Reasons for Big Ten Bowl Problems

by BuckGuy -- Pete Bogetich
(Bridgeport, Ohio)

Going into last season, I was going to be happy with a two loss season for the Buckeyes. They should not have been in the title game and it is not our fault, teams that should have won lost.

Maybe our conference is down right now, but OSU does look outside the conference to play big games early. USC for the next couple of years and Texas during their run for the NC.

I think in recent years, there have been a few reasons that factor into bad showings in bowl games for some Big 10 teams. These are not excuses, just some things as an OSU fan that I see.

1. A 50 plus day lay off before playing in the NC is horrible for any team. I am glad OSU and Michigan pushed back the time frame, for "The Game" this year, a week later. It was a huge advantage for all the other teams to keep sharp. (Our fault)

2. If everyone in the SEC wants a playoff system. Make sure we play some of these games on our turf. I want to see some of the southern teams come up here to Ohio to play in early December. We have to have a little give and take if you want a playoff. Holding to tradition of playing these games in the traditional bowl cities. Break tradition and give us a little home field advantage once in a while. (System fault)

3. Every team builds their teams to win their conferences. Northern teams traditionally build teams that will be able to change throughout the season.(Which hurts us in bowl games. Our fault). Southern teams can play the same type of game from when they start the season and until they end the season.

What it comes down to. There are a lot of factors that go into what happens in bowl games. The #1 factor is home field advantage. I am not even asking to play the game in the elements in January. Let's at the least play it once in a while in Detroit or Minnesota.