Big Ten Coaching Boards - Week 2

1 Tressell Ohio St Yeah, I know. A stinker of a game against Ohio, but there's really no way to move Tressell down, especially after the comeback win. You've gotta give him some credit for keeping the troops together and not letting them fall apart when the game looked to be getting away from them. Call it a letdown game a week before the trip to the Coliseum. I had been calling for a USC victory before last Saturday's meltdown against the Bobcats, and now everyone-and-their-brother thinks this will be a blowout, but I don't think that'll be the case. These big games are what Pete Carroll has hung his collegiate coaching career on, but Tressell's team won't be run out of the stadium. It'll be similar to the Ohio State loss to Texas in the 2005 season.

2 Bielema
Wisconsin
The Badgers are finally repaying the Fresno-debt that the BCS teams have rang up. Over the past decade, Fresno State has had an anywhere, anytime mentality; since 2002, they've traveled to Oregon, Wisconsin, LSU, Washington, USC, Kansas State, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Oregon State. Saturday's game isn't going to be a walk-in-the-park for the Badgers, so a close win won't drop Bielema; any loss though provides the opportunity to rise JoePa.

3 Paterno
Penn St
I expected a Nittany Lion win last week, but the dominating performace by PSU was not expected. The way this is shaping up, Paterno may be going out this year with a Big Ten championship caliber team. I won't be too upset about that, unless JoePa promises to die on the field. Promise me!

4 Rodriguez
Michigan
Notre Dame is horrible. If Michigan loses, then I'm somehow going to have to figure out a way to drop RichRod on this board... somehow...

5 Tiller
Purdue
In Tiller's final season, this game might go the farthest in determining just how good the Boilermaker's are. A win over Oregon would provide me reason to move Tiller higher in the rankings (and push RichRod lower), but I'm expecting a Ducks win (and a pretty big one at that).

6 Ferentz
Iowa
Still waiting for Iowa to actually play someone. Should be about 7 more weeks...

7 Zook
Illinois
The Zooker showed the Panthers of Charleston (IL) who the best D1-A team in Illinois is... Well, technically, the Fighting Illini are the only DI-A team in Illinois, but what's the problem? Another easy win for Zook will setup an interesting match-up in Happy Valley next week.

8 Dantonio
Michigan St
The Dantonio showed the Eagles of Ypsilanti (Mich) who the best team in Michigan is... well, perhaps the third best team. We'll be able to judge the Michigans after next week, when both teams have trashed the Fighting Irish.

9 Fitzgerald
N'western
Fitz took his team to 2-0 with the win over Duke in Durham. Northwestern should be unbeaten heading into the Iowa game at the end of the September. A win over the Hawkeyes and a 5-0 start would easily move Fitz up in the rankings.

10 B. Lynch
Indiana
Lynch needs to knock out David Letterman's Alma Mater this week before facing MSU in two weeks. A win over the Spartans would give Bill and the Hoosiers some much needed credibility.

11 Brewster
Minnesota
Frozen bodies lingering in Minnesota.