Is the Big 10 ever going to improve?

• xKoToVxSyNdRoMe

  

  Tiernan;1494212 wrote:The new scheduling format to start in '14 will take care of some of this...at least for the Buckeyes, scUMs, Wiskys, Spartys etc. some of the others will get better but probably not by a whole lot. But I ask you...why the hell should I care? We will play tough enough opponents to get us in position to be in the play-off and that's all I really care about. I could give a rats ass if Indy, Minny or Hawkys ever win another game. Get my point?

  Agree, we don't need every team to be great or even good, but those top teams you mentioned need to be really good in order to get those quality wins to help get into the playoff. Hopefully the tougher OOC schedule will help but even that's not a given, you just don't know how good a team will be when you schedule them years in advance.
• Pick6

  

  Wisky will make some noise and I even think be better than they were with that bum Beliema. I think their new coach was a great hire.
• vball10set

  Classyposter58;1494219 wrote:OSU, UM, Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin are a great top nucleus. Throw in mid level teams like MSU, NW and Iowa you have a pretty terrific league. It's just right now the SEC has an abundance of really good coaches, so you wind up with essentially 14 decent teams.
  
  I do think there are two major factors that have hurt Midwest football however. One is down south they can practice all year and in better weather as well as high schoolers while Ohio boys are relegated to a August-November schedule. Then you have to factor in the major migration of population towards the sun belt as well, diminishing our previous huge numbers and vast elite talent that existed when the B1G and Notre Dame basically ruled the sport

  Good post.
• carmen

  Great post by the OP!!
• ActionJackson

  B1G is lame compared to the SEC
• #1DBag

  

  Whenever the B1G wins, there's excuses from everyone else and butthurtz.
• FatHobbit

  

  Al Bundy;1494217 wrote:The Buckeyes do not have control over how good the other Big Ten school are, but they do have control over their non-conference schedule. The non-conference schedule has been extremely watered down in recent years. Here is what the non-conference schedule used to look like.
  
  1980: Syracuse, Arizona St, UCLA
  1981: Duke, Stanford, Florida St
  1982: Baylor, Stanford, Florida St
  1983: Oregon, Oklahoma
  1984: Oregon St, Washington St
  1985: Pitt, Colorado, Washington St
  1986: Alabama, Washington, Colorado, Utah
  1987: West Virginia, Oregon, LSU
  1988: Syracuse, Pitt, LSU
  1989: Oklahoma St, USC, Boston College
  1990: Texas Tech, Boston College, USC
  
  Any of those schedules would make for a more exciting September than we have now.

  
  
  I agree that schedule was better, but the goal then was to win the B1G and go to the Rose Bowl. A preseason loss did not ruin your season and a tougher schedule better prepared you for the conference games. When the BCS came along it was much better to be undefeated and play in the national championship game so all schools lightened up their preseason schedules. (They also made money by selling more home games against cupcake schools)
• bo shemmy3337

  Recruiting has been down for most the big ten the past 3 or 4 years and it is getting worse. Michigan and OSU are still doing well but everyone ells is stinking up the place. Michigan and OSU have some of the best facilities in the country and the other big ten schools are just average at best. Penn State is a nice place too but they have a few tough years left. Not to mention kids don't seem to be afraid to move away anymore. Maybe it is because we all have smart phones now and they can see there family whenever they want. I don't know why it is but the other schools need to figure it out because they are getting left behind big time.
• Azubuike24

  

  bo shemmy3337;1494407 wrote:Recruiting has been down for most the big ten the past 3 or 4 years and it is getting worse. Michigan and OSU are still doing well but everyone ells is stinking up the place. Michigan and OSU have some of the best facilities in the country and the other big ten schools are just average at best. Penn State is a nice place too but they have a few tough years left. Not to mention kids don't seem to be afraid to move away anymore. Maybe it is because we all have smart phones now and they can see there family whenever they want. I don't know why it is but the other schools need to figure it out because they are getting left behind big time.

  I also think a few of the "hotbeds" for some of the middle tier B1G schools really started to thrive when Michigan and Notre Dame tapered off a bit in the late 2000's. Now, both of those schools are top 10 in recruiting, and you also have the likes of Louisville, Cincinnati, Kentucky and others really focusing on the Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania areas. Before, it seemed like Michigan State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, etc...were coming in and getting a ton of guys that didn't have offers from the "big 4" in OSU, UM, ND and PSU.