State of the conference: Big Ten

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State of the conference: Big TenBy Brian Bennett | ESPN.com; Aug. 17, 2012

During ESPN.com's college football preview coverage this week, we took a look at the state of the game and the state of some of the sport's best-known brands. Now we're examining the state of the conferences. Here's the health report on the Big Ten:

Stability: In many of the ways that matter, the league has never been stronger. While the Big Ten initiated the conference realignment craze, it smartly added just one team -- Nebraska -- that has so far been a perfect fit in every area. There is no further need to expand at this time. The Big Ten Network, which debuted to scoffs and snarls, is a smashing success that's available in about 90 million homes with nearly 50 million subscribers.

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Competitive balance: There's clearly more to the Big Ten than just the Big Two. Michigan State and Wisconsin have announced themselves as powers, while Nebraska should contend annually . . .

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Conference Kool-Aid article. Mostly touches on the positives. But they do get into the B1G's lack of a MNC contender this past decade.

 
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It starts with recruiting and coaching

I think more schools in the Big Ten are doing better and getting more top tier talent now(OSU,ann arbor, Illinois, and NU all have top rated QBs coming in)

Wont reflect this year and maybe next year but it should soon.

I think coaching-wise the Big Ten is getting better. schools like Sparty are now investing in coaching and not letting their top coordinators go elsewhere.

The only schools who don't really have stable HCs are Minny(They fired Mason, they can fire anyone) and IU(who cares)

PSU and Illinois will each give their coach time to get adapted so they are under stable condition.

 
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I think we're on track to become the best conference in the Great Lakes region within the next 3-5 years.

 
SEC is on top; B12 trending up with nice fb additions of TCU & WVU and OU expected to be solid; PAC 12 trending up with USC back and some nice coaching additions. B1G continues to wallow with few big OOC wins (including bowls) the last few years, (even the OSU bowl win over Arkansas would have help some but that was taken away), lack of NCG contender and the OSU & PSU troubles.

B1G needs to get a better national reputation. We pack the stadiums just like the SEC and that needs to be showcased more. We need:

1. Better OOC games early in the year just like Mich & Alabama. The league's best team (Wisc) played a terrible non-conf schedule the last two years. A Wisc win over another good team would have done a lot for the league.

2. More night prime time games like the SEC. Most of the nation sees the noon B1G game on ESPN which typically features a second tier match up like Illinois vs Indiana. Get rid of the no night games after Nov 1 rule.

 
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