The
Death of the Big Ten
January
10, 2008
The
Big Ten has fallen out of the BCS system.
For now, they are like the Mountain West or MAC, decent schools but no
one is scared of them.
Mondays
BCS Championship Game has finally done it for me. No one has been a bigger supporter or sympathizer for the
Big 10 than me over the past few years.
I
was constantly saying:
- The Big 10 is one of the best conferences. We just beat each other up, and
thatÕs why the records look so bad.
- We werenÕt healthy
or ready in the early intra-conference games
- We werenÕt healthy
for the bowl games.
- We are better than
the SEC. Look at the 2006-7
bowl games. The SECÕs #3
& 4 (Arkansas & Tennessee) were beaten by the Big 10Õs #3 & 4 (Wisconsin & Penn
State).
- Ohio State was not
mentally ready for a challenge in 2007. Everyone had already anointed them and Florida
surprised them.
- Michigan could have
won the 2007 Rose Bowl against USC, but a few penalties killed them.
- Michigan was not
healthy in the loss to Appalachian State.
- Michigan was not
healthy in the crushing defeat by Oregon
- EtcÉ
The
hard facts came into focus in the second quarter Monday night.
- The only ranked
teams that Ohio State beat were in the Big 10.
- From the final
rankings the only team that Ohio State played in the top 15, Illinois,
beat them.
- Big Ten
quarterbacks with the exception of Chad Henne do not perform well under
pressure and are prone to throw interceptions.
- Big Ten
quarterbacks with the exception of Juice Williams are immobile, big
targets
- Big Ten coaches get
shaky in big games and play not to lose
After this latest debacle, Ohio State is
finished. Their confidence is
crushed. That flapping sound
youÕre hearing is the top Ohio high school recruits running hard to the SEC and
PAC 10. There is no longer an
incentive to play for the great state university. Even Illinois is stealing some of their top talent.
The
juxtaposition between Ohio State and a winning program was summed up when a
sideline reporter interviewed JaMarcus Russell and Troy Smith. Russell was the tall guy who was
the top pick in last yearÕs draft wearing the expensive and fashionable sweater
with the ridiculous bling. Smith
was the other guy the same size as the reporter wearing an izod t-shirt who
went in the 5th round.
Which one is from the SEC? And which one is from the Big 10? If you were a tall, skilled, athlete
which school would you go to, LSU or OSU?
Next
year, I donÕt care if Ohio State goes 100-0, donÕt put them in the BCS
Championship. They will only
embarrass themselves and the Big 10 again. Give the people what they want. SEC vs. PAC 10 or Big 12.
While
IÕm bitchinÕ, it is time for a playoff.
I think USC or West Virginia would have beaten LSU. But what do I know, I thought Ohio
State would be ready to compete.
We should have USC, WV, LSU, and Georgia play to decide the
champion.
In
the future let everyone else go a minor bowl game, while the top eight teams
decide the championship in a three-week playoff. The Rose, Orange, Sugar, and Fiesta bowls can host all the
playoff games. They would just
rotate the semis and final every year.
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The Grim Reaper has come for the worst conference
in college football. Photo at http://www.chrissniderdesign.com/Images/JPG/sports%20buttons/COLLEGE%20downloads/big10.jpg |
