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LGHL Unpopular Opinion: The lack of upsets this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing.
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Unpopular Opinion: The lack of upsets this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing.
Cincinnati1968 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Dylan Cardwell #44 of the Auburn Tigers and Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators tip the ball during the first half in the Final Four Game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. | Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Only one double-digit seed made the Sweet 16 this past season in the NCAA Tournament.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about unpopular opinions.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
There are a lot of things we love about the NCAA Tournament: buzzer-beaters, mascots, brackets and, of course, upsets.
Upsets are what make the NCAA Tournament one of the greatest sporting events in the world. It’s those unexpected wins by schools many fans probably didn’t even know about before the Tournament, but now do because they knocked off a major school or even a blue blood.
Brackets gets busted when “Cinderella” schools knock out the team a majority of fans picked to win the NCAA Tournament. That part of the NCAA Tournament is fun; brackets being busted or just barely staying intact.
But what if I told you that, I believe, the lack of upsets in this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing?
People were unhappy about the lack of upsets because it voided the NCAA Tournament of the drama that makes it the captivating event that it is. There was also conversation about how the transfer portal and NIL were a big reason for the lack of upsets this season, and the potential for that to be the case in future Tournaments.
For as much as we love those Cinderella upsets, the quality of the NCAA Tournament kind of gets dampered when those teams continue to advance into the second weekend.
Think of the memorable NCAA Tournament games you’ve watched...
Kentucky-Duke in 1992, Arizona-Kentucky in the 1997 National Championship, Kentucky’s run of three straight game-winners to the National Championship in 2014 and UCLA-Gonzaga in 2021.
Notice how all of those games featured major schools and blue bloods of College Basketball.
This past NCAA Tournament, there was only one double-digit seed that made the Sweet 16. That team was the Arkansas Razorbacks, still a major program led by a Hall of Fame head coach in John Calipari.
All of the Elite Eight matchups were either No. 1 seeds vs. No. 2 seeds or No. 1 seed vs. a No. 3 seed.
To me, that just makes for better basketball in the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament. As much as we love upsets and bracket busters, I also love seeing the elite go against the elite in the late rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
First round upsets are one thing. But, I at least, don’t need to see matchups like Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State in the Final Four. I’m not trying to take away anything from what those two schools, specifically, did in 2023, but it takes away from the magnitude of the Final Four when two mid-major schools are facing off for the right to go to the National Championship.
This past Tournament saw all No. 1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time in 17 years. It was awesome, and the three games in San Antonio were incredible. That’s what the Final Four, to me, is about. The best teams playing for a National Championship makes for great television.
Throughout every season, we envision what it would be like to see, using this year as an example, Florida and Duke play in the National Championship or Duke and Auburn play for a “One Shining Moment.”
From the Sweet 16 on, we envision what it would be like to see two blue bloods or two rivals engaing in a game that could become an all-time classic. Upsets are fun, but those Cinderella teams advancing deep into the Tournament take away the quality of what the NCAA Tournament should be.
That’s why this past NCAA Tournament was so enjoyable, for me at least. The best teams were playing in the later rounds. That’s what made the Final Four so great. The best teams were playing in San Antonio for the National Championship.
Upsets are a huge part of what makes the NCAA Tournament so unique. But the NCAA Tournament is also about seeing the best teams play in the later rounds, and that’s where upsets may not be the best thing in March Madness.
This past NCAA Tournament was memorable because the best of the best were playing in the Final Four. The lack of upsets were a good thing because it increased the chances of great games in the Final Four and National Championship, which we got.
Fans love “Cinderella” teams in March Madness, but, for me as a fan, I loved being able to see the best of the best on college basketball’s biggest stage.
Continue reading...
Cincinnati1968 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - APRIL 05: Dylan Cardwell #44 of the Auburn Tigers and Rueben Chinyelu #9 of the Florida Gators tip the ball during the first half in the Final Four Game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas. | Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Only one double-digit seed made the Sweet 16 this past season in the NCAA Tournament.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about unpopular opinions.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
There are a lot of things we love about the NCAA Tournament: buzzer-beaters, mascots, brackets and, of course, upsets.
Upsets are what make the NCAA Tournament one of the greatest sporting events in the world. It’s those unexpected wins by schools many fans probably didn’t even know about before the Tournament, but now do because they knocked off a major school or even a blue blood.
Brackets gets busted when “Cinderella” schools knock out the team a majority of fans picked to win the NCAA Tournament. That part of the NCAA Tournament is fun; brackets being busted or just barely staying intact.
But what if I told you that, I believe, the lack of upsets in this past NCAA Tournament was a good thing?
People were unhappy about the lack of upsets because it voided the NCAA Tournament of the drama that makes it the captivating event that it is. There was also conversation about how the transfer portal and NIL were a big reason for the lack of upsets this season, and the potential for that to be the case in future Tournaments.
For as much as we love those Cinderella upsets, the quality of the NCAA Tournament kind of gets dampered when those teams continue to advance into the second weekend.
Think of the memorable NCAA Tournament games you’ve watched...
Kentucky-Duke in 1992, Arizona-Kentucky in the 1997 National Championship, Kentucky’s run of three straight game-winners to the National Championship in 2014 and UCLA-Gonzaga in 2021.
Notice how all of those games featured major schools and blue bloods of College Basketball.
This past NCAA Tournament, there was only one double-digit seed that made the Sweet 16. That team was the Arkansas Razorbacks, still a major program led by a Hall of Fame head coach in John Calipari.
All of the Elite Eight matchups were either No. 1 seeds vs. No. 2 seeds or No. 1 seed vs. a No. 3 seed.
To me, that just makes for better basketball in the later rounds of the NCAA Tournament. As much as we love upsets and bracket busters, I also love seeing the elite go against the elite in the late rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
First round upsets are one thing. But, I at least, don’t need to see matchups like Florida Atlantic vs. San Diego State in the Final Four. I’m not trying to take away anything from what those two schools, specifically, did in 2023, but it takes away from the magnitude of the Final Four when two mid-major schools are facing off for the right to go to the National Championship.
This past Tournament saw all No. 1 seeds in the Final Four for the first time in 17 years. It was awesome, and the three games in San Antonio were incredible. That’s what the Final Four, to me, is about. The best teams playing for a National Championship makes for great television.
Throughout every season, we envision what it would be like to see, using this year as an example, Florida and Duke play in the National Championship or Duke and Auburn play for a “One Shining Moment.”
From the Sweet 16 on, we envision what it would be like to see two blue bloods or two rivals engaing in a game that could become an all-time classic. Upsets are fun, but those Cinderella teams advancing deep into the Tournament take away the quality of what the NCAA Tournament should be.
That’s why this past NCAA Tournament was so enjoyable, for me at least. The best teams were playing in the later rounds. That’s what made the Final Four so great. The best teams were playing in San Antonio for the National Championship.
Upsets are a huge part of what makes the NCAA Tournament so unique. But the NCAA Tournament is also about seeing the best teams play in the later rounds, and that’s where upsets may not be the best thing in March Madness.
This past NCAA Tournament was memorable because the best of the best were playing in the Final Four. The lack of upsets were a good thing because it increased the chances of great games in the Final Four and National Championship, which we got.
Fans love “Cinderella” teams in March Madness, but, for me as a fan, I loved being able to see the best of the best on college basketball’s biggest stage.
Continue reading...
LGHL Ohio State preparing for official visit season to get underway
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Ohio State preparing for official visit season to get underway
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
Unpopular Opinion: Fun factor of conference expansion wears off quickly
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Final Ohio State Mock Class before official visit season
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
“He’s Playing With Confidence”: Aaron Scott Jr. Competing For Playing Time at Cornerback for Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Styles brothers looking forward to starting alongside each other this season
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Three big questions for Buckeyes reloaded tailback room
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Remembrance, gratitude on Memorial Day from Dotting The Eyes
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Men’s Tennis: Robert Cash and JJ Tracy Earn Spot in French Open
Ohio State Athletics
Track & Field: Buckeyes Send 23 Entries to the NCAA East First Round
Ohio State Athletics
Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder allowed to return to wrestling
Lori Schmidt, The Columbus Dispatch
This is the Disney+ show we deserve
Continue reading...
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.
Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.
Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.
You’re welcome!
For your Earholes...
Subscribe to the Land-Grant Podcast Network for all of your Ohio State needs
Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land
Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | iHeart Radio
On the Gridiron
Unpopular Opinion: Fun factor of conference expansion wears off quickly
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land
Final Ohio State Mock Class before official visit season
Mick Walker, Lettermen Row
“He’s Playing With Confidence”: Aaron Scott Jr. Competing For Playing Time at Cornerback for Ohio State
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors
Styles brothers looking forward to starting alongside each other this season
Steve Helwagen, Bucknuts
Three big questions for Buckeyes reloaded tailback room
Spencer Holbrook, Lettermen Row
Remembrance, gratitude on Memorial Day from Dotting The Eyes
Austin Ward, Dotting The Eyes
Outside the Shoe and Schott
Men’s Tennis: Robert Cash and JJ Tracy Earn Spot in French Open
Ohio State Athletics
Track & Field: Buckeyes Send 23 Entries to the NCAA East First Round
Ohio State Athletics
Olympic gold medalist Kyle Snyder allowed to return to wrestling
Lori Schmidt, The Columbus Dispatch
And now for something completely different...
This is the Disney+ show we deserve
Continue reading...
LGHL Five-star Oregon edge commit schedules Ohio State official visit
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Five-star Oregon edge commit schedules Ohio State official visit
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 five-star edge Richard Wesley | via @Richard23Wesley on X
Ohio State was also named a top school for a 2026 four-star OT.
While the Ohio State coaches and players were spending time with family and loved ones on Memorial Day, the Buckeyes also found themselves in the middle of the college football recruiting headlines.
June is just around the corner and with June will be spring practices. These practices will be crucial as the team prepares to follow-up a championship run in the newly-expanded College Football Playoffs.
Summer practices will also be important when it comes to recruiting. The Buckeyes will be playing host to what feels like most of the nation’s top recruits in the coming months on both official and unofficial recruiting visits. On Monday, the Buckeyes learned of another blue-chip prospect that will be making the trip to Columbus this summer.
2026 five-star defensive edge Richard Wesley (Chatsworth, CA / Sierra Canyon) announced that he will be taking his official visits with Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M and Ohio State. The Buckeyes will be getting the third visit opportunity with him as his trip to Columbus is planned for Aug. 30.
The visit with the Buckeyes will not be the first, as he last visited with Ohio State in an unofficial capacity on April 5. Much has changed since that trip as Wesley committed to Oregon just over a couple weeks ago on May 10.
Despite the commitment to Oregon, Wesley has seemed to keep his recruitment at least partially open and he will be making sure Oregon is the school that is best for him with these visits. Ohio State has some ground to make up if it is going to pry him from out west, but it also is not an impossible task.
Wesley is the No. 2 edge in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 14 overall recruit. He is also the No. 3 recruit from the talent-rich state of California.
Ohio State also made the recruiting headlines Monday when 2026 four-star offensive tackle Drew Evers (Flower Mound, TX / Flower Mound) announced his top six schools. Ohio State made the cut alongside SMU, LSU, Penn State, Texas A&M and Oregon.
Of his six finalists, he has official visits scheduled with Ohio State, Penn State and Texas A&M and he officially visited SMU earlier in May. His Ohio State visit will be his next and is scheduled for June 6.
Offensive tackle has been a position on priority for Ohio State in its 2026 recruiting class. The Buckeyes already hold offers from two recruits at the position in four-star Ohio OTs Maxwell Riley and Sam Greer. Ohio State also holds a commitment from three-star interior offensive lineman Tucker Smith as well.
The Buckeyes are looking to add multiple more commitments to this position haul in the class, and Evers would make an excellent addition alongside the commits listed above. Ohio State will continue to do their best in making Evers feel like a priority and the fast-approaching official visit will give them a great opportunity to do so.
Evers is the No. 13 IOL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 208 overall recruit. He is also the No. 27 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Texas.
Continue reading...
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 five-star edge Richard Wesley | via @Richard23Wesley on X
Ohio State was also named a top school for a 2026 four-star OT.
While the Ohio State coaches and players were spending time with family and loved ones on Memorial Day, the Buckeyes also found themselves in the middle of the college football recruiting headlines.
June is just around the corner and with June will be spring practices. These practices will be crucial as the team prepares to follow-up a championship run in the newly-expanded College Football Playoffs.
Summer practices will also be important when it comes to recruiting. The Buckeyes will be playing host to what feels like most of the nation’s top recruits in the coming months on both official and unofficial recruiting visits. On Monday, the Buckeyes learned of another blue-chip prospect that will be making the trip to Columbus this summer.
2026 five-star defensive edge Richard Wesley (Chatsworth, CA / Sierra Canyon) announced that he will be taking his official visits with Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M and Ohio State. The Buckeyes will be getting the third visit opportunity with him as his trip to Columbus is planned for Aug. 30.
The visit with the Buckeyes will not be the first, as he last visited with Ohio State in an unofficial capacity on April 5. Much has changed since that trip as Wesley committed to Oregon just over a couple weeks ago on May 10.
Despite the commitment to Oregon, Wesley has seemed to keep his recruitment at least partially open and he will be making sure Oregon is the school that is best for him with these visits. Ohio State has some ground to make up if it is going to pry him from out west, but it also is not an impossible task.
Wesley is the No. 2 edge in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 14 overall recruit. He is also the No. 3 recruit from the talent-rich state of California.
Ohio State makes the cut for 2026 four-star OT
Ohio State also made the recruiting headlines Monday when 2026 four-star offensive tackle Drew Evers (Flower Mound, TX / Flower Mound) announced his top six schools. Ohio State made the cut alongside SMU, LSU, Penn State, Texas A&M and Oregon.
NEWS: Four-Star IOL Drew Evers is down to 6 Schools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’4 302 IOL from Flower Mound, TX is ranked as the No. 7 IOL in the ‘26 Class (per On3)
Where Should He Go?https://t.co/sTRY28LBbb pic.twitter.com/hb66HB9yO7
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) May 26, 2025
Of his six finalists, he has official visits scheduled with Ohio State, Penn State and Texas A&M and he officially visited SMU earlier in May. His Ohio State visit will be his next and is scheduled for June 6.
Offensive tackle has been a position on priority for Ohio State in its 2026 recruiting class. The Buckeyes already hold offers from two recruits at the position in four-star Ohio OTs Maxwell Riley and Sam Greer. Ohio State also holds a commitment from three-star interior offensive lineman Tucker Smith as well.
The Buckeyes are looking to add multiple more commitments to this position haul in the class, and Evers would make an excellent addition alongside the commits listed above. Ohio State will continue to do their best in making Evers feel like a priority and the fast-approaching official visit will give them a great opportunity to do so.
Evers is the No. 13 IOL in the 247Sports Composite Rankings and he is the No. 208 overall recruit. He is also the No. 27 recruit out of the talent-rich state of Texas.
Continue reading...
LGHL Unpopular Opinion: Fun factor of conference expansion wears off quickly
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Unpopular Opinion: Fun factor of conference expansion wears off quickly
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
UCLA vs. Rutgers was an actual Big Ten football game in 2024. Did any fan want or need this? | Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images
Super conferences are actually bad for college football.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about unpopular opinions.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
As a fan and alum of a blueblood college football program that is part of one of the so-called “super conferences” (and I think we can safely stop framing what’s been happening as “realignment” now), it pains me a bit to say it, but super conferences are a bad idea and they’re bad for college football.
(Note: For the purposes of this column, I’m writing about college football and am not delving into what conference expansion means for other sports.)
New additions to the conference are fun for a while. I’m old enough to remember how novel it was when Penn State joined the Big Ten. Those first couple of meetings (home and away) with the Nittany Lions were interesting. Adding the Penn State traditions and history to the B1G was strange, but cool.
After the initial newness wore off of the Nitts becoming a Big Ten program, Penn State vs. Ohio State (and PSU vs. Michigan) has been a lot of fun over the years and has provided a lot of incredible football moments (and yes, I fought it for a while, but I am one of those weirdos who believes that they are an Ohio State rival).
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26007856/2182511614.jpg "Ohio State v Penn State")
Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
Ohio State vs. Penn State is an argument for conference expansion, but it is an exception.
Nebraska joining the league was interesting but seemed less dramatic by comparison. I thought perhaps the inclusion of the Huskers in the B1G would revitalize that program. That didn’t happen, but it might be in the early stages of happening now.
Again, the Buckeyes’ first few visits to Lincoln and the Cornhuskers’ first couple of trips to Columbus were interesting. But now that series is largely the same as playing Iowa, which isn’t to say that it is an unattractive matchup, but it doesn’t spark any additional interest the way Penn State does, and that could change if Nebraska’s program can get back to the national significance it once had.
The double addition of Rutgers and Maryland still seems like a drug-induced fever dream. It was the college football equivalent to adding a new kid with a recurring catch phrase to a stagnating sitcom. It improved nothing, may have degraded the product somewhat, and just seems to annoy everyone.
The quadruple addition to the Big Ten of former Pac-12 giants USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington was an attention grabber. Oregon (in quality) and USC (in historical terms) were eye-opening, headline-generating bombshells. UCLA and Washington feel like they came along for the ride, although both football programs have rich histories and successful pasts.
It’s early, but the arrival of these four new members in the Big Ten feels weird. The conference has grown so large, that it’s tough to imagine they can develop meaningful rivalries with the teams that were already in the conference, with the possible exception of Oregon with Ohio State. That’s largely based on a history of meaningful postseason games the Buckeyes and Ducks have played in the last decade or two — particularly during and after the 2024 season.
The conference lost a bit of its sense of regional pride and uniqueness when Rutgers and Maryland joined, and the additions of the former Pac-12 schools has diluted that even more. We’re still breaking in these additions, so who knows where this is going, but for now it feels pretty meh, and it’s going to take time before all of the traditional B1G schools have even played the newcomers both home and away.
The Pac-12 arrivals are still in their “new” phase, and it might last a while because the length of the season dictates that every team plays an incomplete conference schedule.
Getting back to the fun, it was a blast seeing how the new kids on the block would fare in their first season of Big Ten football, and they had extremely mixed results. Each new environment is fun at first when conference standings are on the line, and it’s cool to learn about traditions and history one has either no prior knowledge or an incomplete understanding of.
Few would say that the OSU-PSU rivalry isn’t still fun. That has grown organically and has been helped by:
As I mentioned above, however, seeing Nebraska on the schedule doesn’t move the needle for me anymore. The Huskers are more compelling than some longtime B1G programs, but there’s still probably more juice for me in defeating a depleted Michigan State team than Nebraska. That’s not a knock on them. Old feelings linger and there is far more recent animosity with the Spartans than with the Cornhuskers.
I’ll be honest and say the weirdness of adding Rutgers and Maryland did not produce the same level of fun — even in the first couple of years — that Penn State and Nebraska did. And now, seeing those two schools on the schedule is no different than playing Purdue or Northwestern, except those feel more like Big Ten games to me than facing the Scarlet Knights or Terrapins.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/26007861/1814174106.jpg "Maryland v Rutgers")
Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images
Tradition? History? Rivalry? Meh.
Unbalanced schedules, not seeing certain teams for multiple years, and having to plan around maximum time zone differences is problematic. It can dilute, rather than promote, rivalries and make existing ones disadvantageous if protected. After all, when some teams may have an easier path to a conference title, it’s a detriment to have two massive rivalry games as “protected” rivalries.
That promotes an unlevel playing field and one that can shift quickly if programs fall off or others rise, which was shown in the disparity between the two divisions when the Big Ten had them. (RIP, Leaders and Legends.)
As a fan of college football beyond my favorite team, it’s sad to see what happened to the Pac-12, and it feels like the Big XII has become an unrecognizable blob of randomness. Time moves on, but neutering tradition feels like killing the golden goose.
Conferences other than the Big Ten and SEC may provide challengers and great teams, but this sport feels like it belongs to those two entities now, and that’s largely because of all the teams/schools they’ve assimilated along the way.
And assimilated is how it feels. It’s like two giant Borg ships snapping up all the resources, or if you’re not a Star Trek nerd like me, it’s college football colonialism. It feels a bit icky to me and, if I’m being honest, less special.
What do you think of the concept of super conferences? Is it good for the sport? Bad? Does it not matter at all to you? Am I just an old, spewing his get-off-my-lawn philosophies (this is a trick question, because the obvious answer is yes, but that doesn’t invalidate the viewpoint).
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Continue reading...
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
UCLA vs. Rutgers was an actual Big Ten football game in 2024. Did any fan want or need this? | Photo by Ed Mulholland/Getty Images
Super conferences are actually bad for college football.
From now until preseason camp starts in August, Land-Grant Holy Land will be writing articles around a different theme every week. This week is all about unpopular opinions.
You can catch up on all of the Theme Week content here and all our “Unpopular Opinion” articles here.
As a fan and alum of a blueblood college football program that is part of one of the so-called “super conferences” (and I think we can safely stop framing what’s been happening as “realignment” now), it pains me a bit to say it, but super conferences are a bad idea and they’re bad for college football.
(Note: For the purposes of this column, I’m writing about college football and am not delving into what conference expansion means for other sports.)
On the one hand, I like fun
New additions to the conference are fun for a while. I’m old enough to remember how novel it was when Penn State joined the Big Ten. Those first couple of meetings (home and away) with the Nittany Lions were interesting. Adding the Penn State traditions and history to the B1G was strange, but cool.
After the initial newness wore off of the Nitts becoming a Big Ten program, Penn State vs. Ohio State (and PSU vs. Michigan) has been a lot of fun over the years and has provided a lot of incredible football moments (and yes, I fought it for a while, but I am one of those weirdos who believes that they are an Ohio State rival).
Ohio State vs. Penn State is an argument for conference expansion, but it is an exception.
Nebraska joining the league was interesting but seemed less dramatic by comparison. I thought perhaps the inclusion of the Huskers in the B1G would revitalize that program. That didn’t happen, but it might be in the early stages of happening now.
Again, the Buckeyes’ first few visits to Lincoln and the Cornhuskers’ first couple of trips to Columbus were interesting. But now that series is largely the same as playing Iowa, which isn’t to say that it is an unattractive matchup, but it doesn’t spark any additional interest the way Penn State does, and that could change if Nebraska’s program can get back to the national significance it once had.
The double addition of Rutgers and Maryland still seems like a drug-induced fever dream. It was the college football equivalent to adding a new kid with a recurring catch phrase to a stagnating sitcom. It improved nothing, may have degraded the product somewhat, and just seems to annoy everyone.
The quadruple addition to the Big Ten of former Pac-12 giants USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington was an attention grabber. Oregon (in quality) and USC (in historical terms) were eye-opening, headline-generating bombshells. UCLA and Washington feel like they came along for the ride, although both football programs have rich histories and successful pasts.
It’s early, but the arrival of these four new members in the Big Ten feels weird. The conference has grown so large, that it’s tough to imagine they can develop meaningful rivalries with the teams that were already in the conference, with the possible exception of Oregon with Ohio State. That’s largely based on a history of meaningful postseason games the Buckeyes and Ducks have played in the last decade or two — particularly during and after the 2024 season.
The conference lost a bit of its sense of regional pride and uniqueness when Rutgers and Maryland joined, and the additions of the former Pac-12 schools has diluted that even more. We’re still breaking in these additions, so who knows where this is going, but for now it feels pretty meh, and it’s going to take time before all of the traditional B1G schools have even played the newcomers both home and away.
The Pac-12 arrivals are still in their “new” phase, and it might last a while because the length of the season dictates that every team plays an incomplete conference schedule.
Getting back to the fun, it was a blast seeing how the new kids on the block would fare in their first season of Big Ten football, and they had extremely mixed results. Each new environment is fun at first when conference standings are on the line, and it’s cool to learn about traditions and history one has either no prior knowledge or an incomplete understanding of.
On the other hand, the fun can wear off
Few would say that the OSU-PSU rivalry isn’t still fun. That has grown organically and has been helped by:
- Being geographical neighbors.
- Both programs remaining relevant in the national picture.
- The teams playing such dramatic and riveting games against each other.
As I mentioned above, however, seeing Nebraska on the schedule doesn’t move the needle for me anymore. The Huskers are more compelling than some longtime B1G programs, but there’s still probably more juice for me in defeating a depleted Michigan State team than Nebraska. That’s not a knock on them. Old feelings linger and there is far more recent animosity with the Spartans than with the Cornhuskers.
I’ll be honest and say the weirdness of adding Rutgers and Maryland did not produce the same level of fun — even in the first couple of years — that Penn State and Nebraska did. And now, seeing those two schools on the schedule is no different than playing Purdue or Northwestern, except those feel more like Big Ten games to me than facing the Scarlet Knights or Terrapins.
Tradition? History? Rivalry? Meh.
Going beyond fun…
Unbalanced schedules, not seeing certain teams for multiple years, and having to plan around maximum time zone differences is problematic. It can dilute, rather than promote, rivalries and make existing ones disadvantageous if protected. After all, when some teams may have an easier path to a conference title, it’s a detriment to have two massive rivalry games as “protected” rivalries.
That promotes an unlevel playing field and one that can shift quickly if programs fall off or others rise, which was shown in the disparity between the two divisions when the Big Ten had them. (RIP, Leaders and Legends.)
As a fan of college football beyond my favorite team, it’s sad to see what happened to the Pac-12, and it feels like the Big XII has become an unrecognizable blob of randomness. Time moves on, but neutering tradition feels like killing the golden goose.
Conferences other than the Big Ten and SEC may provide challengers and great teams, but this sport feels like it belongs to those two entities now, and that’s largely because of all the teams/schools they’ve assimilated along the way.
And assimilated is how it feels. It’s like two giant Borg ships snapping up all the resources, or if you’re not a Star Trek nerd like me, it’s college football colonialism. It feels a bit icky to me and, if I’m being honest, less special.
What do you think of the concept of super conferences? Is it good for the sport? Bad? Does it not matter at all to you? Am I just an old, spewing his get-off-my-lawn philosophies (this is a trick question, because the obvious answer is yes, but that doesn’t invalidate the viewpoint).
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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