It's been one of the most discussed topics over the past couple years, what's wrong with the Big Ten? While it's growing stale, the question still merits a discussion.
One problem the Big Ten has is Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans. Since 2002, Southern Cal has enjoy quite the renaissance and has feasted on the Big Ten's Rose Bowl participant. Michigan fell 32-18 in 2006, Illinois, who didn't belong and proved it, got obliterated 49-17 and Penn State experienced a similar fate last year falling 38-24 in the granddaddy of all bowls.
For casual football fans the Big Ten Rose Bowl blunders look like incompetence, but the truth of the matter is give Carroll a month to prep and he'll make 116 out of 120 teams look silly. You can't blame the Big Ten on that count.
But there is a BIG bowl problem. The conference went just 1-6 in postseason games in 2008 and hasn't produced a winning bowl record since 2002. And they've gone 3-8 in the Bowl Championship Series the last six years, including big flops from Ohio State.
Right there is another reason for the Big Ten's perception problem, America's punchline: The Ohio State University.
Where USC has carried the one-team Pac-10 conference, the one-team Big Ten has floundered with the Buckeyes in recent years. Not help, is the team from Columbus has been media purgatory ever since their supposed "best ever" coronation in 2006 and then thrashing at the hands of Florida, 41-14.
Are the Buckeyes really that terrible? Just look at who Ohio State has lost to over the past four years.
--2005: Texas (eventual national champs)
--2006: Florida (national champs)
--2007: Illinois (Rose Bowl participant), LSU (national champs)
--2008: USC (Rose Bowl winner), Penn State (Big 10 champs), Texas (arguably No. 1 or 2 in nation)
Eight Ohio State losses in four years, all to BCS teams. Compare that to USC. The Trojans have lost six games in that span: once in the title game ('05 Texas squad), once in Autzen to Oregon, then unexplainable losses to Oregon State (twice), Stanford and a terrible UCLA team. So who should be more beleaguered by the media?
As a league, the Big Ten just needs to win games, especially showcase ones. Ohio State, Michigan State and Minnesota all have early chances to help repair their conferences tattered reputation. And the Big Ten needs teams like the Gophers, Iowa and Purdue to rediscover their winning ways.
Also, I think the conference should embrace it cold roots and schedule games in December. Snowy football works for the NFL, why not the Big Ten?
Really, what else can be said for the conference that's sent more teams to the BCS than any other league.
2 comments:
Great point about the quality of losses for Ohio State v. USC. I think OSU beats USC at home this year and rides that to a trip to the title game - and I'm not even a fan of OSU. I think the Ohio St. home crowd will be a little much for a true freshman QB, even if he supposedly has "great poise" (still yet to be demonstrated) and a solid supporting cast (which is debatable). It's especially relevant because they get a warmup contest v. SJSU but then have to travel out to Columbus in week 2 of the season, hardly enough time for a true freshman to develop his sea legs.
Nick, you are spot on about week two. This is probably the year USC takes a reality check (2-3 losses, a more minor bowl). However, love him or hate him, Carol has probably the best staff in the business and their game plans mixed with their otherworldly athleticism does count for something. Regarding the Big 10, what the heck is wrong with Purdue? That program has done nothing for years. Isn't Drew Brees an alum? Can't they sell that to recruits?
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