The Big Ten

[knapplc]

You got some links to share? I'm curious to see support for Nebraska. I can't even get any Husker support in my office!

 

There's a great big wasteland out there for solid message boards of Big Ten teams, but BuckeyePlanet has been my go-to board for most of this year. I put up a poll over there:

 

LINK

[Blackshirts007]

Probably one of the best threads ive read in a long time, it's helping me worry less about the game because really thinking about what you just said is actually true, could we lay and egg here and there this year? yes, because it is our first year and we are battling a lot of adversity, but on the flip side could we roll through the conference? you betcha...i personally think the BIG is one of the weakest BCS conferences this year, just above the Big East, Hell id say the ACC is right there with em, honestly i read this board everyday and see so many posts of people saying we will go 8-4 this and 9-3 that and i just don't get it....Bo has proven, for 3 years now, that his teams will improve game by game, and continue to improve game by game, so to everyone saying we will have a mediocre year what have you been watching the past 3 years? Anyone remember that Texas tech game with crabtree, i though we we going to bend over and take it up the ass, we were supposed to get anililated, but we hung in there and almost pulled out a W, and then Texas in the big 12 CCG, we almost pulled that one out and we were HUGE underdogs, im a firm believer that if we can EXECUTE and the players study hard and know their assignments, we have the talent to play with anyone in the country, and most of you forgot this is Wilson's FIRST year at Wisconsin, to think he knows the offense inside and out is absurd, so he has a good arm and complete passes, wait until he gets pressure on him from the #8 team coming to town and has to execute a bunch of new plays when they open the playbook, there will be a time or two when there are mixed signals and he will mess up, gameday will distract the wisconsin team and they will have an unbearable amount of pressure on them being at home, and wanting to show the new kids on the block who they are, but it aint gon' happen, they will struggle and we will pull it out. book it, GBR

[Creed]

I am one of the biggest B1G supporters out there but the conference is way down this year. It is below the ACC so far. I keep waiting for it to get deeper but it never does. For the last 10 years it has been a 2 horse race and sometimes 3. This year it is between Wisc and Neb unless Ohio State developes.

 

Last weekend, the B1G was irrelevant nationally with no key games. As I stated in a different thread, until we start scheduling some big OOC games (ND doesn't count) consistently and proving ourselves in those games, the B1G will not be given much credibility nationally. Our OOC schedules were terrible this year with the exception of Alabama, Miami and Arizona State. Do B1G fans really want to see games against MAC schools every weekend? I certainly do not.

[74Hunter]

Thank you OP. I couldn't agree more. I was never excited about this move for any reason other than stability and academics. I just hope we can keep getting Big 12 speed and Texas tallent and not turn into the next Penn State or Minnesota. And for Iowa fans to say we are now playing the "Big Boys" - There isn't a team in the legends that could hang with OU, OSU, AtM or probably Baylor.

 

I can't wait to play Wisconsin.

This. The big ten is weak, and has been weak for years. They couldn't handle playing the texas and oklahoma schools week in, week out.

 

I love it when big ten fans need to tell us that we ain't in the big twelve north anymore, as if minnesota or indiana are beyer than oklahoma or even missouri or iowa st.

 

I also enjoy hearing about it not being 95 anymore, as if we sit around talking about tommie frazier running the option, or grant wistrom is going to kill someone next week. Oh well, at least we have that history

[ZRod]

You got some links to share? I'm curious to see support for Nebraska. I can't even get any Husker support in my office!

 

There's a great big wasteland out there for solid message boards of Big Ten teams, but BuckeyePlanet has been my go-to board for most of this year. I put up a poll over there:

 

LINK

We need those types of censors on this board, except insert craig james or ed cunningham.

 

I don't really understand the welcome to the big league crap. Just confrence pride I supose, but if anything the B1G has been on par with the Big 12 if not below it. Look at the last few BCS games, both confrences seem to crap the bed against the SEC. But I do think any top tier Big 12 team could go head to head with a B1G team and beat them handedly 9 times out of 10 this year.

[junior4949]

I am one of the biggest B1G supporters out there but the conference is way down this year. It is below the ACC so far. I keep waiting for it to get deeper but it never does. For the last 10 years it has been a 2 horse race and sometimes 3. This year it is between Wisc and Neb unless Ohio State developes.

 

Last weekend, the B1G was irrelevant nationally with no key games. As I stated in a different thread, until we start scheduling some big OOC games (ND doesn't count) consistently and proving ourselves in those games, the B1G will not be given much credibility nationally. Our OOC schedules were terrible this year with the exception of Alabama, Miami and Arizona State. Do B1G fans really want to see games against MAC schools every weekend? I certainly do not.

 

 

This is what I'm seeing as well. The Big 10 at this point is probably the fourth possibly even the fifth best league this year. I'd even venture to guess that a one loss SEC team makes it into the NC game over an undefeated Big 10 team. However, I doubt there will be a Big 10 team that goes undefeated.

[zoobadger]

On the field, I agree, but let's face it: college football is big business. In terms of revenue and media exposure it doesn't get any B1GGER than the Big Ten. Hence your well-advised decision to join up with us and jilt the fading Big XII.

[BlueInTheFace]

Down year in the B1G for sure, but hopefully some teams will end the year building up some momentum for a good 2012 season. Obviously a semi-homer statement but I really think Michigan being down really hurts the league.

[sd'sker]

Down year in the B1G for sure, but hopefully some teams will end the year building up some momentum for a good 2012 season. Obviously a semi-homer statement but I really think Michigan being down really hurts the league.

it doesn't help, but you're team still gets a ton of attention and marquee games.

[irafreak]

I don't know about a down year yet. I mean 4 ranked teams all 4-0. Six teams with 1 loss

The big12 has 7 undefeated teams but only okst has played 4 games they have 5 ranked teams

Big east 1 undefeated 2 ranked

ACC 3 undefeated 4 ranked

Pac 3 ranked 1 undefeated

SEC 5 ranked 4 undefeated.

 

I just think the B1G might be under more of a microscope than the other leagues because we are in it now.

[knapplc]

Again the caveat that "it's early" has to be put out there, but right now Sagarin's Conference Power Rankings have the B1G at #3. The Big XII and SEC are nearly identical at 1-2, but like ira said, they haven't played as many games as we have.

[whoknows?]

I was born in Michigan, grew up in Wisconsin and have lived in Illinois and Ohio. I'm a Badger fan. Here are my .02 about the Big Ten and Nebraska.

 

I love Nebraska and am glad you guys are coming to the Big Ten. The only bad thing about it is now we got two terrible names for the divisions, (legends/leaders). I want to shout out a big thank you to Texas for screwing up the Big 12 enough for Nebraska to come to the Big Ten.

 

Michigan and Ohio State are like Texas. If they would've thought of having their own network before the Big Ten Network came out they would've. I hope Nebraska beats both of them.

 

I would imagine Penn State, Iowa and Wisconsin are similar, in football, to Nebraska in that their generally blue collar down to earth teams that like to run the ball.

 

Michigan State, Illinois and Purdue, (generally), are pass happy and can beat you on a given weekend but generally aren't consistent enough to win it all.

 

Indiana and Minnesota are just bad and have been for a long time.

 

Northwestern is an odd ball. I worked at Northwestern for a few years and actually like them. Their white collar, smart, not very physical but generally fast and can score points. They give Wisconsin fits.

 

There are some big time rivalries in the Big Ten. Michigan State absolutely hates Michigan. Ohio State is actually starting to hate Wisconsin cause we've beat them a few times. Ohio State fans are as arrogant as they come. Did I mention that? Wisconsins big rivalry is with Iowa but the pundits have us playing Minnesota in our rivalry game. We don't hate MN or IA but respect IA and want to beat them. We just want to beat MN cause they get dirty and because of the Vikings.

 

In terms of overrated I think once you get passed Ohio State and Michigan most teams deserve the ranking they get year in and year out. In bowl games Wisconsin has a winning record against the SEC, we spanked Miami a couple of years ago, when they were actually good, and we should have beat TCU last year. TCU was a very good sound football program but we still should have won. Wisconsin generally gets overrated maybe once every five years versus every year for OSU and Michigan. I think Wisconsin was overrated this year until Russell Wilson decided to come here and our rating has gone up. He's the real deal and a great kid. He turned a so/so Wisconsin team into a contender IMO.

[badgerman27]

The conference as a whole is the worst it's been in 5-6 years.

 

The QB play at PSU & OSU has been dreadful. They have enough talent to be competitive everywhere else, but the QB play has just killed both schools. Little to no threat in the passing game makes them sitting ducks against teams with good defenses.

 

Michigan being down is bad for the conference. R Rod thought he was still in the Big Least. A 3-3-5 defense in a physical conference like the Big 10? They can't stop anyone from running the football. Last year, we ran the ball against them on 35-36 consecutive plays in the 2nd half. Their passing game consists of 30 yd Hail Mary's. They'll be back to competitive in a couple of years, but as of now they are a middle of the pack team.

 

MSU is a Jekyll & Hyde team. Always have been. They lost 2 great LBs last year, and the replacements haven't been as good. Cousins hasn't been nearly as good this year. Their OL has had injuries. Dangerous team, but not at all what they were last season as of yet.

 

Illinois is much improved over the last couple of years. They are actually playing defense. They're committed to running the football, and their OL has played well.

 

Iowa is way down. Their losses at WR(DJK), and on defense have hit them hard. QB play isn't nearly as good, no matter what the stats might suggest. The kid they have isn't nearly as good as Stanzi was.

 

The talent level at Purdue is way down from a few years ago. So many injuries.

 

Northwestern is a dangerous team at home. They can beat anyone, but then lose to Army. Getting Persa back will help them.

 

Indiana and Minnesota are two of the worst teams in D1. Both with losses to 1-AA schools.

 

UW has some issues on defense. JJ Watt was a big loss. Our front seven just hasn't been as good as we hoped. Still good, but not good enough to be dominant. They have lost gap contain too many times. I think that will be a huge emphasis in practice this week. The back end has been surprisingly good. Much better than expected. The offense has been great. Not many worries there.

 

As a whole, I think the conference has been hurt by teams switching to spread/read option offenses. It has really hurt the passing game. OSU, PSU, and Mich have been impacted more than anyone. In recruiting kids to run a zone read, they have become unable to find players who can throw the football. It may be 2-3 years before those schools are back to a level their fans consider acceptable. Illinois and Northwestern have been able to make it work for them.

 

Iowa and MSU are close. Good enough that they can trip you up if you make mistakes. Indiana, Minnesota, and Purdue are so far from competing for a conference title that they are hardly worth mentioning.

[Luckeyes]

The Big Ten will always be at a disadvantage against the SEC and Big 12 in football. Two main reasons for this:

 

1. The best players in the country are located from Texas to Florida, not in the Midwest.

2. The SEC and Big 12 have some pretty terrible -- average schools academically. There are exceptions(Florida, Vandy, Texas), but some of those SEC schools(cough LSU cough) can take mentally challenged kids if they want to.

 

With that said, its remarkable the Big 10 can compete with these conferences in football, and still blow them away in academics and endowment. I think the best comparable conference to the Big 10 given the academic profile is the Pac 12. I believe the Big 10 is much better than the Pac 12 this year.

[deedsker]

The Big Ten will always be at a disadvantage against the SEC and Big 12 in football. Two main reasons for this:

 

1. The best players in the country are located from Texas to Florida, not in the Midwest.

2. The SEC and Big 12 have some pretty terrible -- average schools academically. There are exceptions(Florida, Vandy, Texas), but some of those SEC schools(cough LSU cough) can take mentally challenged kids if they want to.

 

With that said, its remarkable the Big 10 can compete with these conferences in football, and still blow them away in academics and endowment. I think the best comparable conference to the Big 10 given the academic profile is the Pac 12. I believe the Big 10 is much better than the Pac 12 this year.

Another disadvantage is that all the bowls are in SEC country.