Big Ten Country: A Journey Through One Football Season

by Bob Wood

Genres: Football

271 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Bryan Ericson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, wish it described the game action a little more.

[Tom Gase · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dated, but still a fun book to read from Bob Wood, the author of From Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks and the one that first inspired me to visit all the MLB ballparks (still working on it). In this book the author visits all the Big Ten Football stadiums in one year (Fall of 1988) back when the conference was still ten teams - Purdue, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin and Northwestern. Wood is such a great storyteller and brings the reader in what it must be like to not only watch a football game at that particular college, but what it's like to go to school there. What he does a little TOO much is let you know what it's like to be in the marching band at that school. I felt at times the people in the marching band were discussed 10 times more than the players on all the football teams. For instance, I didn't learn anything about the Indiana football team, but learned more about Bobby Knight, who used to coach the basketball team. Still, the book is great because it discusses traditions and tailgaiting and what places are the best to visit on each campus before and after a game. I enjoyed.

[Ian Loree · Rating 4 out of 5]

An awesome book for guys like me who live and breathe Big Ten football, and know that there's nothing better than college football on a sunny, mid-October, Midwestern Saturday. Bob Wood lets us adventure with him through the 1988 season, telling the story of not just the games, but the towns, fans, and bands that make Big Ten football the best in the country. While many people and places he visited are still around today, others are not. It's a piece of history, marking the good-old days of a ten-team league and yearly Rose Bowls (often for Michigan!), easily digestable in a casual, journal-like style. I'm glad I picked this one up.

[John Hommas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book giving insight into game day traditions for both the universities and the towns they are located. With the changes in the Big 10 I hope there is a part 2 a few years from now with the new schools.