Around the Big Ten: Historic day for Hoosiers

December 2 may not resonate historically for any significant reason. Heck, one can't even log onto a website like famousbirthdays.com and find any famous celebrity that calls that day his or her own. While it came and went like a rather ordinary Tuesday for me and you in 2014, it ended up perhaps one of the most significant days on the calendar for Indiana University football's 2015 season - and perhaps even beyond.

On Dec. 2, a board trustees at UAB convened to put the finishing touches on the cancellation of the school's football program. The Blazers were done. Future games cancelled. Scholarships were gone.

Despite a season where the school qualified for a bowl game for just the second time in program history, the plug was pulled - essentially creating free agency for all current players to find a new school. (Ironically, UAB responded to the backlash of its decision by reinstating the program on June 2, but players who left were already gone).

While UAB players were looking for new homes. Indiana was scrambling. Losing unanimous All American and first-team All Big Ten star Tevin Coleman to the NFL draft. While coach Kevin WIlson has always recruited the running back position hard each and every offseason, one can seldom fathom the stroke of luck falling right in the Hoosier lap. Instead of handing the running back job to an untested underclassman, Wilson was about to hit a late-season recruiting jackpot - one named Jordan Howard.

Just a year after running for more than 1,500 yards for the Blazers, Howard joined the Hoosiers in January. He's hit the ground rolling in his first two games in Bloomington as well. Through the opening two weeks, Howard ranks No. 5 in the country with 304 yards on the year, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. This week, Howard will face a Western Kentucky defense that was gashed for 168 yards and two scores a week ago Louisiana Tech's Kenneth Gibson. Howard's ability to pick up yards on the ground may be a necessity for a Hoosier team that may need to keep the Hilltoppers offense off the field. Western amassed 590 yards of total offense last week in its 41-38 win and sixth-year quarterback Brandon Doughty has been discussed as the next mid-major quarterback that could crash the NFL draft.

Elsewhere in the Big Ten

Virginia Tech (-6) at Purdue: Frank Beamer's program has lacked it's typical national punch the past few seasons - with just 22 wins in the last three years. This still serves as a chance for Darrell Hazell to get perhaps his biggest win in three seasons in West Lafayette.

South Florida at Maryland (-7): The Terps were roughed up at home by Bowling Green last week. The seat is officially getting warm for Randy Edsall.

Rutgers at Penn State (-8): The "Nobody does scandal the way WE do scandal" game of the week. Rutgers doesn't have a coach for three weeks. Penn State, well we know what happened there.

Northwestern at Duke (-3.5): In an otherwise boring Big Ten slate this week, the surprising Wildcats look to stay unbeaten against David Cutcliffe's undefeated Blue Devils in Durham.

Nebraska at Miami (-3): The over under on number of times the Cornhusker's failed two-point try against the Hurricanes in 1984 is shown is unofficially set at 287.

Illinois at North Carolina (-9): A 3-0 start would have people talking about the Illini as one of the best stories in college football.

Pitt at Iowa (-5.5): This game will scroll across the bottom line. You'll see that it happened. By Sunday you'll never remember a single detail about it. Not even the score.

Also happening....Blowouts.

UNLV at Michigan (-34)

Air Force at Michigan State (-26)

Kent State at Minnesota (-24)

Northern Illinois at Ohio State (-34.5)

Troy at Wisconsin (-34)