The News may have ticked off typesetters and logo makers nationwide, but last year, it became official: Penn State University had jumped the fence, joining forces with the N.C.A.A.'s legendary Big Ten conference. Just the idea of a new-and-improved (if unofficially dubbed) Big Eleven raised more than a few eyebrows. "People began asking, 'Does it stop here?' " says a Big Ten spokeswoman, "'or is this just the beginning? Will there soon be a superconference?' " Intrigued, we hit the road.
Geographically, the Big Ten cuts a healthy swath into the Midwest, just below the country's Great Lakes hairline. Now encompassing eight states, the popular conference is best known for rough-and-tumble play on the football field. But, frankly, we were more interested in the off-field players--specifically, the ones who look lousy in helmets but terrific in skirts. Would Penn State's arrival onto the Big Ten scene also boost the conference's beauty quotient? To find out, we asked Contributing Photographers David Chan and David Mecey to fire up their cameras and do a little investigating. They returned with something a tad more inspiring than Barron's Profiles of American Colleges--and a tad more fun.
In keeping with the back-to-school spirit, we're also inviting you to help us select a special homecoming queen. To find out how you can vote for your favorite Big Ten beauty and maybe even score some serious prizes ($5000 for her to further her education, $5000 and a home entertainment center for you), turn to page 191. But check out the competition first.
