When the 2013 Big Ten/ACC Challenge matchups were announced, it was hard to contain the inner college basketball geek in me. I mean, getting matchups like UNC vs. Michigan State and Indiana vs. Syracuse is about as good as it gets for the challenge for its 15th anniversary edition. 

Those are just two examples of some great matchups and after the two conferences  decided to go all "it's like kissing your sister" on us last year with a 6-6 tie.  It kinda felt like this from our staff's favorite TV show... "The League" (WARNING: Strong language) 

Yep, exactly Jim Delany and John Swofford... OK, maybe more like the folks from ESPN who put this matchup together. You can suck it. 

But, back to the awesomeness that could be the 2013 Big Ten/ACC Challenge. If there's been a better set of matchups from top to bottom I'd love to know when. This is going to be a lot of fun for us college basketball geeks, and in that vain it's time to give you a quick look at each of the 12 matchups and give you a WAY TOO EARLY prediction as well -- 'cause why the hell not, right folks? 

Their may not be a more compelling and important matchup between conferences in college basketball than the annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge and in 2013 it will celebrate it's 15th anniversary. Of course, there's nothing like celebrating in style for this kind of anniversary and that's exactly what we get in this one. 

Highlighting the lineup are matchups between Indiana and Syracuse, Michigan and Duke, North Carolina and Michigan State, and the in-state battle between Penn State and Pittsburgh. Safe to say this year's edition could be one of the most influential and important to date between two of the top conferences in all of college hoops.

Last season the challenge was split 6-6, and as such the Commissioners Cup stayed in the possession of the Big Ten for the 4th straight season thanks to it's win in 2011. Currently the challenge overall is in the favor of the ACC with a 10-3-1 record. They won the first ten challenges, before dropping three in a row and the tie last year. 

Here are the games for this season's 15th anniversary edition:

For more information on Big Ten basketball and all things B1G make sure to follow us on Twitter @TheB1GTime and Like us on Facebook.

Rejoice and be glad - if you're a Michigan fan that is. Why? Well, Chris Webber, Maurice Taylor and Louis Bullock's 10 year long exile from any formal association with the University of Michigan is over. They can now be a part of the program again, but let's also not pretend like the welcome mat is just going to be rolled out or a parade in Webber's honor is in the works either.

Lest we forget, Webber was the biggest name in this case, accepting a reported $280,000 from booster Ed Martin (who gave the group over $600,000 in total) while at Michigan as a member of the Fab Five. Clearly his name is the biggest of the three and what happens moving forward is anyone's guess. 

At least Michigan AD Dave Brandon is open to meeting with them all. 

"I've never met any of those guys, and I am looking forward to meeting them," Brandon said late Tuesday night in an interview with The Associated Press. "If any of those guys are interested in meeting with me, that would be great."

Webber is the poster-child for both the best of Michigan basketball times and the darkest hours for the program as well and the door could be open for his return as he did show up to support the team this season in the national championship game, Michigan's first since the Fab Five era. 

Amen, finally the Gophers are getting with the program here in the Big Ten as it was announced earlier today that the football team will be adding a home-and-home series with the TCU Horned Frogs. Fans can probably thank Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and a long standing relationship between Jerry Kill and Gary Patterson for getting this one done. It didn't hurt that Kill stood up in Gary Patterson's wedding back in the day either.

ESPN.com is reporting that the games will take place in 2014 and 2015 with the Gophers visiting the new look Armon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX first followed by the return trip to TCF Bank Stadium the next season. 

Congrats, welcome to the world of the new look schedule there Minnesota. With this addition the Gophers took care of an opening in their 2014 schedule, one that includes such powerhouse programs as Eastern Illinois, Middle Tennessee, and San Jose State, and got to drop FCS opponent South Dakota for 2015. 

The names Ron Dayne, Orlando Pace, and Percy Snow - they are about as notable as they get in Big Ten lore and on Tuesday the National Football Foundation announced the election of all three to the 2013 College Football Hall of Fame class. Overall it's perhaps one of, if not the most decorated classes in quite some time. 

We didn't even include the name of Tommie Frazier, only because the man never played a down of football in the Big Ten, so it's hard to really claim him as our own. That said, congrats to one of the biggest names of the 1990's and to the Husker fans, who rightfully should be celebrating today. 

So to should Ohio State fans for Orlando Pace, simply one of the best offensive lineman, not just of his era, but of all-time on the collegiate level. Pace was a two time unanimous All-American selection for the Buckeyes, playing between 1994-96. He won the Outland and Lombardi trophies twice during his collegiate career before moving on to a pro career that will see him in the Hall of Fame in Canton, OH as soon as he's eligible in 2015. Pace was so dominate that he didn't allow a single sack in his final two years in Columbus. 

A week after ESPN/ABC announced their slate of primetime Big Ten football games for the upcoming season the Big Ten Network did the same thing this Monday. Problem is, the lineup of games on the 2013 calendar that make up BTN's primetime slate aren't, well.... all that inspiring. 

Yes, BTN gets the leftovers of whatever ESPN/ABC doesn't want to take on a weekly basis, but in years past we've been treated to some pretty entertaining and frankly destination games - i.e. Michigan vs. Northwestern just this past season. However, we must also muddle through the crappy waters of FCS opponents taking a beating to open up the season before we can get the one gem at the end. 

Here is this year's slate of games via BTN.com: 

BTN PRIMETIME SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)

Thursday, August 29

• 7 PM – UNLV at Minnesota

Friday, August 30

• 8 PM – Western Michigan at Michigan State

Saturday, August 31

• 8 PM – Wyoming at Nebraska

Saturday, September 7

• 6 PM – Syracuse at Northwestern
• 6 PM – Southern Miss at Nebraska

Saturday, September 14

• 6 PM – UCF at Penn State
• 6 PM – Washington vs. Illinois (at Soldier Field)
• 9 PM – Western Michigan at Northwestern

Saturday, September 21

• 8 PM – Missouri at Indiana

Saturday, October 19

• 8 PM – Wisconsin at Illinois

REGIONAL COVERAGE

Thursday, Aug. 29

• 7 PM – Indiana State at Indiana

Saturday, September 7

• 6 PM – Navy at Indiana

Speak the name Tommie Frazier to any Nebraska fan and their face is likely to light up more than the Christmas tree at Rockefeller plaza. He's easily one of the most iconic figures of one of the sports most iconic teams and yet the man has not been honored as such, that is until now, according to Matt Hayes of The Sporting News:

Source tells Sporting News: Tommie Frazier has been elected to College Football Hall of Fame.

— Matt Hayes(@Matt_HayesSN) May 6, 2013

First off, how the hell isn't this guy in the Hall of Fame already? Dude was one of the kingpins of the Nebraska dynasty in the mid-90's no? Frazier was the ultimate gamer and the ultimate winner, going 33-3 in his four years at the helm of the program and producing back-to-back National Championships for the Huskers. He also holds the school record for TD passes in a career (43), is 2nd in total offense in a career with 5,467 yards and 79 touchdowns.