If there's one thing the Big Ten is absolutely, positively known for, it is rivalries with a bunch of interesting and sometimes odd-looking trophies.

There's the Slab of Bacon, the Floyd of Rosedale, the Land Grant Trophy and the Little Brown Jug, to name a few.

And when Indiana and Purdue play every year, they vie for the Old Oaken Bucket.

"It's one of the great rivalries in college football," Hope said. "I had a lot of fun with that rivalry when I was here last time coaching at Purdue. I don't expect it to change a whole lot. Look forward to playing them again this year. It'll be an exciting game.

"It always is."

That's nice, but it doesn't come close to rivalries like Stanford-Cal, Notre Dame-USC, Florida-Georgia, Oklahoma-Texas and something known as Michigan-Ohio State. Maybe you've heard of it?

Those are great rivalries. Indiana-Purdue is A rivalry, just not one that's particularly must-watch for many in college football, like the end of this game in 2007.

And when Hope was asked to name his favorite Purdue-IU joke (speaking of which, don't most big rivalries not have jokes about the game), he laughed.

"I'm not foolish enough to say that today," Hope said, adding in calling the female reporter, who works for the Indiana Daily Student, "young lady."

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for annarbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558 or at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com.