From 1999 to 2009, Minnesota played in nine bowl games. But after two coaching changes and no postseason berths since, Jerry Kill has his Golden Gophers back in the postseason. The Big Ten program hasn’t won a postseason game, however, since a 2004 Music City Bowl victory over Alabama.

The merits of recruiting rankings are debated in every sports bar and around every water cooler in the nation. Athlon continues its look at how each all-conference team ranked as high school recruits with the first-team All-Big Ten team.

Related: College Football's 2012 All-American Team as Recruits

2012 Offensive All-Big Ten Team as Recruits

Which bowls should you tune into? Athlon ranks and previews all of the matchups from the must-see to the ones you can avoid. Although Alabama and Notre Dame is clearly the biggest bowl game, with 34 other contests, there are plenty of other quality pairings to watch this postseason.

Ranking the 35 Bowl Games: Must-Watch to Must-Miss

Bizarre might be the best word to describe the 2012 edition of Big Ten football. The best teams with the best player and the best coach won't be playing for a championship of any kind after finishing the season as one of only two undefeated teams in the nation. The non-conference performance by the league as a whole was fairly atrocious as a road win over Syracuse might be the best out-of-league win this season. What about the emotional roller coaster fans in Happy Valley have been on for over a year?

Wisconsin is in and waiting for either Nebraska or Michigan in the Big Ten Championship game. Senior day will take place all across the Midwest, including what should be a very emotional day in Happy Valley. Michigan and Ohio State renew arguably the greatest rivalry in all of college football. And, oh by the way, the Big Ten is no longer at 12 teams as Maryland and Rutgers have officially been added to the league. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Big Ten's Top Storylines to Watch in Week 13:

A chance to coach college football at the top level of the game for a living should make any man on the sideline to be thankful.

Some should be more thankful than others this year, though, to be coaching major college football this season.

The Ohio State Buckeyes will finish the regular season with the best overall record in the Big Ten after an exciting overtime win in Madison. But what really mattered most was a 24-point home romp by the Nebraska Cornhuskers over Minnesota.

There is very little left in the Big Ten to be determined. Nebraska shouldn't be tested by either Minnesota or Iowa, so their ticket is all but punched to the title game. Wisconsin already has their hotel reservations in Indianapolis. 

The Wisconsin Badgers have clinched a berth in the Big Ten championship game for the second year in a row. And even though it won't finish with the best record in the Leaders half of the league, UW could still finish 5-0 in the division. Games against Penn State and Ohio State technically don't mean anything, but Jim Delany would likely feel better if the Badgers could win out. 

Week 11 should be a great weekend in the Big Ten. Northwestern heads to Ann Arbor to see if it belongs in the title discussion. Wisconsin visits Indiana in what could be a surprising Leaders Division elimination game. And the contrast of colors in Lincoln when Penn State comes to town should inspire any college football junkie.

Just don't tell any of this to the fans in Iowa City or West Lafayette.