So Hunter - where are those numbers for the last 10 years? He didn't say that THIS year the Big 10 was challenging, he said in general the Big 10 and Big 12 go back and forth. Pulling out this years numbers to refute that statement shows a distinct lack of reading comprehension for what was actually said.
I know what was said, I just didn't feel like taking the time the look. I guess that info is easily available.
2010:
1 PAC-10 (A) = 80.87 81.43 ( 1) 10 81.14 ( 1)
2 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 79.84 79.56 ( 2) 12 79.72 ( 2)
3 BIG 12 (A) = 75.42 75.64 ( 3) 12 75.66 ( 3)
4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 74.32 74.18 ( 6) 12 74.20 ( 6)
5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.18 74.72 ( 4) 11 74.52 ( 4)
2009:
1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 80.48 81.07 ( 1) 12 80.87 ( 1)
2 BIG EAST (A) = 77.33 76.97 ( 2) 8 77.06 ( 2)
3 PAC-10 (A) = 76.23 75.45 ( 5) 10 75.77 ( 4)
4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 76.04 75.90 ( 3) 12 75.92 ( 3)
5 BIG 12 (A) = 74.61 75.54 ( 4) 12 75.32 ( 5)
6 BIG TEN (A) = 73.74 74.49 ( 6) 11 74.30 ( 6)
2008:
1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 78.31 79.08 ( 1) 12
2 BIG 12 (A) = 77.86 77.80 ( 2) 12
3 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 77.70 77.67 ( 3) 12
4 PAC-10 (A) = 76.14 75.39 ( 4) 10
5 BIG EAST (A) = 75.23 74.11 ( 5) 8
6 BIG TEN (A) = 73.21 73.49 ( 6)
2007:
1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 81.99 81.83 ( 1) 12
2 PAC-10 (A) = 79.47 79.63 ( 2) 10
3 BIG 12 (A) = 78.62 78.35 ( 3) 12
4 BIG EAST (A) = 77.46 77.12 ( 4) 8
5 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 75.21 74.98 ( 5) 12
6 BIG TEN (A) = 74.63 74.17 ( 6) 11
7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 70.95 70.84 ( 7) 9
2006:
1 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 81.60 81.23 ( 1) 12
2 BIG EAST (A) = 79.57 79.90 ( 2) 8
3 PAC-10 (A) = 78.78 79.15 ( 3) 10
4 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 75.49 73.79 ( 6) 12
5 BIG TEN (A) = 74.89 75.62 ( 4) 11
6 BIG 12 (A) = 74.34 74.01 ( 5) 12
7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 68.34 69.30 ( 7) 9
2005:
1 BIG TEN (A) = 80.72 80.55 ( 1) 11
2 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 78.96 78.26 ( 4) 12
3 BIG 12 (A) = 78.96 80.02 ( 2) 12
4 PAC-10 (A) = 77.92 78.65 ( 3) 10
5 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 75.28 74.92 ( 6) 12
6 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 74.44 75.02 ( 5) 3
7 BIG EAST (A) = 72.12 72.42 ( 7) 8
2004:
1 ATLANTIC COAST (A) = 77.91 78.09 ( 2) 11
2 PAC-10 (A) = 77.84 78.89 ( 1) 10
3 I-A INDEPENDENTS (A) = 76.98 76.98 ( 4) 2
4 BIG 12 (A) = 76.42 77.08 ( 3) 12
5 BIG TEN (A) = 75.63 75.29 ( 5) 11
6 SOUTHEASTERN (A) = 74.13 74.31 ( 6) 12
7 MOUNTAIN WEST (A) = 72.08 72.91 ( 7) 8
8 BIG EAST (A) = 71.98 71.56 ( 8) 7
9 WESTERN ATHLETIC (A) = 67.40 68.40 ( 9) 10
If you want more, go check for yourself:
Jeff Sagarin computer ratings archive - USATODAY.com
So, I guess I did make a mistake, I should have included the Big East along with the Pac and ACC. So, in the last 7 years (and likely this year too) the B1G has finished ahead of the Big 12 twice.
I know, I know, cue the tired, old, played, weak "quit living in the past" one liners.....