Some Big Ten football programs unafraid of challenges

A combination of the BCS and the cost of doing business in college sports has led too many of major-college football programs to play it safe with their nonconference schedules.

Good scheduling, Michigan State

Get those sure wins, assure that bowl-eligibility and perhaps BCS-bowl contention, and stay away from land mines until league play begins.

Not to pick on Michigan, because just about everyone else in Division I-A (FBS) is doing likewise. But the Wolverines apparently are trying to ink a deal to open their 2010 season at home against I-AA (FCS) Massachusetts.

That would be the first game in Michigan Stadium after renovations there are finished. Sure, why have the game upstage the luxury suites?

Given that Michigan lost at home to Appalachian State in 2007, let's not count out UMass, another traditionally strong I-AA team.

But really? Massachusetts? Against Michigan? Why not? The Wolverines are hosting I-AA Delaware State this year.

Can you imagine, for instance, Penn State playing a Coastal Carolina or Youngstown State? Oh, the former already happened, and the Nittany Lions play Youngstown State next year.

Never mind.

But let's give credit where credit is due, and it's due in East Lansing.

Michigan State announced Monday it has signed contracts for home-and-home series with West Virginia (2014-15) and Alabama (2016-17). Those are two football programs, folks.

Plus, the Spartans have extended their current series with Notre Dame through the 2025 season, though there will be two-year breaks in 2014-15 and 2020-21.

And, MSU already had a home-and-home in place with rising Big East star South Florida.

Look, the Spartans aren't averse to giving neighboring Mid-American Conference teams beatings in exchange for a nice check. They open this season with a home game against I-AA Montana State.

That's all forgivable if you play somebody. Michigan State plays somebody.

Before anyone claims this is a backhanded slap at Iowa, the Hawkeyes are doing about all you can expect from a BCS conference program these days.

They're playing Iowa State of the Big 12  and one other BCS conference team (Arizona, Pittsburgh and maybe Connecticut are future opponents) every year.

Speaking of UConn, four of its players were taken in the first two rounds of last weekend's NFL draft including first-round running back Donald Brown. We'll see if the Huskies, 8-5 last season, have reloaded when they visit Iowa in 2013.

Oh, while the subject is Big Ten football, the Big Ten Network is running all seven hours of  "Illinois Football: The Journey" today from 2 to 9 p.m.

The Illini went 5-7 last year. Before Illinois people start accusing me of Iowa-provincial mocking, it is duly noted the Illini beat the Hawkeyes last year.

No, the mocking is of the BTN. Couldn't it condense the Illinois marathon to, say, five or six hours?

BONUS COVERAGE

From Minnesota football coach Tim Brewster's Twitter feed this afternoon:

"Its a Big Mans Game"!! Our guys in the weight room getting bigger faster and stronger!! Go Gophers!!