How good is the Big Ten?

[abpk2903]

Notre Dame is an independent so they are easy to use for an example. ND is considered to be pretty good Agree? MSU beat them and now that they have started conference play they are 2-5 in the conference. So a middle of the pack to the lower half of the pack beats a top ten team and can't win in the big ten. ND beat Tennessee which is in close to the same situation in the SEC as MSU in the Big Ten but Tenn. lost. Remember Wisconsin beat Bowling Green which was suppose to be a top 20 team also isn't that a big win. Indiana beat Kentucky who almost beat Tenn. which is a Big Win for a team that has been the Vandy of the Big Ten the last 10 years.

[snake-eyes]

bdftbllham55....a few things. I never said in any of my posts that PSU or Ohio State does not have talent. Please read more carefully! Their LBs are tops in the nation and the WRs are right their too in terms of talent. I am simply implying that rankings dont mean squat so a good team has to be based on head to head competition. No one in the Big Ten has played and beat a big conference opponent this year minus an upset over ND by Mich St who stinks. Therefore, PSU and Ohio State may be tops in the Big Ten, but nationally I do not think they are as good as the other top dogs from the SEC, ACC, Pac-10 (USC) and Big 12. Sure they have one or two losses (beating up on lesser teams and themselves not testing the waters of a bigger school), but head to head I do not think they are favored against any of the these conferences top 1-2-3 teams in some cases. Especially on a neutral field. Simple! Ohio State couldnt even beat Texas at home with a lead. I bet they would never go to Texas to play??

Also, I have only ever posted a few times and I am not sure why I got labeled as a Pitt lover?? I never mentioned them anywhere and the topic isnt about Pitt or the Big East. I am not even from western Pa. I just stumbled on this sight. The jealosy you have toward that school must run deep.

As for Ancient Enemy, keep posting b/c your points make less and less sense every time and I get a good kick out them. Your points about money and attendence are well taken and I see some points, but none of them have any meaning or baring on this topic. Please reread the previous posts so you can make a good argument for the Big Ten and their on field talent right now. By the way, the smaller conferences thank PSU and the rest of the Big Ten for their generosity to provide them with money and a$$whooping for being easy wins. Because everyone knows that the amount of revenue PSU would get for hosting or playing at Miami or Texas or USC or ND in terms of sponsorships and TV deals (thats where the the real money is not in paid tickets you dolt) would be far less then having a home game against Temple or Akron.

Attendence is a mere fraction of these schools revenue.

[ham55]

[quote="snake-eyes";p="111297"]
So with that being said, how can the Big Ten be strong this year? They may get into 2 BSC games b/c of their tradition, but it won't be b/c of talent. They better hope they match up against Alabama or they will lose both games.
[/quote]

I guess you forgot about this part? Where you said that PSU and Ohio State better hope to match-up vs. Alabama or they'll lose, because they have lesser talent.

Do you honestly consider FSU's win over Syracuse that big of an accomplishment?

[Goodwill]

Penn State would match up with anyone in the country this season exculding USC. The Big Ten is, in my opinion, the best overall conference in college football. Every conference has good and bad teams and its easy to see who is playing well and who isn't. The Big Ten has Ill and IN, SEC has Vandy and Miss State, ACC has Duke and NC State, Big 12 has Baylor and Ok State, Pac 10 has Wash and Wash State these teams are bad so it doesn't take a rocket sciencists to figure out every conference has them.

On the other hand who has the best overall conference. http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/standings

When Neb was on top their OC games were weak, no one complained. WVU the last couple of years has been playing D 1 AA schools once a year. Heck FSU did the samething and Bowden is a god. So for all you clowns whinning how bad the Big Ten is get a grip.

[fleaflicker]

In fact, apk, Ohio State is playing AT TEXAS next season, as part of a home and home deal. You should try and get your facts straight. So tell me then, who has USC, Miami, and LSU beaten that are so great outside of their respective conferences?

And why don't you try and tell us all how horrible the Big Ten is after bowl season? They'll probably have 7 or 8 teams that go bowling, so they must not be that bad to have only 3 or 4 teams that don't get winning records.

[The Ancient Enemy]

You have got to be kidding me. A few years ago, PSU kicked the living crap out an Arizona team that was ranked 3-4 in the country in the kickoff classic. They have played USC a couple times in kickoff classics, have Alabama on the near schedule (hey, it's not our fault they pushed it back a few years), have a Notre Dame team that has generated a fire in the pants of every ill-informed "fan" of the game, and has recently played Nebraska in home and home series. Yeah, Nebraska was a little down as of late, but that schedule wasn't made the Monday before the contest. When that Nebraska series was scheduled both teams were stout. We are talking about 2003 here. PSU has not had 15 years where their OOC games were Temple, Kent State, and Mexico City Community College.

What I want to know is, what conferences are so much better than the Big Ten? THIS YEAR, it is hard not to say that the SEC is a little down. Tennessee is in the toilet, Auburn took a step back, Florida struggles still, Georgia is ALWAYS good for 2-3 losses a season, Alabama has no offense (might i remind you that they returned practically their whole "vaunted" defense after losing to Minnesota in a bowl game) and LSU is the top team. From top to bottom who is better? The ACC? Maybe the ACC. It sure as hell isn't the Big 12 or Pac-10. There is NO case for the Big 12. So, at WORST, even saying the SEC is better, the Big Ten is third. How is that so bad? How is that worth all the ridicule? Third place out of 12 conferences. Might I remind you again that if OSU wins that game tomorrow, they will probably get an at-large bid. PSU wins, you have TWO Big Ten teams in BCS games. But then you say that OSU is ranked because of tradition. Have you seen them play? They are a great team. They probably should be undefeated right now, especially should have beaten Texas, in a game where they did everything in their power to lose.

Does OSU and PSU and Iowa and Michigan not do just as well in recruiting as the top 3-4 teams in the other conferences? Where is this ridicule based that the "on-field" players aren't as good? I guess people from OSU and UM don't get drafted.

[snake-eyes]

b....ham55, you make no sense and I now question your ability to read like Ancient Enemy. How can you get me saying "PSU and OSU have no talent" from "they have lesser talent than the other top teams"?? Just curious?? And no I dont hold stock into Florida St beating Syracuse who stinks, but I do give them credit for playing Florida and Syracuse as their out of conference games this year.

So you want to know who have other teams beat? I just listed them a few posts ago and no one commented on it. Here are a few the stick out that ring a bell. LSU AT Arizona St (very good team), Miami against Colorado (1st place in the Big 12 North) and Va Tech AT West Virginia. Please go READ that post...it tells a lot.

Ancient Enemy, you arguments have no validity. Let me help you out with the strength of conferences that you started and I will provide my opinion with some facts and validity. First, lets look at the 5 big boys (no need to throw in the MAC and SWAC or even the Big East who has to earn a big boy status again). So that leaves the ACC, SEC, PAC10, Big 12 and Big Ten. Those are the top 5 who claim to be powers. You already admitted that the ACC is superior (I agree) and you have given me the SEC too (I agree as well). Now I have to get the Big 12 as a better conference as they they are 2-0 this year against the Big Ten and the Big Ten is obviously 0-2 (Texas over OSU and Iowa St over Iowa). So how can they not be better right?? So that leaves the Big Ten and Pac10. The top 3 in the Big Ten are PSU, OSU and Mich against USC, UCLA and Oregon or Arizona St. I give that 1-1 and a toss up on the third game if not an edge to Oregon or Arizona St over Michigan. The Big Ten is the weakest of the big boys. Sure they are better than the smaller conference (as evidence by their out of conference opponents).

I do remember 1999 when PSU played Arizona. The was awesome!!!!

[fleaflicker]

You are full of $h!t. You're gonna tell me that the Big 12 is better than the Big 10 because of TWO games. Whoa whoa whoa. Let's look at this. Texas is the best team in the conference, and Iowa State just beat your North Division leader. So those two are pretty decent teams. What about the rest of the conference though? Baylor is no good. Oklahoma State sucks. Nebraska is down. Missouri stinks. The two Kansas teams aren't any good. Texas A&M is down near the rest of the Big 12. Texas Tech isn't any hot stuff, and in fact, they're overrated. They play in a weak conference. How many games would they lose playing Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue, Michigan State, Wisconsin, and Northwestern? I'd say they'd lose at LEAST FOUR GAMES! And if you think they'd lose only two, then you have no clue what you are talking about.

By the way, West Virginia has had a patsy schedule, and is good for two to three losses in any other conference. Arizona State has already had 5 losses, and are playing just to get into a bowl game at this point, and Colorado, while having only 3 losses, has only played 3 decent teams (thus the three losses). So these 'tough' teams aren't really that tough at all. You should really learn what you are talking about before you try and tell me that the Big 12 (OH MY GOD) is better than the Big Ten. This makes me wonder not whether or not you know what you are talking about (you obviously don't), but what you've been smoking.

[snake-eyes]

Fleapecker, nothing you said justified the Big 12 not being better than the Big Ten. They are 0-2 and thats all we have to go on. Their stud beat your stud on the ROAD no less and a mid level team bet your mid level team. How about this, Michigan (soon to have 4 losses as you all predict) is the Big Ten's 3rd best team. What does that say for everyone else. I can rattle off the names of all the Big Ten teams just like you did for the Big 12 and say down year. This year the Big Ten is down. It's plain and it's simple. My posts will be further justified when PSU and OSU play their bowl games. Heck, this is what the 3-4 time all year PSU has played a road game. That is a disgrace to college football. They played Ill, Mich St, Mich and NW on the road. The only real team they played so far they lost. And for all you who dont hold stock in home and away games, let me tell you it aint high school with 2000 people, it's 100000 with long days of travel. Playing on the road is so hard. I guess PSU wouldnt know.

[The Ancient Enemy]

You're telling me that Arizona State is better than Michigan? Have you seen Arizona State play a game yet?