By Paul M. Banks, President of The Sports Bank.net When Michigan State meets #3 Purdue on Sunday, it’ll have huge influence on who wins the Big Ten regular season title. But beyond that…who will eventually take Purdue’s #1 seed in the NCAA tourney now? The Purdue Boilermakers are 12-3 in the Big Ten, a half-game [...]

By Paul M. Banks, President of The Sports Bank.net 1. Purdue (24-3, 12-3) Ten in a row! Give them that #1 seed. Boilers are on a mission to duplicate Michigan St.’s feat from last season- reach a Final Four held in your home state. Getting there is DEPENDENT on the health of Robbie Hummel. And [...]

It only took us 11 years, but the Big Ten has finally broken through in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.  Finally a reprieve from articles and posts about how the Big Ten is so overrated after 6-to-5 losses in the Challenge, despite consistently impressive post-season performances.  Let the ubridled hype commence!  Alright maybe not, but it [...]

For ten straight years the ACC has beaten the Big Ten in an event that is only called a “challenge” for the sake of promotion.  Could this be the year though?  The Big Ten certainly has the firepower to play with the ACC this sesaon.  Last year the all-conference first team featured all sophomores and [...]

Charlie Weis has to be smiling between bites these days.  A couple of weeks ago the Irish coach added “punches thrown after plays” to his long list of complaints after a loss at Michigan.  Following some YouTube spotshadowing and more whining from South Bend, Michigan linebacker Jonas Mouton was suspended by the Big Ten for [...]

In a huge blow to the Illini defense, junior linebacker Martez Wilson will miss the remainder of the season with a neck injury.  A five-star prospect in 2007, Wilson played for the Illini right away and many expected him to break out in a major way this season.  The injury, a herniated disk requiring surgery, has [...]

So, the Big Ten previews didn’t finish up due to getting slammed at work.  Therefore, I bring you the preseason Big Ten Power Rankings. 1) Ohio State- Hard to put the Buckeyes anywhere else on the list.  Terrelle Pryor was the most efficient passer in the conference last year and OSU is never lacking talent.  [...]

For the next few weeks leading up to the college football season, we’ll be previewing every Big Ten team, starting with my prediction to finish last, to my predicted champ.  This way if I don’t get to Ohio State before the season starts, you’ll have a good grasp on all the teams whose analysis isn’t [...]

For the next few weeks leading up to the college football season, we’ll be previewing every Big Ten team, starting with my prediction to finish last, to my predicted champ.  This way if I don’t get to Ohio State before the season starts, you’ll have a good grasp on all the teams whose analysis isn’t [...]

For the next few weeks leading up to the college football season, we’ll be previewing every Big Ten team, starting with my prediction to finish last, to my predicted champ.  This way if I don’t get to Ohio State before the season starts, you’ll have a good grasp on all the teams whose analysis isn’t [...]

For the next few weeks leading up to the college football season, we’ll be previewing every Big Ten team, starting with my prediction to finish last, to my predicted champ.  This way if I don’t get to Ohio State before the season starts, you’ll have a good grasp on all the teams whose analysis isn’t [...]

For two days the Big Ten football coaches and three players from each team gather in Chicago for Big Ten Media Days.  From what I could tell, this year’s event was pretty bland (are they ever exciting?), but I guess that’s what you get when Lane Kiffin doesn’t coach in your conference.   So what did [...]

ESPN had an interesting poll question up yesterday.  What in the world were 35% of those people thinking? [Awful Announcing] Cubs beat the Giants last night on another Theriot homer and behind another great outing at Wrigley by Dempster.  [Sun-Times] And the White Sox were Greinke’s latest victim as the Sox fell to the Royals [...]

Jason Marquis led the Rockies to a win over the Cubs yesterday, that’s embarrassing.  Also, the Sox were blown out by the Tigers.  [Sun-Times: Cubs, Sox] The Big Ten announced some start times for this year’s football games.  The Illini have a couple of night games scheduled and will have a 2:40 start against Missouri [...]

Illinois got the 5 seed everyone was expecting them to get.  If they get past the first round, Gonzaga is going to be a tough matchup for the Illini. [Sun-Times] Speaking of the Illini, remember Jamar Smith?  Well he’s not leaving teammates for dead anymore, and his ankle bracelet comes off soon.  Hooray! [Deadspin] Some [...]