BTN.com staff, August 28, 2011

What if Nebraska had been a Big Ten Conference member for the past 15 seasons and the 12 schools competed in two six-team divisions for a decade and a half? BTN.com partnered with WhatIfSports and Narrative Science to simulate those mythical Big Ten Conference football seasons. Below is the 2003 season. Click here for the other seasons.

STANDINGS W L
MICHIGAN 8 0
MINNESOTA 7 1
IOWA 6 2
NEBRASKA 4 4
MICHIGAN STATE 3 5
NORTHWESTERN 1 7
STANDINGS W L
PURDUE 7 1
OHIO STATE 5 3
WISCONSIN 4 4
PENN STATE 2 6
ILLINOIS 1 7
INDIANA 0 8

2003 Big Ten Championship:

Michigan 19, Purdue 12

WEEK 1: GAME OF THE WEEK –  PURDUE 10, OHIO STATE 9

 WEEK 1 RESULTS
Penn State 29, Illinois 16
Iowa 24, Wisconsin 20
Michigan 38, Northwestern 11
Minnesota 45, Indiana 12

Boilermakers rally past Buckeyes, 10-9

In the first week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Purdue visited Leaders Division foe Ohio State. The Buckeyes fell victim to a furious Boilermakers comeback, as the Boilermakers pulled out a 10-9 win.

The offenses for both Purdue and Ohio State struggled throughout the game. Purdue and Ohio State's defenses held the opposing offenses to just 518 total yards.

John Standeford led the the Boilermakers receiving corps, hauling in six passes for 93 yards and one touchdown.

Craig Krenzel threw for 164 yards while completing 15 of 29 passes for the Buckeyes. He also threw no interceptions.

Ohio State's offense finished the game having gained 252 yards. In addition to Krenzel's efforts through the air, the Buckeyes also rushed 49 times for 88 yards.

Purdue's Kyle Orton went 16 of 34 through the air for a total of 196 yards. Orton tossed one touchdown while throwing no interceptions. Orton's favorite target on the day was Taylor Stubblefield. He hauled in seven catches for 87 yards.

The Boilermakers racked up 266 total yards. Purdue's rushing attack contributed 70 yards on 41 carries in addition to Orton's passing effort.

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WEEK 2: GAME OF THE WEEK –  PURDUE 32, WISCONSIN 27

 WEEK 2 RESULTS
Michigan 43, Indiana 8
Michigan State 31, Northwestern 16
Nebraska 27, Illinois 10
Minnesota 35, Penn State 12

Big comeback leads Purdue past Wisconsin, 32-27

In the second week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Wisconsin visited Leaders Division foe Purdue. The Badgers fell victim to a furious the Boilermakers comeback, as Purdue pulled out a 32-27 win.

Things didn't look good for the Boilermakers when they trailed by 11 points in the third quarter. However, Purdue eventually battled back to take the lead with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter when Kyle Orton threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to Taylor Stubblefield for the go-ahead score.

Orton and John Standeford had a passing connection going, as Standeford racked up 138 yards and one touchdown on seven catches en route to a win for the Boilermakers.

Purdue's passing game looked flawless, despite the efforts of Wisconsin's secondary. The Boilermakers' air attack was uncontainable, as they torched the Badgers for 342 yards and two touchdowns. Orton completed 19 of 34 passes for Purdue.

The Boilermakers' offense finished the game having gained 526 yards. In addition to Orton's efforts through the air, Purdue also rushed 53 times for 184 yards.

Jim Sorgi threw for 177 yards while completing 15 of 24 passes for Wisconsin. He threw three touchdowns and one interception.

The Badgers racked up 252 total yards. Along with Sorgi's stats in the passing game, Wisconsin also added 75 yards rushing on 36 attempts.

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WEEK 3: GAME OF THE WEEK –  MICHIGAN 30, IOWA 26

 WEEK 3 RESULTS
Minnesota 30, Michigan State 20
Ohio State 28, Northwestern 10
Purdue 15, Nebraska 9
Wisconsin 38, Illinois 16

Michigan defeats Iowa in overtime 30-26

In the third week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Iowa visited Legends Division foe Michigan. The Wolverines and the Hawkeyes treated football fans to a classic that finally ended in a two-overtime 30-26 win for Michigan.

After Iowa kicked a field goal on its drive to start the second overtime, the Wolverines scored on John Navarre's four-yard touchdown pass to capture the victory.

Michigan's Navarre was good for 227 yards during the game, completing 20 of 39 passes. Navarre tossed one touchdown while throwing no interceptions. Navarre's favorite target on the day was Braylon Edwards. He hauled in eight catches for 123 yards.

Fred Russell did his best to carry the Hawkeyes' offense, turning 34 carries into 152 rushing yards and one touchdown.

Carl Diggs was perpetually in Iowa's backfield, and he recorded two sacks. On a critical drive in the fourth quarter, he sacked Nathan Chandler on first-and-10 for a five-yard loss.

The Wolverines' offense finished the game having gained 337 yards. Michigan's rushing attack contributed 110 yards on 46 carries in addition to Navarre's passing effort.

The Hawkeyes racked up 301 total yards. In addition to Chandler's efforts through the air, Iowa also rushed 57 times for 187 yards.

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WEEK 4: GAME OF THE WEEK –  ILLINOIS 28, INDIANA 24

 WEEK 4 RESULTS
Minnesota 25, Iowa 19
Purdue 20, Michigan State 14
Nebraska 21, Northwestern 12
Ohio State 22, Penn State 9

Beutjer's big day through the air overwhelms Hoosiers as Fighting Illini win 28-24

In the fourth week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Indiana visited Leaders Division foe Illinois. Jon Beutjer threw for 361 yards and three touchdowns, leading the Fighting Illini to a 28-24 victory over the Hoosiers.

Things looked grim for Illinois, but the Fighting Illini stormed back to clinch the victory. Illinois fought hard and erased Indiana's 14-point lead.

Home run plays keyed the Fighting Illini's scoring attack. Illinois had six plays of 20 yards or more on its way to victory. With 2:51 to go in the third quarter, Beutjer found Ade Adeyemo open for a 42-yard pass, the Fighting Illini's biggest gain of the game. His big play set up a six-play drive that cut the Hoosiers' lead to 24-21 after Beutjer hit Kendrick Jones in the endzone from two yards out.

Illinois' offense finished the game having gained 493 yards. The Fighting Illini complemented Beutjer's passing with 132 yards rushing on 42 attempts.

Matt LoVecchio threw for 187 yards while going 11-24 for Indiana. He threw one touchdown and one interception. LoVecchio also ran for 33 yards on 12 attempts.

The Hoosiers racked up 405 total yards. Along with LoVecchio's stats in the passing game, Indiana also added 218 yards rushing on 48 attempts.

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WEEK 5: GAME OF THE WEEK –  PURDUE 30, PENN STATE 16

 WEEK 5 RESULTS
Michigan State 37, Indiana 13
Michigan 20, Nebraska 10
Iowa 17, Ohio State 13
Wisconsin 34, Northwestern 18

Big comeback helps Boilermakers past Nittany Lions, 30-16

In the fifth week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Penn State visited Leaders Division foe Purdue. The Nittany Lions fell victim to a furious the Boilermakers comeback, as Purdue pulled out a 30-16 win.

Things didn't look good for the Boilermakers when they trailed by 10 points in the second quarter. However, Purdue eventually battled back to take the lead with 10:08 remaining in the fourth quarter when Jerod Void ran one yard to paydirt for the go-ahead score.

Kyle Orton threw for 247 yards while completing 18 of 31 passes for the Boilermakers. He threw two touchdowns and one interception. Orton looked for Taylor Stubblefield often. He hauled in seven catches for 56 yards.

Penn State's ground game was halted by Purdue's impenetrable defense. The Boilermakers held the Nittany Lions to a mere 13 yards on the ground.

Landon Johnson led Purdue's defensive assault, as he finished with one interception and two sacks. He came up big during a crucial moment in the fourth quarter, when he intercepted Zack Mills on third-and-7.

The Boilermakers' offense finished the game having gained 325 yards. In addition to Orton's efforts through the air, Purdue also rushed 52 times for 78 yards.

READ THE BOX SCOREPLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY

WEEK 6: GAME OF THE WEEK –  MICHIGAN 34, MINNESOTA 30

 WEEK 6 RESULTS
Wisconsin 40, Indiana 16
Iowa 22, Michigan State 17
Nebraska 18, Penn State 10
Ohio State 32, Illinois 10

Edwards has huge day receiving for Wolverines in 34-30 win over Golden Gophers

In the sixth week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Michigan visited Legends Division foe Minnesota. Braylon Edwards hauled in seven passes, including two touchdowns, for a total of 203 yards in the Wolverines' 34-30 victory over the Golden Gophers.

The two teams combined for 793 total yards of offense. With both offenses running wild, Michigan took the lead in the fourth quarter and refused to give it back. The key score came with 4:22 left, when John Navarre found Edwards open for a 82-yard touchdown pass, allowing the Wolverines to take the lead, 34-30.

Michigan's passing game looked unstoppable at times against Minnesota's defense. The Wolverines' air attack was uncontainable, as they torched the Golden Gophers for 327 yards and three touchdowns. Navarre completed 19 of 32 passes for Michigan.

Minnesota's Asad Abdul-Khaliq passed for 141 yards, completing eight of 16 throws. He tossed one touchdown and gave up no interceptions. Abdul-Khaliq was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 55 yards on 10 attempts.

The Golden Gophers' offense finished the game having gained 351 yards. Minnesota complemented Abdul-Khaliq's passing with 210 yards rushing on 57 attempts.

The Wolverines racked up 442 total yards. Along with Navarre's stats in the passing game, Michigan also added 115 yards rushing on 41 attempts.

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WEEK 7: GAME OF THE WEEK –  OHIO STATE 23, WISCONSIN 19

 WEEK 7 RESULTS
Purdue 33, Illinois 8
Michigan 26, Michigan State 14
Minnesota 26, Nebraska 14
Iowa 32, Northwestern 12
Penn State 29, Indiana 15

Krenzel and Ross team up to carry Ohio State past Wisconsin 23-19

In the seventh week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Ohio State visited Leaders Division foe Wisconsin. The Buckeyes beat the Badgers 23-19 in overtime thanks to a tag-team effort from Craig Krenzel and Lydell Ross.

Krenzel racked up 232 yards through the air and Ross rumbled for 46 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

Brian Calhoun did his best to carry Wisconsin's offense, turning 21 carries into 29 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

The Badgers' Jim Sorgi was good for 235 yards during the game, completing 19 of 33 passes. He also threw one interception. Sorgi's favorite target on the day was Calhoun. He hauled in five catches for 37 yards.

Wisconsin racked up 340 total yards, including 235 yards passing while completing 19 of 35 attempts. The Badgers also rushed 44 times for 105 yards.

Ohio State racked up 403 total yards. The Buckeyes complemented Krenzel's passing with 171 yards rushing on 43 attempts.

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WEEK 8: GAME OF THE WEEK –  NORTHWESTERN 25, ILLINOIS 19

 WEEK 8 RESULTS
Iowa 16, Purdue 15
Ohio State 33, Indiana 9
Michigan 30, Penn State 9
Nebraska 16, Michigan State 15
Minnesota 34, Wisconsin 22

Northwestern's Herron has big day rushing against Fighting Illini in 25-19 victory

In the eighth week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Illinois of the Leaders Division visited Northwestern of the Legends Division. Noah Herron broke out against the Fighting Illini, piling up 109 rushing yards and scoring three touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 25-19 victory in overtime.

Northwestern didn't capture the lead until overtime. Herron's one-yard touchdown run gave the Wildcats their final lead.

Northwestern's Brett Basanez passed for 60 yards, completing five of 14 throws. He threw one interception. Basanez was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 28 yards on 14 attempts.

The Wildcats racked up 388 total yards. Along with Basanez's stats in the passing game, Northwestern also added 328 yards rushing on 59 attempts.

Jon Beutjer threw for 306 yards while completing 28 of 52 passes for Illinois. He also threw one interception. Mark Kornfeld was the player Beutjer targeted most often. He hauled in five catches for 57 yards.

Mike Gawelek led the Fighting Illini's defensive assault, as he finished with one interception and one sack. He came up big during a crucial moment in the third quarter, when he intercepted Basanez on second-and-14.

Illinois' offense finished the game having gained 388 yards. The Fighting Illini's rushing attack contributed 82 yards on 38 carries in addition to Beutjer's passing effort.

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WEEK 9: GAME OF THE WEEK –  MICHIGAN 20, OHIO STATE 13

 WEEK 9 RESULTS
Michigan State 34, Illinois 16
Iowa 17, Nebraska 10
Minnesota 39, Northwestern 14
Wisconsin 27, Penn State 17
Purdue 34, Indiana 7

Wolverines go on top in third, finish off Ohio State 20-13

In the ninth week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Michigan of the Legends Division visited Ohio State of the Leaders Division. John Navarre found Braylon Edwards frequently, as both helped the Wolverines notch a 20-13 victory over the Buckeyes.

Edwards made himself available to Navarre for eight receptions and 97 yards.

Michigan's passing game looked unstoppable at times against Ohio State's defense. The Wolverines' air attack was uncontainable, as they torched the Buckeyes for 254 yards and one touchdown. Navarre completed 23 of 36 passes for Michigan.

Ohio State nearly made a 11-point deficit evaporate, but the Wolverines' defense held strong against a late the Buckeyes comeback to clinch the victory.

Michigan's explosive offense used big plays to take down Ohio State. The Buckeyes' defense gave up five plays of at least 20 yards. With 6:57 to go in the third quarter, Navarre found Jason Avant open for a 26-yard pass, the Wolverines' biggest gain of the game. Later in the drive, David Underwood turned a handoff into a one-yard touchdown, which gave Michigan a 10-6 lead.

Craig Krenzel threw for 228 yards while completing 17 of 29 passes for Ohio State. He also threw three interceptions.

The Buckeyes' offense finished the game having gained 345 yards. Ohio State complemented Krenzel's passing with 117 yards rushing on 36 attempts.

Markus Curry showed good hands on defense for the Wolverines, picking off two Ohio State passes. On a critical drive in the third quarter, he intercepted Krenzel on second-and-10.

Michigan racked up 324 total yards. Along with Navarre's stats in the passing game, the Wolverines also added 70 yards rushing on 51 attempts.

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2003 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – MICHIGAN 19, PURDUE 12

Fourth quarter keys Michigan to 19-12 victory over Boilermakers

In the tenth week of our simulated 2003 Big Ten football season, Michigan of the Legends Division visited Purdue of the Leaders Division. The Wolverines took the lead in the fourth quarter and hung on for a 19-12 victory over the Boilermakers.

With 14:48 to go, Jerome Jackson pounded in a 55-yard touchdown run to give Michigan a 13-12 lead.

John Navarre and Jason Avant had a passing connection going, as Avant racked up 77 yards and one touchdown on four catches en route to a win for the Wolverines.

Michigan forced Purdue to take to the air after shutting down its rushing game. The Wolverines sealed the running lanes, and the Boilermakers ended up gaining only 86 yards on the ground.

Michigan did not allow Purdue's offense to get going throughout the contest. The Wolverines' defensive unit stood firm against the Boilermakers' offense, holding Purdue to 232 total yards.

The Boilermakers' Kyle Orton was good for 146 yards during the game, completing 15 of 27 passes. He also threw no interceptions.

Stuart Schweigert led Purdue's defensive assault, as he finished with one interception and one sack. He came up big during a crucial moment in the third quarter, when he intercepted Navarre on third-and-8.

Navarre threw for 182 yards while completing 13 of 32 passes for Michigan. Navarre finished the game with one touchdown and two interceptions. Navarre looked for Braylon Edwards often. He hauled in six catches for 80 yards.

The Wolverines racked up 347 total yards. Michigan complemented Navarre's passing with 165 yards rushing on 46 attempts.

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