BIG 10 East is the toughest division in college football and has 5 of the Top 20 2018 classes as of today.
The West, with Wisconsin; Northwestern; and Iowa usually being good - Purdue turning the corner and Frost expected do for Nebraska what Harbaugh has done for Michigan. (Okay - you can giggle a little on that one :-)...things are only getting better/tougher in the BIG 10. OSU will always play at least one tough non-conference opponent. Nebraska - MSU - PSU - Michigan and a coming Maryland program are ALWAYS on the schedule.
It's entirely possible OSU could improve it's roster and play and STILL be in situations like this year where they win the BIG 10 and have two-losses and be on the outside looking in.
Until the SEC and ACC begin playing 9 conference games and stop playing the likes of Mercer (where the fvck is Mercer?) the BIG 10 Champion (and the Pac-12 as well) may be playing consolation bowl games for years to come...and not necessarily in the Rose Bowl.
