Shots at the Big Ten

[MNSpaniel]

If I am not at the U of M football games, I am usually hunting or doing something outside. I don't spend too much time watching other games on TV. Yesterday it was raining all day so I had one of those days in front of TV watching football games. I was channel surfing and I was really surprised how many shots analysts took at the Big 10 and Ohio State in general. When Alabama didn't blow people away ... "This is what good teams do when they are tested. They find ways to win." When Ohio State had a bit of a let down playing an inferior team "It is a major weakness in their team. They give up too many big plays to be ranked with the other big dogs." I was just surprised ... it was station after station taking shots. I know others have mentioned it on here but it was the first time I have witnessed the bias.

 

[hungan1]

And there is no SEC bias?

 

[MNSpaniel]

And there is no SEC bias?

I was quite apparent ... Then we we do play these other schools in a bowl game it is basically a home game for them. All the games are in their backyards. In bowl season I don't know if there is a neutral site.

 

[station19]

I did not take any shots.

 

[GophersInIowa]

They've always made excuses for the SEC. When there is an upset in the SEC, it shows how deep the conference is. When it happens in another conference, it's because the conference isn't that strong.

 

[ruppertflywheel]

Well, the way to shut people up is the bowl season.

 

[Gopher07]

Well, the way to shut people up is the bowl season.

This. IMO, the top B1G teams can't keep losing the majority of their marquee games if the perception of the conference is to improve. In the last three years, in BCS, Capital One and Outback Bowls, the conference is 3-8. The SEC in that time is 8-4 in those bowl games. In the BCS, the Pac-12 is 4-2 (with Stanford and Oregon going to BCS bowls each of the last three years).

 

[Iceland12]

Well, the way to shut people up is the bowl season.

Damn right, particularly after how bad the Non-Conference schedule went. Losses to (take a deep breath) Missouri, Navy, Washington, Notre Dame(twice), UCLA, Cincinnati, NIU (TWICE), UCF and yeah the Badgers loss to Arizona State. No tears shed, very badly handled by Officials, but they could have just spiked the damn ball.

The big wins? Michigan got one against Notre Dame and the Illini beat Cincy. Victories over Cal and Syracuse don't really look that good now do they? Come to think of it beating the Irish and Bearcats doesn't sound that big either.

Looking at those losses is there any question why the Big Ten isn't highly regarded?

 

[GophersInIowa]

Damn right, particularly after how bad the Non-Conference schedule went. Losses to (take a deep breath) Missouri, Navy, Washington, Notre Dame(twice), UCLA, Cincinnati, NIU (TWICE), UCF and yeah the Badgers loss to Arizona State. No tears shed, very badly handled by Officials, but they could have just spiked the damn ball.

The big wins? Michigan got one against Notre Dame and the Illini beat Cincy. Victories over Cal and Syracuse don't really look that good now do they? Come to think of it beating the Irish and Bearcats doesn't sound that big either.

Looking at those losses is there any question why the Big Ten isn't highly regarded?

There is no doubt the conference is way down. With that said, I think the Big Ten gets criticized a lot more than other conferences for whatever reason. No doubt the SEC is the best conference, followed by the PAC-12.

After that it is really up in the air. I'd put the Big Ten over the ACC right now. Florida St. and Clemson are great, but after them they are very mediocre.

The Big 12 has Baylor and Oklahoma St. Texas and Oklahoma are okay, and TT has come down to earth. I'd put the Big 12 3rd overall but just barely.

 

[Great Plains Gopher]

Big Ten teams hit their stride in November, in November weather. Then they have a long layoff and go to warm climates for the festivities and distractions of bowl games, which are home games for the sunbelt teams. I think this has something to do with the relative poor showing of B1G teams in bowls in recent years, though it's not the whole story.

 

[Gopherguy0723]

Big Ten teams hit their stride in November, in November weather. Then they have a long layoff and go to warm climates for the festivities and distractions of bowl games, which are home games for the sunbelt teams. I think this has something to do with the relative poor showing of B1G teams in bowls in recent years, though it's not the whole story.

I think the sole reason is a lack of talent. I think discussions about weather and being distracted are nothing but excuses.

 

[GophersInIowa]

I think the sole reason is a lack of talent. I think discussions about weather and being distracted are nothing but excuses.

I think talent is the main reason but I don't think it is the sole reason.

 

[Iceland12]

I think the sole reason is a lack of talent. I think discussions about weather and being distracted are nothing but excuses.

Was it "talent" that made Wisconsin ignore spiking the ball against Arizona State?