by Kent Sterling
Nobel Prize winner and great code breaker John Nash is working on a key to help fans decipher this logo.
Back to the college football drawing board for the venerable Big Ten Conference after today’s pitiful showing in five national showcase bowls.
Betting against the Big Ten is a pretty good way to start 2011 with full pockets and a smile. Mississippi State drubbed Michigan 52-14 in what is likely Rich Rodriguez final game as the Wolverines head coach. Joe Pa’s Penn State Nittany Lions struggled to hold on to the ball in a 37-24 loss to Florida. Michigan State went out with a 49-7 whimper to ‘Bama. And to wrap up the early play, Northwestern lost a shootout with Texas Tech 45-38.
Anyone still thinking that the Big Ten is an elite footabll conference had that notion effectively erased today. The final straw was a two-point loss in the Rose Bowl by Wisconsin to Texas Christian University Horned Frogs of the vaunted Mountain West Conference.
TCU obviously isn’t a bad team – they’re really good – but a loss to any team in the Mountain West – even one jumping ship for the overrated Big East is an embarrassment.
The only hope left for a major bowl win is Ohio State, and that opens a whole new kettle of rotting fish.
It’s one thing to suck, but another to lose while making a decision of convenience in order to do it, so let’s hope the kids who will represent Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl and then start their five game suspension against the weak early season non-conference games play their asses off to justify that moral compromise.
The Big Ten plays incredibly weak non-conference schedules to mask their comparative inadequacies, and then go to work hammering each other to maintain rankings and bowl berths.
Take a look at the 2010 opponents for Big Ten football teams (with the number of times they served as a Big Ten opponent in parentheses):
- Marshall
- Miami
- Ohio
- Eastern Michigan
- UConn
- Notre Dame (3)
- UMass
- Bowling Green
- Western Michigan
- Florida Atlantic
- Northern Colorado
- Towson
- Western Kentucky
- Arkansas State
- Akron
- MTSU (2)
- SEMO
- Rice (2)
- Missouri
- Southern Illinois
- Northern Illinois (2)
- Fresno State
- Vanderbilt
- Illinois State
- Central Michigan
- UNLV
- San Jose State
- Arizona State
- Austin Peay
- South Dakota
- USC
- Eastern Illinois
- Iowa State
- Arizona
- Ball State
- Youngstown State
- Alabama
- Kent State
- Temple
The 11 schools played a grand total of three ranked non-conference opponents, and lost all three games on their way to a 35-9 record. Six schools (Indiana, Northwestern, Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin) finished without a blemish.
Only Minnesota had a losing record outside the Big Ten (1-3), but as bad as they were before firing Tim Brewster that had nothing to do with the schedule.
It’s time for the Big Ten schools to man up and start scheduling opponents that will allow them to earn spots in the big bowls, rather than rely on tradition, cupcakes, and large mobile fan bases for their bids – except at Indiana, Purdue, and Minnesota where soft schedules should be mandatory.
Unless the scheduling is addressed, the Legends and Leaders divisions for Big Ten football should be renamed Losers and Lummoxes.
To be fair, NU was playing with two freshman quarterbacks. With a healthy Persa I’m guessing NU would have finally broken its bowl losing streak. It’s their third consecutive “close” bowl loss. PSU didn’t embarrass themselves, either, but they should have found a way to win. 5 picks did them in. The Michigan teams are a completely different story, however. MSU clearly wasn’t a “real” 11-1 team and UM should put an end to the Rich Rodriguez era. Choosing a head coach from the Big East (likely the only other conference to challenge the Big Ten’s “overrated” image) isn’t the answer.
I’m a windshield vs rear view mirror kind of guy.
Big Ten fans still have the Sugar Bowl to salvage some respect, where Ohio State can……oh crap.
Good analysis, Kent. Has Big Ten football ever had a more embarrassing day? I can’t remember one.
Penn State played hard but made too many mistakes. Michigan and Michigan State didn’t show up. I heard a rumor that Northwestern played in a bowl game today and lost, but I can’t be certain because I don’t have ESPNU.
Wisconsin’s coaching staff was completely outclassed – they reminded me of Caldwell & Co. vs. Sean Payton’s staff in the Super Bowl. It’s too bad that Bielema and Paul Chryst decided to adopt Oklahoma’s offense during bowl practice. When I saw Tolzien in the shotgun on the 2-point conversion try, I mouthed “game over” to myself just before the Tank knocked down the side-armed throw over the middle.
Speaking of Oklahoma’s offense, I’m getting excited about watching Kevin Wilson at IU. His offense reminds me a lot of Joe Tiller’s early Purdue offenses – get the ball out quick to avoid sacks, run simple crossing route combos, watch guys get open and take off down the field with the football. Good stuff.
That’s the only good news of this day. Clearly, IU and Purdue don’t have to become all that good to be competitive in today’s Big Ten.
Exactly right. Wilson was the right hire at the right time, and he’s putting together a staff that is outstanding – at least on paper. Becoming competitive in the Big Ten isn’t like doing it in the SEC.
They have a month to recruit and maybe can get some commits from the group fleeing Pitt like the campus is ablaze.
Deja vu all over again. Read this blog from two years ago and ask yourself are you really surprised? It takes a minute to realize it’s old news and not from today.
http://www.bleacherreport.com/articles/99806-big-ten-bowl-record-shows-conferences-weak-state
Brutal day for the Big Ten. They managed to really funk it up this year. I was pulling for Wisconsin to stop the slide and they came close, but not close enough. Seems as though the Big Ten teams rode in not having played opponents who were much competition physically or mentally.
TCU had something to prove and they proved it.
yeah, it’s sad because Wis had something to prove too…
Well, for what it’s worth. Gator grad here. The gators really suck now too…..thank’s Addazio. Soon to change .. yeah. Anywho, lets talk something positive; hit him high, hit him low. Ready to go.
Rednecks.
Michigan State was completely outclassed. It is a crime that the Big 10 recieved 7 Bowl bids by scheduling ridiculously weak non-conference teams. The Pac-10 is better collectively each year since they schedule good non-conference teams. Of course, they cannot fill the stadiums eith the Kent State’s of the world like the Big 10. Big 10 does have great fans. It is ashame the league is 2nd rate.
yes…we are totally exposes as a fake.
Big Ten hasn’t changed much, some teams still living in the days of old, while bad coaching hires render other teams undertalented and only holding the big ten banner as frauds.Visit my blog at, http://www.sethjoyner.wordpress.com
Michigan had no business in a bowl game, the defense can’t stop a high school team. Did they have a defensive coach this year? Oh yea the X Syracuse head coach with a 10-37 record. What a great idea lets bring in losers to create a bigger loser.
MSU What can I say at least they are still top rated as a party school.
Search Ebay for Big Ten rings and all you see is ohio state …. Hmmm 2002 national championship.
Oh wait whats this all that comes up for the Michigan schools is bar stools how fitting.
That one suprised me..as a matter of fact how the heck does any nonranked team get a bowl game….anything for the money, including the schools reputation i guess
Once they become “Leaders” and “Legends”, it will get better.
IU vs THE Mighty Ball State Cardinals Sept. 3rd, Lucas Oil Stadium. See ya there, Kent. The new coach retained my son on his staff so it is still all about Muncie!!!
Congrats to Jack. That’s excellent news. Hard work wins out – most of the time.
Jersey – from a proud Ball State grad…
I’m actually excited about Lembo. The guy has a good reputation for having won at places where it’s difficult to do so. That alone makes him a fairly promising hire at BSU.
Suggestion for your son – so long as he gives all credit for success to President Joanne Gora, he should be able to stay at BSU for as long as he wants. There’s room for only one superstar in Muncie, and the Lady in Blue is determined to be The One.
ON POINT! Thank you for making my argument…I’m an OSU fan and I’ve been saying for years that the 10 totally screws themselves by playing weak nonconf scheds. And by not having a Conf championship game…its great to add Nebraska. But these guys need to be playing SEC schools in the regular season. They get shocked in these bowl games.
OSU and Georgia just agreed to a home-and-home series at some point in the next decade. That’s a start.
The schedule tends to be driven by economic considerations rather than competitive factors. The only thing that will make a difference is an abundance of empty seats.
Purdue might be inclined to change its scheduling philosophy. In the last two seasons, it has lost home games in front of sparse crowds to both Northern Illinois and Toledo. If you can’t sell tickets, and if you lose anyway, then you might as well play a road game against an SEC school, right?
Everybody wants seven home games, and that’s fine, but they need to be honest and call the Big Ten what it is – a paper lion.
I totally agree that the Big 10 is weak. But I also think their weakness lies in “sticking to gameplans” and a general lack of creativity.
Take Florida: they essentially benched their starting QB, a passer, in favor of two younger run first guys who enabled them to move down the field against Penn State.
Take Michigan: similar to Pryor in Columbus, it seems like these guys are coached to throw first. The result of this is many more incompletions on 3rd down where they could have rushed easily for first down yardage.
I’m not taking anything away from the SEC or the other schools feasting on their Big 10 opponents. In fact I’m praising them. They put the ball in their playmakers hands, they don’t just “hope” a sound gameplan gets them through.
Also, get off the coach and the 5 OSU players and whether they should be playing in the bowl. The NCAA made their decision. If you disagree, make sure the next time a cop let’s you off with a warning vice a speeding ticket you insist on the ticket since it’s the “right thing to do”. Realistically, “the right thing to do” is comply with the disciplinary action levied on your team and players.
You might be right, but I also think it’s true that the southern teams tend to have better players and more depth, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
That’s what was so maddening about Wisconsin’s game plan. Wisconsin forfeited its competitive advantage every time it lined up in the shotgun. Its receivers could not get open against TCU’s very quick cover guys.
I’m a badger fan and completely agree that the Big 10 hasn’t shown up at all this bowl season. The Big 10 really hasn’t represented itself in big games for the past decade.
Outlining the out of conference schedule doesn’t really say much. You could compare every conferences ‘non-conference’ schedule and find a bunch of daisies.
Plus what does this article really prove? That you told us so? lol. Unless you actually bet against the Big 10 this year and won the jackpot… nothing new or interesting here.
It’s not new, but it’s a continuing embarrassment. What else can be written about the Big Ten, and your team is as responsible as any. You want to get pissy, get pissy at Bielema for being a dolt and going pass on the two-point conversion.
Yeah, you’re definitely right about the continued embarrassment. I just don’t think it will matter if teams create a tougher out-of-conference schedule. It would show the big 10′s true colors but I don’t blame them for taking the best possible route to get to a BCS bowl game.
Part of the problem lies with preseason polls. Teams marked outside the top 25 have about no chance of making the championship game (which I think they should start placing Big 10 teams this upcoming season). Writers should quit giving teams the benefit of the doubt.
I don’t blame Bielema on that 2 point conversion but I never understood the lack of play action calls with the 3-headed monster the Badgers had.
I really do love how you guys love talking about all this crap. This conference is better than that… they played a weak schedule… blah blah blah. Did you forget that this is for entertainment purposes only? Or are your lives so boring that you do really care that Wisc. lost to TCU or that the Big Ten is a sucky conference? Seriously, I want to know why you care so much about this topic.
I care because I’m a fan but also temper my expectations. Reason why I commented though is because all I ever hear is how much the Big 10 sucks and I think it’s been official for about 8 years now.
What makes me mad is that it is just football, so who cares if a Big 10 team gets a bowl game even though they suck. Everyone gets so crazy about this stuff. I just really dont get it. Every conference goes through ups and downs. It is just football, or maybe I am just missing something deeper.
I just find football and sports in general interesting so I have an interest in talking about it. I don’t punch holes in walls or take a shotgun to my television when my team loses. Most people I know are pretty rational about it.
This down cycle for the Big Ten is entering its second decade. I don’t mind people who are ambivalent, just those who constantly preach the superiority of theirs when the evidence is stacked so incredibly high in opposition to that belief.
By that logic, all sports information and perspective is meaningless. I can’t explain why many care so deeply, but there are at least three sportstalk radio stations in every market that make a lot of money attracting listeners who want more and more perspective.
That’s a bleak outlook that could be extrapolated to almost every human endeavor. Why care about anything? Everyone on the planet will be dead in just over a century anyway.
Okay, but let’s stop making things perfect for the southern teams. Let’s start playing the games in weather the Big Ten teams are conditioned for. The body needs longer to adapt to a 30 degree change in temperature. Moreover, why can’t some of the northern cities be allowed to share in the Bowl money? The NCAA needs to get a backbone and start scheduling the games in some of the Big Ten backyards, or they are going to lose their fan base. I think the Big Ten should just boycott the BCS until they start scheduling games in cold weather, where these southern ‘fair weather’ woosies usually lose.
Well if Notre Dame didn’t suck balls so bad year-in, year-out we’d at least have those games to measure against.
At least ND won their bowl game
I’m an Ohio State fan who rooted for all the Big Ten teams in their bowl games–yes, that included Michigan. It’s a sad beginning to my New Year when a Michigan loss depresses me.
Overrated. There bowl appearances is what the conventional wisdom and the sports writers think. Their record in bowl appearances is the record. Big difference.
A lose to the Mountain West is an embarrassment? You’re on crack — the Mountain West has the best bowl record over the past decade of any conference. They are batting .666 against BCS competition, including a continuing bowl domination against the PAC-10. They are 3-1 in BCS bowls (the ACC is 2-11). Even though they are losing their flagship teams, if they are smart about realignment and grab the better up and coming programs, they will be better than the Big East and ACC in 4 or 5 years (in fact, if they shore up the middle of pack, the conference will improve overall from where it is today). The Rose Bowl loss for Wisconsin was not an embarrassment, it was a solid excellent game by both teams. Wisconsin has nothing to be embarrassed about — Michigan, Michigan St., Northwestern, Illinois — they should be embarrassed.
Given the resources available to BCS schools – particularly in the Big Ten – losing to the Mountain West is horrible, shameful, and pitiful. No offense, but it’s like a NASCAR team getting throttled by a factory Buick Riviera that your cousin Pete the mechanic tricked up.