ESPN.com - B1G shut out of coaches' poll for first time

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Sunday, October 7, 2012
B1G shut out of coaches' poll for first time

By Adam Rittenberg

It comes with a giant asterisk, but the Big Ten once again made history for the wrong reasons Sunday.

For the first time in the history of the coaches' poll, the Big Ten doesn't have a single team ranked.

As most of you know, Ohio State isn't being ranked in the coaches' poll this season because it's on postseason probation for NCAA violations. Penn State also isn't being ranked by the coaches for the same reason.

While the Buckeyes would be a top-10 team in the coaches' poll if eligible, as they are in the AP Poll, the lack of another Big Ten team is yet another black eye for the league in a terrible season. Both Nebraska and Northwestern, ranked in the coaches' poll last week, dropped out after suffering double-digit road losses to, yep, Ohio State and Penn State, respectively.

The AP Poll is only slightly more encouraging for the Big Ten. Ohio State moves up four spots to No. 8 after its 63-38 win against Nebraska on Saturday night. Michigan re-enters the rankings at No. 25 after crushing Purdue on the road. The Wolverines are the only two-loss team in the AP Poll, although their losses have come against No. 1 Alabama and No. 7 Notre Dame.

For the first time this season, Penn State is receiving votes -- actually just one vote, from Cecil Hurt of The Tuscaloosa News -- after its fourth consecutive win. Quite frankly, I'm a little surprised the Lions aren't getting more love after their fourth straight win.

Michigan State is fifth among teams also receiving votes. Nebraska is ninth, and Northwestern is receiving one vote after its loss at Beaver Stadium.

Here's the latest:

AP Poll

No. 8 Ohio State (last week: 12)
No. 25 Michigan (last week: not ranked)