Spotty Big Ten field lacking a favorite

The Wisconsin Badgers are the Big Ten’s finest squad – for now, that is.

With just one conference game played thus far — Wisconsin knocked off Penn State last weekend — the full Big Ten season opens this weekend with five league contests on the schedule. And once again, the conference boasts one of the nation’s most balanced fields.

“In this league we have been talking about (competitiveness) for a couple of years now,” Minnesota coach Glen Mason said. “How it’s going to shape out is anybody’s guess.”

Last year, the Big Ten champions weren’t decided until the final weekend of league play. Purdue and Michigan joined Northwestern as co-champs.

But each of last year’s top teams still has unanswered questions.

Michigan lost its top three offensive threats: Drew Henson is now a baseball player and both David Terrell and Anthony Thomas are Chicago Bears. Purdue is without graduated All-American quarterback Drew Brees, and NU’s sluggish starts have yet to produce a game-opening scoring drive.

The uncertainties give every Big Ten squad a window of opportunity.

“I would think that every one of us on every Big Ten campus feels that we know where we have to get better,” Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said. “If we do that we can be Big Ten champs. Those who believe that they know what they have to do to be Big Ten champions, they have a chance.”

Despite the opportunities to shine in one of the nation’s elite conferences, Indiana coach Cam Cameron said he’s taking the season in stride.

“Like every other team in this league, we’ve set realistic goals,” he said. “Our focus is strictly on (Saturday opponent) Ohio State.

“Any game — your first game or your last game — can be equally as important.”

UNHAPPY VALLEY: Joe Paterno’s storybook career is turning a bit nightmarish.

The Penn State head coach, who is entering his 36th year with the Nittany Lions, is stuck at 322 victories — one shy of Paul “Bear” Bryant’s career wins record.

This season, his team has already been manhandled by No. 1 Miami and Wisconsin.

In last Saturday’s loss to the Badgers, Penn State put forth its worst offensive showing during Paterno’s tenure. The Nittany Lions recorded just 131 yards of total offense.

“I’m just trying to get this football team to play a little better than we’ve been playing,” Paterno said. “We have some great young players and we have a chance to be a good football team.

“I was upset with them after the (Wisconsin) game and I’m still upset with them. You want to try and show other people how good you are, and I don’t think we have that attitude right now.”

Despite the current struggles, Paterno is still one of the league’s most liked coaches.

“There’s nobody in this business that I’ve had more respect for than (Paterno),” Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez said. “It’s just a matter of time before he’s going to get (the record). I’m just glad he didn’t do it against us.”

QUARTERBACK SHUFFLE: Michigan State backup quarterback Ryan Van Dyke apparently won’t be spending much time huddled around the sideline heaters. That’s because Spartans coach Bobby Williams has him on call.

Williams is experimenting with the two-quarterback system this season, in which he starts sophomore Jeff Smoker, but uses senior Van Dyke in various situations.

“Going into the preseason we still had the competition open and the idea was that we were going into the season with a plan to utilize them both,” Williams said. “That plan has developed on its own. We’re going to continue to utilize both of these guys because they both bring a lot to the table.

“If we can continue to win games … I’m not going to bother (changing it).”

RUSHING CAR YDS AVG YPG

Davis, Wisconsin 98 614 6.3 153.5

Anderson, NU 51 302 5.9 151.0

Duckett, Michigan St. 44 191 4.3 95.5

Barber III, Minnesota 28 176 6.3 88.0

Wells, Ohio St. 38 166 4.4 83.0

RedMonday, Minnesota 25 163 6.5 81.5

passing att cp yds TD RTG

McCann, Iowa 34 25 366 4 196.9

Kittner, Illinois 107 53 839 6 130.2

Smoker, Michigan St. 33 20 255 1 129.5