The Big Ten is Really Strong this Year!

[okeefe4prez]

This thread is about the conference as a whole this year. You are arguing about and comparing the champions of the conferences over the last what 20 years. That isnt even the same argument.

The OP is talking conference strength based on CFP rankings which is what you bow down to pray to your God Saban. Haha. Hang it up on this argument. Yeah I would say the SEC Champ is usually a little stronger than the Big 10 Champ but over the years the Big 10 has done pretty well playing up in class in bowl games.

Look, I merely asked for a list of out of conference accomplishments to warrant the assertion and nothing of substance was provided, but if we want to go on the rankings, the SEC has 5 teams in the top 11, while the Big Ten has two. 5 > 2. The SEC and the Big Ten both have had the same thing happen. One team won out, the others (except Georgia) cannibalized each other. Georgia lost to shitty South Carolina and Wisconsin lost to shitty Illinois. Other than those two losses, the top 6 teams in each conference won every game they should have (the sixth in the SEC being A&M). Now unfortunately for A&M, their non-con included Clemson and their floating crossover game was against Georgia. Hence, they finished 7-5 with losses to Bama, Auburn, LSU, Clemson and UGA. Had they played Directional State U and drawn Vanderbilt (closest team akin to Rutgers) as their crossover, they would have also been 9-3 and ranked. So some assertion that "Derp, the B1G Ten has 6 ranked teams so we are better than the SEC" is nonsensical.

As to the Big Ten doing pretty well in the bowl games, no, it really hasn't, at least not against the SEC. Last year was 1-3, with bad losses by Michigan and Purdue to Florida and Auburn. Now two years ago, we did great, managing a 1-1 record against the SEC thanks to them sending 2 teams to the playoffs while the B1G sent 0. 3 years ago: 0-2. 4 years ago: 1-3. 5 years ago: 2-2. 6 years ago: 1-2. At best we can play .500 ball, but more often than not, it is sub .500 ball.

 

[pythagoras]

w3 wUd hAvE w0n 11 iN thE sofT SEc.

Stop day drinking already. JFC

 

[homes]

I liked the original post. It was a good season. I would have loved a win over Wisconsin. Not a good game to have Welch out for and may have made the difference. 9 wins and a chance for a 10 win season should never be taken for granted.

I’ll leave the conference comparisons to others for now.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

No, I'm not. It's totally asinine to call the Big Ten a strong conference when everyone got a shitload of guaranteed wins beating the piss out of teams like Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue and Northwestern. The Big Ten has 5 decent above average teams that cannibalized each other, one really good team, and a bunch of utter dogshit. With the exception of Wisconsin's bedshitting at Illinois, none of the above average teams lost to any of the dogshit, and none of them came even remotely close to the big dog.

So! In any given year, the top 4-6 teams are the "big dogs". The next 10-12 teams are above average. Anything ranked below about 16th is ready for the pooper scooper.

And you're an Iowa fan. That's got to be painful. Have you ever considered Buddhism?

 

[okeefe4prez]

So! In any given year, the top 4-6 teams are the "big dogs". The next 10-12 teams are above average. Anything ranked below about 16th is ready for the pooper scooper.

And you're an Iowa fan. That's got to be painful. Have you ever considered Buddhism?

Yes, you get it. This year there are 3 teams that have a legit shot at the title. Whoever gets #4 is gonna be like years past where Michigan State, Notre Dame and Washington went to the playoff. Just cannon fodder.

Even when the BCS era was rolling, I just had a hope that Iowa would win the Rose Bowl once in my life. I have since abandoned that as an unrealistic expectation. Because I don't cling to some unrealistic notion that Iowa can beat Ohio State and then two top 4 teams in consecutive games, watching Iowa is enjoyable for me.

In my lifetime, Iowa has had one team that I thought could play with anyone that year and that was the 2009 squad. Under the modern structure, I would not expect a team like that one, which IMHO was the best Iowa team under Ferentz or Fry, to be able to win 3 consecutive big games.

Just because I have realistic expectations for Iowa does not mean that I can't enjoy the rest of college football. I find the SEC games to be fantastic football. I used to watch a lot of Big Ten ball in the days before all the games getting nationally televised and it was great. But Ohio State is an insurmountable juggernaut in the conference, at least for now. There is not much parity between 1 and 6 save for that one turd game a year OSU had played prior to this year. Games like LSU-Alabama, the Iron Bowl, the world's largest outdoor cocktail party, Auburn-Georgia and LSU-Auburn are just vastly better football than the shit we get served in the Big Ten. Michigan can't give OSU a game. I hate PSU and think they should have gotten the death penalty so I don't care to watch them at all. Wisconsin and Iowa are good, but they've always got one or two deficiencies that keep them out or Lady Luck just is never on their side (e.g., Stanzi going down in 2009 or Wisconsin inexplicably choking when they had Russell Wilson).

 

[clownkilla]

"Some people just like to bitch about things". -Abe Lincoln

The BIG10 is one of, if not THEE, toughest conference. Fact.

 

[okeefe4prez]

"Some people just like to bitch about things". -Abe Lincoln

The BIG10 is one of, if not THEE, toughest conference. Fact.

The Big Ten is absolutely light years ahead of the Big 8, the Pac 10, the Big East and the ACC. However, it is not tougher than the SEC. Granted, the bottom teams in both the SEC and Big Ten suck, but the SEC has no one as inept as Rutgers right now.

 

[clownkilla]

The Big Ten is absolutely light years ahead of the Big 8, the Pac 10, the Big East and the ACC. However, it is not tougher than the SEC. Granted, the bottom teams in both the SEC and Big Ten suck, but the SEC has no one as inept as Rutgers right now.

We shall see come bowl season! .. can't wait!

 

[haydensly]

Yes, you get it. This year there are 3 teams that have a legit shot at the title. Whoever gets #4 is gonna be like years past where Michigan State, Notre Dame and Washington went to the playoff. Just cannon fodder.

Even when the BCS era was rolling, I just had a hope that Iowa would win the Rose Bowl once in my life. I have since abandoned that as an unrealistic expectation. Because I don't cling to some unrealistic notion that Iowa can beat Ohio State and then two top 4 teams in consecutive games, watching Iowa is enjoyable for me.

In my lifetime, Iowa has had one team that I thought could play with anyone that year and that was the 2009 squad. Under the modern structure, I would not expect a team like that one, which IMHO was the best Iowa team under Ferentz or Fry, to be able to win 3 consecutive big games.

Just because I have realistic expectations for Iowa does not mean that I can't enjoy the rest of college football. I find the SEC games to be fantastic football. I used to watch a lot of Big Ten ball in the days before all the games getting nationally televised and it was great. But Ohio State is an insurmountable juggernaut in the conference, at least for now. There is not much parity between 1 and 6 save for that one turd game a year OSU had played prior to this year. Games like LSU-Alabama, the Iron Bowl, the world's largest outdoor cocktail party, Auburn-Georgia and LSU-Auburn are just vastly better football than the shit we get served in the Big Ten. Michigan can't give OSU a game. I hate PSU and think they should have gotten the death penalty so I don't care to watch them at all. Wisconsin and Iowa are good, but they've always got one or two deficiencies that keep them out or Lady Luck just is never on their side (e.g., Stanzi going down in 2009 or Wisconsin inexplicably choking when they had Russell Wilson).

Your love of all things "Southern" doesn't necessarily play well on this board. It's not only football. It academics, quality of life and all manner of things. I get it, you are inundated by the local media and it has you convinced of the superiority of Southern life. You're better than us "stupid Northerners". Well, it's insulting to many people, as you can tell by the replies. Bring some real facts and back it up and if you can't, give it a rest.

I like a lot of your takes on the Hawks but I have to wonder it you are a real fan. Why don't you just pick a local (for you) team?

 

[clownkilla]

Wouldn't conference teams ranked... play a factor in toughest conference? Last I checked Big10 has SIX

 

[HuckFinn]

Thanks for a first class hijack of this thread after a nice start by the OP. You are the man, O’Keef!

 

[GoHawks24]

How has no one mentioned yet that it's complete bullshit that the SEC (ACC, too) plays an 8-game conference schedule?? Let's see them bump up to a 9-game schedule like the B1G, B12, P12 and see how they do.

 

[clownkilla]

They need to have NIT tournament for football. Our bottom of the barrel vs the other bottom of the barrel conferences.

Why? Because godammniy I'm not ready for college football to be over!!!

 

[pythagoras]

The Big Ten is absolutely light years ahead of the Big 8, the Pac 10, the Big East and the ACC. However, it is not tougher than the SEC. Granted, the bottom teams in both the SEC and Big Ten suck, but the SEC has no one as inept as Rutgers right now.

Stop posting, You're half way to China already.

 

[ssckelley]

According to Sports Reference the SEC ranks 3rd in strength of schedule, behind the Big Ten and the Pac12. The SEC has been the dominate conference for a while, it's fair to say the Big Ten is better this year. The Big Ten is number 1 in SOS and SRS (Simple Rating System).

The bowl games should be fun.

 

[AreWeThereYet]

The Big Ten is absolutely light years ahead of the Big 8, the Pac 10, the Big East and the ACC. However, it is not tougher than the SEC. Granted, the bottom teams in both the SEC and Big Ten suck, but the SEC has no one as inept as Rutgers right now.

I do't know about that. The wheels have completely fallen off of Arkansas, and Vanderbilt ain't far above Rutgers either. Maryland is down there too. Kansas may be better than all four, but not by much.

 

[okeefe4prez]

How has no one mentioned yet that it's complete bullshit that the SEC (ACC, too) plays an 8-game conference schedule?? Let's see them bump up to a 9-game schedule like the B1G, B12, P12 and see how they do.

Nah, I don't like that idea. I'd rather see the NCAA mandate that everyone has to play at least 10 P5 games during the season. If the SEC wants to play 8, fine, but they are going to have to play 2 OOC. If the Big Ten wants to stay at 9, fine, just pick up one OOC. The schedules in September need to get better and I want to see the SEC maybe play a few games up north in November in lieu of their rent-a-victim week the week before Thanksgiving.

 

[pythagoras]

Nah, I don't like that idea. I'd rather see the NCAA mandate that everyone has to play at least 10 P5 games during the season. If the SEC wants to play 8, fine, but they are going to have to play 2 OOC. If the Big Ten wants to stay at 9, fine, just pick up one OOC. The schedules in September need to get better and I want to see the SEC maybe play a few games up north in November in lieu of their rent-a-victim week the week before Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile in reality every conference should be playing 9 conference games.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Your love of all things "Southern" doesn't necessarily play well on this board. It's not only football. It academics, quality of life and all manner of things. I get it, you are inundated by the local media and it has you convinced of the superiority of Southern life. You're better than us "stupid Northerners". Well, it's insulting to many people, as you can tell by the replies. Bring some real facts and back it up and if you can't, give it a rest.

I like a lot of your takes on the Hawks but I have to wonder it you are a real fan. Why don't you just pick a local (for you) team?

Viewed objectively, has there been a Big Ten game with conference title implications this year that was as good as the Iron Bowl was yesterday? How about the Auburn-LSU game? Or Bama-LSU? No. Ohio State-Michigan is the marquis game and it has sucked rather frequently because Michigan has fallen off a cliff.

There have been good Big Ten games, like MSU v. Illinois or Iowa v. Nebraska. But when you have your marquis final games both ending in 21+ point blowouts, the product isn't really that exciting and the NATIONAL TV ratings bear that out.

In terms of "facts" to back up the superiority of Southern football, I posit the number of national titles and number of teams winning them since the BCS era began as Exhibit A. Exhibit B is head to head in the bowls between the B1G and SEC the past several years. Exhibit C is the number of guys in the NFL by state of birth. Exhibit D is shit ass Troy beating Nebraska last year. What else do you need? Iowa and Wisconsin are the only B1G teams that consistently can hold serve against the SEC in bowl games and even Iowa has been prone to some massive turds in those games.

 

[okeefe4prez]

Meanwhile in reality every conference should be playing 9 conference games.

Why? That tells you nothing about the relative strength of the conferences. The SEC tried to set good rivalry games when they split the divisions with Bama-UT (when UT was ungodly good), LSU-Florida and Auburn-Georgia. The SEC title game with LSU-UGA will draw far more ratings than the shitty rematch of OSU thumping Wisconsin yet again. Hell, if the Big Ten only had 8 games, Wisconsin would likely be sitting there with its one loss to Illinois and the game would actually have some buzz.