Big Ten at HUGE Disadvantage

by Walt
(TN)

I have studied the stats, casually, but as ususal, I am not surprised that this site, and SEC fans in general seem to pick and choose stats by looking at specific time periods to show the SEC dominance.

It is impossible to completely and fairly evaluate.

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The Big 10 has more overall NFL drafts and first round drafts as of the 2009 draft. The Big 10 had more National Championships - of course this is not true if you are including the Alabama Gazette Poll, etc. (for example, I routinely talk with SEC fans who tell me of 12 or 20 or whatever, but the AP shows 6).

Ohio State has had 9 undefeated seasons, but only claims 7 National Championships. Penn St. has 6 undefeated seasons under Joe Pa, and only has 2, and so on. And, while it is true that OSU lost to Florida and LSU, look more closely and you'll see - if you will look fairly.

I always hear about how great this SEC team is or was and how many players they recently lost - well, OSU had 14 NFL drafts in 2004 (3 first round), but who cares? How about losing another 9 in 2006 (5 first rounders), 8 in 2007 (2 first rounders), including many juniors that could have helped them against Florida or LSU.

But, a bigger factor in Bowl games is the home field advantage the SEC usually has, or the fact that the Big 10 is always playing away - while Florida has played so many in Florida (last NC game for example), LSU in LA, including ALL of their NC's. And, Georgia at home, against a Big 10 team like Purdue, and so on.

So, how many NC's does Ohio State have by winning in Ohio? Zero, of course, but almost ALL of USC's are in the Rose Bowl. Michigan, Ohio State, Penn St., etc., typically give home field advantage to the opposing team in bowl games.

And, if that is not enough, how about the fact that (due to weather, history, ...), the Big 10 wraps up their season three weeks before the SEC? That extra time gives them yet another disadvantage.

And, if that doesn't help you see the Big 10 fan's point of view, how about the realities of the BCS? How many times has the BCS changed it's formula? It simply doesn't work, never will.

Obviously, the only fair way to decide a NC is to have a playoff - like ALL other football divisions, and most sports. I guess baseball is the most fair, where you have to win a series, instead of one game, and home field advantage doesn't exist, is shared, or is earned.

In 2003, LSU got to claim a NC by beating the second best team in the Big 12, while the AP said "screw you" to the BCS and voted USC champs. So, the BCS excludes the AP in it's formula? In 2008 Florida had a chance to once again let the SEC beat the second best team in the Big 12 for a NC.

I'll give you this, LSU was better than OSU in 2007 - but USC would have killed either one (and I hate to admit that).

Auburn got screwed? How about Penn St. going undefeated shortly after joining the Big 10 and getting shafted? How about Florida getting a chance to play Florida St. TWICE to win by a vote in '96 (if OSU hadn't beaten ASU, the PAC 10 would have that one). What about Mich having to share it in '97? Actually, I guess that is fair (but they wouldn't have even shared that one, if Mich's coach had a vote, or if Nebraska's coach DIDN'T - OR if TN's Fulmer hadn't voted them THIRD!

How about the fact that TN got to play an obviously beaten up Florida St. for the '98 NC? Ohio St. lost to highly ranked Michigan St. on the road (by what, 4 points - or was it 6?), while Fl. St. lost to unranked NC St. On top of that, Fl. St. had lost both their starting QB (beginning of season) and back-up QB (end of season) and had to start an 18 year old freshman against TN.

Here's something to think about. The SEC has won, what, 5 NC's in the Bowl Alliance (now BCS) - wow! But, wait, who is the bowl commissioner that set it all up? It was Roy Kramer, who was also the SEC commissioner, and now it's Mike Slive, who is also the SEC commissioner. Wow, imagine that!

The SEC gets aligned to give them the best chance for a NC and for a lot of wins in bowl games, while the Big 10 plays the best teams in the country, like USC and Texas - Hell, it's always like that - always has been.

I could go on and on but have to break it here. Just will finish by saying that, for my TN fan buddies, it looks to me like, after a little digging today, that Ohio State is ahead of UT in NFL players, NFL draft picks, overall first round draft picks, National Championships - hell, you name it.


Gotta go.

Thanks for your site - I'm a big college FB fan!

Why the Sec's better

by Jim
(ATL GA)

I like Georgia myself and it's sad to watch teams like UGA, Flordia and Tennessee not go to better bowls simple because they kill each other in the regular season.

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Some of you say that the big ten's cold weather is a disadvantage. I say it is an excuse being born in Kentucky and visiting Ohio a lot you get used to the weather and it is no big deal and when you go to a southern state it feels hot for a while about 2 days and you're fine.

However it takes months to get used to cold weather. Personally I think UGA might have gone all the way if there where playoffs and it would mean more good competitive football for everyone and who can't enjoy that!