Big Ten Harvest: Now Not Showing on Big Ten Network

Because the Big Televen currently plays an eight-game conference schedule, each of the 11 schools misses two opponents each season. That's unavoidable, perhaps, but this year it means that some games we would like to have seen come to pass never did. Here's a short list of contests that you will not be seeing on Big Ten Classics years from now:

1. Michigan State at Ohio State: The beauty of this contest is that everything else being equal, it would be the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. The Spartans, champions of the as-yet-unnamed but generally more westerly division, would face the Buckeyes, who are alone atop the more easterly division. Even without a Big Ten playoff contest, this game would help eliminate the consternation of a three-way tiebreaker among these two and Wisconsin, all of which should finish with one conference loss. Right now, the Spartans must hope that Ohio State plays as poorly in Iowa City this Saturday as they did three weeks ago. The Buckeyes, meanwhile, would've likely jumped over Wisconsin in the BCS rankings with a win over a one-loss Michigan State team. We see Sparty putting up a valiant fight before losing on a last-minute field goal by Devin Barclay.

2. Michigan at Northwestern: A duel between two most electrifying dual threats in the Big Ten, quarterbacks Denard Robinson of the Wolverines and Dan Persa of Northwestern, must wait until 2011. Both are first-year starters this season. Robinson is second in the nation in total offense and will become the first Big Ten player to throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season. Persa was ninth in that category and tops nationally in completion percentage before he was felled by a torn Achilles tendon injury that ended his season last week. We see a 55-54 teeth-gnasher from Ryan Field, with a potential game-winning field goal being shanked somewhere in the direction of Skokie.

3. Indiana at Minnesota: The Hoosiers and Golden Gophers are a combined 1-12 in the Big Ten this season. They need each other! While the GoGos (2-9) have no hope for a bowl, this was not the season for them to miss out on tussles with IU and Michigan, who have the two worst defenses in the Big Ten outside of their own. The Hoosiers (4-6), meanwhile, might have been just one win from bowl eligibility before facing Penn State and ending at Purdue. We see a 31-30 overtime win for the limestone gang on a botched GoGo PAT.

Why Jim Delany Sleeps Restfully

The Big Ten may have three one-loss teams and absolutely no shot at the BCS Championship Game (unlike another conference it could mention), but commissioner Jim Delany probably sleeps as peacefully as my dad does between Judge Judy and supper time. Why?

Because the top three schools in terms of average attendance nationally after 11 weeks are Michigan (111, 750), Ohio State (105,247) and Penn State (104,498). True, the SEC has nine schools in the top 25 in this category, but if you include rush pledge Nebraska, the Big Ten has seven. Yet again, the Big Ten finishes a respectable second place to the SEC.

Stock Report

Up: Wisconsin's offensive line, Northwestern wideout Jeremy Ebert, Ohio State's defense, college football's visibility in the Windy City, as GameDay visits Wrigley Field.

Down: Northwestern's bowl allure, Ron Zook's job security (Is there a more wildly fluctuating stock on the NASDAQ?), Denard Robinson's passing (four picks in last two games), go routes in the Wrigley Field contest.

Quick Hitters

Illinois Ron Zook last visited Wrigley Field in August, when he sang "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during a Brewers-Cubs game. Should the Illini lose a third straight this Saturday at Wrigley, fans in Champaign may sing, "I don't care if you ever get back." Next up, Northwestern at Wrigley Field.

Indiana The Hoosiers will travel three times the distance that Penn State will (650 miles to 210 miles) for their home game at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., versus Nittany Lions. However, IU will pocket more than three times the revenue ($3 million to less than $1 million) for this game than it has from any of the six it played in Bloomington this season. Next up, Penn State at FedEx Field.

Iowa The Hawkeyes have lost 11 of 12 against the Buckeyes, with the lone win coming in 2004. A loss on Saturday would give them four on the season, or twice last year's total. That's a huge letdown for such a veteran team. Next up, No. 8 Ohio State.

Michigan The last time Michigan beat a top-10 opponent? Two years ago, when the Wolverines staged the biggest comeback at home in school history, overcoming a 19-0 halftime deficit to beat No. 9 Wisconsin 27-25. Next up, No. 6 Wisconsin.

Michigan State Freshman defensive end William Gholston, 6-foot-7 and 260 pounds, underwent shoulder surgery and will miss the remainder of the season. Gholston finished with 13 tackles as a backup after being switched from linebacker last August. Next up, Purdue.

Minnesota More than 10 inches of snow fell on the Twin Cities last Saturday – "It felt as if the sky was pelting us with paint balls," one local told me – but the GoGos were out of town in Champaign. After a bye week, Minnesota hosts Iowa November 27 in its season finale. It could be the Gophers' first home game played in a snow storm since Memorial Stadium closed in 1981. Next up, bye.

Northwestern So your friends will be impressed: While the Chicago Bears did play at Wrigley Field until 1970, the last college game staged there took place in 1938. The two schools who participated, DePaul and St. Louis, no longer have football teams. The Illini and Wildcats last met at Wrigley in 1923, or 15 years after the Cubs' most recent World Series championship. Next up, Illinois at Wrigley.

Ohio State For the sake of variety, fans may want to see someone other than Buckeyes win Big Ten title. But the facts are these: only one team in nation is ahead of Senator Tressel's in both scoring offense and scoring defense, and that team is Boise State. Also, Buckeyes are No. 1 in nation in turnover margin. Next up, at No. 21 Iowa.

Penn State Fightin' JoePas are 13-0 all-time versus their upcoming opponent. Next up, Indiana at FedEx Field.

Purdue Ryan Kerrigan is 22nd in Big Ten in tackles with 62, but his 11.5 sacks are just 3.5 fewer than the 21 players ahead of him have combined (15). Only Clemson's Da'Quan Bowers has more sacks (13.5) nationally. Next up, at No. 11 Michigan State.

Wisconsin Everyone mentions the 83 points against Indiana last week, which is understandable, but the Badgers have scored on 37 consecutive trips to the red zone, with 34 of those scores being touchdowns. Next up, at Michigan.

Between the Quote Marks

"I guarantee they're not going to score 83 points on us" -- Cornerback James Rogers of Michigan, which ranks last in the Big Ten in total defense, on Wisconsin (Do I hear 82?).

"It gets you ready for the Arena League" – Ron Zook on the snug fit of the gridiron inside Wrigley Field, particularly the end zone that abuts the right field wall. (Curiously, that also happens to be Zook's recruiting pitch).

"I think they're all ahead of us, aren't they?" – Minnesota coach Jeff Horton, interrupting a question that began, "If you look at the teams ahead of you in the Big Ten -- "