FLORIDA CINCI

[KirkHerbstreit]

Is the Big Ten Conference sweating now???

Explain to me why they would be sweating? They knocked off the 5th, 10th, and 11th ranked teams according to the sagarin ratings that you pitters love to go by. Michigan State was ranked 58th and playing without starters while Texas tech was ranked 31st. Texas Tech lost a coach that most of the team did not like. They did not have more adversity than Michigan State just more to talk about.

[El-Moldo]

They're sweating because when you consistantly have a football conference which annually has a losing bowl record, it's a great big public relations problem. Even the announcers of the bowl games involving Big Ten schools have recognized as much. This Iowa game is crucial to the perception that the Big Ten is as good as other conferences.

[KirkHerbstreit]

They're sweating because when you consistantly have a football conference which annually has a losing bowl record, it's a great big public relations problem. Even the announcers of the bowl games involving Big Ten schools have recognized as much. This Iowa game is crucial to the perception that the Big Ten is as good as other conferences.

Bzzt wrong. Fans like you look at the overall record. Knowledgable people look at who they have played and the matchups and make their opinions on the conference. The Big Ten was off the hook this year the minute Ohio State beat Oregon. They've beated 3 ranked teams. The Big East played one ranked team and got clobbered. You really think any sane analyst is going to look at the Big East and say wow they had a great Bowl Season 4-2 with wins over Central Florida, Northern Illinois, UNC, and South Carolina?. No they are going to look at Cincy getting crushed and WVU losing to Florida State.

[retro1530]

How many ranked teams have the Big East beaten this bowl season?

And how many have the Big Ten beaten?

[El-Moldo]

Look. Bowl committees pair teams up as best that they can. They try to make the games as challenging and interesting as possible. Then the games are played. Most teams have a month to prepare for one opponent. Then the BIg Ten teams play and usually lose. What else can we say?? You PSU guys try to get into some sophisticated theories of why Big Ten teams lose alot. Again, don't worry about other bowl games. Just worry about how your conference does, and how they can change their image as bowl losers.

[deliverance]

Texas Tech lost a coach that most of the team did not like. They did not have more adversity than Michigan State just more to talk about.

Most of the players did not like him? Really? Why would they have accepted a scholarship to play for him if they did not like him? Of course, you aren't going to make everyone happy, but the only players that really cried about Leach were the ones that did not play. Isn't that usually how that works?

[KirkHerbstreit]

Sophisticated theories? Man you're hopeless. There is nothing sophisticated about it. The Big Ten plays higher ranked and better teams in their bowls. That's a fact. They've beaten 3 teams ranked in the top 15 this bowl season. Fact. No one is going to care that a shorthanded Michigan St. Team lost to Texas Tech, or that Northwestern lost to Auburn in overtime. They are going to look at the top teams and see that they beat the ranked teams they played. Keep clinging to those wins over Central Florida and Norther Illinois.

[El-Moldo]

The Big Ten plays HIGHER ranked teams in bowls???? No wonder. Two of the 7 Big Ten bowl teams were 6-6 in the regular season and now have losing records to finish this year. EVERYONE is better than them. Again, maybe the Big Ten can actually have some GOOD teams as bowl representatives in the years to come.

[The Ancient Enemy]

Michigan State had 12 kids suspended, but that's nowhere close to the adversity at Texas Tech?

They lost by 10 points to a team I figured would beat them by 40. That was a horrendous matchup for a weak MSU pass defense. I'd say they actually played pretty well.

Let me ask you guys something. If all the bowl teams are all 6-6 or better, that means they are all included in the "upper 50%" of all the division 1 teams this season. So, with that being said, why do you expect the SEC, BE, B10, anyone, to go undefeated in bowl season? Isn't a 50% success rate more rational? Why do you expect to see ANY conference win all these games against pretty good teams? To me, winning half your bowls seems more appropriate. Of course you want to win them all and bump your chest, but that expectation is pretty whack.

[abpk2903]

Moldo,

Bowl Committees have little to do with bowl selection. Most all of the bowls are tie-ins. When you play in a weak conference (Big Easy) you have cake walk bowl games. Great for the records but look at the money with these tie-ins. Look at my thread from the beginning of the bowl season about the bowl payouts and this will become even more apparent. Go ahead and be proud of you record but when you conference continually gets raided because athletic programs can't meet the budget don't come whining.