Right there with you on the Buckeyes. How many painful Cooper games did I have to sit through, with that absolutely worthless AD in his pocket? I was so stoked when they signed Tressel.

I can't stand Michigan, but for the sake of Big Ten football, I really hope Rodriguez succeeds there. I really didn't mind Lloyd Carr - I thought he lacked a little confidence to lead such a big team. I also really liked Bo Schembechler - it was just such a good rivalry. Now that Lloyd's gone, can RichRod fill those enormous shoes? Let's hope he can.

In the meantime, I hope Penn State milks this JoePa thing as long as they possibly can. Happy Valley needs to do ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING to keep that man alive. Hook him up to hoses, prop him up, anything at all. Michigan State can be a contender as well. As far as the other teams go, well, I think Wisconsin has the potential to be a great team, as does Purdue. Neither team is very consistent, though.

Overall, I don't think it's the lack of a conference game that keeps them down. I think they need to keep playing teams outside their conference (Bravo on the USC games, Gene Smith & Co). They need another potential contender to step forward and be consistent. It used to always be Michigan. It will take a little while for a new team to establish themselves in this role.