Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, February 21, 2014

"Nebrasketball" rolls on. This time, the victim was Penn State. So, if you are keeping count in places like Gretna, Beatrice and Scottsbluff-and I know you are-that?s four victories in a row for the Cornhuskers. I think the Huskers are going to make the Big Dance. Wow. Can?t believe I just typed that. Is Tim Miles the Big Ten Coach of the Year? Yep. He is right now. By the way: Don't you think Miles looks like Sheldon Cooper with glasses?

Remember when Michigan State was struggling? No more. Not after destroying Purdue in West Lafayette, fueled by torrid shooting that saw the Spartans drain-Are you ready for this?-a school-record 17 three-pointers. It was nice to see Keith Appling and his famously injured wrist look so good.

Yep, this is just what the Spartans needed as they prep to play that humongous game at Michigan on Sunday.

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Wanna ticket to the Michigan State at Michigan game on Sunday? Be prepared to pay up, Bub.

According to numbers provided by SeatGeek, a search engine that aggregates and consolidates all secondary market tickets available online (StubHub, eBay, TicketsNow, etc.), Sunday's game is the most expensive Michigan home game since at least 2009 when the service began monitoring the secondary ticket market.

Want more? The $269 price tag is more than four times that of an average Wolverine home game this season ($61 average ticket price).

Oh, and in the fall, Michigan?s home football tilt with Ohio State generated a secondary market average of $228 per ticket. The only Michigan home football game in 2013 more pricey than Sunday?s $269 price tag was the contest vs. Notre Dame ($330).

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If you blinked, you missed that nanosecond Purdue had some mojo after it thumped Indiana last weekend. The pounding the Boilermakers endured vs. a Michigan State club that was 3-4 in its last seven games refocused reality in W.L. This isn?t a good team.

The last five Purdue games: at Nebraska; vs. Michigan; at Iowa; at Wisconsin; vs. Northwestern. Are you thinking what I?m thinking?

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Interesting read here: A first-round grade from the NFL draft board probably would have caused Braxton Miller to turn pro.

I hate to break this to Braxton: But he?s probably not going to be a first-round pick in 2015, either. Regardless, Miller will be back in 2014 to try to become the first Big Ten player to win the Chicago Tribune?s Silver Football award three times.

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Wisconsin?s Gary Andersen says, ?This is where I want to be.?

Of course, this alludes to the recent news that Andersen took a call from the Cleveland Browns about their head coaching job. Andersen isn?t sure how then-Browns CEO Joe Banner and his top lieutenant, Mike Lombardi, got his cell number because they didn?t contact his agent, Kenneth Vierra, or go through his boss, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez.

?I have no idea where it started or where I even got into the mix,? Andersen said.

Honestly, it?s not that hard to get a cell phone number.

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Interesting story from SBNation.com that analyzes the blue-chip ratio of schools, seeing who has championship-grade recruiting.

Turns out, there are 11 blue-chip programs. Alabama is No. 1. Ohio State is No. 2. Michigan is the only other Big Ten school in the rankings.

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Michigan begins spring football practice next week. Really. I?m not making this up. Want proof? OK. Here?s a preview.

And, let me be the first to say that this promises to be a very interesting 2014 season in A-squared. The top priority: the offensive line.

Who am I kidding? The defense also is an issue. To that end, Jake Ryan is moving from outside to inside linebacker.

Good move. Get this guy in the thick of the action.

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Before leaving BTN.com to check your Glide account, check this out: Jay Paterno-yes THAT Jay Paterno-is going to run for Lieutenant Governor in Pennsylvania. Talk amongst yourselves. Oh, and what exactly does a Lieutenant Governor do, anyway? Ah, forget it.

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TWEETS THAT MATTER

My take: Petteway isn?t going to be first-team All-Big Ten. Don?t worry about it.

My take: Great defense.

My take: Oh, I love this.

My take: Hurry back.

My take: These times ? they are a-changin?.

My take: Hanging by a thread.

My take: Yep, Nebraska is chugging toward the NCAA tourney.

My take: Got it.

My take: Amen, brother!

My take: Sounds about right.

My take: Sigh.

My take: I?m not gonna argue with any of this.

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About Tom Dienhart BTN.com senior writer Tom Dienhart is a veteran sports journalist who covers Big Ten football and men's basketball for BTN.com and BTN TV. Find him on Twitter and Facebook, read all of his work at btn.com/tomdienhart, and subscribe to his posts via RSS. Also, send questions to his weekly mailbag using the form below and read all of his previous answers in his reader mailbag section.

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