How Cold Are Big Ten Games?

Back in the day, Woody Hayes wouldn't let a little snow get in the way of his choice in winter wear. Instead, he would prowl the sidelines like it were a summer day.

Maybe Woody was onto something, that Big Ten games weren't as cold as advertised. Perhaps fall weather in the upper Midwest was simply perfect for football.

The Daily Gopher researched game day average temperatures for Big Ten home games in 2009 and found that only six of 77 games were played in weather below 40 degrees.

The coldest places were Iowa and Minnesota, which averaged 51.4 degrees on home football Saturdays. The warmest was Purdue, which averaged 58.4.

Only one game was played in freezing temperatures. That was the Dec. 5 matchup between Fresno State and Illinois in Champaign, which went off under 28-degree conditions.

The warmest was the Sept. 12 matchup between Air Force and Minnesota in Minneapolis, played in 74-degree conditions.

Comments

[Sunny in South Florida]

58 degrees is freaking cold.

[JoseOle]

Ask the U if playing in 50 degree weather is cold. This is why the bowl system is an advantage to the warm weather teams. They never have to worry about not having perfect conditions when playing in the bowls, and teams that have been built to run the ball and play defense because of the cold get screwed.

[GatorJes]

Thanks for the competitive advantage, Al Gore

-Southern College Football Teams

[Greg]

The Big Ten put a ban on night games in Nov... pointless article.. of course the numbers are going to be higher.