The 12th game looks like it is here to stay in the Big Ten conference.
After implementing an additional game into the schedule of each conference team two seasons ago as an experiment, the Big Ten championship and competition cabinet voted this week to approve the permanent addition of a 12th game. The conference’s 11 presidents will vote soon on the matter.
With athletic directors all over the conference struggling to balance their budgets, most Big Ten coaches see another football game as a means for more revenue.
“I’m in favor of a 12th game,” Michigan State coach John L. Smith said. “We need to raise more money. We in the football program are not going to see the money, but who cares? If it helps another student-athlete, that’s great.”
Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez is in the somewhat unique position of seeing the benefits and drawbacks of another game as his school’s football coach and athletic director.
“I’m in favor of it,” Alvarez said. “The athletic department financially needs a 12th game, and we have been doing it for the past few seasons. I never took another game without asking the players first, and the players always wanted to play.”
One coach in the minority on this issue is Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. He said he is hoping the college presidents don’t decide to go along with the decision, but Carr also said he is sure they will.
“We asked our players if they were in favor of a 12th game, and our players voted 79-10 in opposition of a 12th game,” Carr said. “I thought that was interesting because everyone is saying that the players are in favor of this. Any decision on this should come with the consideration of the voice of the kids playing 12 games.”
Carr said he believes this revenue thinking in the conference will ultimately lead to a 12th team being admitted to the Big Ten and the creation of a conference playoff.
“Then I think this will increase the voice of those who say if you play all those games, you should pay the players, and that’s the wrong direction,” Carr said.
Another conference coach opposed to an added game is Indiana coach Gerry DiNardo.
“We are becoming more like the pros in that we’re making decisions based entirely off money,” DiNardo said. “We’ve created a monster we can’t control, and we’re just feeding it the best we can.”
CALLED OUT
After Minnesota’s 43-17 beating of Northwestern on Saturday, Golden Gophers’ coach Glen Mason was criticized for only one thing — running up the score in the waning minutes of the game.
On fourth and seven with with 2:59 left, Mason called for a half-back pass that running back Marion Barber III executed for a 21-yard touchdown pass.
The Gophers had been winning by 19 before the score, and some, including ESPN2 analyst Andre Ware, thought Mason should have just kicked a field goal and accused him of running up the score.
“If I remember correctly, when Andre Ware was quarterback at Houston, that team scored 70, 80 or 90 points sometimes,” Mason said. “I think that’s a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
“I’m amused, though, that anyone’s calling Minnesota a bully. I guess we’re making progress.”
PAT STRUGGLES CONTINUE
The recent problems with kickers missing extra points continued last week in Big Ten action.
Minnesota kicker Rhys Lloyd missed two extra points against NU, and Michigan kicker Garrett Rivas missed his third extra point of the season against Iowa.
“As a coach, after a miss you realize how badly a missed extra point can cost you,” Carr said. “In a close game, that can make the difference in the final score.”
Reach Zach Silka at [email protected].
RUSHING CAR YDS AVG YPG
Maroney, Minnesota 73 526 7.2 131.5
Barber III, Minnesota 85 514 6.0 128.5
Ross, Ohio State 66 282 4.3 94.0
Hunt, Penn State 54 375 6.9 93.8
Green-Ellis, Indiana 103 368 3.6 92.0
passing att cp yds TD RTG
Orton, Purdue 106 74 982 13 327.3
Basanez, NU 159 92 1054 5 263.5
Zwick, Ohio State 77 42 610 4 203.3
Beutjer, Illinois 77 50 589 5 196.3
Cupito, Minnesota 76 44 782 7 195.5
RECEIVING REC YDS AVG YPG
Edwards, Michigan 32 500 15.6 123.0
Holmes, Ohio State 16 331 20.7 110.3
Stubblefield, Purdue 21 324 15.4 108.0
Roby, Indiana 21 372 17.7 93.0
Philmore, NU 30 362 12.1 90.5
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS YDS YPG
Orton, Purdue 124 1033 344.3
Basanez, NU 184 1141 285.2
Cupito, Minnesota 80 799 199.8
Zwick, Ohio State 91 593 197.7
Beutjer, Illinois 81 569 189.7
scoring GMS PTS PPG
Stubblefield, Purdue 3 48 16.0
Barber III, Minnesota 4 36 9.0
Valentine, Minnesota 4 30 7.5
Halsey, Illinois 4 30 7.5
Edwards, Michigan 4 30 7.5
Holmes, Ohio State 3 18 6.0
POWER POLL: Pennant race edition
1. Ohio State (3-0): Clinched two months ago
2. Purdue (3-0): Bonds has nothing on Orton
3. Michigan (3-1): Can’t overlook the Expos (or Indiana)
4. Minnesota (4-0): The wild card leader
5. Wisconsin (4-0): Badgers never give up the big inning
6. Iowa (2-2): Getting racked worse than a September call-up
7. Illinois (2-2): Almost played the role of spoiler
8. Michigan State (2-2): Finally found its ace
9. Indiana (2-2): Playing meaningless games in September
10. NU (1-3): You can’t have two lead-off men
11. Penn State (2-2): No leader equals no chance
