Big Ten football

[Fishy]

Not for nothing, but from I've seen this weekend, we're pretty much ready to play there now. Two-thirds of the Power 5 should flat blush whenever they use the term.

Fax over the invite in the morning. We'll look it over when we get back from the long weekend.

 

[dayooper]

Not for nothing, but from I've seen this weekend, we're pretty much ready to play there now. Two-thirds of the Power 5 should flat blush whenever they use the term.

Fax over the invite in the morning. We'll look it over when we get back from the long weekend.

Rough weekend. Northwestern with the big upset, though.

 

[Fishy]

Rough weekend. Northwestern with the big upset, though.

It's a good time to mention that the PAC 12 gargled their own balls, too.

Ten losses between the Big 10 and PAC 12.

Now remember, since we're actually bringing some title-winning programs into your conference - unlike your recent additions - you might have to add some sweeteners to the deal.

 

[Sea Goat]

It's a good time to mention that the PAC 12 gargled their own balls, too.

Ten losses between the Big 10 and PAC 12.

Now remember, since we're actually bringing some title-winning programs into your conference - unlike your recent additions - you might have to add some sweeteners to the deal.

Not to mention solid academics

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This weekend was brutal for the Big 10. It is worth noting that the Big 10 stained its own shorts at the beginning of last year and the selection committee still overlooked the fact that the league sucked last year and put Ohio State in the playoff over TCU and Baylor. The fact that Ohio state got height at the right time does not change tOSU's dubious resume.

 

[Seaa Blue]

This weekend was brutal for the Big 10. It is worth noting that the Big 10 stained its own shorts at the beginning of last year and the selection committee still overlooked the fact that the league sucked last year and put Ohio State in the playoff over TCU and Baylor. The fact that Ohio state got height at the right time does not change tOSU's dubious resume.

The Big Ten bounced back in a big way last year in week 2 (or was it 3)? These things happen. A lot of new-ish coaches out there.

 

[businesslawyer]

This weekend was brutal for the Big 10. It is worth noting that the Big 10 stained its own shorts at the beginning of last year and the selection committee still overlooked the fact that the league sucked last year and put Ohio State in the playoff over TCU and Baylor. The fact that Ohio state got height at the right time does not change tOSU's dubious resume.

This gets to what is unfortunately going to be an ongoing problem with the selection. The argument should be about which team accomplished more/played better over their 12 or 13 games. Unfortunately, we're stuck with "experts" and selectors who want to talk about who is "better" and who they would expect to win a heads up matchup. Once you turn it from primarily objective to primarily subective, the process won't work.

 

[Kevin Caliendo]

I'm sure Ohio State is going to be great again, but it is likely they will play one ranked team all year, that being at home versus Michigan State in November. And MSU is likely not nearly as good as they have been the last two years. Ohio State likely may be double digit favorites in every game they play. and, even if OSU loses a game, their preseason ranking and reputation will almost guarantee them a spot in the playoff. ND may make it as well, leaving two spots for the SEC, Pac12, ACC and Big12. Imagine if UCLA goes undefeated? They have at Arizona and USC as potential roadblocks, they should beat both.

there is a good chance we hear a lot of whining coming from the ACC, SEC and/or the Big12

 

[Husky25]

The lack of a 13th game is what prevented a Big XII team from making the Final 4. ND has the same problem.

 

[Chin Diesel]

The lack of a 13th game is what prevented a Big XII team, who wasn't named Texas or Oklahoma, from making the Final 4. ND has the same problem.

The sole reason TCU and Baylor got jumped was because, they're names are TCU and Baylor.

The true test of the selection committee will be if the Big12 school in question of being jumped/bumped is Oklahoma or Texas.

 

[whaler11]

TCU and Baylor were jumped because Ohio State had a better resume.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The sole reason TCU and Baylor got jumped was because, they're names are TCU and Baylor.

The true test of the selection committee will be if the Big12 school in question of being jumped/bumped is Oklahoma or Texas.

I tend to agree with this. A 13th win over a Wisconsin team whose coach had just quit should not have been the deciding factor. The list of quality non-conference wins by the Big 10 last year is very short, which means the in conference wins should not have carried that much weight with the committee.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

TCU and Baylor were jumped because Ohio State had a better resume.

Except they didn't. Try again.

 

[whaler11]

Except they didn't. Try again.

They absolutely did. I don't feel like digging up the blinded comparison that I posted last year at the time (stolen from elsewhere). Their accomplishments were better than both TCU and Baylor. Baylor in particular didn't stand up with Buffalo, SMU, Terrible FCS.

 

[Stinger92860]

Except they didn't. Try again.

And I thought Ohio State won the playoffs. Your right they did not deserve to make it.

 

[whaler11]

A Big 12 market paper disagrees

http://m.newsok.com/article/5374960

 

[Dooley]

Ohio St played a 13th meaningful game in a championship environment and shredded Wisconsin. TCU and Baylor both only played 12 games and both lost 1. If either played in a CG, they would have had enough umph to hold off Ohio St. But, as we all know, they didn't and Ohio St seized the opportunity given in their 13th game to get into the playoffs.

As for the B1G, we're on the same Wisconsin/Ohio St course that we were on last year. Wisconsin will likely be double digit favorites in every game on the rest of their schedule. Ohio State's schedule is much more difficult but they certainly have enough fire power to advance, even if they lose 1 game.

As for the B12, they still have the same number of teams and neither Texas or Oklahoma is good enough to survive their seasons with a playoff resume. The conference hopes are, once again, pinned on TCU or Baylor going undefeated and hoping that the championship games don't play out against them.

 

[BoatShow]

But Rutgers beat Norfolk St!!!

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Ohio St played a 13th meaningful game in a championship environment and shredded Wisconsin. TCU and Baylor both only played 12 games and both lost 1. If either played in a CG, they would have had enough umph to hold off Ohio St. But, as we all know, they didn't and Ohio St seized the opportunity given in their 13th game to get into the playoffs.

As for the B1G, we're on the same Wisconsin/Ohio St course that we were on last year. Wisconsin will likely be double digit favorites in every game on the rest of their schedule. Ohio State's schedule is much more difficult but they certainly have enough fire power to advance, even if they lose 1 game.

As for the B12, they still have the same number of teams and neither Texas or Oklahoma is good enough to survive their seasons with a playoff resume. The conference hopes are, once again, pinned on TCU or Baylor going undefeated and hoping that the championship games don't play out against them.

Baylor and TCU were both eliminated from playoff consideration when they lost a game, they just didn't know it yet.

Ohio State lost last year too.

The 13th game argument strikes me as particularly silly. The Big 10 had so few quality wins out of conference last year that I do not get the argument for why another game against a Big 10 team made Ohio State's claim stronger. The fact that Wisconsin had just lost its coach put an even bigger asterisk next to the win.

 

[Dooley]

Baylor and TCU were both eliminated from playoff consideration when they lost a game, they just didn't know it yet.

Ohio State lost last year too.

The 13th game argument strikes me as particularly silly. The Big 10 had so few quality wins out of conference last year that I do not get the argument for why another game against a Big 10 team made Ohio State's claim stronger. The fact that Wisconsin had just lost its coach put an even bigger asterisk next to the win.

Yes, OSU, TCU and Baylor all lost 1 game. OSU played 13; TCU and Baylor played 12. If this were MLB, OSU would be in first place based on winning percentage (13>12). OSU's 13th game was also against a ranked opponent, new coach or not, whom they dismantled.

Of TCU and Baylor's 12 games, both played SMU and both played a FCS opponent. Right there, that's 2/12 games that should be struck from consideration. TCU played Minnesota and Baylor played Buffalo...edge: TCU. That's it. That's your OOC for TCU and Baylor. OSU did not play a FCS opponent and scheduled VT (loss), Navy, Kent St and Cincinnati. Granted, not a top notch OOC schedule either but head and shoulders above what TCU/Baylor played OOC.

Another consideration is the good ol' "what have you done lately?" argument. I highlight that in "Nov/Dec slate". If you notice, both TCU and Baylor's "bad wins" came late in the season (TCU struggling to beat lowly Kansas; Baylor struggling to beat Texas Tech). OSU's "bad win" came much earlier in the year and while the teams they faced down the stretch weren't all gangbusters (i.e. Illinois, Indiana), they were never threatened in any game.

Resumes:
TCU 11-1
Loss - @Baylor 61-58
"Bad Wins" - @Kansas 34-30
OOC - Samford (FCS), Minnesota, @SMU
Nov/Dec slate: @WVU 31-30, Kansas State 41-20, @Kansas 34-30, @Texas 48-10, Iowa St 55-3

Baylor 11-1
Loss - @WVU 41-27
"Bad Wins" - Texas Tech 48-46
OOC - SMU, Northwestern State (FCS), @Buffalo
Nov/Dec slate: Kansas 60-14, @OU 48-14, Okielite 49-28, Texas Tech 48-46, Kansas St 38-27

Ohio St 12-1
Loss - Virginia Tech 35-21
"Bad Wins" - @Penn St 31-24 (OT)
OOC - Navy, Va Tech, Kent St, Cincinnati
Nov/Dec slate: Illinois 55-14, @Michigan St 49-37, @Minnesota 31-24, Indiana 42-27, Michigan 42-28, Wisconsin (CCG) 59-0

Bottomline, no matter how you slice it, 13>12 every time. Throw in the fact that both TCU and Baylor scheduled a FCS opponent when OSU did not AND TCU/Baylor both had the unfortunate timing of having SMU on their schedules, and a 12-game schedule without a marquee championship game suddenly becomes a 10-game schedule. If the B12 can't/won't expand to 12 schools to play a CCG, then it absolutely, positively must 1) never schedule FCS opponents; 2) schedule top OOC schedules against ranked opponents. TCU and Baylor did neither of those.

You're right, the B1G didn't have many top OOC wins last year (although they did very well in bowl season!). OSU's loss was against a middle-of-the-pack ACC team at home. But if you have to lose, you'd rather lose in week 1 and build up from there than lose later in the season and not have enough time to show a bounce back. OSU had the better OOC schedule than both TCU and Baylor and played an extra game against a ranked opponent, who they pistol whipped by 60 points. And let's not forget that Ohio St played with 3 different QBs during the season and got better as they got down their depth chart.

The decision was really MUCH easier than everyone thinks. It had nothing to do with Ohio St being a "name brand" and TCU/Baylor are not. The resumes speak for themselves. Again (and again and again), if the B12 is going to hold steady at 10 members, they need to really beef up their OOC scheduling to make all 12 games count. No more FCS. No more SMU. Schools will need to schedule outside of their comfort zone, even if it means playing a true road game in September against a ranked opponent. It's that or expand to 12 so that we could have seen TCU vs Baylor in December and the winner getting a more fighting chance to be included in the playoff.

 

[pj]

When the B12 plays such a poor OOC schedule, it is hard to evaluate the conference and the teams against other conferences. If it's fifty-fifty between B10 and B12, then you also have the issue of no clear-cut champion. If you choose a B12 team, Baylor and TCU are pick 'em, so your choice is bound to be controversial. If you go with Ohio State, critics may doubt whether the B10 was better, but they cannot doubt that you picked the best team from the B10. In this circumstance, any selection committee is going to choose Ohio State 98% of the time. Add in the 13th game, the impressive win over Wisconsin, and it was a near certainty Ohio State was getting the spot.

The B12 needs a CCG not only because of a 13th game, but to have a clear champion to represent the conference. Any de facto tie for the conference championship is going to be a mortal handicap, and no other conference can have co-champions.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Baylor and TCU were both eliminated from playoff consideration when they lost a game, they just didn't know it yet.

Ohio State lost last year too.

The 13th game argument strikes me as particularly silly. The Big 10 had so few quality wins out of conference last year that I do not get the argument for why another game against a Big 10 team made Ohio State's claim stronger. The fact that Wisconsin had just lost its coach put an even bigger asterisk next to the win.

The asterisk was effective nullified given the score of the title and Wisconsin's familiarity with the game. Wisconsin laid 70 on Nebraska a couple years prior.

Also, #2 Ohio State lost their shot at the MNC game the prior year by losing to Michigan State. Playing the game has to factor into the decision making. Otherwise, one could say that #2 Ohio State deserved their shot at the MNC regardless of the CCG loss.

 

[EROCK CONN]

Ohio State got into the playoffs because Jim Delaney is playing with a 25" dick. When Bob Bowlsby showed up, the college football power brokers took his tampon and threw it in the garbage.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The asterisk was effective nullified given the score of the title and Wisconsin's familiarity with the game. Wisconsin laid 70 on Nebraska a couple years prior.

Also, #2 Ohio State lost their shot at the MNC game the prior year by losing to Michigan State. Playing the game has to factor into the decision making. Otherwise, one could say that #2 Ohio State deserved their shot at the MNC regardless of the CCG loss.

Wisconsin didn't have a coach. The asterisk was not nullified. Your argument about some game that happened 2 years earlier is even more irrelevant.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Wisconsin didn't have a coach. The asterisk was not nullified. Your argument about some game that happened 2 years earlier is even more irrelevant.

My point, as stated, was that Wisconsin had played in the CCG previously (3rd time in 4 years). They had a HC the entire season, they knew the Buckeyes well, and many of their players had played in the game previously. I therefore reject your argument that the coaching situation made any significant dent in the score. The Buckeye's whooped em.