The Big Ten season kicks off tonight with 11-2 Purdue hosting unranked 12-1 Illinois.

I don't remember ever seeing this many teams with a record this good heading into Big Ten play. Northwestern is 8-2, a nice record, and yet they are 10th in the Big Ten in wins. Only 5-7 Indiana is worse.

MSU's next 3 opponents have 29 wins between them already, while UM's next 3 have 26 (they get Indiana early).

I'm guessing this is where we see some separation.

So what are your predictions for how teams finish in the conference standings?

I'm going with:
1. Purdue
2. Michigan State
3. Minnesota
4. Ohio State
5. Wisconsin
6. Michigan
7. Iowa
8. Illinois
9. Penn State
10. Northwestern
11. Indiana

Unfortunately for UM, I think the conference will only get 5 teams in the tourney this year, as they all beat each other up. Injuries may play a factor here. We already saw how much State was impacted by a Suton injury. A Lucas or Morgan injury could be even more crippling. Michigan would be hard-pressed to beat a Big Ten foe without Harris or Sims, and so on.

Outside of the game between UM and MSU, which should have an OGT, this thread may be the best place to discuss games such as Purdue v OSU, etc, that impact the Big Ten race.

I have yet to be impressed by Purdue in any of the games I've watched. They have the talent, but they've played like shit this year.

I'm gonna put the rankings like this........

1. Ohio State
2. Michigan State
3. Minnesota
4. Purdue
5. Michigan
6. Illinois
7. Wisconsin
8. Penn State
9. Northwestern
10. Iowa
11. Indiana

I`m not about to make predictions since this conference has already been turned upside down in non-conference play.

Regardless, this week will tell be a solid measuring stick for Michigan. Games Vs. Illinois & Wisconsin, both middle-of-the road Big Ten Teams.

I think Purdue is the best team, though. There`s not a finer duo in the Big Ten than Moore & Hummel.

I`ll say:

1. MSU
2. Purdue
3. Wisconsin
4. Ohio State
5. UM
6. Illinois
7. Minnesota
8. Iowa
9. Penn State
10. Northwestern
11. Indiana

Pretty good, bukdow. Right now, the Big Ten is up for grabs. They ain't NO teams that look like they gonna run away wid it. Or assert demselves.

If Michigan finds a semblance of an inside game and doesn't run oot of gas, they could challenge up in dis muthafucka real easily.

MSU wins by 12 and UM loses by 12.

Nice comeback win by MSU over NW. The coinfere3nce so far looks like it's going to be a battle. Only two teams are 2-0 after two games. Lots of back-and-forth jockeying. Strong showing for UM to bounce back and hold off an Illinois team that looked good in beating Purdue.

Thank goodness for MSU that it looks like they're coming together when they need it.

Ohio Stae is looking like it may have some struggles this year. Good. Thad (what the fuck kind of name is Thad?!) Matta is a cock-sucker face.

Couple of gutsy teams going at it tonight. ESPN2

I turned it over to Michigan-Indiana for the 2nd half after getting tired of the "Announcer Swap" on ESPN.

Wow. Watching Michigan fight their way back has been entertaining.

Dare you say gutsy even?

I turned it over to Michigan-Indiana for the 2nd half after getting tired of the "Announcer Swap" on ESPN.

Wow. Watching Michigan fight their way back has been entertaining.

that was a gutsy choice of you to turn on michigan over duke / stephon curry.

^ The greatness that is Jeff Van Gundy's commentary is the only reason I'm watching that one.

Tomorrow's matchup between Purdue and Wisconsin will be interesting. If Wisconsin wins, they go to 4-0 in the conference and Purdue drops to 0-3, and even though it's early you might just as well kiss Purdue's hopes of winning the regular season conference title goodbye.
However, if Purdue wins and gets to 1-2 with Wiscy at 3-1, the conference standings get that much more interesting and look to be a dogfight the rest of the way (unless MSU really has figured it out and runs away with it).

Biog happenings with the DC job and recruits and you post about a fucking basketball game to be played tomorrow?

http://www.gearfuse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/nerd.jpg

Multi-tasking. Notice my DC response was much longer and more thorough.

Multi-tasking. Notice my DC response was much longer and more thorough.

SOn of a bitch I didn't even see it! I take back that nerd picture and put it on myself for 4 minutes as a form of apology.

By the way, while we're on an off-topic conversation, I heard there were two more players who officially left the team. Are these old names we've known about who are just now "official" because they aren't enrolled for the winter semester, or are they new names?
Old names include Horn, Babb, McGuffie, Kates, and Chambers.

Butler is all I can think of. He's gone. I haven't see anything else on Scout.

Right, forgot about him, but another old name. Must not have been a new name or someone expected to carry much (if any) PT or else it would have been thread-worthy and much bigger news on several key sites. I first saw a little something 2 or 3 days ago so it really must have been nothing big.

I think that is it so far Jethro, I went back on Scout and some guy put this list together, but a lot of it is speculation, as with Toney Clemons. Most of the Big Timers at Scout seem to think a few more might shake out after the team meetings which are supposed to occur shortly and then after spring ball.

Decommits/Transfers School/Status
Babb, Zion

Barnes, Jordan

Beaver, Shadrovick

Boren, Justin

Butler, Carson
Transfer to ???

Purdue, Alabama, Wisconsin, etc.

Tulsa

Ohio State

Pro-NFL/CFL???




Chambers, Artis

Clemons, Toney

Ciulla, Jeremy



Transfer to ???

Will he transfer???

Wasn't asked back for 5th year

Cox, Mike Will he transfer?
Fera, Anthony

Hill, Taylor
Penn State

Kent State

Horn, Avery

Kates, Jason
Transfer to ???

Transfer to ???

Mallett, Ryan




McGuffie, Sam

McNeal, Bryce
Arkansas




Rice

Clemson, Minnesota, Oregon or Colorado

Mitchell, Alex Wasn't asked back for 5th year
Newsome, Kevin Penn State
Patilla, Quinton Grand Valley
Slocum, Marques Grades/Conflict with Coach Rod



Webb, Martell

Wienke, John



Will he transfer???

Iowa

Wilson, Christian

Witherspoon, Marcus
North Carolina

Rutgers

Really crappy formating, but I figured it out.

MSU #10

UM #24

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankings?pollId=2&seasonYear=2009&weekNumber=10&seasonType=2

I think UM is getting the shaft with Rankings this year. I understand the rankings have always been biased, but some teams continue to play awful in the top 25 and don't move down much. Purdue and Tennessee have four losses and are still ranked higher...

Toney Clemons isn't gone, Zip.

I know. The OP was challenged on that one. I just threw up the whole list the guy made. I don't think we're gonna see the mass exodus that Maizeman had been forecasting for awhile.