Thoughts?
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefoo...ll-rewind-its-groundhog-day-again-for-big-ten
The Big Ten needed Saturday. It needed it bad.
Every year there's a weekend when the nation collectively turns its eyes to college sports' wealthiest conference to see if it will factor into the national championship football conversation. Lately, every year the Big Ten offers evidence to turn away.
It's like Groundhog Day in college football except the Big Ten is desperately trying to escape the SEC's shadow, not its own.
There's no huge shame in
Michigan State's 46-27 loss to
Oregon, a game in which the Spartans controlled for a half. Oregon ran off 28 straight points because, in part, the Spartans lacked the ability to keep their foot on the accelerator against the Ducks.
But the Big Ten's situation can no longer be about moral victories.
Seven years removed from its last national championship game appearance, the Big Ten needs better results in these games during the playoff era.
Ohio State lost to to an unranked nonconference opponent at home (Virginia Tech) for the first time since 1982. Michigan got demolished at Notre Dame for the Wolverines' first shutout loss in 30 years. When a 19-point loss by Michigan State to Oregon is the highlight of your day, you know your conference had a rough day.
This same-old, same-old story made Week 2 largely about the Big Ten. (We see you,
Stanford-USC. More on you in a minute.) As odd as it sounds, Saturday could have been an even more disastrous day for the Big Ten.
Nebraska barely beat McNeese State in the final seconds.
Purdue lost to
Central Michigan -- a result no longer considered an upset.
Northwestern lost its quarterback and a game to Northern
Illinois. Illinois rallied to beat
Western Kentucky.
Wisconsin only led Western Illinois 9-3 at halftime before pulling away in the second half.
Iowa edged
Ball State.
Maryland survived to beat
South Florida.
But let's be real: The perception of the Big Ten in 2014 would be decided by the night games:
Michigan State-Oregon, Michigan-
Notre Dame and
Ohio State-
Virginia Tech.
And the Big Ten went 0-3 in those games.
The Big Ten dropped to 36-53 over the past five seasons against the other Power 5 conferences as they are currently compromised. The Big Ten fell to 8-29 against ranked Power 5 teams in that span. The Big Ten's traditional powers (Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State,
Penn State, Nebraska, Wisconsin) dropped to 19-31 against the other Power 5 teams.
It's Week 2 and the Big Ten's national title hopes already feel dead again. When does Big Ten basketball season start?