With the rolling fields of Wisconsin behind him, Mr. Gibson was ready to start the third installment of his dream Big Ten trip. From the bright city lights of Northwestern and Michigan to the campus-town scene of Wisconsin and Michigan State, the variety of the Big Ten Conference was showing through and through. The Great Lakes States showcased a spectacle of schools of high academic prowess and bordered very important regions of the Midwest. The memories were stacking and the sights were only getting better and better, with him entering the Heartland of the United States. Mr. Gibson was heading out to the wild west of the Big Ten and was ready to sprawl up some trouble.
Cruising up I-94, Mr. Gibson was crossing the Mississippi River into the “Twin Cities” of Minneapolis and St. Paul. The river-bordered campus is located in the heart of downtown, within walking distance of both city landscapes. The Golden Gophers go big with their art scenes, with a flourishment of installations and murals flowing through the campus and downtown. The diverse city is a great example of being in the “heart” of the Midwest, with the massive population driving many important companies our society relies on. Minnesota prides itself on its football history, where they claim seven national championships from 1904-1960. Their current home, Huntington Bank Stadium, is an open-air mecca that is a struggle within the winter months, with heavy snow piles making play tough. This stadium also hosted their hometown NFL team, the Minnesota Vikings, who played in the Gopher’s ground in the 2014-2015 seasons. Alongside the football stadium, Williams Arena hosts the Gopher’s basketball programs, which have reached the 1997 (men/vacated) and 2004 (women) Final Fours respectively. The arena has a unique feature, with a dugout-style bench which is a player-favorite for opposing teams to play on. Their academics frolic with high-ranked medical and biological science programs, which coincide with the nearby Mayo Clinic. Along with amazing amenities, the Gophers offer glorious grub for their students to enjoy. Gibson stopped by Stub & Herbs and Mim’s Cafe, which highlighted a vast bar scene that the Twin Cities offer. Overall, the Mississippi-made skyline of Minneapolis bundles a strong diploma and a fun, inclusive atmosphere, which is perfect for big-city students in the “Land of Lakes” state.
Heading straight down the Mississippi River, Gibson rolled into Iowa City, the home of the University of Iowa. The home of corn and Catlin Clark resides right on the Iowa River, with the campus hugging the west side of town. The Hawkeyes’ hometown holds a small downtown scene with the campus dominating the city. This college town is highlighted by its football field, Kinnick Stadium. This field has seen decades of history from the Coach Fry days in the 70s to the Coach Ferentz of now. These two head coaches have built Iowa into a B1G football powerhouse with both serving twenty-year tenures respectively. The one special feature Kinnick offers is “the Hawkeye wave” which coincides with the neighboring Stead Family Children’s Hospital. After the first quarter, the attendance of the gridiron wave to the children from their viewing window of the hospital. Within walking distance of Kinnick is the Carver-Hawkeye Arena, which houses most indoor sports for the Hawkeyes. The underground facility has seen many stars, but most recently has seen the greatness of Catlin Clark for their women’s basketball team. Their National Championship run had seen Catlin break a multitude of records, but the ladies fell short to the University of Connecticut in the championship game. Along with the court success, Iowa has been historically dominant on the mat, with twenty-four wrestling National Championships. Along with Penn State, Iowa has dominated the conference in this sport. Across the river resides most of the academic wing, with highly-ranked business and marketing majors. Iowa City is not just business, however, with a sprawling Greek life reaching across the campus city. Along with activities, Iowa City has many food spots around town, including The Airliner and Bluebird Diner. Even in the barren fields of Iowa, Hawkeyes can fly high at the University of Iowa.
From the fields of Iowa to the plains of Nebraska…Gibson found himself in the lonesome city of Lincoln, home of the University of Nebraska. The Cornhuskers got their name thanks to their home environment, acres, and acres of cornfields. This unique namesake first came to light when used in a derogatory way during the program’s first upset win over the previous Big Ten rival, Iowa. The quiet landscape is perfect for studying students, but Saturdays turn the town upside down with their diehard fanbase. The famed football program has seen its highs and lows but still holds itself high throughout the thick and thin. Memorial Stadium can hold 100,000 people strong and is one of the toughest places to play in the sport. With their famous stretches in the 1970s and 1990s, the program has bled red in success for many years, and their new rebuild with star freshman quarterback, Dylan Riola, and Coach Rhule will reestablish the Cornhuskers as a college football powerhouse. Pinnacle Bank Arena is another notable sight in the Lincoln skyline, hosting the institution’s basketball teams. The main focal point, however, is their volleyball team, who have been nothing less than dominant in the sport. The team has made forty-eight straight appearances in the NCAA tournament, with five national championships during this tenure. Along with this athletic success, Nebraska’s agricultural programs are top-notch, which is perfect for the nearby community of the Great Plains. The peaceful atmosphere is one of the more unique features of the school but still has a ton to offer across the campus and downtown areas. Lincoln’s lunch options include Sultan’s Kite and Cultiva Coffee, which Gibson visited during his time in Lincoln. No matter your background, Lincoln can be a calm getaway for students who want a taste of the farm life. With the rows of corn on the horizon, Nebraska offers a bushel of fun for anyone.
After leaving Nebraska, Gibson trekked through the span of Missouri and found himself back in the great state of Illinois. Rather than exploring the bright city lights of Chicago for a second time, he arrived in another campus town of Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. The home of the Fighting Illini is another campus town that encompasses the university in an urban landscape to take away from the miles of crops surrounding it. The second “Memorial Stadium” in this chapter houses the Illini’s football stadium, which won five national championships from the 1910s to the 1950s. The orange and blue crew rep their colors proudly, especially in their basketball arena, the State Farm Center. Their men’s basketball team has seen many successful teams across its tenure with many March Madness runs to go along with it. Not only do the Illini fight in athletics but in academics as well. Their top business and engineering programs respect the academic hierarchy of the Big Ten. With Indianapolis and Chicago close by, there is always something to do in Urbana. Along with this, Urbana-Champaign is home to many food places like Papa Del’s and Merry Ann’s Diner. The Fighting Illini find it tough to become bored of their town, but the battle to decide on what to do can become treacherous.
From Lake Superior to the Great Plains, Gibson traveled through the wild west of the original Big Ten. With the big city lights of the Twin Cities, Mr. Gibson got to experience the vibrant campus of Minnesota. Along with this, he traveled out to the college towns of Lincoln, Iowa City, and Urbana, which have supported their Big Ten schools with all of their pride. From his start in Maryland, Gibson has spent five weeks traveling across the Big Ten, and he finally made it back to the great Hoosier State.
