It's Iowa week on the OTE. In the past few years, that would have meant a busy week writing about the Hawkeyes for me. I'm not writing anything about the team this week. This is actually my last post as an active member of the staff. After four football seasons and almost four years, I'm saying good bye. But before I do, I wanted to take a couple of minutes to think back on some of the fun and give some thanks.

It's funny, whether it's been Penn State fans, Michigan State fans, or some other group upset with my writing, the easy throw-away line always was that I "didn't know anything about college football." The irony here, of course, is that my real name is Ron Zook, my real name is Tim Brewster, my real name is Pat Fitzgerald I actually was brought onto this staff because I knew more about college football than Jon and Graham - for one week at least. After winning the old predictions contest and penning a column, the two asked me to write for the site. Flattered, I did. Ever since then, it's been a blast.

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It's time for the kickoff of the second game of the All-Time (Since 1996) Big Ten Football Tournament (the explanation is here). Today we will see the Number 12 seeded 2007 Hoosiers of Indiana face off against the Fifth Seeded 1998 Badgers of Wisconsin. Fourth seeded 2008 Penn State awaits the winner in the quarterfinals. But first let's brush up on our competitors.

#12 2007 Indiana

7-6 (3-5); Lost to Oklahoma State in Insight Bowl

The Hoosiers came close in 2006. If not for a ridiculous loss to 1-AA Southern Illinois, they would have finished 6-6 and been bowling. Still things were looking up. Head Coach Terry Hoeppner had a veteran team coming back, and he instilled the mantra "Play 13." 2007 would be their bowl year. Mercurial quarterback Kellen Lewis led a talented offense that ran a form of spread option. James Hardy and Marcus Thigpen seemed to take turns making big plays. The defense was...well, it was better then it had been. Then, the unthinkable happened. Terry Hoeppner was diagnosed with brain cancer in the Spring. It would prove fatal in June. Offensive coordinator Bill Lynch was elevated to head coach, and he proclaimed that the 2007 season would be dedicated to Indiana playing 13 for Hep. The offense was fantastic. Greg Middleton and the defense were just good enough. When Austin Starr's 49 yard field goal beat Purdue, Indiana had won their seventh game. There would be a 13th.

#5 1998 Wisconsin Badgers

11-1 (7-1) Co-Big Ten Champs; Defeated UCLA in Rose Bowl

This is Big Ten Football. Big. Beefy. Powerful. Pounding. Relentless. Of all of the teams in this tournament, the 1998 Wisconsin Badgers epitomized the thoughts of what Big Ten football was all about. Led by All-America Running Back Ron Dayne, the Badgers pounded their way to the Rose Bowl. Quarterback Mike Samuel was a game manager, but he did have an incredibly talented weapon in wide receiver Chris Chambers. While not an all-time great, the defense was strong, holding seven of 12 opponents to single digits. The Badgers were thought to be outmatched by Bruins, who were a season-ending loss away from playing for a national championship. Wisconsin put those thoughts to rest with a 38-31 win.

And now, to the game...

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It's time for the kickoff of the opening game of the All-Time (Since 1996) Big Ten Football Tournament (the explanation is here). Today we will see the Number 9 seeded 1996 Wildcats of Northwestern face off against the Eighth Seeded 2010 Spartans of Michigan State University. Top seeded 2002 Ohio State awaits the winner in the quarterfinals. But first let's brush up on our competitors.

#9 1996 Northwestern Wildcats

9-3 (7-1) Co-Big Ten Champs; lost Citrus Bowl to Tennessee

The 'Cats shocked the world by winning the Big Ten outright in 1995 with an 8-0 conference record. The next year, led by returning Senior linebacker Pat Fitzgerald, running back Darnell Autry, and head coach Gary Barnett, Northwestern made lightning strike twice, as it shared the Big Ten crown with Ohio State. The team ran a pro set offense that skewed a little bit toward the run. Northwestern wouldn't adopt the pass-happy spread until Randy Walker became coach. That's part of what made these Northwestern teams so impressive. They didn't try to trick or out-flank anyone. They just lined up and beat them.

#8 2010 Michigan State Spartans

11-2 (7-1) Co-Big Ten Champs; lost CapitalOne Bowl to Alabama

The Spartans didn't really come out of nowhere, but they made quite a lead when they went from a .500 team in 2009 to co-champs in 2010. The defense was fierce, and it was led by linebacker Greg Jones. The offense was balanced, with Kirk Cousins managing the attack. Weird quirk about the Spartans: when they were on, they were great. They beat Co-Champ Wisconsin and won games over bowl teams Notre Dame, Northwestern, Michigan, Illinois, and Penn State. But when they were bad, they were really bad. Iowa and Alabama combined to outscore Sparty 86-13, and it's fair to say that both games could have been worse.

And now, to the game...

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So here we are. In baseball, they call this the hot stove league. In politics, they call this the silly season. In college football, we call this hell. It's the long period between national signing day and the opening of fall camps. We'll dig for any nugget of news. We crave any angle about our teams.

We're not immune here at Off Tackle Empire. In past summers we have enumerated 80 awesome things about the Big Ten and recapped the previous thirty champions. This year, we bring you something new. Tomorrow starts the All-Time (Since 1996) Big Ten Football Tournament. The ATS1996BTFT (it just rolls off the tongue) will pit the best team from each program against each other in a single elimination, bracketed tournament. All of the outcomes will be reported here at OTE.

Wait, what's this about?

Starting tomorrow, and continuing for the next eleven weeks, we'll pit great teams from the past against each other until we're left with one winner.

What teams?

There are 12 teams in the tournament, one from each member institution during the past sixteen seasons.

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Uncertainty. Any time someone looks to the future, there is uncertainty. Each week that I make my bowl projections, there is the unknown of how teams will perform. When I have made these ridiculously early projections in the past, there has been uncertainty as to what players will and will not return to college. But this year adds a whole new level of uncertainty. Namely, where is West Virginia going to be playing in 2012?

I like the Mountaineers a lot for 2012 (and did before they hung 70 on Clemson), but their likelihood of getting to a BCS game is dependent upon where they're playing. In the Big East, West Virginia could run the table and find themselves in the title game. In the Big 12, they could lose three games. With the Big East winning the first legal skirmish (but it's hardly over), I'm presuming that they'll be kept in the Big East through at least the 2012 season.

In the Big Ten, this may be a huge year for Purdue and Illinois. Who? Hear me out about the Leaders Division. Wisconsin, even with the return of Montee Ball, looks to be down from last year. They won't be bad, but they won't be dominant. Ohio State is barred from the B1G Title Game. Penn State is still recovering with a first-time head coach and a mid-level team returning. When will there be a better time for one of those two programs to rise up and earn a berth in the B1G Championship Game? Seriously, 5-3 with the right tiebreaks might get you to the game.

In the Legends Division, we're looking at three key games: Michigan at Nebraska, Nebraska at Michigan State, and Michigan State at Michigan. Maybe Iowa can sneak in and cause some trouble, but I expect that those three teams will rise head and shoulders above the rest of the division. As for what happens, let's get to the projections.

But first, let's remember that there are rules:

1. 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.
2. The order of BCS selection (and we're bringing the title game back to South Beach this season) is 1) Replacement for #1 Team; 2) Replacement for #2 Team; 3) Fiesta Bowl; 4) Sugar Bowl; 5) Orange Bowl.
3. Until a team is officially bowl banned, we assume that they can and will go. So, no Ohio State. And Miami, Oregon, North Carolina...you're in consideration until otherwise notified.
4. If a Big Ten or Pac-10 team qualifies for the BCS Championship Game, the Rose Bowl will NOT be required to take a non-automatic qualifier. This was only required of the Rose Bowl the first time (2010 season) it occurred over the current four-year contract.
5. The Gator Bowl is supposed to be selecting ahead of the Insight Bowl in 2012. However, I have seen reports indicating that the Insight agreed to pass on Ohio State in 2011 in return for the earlier selection in 2012 and 2013. I'm picking as if that is the case.

Got it? Good. Let's get on to the projections.

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Yeah, you don't like it. It's two SEC teams. Worse, it's two SEC teams coached by men who once coached in Michigan. But we know that you'll watch it. How do we know? Because it's your last chance to watch college football until September.

Representing the state of Alabama...

So, quit pouting about the SEC getting too much love. When the B1G produces teams that can beat LSU or Alabama, they'll get that love, too. We didn't do it this year. We have in the past; we will again. Maybe soon. Maybe very soon (that's called foreshadowing, kids). As for your drink of choice, I recommend this. It is referred to as the bitterest brew in the land. My recollection of it from a night in 1997 is that it should fit the mood of non-SEC fans perfectly tonight.

...and representing the state of Louisiana.

If you're new here, welcome. We've only got a couple rules, so consider this our legal disclaimer. We have a pretty hefty legal department here at OTE, so don't cross us on this: No racism, sexism, homophobia, pornography, personal attacks, politics, religion, or illegal Internet streams of any games.

Don't let the national media get you down! Remember, the B1G has gone Four and Wisconsin* in its last six BCS Bowl games. No conference has more BCS wins in the last three seasons than the B1G (and only the SEC at 4-2 can match it). One other point worth noting: in all six of those games, the Big Ten team was the lower ranked team (hence the affinity for the white jerseys - Iowa only wore black because Georgia Tech wears white at home).

* OK, in actuality, we're 3-2 with a vacated game. But still, a winning record.

It's Michigan! It's Virginia Tech! It's the Sugar Bowl!

It's a return to the national stage for Michigan. Win, and they can dream about bigger things for next year. Lose to a meh Virginia Tech team, and the critics will declare that the Wolverines only won 10 because of a soft schedule. This is a big game as you look forward to the 2012 season. The drink of choice? Something as classic as a winged helmet. On the rocks for me. Neat for my wife.

If you're new here, welcome. We've only got a couple rules, so consider this our legal disclaimer. We have a pretty hefty legal department here at OTE, so don't cross us on this: No racism, sexism, homophobia, pornography, personal attacks, politics, religion, or illegal Internet streams of any games.

It's Wisconsin! It's Oregon! It's the Rose Bowl! It doesn't get better than this.

It's Ohio State! It's Penn State! It's Michigan State! It's Nebraska! It's too many games at once! Why did Delany do this to us?

Which of these teams doesn't want to close their eyes on the 2011 season? But if they open them, it will all remain the same.

Last year, New Year's Day was our downfall. It was pathetic watching the B1G go 0-5, with three losses to the SEC. This year, things will be different. After an undefeated New Year's Day, the B1G is prepared to strike back with big wins in their five matchups. We have four to kick off the day. We'll be sitting back, with our drink of choice for the morning.

If you're new here, welcome. We've only got a couple rules, so consider this our legal disclaimer. We have a pretty hefty legal department here at OTE, so don't cross us on this: No racism, sexism, homophobia, pornography, personal attacks, politics, religion, or illegal Internet streams of any games.

It's Northwestern! It's Texas A&M! It's Illinois! It's UCLA! It's four teams with one stable coaching situation!

It's for the Zooker. It's for the Shermanator. It's for Slick Rick. Lighters in the air, guys. Lighters in the air...

It's the Land of Lincoln sharing the stage on the last day of 2011. It's been disappointing for both Illinois and Northwestern, and you have to wonder if either team can use a win in a bad bowl over a mediocre team with a good name as a jumping off point for 2012. We're the designated drivers today, so our drink of choice will get us through. Be careful out there everybody. We want to see you back next year.

If you're new here, welcome. We've only got a couple rules, so consider this our legal disclaimer. We have a pretty hefty legal department here at OTE, so don't cross us on this: No racism, sexism, homophobia, pornography, personal attacks, politics, religion, or illegal Internet streams of any games.

It's Iowa! It's Oklahoma! It's time to make Arizona the state where Iowa will have played the second most games in the last two years!

You can blame me for this one.

The Big Ten looks to keep its momentum (1-0, Baby!) rolling as Iowa heads to the Valley of the Sun. The question is: who will show up. And, I don't mean which team will be motivated. I mean, which team will have enough players. Both teams have suspended, sent home, and lost transfers since the season ended. It should be refreshing for whomever is left to just get on the field.

Come on in and join and party. Today's drink of choice is the pride of Iowa. No, the other one. This, mixed with some Red Bull should keep us going through this late night affair. We don't expect Iowa to win, but they have a history of keeping things close.

If you're new here, welcome. We've only got a couple rules, so consider this our legal disclaimer. We have a pretty hefty legal department here at OTE, so don't cross us on this: No racism, sexism, homophobia, pornography, personal attacks, politics, religion, or illegal Internet streams of any games.

It's Purdue! It'e Western Michigan! It's a better bowl game than Urban Meyer and Ohio State will see next year!

Don't blame me, Babaoreally picked the playlist for the day.

The Big Ten kicks off its bowl season with a must win game against Western Michigan. If the B1G has any hope of reaching six wins, it's going to need this one. Come on in and join and party. Today's drink of choice may be predictable, but when you're chasing alcohol with alcohol, you know that you're in the right place.

If you're new here, welcome. We've only got a couple rules, so consider this our legal disclaimer. We have a pretty hefty legal department here at OTE, so don't cross us on this: No racism, sexism, homophobia, pornography, personal attacks, politics, religion, or illegal Internet streams of any games.

As I kept drafting bowl pairings each week, someone would comment that the slate looked great for the Big Ten, and that this would be the year that we could see a a dominant conference performance. As the pairings were leaking out Saturday afternoon, I kept getting a more and more pessimistic feeling about the likely outcome. Then as I looked at each matchup again last night, I set my expectations at 1 definite loss, 2 likely losses, 4 tossups, 2 likely wins, and 1 definite win. If every thing breaks evenly, it's a .500 slate. If there's a wave one way or another we could see a 3-7 or 7-3 result. And yes, this is sounding more and more like we're awaiting election returns. On to the quick reactions:

12/27 3:30 CST - Pizza Bowl - Purdue vs. Western Michigan - ESPN

This is our definite win. That's right, .500 Purdue is my lock. I realize that there is no excitement in a trip to Detroit, but this is a good matchup for the Boilers. They're playing a MAC team that isn't even a top-tier MAC team. Should be an easy win by two scores as Danny Hope builds toward the 2012 season.

Quick note: Purdue is 2-0 versus the Broncos, last beating them in 2002.

12/30 9:00 CST - Insight Bowl - Iowa vs. #14 Oklahoma - ESPN

Let's be clear. Iowa has no business being on the same field as Oklahoma in bowl. The talent level is so wide that Rece Davis had to make special note of it as ESPN was announcing the bowl matchups last night. This is our definite loss. That said, since 2003, Iowa has played very well in its bowl games, including in a similar mismatch after the 2006 season, when the 6-6 Hawks were an illegal formation call away from beating 10-2 Texas. Maybe Iowa can keep it close, but to expect anything more would be unrealistic.

Quick note: If you don't know the story of Bob Stoops, expect to hear these tidbits during the broadcast: 1) He played safety for Iowa in 1979, when Oklahoma won the only prior meeting of these schools. 2) His father was buried in a Hawkeye jersey. 3) He interviewed for the Iowa job in December 1998, but was offered Oklahoma's position before the Iowa committee reached its conclusion. Iowa would end up hiring Kirk Ferentz.

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