Big Ten Football & Basketball Blog

You may have seen them on TV as Snuggie fleece blankets are more popular than anyone would have imagined. From the original 3 colors, the brand has grown tremendously and has even branched off into the sports world. College Snuggie blankets are now available for college sports fans to buy online with nearly 60 college teams available including 9 of the 11 Big Ten schools. Whether you are a Ohio State or Indiana fan, college Snuggies with your team’s logo are now available!

• Illinois Fighting Illini Snuggie
• Iowa Hawkeyes Snuggie
• Indiana Hoosiers Snuggie
• Michigan State Snuggie
• Michigan Wolverines Snuggie
• Minnesota Golden Gophers Snuggie
• Ohio State Snuggie
• Penn State Snuggie
• Wisconsin Badgers Snuggie

Former Michigan State wrestler Gray Maynard was back in action for the UFC on Wednesday night as he faced off with Roger “El Matador” Huerta at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City, OK. The former wrestling State Champion in Ohio for St. Edward’s in the Cleveland area improved his record to 9-0-1 by defeating Huerta via a Unanimous Decision helping Maynard continue to climb the latter in the UFC’s Lightweight (155 pound) division. For complete UFC Fight Night 19 results look to DFN Sports Network member ProFighting-fans.com, a leading source for MMA news.

No. 8 Ohio State (22-10) vs. No. 9 Siena (26-7)
Time/Site: 9:40 EDT/Dayton, Ohio
The winner gets: The winner of Louisville-Morehead State
Summary: The Buckeyes finished in a three-way tie for third in the Big Ten and lost in the tournament finals to Purdue. Siena won the MAAC regular season and conference tournament titles.
Key Players: Ohio State – Evan Turner (17.1 ppg), F; Jon Diebler (11.4 ppg) Siena – Joe Habrouck (14.8 ppg), G; Edwin Ubiles (14.6 ppg)
Key stat: Ohio State – Turner is averaging seven rebounds. Siena – Point guard Ronald Moore is averaging 6.2 assists per game.
Ohio State will win: If Turner, co-Big Ten player of the year, plays his usual game, it will create difficult matchups for the Saints. Also, is freshman guard William Buford continues to grow like he has all season, the Buckeyes will win. It doesn’t hurt that the game is in Ohio.
Siena will win: If the Saints can take Ohio State’s Turner out of his game and Moore feeds Hasbrouck and Ubiles like has all season.
Prediction: Ohio State 64, Siena 59

By Kevin Lonnquist

It’s halftime of the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the Ohio State Buckeyes lead the #3 Texas Longhorns 6-3. Despite controlling the game with a dominating running game in the 1st half, the Buckeyes lead by just a field goal. The Buckeyes have two major monkeys on their back today; one for the Big Ten which is 1-5 in bowl games this season and the other for themselves after consecutive BCS bowl game blowout losses. An interception of Colt McCoy with just 3 seconds left in the half preserved the Buckeye lead as Texas was driving and looking to take the lead just before the end of the half.

Tom Johnson, let us congratulate you. You are one of a kind. Tom, who can be reached at johnson3703@comcast.net, wrote the staff at Big Ten Fans back on Friday, December 26th saying the following:

“Fight On…USC…Go Trojans…

Will be yet another big 10 demolishment…..worst conference in the country…”

After a 0-3 start in bowl games for the Big Ten and a 1-2 showing on New Year’s Day with only Ohio State having yet to play, Tom decided to write back on January 1st saying:

“The Big 10 is a joke, 1-5 in bowls…Joe Pa never met a game with Temple’s Owls and Coastal Carolina he didnt like, then he gets his ass blown to smitheerens against a real foot ball team…HES THE MOST OVERRATED COACH IN HISTORY..Psu is a mediocre program that never wins a big game..

Fight On never sounded better, the Song Girls never looked better…Traveler ran the track…Go USC…”

We’re not sure if Tom was drinking this time or just cannot spell, but he definitely has plenty of time on his hands to email Big Ten fan sites and talk trash. Here’s to a great year Tom. We’re not going to bring up the mediocrity of the Pac-10 (outside of USC) throughout the 2008 season. We will not mention the Mountain West’s near dominance over the Pac-10, or the fact that Oregon State was crushed by Penn State in the regular season. We also will not bring up the fact that we now need Ohio State to save face for the conference against a top-tier program since recent history does not give the Big Ten much hope.

Remember, you can reach Tom Johnson at johnson3703@comcast.net for those interested in having a friendly discussion.

Like it or not, the #3 Penn State Nittany Lions lost today @ Iowa by a final score of 24-23. The real question now is how far will Penn State fall after the loss to an unranked Iowa (6-4, 3-3 Big Ten) team?
This question is a bit difficult considering #2 Texas Tech, #4 Florida, #7 USC & #8 Oklahoma State are all in action currently, but I think we can come up with a general idea of where Penn State will be in Sunday’s college football Top 25 rankings.

At this point, the Nittany Lions will not fall below Ohio State who came into Week 11 at #12 in the AP Poll. #11 TCU lost to #10 Utah & #9 Boise State won big which could be bad news for Penn State. If both #4 Florida & #7 USC both win tonight, and both lead at the time of this post, the only other game to cause problems will be #8 Oklahoma State @ #2 Texas Tech as #1 Alabama, #5 texas & #6 Oklahoma all won earlier today.

My prediction is this. If Oklahoma State scores the win @ Texas Tech, the Red Raiders will remain ahead of Penn State and Oklahoma State will jump ahead of JoePa’s team as well. Thus, I would expect the following:
1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma
5. Oklahoma State
6. USC
7. Texas Tech
8. Utah
9. Boise State
10. Penn State

However, if Texas Tech gets another big win @ home tonight, I see the following:
1. Alabama
2. Texas tech
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Utah
8. Boise State
9. Penn State
10. Oklahoma State (just edging Ohio State)

In my opinion, this #10/11 spot is where the real controversy would be. Oklahoma State would have losses to Texas & Texas Tech while Ohio State to USC & Penn State. My edge goes to oSu over tOSU.

Michael Shull
Big Ten Fans

For years Big Ten schools have bragged about their bands and halftime shows, but rarely was there anything “official” that stated who indeed was the best. Recently, collegesports-fans.com released their top college bands list which ranks the top 10 college marching bands and lists five honorable mention bands. On that list are three Big Ten marching bands; Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin. The publication lists Wisconsin as an honorable mention with Michigan #10 and Ohio State #2. Missing from the list are the Penn State and Purdue, both schools with strong marching band reputations.

Fall is the time of school back in session, cooler weather, leaves changing, and best of all football. As a sports fan all of my life, I always look forward to the fall season because of the combination of baseball’s pennant race and college football. Growing up in the midwest, it’s hard not to hear about Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State football for the entire fall season each year.

For businesses and fans alike, the fall season also means that NCAA memorabilia is a hot-seller. The expansion of the Internet made businesses who sell sports collectibles & memorabilia love this time of season even more than ever as this is the time of year when business is booming. You cannot go to any restaurant near the OSU campus in Columbus without finding some kind of Ohio State Buckeyes memorabilia on the walls, and the same can be said in most any Big Ten town.

So whether it’s the Buckeyes, Penn State or Michigan in the fall football season, or even Indiana, Michigan State or Illini memorabilia during basketball season, the good news for the fans is that Big Ten and NCAA memorabilia is much easier to find thanks to the Internet.

Delvon Roe is the recruit who is going to play for Michigan State in 2008.

Minnesota beat Clemson

Iowa beat Virginia

Who defeated Virginia in the 1997 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament