2012 Big Ten Conference football season The 2012 Big Ten Conference football season was the 117th season for the Big Ten . The conference began its season on Saturday , September 1 , as each of the conference ’ s teams began their respective 2012 season of NCAA Division I FBS ( Football Bowl Subdivision ) competition . This was the league ' s second season with a divisional format and a championship game . Spring games . April 14 April 21 April 28 Schedule . All times Eastern time . Rankings = AP / Coaches . Homecoming games . September 29 October 6 October 13 October 27 Bowl games . The Big Ten has agreements with the following bowls : " Two name changes for Big Ten bowls this year . The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl is formerly known as the Insight Bowl and the Heart of Dallas Bowl is formerly known as the TicketCity Bowl . With only seven bowl eligible teams , the Big Ten is unable to place a team in the eighth bowl game they are contracted with , the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl . " Records against FBS conferences . 2012 records against FBS conferences : " Through January 1 , 2013 " All - Conference Players . Coaches All - Conference Selections HONORABLE MENTION : Illinois : Akeem Spence ; Indiana : Ted Bolser , Dan Feeney , Cody Latimer , Jason Spriggs ; Iowa : C . J . Fiedorowicz , Anthony Hitchens , Mike Meyer , Matt Tobin ; Michigan : J . T . Floyd , Jeremy Gallon , Brendan Gibbons , Will Hagerup , Roy Roundtree , Jake Ryan ; Michigan State : Denicos Allen , William Gholston , Isaiah Lewis , Chris McDonald , Marcus Rush ; Minnesota : Michael Carter ; Nebraska : Ben Cotton , Ciante Evans , Justin Jackson , P . J . Smith ; Northwestern : Ibraheim Campbell , Brian Mulroe , Tyler Scott , Patrick Ward ; Ohio State : C . J . Barnett , Travis Howard , Corey Linsley , Jack Mewhort , Andrew Norwell ; Penn State : Adrian Amos , Deion Barnes , Kyle Carter , Mike Farrell , Matt McGloin , Stephon Morris ; Purdue : Antavian Edison , Josh Johnson , Cody Webster ; Wisconsin : Beau Allen , Marcus Cromartie , Travis Frederick , David Gilbert , Ethan Hemer , Drew Meyer , Devin Smith , Dezmen Southward , Mike Taylor " There was a tie among the Coaches for the Offensive Guard honor , so three players received the first team honor and only one on the second team . Coaches also selected three second - team running backs and three second - team defensive linemen . " Media All - Conference Selections HONORABLE MENTION : Illinois : Jonathan Brown , Michael Buchanan , Terry Hawthorne , Graham Pocic , Akeem Spence , Hugh Thornton ; Indiana : Ted Bolser , Mitch Ewald , Dan Feeney , Greg Heban , Will Matte , Jason Spriggs , Shane Wynn ; Iowa : C . J . Fiedorowicz , James Ferentz , Joe Gaglione , Anthony Hitchens , Mike Meyer , James Morris ; Michigan : William Campbell , J . T . Floyd , Devin Funchess , Jeremy Gallon , Brendan Gibbons , Jordan Kovacs , Patrick Omameh , Denard Robinson , Craig Roh , Roy Roundtree ; Michigan State : Denicos Allen , Isaiah Lewis , Chris McDonald , Marcus Rush ; Minnesota : Michael Carter , Ra ' Shede Hageman , Troy Stoudermire ; Nebraska : Ameer Abdullah , Will Compton , Ben Cotton , Ciante Evans , Justin Jackson , Brett Maher ( punter ) , Kyler Reed , P . J . Smith , Baker Steinkuhler ; Northwestern : Chi Chi Ariguzo , Ibraheim Campbell , Kain Colter , David Nwabuisi , Damien Proby , Tyler Scott , Patrick Ward ; Ohio State : C . J . Barnett , Corey Brown , Christian Bryant , Reid Fragel , Corey Linsley , Etienne Sabino ; Penn State : Adrian Amos , Deion Barnes , Mike Farrell , Matt McGloin , Stephon Morris , Sean Stanley , Zach Zwinak ; Purdue : Ricardo Allen , Antavian Edison , Landon Feichter , Cody Webster ; Wisconsin : Beau Allen , Chris Borland , Marcus Cromartie , David Gilbet , Ryan Groy , Drew Meyer , Jacob Pedersen , Dezmen Southward First Team All - Americans . There are many outlets that award All - America honors in football . The NCAA uses five official selectors to also determine Consensus and Unanimous All - America honors . The five teams used by the NCAA to compile the consensus team are from the Associated Press , the AFCA , the FWAA , The Sporting News and the Walter Camp Football Foundation . A point system is used to calculate the consensus honors . The point system consists of three points for first team , two points for second team and three points for third team . No honorable mention or fourth team or lower are used in the computation . The teams are compiled by position and the player accumulating the most points at each position is named a Consensus All - American . If there is a tie at a position in football for first team then the players who are tied shall be named to the team . A player named first - team by all five of the NCAA - recognized selectors is recognized as a Unanimous All - American . Academic All - Americans . The following players were first team Academic All - American s : Rex Burkhead ( NEB ) , Patrick Ward ( NW ) , and Pete Massaro ( PSU ) all repeated from the 2011 first team . John Urschel ( PSU ) and Adam Replogle ( IND ) were also first team selections .