Does anyone from the Big 10 deserve to be in the top 15 in 2009?

To refresh memories, I didn't say you weren't the best conference. My point is simply to say the differences between the major conferences is no where near as significant as some would argue... simply looking at the on-the-field records and scores would make most "dominate" arguments moot.

Half of the 11 BCS championship games have been blowouts. Things happen when two teams have weeks and weeks to prepare, travel, etc. It has little to do with conference strength. Hell, Florida got crushed by Nebraska in the mid-90's... was the Big 12 the best conference that year??
And yes, you had a 13-0 team not play in the championship game... that team actually went 15-1 for two years in conference play, yet lost to Georgia Tech and Wisconsin... so what's your point? Penn State's had three years in their history where they were undefeated and weren't crowned Champs... stuff happens.

You guys have some good stuff going on... Florida and LSU have much to be proud of... you would think beating a quality foe would be the testament of your success... not that you won because they sucked.

There's a lot of teams that can play the game.

 

It's that whole pile of conference crap that gets people riled up.

Let's be clear. The SEC doesn't win championships. The team IN the SEC won the championships. One team being better than any other team in the nation does not make the SEC as a whole superior. Florida was WAY better than any other team in the SEC this year. I felt the same about LSU last season although they stumbled a couple of times against inferior opponents.

Last year I felt that LSU, USC and Oklahoma were easily the best three teams in the nation. Unfortunately, none of them got to play each other because they all stumbled. Ohio State backed into a championship game that they had no business being in.

Now back to this Big Ten and SEC thing. Looking at the facts makes things easy to see if you look at them objectively. I.E. take off the damned conference glasses. One things I'll say first though, it is clear that the SEC at the top (iow, the best team in the SEC) has been clearly superior to the best team in the Big 10 over the last few years.

Here are the results.

BCS Bowl Era Bowl Games (because that's what we live in now)

SEC 14 victories
Big Ten 13 victories

Games won by different teams against the other conference (conference depth)

SEC 5 teams have the 14 victories
Big Ten 6 teams have the 13 victories

And finally for the Florida Gator fan earlier.

Florida's record against the Big Ten in bowl games in the BCS era
2-4 (gee good thing Florida did beat Ohio State in 2007 or everyone just might be calling Florida the Big Tens beeaatch) :wink:

Looking at this objectively it shows that the Big Ten and SEC have matched up very well against each other in bowl games. Both conferences have a lot ot be proud of in respect to their teams and traditions.

Cheers.

 

Looking at it objectively the little 10 sucks hind tit.

 

No offense, but you really like making moronic posts, don't you. I'll bet your a regular over at Tigercrap.com.

 

And just like you're rants about how great the little ten really is you would be wrong again.

 

The good news in all this bantering is there will be more conference interaction in the coming years. Penn state has a home and away series with Alabama coming up... Northwestern has the same with Vandy... and Ohio State matches up with Tennessee in a few years.

... so some progress in scheduling.

Ohio State's ooc is fairly impressive with home and aways with Texas, now Southern Cal, and upcoming with Miami fl, Cincy, Cal, VT, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. No telling where these teams will be ranked by the time they play, but certainly the nuts are not afraid to step out.

... wish Iowa could get a home and away with the SEC... we have Pitt and Arizona scheduled, that's about it.... and, to me, "it" sucks....

I'd love to see the Hawkeyes play in Death Valley... and I'm pretty sure you would enjoy playing at Kinnick in our version of "arena football" and our pink visitor's locker room.

 

Big Ten:

The Big Ten needs to schedule a tough OOC schedule. Not just schedule these games, you need to "win" a fair share of them. Your conference needs to learn to compete with the best of the best. I believe our record in "BCS" games, as well as the SEC's, has only proven that we deserve to be there.

We are talking about BCS games, not the other meaningless bowls.

Everything can change every couple of years. Coming to our board and telling us we need a tougher OOC schedule really does nothing for your conference. Our conference has won three in a row, all without your tough OOC hoopla. Yes, a SEC team has won three in a row.

Until your best of the best, start winning the big games, you as a conference will receive no respect.

 

Yup, inference is a tough one, for sure, lol!

Let's see, Florida wins the NC and the inference being, therefore, the SEC was the best conference.

Tennessee 30-6
Ole Miss... 30-31
Arky........ 38-7
LSU......... 51-21
Kentucky.. 63-5
Georgia.....49-10
Vandy...... 42-14
SC........... 56-6
Bama........ 31-20

Total........ 390-130

Yep, there's no doubt Florida winning the NC translates directly into the SEC being the best conference... right?

Btw, there are many years when I think the SEC is the best conference, but it has little to do with who wins the BCS NC.

 

I am a college football fan first and foremost. I bleed LSU purple and gold so obviously LSU is my number 1 team, and the SEC, overall, my favorite conference. I respect the traditions and rivalries of other conferences, and very much enjoy watching other conference games. Having said all of this, you Big Teners have to agree that from top to bottom, the Big 10 (and Pac-10 for that matter) are very, very top heavy. The criticisms of your conferences, and thus its' top teams, is that without a competitive balance, your top teams seem overrated even when they schedule quality OOC opponents. Most of your year is spent playing conference teams you can beat with with your bench. That is why many of us are frustrated with subjective preseason rankings that start you out in the top 5 and all you have to do is lose to OOC team early, get through the cupcake conference games, beat Michigan, await teams ahead of you to lose late in the year, and presto you are in the championship game. That is classically what happens for OSU year after year (surprisingly that formula did not work this year). If you also squashed the OOC opponents, then the criticism would be less, or if your conference had more quality balance when compared to other conferences (i.e. Big 12, SEC, and heck I would even include ACC as they are competitive top to bottom, and are an up and coming conference).

Cheers to college football and it's passionate fans!!!

 

Over the past few years, Florida, LSU, Georgia and Auburn have been your consistent winners... now Bama seems to have upped Auburn... things do tend to go in cycles for some of the other SEC teams.... Arky, Tn... this year Ole Miss.
In the Big Ten it's been OSU, Michigan, PSU and the Wissies, for the most part... with Iowa having a few good years. So, in many years the SEC might be able to throw one more team in the mix of "goodness", but overall, the difference isn't that big of a deal.
Michigan's 3-0 against the SEC this decade, Iowa's 3-1, PSU 1-1, even the Goophies are 2-0 in the bottom of the bucket bowls against the SEC. I think the Wissies are 1-2... the differences just aren't that defined.
The Big Ten was down this year with the Michigan situation and the Wissies not finding a qb, but I also think there was a fair share of SEC teams that would conclude they weren't quite as good as last year, either.
For those who say it's a powderpuff conference game when Penn State plays Iowa... or when Wisconsin plays Iowa... just don't understand the college game.... or are stuck in their own glow.