[NU Sports] FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL: Day 35

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

We're under a week now! We'll have to do this again in 10 years! :)

FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL
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> DAYS 1-10: The top coaches of the decade

10) Glen Mason, Minnesota
09) Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
08) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
07) Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
06) Randy Walker, Northwestern
05) Lloyd Carr, Michigan
04) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
03) Joe Tiller, Purdue
02) Joe Paterno, Penn State
01) Jim Tressel, Ohio State

> DAYS 11-20: The top games of the decade

10) 2000: Purdue 32, Michigan 31
09) 2001: Michigan State 26, Michigan 24
08) 2005: Michigan 27, Penn State 25
07) 2003: Minnesota 37, Wisconsin 34
06) 2004: Northwestern 33, Ohio State 27 (OT)
05) 2008: Penn State 13, Ohio State 6
04) 2009: Ohio State 27, Iowa 24 (OT)
03) 2002: Ohio State 10, Purdue 6
02) 2000: Northwestern 54, Michigan 51
01) 2006: Ohio State 42, Michigan 39

> DAYS 21-30: The top players of the decade

10) Laurence Maroney/Marion Barber, Minnesota
09) Antwaan Randle El, Indiana
08) Jamar Fletcher, Wisconsin
07) Dallas Clark, Iowa
06) Troy Smith, Ohio State
05) Damien Anderson, Northwestern
04) Braylon Edwards, Michigan
03) Chris Gamble, Ohio State
02) Larry Johnson, Penn State
01) Drew Brees, Purdue

> DAYS 31-40: The top teams of the decade

10) 2003 Michigan Wolverines
09) 2002 Iowa Hawkeyes
08) 2006 Wisconsin Badgers
07) 2009 Iowa Hawkeyes

Just one rule for this list: No more than three teams from one school (so it wouldn't just be a list of Buckeye teams :) ).

TOP TEAMS
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06) 2009 Ohio State Buckeyes

- Record: 11-2
- Quality Wins: vs. #25 Wisconsin, @ #10 Penn State, vs. #13 Iowa, vs. #7 Oregon
- Bad Losses: @ Purdue
- Average margin of victory: 20.5 points
- Bowl result: Beat #7 Oregon in the Rose Bowl 26-17

When Ohio State walked off the hallowed grass of the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2010, it marked the first time in a decade that the Big Ten had emerged victorious in the annual classic. Of course, most of the decade, the Big Ten champ was forced to go elsewhere (stupid B(C)S), but it was still a nice moment for the conference, and quite possibly a springboard for a return to the national title game for the Buckeyes.

The 2009 season, however, did not begin as joyously for OSU fans. They needed a late return of a two-point conversion to scrape by Navy, 31-27. And when they hosted #3 USC in the most anticipated game of the early season. The Buckeyes had chance after chance, but could only edge ahead 15-10 when the Trojans got the ball back with under 5 minutes remaining. SC drove down the field to score and win the game 18-15, and the Buckeyes were out of the national title picture after week two.

Ohio State took out their frustrations on Toledo and Illinois with consecutive 38-0 and 30-0 shutouts to creep back into the top 10 and moved up to #7 after they handled the Badgers 31-13 in Columbus, scoring three non-offensive touchdowns against Wisconsin. But then came a relatively typical overcast autumn day when OSU traveled to Purdue.

The Boilers were 1-5 on the season and just getting to know new coach Danny Hope. The Buckeyes had avoided letdown losses for most of the decade - before 2009, they had not lost to a non-BCS bowl team since 2004 and hadn't dropped a game to a team that failed to make a bowl since 2001. But Purdue dominated this game from beginning to end, building up a 23-7 lead entering the fourth quarter and hanging on for a 26-18 upset.

OSU was now 5-2, well out of the top 10 and fighting to make it back to a B(C)S bowl. They again took out their frustration with two routs after the loss, beating Minnesota 38-7 and New Mexico State 45-0. But something happened as the calendar turned over to November. Terrelle Pryor finally seemed to click with the offense, the team came together and Ohio State started looking like the league's dominant team again.

The transformation came just in time. Ohio State opened the month at Happy Valley for a late game with #10 and 8-1 Penn State before a wild white out crowd who were ready to come down like an avalanche on Pennsylvania high school standout-turned-Buckeye Pryor. But Terrelle had the last laugh, dominating the game and leading the Bucks to a 24-7 victory.

The game of the year, however, came the next week when 9-1 Iowa came to the Shoe for a de-facto Big Ten championship game with Roses on the line. The instant classic came down to overtime, with Ohio State kicking their way to Pasadena, 27-24. A season-ending ho-hum win over Michigan sent the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl for the first time since the 1996 season.

Any New Year's Day in Pasadena is unforgettable, but when you enter the game hearing about how slow the Big Ten is and how OSU can't win a B(C)S bowl and then hold the ball for a Rose Bowl record 40+ minutes and dominate the game, it's even more special. The Buckeyes jumped up 10-0 and owned the fourth quarter en route to a 26-17 victory to silence all the doubters (unfairly, as Tressel has a winning record in BCS bowls) and finish in the top five.

Coming Monday: We are ... so mad at Iowa!

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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