B1G open to alliances for scheduling, bowls
The sting from the collapse of the short-lived Big Ten/Pac-12 scheduling alliance isn’t totally gone for Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany, but his desire to form partnerships with other conferences hasn’t wavered. Delany told ESPN.com on Monday that the Big Ten continues to explore possible affiliations with other leagues, both for bowl games and non-league scheduling. The Big Ten will be increasing its conference schedules to nine or 10 games, reducing the number of nonconference games by one or two per season.
B1G rankings: No. 12, Johnathan Hankins
The Big Ten postseason player rankings have reached the dandiest dozen. As a reminder, these rankings are based solely on performance from the 2012 season. Checking in at No. 12 is a guy who might go in the first 12 picks of the April NFL draft … No. 12: Johnathan Hankins, DT, Ohio State, junior, 6-foot-3, 322 pounds Preseason rank: No. 18 2012 numbers: Had 55 tackles, including one sack and five tackles for loss. Named a second-team All-American by the Associated Press.
Ohio State Basketball: 5 Keys to Getting B1G Sweep over Michigan
It has been somewhat of an up-and-down season for the Ohio State basketball team. Despite the scoring prowess of Deshaun Thomas and the defensive tenacity of Aaron Craft, the Buckeyes are a very…
Ohio State Basketball: 5 Keys to Beating Wisconsin in B1G Game
We learned one thing about Ohio State’s basketball team on Saturday—it is capable of winning without Deshaun Thomas carrying the brunt of the scoring load. While the Buckeyes were able to stave off…
B1G ADs seek diversity, flexibility in bowls
The Big Ten’s bowl lineup will change in 2014, and the changes likely won’t be limited to games and dates. The entire bowl business could soon have a dramatically different look. Several conference commissioners, including the Big Ten’s Jim Delany, publicly discussed the need to change the bowl business model earlier this month during the week of the national title game. Declining bowl attendance is a concern, as are issues such as ticket distribution and the selection of teams.
Ohio State Basketball: The Case for Deshaun Thomas as B1G Player of the Year
There may not be a more intriguing conference race in the country than the one taking place in the Big Ten. Teams in the nation’s best league litter the Top 25, and the…
Tough start for B1G group at Senior Bowl
Maybe it’s a reflection of a lousy Big Ten season, but the league sent a smaller-than-normal contingent to the Senior Bowl. The group already has been reduced by three as injuries have prevented Michigan State cornerback Johnny Adams, Ohio State offensive tackle Reid Fragel and Ohio State defensive lineman John Simon from participating. As for the Big Ten players on the practice field, the reviews haven’t been overly favorable. The ESPN Scouts Inc.
Ohio State vs. Michigan: Who’s Under the Most Pressure in B1G Showdown?
Few things define Midwestern sports better than the rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan. There is, of course, a deep hatred there—after all, it is arguably the greatest rivalry in all of sports—but…
Ohio State Basketball: 5 Bold Predictions for the B1G Season
Unfortunately for the Ohio State Buckeye basketball fans, the nonconference portion of the schedule was somewhat disappointing. The Buckeyes lost the only two marquee games they played (at Duke and home versus Kansas)…
Playing ‘What If’ on the B1G bowl lineup
By now you should be quite familiar with the Big Ten’s bowl lineup and have an understanding of just how challenging some of the games appear. The question we’re tackling today is, what if? What if 12-0 Ohio State and 8-4 Penn State weren’t on probation and were eligible for the postseason? What would the bowl lineup look like then, and how much better would the Big Ten’s chances be of finishing with a winning record? Brian Bennett’s view Well, we know that the Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO would feature a different pairing.
