In the aftermath of Ohio State’s 38-24 loss to LSU, ESPN’s Kirk Hirbstreet had some damning words about the public perception of Big 10 football.
“People see the Big 10 and rank it somewhere between the MAC and Conference USA,” Herbstreet said on ESPN, reiterating several times that the opinion wasn’t his, rather the one of fans and followers around the country.
Anchor Chris Fowler agreed, and took it a step further. Folwer argued no one in the Big 10 wants to see a playoff system because one good team, like Ohio State has been the past two seasons, can run through a relatively easy conference schedule all the way to the title game. While teams in the SEC and Pac-10 battle tough conference foes every week, a sound team in the Big 10 could roll through conference play unscathed and play in the championship game, even if they aren’t one of the country’s two best teams, Fowler said.
One thing is clear: a second straight shellacking in the title game at the hands of an SEC team not only makes Ohio State looks bad, but also its conference. Fans of Illinois, Michigan, and Iowa should have been pulling for the Buckeyes last night for that very reason. It’s now possible that Ohio State has done more harm then good by going to and losing two consecutive championship games.
But could it be that this wasn’t just a down year for Big 10 teams, but rather all teams as a whole? It’s easy to bash the Big 10’s 3-5 record in bowl season that included two BCS blowouts, but other conferences weren’t overly impressive either.
Even the mighty SEC struggled in bowl season, despite a 7-2 record. Everyone knew the two teams at the top were good, and LSU and Georgia showed it by winning BSC games convincingly. But the middle of the SEC, supposedly far superior to the same section of other conferences, didn’t exactly blow the doors of their competition.
Kentucky won by only a touchdown over a Florida State team that was missing approximately 96% of their team to suspensions. Alabama wasn’t much better, barely surviving against an underwhelming Colorado team that finished Big 12 play at 6-6. Arkansas got smoked by a good Missouri team, and don’t forget Michigan beat down Florida and Tennessee barely survived Wisconsin on New Years day.
The question now is can the Big 10 turn it around the next few seasons. After a rough 2007, there doesn’t seem to be anywhere to go but up, and thankfully there are lots of signs that point in that direction too.
Start with Ohio State, Big 10 champions and national runners-up the previous two seasons. Few expected the Buckeyes to make it as far as they did in 2007 because they started on only one senior on defense. Ohio State should be even better next year, even if they do lose Vernon Gholston or James Laurinaitis to the NFL.
The other classic Big 10 power, Michigan, hit rock bottom with a talented core of seniors this past season, and will begin to rebuild around a different philosophy under new head coach Rich Rodriguez. The nation’s top high school senior, quarterback Terrell Pryor, could be on his way, but if not, Ryan Mallett should be able to improve on a solid freshman campaign. It would be hard to believe Michigan would ever be as bad as they were in 2007 again in the near future, and could be back in a BCS game very soon. Remember, the Wolverines started 2007 ranked in the top 5 by almost everyone. The talent is still at Michigan, and they won’t be pushovers again any time soon.
Illinois began a new era this season, and should be able to build on it next year, with a young team returning many key parts, besides for running back Rashard Mendenhall. Juice Williams should be better then ever next year, and Big 10 Freshman of the Year Arrelious Benn is part of the reason why. The Illini have another strong incoming freshman class for next season, as Ron Zook continues to recruit all over the country.
Penn State, Iowa, and Purdue should be able to bounce back from underwhelming seasons, and Michigan State showed steady improvement under first year head coach Mark Dantonio.
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Comments
Editors Note: Mallett is transferring.
Outlook for 2008:
1. Ohio State
2. Wisconsin
3. Michigan
4. Illinois
5. Penn State
Come on, you can't say man for man that the rosters for SEC teams aren't better than the Big 10. Big Ten football IS dead until they learn to adapt, or create ways to enable them to compete.
there isnt a team in the nation that has the receivers Michigan has, or the tackles. Ohio State may have the best linebackers in the country consistently over the last 5 years.
USC's linebackers are better than OSU's over the past five seasons. I'm not saying OSU doesn't have very good LB's, they do, just not as good as USC. The WR's don't matter unless you have a QB who can get them the ball, which takes you back to USC with their QB/WR/RB group that trumps everyone. I'd say LSU would question you with the tackles, or maybe Oklahoma.
Then you go to the 'speed/athlete' positions like RB and DB. The SEC and Pac-10 hold decided edges over the Big-10 in those areas with Florida (DB's) and USC (RB's) leading the way.
Just re-watch the LSU/OSU and Illinois/USC games and tell me that the team speed and schemes of the non-Big Ten teams didn't have a lot to do with the outcome.
The question isn't whether the Big 10 is better then the SEC because it certainly isn't. I'm just saying that the Big 10 isn't as bad as people think it is. To go a step further on what Paine said, I would argue that Ohio State had the best defensive end (Gholston), lineback (Laurinitaus), and cornerback (Jenkins) in the country this year.
As for a 2008 ranking, I pretty much agree with KA, especially if all those good juniors at Wisconsin come back. Purdue is always competitive too.
The Pac 10 has never produced the corners that the SEC has. The Pac 10 corners are far inferior to Big Ten corners. I was speaking about offensive tackles at Michigan and I am right about that no question.
If you want to say that LSU and Georgie are better than the Big Ten teams, fine, they are this year. If you want to say that USC is better than the Big Ten this year, fine, they were. Hell, Oregon may have been better too. But that is a long way from being a significantly better conference. They just aren't.
Not only that, but as far as scheme goes, it is a ridiculous statement to think that the Big 10 is behind the times. schools like Purdue and Iowa have been at the forefront of revolutionizing the way tailbacks enter the pass pattern. Michigan and Michigan State are very advanced in term of how they use crossing routes to force schools into zone shifting to enhance yards after catch. Ohio State, Iowa, and Wisconsin are all very advanced defensively in terms of how they incorporate blitzing linebackers into zone blitzes. Don't listen to pundits to give you reasons bowl losses. They don't know anything.
I'm talking from what I see....I watch the games, too. There is a big difference between these schools, open up your eyes.
I thought you were talking about Def. tackles, obviously, and the Michigan tackles pale in comparison to the one's @ USC. DB's include safeties and not just corners, of which Florida is probably at the top of the list. When speaking of these elite conferences I'm speaking of the Pac-10 and SEC, which are both better..top to bottom than the Big Ten. IU/Northwestern/Iowa/MSU wouldn't win three games a season in the SEC.
The schemes that these Big Ten teams are using might be 'innovative' when used against each other, but when they run into an actual elite team, instead of some mediocre team from the Midwest, they get blown away. Look at the USC/Florida/LSU blocking schemes and the way the LSU defensive front schemes. The stuff the Big Ten teams are using are from five/ten years ago...they aren't ahead of the times. You can talk all you want about Purdue/MSU/Iowa but they aren't winning that many games and aren't making a run at the national title.
Also, I'm taking the Michigan win over Florida as a statistical outlier as the players were playing for A) a coach who was coaching his final game and B) NFL Draft position, as they seem to have a bunch of them leaving now.
I believe it to be horsecrap as well. I think the major reason BigTen teams fair poorly in bowls is simply because they don't play as late as other teams. They lose conditioning, rhythm and focus due to being off of the game for over a month where as SEC teams and Pac 10 teams, with their schedules and tourneys have the opportunity to play two weeks longer and only have a couple of weeks off leading into bowl season.