B5Q Blogopean Union: Wisconsin wrestling dominates in home debut

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.

• After a few days off due to Early Signing Day and Drew taking early flights to and from Philadelphia, WE’RE BACK BABY!
• And not a moment too soon if you ask me because the volleyball team IS GOING TO PLAY FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ON SATURDAY!

The Badgers will be playing Stanford, who dispatched of the Gophers in three sets in the other semifinal, in what will surely be a titanic clash of two teams peaking at the right time.

• Jonathan Taylor DID put on a show this season. I’m so excited to watch him one more time in the Rose Bowl.

• Look at our beautiful, baby boy gracing the cover of magazines!

• All of the Badgers made the US Junior team heading to the Czech Republic which is really great for the program.

• Personally I’m shocked that the Badgers had 352 pass attempts on the season for Tyler Biadasz to pass block on.

• The Badgers big road match-up against Tennessee next Saturday was given a tip time.

• #RBU

• How many Pro Bowl positions can Derek Watt play in one game? Let’s find out!

• Speaking of Badgers Pro Bowl fullbacks!

• My mind is exploding with tie-breaker scenarios here for the B1G Tournament.

• Taylor is going to need to have a monster game against Oregon in the Rose Bowl to rightfully reclaim what is Wisconsin’s.

• Hopefully in 20 years we are talking about Dana Rettke and Sydney Hilley and how they won the program’s first national title.

• More #WattNews.

• The Badgers finally got to show off their skills at home and put on a show for the Field House faithful.

• These Rivalry Series games between the US and Canada are just crammed full of Badgers.

• Iowa head coaching legend Hayden Fry passed away earlier this week. Here is the link to all of the stories on BHGP. Wisconsin head coaching legend Barry Alvarez got his start in coaching on Fry’s staff. Fry was a wonderful coach and had a better mustache. RIP.
• Penn State men’s basketball team is ranked! What a time to be alive.
• Nebraska QB Adrian Martinez had surgery this week which may help explain why he didn’t look 100% for the end of the season.
• What is Purdue looking for in a defensive coordinator?
• All-conference LB Paddy Fisher is returning to Northwestern for another season.
• A 4-star CB flipped from Ohio State to Utah and then the most easily triggered fan base in the nation got BIG MAD because of a tweet.

Shut the hell up forever, Buckeye fans.

• I love that the guy who trained this QB says the QB is going to be better than everyone thinks! Michigan got a commitment from Dan Villari, the New York QB that Wisconsin was also interested in.
• Maryland flipped a 5-star WR from the DMV area during the Early Signing Period.
• Indiana’s AD is going to retire.
• It would have been fun to have a volleyball Border Battle National Championship game but Minnesota ran into a Stanford buzzsaw.

B1G basketball scoreboard from the last couple of nights (losses in bold because we are here to laugh at misfortune):

No. 7 Maryland 48 - Seton Hall 52
No. 15 Michigan State 77 - Northwestern 72
SE Missouri State 48 - No. 5 Ohio State 80
Purdue 69 - Ohio 51