Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-US PRESSWIRE

Wow, what a night. This is why we love college football. It’s Senior Day in Lincoln. Tom Osborne leads the team onto the field one last time. Nebraska takes care of business against the Gophers. Then, to put icing on the cake as Husker fans enjoy not having to reach for the heart pills, No. 1 Kansas State and No. 2 Oregon fall in the same night. (more…)

Nov 10, 2012; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers safety Daimion Stafford (3) holds his hand to helmet after intercepting a pass against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Memorial Stadium in the second half. Nebraska won 32-23. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-US PRESSWIRE

Well Husker fans, Nebraska just seems to love spotting teams that double-digit lead this year. I might need to start making trademarked Nebraska Cornhusker defibrillators. It seems like that Penn State game happened two years ago, but I have a bone to pick with all you referee conspiracy theorists out there.

First Down: Was the fix in?

The Big Ten referees have struggled overall the past two weeks. They said so themselves. They’re human. They make mistakes. They focus on some ticky-tack things. But upon closer inspection of Big Ten contests other than Nebraska games I’ve found that they aren’t as biased as Big 12 refs were.

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I have to bring attention back to a horrible call by the officials during that Penn State game. A call that took a touchdown off the board. You all know the play I’m referring to. Taylor Martinez threw a dart to Kyler Reed in the end zone, and while the ball was in the air a Penn State defender was riding Reed like a horse. The ball was not caught due to the early contact. No pass interference was called. That cost Nebraska a score.

Wait, there was another call that fits that description? A fumble by Penn State? I remember that call, too. I was pointing out that the officiating did not favor Nebraska. Penn State had 8 penalties, Nebraska had 7.

Nittany Lion quarterback Matt McGloin disagreed with the call and complained to the media after the game. McGloin insinuated that Penn State never gets close calls go their way because of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. He also claimed that he was targeting fullback Michael Zordich in the flat when he was flagged for intentional grounding in the end zone. That was bad officiating, too, according to McGloin. He was the only Penn State player to speak out in this way after the game.

In my opinion, those were both close, bang-bang plays that could have gone either way. I thought that tight end Matt Lehman may have been bobbling the ball around the two-yard line and that may have factored into the officials’ decision on that call. Did he have complete control at the moment the ball broke the plane? Probably. It couldn’t have been much closer. And on the grounding call, I believe Zordich was running a corner route 15 yards down the field. Not exactly the flat. Was McGloin outside of the tackle box? Maybe a little, but I believe the call was in the spirit of what intentional grounding is.

It’s a shame that one player had to take away from the tremendous effort of his teammates with excuses. You had a back rushing for 6.7 yards per carry, why are you calling a tight end screen in the red zone? The officials didn’t make that call. The refs also didn’t make your team fumble. Or make you complete only 48% of your passes. There were more than two plays in this game.

Penn State got out-coached and out-efforted in the second half. You don’t hear me complaining about the 50 holding penalties that went uncalled that aided PSU. I’ll get off of my soapbox and move on.

Second Down: Big Ten Network.

Related to the First Down topic, THANK GOODNESS the game is on the BTN this week. I’m sure that I’m not alone in growing weary of ESPN’s bias against Nebraska in the booth and in the studio. I never thought I’d say this, but Lee Corso may be the only person at the four-letter who likes the Cornhuskers at all.

Third Down: Meet the Golden Gophers.

Minnesota may look a little different than last season. Senior quarterback MarQueis Gray suffered a dreaded high ankle sprain early in the season and the Gophers struggled to replace him or get him back out on the field.

Coach Jerry Kill finally settled on true freshman Philip Nelson, a 6’2″ 222 lb. QB from Mankato, Minn. Nelson has completed 55.6 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and two interceptions so far. He isn’t afraid to run around a bit, too. Nelson has 49 rushing attempts over four games, but he hasn’t accumulated a ton of yards thus far. But we are all aware of how much Nebraska loves mobile QBs.

The Gophers are led on the ground by Donnell Kirkwood. The 5’10″ 219 lb. redshirt sophomore needs 181 rushing yards to crack 1,000 yards this season. If the Huskers can contain him they will greatly slow the Minnesota offense.

Gray returned from his injury, but Kill has opted to plan for the future with Nelson. So Gray has converted to receiver. Gray is still a powerful weapon, and at 6’4″ 250 lbs. even more so as a red zone target.

Minnesota also brings a sure-tackling defense that has 9 interceptions for the year. The Golden Gophers rank No. 25 nationally in total defense, No. 7 in passing defense and No. 30 in scoring defense. The Achilles heel of this Minnesota squad is that they give up a lot on the ground, an area in which the Cornhuskers excel.

Fourth Down: Trophy talk.

I firmly believe that the Big Ten should push Nebraska to come up with more trophy games. Especially with Minnesota, Penn State and Wisconsin.

Why with Minnesota? Because they have all the cool trophies. The Little Brown Jug, Paul Bunyan’s Axe and Floyd of Rosedale are pretty sweet.

I have no idea what that trophy would be. A little cow, hockey stick, a bowl full of snow. We can work it out. As long as it’s better than the Heroes Trophy.

Nov 10, 2012; Bloomington, IN, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Montee Ball (28) breaks away for a long touchdown run against the Indiana Hoosiers at Memorial Stadium. Wisconsin defeats Indiana 62-14. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-US PRESSWIRE

1. Ohio State, 10-0 (6-0 Big Ten). No. 6/Ineligible for Coaches/BCS polls. Last Week: Bye. Next: at Wisconsin, 2:30 p.m. Ohio State not only has to defeat Wisconsin and Michigan to round out the season, but the Buckeyes need to do so with style if they want a chance at the AP National Title. Ohio State’s defense probably won’t let Wisconsin get away with throwing the ball only seven times the entire game.

2. Nebraska, 8-2 (5-1). No. 16/No. 14/No. 14. Last Week: W 32-23 over Penn State. Next: vs. Minnesota, 2:30 p.m. Nebraska came back from its fourth double-digit deficit of the season. Running back Ameer Abdullah extended his streak of 100-yard games to four as he carried the ball a career-high 31 times. The Cornhuskers won the turnover battle with a Penn State team that rarely turns the ball over. It would be scary to see what Nebraska could do if the Huskers stopped shooting themselves in the foot. There are slightly louder rumblings about Rex Burkhead’s return this week. Minnesota may seem like a speed bump to the Big Ten Championship, but the Golden Gophers bring a scrappy defense, decent running back and a freshman quarterback who likes to run around a little bit.

3. Wisconsin, 7-3 (4-2). Last Week: W 62-14 over Indiana. Next: vs. Ohio State, 2:30 p.m. The question last week was whether Indiana could slow down Wisconsin’s stable of running backs. That stable was unleashed and a school-record stampede ensued. Montee Ball ran 27 times for 198 yards and three touchdowns, James White ran 14 times for 161 yards and two TDs, and Melvin Gordon added 8 runs for 96 yards and a TD. Ball now stands at second on the NCAA career TD list with 77, one shy of Travis Prentice’s record of 78. Stand-in QB Curt Phillips went a whopping 4-for-7 passing for 41 yards and a TD. The Badgers may have clinched the Leaders crown with the win, but must now run a gauntlet of Ohio State and Penn State that should have them nicely tenderized for the Big Ten Championship game.

4. Michigan, 7-3 (5-1). No. 23/No. 23/No. 21. Last Week: W 38-31, OT over Northwestern. Next: vs. Iowa, 11 a.m. The Wolverines needed a crazy circus catch of a tipped pass by Roy Roundtree to help force overtime and knock Northwestern out of contention for the Legends Division while remaining in that hunt themselves. Michigan better not overlook slumping Iowa before the big finale against Ohio State.

5. Northwestern, 7-3 (3-3). Last Week: L 38-31, OT to Michigan. Next: at Michigan State, 11 a.m. The Wildcats played the game of their lives only to come up short again. Northwestern can prove it belongs in the upper echelon of the Big Ten with a win over the Spartans. A loss, however, would do little to silence critics who say Northwestern lacks a signature win this season.

6. Penn State, 6-4 (4-2). Last Week: L 32-23 to Nebraska. Next: vs. Indiana, 11 a.m. Penn State came out inspired, disciplined and hit Nebraska right in the mouth in the first half. Then the Nittany Lions began to wear out and were outscored 26-3 in the second half. QB Matt McGloin was pressured, sacked thrice, picked off and flagged for a critical intentional grounding penalty in the end zone for a safety. McGloin was not as efficient as advertised as he went 18-for-37 passing for 240 yards and a TD with a 48.6 percent completion rate. RB Zach Zwinak tore off a 50-yard TD run down the middle on his way to 141 tough yards on 21 carries. Indiana literally got ran over by Wisconsin last week so Zwinak might be due for another big day.

7. Michigan State, 5-5 (2-4). Last Week: Bye. Next: vs. Northwestern, 11 a.m. Northwestern gave Michigan all it could handle last week. Michigan State has underachieved this season, second only to Purdue in the Big Ten. The Spartans can silence some critics and get into a decent bowl with a strong finish to the season.

8. Indiana, 4-6 (2-4). Last Week: L 62-14 to Wisconsin. Next: at Penn State, 11 a.m. Indiana’s offense couldn’t get anything going in its most important game of the year. Penn State will most likely knock the Hoosiers out of bowl eligibility this week.

9. Minnesota, 6-4 (2-4). Last Week: W 17-3 over Illinois. Next: at Nebraska, 2:30 p.m. Jerry Kill has coached the Golden Gophers to bowl eligibility on a diet of cupcakes. It will take a miracle for Minnesota’s rushing attack to keep up with Nebraska’s and playing from behind would turn Minnesota away from what it does best: run the ball.

10. Purdue, 4-6 (1-5). Last Week: W 27-24 over Iowa. Next: at Illinois, 2:30 p.m. A win streak against fellow Big Ten cellar dwellers Illinois and Indiana could make Purdue bowl eligible, and maybe save Danny Hope’s job.

11. Iowa, 4-6 (2-4). Last Week: L 27-24 to Purdue. Next: at Michigan, 11 a.m. Kirk Ferentz didn’t seem to have any answers during the press conference after Iowa gave Purdue its first Big Ten win of the season. Bowl eligibility may not be in the cards after facing Michigan and Nebraska in back-to-back weeks.

12. Illinois, 2-8 (0-6). Last Week: L 17-3 to Minnesota. Next: vs. Purdue, 2:30 p.m. Purdue may be Illinois’ last hope of winning a conference game.

By Steve Siedlik