Illinois Fighting Illini News

Down through the years it has been the Northwestern-Illinois football game that closed out the Illini regular season. Most of the time the Illini battle with the Wildcats has been played the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving. This year the Big Ten Conference gave the Illini the "bye" week leading up to Thanksgiving. On one recent occasion (2001 Sugar Bowl season).... the Illini actually played on Thanksgiving Day itself.

<p>College football beat writer Bob Asmussen's best Illini bets for the All-Big Ten team, which will be announced Monday.</p>

<p>CINCINNATI &mdash; A judge is warning Cincinnati sophomore quarterback Zach Collaros that he could be spending the postseason on the bench &mdash; in jail.</p> <p>Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Bernie Bochard told Collaros he must complete a court-ordered program on the dangers of underage drinking by Dec. 7. Or he could face up to 180 days in jail.</p>

<p>&mdash; With both the Illinois men's basketball team and the football team playing Friday, Voice of the Illini BRIAN BARNHART won't be able to broadcast both events. Barnhart will work the Illinois-Cincinnati football game with KURT KITTNER and STEVE KELLY. DAVE LOANE will work the Illinois men's basketball games in Las Vegas with JERRY HESTER.</p>

For the third year in a row, the Big Ten Network will present the exclusive, live announcement of the annual Big Ten football awards during Big Ten Tonight: All-Conference Selection Special at 8 PM ET Monday, Nov. 23.

There are a dozen active traveling trophies in the Big Ten. Here's why each one is awesome.

Vontae Davis recorded five tackles (four solo, one assisted) and one pass break up in the Dolphins' win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Davis ranks third among all rookies in both interceptions (2) and passes defended (9) through week 10 of the season.

<p>The expenditure line items show how much the Big Ten has developed into a league of the haves (Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan and Iowa) and the have-nots (Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue, Indiana and Minnesota).</p> <p>The formers spend at least $70 million a year; the latters spend $48 million to $58 million annually. Michigan State ($60.9 million) occupies the middle ground.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Wednesday, online ticket broker StubHub was offering tickets as inexpensive as five cents. At 11 a.m., there were 175 tickets available for $5 or less.</p> <p>Face value tickets are available through the school for $45.</p>

<p>Of the top 10 teams in the BCS standings, Cincinnati, now fifth in the standings, was the only school to top 70 percent in both reports.</p>

<p><strong>Title game: TCU vs. Texas</strong></p> <p>Go ahead, make fun of the idea of the Texas schools playing for the national title. But until Alabama beats Auburn, we're sticking with it. Texas looks to be on cruise control and won't lose to Kansas, Texas A&amp;M or in the Big 12 title game. Looking at the body of TCU's work, the Clemson win gets better each week and the Horned Frogs beat the two best teams on their schedule (BYU and Utah) by a combined... 93-35. That's more than good enough.</p>more>>