Iowa & Michigan are the 2004 Co-Big Ten Football Champions provided by Northwest Suburban Driving School at NWDrive.com

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Iowa sent Michigan to the Rose Bowl.

Drew Tate threw three touchdown passes and Iowa's defense forced four turnovers to beat No. 9 Wisconsin 30-7 and claim a share of the Big Ten title on Saturday.

Ohio State's 37-21 victory over Michigan earlier in the day raised the stakes for the 80th meeting between the Badgers and Hawkeyes, putting the conference championship on the line for both teams.

The No. 17 Hawkeyes (9-2, 7-1) won their second league title in three years, splitting it this time with Michigan. But the Wolverines claim the invitation to the Rose Bowl thanks to their 30-17 victory over Iowa earlier this season.

For the Badgers (9-2, 6-2), a promising season has crumbled the last two weeks with two losses by a combined 79-21.

After a rocky start, Tate settled down and finished 15-of-24 for 186 yards. He fired two TD passes to Clinton Solomon, including a 51-yarder late in the first half, and another to Scott Chandler late in the third quarter.

Kyle Schlicher kicked three field goals, all in the second half, to lead Iowa to its 18th straight home victory, the nation's fourth longest streak.

But it was Iowa's defense that caused most of the problems for the Badgers, who were coming off a humbling 49-14 defeat at Michigan State.

The Hawkeyes, the Big Ten's leader in turnovers, picked off John Stocco twice and recovered two fumbles, converting three of the takeaways into 13 second-half points.

Playing without leading rusher Anthony Davis, Wisconsin was held to just 41 yards rushing and 186 overall.

Davis, who rushed for 894 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, was in uniform but stayed on the sideline with a thigh injury.

Stocco was 14-29 for 107 yards.

Despite throwing interceptions on Iowa's first two possessions, Tate settled down and helped Iowa score first when he rolled out and threw a 6-yard TD pass to Solomon in the first quarter.

The Badgers had failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Wisconsin blew two early chances that were set up when safety Jim Leonhard intercepted Tate twice in Iowa territory.

Wisconsin failed to get a first down on both drives, and a muffed hold on a 47-yard field goal attempt thwarted the first scoring chance. Leonhard's interceptions gave him 21 in his career, tying him with Jamar Fletcher for a school record.

Wisconsin tied it just before halftime when Booker Stanley scored on a 4-yard run around right end.

Four plays later, Tate fired a 51-yard TD pass on the move to Solomon, putting Iowa up 14-7 at the half.

Tate fired a 12-yard TD pass to Chandler in the third quarter to make it 21-7.

Big Ten Football
November 20, 2004

Northwestern 27, Illinois 21 (OT)
EVANSTON, Ill. - Brett Basanez connected with Jonathan Fields on a 7-yard scoring pass in overtime to give Northwestern a 28-21 victory Saturday, sending Illinois coach Ron Turner away with a loss. Full Story

Purdue 63, Indiana 24
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kyle Orton threw for 522 yards and six touchdowns, setting a school record with 530 total yards, to lead Purdue to a 63-24 victory over Indiana on Saturday. Full Story

Penn State 37, Michigan State 13
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Joe Paterno ended his 39th season at Penn State as a winner. The Nittany Lions scored four third-quarter touchdowns in a 37-13 win Saturday over Michigan State, and students chanted "Joe Paterno" and "Joe Pa, Joe Pa" as the game wound down. Full Story

Ohio State 37, No. 7 Michigan 21
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Quarterback Troy Smith ran for 145 yards, Ted Ginn Jr. set school and Big Ten records with his fourth punt return touchdown of the season and the Buckeyes upset No. 7 Michigan 37-21 on Saturday. Full Story

No. 17 Iowa 30, No. 9 Wisconsin 7
Iowa City, Iowa - Drew Tate threw three touchdown passes and Iowa's defense forced four turnovers to beat No. 9 Wisconsin 30-7 and claim a share of the Big Ten title on Saturday. Full Story

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Quarterback Troy Smith ran for 145 yards, Ted Ginn Jr. set school and Big Ten records with his fourth punt return touchdown of the season and the Buckeyes upset No. 7 Michigan 37-21 on Saturday.

The loss kept the Wolverines (9-2, 7-1) from clinching an outright Big Ten title and may have cost them a return visit to the Rose Bowl, pending the outcome of Wisconsin's game at Iowa later Saturday. The Wolverines had won their last 13 conference games. They needed Iowa to beat the Badgers later Saturday to earn a second straight Rose Bowl berth.

Ohio State's fourth season under coach Jim Tressel has been a tough one. The Buckeyes started the Big Ten season with three straight losses and plummeted out of the rankings. But it's never a bad day in Columbus when Ohio State beats Michigan.

Smith led the way with his best game, yet. He had never run for more than 62 yards nor passed for more 192 since relieving the injured Justin Zwick in midseason. On a day where little went wrong for Ohio State (7-4, 4-4), he carried 18 times and came up just one yard short of tying a school record for yards rushing by a quarterback. He also completed 13 of 23 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns without an interception or a sack.

Ginn, the freshman wide-out with the sprinter's gait, gathered a punt at his own 18 midway through the third quarter with the Buckeyes up 20-14. He broke a tackle and went into overdrive for an 82-yard touchdown. His fourth return for a score this year matched the NCAA mark.

After the Wolverines scored on two impressive second-quarter drives, Ohio State's defense dominated for the most of the rest of the day.

Not that there weren't some anxious moments. After the Buckeyes took a 34-14 lead on Smith's second touchdown pass, a 12-yard bullet to Santonio Holmes late in the third quarter, Michigan drove to the Ohio State 8. But Chad Henne's pass was picked off at the 1 by Ashton Youboty.

The Wolverines came right back to cut into the lead on Braylon Edwards' 38-yard over-the-shoulder grab from Henne. Twice in the final moments, however, they were unable to convert fourth-down plays to keep drives alive and Henne was picked off again by Nate Salley.

Michigan, averaging 165 yards rushing a game, was limited to 71. Henne's first-year running mate in the backfield, Big Ten rushing leader Mike Hart, finished with just 61 yards on 18 carries.

Henne completed 27 of 54 passes for 328 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Edwards had 11 catches for 172 yards.

Ohio State led 20-14 at the half and could easily have led by more. The Buckeyes had a first and goal at the Michigan 2 midway through the second quarter but three runs netted a yard and a pass to Holmes was broken up by Marlin Jackson on fourth down.

The Wolverines were unable to get out of the hole on the ensuing possession and had to punt, the Buckeyes taking over at the Michigan 32 after Ginn's 13-yard punt return in tight quarters. Smith avoided a collapsing pocket for a 15-yard gain to the 1, but three running plays lost three yards and on fourth down Tressel elected to take the sure three points on a 21-yard field goal by Mike Nugent, his first of three field goals.

The Buckeyes struck first on the game's fifth play from scrimmage, Smith heaving a long pass that Anthony Gonzalez caught before streaking to the end zone past a fallen Ernest Shazor.

Michigan came right back with Henne connecting with Jason Avant on a 4-yard scoring pass. Hart's 1-yard plunge made it 14-7.

Ohio State scored 13 straight points in the second quarter, with Smith burrowing in on a 2-yard keeper for a touchdown to regain the lead.

The game was similar to three years ago at The Big House when Ohio State came in at 6-4 and stunned No. 11 Michigan 26-20.

Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr will lead the Wolverines to a second straight Rose Bowl for the first time since 1992

Big Ten Announces Five Bowl Selections
The Big Ten office announced the bowl destinations for five Conference football programs on Tuesday as Michigan will take part in the Rose Bowl, Iowa will participate in the Capital One Bowl, Wisconsin will play in the Outback Bowl, Ohio State will travel to the Alamo Bowl and Purdue will compete in the Sun Bowl. Full story...

Erasmus James was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Big Ten Announces 2004 Football All-Conference Teams And Individual Honors
The Big Ten announced the 2004 All-Conference Football teams and individual award winners today as selected by the League coaches and a media panel. Big Ten Co-Champion Michigan claimed three individual honors as the coaches and media picked Braylon Edwards as the Offensive Player of the Year and Michael Hart as the Freshman of the Year while the coaches also chose David Baas as the Offensive Lineman of the Year. Wisconsin's Erasmus James swept Defensive Player of the Year laurels from both groups while also garnering Defensive Lineman of the Year accolades from the coaches. Full story...