People Complain about Big Ten Out of Conference Schedules

Just Look at the SEC’s Out of Conference Schedule,

 Alabama:  Clemson (@Georgia Dome), Tulane, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State
Arkansas:  Western Illinois, Louisiana-Monroe, @Texas, Utah State
Auburn:  Louisiana-Monroe, @West Virginia, Southern Miss, UT-Martin
LSU:  North Texas, Troy, Tulane
Mississippi State: @Louisiana Tech, Southeast Louisiana, @Georgia Tech, Middle Tennessee
Mississippi:  Memphis, @Wake Forest, Samford, Louisiana-Monroe
Florida:  Hawaii, Miami, The Citadel, @Florida State
Georgia:  Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, @Arizona State, Georgia Tech
Kentucky:  @Louisville, Norfolk State, Akron, Temple
South Carolina:  NC State, Wofford, UAB, @Clemson
Tennessee:  UAB, @UCLA, Northern Illinois, Wyoming
Vanderbilt:  @Miami-OH, Duke, Rice, @Wake Forest

 People Rag on Big Ten teams like Ohio State for Playing Youngstown State, and Michigan for Playing Appalachin State, But Look at the SEC’s Out of conference Schedule, The only Notable Games are Arkansas-Texas, Tennessee-UCLA and Alabama-Clemson, Hell LSU only Plays Tulane, North Texas and Troy! Simply Pathetic

Why the BCS is Screwed up and other stuff.

As the final seconds of the clock ticked away late in the 4th quarter of what should have been vindication for Jim Tressel and the Ohio State Buckeyes the only thing that could be found was defeat. In a 38-24 schlacking laid on by former Michigan Assisstant Les Miles, former OSU Safety Bo Pelini now the defensive co-ordinator at LSU and a squad of hungry and determined players at LSU. The Buckeyes look feeble at points and almost lost, Granted a few of the penalties that had been called on the Buckeyes even to the non biased observer seemed like bad calls or giagantic mis-steps by OSU. With all the talk of motivation and revenge swirling about the Buckeyes, Last night became just another chapter in what has been a bumpy road for the Big 10 and one of it’s premier schools this season. As the season began the Big 10 had hopes of following up on what had been one of the greatest seasons in the conference and ended in blow-out losses by Michigan to USC and OSU to Florida. The national perception of the conference always seems to hinge on the ability of the two major schools Michigan and OSU and the under-lying current of fairly consistant schools like Wisconson and Penn State. When week one of the regular season rolled around the Big-10 was doomed from the begining, With a loss at home to D-I FCS Appy State the Wolverines got the ball rolling on what end up as a season of nightmares for the Big-10 and the damaged reputation of the oldest and most tradition laden conference in NCAA Football. Comparisions have been made continuously to the SEC a power house conference that always has good talent and good programs, While the comparison is there the problem is that the Big 10 with it’s antiquated tradition has fallen behind. They have made strides over recent years to adjust to the times but to this fan of Big 10 football and the Buckeyes it just isn’t enough. As long as there is no conference championship game in the Big 10 and as long as the continue to schedule weak out of conference games the national perception is not going to change. A loss from the Buckeyes and the over matched Illini ensured a losing record for the Big 10 in the bowl games this year an impressive 3-5 record. Granted the Big 10’s elite program has been three BCS title games and won one of them in seven years says something for the consistency of talent and coaching at the school and overall in the conference, But this notion of not playing past Thanksgiving and only playing certain schools every few years has got to go go to give back the Big 10 some of the credibility it once had. So I propose this to you, The new Big 10 in which they add a twelfth team more than likely the floundering Notre Dame. Now many of you ask why would Notre Dame join when that school is such a state of free-fall? Well because it would add stability to them and the chance at a legit conference title might just be what the school needs to right that sinking ship under Weis. Notre Dame also only has two years left on the contract with NBC. While it might take some legal intervention the Big 10 and Notre Dame have enough money that they could buy out of that contract with NBC. There also some other minor hurdles to jump being that I believe the rest of Notre Dame’s athletics are in the Big East conference, But those issues I will leave for the NCAA to deal with. The revamping of the Big 10 and adding a twelfth team and a conference championship now is the only thing to do to restore this once proud conference. Lets take out the fact that they have the highest bowl win percentage, The winningest program in all of NCAA (Michigan), and the most successful coach in the NCAA (Joe Paterno). The Big 10 has become a joke among college football circles and with the legitimacy of the conference and its strength being called into question because of devestation losses over the past year here is the new Big 10 for you. Jim Delany this is up to you and the NCAA to make it happen.

BIG 10 Conference-

Big 10 EAST – OSU, Penn State, Michigan State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Northwestern

Big 10 WEST – Michigan, Illinois, Wisconson, Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota

Teams in the Big 10 must schedule at least 1 Top 25 in their Out Of Conference Schedule (I truly feel every NCAA 1-A should have to do that)

4 non conference games a year and 3 in conference non-division opponents. That would still allow OSU-Mich to happen.

The Big 10 Conference Championship would take place on the last Saturday in November at rotating nuetral site in the geographic area of the Big 10. IE: The 2008-2009 Big 10 Championship between Penn State and Illinois would take place in Cincinatti, Ohio.

I know this will never happen and the conference and its teams for the amount of tradition and history they have brought to college football will be continuously belittled and bashed. But it is my hope that we can rise above this dogmatic tradition and catch up to the Jones.

 Tony