Blowout loss leaves Huskers shell-shocked
INDIANAPOLIS — When the Big Ten championship game ended and both teams went to the middle of the field to shake hands, Nebraska safety P.J. Smith stayed back a few yards. Hands on…
Wisconsin offense saves its best for last
INDIANAPOLIS — They came in droves, as family members, friends and colleagues embraced Wisconsin offensive coordinator Matt Canada on what had become a field of dreams at Lucas Oil Stadium. “That,” Canada told…
Instant analysis: Wisconsin 70, Nebraska 31
INDIANAPOLIS — A 5-loss Wisconsin team that didn’t win its division and, according to many, didn’t belong in the Big Ten Championship Game dominated No. 12 Nebraska from the onset. The Badgers punched…
UW’s Ball sets NCAA rush TDs mark
INDIANAPOLIS — Another game, another NCAA record for Wisconsin senior running back Montee Ball. After setting the NCAA career total touchdowns record last week at Penn State, Ball broke Travis Prentice’s record for…
B1G title game pregame ponderables
INDIANAPOLIS — Hello from Lucas Oil Stadium, where the second-ever Big Ten championship game will kick off shortly. There were reports of slow ticket sales earlier this week, and the game likely will…
Big Ten title game organizers expect empty seats
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Wisconsin and No. 14 Nebraska likely will play Saturday night’s Big Ten title game in front of at least a few empty seats. A little more than 24 hours before kickoff, thousands of tickets remained unsold and local organizers and Big Ten officials were already saying they didn’t anticipate selling all of them. ”I think from the vantage point in the press box, you’re going to see empty seats,” said John Dedman, a spokesman for Indiana Sports Corp., which helps the Big Ten put on the game. ”But at the same time, there’s going to be a lot of people in those seats. There are 67,000 seats in there.” This has not been a good year for the Big Ten, which has four teams ranked in the Top 25. No. 4 Ohio State (12-0, 8-0) isn’t playing for the title because it’s ineligible for postseason play. Had the Buckeyes made it, ticket sales likely would have been more…
Hoosiers ready for big game with Wisconsin
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana is suddenly playing meaningful late-season games. The Hoosiers head into Saturday’s home game against Wisconsin with, wait for it, title hopes and bowl possibilities on the table. School officials are expecting a big crowd, too, maybe the biggest all season. The crash-course lesson for the Hoosiers in how to deal with their biggest game in five years? Change nothing. ”These guys have stayed very focused on the practice field and when game time rolls around, they’ll go out and compete,” offensive coordinator Seth Littrell said. Clearly, the Hoosiers (4-5, 2-3 Big Ten) have more fight in them this season. Four of the losses were by a combined 10 points. They gave undefeated Ohio State one of its biggest scares of the season, and the Hoosiers have rebounded from an 11-game Big Ten losing streak to win their last two – their first two-game league winning streak since…
NCAA fines Penn State football $60 million, vacates Joe Paterno's wins from 1998-2011 (update)
INDIANAPOLIS — Penn State football was all but leveled Monday by an NCAA ruling that wiped away 14 years of coach Joe Paterno’s victories and imposed a mountain of fines and penalties, crippling a program whose pedophile assistant coach spent uncounted years molesting children, sometimes on university property.
Penn State fined $60M, wins vacated from 1998-2011
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Penn State football was all but leveled Monday by an NCAA ruling that wiped away 14 years of coach Joe Paterno's victories and imposed a mountain of fines and penalties, crippling a program whose pedophile assistant coach spent uncounted years molesting children, sometimes on university property.
Penn State hit with five years' probation, bowl ban, $60M fine, more
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Penn State football was all but leveled Monday by an NCAA ruling that wiped away 14 years of coach Joe Paterno's victories and imposed a mountain of fines and penalties, crippling a program whose pedophile assistant coach spent uncounted years molesting children, sometimes on university property.
