Right now, Ohio State is elite. Michigan State and Wisconsin are performing at their peak, but probably don't have the "brand" to ever be elite. The main problem with the B1G is that high-profile programs like Michigan, Penn State, and Nebraska are performing far beneath their potential. If Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin can maintain their present levels, and Michigan, Penn State, and Nebraska can get their acts together, then the B1G would have six perennial top-20 programs. At that point, it wouldn't really matter what the bottom feeders of the B1G did.
And one more thing - Illinois is a traditionally crappy team (since 1980, 3 conference titles and a .459 winning percentage, 81st amongst the FBS teams), but given their location (close to both Chicago and St. Louis) they are a sleeping giant. If Illinois could hire the right coach, they could easily become another Virginia Tech.
Haven't we already seen that play out with Zook to some extent? Including the farcical Rose Bowl trip as an at-large the same year App. State beat scUM.
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