The further we move along in the college football season, the less impressed I've been with the Big Ten Conference.
Three unbeatens remain after Saturday: Ohio State, who had trouble putting away 0-3 UAB, by the final score of 29-15; Northwestern, who took care of I-AA South Dakota; and lastly Minnesota, who beat Syracuse by a touchdown to improve to 4-0.
Wisconsin had trouble with 1-3 UTEP, beating Mike Price's Miners by 11 points. Michigan State trailed 0-4 Eastern Michigan 7-3 at the half and were up only 9-7 at the end of three, before scoring a couple touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Nebraska beat I-AA Idaho State quite handily. Penn State struggled to beat 1-2 Temple, 24-13. Iowa lost to Central Michigan of the MAC, 32-31. Michigan fell to 2-2 after their 13-6 loss at the hands of Notre Dame. Lastly, Illinois got pummeled at home by Louisiana Tech, 52-24.
Conference play starts this weekend,where: Undefeated Northwestern will host Indiana, Penn State will pay a visit to Illinois, unbeaten Minnesota will travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes of Iowa, Michigan State will host the Buckeyes of Ohio State and Wisconsin will travel to Lincoln to face Nebraska. The only team in the conference who will not play a fellow Big Ten opponent is Purdue, who will host Marshall. Michigan is the only team with an off-week.
Of the 33 non-conference wins the Big Ten has posted, 10 of them are against I-AA teams (30.3%). Their record against the five other major conferences (along with Notre Dame) is 5-9 (.357). Without their three unbeatens (Northwestern, Ohio State and Minnesota), the conference would be 0-9 (.000) in those games. Big Ten teams have lost three games to MAC opponents: Indiana fell to Ball State 41-39, Iowa to Central Michigan 32-31 and Penn State lost to Ohio 24-14.
With only two non-conference games left to be played by Big Ten teams (Purdue against Marshall and Indiana versus Navy), I think it's safe to say that the Big Ten will have to fair quite strongly in bowl games in order to salvage even a mediocre image by season's end. Unfortunately for them, quite possibly the best team in the conference - Ohio State - will not be eligible to play in a bowl game this season.
Three unbeatens remain after Saturday: Ohio State, who had trouble putting away 0-3 UAB, by the final score of 29-15; Northwestern, who took care of I-AA South Dakota; and lastly Minnesota, who beat Syracuse by a touchdown to improve to 4-0.
Wisconsin had trouble with 1-3 UTEP, beating Mike Price's Miners by 11 points. Michigan State trailed 0-4 Eastern Michigan 7-3 at the half and were up only 9-7 at the end of three, before scoring a couple touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Nebraska beat I-AA Idaho State quite handily. Penn State struggled to beat 1-2 Temple, 24-13. Iowa lost to Central Michigan of the MAC, 32-31. Michigan fell to 2-2 after their 13-6 loss at the hands of Notre Dame. Lastly, Illinois got pummeled at home by Louisiana Tech, 52-24.
Conference play starts this weekend,where: Undefeated Northwestern will host Indiana, Penn State will pay a visit to Illinois, unbeaten Minnesota will travel to Iowa City to take on the Hawkeyes of Iowa, Michigan State will host the Buckeyes of Ohio State and Wisconsin will travel to Lincoln to face Nebraska. The only team in the conference who will not play a fellow Big Ten opponent is Purdue, who will host Marshall. Michigan is the only team with an off-week.
Of the 33 non-conference wins the Big Ten has posted, 10 of them are against I-AA teams (30.3%). Their record against the five other major conferences (along with Notre Dame) is 5-9 (.357). Without their three unbeatens (Northwestern, Ohio State and Minnesota), the conference would be 0-9 (.000) in those games. Big Ten teams have lost three games to MAC opponents: Indiana fell to Ball State 41-39, Iowa to Central Michigan 32-31 and Penn State lost to Ohio 24-14.
With only two non-conference games left to be played by Big Ten teams (Purdue against Marshall and Indiana versus Navy), I think it's safe to say that the Big Ten will have to fair quite strongly in bowl games in order to salvage even a mediocre image by season's end. Unfortunately for them, quite possibly the best team in the conference - Ohio State - will not be eligible to play in a bowl game this season.
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