The Ro?Tel Ratings -- Hello bigger, meaner Big Ten

Illinois made it quick for coach Ron Zook, who got the rail after the reverse undefeated half of the season scudded out with a dismal defeat at Minnesota.

Zook was goofy. He thought Nate Kaeding played running back for Iowa when he talked Hawkeyes before the 2004 Outback Bowl. His bench press was listed in the Illini media guide (315, I believe). He loved water skiing.

In football seriousness, Zook was the prototypical "coordinator to head coach and probably still should be coordinator." He did some things excellently, namely recruiting. He attracted a lot of talent to Champaign, which is along the Big Ten Highway but is swaddled in flat plains.

Houston's Kevin Sumlin is the top name of the names flung at the wall today. And herein lies the lesson.

You're not going to find any "half coaches" on Big Ten sidelines. There's too much at stake for a Zook (recruiter), a Tim Brewster (blowhard) or a John L. Smith (clown). Illinois will pay Zook $2.6 million the next two years as his buyout. Money for nothing.

The Big Ten welcomed Bo Pelini and Nebraska this fall. Questions about his long-term viability at Nebraska notwithstanding (it's an anxious fan base with sky-high demands), he's a good football coach, a total package. Illinois AD Mike Thomas has hit the ground running. He pointed to the fact that Zook won only 32 percent of his Big Ten games. Attendance was another factor (Illinois was seventh in the Big Ten in 2010). Thomas was asked about assistant salaries and said Illinois is ready to pay up. This is a man speaking as though he is on a mission, a hungry AD out to make a name for himself and better the program.

Urban Meyer and Ohio State feel an awful lot like it's going to happen. [It now has happened.] To paraphrase the old Bobby Knight rant (very much paraphrasing), he isn't coming to Ohio State to lose to Purdue.

The degree of difficulty and the price to compete and to fail is going up in the Big Ten. You could argue it went up last year, when Michigan lured Greg Mattison away from the Baltimore Ravens for $750,000. You saw what Iowa pays assistants here. Former Iowa athletics director Bob Bowlsby, now at Stanford, used to refer to this as the "arms race."

The price of poker is going up in the Big Ten. And you know what? It's more expensive to fall behind.

1. Wisconsin (10-2, 6-2 Big Ten)

From Sunday's championship coach teleconference, Bret Bielema on the MSU "Hail Mary" that beat the Badgers on Oct. 22: "If you're a person who takes things personally, you're going to remember something like that for the rest of your life.” This might be fun on Saturday.

Last week: No. 1

Next: vs. Michigan State (FOX 7 p.m.)

2.  Michigan State (10-2, 7-1)

Also from the Sunday teleconference: "The thing about Michigan State football that people need to understand is our recruiting classes have gotten better every year.” Also, Dantonio talked about modeling the Spartans program after Wisconsin and Iowa. Saw success that wasn't Ohio State and Michigan.

Last week: No. 2

Next: vs. Wisconsin (FOX 7 p.m.)

3. Michigan (10-2, 6-2)

The Wolverines were tremendous against Ohio State. They will be in a BCS bowl and that will likely land Iowa in Houston for the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, something that I'm going to conveniently shorten to the Texas Bowl.

Last week: No. 3

Next: I'm going to go by Doc's Office bowl projections. Here's Scott's post. He says the Sugar for Michigan against Houston.

4. Nebraska (9-3, 5-3)

The Huskers proved they can trade punches in a Big Ten that really is going to be big.

Last week: No. 5

Next: vs. Georgia in the Capital One

5. Penn State (9-3, 6-2)

Penn State begins coach shopping in earnest this week. It won't be Tom Bradley.

Last week: No. 4

Next: vs. Kansas State in the Insight

6. Ohio State (6-6, 4-4)

Still believe the Urban Meyer stuff. And having seen what Braxton Miller can do, he will be a superstar in Meyer's system.

Last week: No. 7

Next: vs. Florida in the Gator

7. Iowa (7-5, 4-4)

The bottom line for 2011 was this is a developmental team still in development.

Last week: No. 6

Next: vs. Texas A&M in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas (11 a.m. Dec. 31, ESPN)

8. Northwestern (6-6, 3-5)

Pat Fitzgerald might be on Penn State's shopping list, but he's not for sale.

Last week: No. 8

Next: vs. Ohio in the Little Caesar's

9. Purdue (6-6, 4-4)

The Old Oaken Bucket scene was very cool, very classy. Congrats to the Boilers. And now you bowl in this bowl-heavy world. (There are too many bowls, even in this economy.)

Last week: No. 9

Next: vs. SMU in the TicketCity

10. Minnesota (3-9, 2-6)

The Gophers seem to have an idea of who they want to grow up to be someday.

Last week: No. 11

Next: Hockey season

11. Illinois (6-6, 2-6)

Ron Zook coached in a Rose Bowl. He won't get a chance to coach the Illini in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.

Last week: No. 10

Next: vs. someone somewhere

12. Indiana (1-11, 0-8)

No victories against an FBS opponent, the only FBS team with that dubious honor. Still, Tre Roberson, a lot to like there.

Last week: No. 12

Next: Basketball season