After Saturday’s victory at Michigan, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was asked about the character of his senior class

“I couldn’t be more proud of the seniors,” he said. “We’re where we’re at right now because of them.”

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Imagine that one day, you wake up at 5:30 a.m. and scarf down a bagel. Later in the morning, you grab an early lunch. Then you eat again at 2 p.m. And at 5. And at 7.

And at 10. One of those meals is a hearty dinner, complete with a lot of meat and pasta.

You probably couldn’t eat close to all the food on your plate. And if you could, you most likely wouldn’t be able to move, much less play football.

But you aren’t an offensive lineman.

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In the often upside-down world of college rankings, one principle is almost absolute: An upset loss on Saturday leads to a drop in the polls on Sunday. So when Northwestern was shocked by lowly Indiana last week, the Wildcats were expected to drop out of the top 25.

They did, but not in every ranking. While NU was no longer in any of the major human polls, the Colley Matrix computer program had the Cats at No. 25.

How could any poll rank NU in the top 25 after a loss to the 2-5 Hoosiers? How can the Cats be 25th in one computer program and 59th in another?

Welcome to the BCS.
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November 4, 2000 — What happened at Ryan Field that day would drastically alter the way Big Ten football, and football across the country, is played.

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Sunday morning. The quietest time in college football. This is the day for the NFL action. The only winners and losers are in the rankings, and the seats at Ryan Field are empty.

But while fans sleep off their hangovers and sportscasters recap the previous day’s action, the two gurus of Northwestern football are hard at work. The end of Saturday’s game is the just the beginning of next Saturday’s preparation.

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Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald stood in the middle of the huddle during Tuesday’s practice. With classes beginning for his players, Fitzgerald’s subject was the difference between being a Northwestern football player and a Northwestern student. But there was no difference.

“Number one here!” he yelled, “Number one there!”

On the football field, his players are athletes first, seeking to win Big Ten championships. On campus, his players are students first, seeking to earn a world-class education. Getting collegiate athletes to make mature decisions off the field so they can play on it is far from the easiest task for a head coach.

Just ask Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz. Continue reading »