The state of the union of Big Ten women's volleyball is strong.
It's reporting for duty.
Conference play doesn't start for another week, but the Big Ten is making headlines.
Then No. 16 Illinois hosted then No. 1 USC and outwitted, outplayed and outlasted the Trojans in an epic five-game match. No horse was necessary.
Not only did they kick the two-time defending national champions out of the No. 1 spot in the rankings, a spot they owned for 24 consecutive weeks, but they also busted USC's NCAA record 52-game winning streak.
USC stuck it to Illinois in every category except the one that really counts -- the final score -- winning 3-2 (30-24, 24-30, 12-30, 30-27, 15-8).
The Trojans out-hit the Illini .277 to .126 and out-blocked 19-10, but the Illini just wouldn't quit.
The aftershocks of what Illini volleyball fans are calling a "night to remember in Huff [Hall]" propelled Big Ten favorite Minnesota into the top spot of the AVCA coaches' poll for the first time in program history.
The last Big Ten team to sit atop the AVCA poll? None other than Penn State, just after it won the national championship back in 1999.
It's a shift in the typically west coast-dominated world of women's volleyball. The Big Ten has always been a strong player, but now that strength is quantified.
"Everyone in the conference wants what we were fortunate enough to get and that's a national championship," Penn State women's volleyball coach Russ Rose said. "Because we did win a championship it just kind of shows all of those teams and programs that they can do it. I think the Big Ten teams are more than capable enough to get a national championship and I think last week's success proved it."
Of course, Illinois wasn't the only team to knock off a perennial Pac-10 powerhouse. The Nittany Lions survived a marathon two hour and 45 minute, five-game match against Stanford in Palo Alto last Friday.
So just how good is the Big Ten this year?
This is a bit confusing because Minnesota, although No. 1 in the AVCA poll, already has one loss, but that loss just so happened to come against USC.
Minnesota recuperated and knocked off No. 4 Florida and No. 16 Kansas State, which made the case for No. 1.
But the Big Ten is certainly not just the Golden Gophers and a bunch of schlubs.
Penn State snuck up two spots to No. 5 this week, and Illinois broke into the top ten for the first time in 10 years at No. 9.
Rose was quick to point out that just because Illinois happened to host the No. 1 team and win, doesn't mean any other of the top Big Ten teams wouldn't do the same if given the opportunity.
"As good as [Minnesota and Illinois] are, there's still reason to think that maybe the best team in the conference might be an Ohio State or a Michigan or someone else that no one's talking about," Rose said.
No. 25 Ohio State and Michigan, along with the Lions and the Illini, are all undefeated. Michigan State would have been a fifth member of the no-loss club if the Spartans hadn't ran headfirst into No. 3 Washington.
The Huskies are a scary team right now, and Rose noted in practice they could make a strong case for No. 1.
So what does this mean for Penn State? How will the Lions fare in the powerhouse that is the 2004 Big Ten?
The No. 5 ranking is one indication of opinion on Penn State, but Rose doesn't buy it.
"For us to be ranked fifth in the country I think is not a fair reading," Rose said. "I think it's far too generous. We've had some matches against some of the teams in the top-five and they've beaten the tar out of this team."
According to Rose, what this Penn State team needs to take it to the next level is swagger. It needs some attitude.
"You can't just have skill," Rose said. "You've got to have an attitude. You've got to come in every day like you want to get better. I want us to play together and I want us to play with passion. That's what I'm looking for."
Minnesota and Illinois have proven they've got the attitude to keep up with the big dogs like USC, maybe Penn State can learn some lessons from that.
