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 2006 season. Click here for the other seasons.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
2006 Big Ten Championship: |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WEEK 1: GAME OF THE WEEK – WISCONSIN 27, MICHIGAN 23
| WEEK 1 RESULTS | |
| Penn State 26, Illinois 13 | |
| Ohio State 36, Minnesota 16 | |
| Michigan State 28, Northwestern 22 | |
| Nebraska 38, Indiana 18 | |
Hart's big game on the ground can't propel Wolverines past Badgers in 27-23 defeat
In the first week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Michigan of the Legends Division visited Wisconsin of the Leaders Division. Mike Hart carried the load for the Wolverines, finishing with 197 rushing yards and two touchdowns, but Michigan came out on the losing end of a 27-23 game against the Badgers.
The Wolverines' big advantage evaporated, as Wisconsin went home with the win. The Badgers fought hard and erased Michigan's nine-point lead.
The Badgers' offense dominated, ripping off huge chunks of yardage. Wisconsin had seven plays of 20 yards or more on its way to victory. The Badgers added to the highlight reel when Hill ran 49 yards with 5:15 left in the fourth quarter. Later in the drive, Taylor Mehlhaff made a 19-yard field goal, which gave Wisconsin a 24-23 lead.
The Badgers' John Stocco was good for 178 yards during the game, completing 13 of 22 passes. Stocco tossed one touchdown while throwing three interceptions.
Wisconsin's offense finished the game having gained 354 yards. Along with Stocco's stats in the passing game, the Badgers also added 176 yards rushing on 51 attempts.
Leon Hall and Prescott Burgess teamed up to lead the Wolverines' defense. Hall led the unit by picking off two Wisconsin passes. His biggest play came on a critical drive in the second quarter, when he intercepted Stocco on first-and-10.
Chad Henne threw for 112 yards while completing 15 of 30 passes for Michigan. Henne finished the game with one touchdown and two interceptions.
The Wolverines racked up 333 total yards. In addition to Henne's efforts through the air, Michigan also rushed 46 times for 221 yards.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 2: GAME OF THE WEEK – MICHIGAN STATE 27, PURDUE 20
| WEEK 2 RESULTS | |
| Minnesota 36, Indiana 23 | |
| Ohio State 32, Illinois 12 | |
| Michigan 22, Penn State 10 | |
| Wisconsin 29, Iowa 9 | |
Michigan State captures lead late in 27-20 victory over Purdue
In the second week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Purdue of the Leaders Division visited Michigan State of the Legends Division. The Spartans took the lead in overtime and hung on for a 27-20 victory over the Boilermakers.
Javon Ringer's 25-yard touchdown run gave Michigan State its final lead.
The Spartans' Drew Stanton went 19 of 30 through the air for a total of 335 yards. Stanton tossed one touchdown while throwing no interceptions. Kerry Reed was the player Stanton targeted most often. He caught five passes for 79 yards and one touchdown.
Home run plays keyed Michigan State's scoring attack. The Spartans burned Purdue's defense for six plays of more than 20 yards. Michigan State added to the highlight reel when Stanton found Matt Trannon open for a 63-yard pass with 9:13 remaining in the second quarter. Unfortunately for the Spartans, the big play went to waste, as that drive ended on the Boilermakers' 32-yard line without a score.
Michigan State racked up 436 total yards. Along with Stanton's stats in the passing game, the Spartans also added 101 yards rushing on 39 attempts.
Curtis Painter threw for 396 yards while completing 31 of 50 passes for Purdue. Painter finished the game with one touchdown and one interception. Painter's favorite target on the day was Dorien Bryant. He hauled in seven catches for 88 yards.
Gene Bright was perpetually in Michigan State's backfield, and he recorded two sacks. His biggest play came on a critical drive in the first quarter, when he sacked Stanton on first-and-goal for a three-yard loss.
The Boilermakers' offense finished the game having gained 519 yards. Purdue's rushing attack contributed 123 yards on 34 carries in addition to Painter's passing effort.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 3: GAME OF THE WEEK – NORTHWESTERN 24, PURDUE 17
| WEEK 3 RESULTS | |
| Iowa 30, Minnesota 27 | |
| Ohio State 41, Indiana 9 | |
| Penn State 29, Michigan State 12 | |
| Michigan 30, Nebraska 13 | |
Northwestern's Sutton has big day rushing against Boilermakers in 24-17 victory
In the third week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Northwestern of the Legends Division visited Purdue of the Leaders Division. Tyrell Sutton put the team on his back in the Wildcats' 24-17 win over the Boilermakers, rushing for 168 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Northwestern didn't capture the lead until the fourth quarter. With 1:41 to go, Sutton ran 61 yards to paydirt to give the Wildcats a 24-17 lead.
Northwestern's explosive offense used big plays to take down Purdue. The Wildcats burned the Boilermakers' defense for four plays of more than 20 yards.
Northwestern racked up the yards against Purdue on its way to victory. The Wildcats' offense exploded for 189 passing yards and 187 rushing yards in claiming the victory.
The Boilermakers' Curtis Painter was good for 289 yards during the game, completing 22 of 38 passes. Painter finished the game with one touchdown and two interceptions. Painter's favorite target on the day was Dorien Bryant. He hauled in six catches for 85 yards.
Purdue's offense finished the game having gained 394 yards. In addition to Painter's efforts through the air, the Boilermakers also rushed 36 times for 105 yards.
C.J. Bacher threw for 189 yards while completing 16 of 30 passes for Northwestern. He also threw one interception.
Corey Wootton led the Wildcats' defensive assault, as he finished with one interception and three sacks. On a critical drive in the second quarter, he intercepted Painter on first-and-10.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 4: GAME OF THE WEEK – IOWA 31, ILLINOIS 20
| WEEK 4 RESULTS | |
| Michigan 35, Michigan State 8 | |
| Nebraska 37, Northwestern 18 | |
| Penn State 35, Indiana 9 | |
| Wisconsin 45, Purdue 9 | |
Tate's passing attack proves too much for Illinois in Iowa's 31-20 victory
In the fourth week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Iowa of the Legends Division visited Illinois of the Leaders Division. Drew Tate threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Hawkeyes to a 31-20 victory over the Fighting Illini.
Iowa's passing game looked flawless, despite the efforts of Illinois' secondary. The Hawkeyes' air attack was uncontainable, as they torched the Fighting Illini for 309 yards and two touchdowns. Tate completed 20 of 34 passes for Iowa.
The Hawkeyes' explosive offense used big plays to take down Illinois. Iowa had five plays of 20 yards or more on its way to victory. With 34 seconds to go in the second quarter, Tate found Andy Brodell open for a 29-yard pass for the Hawkeyes' biggest gain of the game. But Iowa failed to capitalize, as that drive was stopped short at the Hawkeyes' own 30-yard line.
The Fighting Illini's Juice Williams passed for 134 yards, completing 10 of 22 throws. He threw one interception. Williams was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 51 yards on 15 attempts.
Brit Miller was perpetually in Iowa's backfield, and he recorded three sacks. He sacked Tate for a seven-yard loss on third-and-9 during a key drive in the second quarter.
Illinois' offense finished the game having gained 338 yards. In addition to Williams' efforts through the air, the Fighting Illini also rushed 44 times for 204 yards.
The Hawkeyes racked up 425 total yards. Iowa's rushing attack contributed 116 yards on 52 carries in addition to Tate's passing effort.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 5: GAME OF THE WEEK – PENN STATE 40, NEBRASKA 37
| WEEK 5 RESULTS | |
| Minnesota 35, Northwestern 24 | |
| Iowa 29, Michigan State 20 | |
| Ohio State 44, Purdue 14 | |
| Wisconsin 32, Illinois 9 | |
Penn State defeats Nebraska in overtime, 40-37
In the fifth week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Nebraska of the Legends Division visited Penn State of the Leaders Division. The Nittany Lions needed extra time to beat the Cornhuskers as they beat Nebraska 40-37 in two overtimes.
After Penn State scored on Kevin Kelly's 25-yard field goal to open the second overtime, the Cornhuskers failed to score, getting stopped at the 17 on fourth-and-goal.
Despite taking the loss, Zac Taylor gave Nebraska a fighting chance thanks to a big game through the air. Taylor threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns on 19-for-28 passing.
Defense was an afterthought, as both teams lit up the scoreboard. Both teams provided fireworks on offense, as they gained 1003 yards in total.
Anthony Morelli threw for 285 yards while completing 26 of 40 passes for the Nittany Lions. Morelli finished the game with two touchdowns and one interception. Morelli's favorite target on the day was Andrew Quarless. He hauled in five catches for 71 yards.
Penn State racked up 474 total yards. The Nittany Lions complemented Morelli's passing with 189 yards rushing on 50 attempts.
The Cornhuskers' offense finished the game having gained 529 yards. Along with Taylor's stats in the passing game, Nebraska also added 240 yards rushing on 49 attempts.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 6: GAME OF THE WEEK – NEBRASKA 37, MINNESOTA 32
| WEEK 6 RESULTS | |
| Illinois 33, Purdue 25 | |
| Wisconsin 42, Indiana 6 | |
| Michigan 29, Iowa 11 | |
| Ohio State 39, Northwestern 10 | |
Jackson runs all over Minnesota in Nebraska's 37-32 victory
In the sixth week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Nebraska visited Legends Division foe Minnesota. Brandon Jackson put the team on his back in the Cornhuskers' 37-32 win over the Golden Gophers, rushing for 127 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Bryan Cupito led the air attack for Minnesota in a losing effort. Cupito completed 24 of 37 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns.
The game was a shootout, with the offensive units for both teams putting up big numbers. Both teams provided fireworks on offense, as they gained 897 yards in total.
Nebraska didn't capture the lead until the third quarter. With 16 seconds left in the quarter, Zac Taylor threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Nate Swift to give the Cornhuskers a 27-23 lead.
Garrett Brown was perpetually in Nebraska's backfield, and he recorded two sacks. He sacked Taylor for a four-yard loss on first-and-10 during a key drive in the second quarter.
The Golden Gophers racked up 437 total yards, including 352 yards passing while completing 24 of 38 attempts. Minnesota also rushed 33 times for 85 yards.
Taylor threw for 269 yards while completing 27 of 35 passes for the Cornhuskers. Taylor tossed two touchdowns while throwing no interceptions. Jackson was the player Taylor targeted most often. He hauled in five catches for 40 yards.
Nebraska's offense finished the game having gained 460 yards. The Cornhuskers complemented Taylor's passing with 191 yards rushing on 48 attempts.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 7: GAME OF THE WEEK – MICHIGAN STATE 27, INDIANA 17
| WEEK 7 RESULTS | |
| Nebraska 29, Illinois 19 | |
| Iowa 37, Purdue 23 | |
| Michigan 39, Northwestern 8 | |
| Ohio State 21, Penn State 13 | |
| Wisconsin 35, Minnesota 10 | |
Spartans win 27-17 after after taking lead in third quarter
In the seventh week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Indiana of the Leaders Division visited Michigan State of the Legends Division. The Spartans took the lead in the third quarter and hung on for a 27-17 victory over the Hoosiers.
With 7:31 to go in the third, Javon Ringer turned a handoff into a one-yard touchdown to give Michigan State the go-ahead score.
The Spartans' Drew Stanton passed for 320 yards, completing 27 of 34 throws. He tossed one touchdown and gave up no interceptions. Stanton was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 35 yards on 12 attempts. Kerry Reed was the player Stanton targeted most often. He hauled in six catches for 45 yards.
Michigan State's explosive offense used big plays to take down Indiana. The Spartans burned the Hoosiers' defense for three plays of more than 20 yards. Michigan State added to the highlight reel when Stanton found Ringer open for a 36-yard pass with 7:02 left in the second quarter. The big gainer was part of an 11-play drive capped off when Ringer ran one yard to paydirt. That gave the Spartans a 17-10 lead.
Steve Juarez was perpetually in Indiana's backfield, and he recorded two sacks. His biggest play came on a critical drive in the fourth quarter, when he sacked Kellen Lewis on first-and-goal for a five-yard loss.
Michigan State's offense finished the game having gained 417 yards. In addition to Stanton's efforts through the air, the Spartans also rushed 37 times for 97 yards.
The Hoosiers' Lewis was good for 243 yards during the game, completing 19 of 33 passes. Lewis finished the game with one touchdown and one interception. Lewis looked for James Hardy often. He hauled in six catches for 109 yards.
Indiana racked up 372 total yards. The Hoosiers complemented Lewis' passing with 129 yards rushing on 48 attempts.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 8: GAME OF THE WEEK – WISCONSIN 24, OHIO STATE 17
| WEEK 8 RESULTS | |
| Illinois 27, Indiana 18 | |
| Michigan 35, Minnesota 13 | |
| Nebraska 32, Michigan State 20 | |
| Iowa 33, Northwestern 18 | |
| Penn State 39, Purdue 15 | |
Wisconsin's Hill has big day rushing against Buckeyes in 24-17 victory
In the eighth week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Wisconsin visited Leaders Division foe Ohio State. P.J. Hill put the team on his back in the Badgers' 24-17 win over the Buckeyes, rushing for 253 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Ohio State nearly made a 14-point deficit evaporate, but Wisconsin's defense held strong against a late the Buckeyes comeback to clinch the victory.
The Badgers' offense dominated, ripping off huge chunks of yardage. Ohio State's defense gave up five plays of at least 20 yards. With 31 seconds to go in the third quarter, Hill pounded in a 40-yard touchdown run, Wisconsin's longest play on the day. The score gave the Badgers a 24-10 lead.
The Buckeyes' Troy Smith was good for 220 yards during the game, completing 15 of 38 passes. He also threw one interception.
Ohio State racked up 337 total yards, including 237 yards passing while completing 17 of 46 attempts. The Buckeyes also rushed 36 times for 100 yards.
Wisconsin's John Stocco went nine of 17 through the air for a total of 119 yards. Stocco tossed one touchdown while throwing one interception.
The Badgers racked up 392 total yards. Along with Stocco's stats in the passing game, Wisconsin also added 273 yards rushing on 60 attempts.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
WEEK 9: GAME OF THE WEEK – MICHIGAN 16, OHIO STATE 13
| WEEK 9 RESULTS | |
| Nebraska 27, Iowa 24 | |
| Minnesota 33, Michigan State 26 | |
| Illinois 26, Northwestern 19 | |
| Wisconsin 21, Penn State 8 | |
| Purdue 33, Indiana 32 | |
Michigan's Hart has big day rushing against Buckeyes in 16-13 victory
In the ninth week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Ohio State of the Leaders Division visited Michigan of the Legends Division. Mike Hart broke out against the Buckeyes, piling up 162 rushing yards and scoring one touchdown to lead the Wolverines to a 16-13 victory.
Michigan didn't capture the lead until the fourth quarter. With 1:43 to go, Garrett Rivas drilled a 28-yard field goal to give the Wolverines a 16-13 lead.
Michigan racked up the yards against Ohio State on its way to victory. The Wolverines gained 177 yards passing and 184 yards rushing as it dominated the Buckeyes' defense.
Although Michigan featured a porous defense throughout the game, it was able to hang on for the win. The defense limited Ohio State's offense to a 25.0 percent efficiency rate on third downs.
Michigan's Chad Henne went 13 of 25 through the air for a total of 177 yards. He also threw no interceptions.
Troy Smith threw for 223 yards while completing 16 of 27 passes for the Buckeyes. Smith finished the game with one touchdown and one interception.
Ohio State racked up 415 total yards. In addition to Smith's efforts through the air, the Buckeyes also rushed 42 times for 192 yards.
READ THE BOX SCORE | PLAY GRIDIRON DYNASTY
2006 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – WISCONSIN 20, MICHIGAN 19
Missed extra point comes back to haunt Michigan in 20-19 loss to Wisconsin
In the tenth week of our simulated 2006 Big Ten football season, Wisconsin of the Leaders Division visited Michigan of the Legends Division. The Wolverines lost a gutwrencher, falling just one point short in a 20-19 loss at the hands of the Badgers.
Ultimately a missed extra point in the fourth quarter came back to haunt Michigan and provided the margin in the game.
Wisconsin didn't capture the lead until the fourth quarter. With 17 seconds to go, Taylor Mehlhaff made a 22-yard field goal to give the Badgers a 20-19 lead.
John Stocco threw for 238 yards while completing 17 of 23 passes for Wisconsin. Stocco finished the game with one touchdown and no interceptions.
The Wolverines' Chad Henne went 16 of 23 through the air for a total of 166 yards. Henne finished the game with one touchdown and no interceptions. Henne's favorite target on the day was Steve Breaston. He hauled in five catches for 68 yards.
Michigan racked up 337 total yards. The Wolverines' rushing attack contributed 171 yards on 50 carries in addition to Henne's passing effort.
The Badgers' offense finished the game having gained 397 yards. Along with Stocco's stats in the passing game, Wisconsin also added 159 yards rushing on 48 attempts.
