Boilermakers Country

10 Things the 4 Newcomers Should Know About the Big Ten

With Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington now in the Big Ten, there are some important things to know about the league. Here are 10 things to help with the move.

Dustin Schutte

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans hold their shoes up
Nebraska Cornhuskers fans hold their shoes up / Matt Ryerson-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Big Ten is officially bigger. On Friday, Aug. 2, the conference welcomed four new schools to the league: Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington. And let me tell you, there's some learning ahead for the latest additions.


Life isn't always easy for the new kids at school. So, to help welcome Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington into the league, I've compiled a list of 10 things our new friends should know about the Big Ten. Hopefully this helps your transition from the West Coast to the Midwest.

1. The unhealthy obsession with punting

Let's get the weirdest thing out of the way first. While fans in most conferences dread seeing their punters run onto the field, we embrace it. This is a conference that has produced five Ray Guy Award winners — so yeah, we taking punting pretty seriously.

Don't believe me? Let me refer you to last year's Iowa-Nebraska game, when two devoted fans had shirts specifically made to show their enthusiasm about punting:

Don't get me wrong, we love touchdowns, hard hits and big plays as much as anyone else. But there's just something about a punter pinning opponents inside their own 5-yard line that brings us great joy.

2. Everyone loves Penn State's White Out game

Some might hate to admit this, but secretly, deep down, everyone loves Penn State's White Out game. It might be the coolest atmosphere in all of college football, to tell you the truth.

You don't even have to attend the annual game at Beaver Stadium to appreciate the aesthetics of it. The hype and the excitement make it one of the greatest games of the year in the Big Ten, regardless of opponent. It's the one Penn State game that everyone else circles to make sure they don't miss out.

Prayers up to Washington, which has to play against Penn State in the White Out game on Nov. 9. Welcome to the Big Ten, Huskies!

3. Cold weather games are a luxury

This one is primarily targeted at the two schools out in Los Angeles. While we certainly enjoy a 75-degree day in the middle of November, Big Ten fans also love waking up to temperatures below freezing and seeing a little snowfall on the ground.

Usually, that means we're in store for a hard-hitting, ground-and-pound, throw-at-your-own-risk type of game. And the scoreboard will probably read 13-10 when it's all said and done.

Don't groan at these cold-weather atmospheres, celebrate them. You might as well get used to it.

4. The interesting food scene

For any West Coasters who might be traveling to Big Ten country for a game this season, there are a few food items that you're going to want to consider.

The breaded tenderloin sandwich is a staple in Midwestern states, especially in Indiana, where it was created. Iowa tries to claim it was the inventor of this fan favorite, but the entire state is lying (Google it!).

Nebraska has an affinity for chili and cinnamon rolls (we don't know why) and Ohio will rave about Skyline Chili (again, we're not sure why). This is also a conference that's home to cheese curds, tater tot casserole, deep dish pizza and crab legs.

Really, the options are endless.

5. Northwestern and Rutgers are going to annoy you

Calm down, Northwestern and Rutgers, this is meant as a compliment. Each year, every Big Ten fanbase sees these two opponents on the schedule and marks them down as winnable games.

But the Wildcats and Scarlet Knights thrive on driving opponents crazy. You might think these are the easiest games on your schedule, but you're usually in for a battle. So, don't be surprised if you go into these games expecting an easy victory and come out bloodied and bruised.

6. Don't use "Nebraska" and "blueblood" in the same sentence

Look, people can use social media however they'd like. But here's a warning to the four new schools: Don't mention Nebraska in the "blueblood" conversation unless you're prepared to fight a war from 42 different angles.

Personally, I don't care whether people consider the Huskers a "blueblood" in the sport. The conversation is usually brought up by some random person who got bored on a Tuesday in June. Nonetheless, these discussions essentially turn into a battle.

Nebraska fans defend their program's rich history — rightfully so. But then you get people chiming in from all over the country to stir up trouble. It's just better if you avoid this conversation entirely.

7. The map commercial is the best thing since sliced bread

By now, you've probably seen the Big Ten map commercial. It's the one advertisement that could run on loop for an entire year and it would never get old. For those who haven't seen it yet, enjoy:

8. Be cautious of the Spoilermakers

Most teams are more dangerous when they're ranked in the Associated Press or College Football Playoff poll. Well, let me introduce you to Purdue, who has built a program from upsetting teams as an underdog.

Purdue has defeated 17 teams ranked in the AP poll's top-five in its history — more than any other program in college football. The Boilermakers have defeated a top-two team nine times.

You might think you're safe when playing an unranked Purdue squad, but that's when the Boilers are most dangerous.

9. There's a real hatred for the SEC

As a conference that was also overshadowed by the SEC's every waking moment, I'm sure this resonates with our new Pac-12 friends. The SEC is despised in Big Ten country, primarily because of the perceived arrogance that comes from the league.

Most Big Ten fans would agree that the SEC is college football's best conference and has been for years. But it's the SEC's inisistance that it's lightyears ahead of the Big Ten that gets irritating and annoying.

And that league just added Texas, so it's probably going to get even worse.

10. Get ready to learn about corn

Last, but certainly not least, is the Midwest's obsession with corn. Admittedly, this doesn't apply to every state, but there is a lot of pride with this particular crop.

You'll see signs that read, "Iowa has bad corn," or "Our corn is better." In Big Ten country, this type of language can result in an all-out brawl. Corn is a really, really big deal here.

Bonus: We love rivalry trophies

I'm a nice guy, I'll throw in an additional Big Ten item: we love our rivalry trophies in the Big Ten. I won't go through them all, but some of the favorites include Floyd of Rosedale, Paul Bunyan's Axe, the Paul Bunyan Trophy, the IlliBuck, the Land Grant Trophy and Old Oaken Bucket.

Related Big Ten stories

PENN STATE SUSPENDS TWO PLAYERS: Penn State started fall camp without two players, defensive end Jameial Lyons and linebacker Kaveion Keys, who were suspended by the team. CLICK HERE

BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL: The Big Ten has released the 2024 preseason poll and all-conference selections for the upcoming volleyball season. Nebraska is the favorite to win the league. CLICK HERE

Published
Dustin Schutte

DUSTIN SCHUTTE

Home/Football