One week till the season begins ...

... and things are NOT in order at this estimable blog. Will be back in just a little while with some substance, but here are some fun facts to ponder in the meantime:

• Notre Dame has been mentioned as a favorite for the national championship this year. They have the definition of a "storied program" -- piles of victories, national titles, and Heisman trophies that make most schools boil over with envy. On January 1, 1994, when they defeated Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl, this was the same day that the Badgers beat UCLA in the Rose Bowl. Since then, Notre Dame has had 0 bowl wins and 0 Heisman winners. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has produced one Heisman winner and won 7 bowl games.
• The University of Michigan has been to the Rose Bowl 19 times in its history, including seven trips since 1989. Since then, they've gone 3-4 in the big game. The Badgers have been to three Rose Bowls since 1994 ... and they won them all.
• In the last thirteen seasons, the Wisconsin Badgers have won 3 Big Ten football titles, 1 outright. In that span, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Minnesota Golden Gophers have combined for 2 shared titles.