Like all great American enterprises, TUP's enormous success (currently the 459th most influential sports blog according to BallHype) means we have to expand this mediocre blog of ours. We've added four new writers, each one more handsome then the last. We'll introduce everyone else tomorrow, but here is the first column from new contributer Bobby Stompy, whose personal blog can be found here. Every week he'll be giving us a look into the college football's toughest conference, the Big 10, which kicks things into full gear this weekend. Without futher ado, here's your Big 10 rambler for Week 1.
We're fresh off Mississippi State's embarrassing loss to LSU, the Ray Rice-Brian Brohm Heisman ignition, and the soon to be daily dose of Kirk Herbstreit's pretty mug. Yeah, it's the start of college football season.
So what's going on in the Mighty Midwest, and more importantly, the Big Ten conference?
Notre Dame still won't enlist: Everybody's favorite hate target the Fighting Irish are still independent. Although it's not going to change anytime soon, a move to the Big Ten would be more than welcome. Doing so would give the Big Ten - which is currently at 11 teams - even numbers. The move would certainly give the conference an option to split into two, six team divisions and add a championship game (see: every other BCS conference...well, besides Conference USC the Pac Ten). This would give the elite Midwest teams a considerably better chance to 
get pushed into the national title picture each season.
But from now until forever, it's all about benjamins for Notre Dame. And with a sleek NBC-TV deal, can you blame them?
Illinois has recruits, room for improvement: Yes, Ron Zook snagged DE Martez Wilson and WR Arrelious Benn with his mysterious text message spells, but let's remember, the Fighting Illini's two stud recruits equal the amount of Big Ten wins they've had in the last three years. But hey, when you're this deep in the basement, making it halfway up the stairs is progress. Still, expectations for true freshmen shouldn't ever be overzealous.
Ohio State, Michigan > The Rest: It's nice to think that rising upcomers can pull the rug out from under perennial powers; hell, Rutgers and Wake Forest proved it does happen from time to time. But the Wolverines and Buckeyes aren't fond of fairytales, and although the polls tell us that Wisconsin and Penn State are Top 25 teams, both teams lack steady success in the QB position, and that will hold them back from a conference championship.
No. 7 Wisconsin is in the Top 10 right now, and even though I'm sold on the premise of starting QB Tyler Donovan (some speed, leadership), his inexperience is going to hurt the Badgers at some point. I watched Donovan come into Iowa City last year and perform relatively well on the road in place of the departed John Stocco, but Iowa's ailing defense is nothing compared to what he'll see from better teams. Wisconsin will have a chance to go to major bowl, but undefeated is a lot to expect.
No. 17 Penn State should handle the bottom feeders of the conference with ease, but they - and by "they," I mean Anthony Morelli - are not beating Michigan on the road. No way.
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Matchup of the Week: Missouri at Illinois - A storied college basketball rivalry takes to the gridiron, and a right-off-the-bat win over a BCS conference team will help propel the Illini into the outer realms of respect, which would be a start.
Others of Interest: Iowa at NIU - Not in Dekalb but Soldier Field, rather. Yours truly will be there.
Washington State at Wisconsin - P.J. Hill will tear up Wazzu's thin defensive line, but if the game stays close early on, State QB Alex Brink has enough talent to at least make it interesting for a while.
Northeastern at Northeastern - For namesake only.
Watch only with hands over your eyes: Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State vs. Unqualified Check Cashers
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Comments
What about the Spartans from East Lansing with new coach Mark Dantonio, I think we'll see more discipline this year along with an upset home win over Michigan...Go State!
Got a lot to say about that one.
I for one thought that was outstanding, glad to have you aboard.
Illinois v Missouri game is going to be extremely interesting. Alot of people are optimistic about the Illini this year, SI has them making a bowl game I believe, so now we see if they can live up to the hype. I guess it all depends if Juice can complete over 40% of his passes this year.