We have favorites and we have loyalties, but if the Big Ten is going to climb out the national perception doldrums, we're going to have to do it together. That means that we have to all be pulling in the same direction. Here's what I want to see from each Big Ten team in their non-conference battles this week. These columns are really short this time of year...
Michigan (vs. Delaware St.)
Wow. Not a lot to say about this. I want to see the secondary get some meaningful reps and Denard Robinson make some reads in passing situations. That said, doing it against the Hornets is nowhere near the same thing as doing it against Penn State next week.
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What I Want
I want a blow out and a healthy Michigan squad in advance of the fascinating battle with Penn State.
What I Expect
A blowout. And a lot of questions about whether Tate Forcier plays/should play in the game.
What We've Got So Far
The Big Ten is 27-10 (.730) out of conference. The league is 5-8 against BCS Conference teams (plus Notre Dame). Indiana's loss to Virginia guarantees that the Big Ten can finish with no better than a .500 record against the other BCS schools. The league has two losses to non-BCS teams (Northern Illinois over Purdue and Central Michigan over Michigan State).