For the love of Bronko Nagurski, it's time for the 2010 Big Ten Football Season to get underway!! In life, I feel there are four things that are necessary to navigate this crazy, tricky world of ours. One is Big Ten football. The other three? We'll let Warren Zevon explain:
Anyways, a quick overview of the games tonight, after the jump. And yes, that was shameless sucking up to the guys that, you know, let me write on their blog without getting the urge to sue me, just because they could.
The Big Ten kicks off the 2010 slate with three games on a Thursday night primetime special. I like the Thursday night kickoff opener, as long as it's not every team and Thursday doesn't become a regular game night for the conference. Our kickoff games are below:
|
Visiting Team |
Home Team |
Kickoff TIme (CST) |
TV Network |
SB Team Blogs |
|
Towson |
Indiana |
6:30 |
Big Ten |
|
|
Minnesota |
Middle Tennesse St |
6:30 |
ESPNU |
|
|
Marshall |
Ohio State |
6:30 |
Big Ten |
Minnesota has the toughest draw coming out of the gate, on the road at Middle Tennesee St. MTSU won 10 games and the New Orleans Bowl last year, but their starting QB Dwight Dasher has been suspended by the team and will not play. Minnesota enters 2010 at a crossroads in the Tim Brewster era. Brewster has recruited well, but doesn't have a lot of results to show for it. If Minnesota wants to make a move to the upper echelon of the conference, they need to beat a good MTSU team on the road.
Indiana was a team that wasn't as bad as their 4-8 record would indicate, and Towson should be an easy tune up to kick off the season. They are a 2-9 FCS team, and if Indiana loses this one, a lot of the feel good vibes coming out of the Big Ten this off season goes by the wayside.
No one expects Ohio State to have a problem handling an overmatched Marshall team. Of course, they said that about Navy last year. Marshall has a new coaching staff, so there's really no tape to study as Marshall has a new offensive and defensive scheme. I can see this being a challenge for Ohio State early, but they just have too many athletes for Marshall to match up with, and I think OSU pulls away in the second half. And Oh Sweet Jesus help us if OSU loses. It's too apocalyptic a thought for the team and the conference to even mention further.
Enjoy the return of the Best Football In The Best Conference!!! Your 2010 season starts NOW!!!!!