Ohio State Buckeyes hope to snap losing streak against SEC in bowl games.
At one time it looked like the Big Ten was ready for an expansion explosion beyond the 12 teams that will make up the conference next season.
Columbus Dispatch reporter Bill Rabinowitz writes how now the conference has closed on the door on more expansion, at least for now.
The Big Ten's Council of Presidents/Chancellors had its winter meeting in suburban Chicago yesterday and announced that the expansion process "has reached its natural conclusion" and won't engage in pursuing additional expansion "for the foreseeable future."
The league said it will concentrate on integrating Nebraska into the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers will begin competing in the Big Ten starting with the 2011-12 school year.
The Big Ten did leave the door open to expansion down the road.
"If the climate changes or issues come up, we could revisit it at some point," Gee said. "But right now we want to concentrate on becoming a 12-team Big Ten."
Return to New Orleans
Not only will the Ohio State Buckeyes play in New Orleans in the Sugar Bowl, but the Buckeyes will get the chance to avenge their winless streak against SEC teams in Bowl games when they play Arkansas.
Steve Stephens of The Columbus Dispatch writes how traveling to the game won't be cheap, it'll be a relative bargain, travel agents said. And, really, what price can you put on revenge?
The Buckeyes (11-1) match up well against the Razorbacks (10-2), said Richard Holycross, owner of Uniglobe Precise Travel in Grove City.
"New Orleans is obviously a premier destination city, which has something for everyone from casinos to a great aquarium to the night life - you name it," Holycross said.
"But this also should be the year we put an end to the myth that Ohio State can't beat an SEC team," he said.
Preview
Kelly Whiteside of USA TODAY writes about the match up between Ohio State and Arkansas, and how the Razorbacks enter the game on a roll, having won six in a row since losing Oct. 16 at Auburn.
Offensively, Arkansas is the only team in the country with a quarterback who has passed for 3,000 yards, a running back (Knile Davis) who has rushed for 1,000 yards and five receivers who have at least 500 receiving yards.
Ohio State's defense is led by five first-team All-Big Ten selections. The Buckeyes rank second in the nation in total defense (250.6 yards a game), third in scoring defense (13.3 points a game) and fourth in pass defense (156.3 yards a game).
That defense will be challenged by Mallett, who dreamed about this moment as a kid, after growing up near Fayetteville and parking cars at Razorback Stadium so he could get into games for free. "Everyone knows ever since I was a kid I wanted to be a part of an Arkansas team in a game like this, and I'm thrilled for the opportunity," Mallett said. It's also a fitting end to his career, which began at Michigan, the Buckeyes' biggest rival.