B5Q Blogopean Union: some former Badgers had a pretty good Sunday in the NFL

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 (which we NO LONGER DO).

• This is a great article from Jim Polzin that asks “what went wrong” in Madison with COVID-19 protocols.

There are some interesting nuggets in the post, including one where AD Barry Alvarez says that the Big Ten should “reevaluate” the 21-day period that a positive player has to sit out.

• It is pretty great that Alec Ingold has become something of a cult hero for the Las Vegas Raiders. Not many teams out here tweeting about the fullback.

• Not to get too deep into the Badgers in the NFL and steal Kevin’s thunder, but T.J. Edwards returned from injury and helped shore up the first place Philadelphia Eagles pathetic linebacking corps.

• If you missed the announcement last week, the Badgers will be taking on the Louisville Cardinals in the B1G/ACC Challenge. There are still a number of non-conference spots to fill for the Badgers and, uh, not a lot of time before the season starts.

Per ACC commissioner John Swofford, the B1G has decided not to play the women’s B1G/ACC Challenge. That is a bummer.

• Iowa star WR and kick returner Ihmir Smith-Marsette was arrested late Saturday night/early Sunday morning for OWI. He has been suspended from the team.
• Penn State is 0-2 and Black Shoe Diaries says that’s not good enough. Duh.
• The Nittany Lions lost a 2021 basketball recruit, their first since head coach Pat Chambers resigned.
• Five takeaways from the Cardiac Cats’ win over Iowa on Saturday. It’s looking more and more like a dreaded Good Northwestern year is upon us.
• What did Ohio State do well in their win over Penn State? Well, most stuff to be fair.
• The nation’s No. 8 recruit in 2021 for men’s basketball announced he was going to Michigan. The Wolverines now have the No. 1 class, so far, in 2021. In more basketball news for Michigan, Wake Forest transfer Chaundee Brown was announced as immediately eligible for this season.
• Michigan is only favored to win two of their last six games according to ESPN’s FPI. Yikes.
• Fun fact alert: Michigan State has beaten Michigan nine of the last 13 times they’ve played.
• Rutgers may not be good yet, but they are definitely better than they were these past couple of years.
• Maryland may have a pretty good QB on their hands in Taulia Tagovialoa.
• Illinois QB Brandon Peters, among many others, missed Saturday’s game with COVID-19. Who did Illinois play in their first game? Well,,,
• Are you ready for a top-10 Indiana Hoosiers football team? They are knocking on the door, so you’d better get ready.
• Gophers fans are used to this. “This” being losing, of course.