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 2005 season. Click here for the other seasons.
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2005 Big Ten Championship: |
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WEEK 1: GAME OF THE WEEK – NEBRASKA 27, MICHIGAN 26
| WEEK 1 RESULTS | |
| Penn State 46, Illinois 6 | |
| Iowa 36, Minnesota 27 | |
| Northwestern 39, Indiana 20 | |
| Purdue 32, Wisconsin 29 | |
Wolverines haunted by missed extra point, lose 27-26 to Cornhuskers
In the first week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Michigan visited Legends Division foe Nebraska. The Wolverines lost a nailbiter, falling just one point short in a 27-26 loss at the hands of the Cornhuskers.
An untimely missed extra point in the fourth quarter was the difference for Michigan in the loss.
Zac Taylor mounted Nebraska's unstoppable air attack, finishing with 319 passing yards and three touchdowns on 21 completions.
The Cornhuskers didn't capture the lead until the fourth quarter. With 1:08 to go, Nate Swift threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to give Nebraska a 27-20 lead.
The Cornhuskers' offense finished the game having gained 448 yards. Along with Taylor's stats in the passing game, Nebraska also added 129 yards rushing on 38 attempts.
Dave Harris and Jamar Adams were each solid on the defensive side of the ball. The Wolverines' defense followed the example set by Harris, who compiled one interception and one sack. His biggest play came on a critical drive in the third quarter, when he intercepted Taylor on third-and-10.
Michigan's Chad Henne was good for 289 yards during the game, completing 23 of 43 passes. Henne tossed two touchdowns while throwing no interceptions. Henne looked for Jason Avant often. He hauled in nine catches for 114 yards.
The Wolverines racked up 413 total yards. Michigan complemented Henne's passing with 124 yards rushing on 42 attempts.
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WEEK 2: GAME OF THE WEEK – MICHIGAN STATE 31, WISCONSIN 28
| WEEK 2 RESULTS | |
| Michigan 27, Purdue 22 | |
| Nebraska 28, Northwestern 19 | |
| Ohio State 50, Illinois 6 | |
| Iowa 22, Penn State 21 | |
Stanton and Ringer team up to send Spartans past Badgers 31-28
In the second week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Wisconsin of the Leaders Division visited Michigan State of the Legends Division. The Spartans' Drew Stanton and Javon Ringer led the way in a 31-28 win over the Badgers.
Stanton racked up 204 yards through the air and Ringer rumbled for 56 yards on the ground.
Michigan State's passing game looked flawless, despite the efforts of Wisconsin's secondary. The Spartans' air attack was uncontainable, as they torched the Badgers for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Stanton completed 18 of 21 passes for Michigan State.
At one point, Wisconsin trailed by 14 points, and while the Badgers made a run in the game's late stages, they couldn't complete the comeback against the Spartans.
Domata Peko was perpetually in Wisconsin's backfield, and he recorded three sacks. He came up big during a crucial moment in the fourth quarter, when he sacked John Stocco on first-and-10 for a five-yard loss.
Michigan State racked up 369 total yards. The Spartans complemented Stanton's passing with 165 yards rushing on 56 attempts.
The Badgers' Stocco went 17 of 27 through the air for a total of 321 yards. Stocco tossed one touchdown while throwing no interceptions. Brandon Williams was the player Stocco targeted most often. He hauled in five catches for 132 yards.
Wisconsin's offense finished the game having gained 423 yards. Along with Stocco's stats in the passing game, the Badgers also added 102 yards rushing on 41 attempts.
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WEEK 3: GAME OF THE WEEK – INDIANA 14, ILLINOIS 13
| WEEK 3 RESULTS | |
| Iowa 34, Purdue 18 | |
| Michigan 32, Northwestern 25 | |
| Minnesota 36, Michigan State 28 | |
| Ohio State 41, Wisconsin 16 | |
Indiana captures lead in fourth quarter in 14-13 victory over Illinois
In the third week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Indiana visited Leaders Division foe Illinois. The Hoosiers took the lead in the fourth quarter and hung on for a 14-13 victory over the Fighting Illini.
With 2:15 to go, Chris Taylor turned a handoff into a 30-yard touchdown to give Indiana a 14-13 lead.
Graeme McFarland threw for 190 yards while completing 14 of 44 passes for the Hoosiers. He also threw seven interceptions. McFarland looked for James Hardy often. He hauled in five catches for 77 yards.
Illinois' defense forced the issue, causing eight turnovers by Indiana's offense. The Hoosiers overcame their mistakes however, and gained 279 total yards in the victory.
Indiana almost fell victim to a flimsy defense, but the unit solidified at key moments in the game. The Hoosiers' defense stood tall on third downs, holding the Fighting Illini to a 17.4 percent success rate on third down.
Illinois' Tim Brasic passed for 166 yards, completing 17 of 35 throws. He tossed one touchdown and gave up no interceptions. Brasic was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 47 yards on 23 attempts.
Justin Harrison showed good hands on defense for the Fighting Illini, picking off five Indiana passes. He intercepted McFarland on first-and-10 during a key drive in the second quarter.
Illinois racked up 323 total yards. The Fighting Illini complemented Brasic's passing with 157 yards rushing on 52 attempts.
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WEEK 4: GAME OF THE WEEK – MINNESOTA 37, MICHIGAN 33
| WEEK 4 RESULTS | |
| Ohio State 48, Indiana 6 | |
| Iowa 36, Michigan State 21 | |
| Penn State 28, Purdue 13 | |
| Nebraska 29, Wisconsin 21 | |
Maroney runs over Wolverines in Golden Gophers' 37-33 victory
In the fourth week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Michigan visited Legends Division foe Minnesota. Laurence Maroney put the team on his back in the Golden Gophers' 37-33 win over the Wolverines, rushing for 194 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Mike Hart was a bright spot in defeat for Michigan, as he rushed for 147 yards on 25 carries and scored two touchdowns.
While both teams enjoyed big days on the offensive side of the ball, Minnesota went up in the fourth quarter and hung on for the win. Bryan Cupito hit Jared Ellerson in the endzone from 34 yards out with 4:13 to go to give the Golden Gophers a 37-33 lead, which turned out to be enough of an edge to hold off the Wolverines.
Minnesota and Michigan passed the lead back and forth all game long. The game featured seven lead changes before the Golden Gophers finally pulled ahead for good.
Minnesota's Cupito went 18 of 28 through the air for a total of 252 yards. Cupito finished the game with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Golden Gophers racked up 512 total yards. Minnesota complemented Cupito's passing with 260 yards rushing on 48 attempts.
Michigan's Chad Henne was good for 276 yards during the game, completing 21 of 35 passes. Henne tossed one touchdown while throwing no interceptions. Jason Avant was the player Henne targeted most often. He caught eight passes for 99 yards and one touchdown.
The Wolverines' offense finished the game having gained 422 yards. In addition to Henne's efforts through the air, Michigan also rushed 43 times for 146 yards.
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WEEK 5: GAME OF THE WEEK – PENN STATE 45, NORTHWESTERN 20
| WEEK 5 RESULTS | |
| Michigan 41, Illinois 13 | |
| Iowa 49, Indiana 11 | |
| Nebraska 25, Minnesota 24 | |
| Ohio State 35, Michigan State 13 | |
Hunt runs over Wildcats in Nittany Lions' 45-20 victory
In the fifth week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Penn State of the Leaders Division visited Northwestern of the Legends Division. Tony Hunt lifted the Nittany Lions to a 45-20 win over the Wildcats, rushing for 187 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Tyrell Sutton was a bright spot in defeat for Northwestern, as he rushed for 162 yards on 29 carries and scored one touchdown.
Brett Basanez threw for 134 yards while going 13-23 for the Wildcats. He threw two touchdowns and four interceptions. Basanez also ran for 32 yards on 16 attempts.
Northwestern's offense finished the game having gained 344 yards. In addition to Basanez's efforts through the air, the Wildcats also rushed 53 times for 210 yards.
Penn State's Michael Robinson passed for 134 yards, completing 11 of 17 throws. He tossed two touchdowns and gave up no interceptions. Robinson was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 51 yards on 17 attempts.
Calvin Lowry showed good hands on defense for the Nittany Lions, picking off four Northwestern passes. His biggest play came on a critical drive in the first quarter, when he intercepted Basanez on second-and-1.
Penn State racked up 448 total yards. The Nittany Lions complemented Robinson's passing with 314 yards rushing on 59 attempts.
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WEEK 6: GAME OF THE WEEK – NORTHWESTERN 45, ILLINOIS 24
| WEEK 6 RESULTS | |
| Wisconsin 41, Indiana 20 | |
| Nebraska 25, Michigan State 19 | |
| Ohio State 20, Penn State 14 | |
| Minnesota 33, Purdue 27 | |
Sutton runs over Fighting Illini in Wildcats' 45-24 victory
In the sixth week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Illinois of the Leaders Division visited Northwestern of the Legends Division. Tyrell Sutton broke out against the Fighting Illini, piling up 214 rushing yards and scoring three touchdowns to lead the Wildcats to a 45-24 victory.
Pierre Thomas Jr. was a bright spot in defeat for Illinois, as he rushed for 118 yards on 14 carries and scored one touchdown.
All facets of Northwestern's offense were in place and it showed against an overmatched Fighting Illini defense. The offense for the Wildcats hummed along to the tune of 188 passing yards and 221 rushing yards.
Home run plays keyed Northwestern's scoring attack. The Wildcats burned the Fighting Illini's defense for five plays of more than 20 yards. With 6:53 to go in the second quarter, Brett Basanez hit Jonathan Fields in the endzone from 60 yards out, Northwestern's longest play on the day. The score cut Illinois' lead to 14-10.
The Wildcats' Basanez went 13 of 16 through the air for a total of 188 yards. Basanez tossed one touchdown while throwing no interceptions.
The Fighting Illini's Tim Brasic passed for 166 yards, completing 16 of 25 throws. He threw one touchdown and no interceptions. Brasic was also a threat on the ground, as he rushed for 29 yards on 20 attempts. Brasic looked for Thomas Jr. often. He caught five passes for 42 yards and one touchdown.
Remond Willis III was perpetually in Northwestern's backfield, and he recorded four sacks. He came up big during a crucial moment in the first quarter, when he sacked Basanez on third-and-9 for a four-yard loss.
Illinois racked up 374 total yards. Along with Brasic's stats in the passing game, the Fighting Illini also added 208 yards rushing on 56 attempts.
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WEEK 7: GAME OF THE WEEK – OHIO STATE 27, NEBRASKA 10
| WEEK 7 RESULTS | |
| Purdue 41, Illinois 15 | |
| Michigan 29, Michigan State 25 | |
| Iowa 40, Northwestern 22 | |
| Penn State 42, Indiana 7 | |
| Minnesota 39, Wisconsin 31 | |
Pittman and Smith team up to send Buckeyes past Cornhuskers 23-6
In the seventh week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Ohio State of the Leaders Division visited Nebraska of the Legends Division. The Buckeyes' Antonio Pittman and Troy Smith led the way in a 23-6 win over the Cornhuskers.
Smith racked up 169 yards through the air and Pittman rumbled for 117 yards on the ground.
Home run plays keyed Ohio State's scoring attack. The Buckeyes had six plays of 20 yards or more on their way to victory. With 10:07 to go in the fourth quarter, Smith found Brandon Smith open for a 58-yard pass, Ohio State's biggest gain of the game. The big gainer was part of a nine-play drive capped off when Josh Huston kicked a 30-yard field goal. That gave the Buckeyes a 20-6 lead.
Ohio State almost fell victim to a flimsy defense, but the unit solidified at key moments in the game. The defense limited Nebraska's offense to a 22.2 percent efficiency rate on third downs, a stat that contributed greatly to the Buckeyes' victory.
Ohio State couldn't slow the Cornhuskers' offense. The 305 total yards that the Buckeyes gave up to Nebraska still weren't enough to doom Ohio State to defeat.
The Cornhuskers' Zac Taylor went 12 of 33 through the air for a total of 174 yards. He also threw one interception.
The Buckeyes racked up 431 total yards. Ohio State's rushing attack contributed 262 yards on 64 carries in addition to Smith's passing effort.
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WEEK 8: GAME OF THE WEEK – MICHIGAN STATE 40, INDIANA 17
| WEEK 8 RESULTS | |
| Iowa 30, Michigan 21 | |
| Minnesota 39, Northwestern 30 | |
| Penn State 21, Nebraska 12 | |
| Ohio State 33, Purdue 13 | |
| Wisconsin 43, Illinois 26 | |
Stanton's passing attack proves too much for Indiana in Michigan State's 44-15 victory
In the eighth week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Michigan State of the Legends Division visited Indiana of the Leaders Division. The Spartans' Drew Stanton led his team to a 44-15 victory over the Hoosiers, amassing 329 yards through the air, plus three touchdowns.
Michigan State's passing game looked flawless, despite the efforts of Indiana's secondary. The Spartans' air attack was uncontainable, as they torched the Hoosiers for 329 yards and three touchdowns. Stanton completed 21 of 28 passes for Michigan State.
The Spartans' offense dominated, ripping off huge chunks of yardage. Indiana's defense gave up seven plays of at least 20 yards. Michigan State added to the highlight reel when Stanton found Javon Ringer open for a 55-yard pass with 11:53 left in the first quarter. The big gainer was part of a seven-play drive capped off when Stanton threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Jehuu Caulcrick. That gave the Spartans a 14-0 lead.
The Hoosiers' Graeme McFarland went 16 of 33 through the air for a total of 161 yards. He also threw one interception. McFarland looked for James Hardy often. He hauled in six catches for 51 yards.
Indiana racked up 289 total yards. Along with McFarland's stats in the passing game, the Hoosiers also added 128 yards rushing on 36 attempts.
SirDarean Adams led Michigan State's defensive assault, as he finished with one interception and one sack. His biggest play came on a critical drive in the second quarter, when he sacked McFarland on third-and-8 for a five-yard loss.
The Spartans' offense finished the game having gained 567 yards. Michigan State's rushing attack contributed 238 yards on 57 carries in addition to Stanton's passing effort.
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WEEK 9: GAME OF THE WEEK – OHIO STATE 32, MICHIGAN 17
| WEEK 9 RESULTS | |
| Iowa 25, Nebraska 18 | |
| Minnesota 48, Illinois 20 | |
| Michigan State 34, Northwestern 30 | |
| Penn State 36, Wisconsin 17 | |
| Purdue 36, Indiana 15 | |
Pittman runs all over Michigan in Ohio State's 32-17 victory
In the ninth week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Michigan of the Legends Division visited Ohio State of the Leaders Division. Antonio Pittman put the team on his back in the Buckeyes' 32-17 win over the Wolverines, rushing for 101 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Ohio State and Michigan took the lead from one another all game long. The game featured four lead changes before the Buckeyes finally pulled ahead for good.
Home run plays keyed Ohio State's scoring attack. The Buckeyes had four plays of 20 yards or more on their way to victory. With 12:48 to go in the fourth quarter, Troy Smith found Brandon Smith open for a 30-yard pass, Ohio State's biggest gain of the game. Later in the drive, Pittman turned a handoff into a five-yard touchdown, which gave the Buckeyes a 22-17 lead.
Ohio State forced the Wolverines to take to the air after shutting down their rushing game. Michigan could only manage 40 rushing yards against the Buckeyes defense.
Ohio State's Smith went 11 of 16 through the air for a total of 163 yards. He also threw no interceptions.
A.J. Hawk was perpetually in the Wolverines' backfield, and he recorded two sacks. He sacked Chad Henne for an eight-yard loss on second-and-10 during a key drive in the second quarter.
The Buckeyes' offense finished the game having gained 300 yards. Along with Smith's stats in the passing game, Ohio State also added 137 yards rushing on 58 attempts.
Henne threw for 204 yards while completing 19 of 30 passes for Michigan. Henne finished the game with one touchdown and one interception. Jason Avant was the player Henne targeted most often. He caught five passes for 67 yards and one touchdown.
Tim Jamison was perpetually in the Buckeyes' backfield, and he recorded two sacks.
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2005 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – OHIO STATE 27, IOWA 26
Ohio State stuns Iowa in waning seconds, wins 27-26
In the tenth week of our simulated 2005 Big Ten football season, Iowa of the Legends Division visited Ohio State of the Leaders Division. The Buckeyes clinched a dramatic 27-26 last-second win over the Hawkeyes, as Josh Huston kicked a 26-yard field goal as the game clock struck zero.
The winning play came after Ohio State drove 74 yards in 2:01.
The Buckeyes' Troy Smith was good for 249 yards during the game, completing 16 of 18 passes. Smith tossed two touchdowns while throwing no interceptions.
Ohio State's offense dominated, ripping off huge chunks of yardage. Iowa's defense gave up four plays of at least 20 yards. The Buckeyes added to the highlight reel when Antonio Pittman ran 69 yards with 4:27 left in the second quarter. Later in the drive, Smith threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Smith, which gave Ohio State a 17-10 lead.
The Buckeyes' offense finished the game having gained 411 yards. Along with Smith's stats in the passing game, Ohio State also added 162 yards rushing on 53 attempts.
Drew Tate threw for 347 yards while completing 23 of 39 passes for the Hawkeyes. Tate tossed one touchdown while throwing one interception.
Iowa racked up 488 total yards. In addition to Tate's efforts through the air, the Hawkeyes also rushed 41 times for 141 yards.
