play that week, so I will not be playing that week, he s

One things for sure about the Big Ten. The conference loves a good rivalry and, in most cases, a traveling trophy to go with it.Big Ten teams have been playing for buckets, bronzed pigs, jugs and more since around the turn of the 20th century. Its all a part of Midwestern football lore, and theres nothing like watching jubilant winners sprint to claim their prize when time expires.Its in that spirit the conference in 2014 began scheduling rivalry games the final week of the regular season, with five of the seven awarding trophies. Some of the hardware has richer histories than others. A couple of the most time-honored trophies -- the Little Brown Jug for Michigan-Minnesota and Floyd of Rosedale for Minnesota-Iowa -- are played for earlier in the season.Interestingly, the grandest rivalry of all -- Michigan-Ohio State -- has no trophy at all. Maybe the game is so big it doesnt need one. Nor is there a trophy for the winner between Maryland and Rutgers, perhaps because they didnt know they were rivals.So in the name of Paul Bunyans Axe, which replaced something called the Slab of Bacon that Minnesota and Wisconsin used to play for, lets take a look at the real or manufactured rivalries in the Big Ten this week:MICHIGAN-OHIO STATESeries began: 1897.Series record: Michigan leads 58-47-6.Trophy: None.Why its a big deal: Its known simply as The Game in the Midwest. The Woody Hayes-Bo Schembechler battles of the 1970s are the stuff of legend. The game has decided the Big Ten champion or division winner 22 times and had a bearing on the national championship 13 times since 1942.Best game: Michigan 24, No. 1 Ohio State 12, 1969. The 15-point underdog Wolverines scored all their points in the first half and intercepted six passes to end Ohio States 22-game win streak. The game started the famous Ten Year War between Hayes and Schembechler.This year: Michigan, with a win, would go to the Big Ten championship game. Ohio State needs a win, plus a Michigan State upset of Penn State, to book a trip to Indianapolis. The winner also stays alive for a spot in the College Football Playoff.MINNESOTA-WISCONSINSeries began: 1890, the most-played rivalry in the FBS.Series record: Minnesota leads 59-58-8.Trophy: Paul Bunyans Axe.Why its a big deal: Geography. These are border rivals, and they dont like each other no matter the sport. Three years ago, things almost got physical when Minnesota players surrounded their goal post so Wisconsins players couldnt pretend to chop it down with the Axe.Best game: No. 3 Wisconsin 14, No. 5 Minnesota 9, 1962. A controversial roughing-the-passer penalty on Minnesotas Bobby Bell kept alive the Badgers winning drive in Madison. Ralph Kurek scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 2-yard run with 1:37 left, and Wisconsin was Big Ten champ.This year: Wisconsin will clinch a 13th straight win over the Gophers and a spot in the conference championship game with a victory. Minnesota would hit the nine-win mark for the first time since 2003 and deny the Badgers a trip to Indianapolis if Nebraska beats Iowa on Friday.PURDUE-INDIANASeries began: 1891.Series record: Purdue leads 72-40-6.Trophy: Old Oaken Bucket.Why its a big deal: The schools are 100 miles apart on U.S. Highway 231 in the Hoosier State, so its a natural rivalry. The Old Oaken Bucket that is the traveling trophy dates to the mid-1800s and has been the prize since 1925.Best game: Indiana 19, No. 3 Purdue 14, 1967. In a battle of once-beaten teams, the two-touchdown-underdog Hoosiers beat Bob Griese and the Boilermakers, who had played in the Rose Bowl the previous season. Griese led Purdue to the Indiana 22 in the final two minutes, but the drive stalled, and the Hoosiers went to the Rose Bowl.This year: Indiana needs a win to become bowl-eligible for the second straight year. Purdue is looking for a positive ending for interim coach Gerad Parker, who took over for the fired Darrell Hazell on Oct. 16.NEBRASKA-IOWASeries began: 1891.Series record: Nebraska leads 29-14-3.Trophy: Heroes Trophy.Why its a big deal: The Hawkeyes are the closest Big Ten opponent to Nebraska.Best game: Nebraska 37, Iowa 34, OT, 2014. The Cornhuskers trailed 24-7 in the third quarter, but Drew Browns 20-yard field goal tied it with eight seconds left in regulation. After Iowa scored on its first possession in overtime, Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw the winning TD pass to Kenny Bell.This year: Nebraska is going for a 10th regular-season win, doubling its 2015 total, and would be in position to go to the conference title game if Minnesota upsets Wisconsin. Iowa is playing for a best possible bowl.MICHIGAN STATE-PENN STATESeries began: 1914.Series record: Michigan State leads 15-14-1.Trophy: Land Grant.Why its a big deal: Its really not, other than the fact both schools were founded in 1855 as two pioneer land-grant institutions.Best game: No. 14 Penn State 38, No. 25 Michigan State 37, 1993. The Nittany Lions scored three touchdowns in less than five minutes to overcome a 37-17 deficit late in the third quarter on the road.This year: The Lions, with a win, would go to the Big Ten championship game for the first time if Ohio State beats Michigan.ILLINOIS-NORTHWESTERNSeries began: 1893.Series record: 55-49-5.Trophy: Land of Lincoln.Why its a big deal: This trophy game is a new iteration of the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, which was retired after the 2008 season.Best game: No. 24 Illinois 38, Northwestern 35, 2011. The Illini came back from a 28-10 third-quarter deficit to win on Nathan Scheelhaases 1-yard run with 13 seconds left.This year: Northwestern becomes bowl-eligible with a win.RUTGERS-MARYLANDSeries began: 1920.Series record: Maryland leads 6-5.Trophy: None.Why its a big deal: These are the two schools that expanded the Big Tens geographic footprint to the East Coast in 2014.Best game: Rutgers 41, Maryland 38, 2014. The Scarlet Knights set a school record by coming back from 25 points down to win on the road.This year: Maryland, which has lost six of seven, would be bowl-eligible with a win. Rutgers is trying for its first Big Ten win.---More AP college football: http://collegefootball.ap.org Jason Witten Cowboys Jersey . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. DeMarcus Ware Youth Jersey . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. https://www.cowboyssportsgoods.com/Womens-Amari-Cooper-Inverted-Jersey/ . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. Dallas Cowboys Jerseys . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Robert Newhouse Womens Jersey . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. TROON, Scotland -- Jordan Spieth said pulling out of the Olympics was the hardest decision hes ever made, and that it likely will haunt him as hes watching golfers compete for a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro for the first time in 112 years.Spieth cited health concerns as his reason for withdrawing, though he said the Zika virus was only part of it. Asked what kept him out of the Olympics, the 22-year-old Texan would only say that it was personal and anyone in his shoes would have made the same choice.Why was it so hard? Because Im a huge believer in Olympic golf, Spieth said Tuesday during a news conference that touched only briefly on his bid for the third leg of the career Grand Slam at the British Open.This year I just had to try and weigh a risk that doesnt present itself every year, he said. And just at the time that I had to make the decision, I just felt this was the right move for me. Not everybodys going to understand. Nobodys going to understand what its like in my shoes. ... Mine came down to just a very personal decision that, again, I dont expect anybody to understand, but trust that I believe Im making the right decision for myself, for my future and for those around me.Spieths stock has risen sharply in the last year after he won the Masters and U.S. Open and made a spirited run at the Grand Slam. With 18 other players having withdrawn, he was looked upon as someone whose commitment might ease the backlash against golf for its perceived indifference about the sport returning to the Olympics.That didnt stop him from following his instincts.Spieth said he didnt make up his mind until Monday morning, and the decision was his alone.Everybodys entitled to their own opinion, Spieth said. Im not worrying about anybody else except myself, and again, I dont expect people to fully understand it. They dont know what I know about myself and my future and my goals. Therefore, theres nothing I can do about it except go on and try to again focus on this week.Spieths decision means none of the top four in the world ranking -- they have won six of the last eight majors -- will be in Rio when golf is part of the Olympic program for the first time since St. Louis in 1904.Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy previously pulled out, all citing Zika and their plans to start a family or have more children. The mosquito-borne Zika virrus has been linked to severe birth defects and possible neurological disorders in adults.dddddddddddd International Golf Federation President Peter Dawson said Monday he thought there was an overreaction to Zika and that none of the workers on the new golf course have been affected.Spieth is staying with Rickie Fowler this week in Troon, and he said he was standing next to him when Fowler tweeted Sunday night that he would be playing. Spieth had planned to room with Fowler in Rio, and he said he texted Fowler after informing the IGF that he wasnt going to play.He said, `No worries. I know you had to make it just for you. Youre just going to be jealous when I get that gold, Spieth said. Thats what he said. So thats how it went.Either way, Spieth said he would be watching.He is the defending champion at the John Deere Classic, which was moved to the week of the Olympics when the PGA Tour adjusted its schedule for the Rio Games. Even though hes out of the Olympics, Spieth said he wont go to the John Deere.I dont think it would be an appropriate move to play that week, so I will not be playing that week, he said. I dont think it would be appropriate given our decision on the Olympics. ... Weve won two out of the last three years. So I will be going back there, I just dont think its appropriate this year.Spieth joked after an introduction to his close call at St. Andrews last year that it would be the easiest question he received. And when it was over, as he pushed back from the table, he said quietly with a smile, Do we have a tournament this week?He was ready to move on from Olympics to a claret jug. But even Spieth knows that wont happen. He said he would carry the decision with him through the Olympics and for a while.It will loom over me throughout the Olympic games, for sure, he said. I will be, Im sure, at times pretty upset that Im not down there. I thought about all this ahead of time. When I watch the opening ceremonies, thats going to be a big bummer. Then when I watch these guys competing on the golf course. Ill be texting with Rickie, obviously, throughout as a good friend of mine. I thought about all of this ahead of time and still made the decision I did because it was the right move for me. ' ' '