At least compared to last season, a poor non-conference season for the BIG as a whole. Illinois, Michigan, Purdue and Nebraska, all supposed middle teams or perhaps better, put up especially disappointing non-con records. Illinois has played 4 non-con teams with a pulse, and lost all 4. Michigan went 0-2 against Power 6 teams (and lost to a solid-not-great Toledo team). Nebraska went 1-3 against top 100 non-con teams. Purdue went 1-4 against Power 6 teams, and was drubbed by UCLA and Notre Dame.
As a whole, the BIG went 2-19 (Iowa went 2-1) against non-con teams ranked in this week's AP poll (IU and OSU beat a then ranked Tennessee team playing without Rickea Jackson). Last season, the BIG was 18-20 in non-conference Quad 1 games (this excludes post-season). This year, if I have my numbers straight from WarrenNolan.com, the BIG is 6-24 (Iowa is 3-1) in non-con Quad 1 games. Thus, it is not surprising that the BIG has fallen to 5th in the NET conference ratings. Could hurt some BIG bubble teams come March, and could hurt the seeding of top BIG teams if they stumble in conference.