just don't like the matchup. In legal terms, Dan Wetzel of Yahoo nailed it. TCU v. Boise .... Plessy v. Ferguson.

Son, I was coaching against the triple option when you weren't even a stain on your father's pants.

2. Iowa could be well-suited to stopping Georgia Tech's offense in the Orange Bowl, or Iowa could be in for a pounding. Iowa's defensive coordinator, Norm Parker, is a crusty old codger who has been coordinating defenses long enough to have coached against the triple option when it was not novel to face it on a Saturday. One envisions him walking to a bookcase in his basement, pulling an old binder off the shelf, blowing the dust off of it, and rereading notes from decades gone by. The experience, coupled with Iowa's disciplined defense could be a key for a Hawkeye win. On the other hand, Iowa has been exploited by speed around the end (Iowa will smother the dive). That could result in Josh Nesbit and company going wild.

3. Ohio State is going to beat Oregon. I don't know that it will be close. I am sure that LawBuck will have quite a bit more to say about this in the weeks ahead, but I think Oregon is in for a rude surprise. Ohio State will have the ball for more than 36 minutes, and will wear down the Ducks in the fourth quarter.

4. I think that LSU has to hate drawing Penn State in the Capital One Bowl. LSU has faced two elite defenses (Florida and Alabama) this year. They scored a total of 18 points in those two games. Penn State will be the third, and I don't expect it to go well either. Yes, the Lions' offensive line remains a problem, but the strength of the LSU defense is in the back seven. Penn State should be able to move the ball.

You're playing against Les Miles. Remember that.

5. I can't believe that the Outback Bowl picked Northwestern over Wisconsin. That just doesn't happen. I'm glad it did though.

6. Northwestern should beat Auburn. It's actually a good matchup for them. Northwestern will be facing a style that is familiar to them. Also, Auburn may be the worst of the six SEC teams that ended up tied at 7-5. If Northwestern is ever going to win a bowl game (they're oh-for-the-last sixty+ years). This is the time.

7. Wisconsin has a much better chance of beating Miami than Northwestern would have. The Badgers will need to play disciplined defense, but they can do that. The offense will need to march down the field and eat the clock, but they can do that. If John Clay can keep eating up 4+ yards per carry, I like Wisconsin's chances.

4.5 yards every carry = Badgers win. It can happen.

8. I'm worried about Michigan State. Maybe they rally the troops after the suspensions. Maybe they can "play up." In talent, I don't know that they are that far off from where Texas Tech is, but I don't like the idea of coming into a bowl game on the heels of disciplinary troubles.

9. Congratulations Minnesota! You may have drawn the one BCS-league bowl team that you can beat. Seriously, Hawkeye State, Oops Pow and I joked about this matchup during last week's BHGP podcast. The possibility of a 9-3 final score would be a distinct possibility (if Iowa State wasn't so star-crossed when it comes to the kicking game). The team that comes out and plays competent football will win this one. That's a really low threshold, Brewster.

Use him more. Please!

10. When all is said and done, the Big Ten will not repeat last year's 1-6 performance. Last year, the Big Ten was an underdog in six games (the six they lost). This year, I expect that the Big Ten will be the underdog in five (I'll guess that Penn State and Minnesota will be favored). But, we've got better matchups throughout.

11. My early guess is that the Big Ten goes 5-2, with Ohio State, Iowa, Penn State, Northwestern, and Minnesota giving us the wins. That said, our margin is slim. The Big Ten Bowl Redemption is underway.

2009-2010 Bowl Selections

hmlee — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 01:03:41 -0000

Okay, the BCS selection show is about to start, and we here at The Rivalry are watching it live. As we learn them, the 5 BCS bowl games and the bowl games which have Big 10 participants, will be right here on the front page. Any other bowl game will be listed after the jump. So... without further ado,

BCS Bowl Games:

BCS National Championship: Alabama vs. Texas

Rose Bowl: Ohio State vs. Oregon

Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. TCU

Sugar Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Florida

Orange Bowl: Iowa vs. Georgia Tech

Big 10 Bowl Games:

Capital One Bowl (Orlando, FL): Penn State vs. LSU

Outback Bowl (Tampa, FL): Northwestern vs. Auburn

Alamo Bowl (San Antonio, TX): Michigan State vs. Texas Tech

Insight Bowl (Tempe, AZ): Minnesota vs. Iowa State

Champs Sports Bowl (Orlando, FL): Wisconsin vs. Miami

Other Bowls:

New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, LA): Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee

EagleBank Bowl (Washington, D.C.): Temple and Army OR UCLA

Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl (Detroit, MI): Ohio University and Marshall

Poinsetta Bowl (San Diego, CA): Cal and Utah

New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, NM): Fresno State and Wyoming

International Bowl (Toronto): NIU and South Florida

Texas Bowl (Houston, TX): Missouri and Navy

Emerald Bowl (San Fransisco, CA): USC and Boston College

Cotton Bowl (Arlington, TX): Ole Miss and Oklahoma State

Meinike Car Care Bowl (Charlotte, NC): Pitt and North Carolina

Sun Bowl (El Paso, TX): Standford and Oklahoma

Papajohns.com Bowl (Birmingham, AL): UConn and South Carolina

Chik-fil-A Bowl (Atlanta, GA): Virginia Tech and Tennessee

Holiday Bowl (San Diego, CA): Arizona and Nebraska

Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN): Arkansas and East Carolina

Independence Bowl (Shreveport, LA): Georgia and Texas A&M

Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, TX): Air Force and Houston

St. Petersburg Bowl (St. Petersburg, FL): Rutgers and Central Florida

Music City Bowl (Nashville, TN): Kentucky and Clemson

Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, FL): Florida State and West Virginia

Maaco Bowl (Las Vegas, NV): Oregon State and Bringham Young

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Nevada and SMU

GMAC Bowl (Mobile, AL): Troy and Central Michigan

Humanitarian Bowl (Boise, ID): Idaho and Bowling Green

2009 Bowl Projections - Final

Bama Hawkeye — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 06:01:52 -0000

I'm writing this as the Wisconsin-Hawaii game is wrapping up. Wisconsin is up by more than two touchdowns in the 2nd Quarter, and I don't think that it makes a difference whether they win or lose. I think their slot is set. In fact, after Texas held on to beat Nebraska (despite, not because of Colt McCoy), the Big Ten and BCS bowls seem pretty well set.

Which was the only conference that couldn't deliver a close championship game?

In the six BCS conferences, we had official title games in three conferences and de facto title games in three conferences. The margins in the six games? 1 (Cincy over Pitt), 1 (Texas over Nebraska), 3 (Ohio State over Iowa), 4 (Oregon over Oregon State), 5 (Georgia Tech over Clemson), and 19. Only the "Game of the Century" failed to be a classic. Here are the final projections for the BCS and Big Ten Bowls.

Remember the rules.

The best teams don't always go to the best games. In the end, butts in the seat and eyes to the television are the biggest factors.
The order of BCS selection is 1) Replacement for #1 Team; 2) Replacement for #2 Team; 3) Orange Bowl; 4) Fiesta Bowl; 5) Sugar Bowl.
The Champs Bowl picks its Big Ten team ahead of the Alamo Bowl this year.
For the full rules on BCS selections, look here.

			My guess is that when the rankings come out tomorrow, it will be Cincinnati, and not TCU that ended up :01 away from a shot at Alabama.
			The Orange Bowl is really hoping that the Fiesta passes on a Big Ten team to match up two undefeated teams in Arizona (it is a hip rumor), but...
			that's not happening. The Fiesta takes Iowa over Penn State. They're the better team.
			What are the odds the Ezekiel 25:17 is written on Tebow's eyeblack at the Sugar Bowl?
			The Big Ten is winning the Rose Bowl this year. It's going to win at least 4 of 7 bowl games.
			The weakness of both teams is in the trenches. Should be a fascinating game.
			So instead of facing a Monte Kiffin defense with a month to prepare, the Badgers get a team that won one of their last six games against 1-A competition? Thank you, Mr. Bloomin' Onion!
			Did you see what CJ Spiller did? Dear God, that's scary.
			Could the Alamo pick Minnesota to avoid a Spartan squad weakened by suspensions? Yes, but it won't. I'm also thinking that it won't miss out on its first chance to host Oklahoma. That means jumping the Sooners over Texas Tech and Missouri.
			Neither fanbase 1) travels exceptionally well and 2) is overly excited for the game. This crowd could be very small.
			Like Notre Dame would ever sully itself by playing a MAC team in a bowl game in Detroit...
			Only Illinois could lose that way to Fresno State. If you're going to finish with a Zook-like record, you'll end up On the Couch with the Queso Bowl (now sponsored by Ro*Tel).

You Disappoint Me: A Discussion

grahamfiller10 — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:32:18 -0000

On the BHGP podcast last night (coming soon!), featuring an All Star lineup of Bama, Me, Hawkeye State, and OPS, we got especially animated when discussing Big Ten "disappointments" of 2009. What is it that makes us giggle like schoolgirls about the failings of others? It could be our overwhelming immaturity...or it could be the cognitive dissonance that goes with watching something happen that surprises you.

I THINK, and Phil Steele THOUGHT, Illinois was a 9-3 team, so when I see them falling apart., I get disoriented.

Connie - if you don't listen to me...and marry this man...you'll disappoint me

My #1 disappointing unit is the Illinois offense. This is like beating a dead horse, but my god. OC Mike Schultz ran the same Spread formation that was run in '07 (successful, run focused) and '08 (successful, deep throw focused), but drove his unit straight into the turf via unimaginative run plays and throwing formations ill-fitted for Juice Williams. The last thing you want to do is drop Juice Williams straight back, but that's the first thing that Schultz ordered when the run game was slowed. Here are the Big Ten stats for this unit:

9 games with +300 yards, but STILL 10th in scoring offense
10th in pass offense
7th in total offense
7 games of less than 20 points scored

Realizing this team was playing below its potential, Zook made QB changes to shake things up midseason and the Illini beat Michigan and Mini with a revitalized Juice and Jacob Charest sharing duties. This ability to make changes was something that my #1 disappointing coaching staff couldn't do. Ladies and gentlemen, your Minnesota Golden Gophers coaching staff. Was there a worse idea than throwing the ball 40 times against Iowa? Who decided to ingrain a pass-heavy philosophy into a team with good run blockers and a "power run" loving OC? Why were easy-to-complete sit down routes tossed aside in favor of low percentage sideline timing routes? I was laughed at on the podcast because I complained that with all its talent, Minnesota seemed to have no idea what to do with it. Come on they said, everyone knows Brewster is an ass clown who has naked pictures of the school president keeping his job secure.

At least Brewster kept his program at a nice simmering level of mediocrity, never getting the chance to fail in a nationally relevant game. This wasn't the case for my #1 disappointing big game player, Daryll Clark. PSU fans have heard enough shit-talk and felt enough pain to really care anymore, but his deer in the headlights performances against OSU and Iowa probably shouldn't be blamed on anyone else. The normally decisive Clark, who leveled every other Big Ten opponent with crisp short throws and well thrown wheel routes, got happy feet under the bright lights. His veteran status and "#1 QB in the Big Ten" label certainly didn't show when he was confusedly throwing into triple coverage.

If you feel the need to hate on anyone else, feel free. We could have talked about Terrelle Pryor, who was on the tail end of preseason Heisman lists. We could have talked about Michigan State's pass defense or the early season performance by Corey Wootton. And tongues could have been clicked derisively towards any player/unit residing in Ann Arbor. But that's enough negativity for now.

Out of Our League - Why Two in the BCS Does the Big Ten No Favors

Law Buckeye — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:00:15 -0000

More photos » by Sue Ogrocki - AP

13 days ago: Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles, left, moves past Oklahoma State linebacker Justin Gent, right, at the start of his 87-yard punt return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

Browse more photos »

Some pundits were quick to declare the Big Ten the big winner, after Oklahoma State was slain Saturday at the hands of in state rival Oklahoma. And why not? The Cowboy's loss all but guarantees the league will place a second at large team in the BCS, netting the conference an extra $4.5 million bonus atop its usual $17.5 million dollar championship series payout. Bowl proceeds are split evenly amongst the 11 member institutions, meaning athletic directors from Madison to Bloomington can rejoice at the prospect of an extra $409,000 allowance.

The problem is there's no free lunch. By winning the earnings battle, we're losing the war of national respect. How so? Even if the Big Ten wins both its presumptive BCS bowls (Rose, Fiesta) in 2009, the conference is still likely to have a losing (3-4) bowl season. We could just as easily go 1-6 in bowls for the second year in a row.

On the other hand, if the Big Ten had just one BCS bowl participant (like most other conferences), the same teams would have a great chance of going (5-2) in bowls. How is that possible? Read on.

It's Lonely on Top

Since the inception of the BCS in 1998, The Big Ten has had two representatives in BCS bowls eight times in eleven seasons. By comparsion, the SEC has done it six times, the Big 12 five times, and the Pac 10 just once. Neither the ACC or the Big East have ever sent two teams to the BCS.

Read that again. Add in the unparalleled revenues from its own television network, and it's no surprise that the Big Ten remains the richest, most powerful conference college football has ever known.

But the bottom line isn't the only line in a competitive context. Fans care a lot more about the goal line. In that department, the league's struggles are well documented. Of the eight seasons the Big Ten has sent two teams to the big dance, both have won just three times.

While that might not be so bad by itself, there's another consequence to double dipping: our non-BCS bowl matchups suffer.

Dating Up Is No Fun in Football

Imagine that you're a competitive, but young Big Ten program. You win the games you're supposed to win, and lose the games you're supposed to lose, ending the conference season at 8-4 (5-3). Your record earns you third place in conference behind Slow-hi-O State 10-2 (7-1), and Past itS prime U 10-2 (6-2). Ordinarily, you'd be headed to the Outback Bowl to play the third selection from the SEC.

This Week's Articles

JerDogg finally admits that Minnesota just ain't that good.

Graham ranks the Big Ten quarterbacks for their 2009 performance.

Greg discusses the future of Tate Forcier and moving Denard Robinson to WR.

Guest writer LakeErieMonster likes the way the B10 looks with 14 teams.

But wait. The Fiesta Bowl has extended an at-large bid to Past itS prime U. Suddenly, you're "dating up," as the Capital One bowl has little choice but to select you from the Big Ten basket. Good news for you, right?

Wrong. In the other corner is LucklesS U 9-3 (6-2), the SEC's No. 2 selection. Even worse, BestWestern 8-4 (5-3), the conference's fourth contestant, will have to face the SEC's third selection Sad Carolina 9-3 (5-3) in the Outback bowl.

And so it goes.

In at least six of the past 10 years, the Big Ten representative has come into the Capital One Bowl ranked lower than its SEC counterpart.

1-6 Versus 6-1. You pick.

If you think that's negligable, consider how this year's bowl lineup will be affected if No. 9 Iowa or No. 11 Penn State earns a BCS at large. If it happens, the odd man out will will go to the Capital One Bowl to face LSU (5-3 in conference). That might not seem so bad. Neither does Wisconsin (5-3 in conference) getting bumped up to play Tennessee (4-4 in conference) in the Outback. But what about Northwestern (5-3 in conference) against Clemson (6-2 in conference) in the Champs Sports? Or Michigan State (4-4 in conference) against Oklahoma (5-3 in conference) in the Alamo? If you think that's scary, don't even consider Minnesota (3-5 in conference) lining up against Missouri (4-4 in conference) in the Insight Bowl.

Mark Dantonio after Oklahoma scores to go ahead 35-3.

Even if the Big Ten wins both its BCS bowls (Rose, Fiesta), the conference is still likely to have a losing bowl season (3-4), with almost guaranteed losses in the Capital One, Champs Sports, Alamo, and Insight Bowls. And that's giving the Big Ten two hardly certain victories against higher-ranked BCS adversaries (likely No. 7 Oregon, and No. 6 Boise State). The conference could just as easily go 1-6 in bowls for the second year in a row.

But we deserve it, right? We suck.

Not so fast. Look at the difference an at-large bid makes: If neither Penn State nor Iowa is selected to go to the BCS, the bowl lineup suddenly becomes dramatically more manageable. Iowa plays LSU in the Capital One. Penn State gets Tennessee in the Outback. Wisky takes on Clemson in the Champs Sports. Northwestern gets Oklahoma in the Alamo. Michigan State gets Missouri in the Insight. And Minnesota is relegated to the Little Caesar's to play Ohio.

Suddenly, the Big Ten can lose in the BCS, and still have an overwhelmingly positive (5-2) bowl showing, with its only other loss in the Alamo. If Ohio State wins in the Rose Bowl, the Big Ten could literally reserve its bowl fate with a 6-1 finish.

So the next time your uncle from San Francisco brags about the Pac 10's bowl record, remind him that his great league is dating down. And if he persists, tell him his real beef isn't with the Big Ten, it's with the Pac 10's round-robin scheduling format that results in an extra, cannibalizing conference game.

And tell Jim Delany to quit laughing all the way to the bank.