Conference season is finally starting this weekend - here's a place to chat about all conference-related goings on, including games, news, notes (I'm sure it'll be mostly non-Michigan, non-Ohio State stuff since there are already threads for those two).

Who will surprise? Who will falter? Do Iowa and Wisconsin suck as much as their non-conference struggles would have you believe? Who, ultimately, will represent the Leaders and Legends in Indy?

As a Minnesota fan I haven't been this excited for conference season since 2008 when the Gophers started 7-1 but I'm not ready to crown the team yet. I think Kill has them going in a great direction, but I don't have a good idea of how good or bad the team is since they haven't really played anyone of substance yet. Here's hoping for 3 in a row against the pig farmers this weekend.

Games for September 29:

Noon:
Indiana @ Northwestern (BTN)
Penn State @ Illinois (ESPN)
Minnesota @ Iowa (ESPN2)

3:15/3:30:
Marshall @ Purdue (BTN)
Ohio State @ Michigan State (ABC)

8:00:
Wisconsin @ Nebraska (ABC)

In before the B1G sucks comments.

I think that Nebraska beats Wisconsin pretty handily this week. Partly because Wisconsin has shown no offense this season and partly for revenge for the ass whuppin Wisconsin put on them in Madison last year. Ohio State over Michigan State in a battle of 2 teams that have been underwhelming this season so far. Purdue all over Marshall, Northwestern shouldn't have much trouble with Indiana, and I don't know why but I'll take Iowa over Minnesota. (I guess I can't believe that Iowa's really that bad, or that Minnesota is any good) and last Illinois over Penn State only because the illini are at home. Penn State's defense will keep them in the game.

Who is everybody's pick to win the B1G? Im leaning towards Nebraska or Michigan right now, probably with the edge to Nebraska.

Pick6;1279883 wrote:Who is everybody's pick to win the B1G? Im leaning towards Nebraska or Michigan right now, probably with the edge to Nebraska.

Big Red beats Purdue in the B1G Championship game.

I like Nebraska as well, as long as Burkhead can stay healthy. They're a different team with him out there. I thought MSU could do it heading into the season but Maxwell doesn't look the part so far. A few teams will be able to contain Bell down the road and I don't see Maxwell or his receivers being able to step up and win games yet.

Count me in on the Northwestern bandwagon. They may be the best bowl eligible team in the B1G.

Venric Mark is sweet to watch. Playmaker in every sense of the word.

sleeper;1279917 wrote:Count me in on the Northwestern bandwagon. They may be the best bowl eligible team in the B1G.

Their schedule looks good. They don't play Purdue, Ohio State or Wisconsin.

I'd love to see Northwestern and Stanford face off in the Rose Bowl. Two academic powerhouses, maybe the top 2 in the country, going at it would be great for college football.

Nebraska might be the best team, but they also have one of the unluckiest stretches of games of all the B1G teams.

v. Wisconsin
@ OSU
@ Northwestern
v. Michigan
@ Sparty

All right in a row.

the_system;1280140 wrote:Nebraska might be the best team, but they also have one of the unluckiest stretches of games of all the B1G teams.

v. Wisconsin
@ OSU
@ Northwestern
v. Michigan
@ Sparty

All right in a row.

They will lose all 5. This ain't the B12 anymore Nebraska.

I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska absolutely skullfucks Wisconsin on Saturday night

the_system;1280140 wrote:Nebraska might be the best team, but they also have one of the unluckiest stretches of games of all the B1G teams.

v. Wisconsin
@ OSU
@ Northwestern
v. Michigan
@ Sparty

All right in a row.

Any other year, that would look pretty damn daunting. But this year, I see a bunch of traditionally Illinois-like teams in terms of being good.

I don't think Nebraska is any better than the others mentioned.

Nebraska AD Tom Osborne to announce his retirement. Not believed to be effective immediately though.

gorocks99;1280162 wrote:I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska absolutely skullfucks Wisconsin on Saturday night

I don't think Nebraska is really all that good, but wow, Wisconsin is awful. They've looked absolutely terrible so far this year.

fan_from_texas;1280754 wrote:I don't think Nebraska is really all that good, but wow, Wisconsin is awful. They've looked absolutely terrible so far this year.

Exactly. The way they've played so far this year I would not be shocked, at all, if the Badgers finish 7-5 (4-4). They'll be underdogs Saturday, at Purdue, and vs MSU and OSU in all likelihood.

Funny poll. I mean, could it really 'get worse'?
http://espn.go.com/college-football/hot?id=8425775

What does the immediate future hold for the Big Ten on the field?
It'll get better

It'll get worse


Through the first month of the season, Big Ten teams are 31-13. Its members are 6-9 against teams from BCS schools and 25 of their 31 victories came against opponents from non-BCS conferences or the FCS ranks.


Why are we surprised by the Big Ten's struggles? Since the inception of the Bowl Championship Series in 1998, Ohio State is the only Big Ten team to play for a national championship. Current Big Ten teams are 1-9 in the past 10 Rose Bowls and 8-11 in BCS bowl games since 2002.

I think it's interesting that people talk about the B1G being down as if the B1G was ever any good. OSU and Michigan have been good. Penn State has been good, but probably never will be again. Nebraska has been good. The rest of them have been traditionally terrible with a decent season every now and then. (Unless you count Minnesota in the 40's and 50's) There is a reason they used to call it the big two and the little eight.

FatHobbit;1281311 wrote:I think it's interesting that people talk about the B1G being down as if the B1G was ever any good. OSU and Michigan have been good. Penn State has been good, but probably never will be again. Nebraska has been good. The rest of them have been traditionally terrible with a decent season every now and then. (Unless you count Minnesota in the 40's and 50's) There is a reason they used to call it the big two and the little eight.

I count Minnesota in the 30s/40s/50s, but I'm an insufferable homer. Go get the pig, boys.

In all seriousness, I think people became accustomed to a non-traditional team jumping up over the past few decades. Northwestern with Fitzgerald, Purdue with Brees, Illinois in the early 2000s with Kittner, Iowa in the mid-to-late 2000s, Wisconsin in the past 4 years and in the early 90s with Alvarez. I suspect Michigan and Ohio State will move into a dominant position - much like we saw in the 60s/70s/80s, and most of the 90s - over the coming years. And Minnesota, because fuck objectivity.

gorocks99;1281315 wrote:In all seriousness, I think people became accustomed to a non-traditional team jumping up over the past few decades. Northwestern with Fitzgerald, Purdue with Brees, Illinois in the early 2000s with Kittner, Iowa in the mid-to-late 2000s, Wisconsin in the past 4 years and in the early 90s with Alvarez.

I agree there has typically been a team that stepped up. But OSU and Michigan are down at the same time and the media acts like the B1G sucks and will never come back. Speed of sand pointed out that OSU is the only B1G team to play in the national title game since the BCS started, but they've done it three times. Nobody else from the B1G played for a title because they couldn't get past OSU in one of the greatest stretches of OSU football history. It's not like the SEC where LSU wins the title one year, but sucks the next and Bama wins the title. The next year when Bama is down, LSU wins the title. Now OSU is having a down year (with a 4-0 record) and suddenly the B1G sucks. It didn't just start to suck.

SOS also pointed out that the B1G is 1-9 in the past 10 Rose Bowls. That is a piss poor measuring stick. The B1G didn't play in 2 of the last 10 Rose Bowls. (2003 and 2006. In those years the B1G co-champs won their bowl games) The B1G champs did lose 5 of the last 10. (2004, 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2012) OSU won the 2010 Rose Bowl. And while the B1G did lose the 2007 and 2008 Rose Bowl, the B1G champ was playing in the title game those years.

2012
Wisconsin (B1G champ) lost to Oregon

2011
Wisconsin (B1G co-champ) lost to TCU
OSU (B1G co-champ) beat Arkansas

2010
OSU (B1G champ) beat Oregon

2009
PSU (B1G co-champ) lost to USC

2008
Illinois lost to USC
OSU (B1G champ) lost in the title game

2007
Michigan lost to USC
OSU (B1G champ) lost in the title game

2006 (title game)
Texas beat USC
OSU (B1G co-champ) beat Notre Dame
Penn State (B1G co-champ) beat Florida State

2005
Michigan (B1G co-champ) lost to Texas
Iowa (B1G co-champ) beat LSU

2004
Michigan lost to USC


2003
Oklahoma beat Washington State
Iowa (B1G co-champ) beat Florida
OSU (B1G co-champ) won national title

gorocks99;1281315 wrote: And Minnesota, because fuck objectivity.

I'm pulling for Minnesota and Northwestern to have great seasons. The timing will never be better for one of them to win the B1G title.

Get to see these on Saturday....