Big Ten’s Day to Shine

FootballSo far, the Big Ten’s showing in Bowl Games has been decent (2-2 isn’t great, but should be 3-1) but today we get to really see the Big Ten heavyweights throw around some muscle. Normally, we could give rat’s behind whether these teams win or lose, but now that we’re talking about Big Ten pride, we’re all fans. Even though deep in the recesses of your brain you want Florida to pound Michigan into the ground, try to suppress that thought for a few hours and root on the Maize and Blue.

Today’s match-ups include:

The Outback Bowl – Wisconsin vs. Tennessee: This is the first game of the day and, God willing, the first SEC loss of the day. With PJ Hill back in the lineup, that should spell trouble for Tennessee’s young defense that can’t seem to stop the run. This will be the first barometer of OSU’s match-up with LSU. Tennessee played LSU tough in the SEC championship game but the Buckeyes handled the Badgers without much trouble.

Rub your hands maniacally if the Badgers have their way with the Vols.

The Capital One Bowl – Michigan vs. Florida: On paper, this spells trouble for Michigan. Superman and his Heisman Trophy get to play in front of the home crowd against a Michigan team that is browbeaten and deflated. For them, this wasn’t really a season full of “what-ifs?” More like “WTFs?” This game sets up for redemption on so many levels, the Wolverines almost can’t lose. Redemption for the seniors (especially Hart and Henne) that never really reached their full potential. A farewell victory for Carr. Redemption for Wolverine nation. As Brian noted, the outcome of this game will have little or no bearing on the program moving forward, but, man, a Bowl victory will do wonders for fan’s psyche.

Smile wryly and then change the channel if Manningham and Arrington are abusing Florida’s lousy secondary and Henne is throwing laser beams or Hart is doing what he normally can’t do against defenses in gray helmets.

The Rose Bowl – Illinois vs. USC – Funny how just a few weeks ago, most of Buckeye Nation was getting ready to head to the Granddaddy of Them All, the Rose Bowl, in Sunny Southern California. Now the Buckeyes get to play in the swampy backwater Bourbon Bowl and Illinois gets to go where the grass is green and the girls are pretty. Of course, no one is giving the Illini a song girl’s chance of cheering for the right team, so the Big Ten team once again takes on the role of the underdog. Everyone loves the underdog, right?

Of the three Big Ten teams playing today, Illinois has the most to prove. They want to show that beating Ohio State wasn’t a fluke and they’re the real deal. It isn’t going to be easy, but yay for a fast Big Ten team. The Pac-10 can handle the BEE-TEE-ENN speed.

hayesWoodrow.jpgJump for joy, do some push-ups and get pumped for the Bourbon Bowl if Juice and Mendenhall run buck-wild on the stout USC defense.

So take off your Woody Cap and put on your Big Ten visor and root on our fellow conference mates, especially the ones playing those loathsome SEC teams. It’s time to shut those SEC knuckle-draggers’ mouths.

Comments

  1. Wisconsin coached themselves out of a win. 4th and 2 and they go for it instead of taking 3 to cut the deficit to 1. Then they HAVE to get a TD to win, instead of a FG. DUMB.

  2. Michigan is doing the same thing Michigan State did. Turning the ball over into a loss. What the heck is wrong with these guys?

  3. Good to see UM pulled it out in spite of themselves. I hope OSU’s defensive coaches take notes on how USC is attacking and beating the Illini offense for next season. Stay disciplined, attack, and hit somebody in the backfield on every play.

  4. Disciplined in your main defensive responsibility, that is…

  5. big ten is now 3-3, we need to take care of business and shut that fat mouth of mark may (does anyone know what his prediction record is? every game i’ve watched, excluding ill-inois, he’s been wrong…).

    see you all in cbus.

  6. Illinois gave the game away. Not to take anything away from USC, but if #83 didn’t fumble at the 5 yard line, it would’ve been a completely different game. Missed opportunities and turnovers, it’s a shame.

  7. AZTigerFan says

    I’s funny to me, you beloved Bucknuts can’t beat Florida but your most hated rival can. Geez, you guys must be pissed.

    BTW
    2007 Big 11 Bowl record 3-4
    2007 SEC Bowl record 5-2 Ga leads 24-3

    Head to head 1-1

    Still wanna bash the SEC?????

    Geaux TIGERS!!!!!!

  8. to AZTigerFan:

    ‘I’s’ (or its if you speak english) funny to me as well. i only hope that the big ten can manage to do better next year.

    a couple of questions: which of your wins are truly remarkable? the predicted win over an undersized hawai’i team? your beloved wildcats (who beat the tigers) almost losing to a fsu team that lost all their second string?

  9. AZTigerFan says

    First, I’m not speaking, I’m typing. It’s called a typo.

    Second, I’ll take them all.

    Third, SEC envy is eating you alive…

    A win is a win…we can beat Florida. Ya’ll tlak crap about your bowl wins last year and say the Big 11 is better. You aren’t proving it on the field this year are ya?

  10. No, the Tennessee win over Wisconsin has to be the most “impressive”. The SEC runners up had to receive victory gift from a team that finished 4th in the Big 10(11). Wow, how “dominating”.

    The SEC is mediocre and their performances in the Bowl games are proving it. How ’bout them Missouri Tigers pounding Arkansas into the ground? That’s the only quality team the SEC has faced so far. How about Michigan taking it to the Gators today? A team that lost to a Division I-A school beats a team from the SUPER SEC!!!

    WOW!!! IMPRESSIVE!!!!

  11. AZTigerFan says

    Hey Tom…

    First, They didn’t really take it to them, it was 6 points. If that was taking it to them, I guess Tennessee really took it to Wisconsin with that 4 point win too huh?

    Second, Michigan which was tied for the 2nd best record (hung on” to beat the 5th best team in the SEC.

    How bout that showing by Illinois (the 2nd best team in the Big 11) against USuC??? Didn’t Illinois beat OSU and USuC lost at home to Stanford, a 43 point underdog???

    Go ahead, bash us some more!!!!!

  12. AZTigerFan says

    Here’s a little fact for ya:
    The Vols erased unpleasant memories of a loss to Penn State in last year’s Outback game and also stopped Wisconsin from becoming only the second Big Ten team to beat Southeastern Conference opponents in three consecutive bowl appearances.

    That means only 1 Big 11 team has ever beaten a SEC opponent in 3 straight bowls.
    LOL…Ya’ll cant hang!!!!

  13. In case you didn’t notice genius, Michigan had 4 turnovers in the red zone, two at the one yard line. They DOMINATED the game. Too much Big 10(11) SPEED for that crappy SEC team.

    Illinois gave the game away to USC with turnovers, too. Then again, you already knew Zook was an SEC throwaway, so you knew that was coming, right?

    In your eyes, all the Big 10(11) teams suck. The SEC should be destroying every team they play. It ain’t happening.

    The way SEC fans act, the SEC is far superior to everybody else. They should be DESTROYING the Big 10(11) in every game. It should be just like UGA and Hawaii every game.

    Bottom line, the SEC is proving to be a vastly overrated conference, and this year’s bowl season is proving it.

    Reality bites, doesn’t it?

  14. AZTigerFan –

    Head to head, over the past 24 bowl game matchups, the Big ten is 12-12 against the SEC.

    As far as UM goes… it was only a six point victory, but UM totally destroyed Fla. Two of their TDs were stopped at the goal line by Hart’s fumbles (would have been +14), and one of those fumbles became a Fla TD (would have been -7).

    Ergo, even though the victory was only six points on the scoreboard, UM played like a team that won by 27 total points (+6 baseline, +14 for UM, -7 for Fla). Or should I say that Florida LOST like a team that got beaten by 27 points.

    As for the rest of the SEC’s bowl games, throw in a handful of close games against questionable opponents (Miss. St. 10-3 against UCF; Bama giving up 24 points to Colorado; Auburn barely by 3 against a very mediocre ACC team; and KY almost losing to Fla St, a team that had three dozen players suspended for the game?!?)

    And all those happened in SEC home stadiums?

    Oh, one more thing: The Big Ten has been overmatched, rankings-wise, against its opponents this year, because of the vacancy left by OSU. So:
    – the Big 10 #3 plays against the Pac 10 #1
    – the ‘other’ Big 10 #3 plays against the defending national champs w/ Heisman winner, and DOMINATES
    – the Big 10 #5 plays HARD against the SEC #2 (and that SEC team needed an interception on the final drive to win)

    In short, the SEC has had all its games in home stadiums, against lower ranked opponents, and either squeaked by or been humiliated. The one exception is Georgia’s dominant win, but GA is a very fine team and was assigned an opponent that had no business playing with the big boys (just as Illinois had no business being assigned to play against USC).

    Take all that into consideration and you’ve got the definition of an overrated conference.

  15. AZTigerFan says

    over-rated conference???
    That is the definition of the Big 11.

    Hey guys, MICHIGAN beat Florida, I agree. What did your “best team in the country” Buckeyes due to Florida last year?

    “Head to head, over the past 24 bowl game matchups, the Big ten is 12-12 against the SEC.” How convenient you forgot to mention, NONE of those wins came from OSU, the best team in the conference!!!!

    How many bowl games have ya’ll won against the SEC? I believe Michigan is 7-3 against the SEC. that must make your blood boil huh?

    Boohoo, about where the games are played…good teams win on the road.

    I do not beleive “every team in the Big 11 suck”, just every team after OSU, Michigan, and????

  16. AZTigerFan says

    SEC envy is a terrible thing.
    Just hope your team plays to their ability that it is enough. Then, and only then can you legitimately bash our conference. You can also have a leg to stand on to shut up all of us “arrogant, pompus, self-rightous southern football fans” as you call us.

    Geaux TIGERS and here’s to a great college football gam,e between two desrving good football teams!!!!

  17. AZTigerFan, you said “good teams win on the road.”

    look at this site:

    http://thewizardofodds.blogspot.com/2007/12/who-travels-who-doesnt.html

    You basically just stated that the SEC as a conference doesn’t have good teams.

    At the very least this site makes it look like SEC teams are afraid to travel.

  18. AZTigerFan says

    Whatever bro.

    I said it once, I’ll say it again:

    Just hope your team plays to their ability that it is enough. Then, and only then can you legitimately bash our conference. You can also have a leg to stand on to shut up all of us “arrogant, pompus, self-rightous southern football fans” as you call us.

    Geaux TIGERS and here’s to a great college football game between two desrving good football teams!!!!

  19. AZTigerFan, I’m not bashing your conference. I think the SEC is a great conference. I just see a lot of hypocrisy in the opinions of SEC fans.

    I personally think this will be a great and very close game. I just don’t buy into this “SEC speed” myth. Here is another link that can help you out with 40 times of both teams:

    http://www.toledotalk.com/cgi-bin/tt.pl/article/8383/OSU_vs_LSU_in_terms_of_team_speed

  20. LOL Wil. 🙂 Another site you might be interested in:

    http://www.mapgameday.com/travels/

    AZTiger-
    “Good teams win on the road.” Um, to WIN on the road you have to PLAY on the road.

    A few more facts about the SEC’s traditional cowardly fear of playing against big-time teams:

    In terms of miles traveled to non-conference games, SEC teams have seven of the eight lowest spots.

    This includes Florida, which hasn’t left its own state in SIXTEEN YEARS (and it lost when it did so).

    The Big 10 has traveled 108k miles in the past 10 years. The SEC, even though larger by one more team, has only traveled 42k (and is last among all conferences for travel). It should be noticed that this number would be even worse had the SEC not caved to the Tennessee/Cal home-and-home over the past two years.

    To sum up, the SEC makes it a practice to avoid playing the big teams on the road in non-conference matchups, and has a stranglehold on the bowl locations, so that when they finally do get to play someone decent, it’s always a home game.

    To me, that type of scheduling sounds like it comes from people that are insecure about their abilities, not people who are secure about their teams’ actual strength.

    >>How many bowl games have ya’ll won against the SEC? I believe Michigan is 7-3 against the SEC. that must make your blood boil huh?<< Nope, because OSU is actually something like 7-9-2 against the SEC overall (and that includes the bowl games). That's respectable to me. Past performance streaks only matter in rivalries, not in this 'my conference is better than yours' argument that is so new to college football. And my blood isn't boiling at all, I am very happy for UM. I was rooting for them the entire game, and was very pleased to see Carr go out on a good note. And I was very glad to see that the Florida fans' nonsensical bragging rights about their toughness over the Big 10 come to an end. Thanks to an awesome performance by UM, Florida and its Heisman winner are the Big 10's [insert derogatory term about female dog] now.

  21. AZTigerFan says

    Since you guys like links so much, here is one for you: http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/2007/Internet/toughest%20schedule/ia_9games_cumm.pdf

    Amazing how 7 of the top 15 teams are in the SEC and the team with the tougest schedule was beaten by LSU. Also if younotice in that top 15, LSU played 6 of those teams, going 5-1 with the only loss to Ken-yucky.

    I hate Florida as much as ya’ll hate Michigan, but they dont have to leave the state of Florida when they are playing home and homes with FSU and Miami, who up until about two years ago were consistently in the top 25. LSU has played at ASU (moved due to Katrina, but it’s a home and home) and at AZ in the last 3 years. Arkansas has traveled to USuC. VA Tech backed out of a home and home series with LSU 2 years ago after LSU traveled to Backsburg, they chose to pay the penalty by the NCAA and not travel to Baton Rouge. No one wants to travel to SEC stadims and play, the just want to have home games with them. WHY??? because one losscan knock you out the national title picture.

    Look, I can manipulate #’s to pint in my favor if I want to, but I dont need to. The proof is in the results.

    And BTW, you may want to check your manipulated numbers again…OSU has NEVER beaten a SEC team in a bowl game. PERIOD!
    2006 BCS Championship Florida L 14-41

    2001 Outback South Carolina L 28-31

    2000 Outback South Carolina L 7-24

    1995 Citrus Tennessee L 14-20

    1994 Citrus Alabama L 17-24

    1992 Citrus Georgia L 14-21

    1989 Hall Of Fame Auburn L 14-31

    1977 Sugar Alabama L 6-35

    Here is your link for factual evidence:
    http://www.nationalchamps.net/NCAA/database/ohiostate_database.htm

    I don’t hate the Big 11, in fact my brother is a huge Buckeye fan and used to live in Parma, OH. I am going to hang out with him and go to an OSU based sports bar to watch this game. I do agree that the “SEC speed” thing is total crap. Speed ain;t gonna win this game, the team with the talent that plays the best will win. I am just as sick of the Big 11 fans and the PUC 10 teams saying that they are better than the SEC. Over the course of the last 15 years, the proof is in front of everyone’s eyes, the SEC has been better.

    One last thing, upon further review (I checked total stats), Michigan did inded dominate that game against Florida. Thanks to the Big 11 for sticking to Steve Spurrier Jr, er Urban Meyer and shutting up Tim Tebow.

    This shopuld be a great game.
    LSU 24
    OSU 20

  22. >>And BTW, you may want to check your manipulated numbers again…OSU has NEVER beaten a SEC team in a bowl game. PERIOD!<< I never said they did. Re-read my earlier comment: "OSU is actually something like 7-9-2 against the SEC overall (and that includes the bowl games)." Key word is "overall." And you missed my entire point: past records have NO BEARING on how Monday's game will come out. What happened against Alabama in 1977 has absolutely nothing to do with what happens with LSU in 2008. This "0-8" talk is just something for SEC fans to talk about, something that has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not either LSU or OSU will win the game. >>Over the course of the last 15 years, the proof is in front of everyone’s eyes, the SEC has been better.<< Except for the whole 12-12 in the past 25 bowl matchups thing. And the edge in regular season victories for the Big 10 in that time. But other than that, yeah, the SEC has been better. *rolls eyes* *moves on*

  23. AZTigerFan, you’re coming off as another delusional SEC fan……no 1 here is trying to say the Big 10 is better than the SEC….we are simply pointing out that they are pretty much equal. You are the 1 that is trying to state a case for SEC dominance by showing the stats that support you and dismissing the stats that do not.

  24. AZTigerFan says

    Monkey

    I aint saying the big 11 isnt good, i am only saying what everyone outside your onference already knows….
    pond for pond the SEC is a better football conference. in no way am i saying they are dominant, if that was the case, the why did Michigan dominate defending NC Florida?

    What i am saying is this from top to bottom, the SEC is a better football conference. That’s all. The big 11 is a very good football conference, just not quite as good. Just as i will say the PuC 10 overall is the best basketball conference in america.

    I am not bashing your conference, not do i think the SEC is superior. Just better. Why is everyone in your conference so butt hurt?

    BTW, the speed thing is way out of hand and ridiculous. Since when is football a track meet? 40 times mean nothing…execution and outscoring your opponent are the only thing that counts.

    I wish people would shut up about the spped thing…they look stupid!!!!

  25. I’m gonna have to agree, the speed thing is really out of control.

    LSU looks more like a power team than a speed team anyway (Minus Trindon Holliday), and they won the SEC.

    I’m gonna have to agree that execution is MUCH more important.

  26. AZTigerFan says

    Hey guys, we are all gonna disagree on most things when it comes to our teams and our conferences, cause all college football fans are homers. Right?

    However, would we all agree that these are the two best team in the country and this should be an “instant classic” of a college football game?

    Good luck to ya’ll and enjoy New Orleans if any of ya’ll are going…it’s a fun place.

  27. Yeah, it should be a great matchup.

    OSU 27
    LSU 20

  28. AZTigerFan says

    BTW….did you see what Les Miles said about the false ESPN report by Kirk Herstrit of him taking the Micigan job?

    Asked if Herbstreit is now off his Christmas list, Miles jokingly said, “I think it’s an Ohio State plot. I keep an eye on those guys from Ohio State every chance that I get.”

    Tha’s pretty funny coming from a “Michigan man”

    Geaux TIGERS!!!!
    LSU 24
    OSU 20

  29. No I didn’t. Knda funny though….thanks for the update.

    FYI….Lloyd Carr said Beanie Wells is the best tailback he’s seen in 28 years.

  30. AZTigerFan says

    Check this out that I found from an article about Tressel. I knew I respected that man for a reason….LOL

    Seriously, he is a class act, there is mutual respect here for these teams form each other.

    Tressel said that he does not take a back seat to anyone when it comes to his admiration for the SEC. “You can’t have much greater respect than I have for the SEC,” Tressell said. “Because we’ve faced the SEC for two straight years, I have seen just about everybody play on film. It’s a great league and it makes what LSU did this season all the more impressive.”

    Tressel praised LSU (11-2), not only for winning the SEC championship, but for doing it with a number of key players either hobbled or out of action entirely. Then there was the not-so-small distraction of coach Les Miles and the rumors that he was headed to Michigan.

    “The thing I like about LSU is that they are tough,” Tressel said. “They went through a brutal schedule with a bunch of injuries and had some games where the ball didn’t bounce the right way. But they withstood all of that and here they are. That is the sign of a mature team, and I like that.”

    Have a great weekend guys. God Bless!

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