INSIDER
A historically poor season has led Purdue athletic director Mike Bobinski to fire coach Ryan Walters after just two seasons at the helm.
Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers.
Max Brosmer threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Geers and Dragan Kesich kicked his fourth field goal of the game in the final five minutes, rallying Minnesota to a 25-17 victory over No. 24 Illinois.
On a frigid day inside The Big House, Michigan Wolverines kicker Jake Moody had ice water in his veins as he made a 36-yard field goal for a 19-17 victory to stave off defeat while improving to 11-0 on the season for the first time since 2006.
It’s pretty amazing how much can change in one year. On the eve of kickoff last season, the Michigan football team was unranked, coming off a losing season, and on the brink of having to start over with a new staff.
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Bielema is returning to the Big Ten and his home state to coach Illinois. Illinois hired the former Wisconsin and Arkansas coach, hoping he can turn around a program with nine straight losing seasons. Illinois said Bielema will receive a six-year contract with an annual salary starting at $4.2 million, and begin work immediately. He became the third coach in NCAA history to win 12 games in his rookie season when Wisconsin went 12-1 in 2006. In January, the New York Giants and new head coach Joe Judge hired Bielema as outside linebackers coach and senior assistant.
