The Only Colors, a Michigan State Spartans community

The Doctor doesn't think the upset is in the cards, on account of our not-so-great-against-non-Illini-QBs pass defense. This is also your Week 8 Big Ten Non-Primetime Football Open Thread. Hammer and Rails has your weekly conference preview post, complete with time/TV details. There's a mildly-intriguing game being played down the road at 3:30; useful for helping to pass the time until 7:00.

We're #3 (in the hypothetical future)! Also: Greg Jones is preseason defensive player of the year. Update: Stay tuned to SBN colleagues Hail to the Orange , Bucky's 5th Quarter, and Maize n Brew for live updates from Chicago today. Mr. Rexrode, of course, has your MSU-centric coverage. Mark Dantonio will have the floor from 1:30 - 1:45 CST; the Big Ten Network website will be streaming it live. More from us on events (or what qualify as "events" at a conference media day, at least) later today and/or tomorrow.

So when USC is playing TCU in the Grandaddy of Them All, will Jim Delany stop using the tradition of the Rose Bowl as an argument in opposition to a college football playoff system?