This is the current B1G lineup:
Rose Bowl game presented by VIZIO: Wisconsin vs. Stanford
Capital One Bowl: Nebraska vs. Georgia
Outback Bowl: Michigan vs. South Carolina
TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl: Northwestern vs. Mississippi State
Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: Michigan State vs. TCU
Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas: Minnesota vs. Texas Tech
Heart of Dallas Bowl: Purdue vs. Oklahoma State
As everyone knows, B1G teams are underdogs in every game. Compare that to if OSU and PSU were eligible (my guesses)
NC Game: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame
Capital One Bowl: Nebraska vs. Georgia
Outback Bowl: Michigan vs. South Carolina
Gator Bowl: Penn State vs. Miss. State
BWW Bowl: NW vs. TCU
Care Care Bowl: Wisc. vs. Texas Tech
Heart of Dallas Bowl: MSU vs. Ok. State
I was not sure where Purdue and Minnesota would project to go so I will leave them out of this anaylsis. In that situation, B1G teams above likely go 4-3 (OSU, PSU, NW, Wisc.) with the first national championship for the conference in a decade. Some may argue that Alabama would still get nod over OSU and in that sitaution, B1G would still go 4-3 with a Rose Bowl win over Stanford. Something tells me the media will overlook how much more favorable the B1G would do if 2 of its best teams could play and go with the narrative of the B1G being awful
I completely agree on both points.
The B1G is missing 2 of the top 3 or 4 teams in the conference, forcing essentially every single team to have to play up one "level" from where they should be. A MNC/Rose Bowl win, along with an overall winning record by the conference would automatically turn around the talk from the B1G being terrible, to all of a sudden there being talk that the conference was better than originally thought. It's funny what one stretch of games can do to a team or conference's credibility.
I also believe we won't hear a peep from the talking heads about what the loss of OSU/PSU to this bowl season has done to the B1G's overall bowl situation. Out of sight, out of mind.
On another note, I think it is funny that there hasn't been more talk/debate about what may have happened had OSU been eligible this year. Normally, ESPN loves to stir the pot on these potential issues with the BCS, and you can bet that if Alabama/Florida/LSU/USC had been undefeated and ineligible for bowls, they'd be shouting about what could have been. Oh well, now it all comes down to how the B1G performs on the field. No excuses - if the B1G wants to be taken seriously, they have to get some good results. Otherwise, we will continue to hear the same things about the conference through the offseason and right into next season.
"What we do in life echoes in eternity"
This is just as big of a factor on how poorly the B1G might do as the overall low quality of teams in this conference. I do agree - if OSU and PSU were eligible, the B1G could possibly go around .500 in bowl games. Not sure where Purdue and Minnesota would end up, but I imagine they'd be in more favorable matchups than what they are. The B1G could get to 5-4 or at least 4-5. We'd get a little respect for that. But when the B1G goes 0-7 or 1-6, people will forget about the impact of no OSU and no PSU for the B1G.
Class of 2010.
Good points by all, but I realistically can only see NW winning. I think depending on which Sparty teams shows up, they too could get the win.
This has been the case for nearly 10 years though. For one OSU has played in 3 MNC games, which bumps the lower teams up, forcing them to play superior opponents. The B1G also usually has two teams in the BCS. Again, this bumps up now the 3rd best team to play in the Capital One bowl. I think recent bowl failure can be pinpointed to these factors.
Again bottom line B1G is down this year, and no doubt need to pick it up on the field. It's no wonder the SEC looks better in bowls, When the runner up of the championship game is playing a 8-4 PSU or 8-4 Sparty.
Oh and I forgot to mention...most of those games are in the SEC backyard...done with my ranting