The Big Ten Is Irrelevant - Again

[LordJeffBuck]

If memory serves me right most thinking on the issue of the conference falls into two patterns: 1) Those on the site who believe that Ohio State need only take care of business with its schedule and everything will be all right. 2) Those on the site (like me) who believe that the overall strength of the conference is very important to the success/opportunities of Ohio State.

I don't think that the two positions are mutually exclusive. If Ohio State goes 13-0, then they will be in the playoffs regardless of the level of competition. If Ohio State loses a game or two, then they'd better have a strong strength-of-schedule or else they have no chance of getting into the playoffs.

 

[SadSouthernBuck]

I don't think that the two positions are mutually exclusive. If Ohio State goes 13-0, then they will be in the playoffs regardless of the level of competition. If Ohio State loses a game or two, then they'd better have a strong strength-of-schedule or else they have no chance of getting into the playoffs.

Agreed. The problem is that “taking care of business” means winning every single game during the regular season plus the championship game. This has only happened four times in the last 35 years. If the playoffs were around during the Cooper years, when the B1G was better (or perceived to be better), then we could afford a loss during the season and survive. Today – not so much. Every year I see teams from other conferences leap frog us in the rankings after beating an in-conference foe. If Oregon, ND and one of the Big12 teams finish with only one loss then there is a good chance we won’t make it.

Part of me is actually hoping this happens. Maybe then the B1G will get off its ass and start hiring better coaches. I think the only way to get this through the thick heads of Delaney and the school presidents is to hit them where it hurts – in the pocket book. It will be interesting to see what happens in a couple of years when the B1G starts to negotiate the next TV contract. What if the networks come back and say “well, the B1G isn't the market draw it used to be” and the contract is not nearly what the B1G is projecting?

 

[jwinslow]

I don't think that the two positions are mutually exclusive. If Ohio State goes 13-0, then they will be in the playoffs regardless of the level of competition. If Ohio State loses a game or two, then they'd better have a strong strength-of-schedule or else they have no chance of getting into the playoffs.

I'm struggling to believe that an osu team with multiple losses (or one bad one ) deserves a playoff berth in a 4 team field.

 

[jwinslow]

l
t will be interesting to see what happens in a couple of years when the B1G starts to negotiate the next TV contract. What if the networks come back and say “well, the B1G isn't the market draw it used to be” and the contract is not nearly what the B1G is projecting?

It will be interesting to see if they get ludicrous money or extreme money. Your hypothetical is based in fear not what has and continues to happen with their ratings and revenue . Psu and Michigan have been mediocre for a decade. Most of the league has been poor for ages. This isn't a recent development and the eastern expansion will be enormous.

 

[Bill Lucas]

I'm struggling to believe that an osu team with multiple losses (or one bad one ) deserves a playoff berth in a 4 team field.

I'm struggling with multiple SEC teams getting in when most of them only get their props from beating other SEC teams. I believe there's a lot more balance in college football this year.

 

[buckeyesin07]

I'm struggling with multiple SEC teams getting in when most of them only get their props from beating other SEC teams. I believe there's a lot more balance in college football this year.

I wouldn't put too much stock into these early reports of multiple SEC teams getting in. Their losses will pile up now that they're starting to play one another. Max 2 of them get in, and I wouldn't be shocked if the number isn't that high...

 

[ChitownNut]

For all those that say the B1G is weak i do agree but saying that 2 SEC teams should go is crazy. The SEC has no quality out of conference wins this year. Unless you include two wins under a touchdown, LSU vs WISC and KSU vs AU but then again Indiana beat Missouri and they are supposed to be a decent SEC team. The difference is the SEC has all the votes and rankings I mean come on giving the Top 4/5 spots to SEC is just STUPID. One beats another in that conference they move up 5 spots while the other team maybe drops 3. OSU has won easily over the past 4 games. And has moved up 5 spots total! Granted not against the best teams but OSU is a very young talented team that gets better with every game. I can't see them letting in 2 SEC teams with the quality from the BIG12 B1G and PAC12 no chance

 

[ChitownNut]

SEC needs a wake-up call #notthebest

 

[buckeyesin07]

If memory serves me right most thinking on the issue of the conference falls into two patterns: 1) Those on the site who believe that Ohio State need only take care of business with its schedule and everything will be all right. 2) Those on the site (like me) who believe that the overall strength of the conference is very important to the success/opportunities of Ohio State.

Michigan was trash last year, and OSU would've been in the title game had they taken care of business against MSU. Michigan is trash again this year, but OSU's real reason it's on the outside looking in is it lost at home to a Virginia Tech team that has, through injuries and for other reasons, totally fallen apart.

In short, OSU is the reason OSU isn't getting a shot at the title game. Michigan being a train wreck--and the rest of the Big Ten being nothing to brag about--hasn't proven to be relevant.

 

[ChitownNut]

Michigan was trash last year, and OSU would've been in the title game had they taken care of business against MSU. Michigan is trash again this year, but OSU's real reason it's on the outside looking in is it lost at home to a Virginia Tech team that has, through injuries and for other reasons, totally fallen apart.

In short, OSU is the reason OSU isn't getting a shot at the title game. Michigan being a train wreck--and the rest of the Big Ten being nothing to brag about--hasn't proven to be relevant.

Couldn't have said it better myself, they shot themselves in the foot no question.

 

[RB07OSU]

Agreed. The problem is that “taking care of business” means winning every single game during the regular season plus the championship game. This has only happened four times in the last 35 years. If the playoffs were around during the Cooper years, when the B1G was better (or perceived to be better), then we could afford a loss during the season and survive. Today – not so much. Every year I see teams from other conferences leap frog us in the rankings after beating an in-conference foe. If Oregon, ND and one of the Big12 teams finish with only one loss then there is a good chance we won’t make it.

I would say it is a near certainty we won't make it in that scenario. On top of us winning out convincingly, we need a two loss Oregon or ND...and then probably a two loss Big 12. You know at least one SEC team will get in and likely FSU since there likely is not a loss left on their schedule (even if they lose one, they likely are still in over us). That is two spots filled, so really we need two out of those three to get another loss to get in imo, unless the committee has some deep-seeded OSU bias. That being said, I see the entire Big 12 with two losses and I do not see how Oregon does not lose one more with their OL. But even then there will be the possibility of two SEC teams. Obviously I hope we kill it the rest of the season and if we do that, we will at least be in the discussion. However, if we don't get in despite that...well, we should have beat VT at night at home. We'll see if there is another one-loss team whose loss is as bad as VT is looking but it would be hard to imagine unless a complete upset occurs.

 

[SouthernBuck]

For all those that say the B1G is weak i do agree but saying that 2 SEC teams should go is crazy. The SEC has no quality out of conference wins this year. Unless you include two wins under a touchdown, LSU vs WISC and KSU vs AU but then again Indiana beat Missouri and they are supposed to be a decent SEC team. The difference is the SEC has all the votes and rankings I mean come on giving the Top 4/5 spots to SEC is just STUPID. One beats another in that conference they move up 5 spots while the other team maybe drops 3. OSU has won easily over the past 4 games. And has moved up 5 spots total! Granted not against the best teams but OSU is a very young talented team that gets better with every game. I can't see them letting in 2 SEC teams with the quality from the BIG12 B1G and PAC12 no chance

I hate the SEC and the bias towards it. However, Letting in 2 SEC teams is not that suprising. I would challenge you to give me right now your four playoff teams and the reason behind them.

 

[Bill Lucas]

The SEC has no quality out of conference wins this year

Alabama against WVU is starting to shape up as a good win.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

The SEC has no quality out of conference wins this year

Alabama against WVU is starting to shape up as a good win.

And Auburn over Kansas State....

And Georgia over Clemson....

And South Carolina beat a surprisingly good East Carolina team (who beat Virginia Tech who beat Ohio State).

So, yeah, the SEC does have a few good non-conference wins this year.

 

[kujirakira]

What am I missing here? Muledeer looked at the score of the Miami - VaTech game and made the observation that one of the two best teams in the Big Ten lost to a mediocre ACC team, which was rejoined by Coqui pointing out that Mizzou soiled their armor against INDIANA, Kujira followed up with a statement that's pretty popular on the site, that Miami beating VaTech doesn't equate to Miami beating Ohio State. All of which seems to me to fit into the category of "How Bad Does the Big Ten Suck?" does it not?

If memory serves me right most thinking on the issue of the conference falls into two patterns: 1) Those on the site who believe that Ohio State need only take care of business with its schedule and everything will be all right. 2) Those on the site (like me) who believe that the overall strength of the conference is very important to the success/opportunities of Ohio State.

As for finding threads my experience with the "search" machine is that it doesn't always provide the answer you're looking for.

I think there is a middle ground between 1 and 2... LJB covered that already though.
I also think the loss to VTech says more about Ohio State, and specifically where Ohio State was at the moment in time w/ outstanding OLine and QB issues, than it does about the conference as a whole.
There's little doubt, locally or nationally, that loss was a mulligan - I don't think that means the team should get a freebie for it, but I also don't think that 1 game in a vacuum says much about the conference.