Episode 133 – 2012 Big Ten Championship Game Preview

Wisconsin and Nebraska collide in the Big Ten championship game Saturday night.

The Big Ten is still getting used to this whole championship game idea, but at least the two schools meeting in Indianapolis are pretty well adjusted to it. Wisconsin returns to Indianapolis this week to make their second straight trip representing the Leaders Division, although this year they arrive thanks to NCAA sanctions to undefeated Ohio State and second place Penn State. Nebraska, on the other hand, earned their place in the game in their second season in the Big Ten, and two trips to the Big 12 championship game are still fresh in the memories of a number of Huskers.

Can Wisconsin defend their conference crown and return to the Rose Bowl, or can Bo Pelini and his Huskers finally get that conference championship monkey off their backs? Regardless of the outcome, it should make for a competitive and entertaining game.

To preview the championship game from both perspectives I was happy to welcome two past guests to this special Big Ten championship game preview podcast. We begin by discussing Nebraska with Brandon Cavanaugh (@eightlaces) from Rant Sports. In the second half we talk about Wisconsin with Andy Coppens (@andycoppens) from Madtown Badgers and Delany’s Dozen.

Don’t forget, this podcast can be heard at anytime on Stitcher Radio (and click here for a promo code to get started and a chance to win $100)!

A portion of this podcast will be featured in our first ever encore presentation Friday evening, airing live on Pioneer Digital TV channels 150 and 152 in Oklahoma, and parts of Texas and Kansas where available. Click here for more information, and stay tuned for some announcements for the podcast and site coming soon.

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Big Ten Championship Game scenarios for Nebraska, Michigan

With one final weekend in the regular season to play, the battles for the Big Ten’s Legends Division championship will determine who goes to Indianapolis to play in the Big Ten Championship Game. In an odd twist this season, the Big Ten’s Leaders Division champion will not get to play for the Big Ten’s automatic BCS spot, as the Ohio State Buckeyes are serving a postseason ban this season and are ineligible for the championship game and a bowl game.

Even though Ohio State has clinched the outright Leaders Division title this season and can complete an undefeated season this weekend, it will be the Wisconsin Badgers heading to their second straight Big Ten Championship Game. Wisconsin locked up a spot in the championship game a couple of weeks ago, thanks in part to Ohio State and Penn State being ineligible. Wisconsin lost a tough one to Ohio State last weekend and heads to Penn State this weekend looking to build some momentum as they prepare to return to Indianapolis next week.

Figuring out who Wisconsin will face is pretty straight forward. It will be Nebraska or Michigan. … Continue Reading

Morning Bump and Run [5.14.2012] – Boom goes the ACC

Florida State ready to leave the ACC?

Via Reddit.

Just when you though the weekend was going slowly, this article from Warchant.com gets everyone hopping with the possibility that Florida State will leave the ACC for the Big 12, quite possibly one of the most successful pieces ever written on the Rivals.com network. In short, Florida State Board of Trustees Chair Andy Haggard ripped the ACC for not exploring more lucrative options in their new television contract with ESPN, which looked good on paper at first but actually lacked financial benefits that play in favor of a school like Florida State.

The statements made by Haggard led Florida State to issue a statement with regret of the misinformation that was quickly put to the test by some, and reaffirmed their commitment to the ACC. But it does seem that if there was anything that was going to persuade Florida State to leave the ACC, the television deal may have been it. Dan Wetzel suggests it was the last straw.

Of course, if Florida State were to leave the ACC for the Big 12, who would join them to put the conference back to 12 teams? Clemson? Virginia Tech? Notre Dame? We’ll see.

Speaking of the Big 12, the Red River Rivalry will stay in the Cotton Bowl through 2020. This is good for college football.

Pittsburgh is suing the Big East. Hey, it worked for West Virginia. … Continue Reading

Nebraska alternate uniform coming in 2012 for one game

Nebraska to wear black uniforms? Retro? Your guesses are now allowed

Nebraska will wear an alternate uniform in 2012. Will it be black, or something more traditional? Image source: TheJonGates.com.

Nebraska has one of the best uniforms in college football, as evidenced by their run to the Final Four in Crystal Ball Run’s Uniform Madness (which determined the top uniform, rather than our own bracket here). Today Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne confirmed that the Huskers will wear an alternate uniform for one game in 2012, but stated that it will not be outlandish.

From AP sports writer Eric Olson, via The Republic in Indiana.

Nebraska plans to wear an alternate uniform for one home football game this season, though athletic director Tom Osborne says the design won’t diverge much from the Cornhuskers’ traditional look.

Osborne said Monday the design has not been finalized. He couldn’t offer any details other than that the uniforms would be “futuristic” but “not outlandish.”

Osborne said adidas, the Huskers’ apparel and footwear provider since 1995, proposed changing the color of the helmets. Osborne said the white helmet with the iconic red “N” would not be touched.

If you have been following along with us, you know what we would advise against.

1. No black helmets.
2. No black uniforms, from head to toe.

Some from Nebraska may say otherwise, and given the initial report from Osborne it seems that anything with black might be a stretch.

What would you like to see Nebraska do with their uniforms?

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Episode 103: Tommie Frazier’s constant College Football Hall of Fame snub, and Nebraska spring football preview

And previewing Nebraska spring football with Husker Locker

Is this the year Tommie Frazier is voted to the College Football Hall of Fame? Getty Images.

The 2012 College Football Hall of Fame ballot was released by the National Football Foundation today, which leaves us to wonder once more just how long it will take for former Nebraska quarterback Tommie Frazier to receive his invite to the hall.

Frazier may not have had the best passing numbers by a quarterback, but what he could do with his legs more than made up for it. Take a look at Frazier’s college numbers…

Frazier, in addition to being one of the top offensive players in the early to mid 1990s was the main cog of the 1995 Nebraska team that completed an undefeated season, and claimed a second consecutive national championship.* All Frazier and the Cornhuskers did was win games. So why has he not been voted in yet? Your guess, really, is as good as mine although I’m at a loss for an explanation.

So maybe somebody who has followed Nebraska’s football program for longer than I can shed some light on the debate. Brandon Cavanaugh, of Husker Locker, takes some time to discuss Frazier’s collegiate career, as well as Nebraska’s other two College Football Hall of Fame candidates, former linebacker Trev Alberts and Heisman-winning quarterback Eric Crouch. Once we get through that Hall o Fame discussion, we shift our focus to the Nebraska Cornhuskers of today, first by recapping the past year of transition from the Big 12 to the Big Ten and what we should be paying attention to this spring as Nebraska prepares to open spring practices next week.

Is there any chance Taylor Martinez can reach a new level or has he met his proverbial ceiling?

Can Rex Burkhead continue to be some dominant on offense?

Who will step up on defense for Nebraska this season?

Is there a chance Nebraska can make a run at a Big Ten title in year two of the new conference era?

Have a listen to the podcast below, then make sure you are subscribed in iTunes, and following the show on Get Glue! Follow Husker Locker on Twitter @HuskerLocker (follow me too). And don’t forget, this podcast can be heard at anytime on Stitcher Radio (and click here for a promo code to get started and a chance to win $100)!

A portion of this podcast will be featured in our first ever encore presentation Friday evening, airing live on Pioneer Digital TV channels 150 and 152 in Oklahoma, and parts of Texas and Kansas where available. Click here for more information.

If the audio widget does not show up for you, click here to listen.

* I hear you Penn State fans, believe me.

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Follow me on Twitter @KevinOnCFB and Like No 2-Minute Warning on Facebook.

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