Filing grievances with the Big Ten football officials isn't uncommon for conference coaches from week to week. And Penn State's game last weekend was no exception.

Purdue coach Joe Tiller said he filed a complaint to the Big Ten regarding an "inordinate amount" of missed calls in the Boilermaker's game Saturday against the Nittany Lions. In particular, he said, there was a call late that affected the game clock and might've cost his team; the conference acknowledged an error was made, he said.

It's unclear what, if anything, will happen as a result of the missed calls. But it's likely that the conference will use the errors to point out and attempt to correct future officiating flaws.

"The Big Ten does not comment on specific officiating situations," said Big Ten communication's director Scott Chipman last night in an e-mail message. "I can tell you that coaches file reports with the conference office after nearly every game regarding the officiating and those reports are all a part of the continual evaluation process of each official."

The official review process includes a grading of each official on a 35-point scale, said NCAA and Big Ten officials coordinator Dave Parry in an interview earlier this year. A 35 is the highest rating and very rare. The rating is decreased based on performance. A missed call would lower the grade. There are about three to five "flaws a game," Parry said.

So, if nothing else, the fact that his complaint was acknowledged as being accurate is validation for Tiller.

"The problem with it is if it's not acknowledged by an independent party, to me, it sounds like you're belly aching or you're a crybaby about something," Tiller said on the Big Ten coaches' media conference call. "At least when someone in an official capacity agrees with you, it's some consolation."

A specific play at issue happened late in the game. Down 10 points with a little more than two minutes to play, Purdue mounted a late drive in an attempt to narrow Penn State's lead.

Quarterback Curtis Painter hit wideout Selwyn Lymon on a 4-yard out pass. Lymon appeared to step out of bounds at the Penn State 27-yard line. But the clock kept rolling and Purdue was forced to take its first timeout. The Boilermakers ended up kicking a 37-yard field goal.

Purdue called its final two timeouts on Penn State's subsequent drive. But the missed call effectively stole more time from the clock and hurt Purdue's slim chance at a late comeback. The Boilermakers got the ball back on their 11-yard line with 18 seconds remaining but ran out of time.

"I talked to the Big Ten office, and that was a mechanical error," Tiller said. "And the clock should've been stopped."

Penn State Sports Information Director Jeff Nelson said last night he was unaware whether or not the university had been notified regarding the complaint.

Not so rosy

To say the Bowl Championship Series has changed the traditional landscape of college football would be an understatement. The proof is in Pasadena.

The Rose Bowl, historically reserved for the Big Ten and Pac-10 champions, has become a destination for schools of other conferences. In 2001, for example, Miami (Fla.) played Nebraska. In 2003, Oklahoma played Washington State. Texas and Southern California played for the national title in 2006.

Some coaches are clamoring for a change.

"I don't think we really knew what we agreed to when we gave up the opportunity to be in the Rose Bowl," Tiller said. "I know all coaches would like to return to that format whereby, regardless of national championship implications, you do have a Big Ten team in the Rose Bowl."

Said Michigan coach Lloyd Carr: "The tradition of the game, I think, is special because for the great majority of the years, it's been the Big Ten against the Pac-10."

Lookin' good

Back when Joe Paterno was an assistant coach, his peers all wore jackets and ties on the sidelines. Not so much any more.

The GQ sideline fashion sense has all but been forsaken by coaches. The Big Ten, however, happens to have two: Paterno and Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.

"I think we have an obligation to the profession," Paterno said. "You can't preach something to kids -- 'People are looking at you, how well-groomed you are, what you're going to do' -- and then go do whatever you want to do. So I'm always pleased when I see another coach wearing a tie. I think it's appropriate."

Paterno generally wears a shirt, tie and a Penn State windbreaker. Tressel wears a shirt and tie underneath his famous sweatervest.

Quotable

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz speaking about the play of Hawkeyes redshirt freshman defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who impressed coaches during spring practice but has taken time to come on this season:

"Basically, in August, you could've put his picture on a milk carton. We were checking to see if he was in the Witness Protection Program. We couldn't find the guy. He was out there but really disappeared. That's what happens to young players."