Good morning, Big Ten fans. Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s get to Tuesday’ three points -- where we’ll be looking at a few memorable quotes ... 1. Michigan quotables: The Wolverines looked beside themselves Saturday night -- right after Rutgers pulled off the 26-24 win -- and players didn’t seem to have many answers for the media. One loss after another clearly took its toll, and a lot of the player quotes spoke to that. Here’s one of the more memorable ones, from wideout Devin Funchess: “Wins and losses, that’s just a statistic.” And then when asked if U-M needs a win against Penn State: “We’re just going to go out there and do our best. It’s not that we need something; we’re blessed to play.” Michigan is searching for answers right now ... but does that really sound like a player who expects to win on Saturday? It sure sounds as if this team is bracing itself in case another loss is in store. 2. Good in theory, not in practice?: Last March, Penn State coach James Franklin told reporters that recruiting and committing was a lot like an engagement. Here are his exact words: “I would rather a kid not to commit to us if he’s still looking around and waiting to go through the process. I think there is nothing wrong with that. If you’re not sure that’s what you want to do, keep looking around until you figure it out. But once you stand up and shake my hand and look me in the eye and say this is where you want to go, we’re engaged. There is no more dating and there is no more flirting.” Why bring that quote up now? Well, Penn State commit and ESPN 300 QB Brandon Wimbush visited Notre Dame over the weekend -- after flirting with Stanford a few months earlier. And now PSU commit and ESPN 300 DT Adam McLean said he plans to take all five of his official visits. Seems like a rocky start to the engagement ... 3. Calling out the students: It’s not every day an athletic director and head coach point to shared “disappointment and embarrassment” for a waning student section, and it’s certainly not every day those statements come from a team still alive in the national title hunt. But that’s exactly what happened at Michigan State over the weekend. Said Mark Dantonio: “We needed it to be loud there, and it’s a big football game, and it got a little empty there at the end. ... I appreciate the fans that did stay. The fans that left, that’s just not right.” Sure, it was cold and the weather was unpleasant. But this is Michigan State, not Eastern Michigan. And the opponent was Nebraska, not Jacksonville State. Tough it out, students. Personally, I was surprised. Maybe I shouldn’t have been. Now on to the links ... East Division
West Division
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