Monday morning thoughts

We met my folks and grandma for church Sunday morning, and the first thing my dad asked me afterward was if I'd watched the Texas-Texas Tech game Saturday night. I had, and it was an awesome game.

Did you see the ending? Tech students rushed the field prematurely, and the Raiders were flagged for two penalties. They kicked off from their own 7-1/2, as fans ringed the field. It had the makings of another Stanford-Cal, but nothing came of it.

So that's the highlight of my college football Saturday, a Big 12 South game played in Lubbock, Texas, on the campus of my old friend Kurt Reineck's alma mater. Not the Badger pulling out a big win that could have propelled them to an 8-4 record and salvaging a horrible season. A horrible season gets horribler.

Big Ten rankings:

1. Penn State

2. Ohio State

3. Michigan State. Name three players responsible for the Spartans' win over us. Blair White (the wide receiver). Brett Swenson (the kicker). And ... and ... and ... A sure sign of just how thoroughly we beat ourselves in this one.

4. Northwestern

5. Minnesota. And I thought the manner in which we lost was heartbreaking. The fact it came on a dropped pass by class act Eric Decker was satisfying. Maybe his hands were sore from punching defensive backs in the groin.

6. Illinois

7. Iowa

8. Wisconsin. I know we're last in the standings, and anticipate getting ripped for this ranking (as if being eighth-best is worth feeling good about), but this team is six points away from being 4-2 in the conference, angling for a January bowl game. It's also two more weeks of brain dead football from not playing in a bowl. The Badgers showed a lot of good signs Saturday.

9. Michigan. And I thought the manner in which Minnesota lost was heartbreaking. Losing on a hook-and-ladder? I only wish our year was going better so I could enjoy this more. Or that we'd beaten them. Sigh.

10. Purdue. Look out!

11. Indiana. If we lose Saturday ... it could definitely happen. Kellen Lewis will probably play and score four touchdowns.