For the past several years, conferences like the SEC, Big 12, and Pac-10 have been complaining that the Big Ten is overrated. I’m a Big Ten fan, but I can’t say that I disagree. After a 9 – 0 start, Iowa rose out of the ashes of the Big Ten this year, and we all held the hope that this would be the team to challenge Florida or Texas or another awesome team for the National Championship.
It doesn’t look like that will be the case. Today, Iowa fell, but not to Penn State (no, they beat them gloriously – sigh …read more

For the first time ever, teams outside of the Pac-10 and Big Ten have a good chance of playing in the Rose Bowl, the granddaddy of all of the BCS bowls, according to reports. Well, maybe “good” is a strong word, but considering that both conferences have championship contenders most years, it is at least a possibility.
Under the nex rule, which will be in effect from 2010 to 2013, if the Pac-10 or Big Ten has their conference champion playing in the National Championship game, the Rose Bowl must take a non-BCS team, if one qualifies. Otherwise, the game will …read more

Earlier this month, Minnesota announced that may ban alcohol at all college sporting events. I can just guess how well that went over for students, but how do you guys feel about it?
Some thoughts I have:

Having alcohol at the games at Penn State isn’t dangerous, so I can’t see how it would be at Minnesota. The people who get so drunk they can’t see are typically students who walk home, and the drivers are responsible most of the time. There will always be incidents, but not enough to ban alcohol.
The possible ban stems from state alcohol disputes with the school. …read more

Penn State’s Joe Paterno is never short on opinions, and recently there’s been a lot of buzz about his wants to have 12 teams in the Big Ten. Currently, the Big Ten is finished playing well before most other conferences, with a six-week hiatus between their season and the bowls. Paterno thinks that hurts the conference as a whole and keeps the Big Ten from being viable to produce a national champion.
Unfortunately, he also thinks that some people are laughing at him.
“You know, it’s a conference that’s dominated by a couple of people. If I start talking, they’re polite, but …read more

All three of the Iowa Hawkeyes arrested early Monday morning for public intoxication are going to have hell to pay from their head coach, but perhaps none more so than James Ferentz. Why?
Because his father is Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes head coach.
Lil Ferentz is a center for the team and was arrested along with fullback Tyler Christensen and tight end Zach Derby. Christensen reportedly pleaded guilty to fifth-degree criminal mischief and public intoxication. He’ll pay fines of nearly $500. Both Ferentz and Derby have pleaded not guilty.
University public safety officers say that Derby and Christensen attempted to pick a fight …read more