B5Q Blogopean Union: oh snap, it’s Homecoming Week!

Good morning! This is going to be a daily(ish) post that discusses the goings on of the rest of the Big Ten Conference, and the country as needed. Much like the European Union, the Big Ten is a loosely confederated group of entities that sometimes have the same goals (like free movement of people between countries or not winning national titles in football or basketball) and sometimes accept new members that they later regret (Estonia or Rutgers).

We hope that you will use this post to comment on things happening around the conference and also as a sort of daily open thread to discuss breaking news or argue about Spotted Cow.

• Despite being at home for the past ::double checks calendar:: billion weeks, the University of Wisconsin and the football team are celebrating Homecoming this week!

Probably should have saved Michigan for the Homecoming game, right? Aren’t you supposed to schedule an easy game so all the alumni see a win?

• NHL Central Scouting released their first ranking of prospects for the 2020 NHL Draft on Monday.

Badgers freshman forward Dylan Holloway was one of 26 players to receive an A grade, meaning he is expected to be a first round pick. Zach Urdahl, a future Badger from Eau Claire, received a B grade which, and try and follow me here, means he is expected to be a second round pick.

• The Wisconsin alumni hotbeds of Chicago and Philadelphia (my dad!) will be able to see the Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame hockey match ups this year.

• Rock has much more on the volleyball team coming in The Sett later today, but Sydney Hilley’s accomplishments should be noted as many times as possible tbqh.

• Speaking of the volleyball team, the first RPI rankings are out. I’ve been told that these are more important to NCAA Tournament seeding than the AVCA Coaches poll so it is good to see that the Badgers are No. 6 in the RPI.

• First time to see the Badgers men’s hoops team without Ethan Happ is Sunday!

• The women’s soccer team is playing lights out in conference so far this season.

• Here are some Michigan State stories to start getting prepped for the game.

Michigan State has to clean up its act to save season.

The Spartans open up as two score underdogs against the Badgers.

Wisconsin vs. Michigan State was on its way to becoming a great rivalry. Then they stopped playing each other due to B1G scheduling. The teams seem to be going in opposite directions this year, but the Spartans will still pose a major challenge for Wisconsin.

• The Only Podcast calls us “fat, drunk and stupid” and I’m like,,,so what if we are?
• What is it about Purdue that makes their students want to leave the planet? Anyways, they have space helmets now.
• Black Shoe Diaries gives out its own player of the week award.
• Nebraska QB Adrian Martinez is “day to day.”
• Chair. Chair! CHAIR. CHAIR! CHAIR! CHAIR! It’s Chair Week!
• Advanced stats show who Rutgers should hire as their next football head coach.
• Michigan’s QB Dylan McCaffrey is still in concussion protocol after suffering one against Wisconsin.
• Northwestern sucks this year. They sucked last year too, but this year they’re actually losing.
• The Gophers landed a 2020 4-star PF from Chicago. This is their first member of the 2020 class for Richard Pitino.