Can the B1G be respectable next year?

[strigori]

I have a feeling Delaney is turning the Big Ten into the Ivy League where we only play teams within our conference. If we go to more conference games and can't schedule fcs teams we are gonna have to schedule sun belt or mac teams just to get ready for the Big Ten. Less chance of marquee matchups when you only have 3 out of conference games. Sure Delaney is making more money but it's not making the conference any better which is where it needs to go.

I agree, but with the new playoff in place, I feel like you're gonna see a lot more of this. Sure, the CCG is an intra-league game, but it's still (in theory) the two top teams in each respective conference. Throw is the first "round" of playoffs and the NCG game and you have 3 straight marquee games (2 OOC) for the conference champion. Sucks that we'll now longer get the killer weekends in September, but I guess we'll have to settle for interesting confernece slates and some tit weekends in December and January.

But how is playing in our own conference going to get us ready to play an SEC team come playoff time? We need to play against good different offenses.

Please don't tell me you are using the offenses of the SEC as a benchmark. Defenses, particularly on the D-Line is the biggest difference, not the offenses.

Look at Urban Meyer as a good thing for the B1G. He is building OSU as he built Florida. So if anyone in the B1G wants to win the conference, they are also going to have to build a more SEC like team. And teams are too damned focused on the Rose Bowl instead of the Title game.

Also keep in mind the main reason for the SEC's image is the title games. The idea that they are top to bottom better than everyone else is a fallacy. Yes LSU and Bama are big dogs right now, but the rest of the league is hardly the same. Remember Kentucky, Missouri, Auburn and the like still play in that conference.

 

[husker_99]

I have a feeling Delaney is turning the Big Ten into the Ivy League where we only play teams within our conference. If we go to more conference games and can't schedule fcs teams we are gonna have to schedule sun belt or mac teams just to get ready for the Big Ten. Less chance of marquee matchups when you only have 3 out of conference games. Sure Delaney is making more money but it's not making the conference any better which is where it needs to go.

how do Div IAA schools help us in any way, other than a likely win? Those games don't strengthen the team, just costs us a cool mil.

the fcs teams provide a purpose. They let us fine tune the basics and see what we have in backups. FCS teams are also starting to move up to FBS more frequently thus providing a greater challenge than in years past. You don't want to start conference play and not find out everything you can about your team. Starting out against a higher caliber you may not have the chance to find out because you can't put your backups in cause of a closer game.

I won't expound on this too much, as I see the subject already has a thread in the football forum, but you are simultaneously arguing that we should be able to schedule a D1AA school, but complaining that 3 games is not enough to schedule any marquee matchups. Doesn't the D1AA school take away one more opportunity as well? I know the paying fans don't appreciate the cupcake games as much. And if you think there is such a huge risk in having to go to the sun belt or the MAC, then this conference is in dire straights indeed.

If we go to a 9 game schedule in conference why schedule a marquee matchup for a potential early loss? I'm saying keep it as it is. Early season is when the coach is still finding what team he has and having a early soft schedule helps that. Did Michigan help itself when they opened against Alabama and got crushed? This conference is already in dire straits seeing how little the Big 10 wins against the SEC.

 

[husker_99]

I have a feeling Delaney is turning the Big Ten into the Ivy League where we only play teams within our conference. If we go to more conference games and can't schedule fcs teams we are gonna have to schedule sun belt or mac teams just to get ready for the Big Ten. Less chance of marquee matchups when you only have 3 out of conference games. Sure Delaney is making more money but it's not making the conference any better which is where it needs to go.

I agree, but with the new playoff in place, I feel like you're gonna see a lot more of this. Sure, the CCG is an intra-league game, but it's still (in theory) the two top teams in each respective conference. Throw is the first "round" of playoffs and the NCG game and you have 3 straight marquee games (2 OOC) for the conference champion. Sucks that we'll now longer get the killer weekends in September, but I guess we'll have to settle for interesting confernece slates and some tit weekends in December and January.

But how is playing in our own conference going to get us ready to play an SEC team come playoff time? We need to play against good different offenses.

Please don't tell me you are using the offenses of the SEC as a benchmark. Defenses, particularly on the D-Line is the biggest difference, not the offenses.

Look at Urban Meyer as a good thing for the B1G. He is building OSU as he built Florida. So if anyone in the B1G wants to win the conference, they are also going to have to build a more SEC like team. And teams are too damned focused on the Rose Bowl instead of the Title game.

Also keep in mind the main reason for the SEC's image is the title games. The idea that they are top to bottom better than everyone else is a fallacy. Yes LSU and Bama are big dogs right now, but the rest of the league is hardly the same. Remember Kentucky, Missouri, Auburn and the like still play in that conference.

Every conference has bottom feeders. But right now the SEC could play a whole season in conference and just be justified in going to the National Title game. Until the Big Ten wins another National Title perception won't change.

 

[Creighton Duke]

I have a feeling Delaney is turning the Big Ten into the Ivy League where we only play teams within our conference. If we go to more conference games and can't schedule fcs teams we are gonna have to schedule sun belt or mac teams just to get ready for the Big Ten. Less chance of marquee matchups when you only have 3 out of conference games. Sure Delaney is making more money but it's not making the conference any better which is where it needs to go.

I agree, but with the new playoff in place, I feel like you're gonna see a lot more of this. Sure, the CCG is an intra-league game, but it's still (in theory) the two top teams in each respective conference. Throw is the first "round" of playoffs and the NCG game and you have 3 straight marquee games (2 OOC) for the conference champion. Sucks that we'll now longer get the killer weekends in September, but I guess we'll have to settle for interesting confernece slates and some tit weekends in December and January.

But how is playing in our own conference going to get us ready to play an SEC team come playoff time? We need to play against good different offenses.

Please don't tell me you are using the offenses of the SEC as a benchmark. Defenses, particularly on the D-Line is the biggest difference, not the offenses.

Look at Urban Meyer as a good thing for the B1G. He is building OSU as he built Florida. So if anyone in the B1G wants to win the conference, they are also going to have to build a more SEC like team. And teams are too damned focused on the Rose Bowl instead of the Title game.

Also keep in mind the main reason for the SEC's image is the title games. The idea that they are top to bottom better than everyone else is a fallacy. Yes LSU and Bama are big dogs right now, but the rest of the league is hardly the same. Remember Kentucky, Missouri, Auburn and the like still play in that conference.

It's funny that you mention Auburn in the vein of a program that HASN'T won a national championhip in the last 3 years...

Essentially, you killed your own point; that a MNC team can go from first to worst in such a short span of time in the SEC actually more clearly shows the depth of the conference.

 

[jaws]

It's funny that you mention Auburn in the vein of a program that HASN'T won a national championhip in the last 3 years...

Essentially, you killed your own point; that a MNC team can go from first to worst in such a short span of time in the SEC actually more clearly shows the depth of the conference.

No, it shows a program that was shortsighted and didn't build on their championship season. But they did beat ULM (OT), New Mexico State, Alabama A&M last year.

Do you guys really want to see games vs FCS schools? I know I don't.

 

[Decked]

I have a feeling Delaney is turning the Big Ten into the Ivy League where we only play teams within our conference. If we go to more conference games and can't schedule fcs teams we are gonna have to schedule sun belt or mac teams just to get ready for the Big Ten. Less chance of marquee matchups when you only have 3 out of conference games. Sure Delaney is making more money but it's not making the conference any better which is where it needs to go.

I agree, but with the new playoff in place, I feel like you're gonna see a lot more of this. Sure, the CCG is an intra-league game, but it's still (in theory) the two top teams in each respective conference. Throw is the first "round" of playoffs and the NCG game and you have 3 straight marquee games (2 OOC) for the conference champion. Sucks that we'll now longer get the killer weekends in September, but I guess we'll have to settle for interesting confernece slates and some tit weekends in December and January.

But how is playing in our own conference going to get us ready to play an SEC team come playoff time? We need to play against good different offenses.

Please don't tell me you are using the offenses of the SEC as a benchmark. Defenses, particularly on the D-Line is the biggest difference, not the offenses.

Look at Urban Meyer as a good thing for the B1G. He is building OSU as he built Florida. So if anyone in the B1G wants to win the conference, they are also going to have to build a more SEC like team. And teams are too damned focused on the Rose Bowl instead of the Title game.

Also keep in mind the main reason for the SEC's image is the title games. The idea that they are top to bottom better than everyone else is a fallacy. Yes LSU and Bama are big dogs right now, but the rest of the league is hardly the same. Remember Kentucky, Missouri, Auburn and the like still play in that conference.

It's funny that you mention Cam was the vein of a program that HASN'T won a national championhip in the last 3 years...

Essentially, you killed your own point; that a MNC team can go from first to worst in such a short span of time in the SEC actually more clearly shows the depth of the conference.

FIFY.

 

[Creighton Duke]

It's funny that you mention Auburn in the vein of a program that HASN'T won a national championhip in the last 3 years...

Essentially, you killed your own point; that a MNC team can go from first to worst in such a short span of time in the SEC actually more clearly shows the depth of the conference.

No, it shows a program that was shortsighted and didn't build on their championship season. But they did beat ULM (OT), New Mexico State, Alabama A&M last year.

Do you guys really want to see games vs FCS schools? I know I don't.

So a traditional power that got mixed up with a "bad" coach (who still led them to a MNC) is now a perenial SEC bottom-feeder in the company of Kentucky for having a down season? Hmmm....

 

[desertshox]

when did auburn become a traditional power?

 

[Creighton Duke]

when did auburn become a traditional power?

You might want to do a little research

 

[scarletNcream]

when did auburn become a traditional power?

You might want to do a little research

If I remember correctly they were pretty good in the 80's with Pat Dye as thier coach. But a traditional powerhouse? No, I don't think they finished in the top ten consistantly for any period of time. I think they hold the record for most years on probation though.

 

[HuskerShark]

I think the only way that the B1G is respectable next year is if Ohio State, Nebraska, and Michigan all take care of business and beat every other B1G team by sizable margins. And if Northwestern continues to develop as a respectable program, which I think they will, it will be a bonus. Same with Minnesota.

If Ohio State and an Nebraska go undefeated and meet in the B1G CCG, I think the winner goes to the NC game. That would put Michigan with 2 losses if this scenario plays out, so they would probably get the Capitol One Bowl, and the loser of the CCG will get the 2nd conference BCS bowl. I realize this scenario is likely not to play out, but this is probably what it would take for the B1G to be respectable.

 

[NUance]

when did auburn become a traditional power?

You might want to do a little research

If I remember correctly they were pretty good in the 80's with Pat Dye as thier coach. But a traditional powerhouse? No, I don't think they finished in the top ten consistantly for any period of time. I think they hold the record for most years on probation though.

I was curios. So looked it up. LINK

They have a better program than I thought. 12th most wins of any program. The MNC ins 2010, plus Cam's Heisman. Three Heismans in total, and two MNCs. And a buttload of sanctions over the years. A solid fit in the SEC.

 

[Creighton Duke]

when did auburn become a traditional power?

You might want to do a little research

If I remember correctly they were pretty good in the 80's with Pat Dye as thier coach. But a traditional powerhouse? No, I don't think they finished in the top ten consistantly for any period of time. I think they hold the record for most years on probation though.

I was curios. So looked it up. LINK

They have a better program than I thought. 12th most wins of any program. The MNC ins 2010, plus Cam's Heisman. Three Heismans in total, and two MNCs. And a buttload of sanctions over the years. A solid fit in the SEC.

So, yeah; Auburn is a traditional power.

 

[Creighton Duke]

when did auburn become a traditional power?

You might want to do a little research

If I remember correctly they were pretty good in the 80's with Pat Dye as thier coach. But a traditional powerhouse? No, I don't think they finished in the top ten consistantly for any period of time. I think they hold the record for most years on probation though.

I was curios. So looked it up. LINK

They have a better program than I thought. 12th most wins of any program. The MNC ins 2010, plus Cam's Heisman. Three Heismans in total, and two MNCs. And a buttload of sanctions over the years. A solid fit in the SEC.

So, yeah; Auburn is a traditional power.

Also, just took a look at that link. Says in the "future schedules" section that we're playing down there in 2015. Anyone know what the deal is with that? Is it assuming that the Miami deal falls through?

 

[jaws]

when did auburn become a traditional power?

You might want to do a little research

If I remember correctly they were pretty good in the 80's with Pat Dye as thier coach. But a traditional powerhouse? No, I don't think they finished in the top ten consistantly for any period of time. I think they hold the record for most years on probation though.

I was curios. So looked it up. LINK

They have a better program than I thought. 12th most wins of any program. The MNC ins 2010, plus Cam's Heisman. Three Heismans in total, and two MNCs. And a buttload of sanctions over the years. A solid fit in the SEC.

So, yeah; Auburn is a traditional power.

Any program can fall on hard times, sometimes self-inflicted, but that doesn't mean it has any correlation to conference strength. You could transfer last years Auburn team to any BCS conference and they weren't going to win many games.

Once a selection committee is in place for the playoff system, a win vs a FCS team isn't going to look as good as a close loss to a top tier team on the road. Look at the basketball selection committee, SOS counts a lot.