lhslep134;587695 wrote:And who has played for a national championship with a weak schedule? I'm talking about weak top to bottom conference and out of conference?
The OOC schedules are always going to be a joke because teams want to be healthy and relatively unchallenged for the tough conference grind. I'm fine with that, as long as the conferences end up being tough (this year: Pac 10, Big 12, SEC, Big 10).
You named four of the six conferences. 66% of the BCS conferences are "BCS worthy?" Isn't a 66% an an exam an F? Are we giving the BCS an F?
I am
firmly in the camp that thinks the Big Ten is trending upward. Ohio State looks to be elite for as long as Tressel is coaching. Wisconsin is at the level Alvarez had them, maybe even higher. Michigan State is reaching unprecedented heights with Dantonio, whom I have always been a big fan of. Iowa and Ferentz are always formidable, and could break out any year. Penn State is rebuilding and will be better. Michigan and Northwestern are right behind the corner; Michigan with offensive schemes and Northwestern with a fantastic head coach. Then add Nebraska. Holy fuck. 2011 looks to be a banner year for the Big Ten.
That said, of the big three in the Big Ten, only Wisconsin played a legitimately tough conference schedule. Ohio State and Michigan State didn't play each other. The Big Ten's scheduling woes fucked them over big time here, in my opinion. If Ohio State had played Michigan State, they'd have a schedule worth its salt.
But they didn't play the Spartans (or an offensively potent Northwestern, at least before Persa's injury), so the "Big Ten is tough" remark is moot.
