State of the Big Ten

BHB Ranking of Major Conferences:

1. Big 12
2. SEC
3. PAC 10
4. Big 10
5. ACC
6. Mountain West
7. WAC
8. USA
9. MAC
10. Big East

So the Big Ten currently has 4 teams in the top 25 BCS standing. Which isn't bad right? Penn State is undefeated and ranked #3, OSU is ranked 12, Minnesota at 17, and MSU at 21.

With the regular powers of Wisconsin and Michigan having off years and Illinois not living up to it's potential, the Big Ten office sure must be happy with 4 ranked teams.

Let's take a look at the schedule and see how it could play out for the Big Ten and Bowl games:

PSU: off, at Iowa, IU, MSU

OSU: off, NW, at Ill., Michigan

Minn: NW, Michigan, at Wisc, Iowa

MSU: Wisconsin, Purdue, off, at PSU

Northwestern: at Minn, OSU, at Michigan, Ill.

BHB End of the Year Record and Bowl Predictions:

Penn State 12-0: BCS Bowl (NC or Rose)

Ohio State 10-2: Capital One Bowl vs #2 SEC

Michigan State 9-3: Outback Bowl vs #3 SEC

Minnesota 8-4: Alamo Bowl vs #4 Big 12

Northwestern 7-5: Champs Sports Bowl vs #4 ACC

Iowa 7-5: Insight Bowl vs Big 12 #5

Wisconsin 6-6 Motor City Bowl vs MAC Champ

As it stands today, outside of Penn State's fate which is the NC game or Rose Bowl:

Ohio State would play (Alabama, Georgia, Florida or LSU) Not good for OSU.

MSU would play someone from the same group (depending on how many SEC teams go to the BCS you could also throw in Vandy, SC, and Miss in there as well) Really not good!

Minnesota could play (Nebraska, Kansas, OK State, Oklahoma, Texas Tech.) Not good for the Gophers.

Iowa would play 5th team from the above group. Again not good.

Northwestern is looking at (Va Tech, GT, Wake, BC, Maryland) Maybe a chance but NW would not be favored.

When you look at those match-ups, the Big Ten might be in for another year of pain when it comes to the Bowl Tie ins. With two games against the SEC and Big 12 spells a ton of trouble.

I believe the Big Ten continues to be over rated and does not match up well against the better teams from the top conferences. I guess we will see in the next couple months.