Hey Off Tackle Empire Community, I wanted to have a quick talk with all of you. I know it has been a tough year this year so far. We have zero National Championship contenders, we have a fairly awful national resume through the non-conference, and our best team might be on suspension. On top of that, we have been embarrassed on national television three times now, and the SEC once again has the top two teams in the country. Still, I have one word for you... SMILE

SMILE

SMILE!!!!

Seriously, though. If there are some things to be comforted by, consider this:

• Our conference does not house Colorado who was obliterated by Fresno State last Saturday in which the Buldogs looked like the Oregon Ducks. Seriously, 50+ points in a half? Colorado also lost to a FCS school they paid to beat, so that's fun.
• Our conference does not house Arkansas and/or John L. any longer... that's probably a good thing.
• Our conference continues to sellout stadiums and print money.
• It's only the non-conference and there is a lot of football to be played AND our cellar dweller teams are not the ones tanking in this non-conference portion. So LOTS OF BOWL OPPORTUNITIES!!! Seriously, though, if Minny and Northwestern take care of business this week, we could still fill all the bowl slots no matter how good either team really is.
• There are some legitimately great recruits coming into the conference, and I feel like next year might be our year.

So, if you're feeling blue this weekend as the B1G rolls over some pretty terrible competition, just SMILE! It's the right thing to do.

Team Links:

• The upside to all the injuries for Illinois is that young players are getting reps. The bigger upside is that Scheelhaase is almost 100% with conference play around the corner.
• Tre Roberson is trying to still help the Hoosiers despite being sidelined.
• So Iowa has owned Central Michigan so far, but the ticket office knows the real value of the game...
• GBM Wolverine has a deeper look at Notre Dame's offense and how Michigan needs to matchup.
• Dantonio thinks it was a bad idea to stop using Le'veon Bell against Notre Dame, and he's right. It was a bad idea.
• Even Minnesota is not immune to writing out those gigantic paychecks to lower-tier teams.
• Hail Varsity points out that Nebraska needs to not just worry about stopping teams on 3rd down because obviously 1st and 2nd count too.
• For Northwestern, there seems to be zero angst over playing two quarterbacks so long as they both produce.
• Ohio State finally has its ethics monitor, and it's a former GE Administrator: Jack Donaghy Gates Garrity-Rokous
• Penn State has gotten a huge boost on the defensive side from Redshirt Freshman Deion Barnes.
• It's a pun! Better Latta than never... It's funny... Seriously, though, this kid didn't play football until two years ago. Now he's starting for the Boilers.
• Madtown Badgers looks at some of the Wisconsin rushing numbers in more depth... It's still not pretty.