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Big Ten Bowl Matchups

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ohiostate=life

ohiostate=life

Still Workin Hard...
This year the Big 10 is faced with yet another opportunity to regain some face and earn a little respect with some bowl wins. That being said, if you take a look at the matchups, the Big10 certainly doesn't get many favorable games on a ranking/perception basis. Let's assume the chalk should under most circumstances win (I know this asking a lot but go with it). Scanning the matchups as they appear on a ranking basis, not many games are advantageous for the Big10.

Ohio State (10) vs. Texas (3)
Penn State (8) vs. USC (5)
Michigan State (18) vs. Georgia (15)
Iowa (26) vs. South Carolina (39)
Northwestern (22) vs. Missouri (25)
Wisconsin (41) vs. Florida State (28)

So out of these six bowl games, only two have a Big10 team being the higher ranked. Of those two does anyone think Northwestern will beat Mizzou? I don't. I think if Iowa runs the ball well (which is likely with Greene) they have a shot of beating SC. It will be a great challenge this year yet again and I'm all for that. But it's not as if the B10 gets very favorable match ups to try to gain some respect. We're going to have to earn it the hard way. At the end of the day perhaps that route may be the ONLY way to reestablish respect anyway. I find myself wondering if perhaps when these bowl committees get together to pick their teams if the B10 teams being ranked lower and yet brought in to face these other teams is actually a sign of respect...Maybe, or maybe they bring us in hoping we lose to try and push further down (here comes the conspiracy theorist in me). I don't know, but it's interesting to discuss.

*Rankings in top 25 are from the BCS, those below top 25 are ranked by CBSSportsline
 
ohiostate=life;1349971; said:
This year the Big 10 is faced with yet another opportunity to regain some face and earn a little respect with some bowl wins. That being said, if you take a look at the matchups, the Big10 certainly doesn't get many favorable games on a ranking/perception basis. Let's assume the chalk should under most circumstances win (I know this asking a lot but go with it). Scanning the matchups as they appear on a ranking basis, not many games are advantageous for the Big10.

OhioState (10) vs. Texas (3)
PennState (8) vs. USC (5)
MichiganState (18) vs. Georgia (15)
Iowa (26) vs. South Carolina (39)
Northwestern (22) vs. Missouri (25)
Wisconsin (41) vs. FloridaState (28)

So out of these six bowl games, only two have a Big10 team being the higher ranked. Of those two does anyone think Northwestern will beat Mizzou? I don't. I think if Iowa runs the ball well (which is likely with Greene) they have a shot of beating SC. It will be a great challenge this year yet again and I'm all for that. But it's not as if the B10 gets very favorable match ups to try to gain some respect. We're going to have to earn it the hard way. At the end of the day perhaps that route may be the ONLY way to reestablish respect anyway. I find myself wondering if perhaps when these bowl committees get together to pick their teams if the B10 teams being ranked lower and yet brought in to face these other teams is actually a sign of respect...Maybe, or maybe they bring us in hoping we lose to try and push further down (here comes the conspiracy theorist in me). I don't know, but it's interesting to discuss.

*Rankings in top 25 are from the BCS, those below top 25 are ranked by CBSSportsline
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What would you prefer? I don't see any conspiracy to "hold the conference down"..
 
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powerlifter;1349980; said:
What would you prefer? I don't see any conspiracy to "hold the confernce down"..
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IMO it's not a matter of preference. Do I want us to get respect back? Yes. Would it be easier to win bowl games if we got more favorable matchups? Yes. But would those wins against lesser opponents actually get us respect? IMO the answer is no. Therefore we're back to what I said in my post. The only route to respect may be to overcome these poor draws and get it done on the field. Again it's not a matter of preference, it is more interesting to consider the "why's" of how these matchups are the way they are than it is to consider the "what ifs".
 
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ohiostate=life;1349984; said:
IMO it's not a matter of preference. Do I want us to get respect back? Yes. Would it be easier to win bowl games if we got more favorable matchups? Yes. But would those wins against lesser opponents actually get us respect? IMO the answer is no. Therefore we're back to what I said in my post. The only route to respect may be to overcome these poor draws and get it done on the field. Again it's not a matter of preference, it is more interesting to consider the "why's" of how these matchups are the way they are than it is to consider the "what ifs".
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Their records,rankings and conference..
 
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powerlifter;1349986; said:
Their records,rankings and conference..
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Exactly my point..So if the B10 teams are outranked in these games and yet still being picked to face these "higher" opponents, is this a sign of respect for the B10 in a world that seems convinced by ESPN and the pundits that the conference is weak...
 
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ohiostate=life;1349989; said:
Exactly my point..So if the B10 teams are outranked in these games and yet still being picked to face these "higher" opponents, is this a sign of respect for the B10 in a world that seems convinced by ESPN and the pundits that the conference is weak...
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There are going to be lower ranked opponents. It just so happens that most of the them they are in the big ten. If they didn't lose their regular season games,then they wouldn't be there (lower ranking)...It doesn't really mean anything. NW is ranked higher then mizzou,but I doubt people are shelling out hundreds to take NW.
 
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I don't like many of the lower matchups at all...Minnesota is on a tailspin and Kansas finished with a flourish, if Georgia plays like Georgia MSU has nothing for them, Missou can score a whole bunch on NW, and Wisconsin needed to buy the kicker to beat a I-AA team. The only matchup I consider favorable is Iowa over SC.
 
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Bucklion;1349998; said:
I don't like many of the lower matchups at all...Minnesota is on a tailspin and Kansas finished with a flourish, if Georgia plays like Georgia MSU has nothing for them, Missou can score a whole bunch on NW, and Wisconsin needed to buy the kicker to beat a I-AA team. The only matchup I consider favorable is Iowa over SC.
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Mostly agree here, although Georgia Tech rushed for 400+ against Georgia, so Ringer could have a field day.

The Big Ten could easily go 1-6 in their bowl match-ups, and would be fortunate to go 3-4.
 
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LordJeffBuck;1350029; said:
Mostly agree here, although Georgia Tech rushed for 400+ against Georgia, so Ringer could have a field day.

The Big Ten could easily go 1-6 in their bowl match-ups, and would be fortunate to go 3-4.
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Worse yet, this is an atypical year in that the Big Ten is not playing at a disadvantage in terms of conference rank v. conference rank....

Some how, the ACC gets 10 friggin teams in bowls this year?? Egads!
 
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ohiostate=life;1349971; said:
.

Ohio State (10) vs. Texas (3)
Penn State (8) vs. USC (5)
Michigan State (18) vs. Georgia (15)
Iowa (26) vs. South Carolina (39)
Northwestern (22) vs. Missouri (25)
Wisconsin (41) vs. Florida State (28)



*Rankings in top 25 are from the BCS, those below top 25 are ranked by CBSSportsline
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If I'm a Notre Dame or SEC fan I'm delirious with joy.
 
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ohiostate=life;1349989; said:
Exactly my point..So if the B10 teams are outranked in these games and yet still being picked to face these "higher" opponents, is this a sign of respect for the B10 in a world that seems convinced by ESPN and the pundits that the conference is weak...
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The reason B11 teams are selected for bowls where their records would indicate they are marginally qualified is simple - B11 fans travel well, and we have lots of big-spending alumni. Consequently our teams are selected to play in bowls ahead of other schools whose alumni and fan base are less attractive economically. Boise State is a fine team this season, as is TCU. But neither team brings much to the table when you're trying to boost the tourist industry in your bowl city.

Bowls are a financial phenomenon, first and foremost. For this reason, if the B11 performs well on the field it's really pretty surprising IMO.
 
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