Big Ten Bowl Bonanza: Winning Our Way...

When you’re hot, you’re hot, and when you’re not...well, let’s just say it can be cold out there, baby. 

The Big Ten has been shivering in Iceland for the past half-decade as far as winning respect during bowl season in the BCS era.

This year, the Big Ten does not have to don big thick, furry coats while they scurry back into their dubious caves to sleep until spring.

This year, the “cloud of dust” barons can celebrate with their more illustrious brothers in the SEC, showboating in the end zone. 

Big Ten teams not only won, they won with defense while exhibiting pizazz and style on offense. Their games were competitive—even some of the losses were close and extremely exciting.

Champs Sports Bowl

No. 24 Wisconsin set the tone for the Big Ten bowl season by upending the No. 14 Miami Hurricanes in the Champs Sports Bowl, 20-14.

Led by running back John Clay, the Badgers ran over the Hurricanes, who allowed Clay 121 rushing yards, including two touchdowns.

The Badgers hogged the clock and the field, allowing the 'Canes little time and not much opportunity to carry the day.

Just the way Big Ten teams like it.

Insight Bowl

What is there to say except Minnesota hung in there all the way, even if the game was not a thing of beauty, losing to Iowa State by one point, 14-13. It was a respectable outing for two 6-6 teams.  

Outback Bowl

The best Big Ten bowl game to watch for pure entertainment (and with the most heroic performance) came from Northwestern and Wildcat quarterback Mike Kafka.

The game was a thrill a minute and provided as many heart-stopping moments as any fan could stand. The Wildcats just ran out of time, not heart or courage.

The Auburn Tigers intercepted Kafka five times—twice in the end zone. Walter McFadden returned one of the picks 100 yards for a touchdown that gave Auburn an early 14-0 lead.  

On the other hand, Kafka threw for a career-best 532 yards and four touchdowns. He rallied Northwestern from a two touchdown deficit in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. At 35-35, the game went into overtime, just to extend the mania.

Auburn kicked a field goal, going up 38-35. Northwestern ran their three plays and failed to get into the end zone. On fourth down, Northwestern ran “the play.”  

With their regular kicker Stefan Demos injured, Coach Pat Fitzgerald gambled, going for the win in overtime. 

Lining up for a field goal, Wildcat receiver Zeke Markshausen took a handoff between the legs from holder Dan Persa and circled right end to try to win the game. Auburn's Neiko Thorpe stopped him after a three-yard gain to the 2.

For the third time, the Auburn team stormed the field claiming victory. The 'Cats used up all their nine lives and more in a losing effort, but they gave it all they had and provided the fans in the stands and a television audience one great game.

Capital One Bowl

No. 11 Penn State came through against No. 13 LSU 19-17 in another down-to-the-wire finish that distinguished a number of Big Ten wins.

The field was so sloppy in Orlando that day, just maintaining footing was a major accomplishment.

Penn State led early but LSU overtook the Nittany Lions 17-16 as Stevan Ridley ran it in for a one-yard touchdown with 12:49 left.

Quarterback Daryll Clark led the charge late in the game. With 57 seconds left, Clark helped set up Collin Wagner's 21-yard field goal. Penn State held off a last-minute charge by the Tigers to preserve the Nittany Lion’s victory.

Another Big Ten victory in the bag.

Rose Bowl

No. 8 Ohio State’s victory over the No. 7 Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl seemed to  turn the tide in favor of the Big Ten permanently.

The Buckeyes, led by quarterback Terrelle Pryor, “rose” to the occasion in grand style before a sellout crowd.

Pryor passed for a season-high 266 yards, including two touchdowns. He also rushed for 72 yards.

Finally, he threw a 17-yard scoring pass to DeVier Posey with 7:02 to play to secure the victory.

Thus ended the No. 8 Buckeyes' three-game BCS losing streak with a 26-17 victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Alamo Bowl

The contest between Michigan State and Texas Tech was more or less the “drama queen” of the bowl contests.

So many story lines, so many distractions. The game seemed sure to be an anticlimax for the two teams playing the game.

Once the teams took the field, the ghost of Mike Leach, fired Texas Tech coach, and his target, Adam James, seemed to dominate commentary.

Lost in the conversation was the fact that 14 members of the Michigan State squad did not even make the trip after being suspended for a dormitory brawl.

The Spartans held a 28-27 lead going into the fourth quarter. Falling behind 31-27, Texas Tech stormed back, winning the Alamo Bowl 41-31.

Orange Bowl

In the piece de resistance of the Big Ten Bowls, No. 10 Iowa thumped No. 9 Georgia Tech 24-14 in the Orange Bowl.

The Hawkeyes unwound the Georgia Tech triple option with a swarming defense that smothered the pesky Yellow Jackets before they could sting.

Ricky Stanzi, Iowa’s underrated quarterback, shook off the rust of inactivity and the restraints of injury, engineering two early possession touchdowns to mark the Iowa offense as up and operational.

Georgia Tech’s offense never saw the light of day, buried by Iowa’s stifling defense.

It was a glorious ending for Iowa and for the Big Ten. 

After the dust settled

Finally football season is finished for another year with a so-so BCS Championship game. Lingering doubts remain because Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was knocked out the game almost immediately.

The remarkable conclusion includes the fact that the Big Ten led all conferences with four teams ranked among the top 16 and three teams among the top 10 in the final Associated Press (AP) poll. 

Ohio State finished ranked No. 5. Iowa followed with the No. 7 ranking and Penn State rose to No. 9. Wisconsin took the No. 16 spot to finish the year.

The SEC was the only other conference with multiple teams in the final top 10.

Past Five Years Big Ten Bowl History

2005: Seven games, three wins (43 percent)

Wisconsin vs. Auburn in the Capital One Bowl (W 24-10)

Ohio State vs. Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl (W 34-20)

Penn State vs. Florida State in the Orange Bowl (W 26-23, 2 OTs)

Michigan vs. Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl (L 28-32)

Iowa vs. Florida in the Outback Bowl (L 24-31)

Minnesota vs. Virginia in the Music Bowl (L 31-34)

Northwestern vs. UCLA in the Sun Bowl (L 38-50)

2006: Seven teams, two wins (29 percent)

Wisconsin vs. Arkansas in the Capital One Bowl (W 17-14)

Penn St. vs Tennessee in the Outback Bowl (W 20-10)

Ohio State vs. Florida in the BCS Championship Game (L 14-41)

Michigan vs. USC in the Rose Bowl (L 18-32)

Purdue vs. Maryland in the Champs Sports Bowl (L 7-24)

Minnesota vs. Texas Tech in the Insight Bowl (L 41-44 OT)

Iowa vs. Texas in the Alamo Bowl (L 24-26)  

2007: Eight teams, three wins (37.5 percent)

Michigan vs. Florida in the Capital One Bowl (W 41-35)

Penn St. vs. Texas A& M in the Alamo Bowl (W 24-17)

Purdue vs. Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl (W 51-48)

Michigan St. vs. Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl (L 21-24)

Indiana vs. Oklahoma St. in the Insight Bowl (L 33-49)

Wisconsin vs. Tennessee in the Outback Bowl (L 17-21)

Illinois vs. USC in the Rose Bowl (L 17-49)

Ohio State vs. LSU in the BCS Championship Game (L 24-38)

2008: Seven teams, one win (14 percent)

Iowa vs. South Carolina in the Outback Bowl (W 31-10)

Minnesota vs. Kansas in the Insight Bowl (L 21-42)

Wisconsin vs. Florida St. in the Champs Sports Bowl (L 13-42)

Northwestern vs. Missouri in the Alamo Bowl (L 23-30 OT)

Michigan State vs. Georgia in the Capital One Bowl (L 12-24)

Ohio State vs. Texas in the Fiesta Bowl (L 21-24)

Penn State vs. USC in the Rose Bowl (L 24-38)

2009: Seven teams, four wins (57 percent)

Wisconsin vs. Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl (W 20-14)

Penn State vs. LSU in the Capital One Bowl (W 19-17)

Ohio State vs. Oregon in the Rose Bowl (W 26-17)

Iowa vs. Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl (W 24-14)

Minnesota vs. Iowa State in the Insight Bowl (L 13-14)

Northwestern vs. Auburn in the Outback Bowl (L 38-35 OT)

Michigan State vs. Texas Tech in the Alamo Bowl (L 31-41)

For the last five years overall, the Big Ten is 13 for 36, or 36 percent.

2010 seems rosy. Only 8 months away...