Columbus

The school is thought to be the first team to exceed the cap since the mid-80s SMU teams, but some have seen this day as inevitable.

Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State are all looking for new homes Saturday evening after the Big Ten announced it was dropping the five schools for their part in the conference getting swept in its New Year's Day bowl games.

Fewer than two weeks after he and four teammates were suspended five games next season for trading Ohio State memorabilia for cash and discounted tattoos, QB Terrelle Pryor immediately sold the 2011 Sugar Bowl MVP trophy he won Tuesday night for a "2011 Sugar Bowl MVP" tattoo at a French Quarter parlor.

A lackluster effort by the Blackhawks led to a 1-0 shutout against the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday night.

"A lot of people assumed we'd do something that made sense like split the teams up by geography or name them after our most famous alums, but why take the logical route?" said commissioner Jim Delany. "And there's no way we're changing it, no matter how stupid even our most die-hard supporters believe it to be."

At the beginning of the year, Ohio State was the red-headed step child of the Big Ten and perhaps of all college football, taking beatings in the pocketbook, the press, as well as on the field. But after a shocking week of scandal involving the Penn State coaching staff, the Buckeyes are now being seen in a different light.

"Watching my kids grow up, having dinner every night with my beautiful wife ... at the end of the day, just really underwhelming," said the new Ohio State coach, who left Florida abruptly after the 2009 season.