Bowl developments, including some premature bitterness from a Spartan.

The Outback Bowl, which is third in the selection order (behind the Rose/BCS and Capital One), already has invited Wisconsin. Clearly, this tells us that the Outback coveted Wisconsin over all others and that the Capital One covets two teams (Illinois and Michigan, presumably) over Wisconsin. Wisconsin played in Orlando last year, so I can see why the Capital One took a pass. I'm a bit more surprised that the Outback, which hasn't hosted Michigan in five years and has never invited Illinois, was so quick to pass on the others.

Dave Dye of the Detroit News is an angry man, even though IU has not yet actually been selected ahead of Michigan State. He makes some good points: identical record, head to head win by MSU, IU's poor home attendance, etc. I really don't care. If, for once, IU's football program is an interesting, compelling story, then I won't lose a minute of sleep over passing MSU in the hierarchy. And that's if we do. I still think the Insight will take MSU. As a final note, I can't tell if Dave has tongue-in-cheek when he suggests that IU hasn't been to a bowl game since Lee Corso was the coach. Presumably he knows IU went to six bowl games under Bill Mallory, but if so, his delivery was a bit too deadpan.