Off Tackle Empire
@offtackleempire.bsky.social
Covering Big Ten sports without fear, favor, or journalism degrees since 1864.
www.offtackleempire.com
www.offtackleempire.com
In a world of The Players Era Festival (soon brought to you by Bonesaws R Us!), why can't college basketball be more like the Great Alaska Shootout?
www.offtackleempire.com/basketball/4...
www.offtackleempire.com/basketball/4...
Why Do College Basketball Tournaments Suck Now?
Corporate cash and network caution have killed the joy of the college basketball non-conference tournament. That, and remembering the Great Alaska Shootout.
www.offtackleempire.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
In a world of The Players Era Festival (soon brought to you by Bonesaws R Us!), why can't college basketball be more like the Great Alaska Shootout?
www.offtackleempire.com/basketball/4...
www.offtackleempire.com/basketball/4...
when will he pop out of a coffin on local tv
The #Badgers were shutout at home for the second straight week and it appears more and more likely with each passing week that they're going to end this year with two wins.
What exactly are we building towards with Luke Fickell at the helm?
badgersballknower.substack.com/p/fb-luke-fi...
What exactly are we building towards with Luke Fickell at the helm?
badgersballknower.substack.com/p/fb-luke-fi...
FB: Luke Fickell is building something that no one else can see
Wisconsin hasn't scored a point at home since Sept. 20.
badgersballknower.substack.com
October 19, 2025 at 6:47 PM
when will he pop out of a coffin on local tv
No RPO in Rick Scott's Florida, Fitz is IN
October 19, 2025 at 6:41 PM
No RPO in Rick Scott's Florida, Fitz is IN
Need a place to talk your post-Saturday #CFB shit with a similarly-miserable crowd of #B1G aligned folks?
Come on in, laugh at Penn State and USC and stare with bewilderment at UCLA, Northwestern, and Iowa (they can't keep getting away with it!):
www.offtackleempire.com/smcd/48235/s...
Come on in, laugh at Penn State and USC and stare with bewilderment at UCLA, Northwestern, and Iowa (they can't keep getting away with it!):
www.offtackleempire.com/smcd/48235/s...
October 19, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Need a place to talk your post-Saturday #CFB shit with a similarly-miserable crowd of #B1G aligned folks?
Come on in, laugh at Penn State and USC and stare with bewilderment at UCLA, Northwestern, and Iowa (they can't keep getting away with it!):
www.offtackleempire.com/smcd/48235/s...
Come on in, laugh at Penn State and USC and stare with bewilderment at UCLA, Northwestern, and Iowa (they can't keep getting away with it!):
www.offtackleempire.com/smcd/48235/s...
You, a college football sicko: ha ha ha, yes, look at wisconsin, shut out twice in a row at home, wonder when that happened
Off Tackle Empire dot blogspot dot com, molded by 15 years of talking about this shit, predicting the game on Friday: we got you, boo
www.offtackleempire.com/big-ten-foot...
Off Tackle Empire dot blogspot dot com, molded by 15 years of talking about this shit, predicting the game on Friday: we got you, boo
www.offtackleempire.com/big-ten-foot...
October 19, 2025 at 1:59 PM
You, a college football sicko: ha ha ha, yes, look at wisconsin, shut out twice in a row at home, wonder when that happened
Off Tackle Empire dot blogspot dot com, molded by 15 years of talking about this shit, predicting the game on Friday: we got you, boo
www.offtackleempire.com/big-ten-foot...
Off Tackle Empire dot blogspot dot com, molded by 15 years of talking about this shit, predicting the game on Friday: we got you, boo
www.offtackleempire.com/big-ten-foot...
YOUR weekly #CFB viewing guide is out...
...and this week it comes with a special drink for #Northwestern. Or, perhaps, #B1G fans everywhere.
Plus, marveling at just how bad Sam Houston-New Mexico State and Colorado State-San Diego State could be!
www.offtackleempire.com/dwtwt/47924/...
...and this week it comes with a special drink for #Northwestern. Or, perhaps, #B1G fans everywhere.
Plus, marveling at just how bad Sam Houston-New Mexico State and Colorado State-San Diego State could be!
www.offtackleempire.com/dwtwt/47924/...
INTRODUCING: THE EVANSTON HANDSHAKE
Don’t Watch This; Watch That: Your Week 6 Guide to College Football
www.offtackleempire.com
October 2, 2025 at 10:20 PM
YOUR weekly #CFB viewing guide is out...
...and this week it comes with a special drink for #Northwestern. Or, perhaps, #B1G fans everywhere.
Plus, marveling at just how bad Sam Houston-New Mexico State and Colorado State-San Diego State could be!
www.offtackleempire.com/dwtwt/47924/...
...and this week it comes with a special drink for #Northwestern. Or, perhaps, #B1G fans everywhere.
Plus, marveling at just how bad Sam Houston-New Mexico State and Colorado State-San Diego State could be!
www.offtackleempire.com/dwtwt/47924/...
It's California Week at Off Tackle Empire and we're answering the most important questions about USC and UCLA football!
Nah, just kidding. We're debating In-N-Out vs Culvers and talking exorbitant weddings.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/25/24...
Nah, just kidding. We're debating In-N-Out vs Culvers and talking exorbitant weddings.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/25/24...
Potluck, Animal-Style: The Great Burger Debate
Opulent weddings, increased TV payouts, and the value of a good Los Angeles school. (And also USC.)
www.offtackleempire.com
June 25, 2025 at 3:27 PM
It's California Week at Off Tackle Empire and we're answering the most important questions about USC and UCLA football!
Nah, just kidding. We're debating In-N-Out vs Culvers and talking exorbitant weddings.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/25/24...
Nah, just kidding. We're debating In-N-Out vs Culvers and talking exorbitant weddings.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/25/24...
If we had a nickel for every time our articles got posted on fan forums and shit on for arbitrary reasons, we wouldn’t need the damn banner ads.
June 23, 2025 at 9:09 PM
If we had a nickel for every time our articles got posted on fan forums and shit on for arbitrary reasons, we wouldn’t need the damn banner ads.
It seems that the insular Bluesky navel gazing discourse of the day is "Should sports be on this place?"
HELL YES THEY SHOULD
We've got predictions for the Rutgers and Maryland football seasons here.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/23/24...
HELL YES THEY SHOULD
We've got predictions for the Rutgers and Maryland football seasons here.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/23/24...
B1G 2025: Our Predictions for Rutgers and Maryland Football
Which will have a stronger bounce back?
www.offtackleempire.com
June 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
It seems that the insular Bluesky navel gazing discourse of the day is "Should sports be on this place?"
HELL YES THEY SHOULD
We've got predictions for the Rutgers and Maryland football seasons here.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/23/24...
HELL YES THEY SHOULD
We've got predictions for the Rutgers and Maryland football seasons here.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/23/24...
It's Seaboard Week! We're previewing Rutgers and Maryland football, yelling about basketball, and diving into the most important of Jersey questions with our turnpike correspondents:
TAYLOR HAM OR PORK ROLL?
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/18/24...
TAYLOR HAM OR PORK ROLL?
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/18/24...
A Jersey House Divided: Pork Roll or Taylor Ham?
It’s Seaboard Week, which means we’re diving into the strange East coast cultures that the Bee One Gee incorporate over a decade ago. You’ve got your gabagools and your Old Bay’s, your blue-shell...
www.offtackleempire.com
June 18, 2025 at 3:17 PM
It's Seaboard Week! We're previewing Rutgers and Maryland football, yelling about basketball, and diving into the most important of Jersey questions with our turnpike correspondents:
TAYLOR HAM OR PORK ROLL?
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/18/24...
TAYLOR HAM OR PORK ROLL?
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/18/24...
As we close out Hat Week, we are reminded that Illinois remains mascotless and Northwestern continues to use the least imaginative nickname in collegiate sports.
Figure it out, Land of Lincolners!
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/13/24...
Figure it out, Land of Lincolners!
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/13/24...
The Fighting Illini Need a Mascot, Northwestern Needs a New Nickname
Both the Fighting Illini and Wildcats nicknames come from losses to Big Ten foes
www.offtackleempire.com
June 13, 2025 at 5:35 PM
As we close out Hat Week, we are reminded that Illinois remains mascotless and Northwestern continues to use the least imaginative nickname in collegiate sports.
Figure it out, Land of Lincolners!
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/13/24...
Figure it out, Land of Lincolners!
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/13/24...
Hat Week continues! Today, we're digging deep into the archives for @thumpasaurus.bsky.social's epic on the worst college football game of all time.
It was meaningless.
It was pointless.
NW, 0. ILL, 0.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/10/24...
It was meaningless.
It was pointless.
NW, 0. ILL, 0.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/10/24...
Forty years ago, Illinois and Northwestern played the worst football game of all time
The Pointless Game turns 40
www.offtackleempire.com
June 10, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Hat Week continues! Today, we're digging deep into the archives for @thumpasaurus.bsky.social's epic on the worst college football game of all time.
It was meaningless.
It was pointless.
NW, 0. ILL, 0.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/10/24...
It was meaningless.
It was pointless.
NW, 0. ILL, 0.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/10/24...
Football season is agonizingly far away, but we're kicking off our summer preview series with the pride of the Land of Lincoln: Northwestern and Illinois!
Welcome to Hat Week.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/9/244...
Welcome to Hat Week.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/9/244...
B1G 2025: Rejoice, for it is Hat Week
Our annual preview series for every dang team in the conference has officially begun! (yes, even you, UCLA). If you missed the news on our new approach, get clicking below, but TLDR: We’re covering...
www.offtackleempire.com
June 9, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Football season is agonizingly far away, but we're kicking off our summer preview series with the pride of the Land of Lincoln: Northwestern and Illinois!
Welcome to Hat Week.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/9/244...
Welcome to Hat Week.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/6/9/244...
"It will not be feasible for universities of any size to continue all of the college life that surrounds a campus, including athletics, without international students. The numbers don’t work. It cannot hold."
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/30/24...
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/30/24...
Beyond Here Lies Nothing: Colleges as We Know Them Hang in the Balance
Stick to sports. And yet, for the third time this year, here we are.
Our university system is quite literally the envy of the globe. It’s one of America’s most identifiable and lucrative exports....
www.offtackleempire.com
May 30, 2025 at 2:15 PM
"It will not be feasible for universities of any size to continue all of the college life that surrounds a campus, including athletics, without international students. The numbers don’t work. It cannot hold."
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/30/24...
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/30/24...
Tie ball game in the top of the sixth between Illinois and UCLA. These Illini are scrappy and they are trying to give me a heart attack.
Time for Bee One Gee Baseball! Get your preview of daytime dongers here.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/21/24...
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/21/24...
May 21, 2025 at 5:31 PM
Tie ball game in the top of the sixth between Illinois and UCLA. These Illini are scrappy and they are trying to give me a heart attack.
Time for Bee One Gee Baseball! Get your preview of daytime dongers here.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/21/24...
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/21/24...
May 21, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Time for Bee One Gee Baseball! Get your preview of daytime dongers here.
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/21/24...
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/21/24...
Illinois 6, Michigan 5 in 10 frames. Hell of a game.
I AM CACKLING. ILLINOIS PULLED THE DOUBLE PLAY.
ON TO EXTRA BASEBALLLLLLL
ON TO EXTRA BASEBALLLLLLL
Ah yes. I forgot how stressful playoff baseball was.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
May 20, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Illinois 6, Michigan 5 in 10 frames. Hell of a game.
I AM CACKLING. ILLINOIS PULLED THE DOUBLE PLAY.
ON TO EXTRA BASEBALLLLLLL
ON TO EXTRA BASEBALLLLLLL
Ah yes. I forgot how stressful playoff baseball was.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
Another HR?! Michigan ties it up 5-5 in the bottom of the eight. Anybody's game as we go into the final inning.
May 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I AM CACKLING. ILLINOIS PULLED THE DOUBLE PLAY.
ON TO EXTRA BASEBALLLLLLL
ON TO EXTRA BASEBALLLLLLL
Ah yes. I forgot how stressful playoff baseball was.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
Another HR?! Michigan ties it up 5-5 in the bottom of the eight. Anybody's game as we go into the final inning.
DOUBLE DAYTIME DONGS. Michigan responds with their own HR to make it 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
May 20, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Ah yes. I forgot how stressful playoff baseball was.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
Bottom of the ninth, bases loaded. Michigan has one out. Tied 5-5. Illinois needs a miracle.
Another HR?! Michigan ties it up 5-5 in the bottom of the eight. Anybody's game as we go into the final inning.
DOUBLE DAYTIME DONGS. Michigan responds with their own HR to make it 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
DONGGGGGGG. Illinois 5-2 after a solo HR in the eight.
May 20, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Another HR?! Michigan ties it up 5-5 in the bottom of the eight. Anybody's game as we go into the final inning.
DOUBLE DAYTIME DONGS. Michigan responds with their own HR to make it 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
DONGGGGGGG. Illinois 5-2 after a solo HR in the eight.
Illinois 3, Michigan 1, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
May 20, 2025 at 5:42 PM
DOUBLE DAYTIME DONGS. Michigan responds with their own HR to make it 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth.
DONGGGGGGG. Illinois 5-2 after a solo HR in the eight.
Illinois 3, Michigan 1, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Illinois 3, Michigan 0. Bottom of the second. Good stuff.
May 20, 2025 at 5:25 PM
DONGGGGGGG. Illinois 5-2 after a solo HR in the eight.
Illinois 3, Michigan 1, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Illinois 3, Michigan 0. Bottom of the second. Good stuff.
Day One of the #BeeOneGee baseball tournament starts at 10:00 AM CT!
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/20/24...
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/20/24...
May 20, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Illinois 3, Michigan 1, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
Illinois 3, Michigan 0. Bottom of the second. Good stuff.
Day One of the #BeeOneGee baseball tournament starts at 10:00 AM CT!
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/20/24...
www.offtackleempire.com/2025/5/20/24...
May 20, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Illinois 3, Michigan 0. Bottom of the second. Good stuff.