BY MIKE ROSE
I've always loved what college basketball does. Take one conference and play games against another conference (think Big 10-ACC Challenge).
What better way to get some idea regarding which conference is really the best. The ACC has dominated the basketball series with the Big 10.
Which takes us to football. The Big 10 has taken its lumps around the country over the past few seasons when it comes to talk over which conference it truly the best. Is it the SEC? Or the Big 12? Or how about the Pac 10? Maybe the ACC? What about the Big 10.
Let's not get crazy here. The Big 10 is an elite conference. I mean, Ohio State has played for the national title two seasons in a row -- getting beaten twice by SEC teams (LSU last season and Florida two seasons ago).
I wish college football could have some sort of conference vs. conference showdown. We get some of it during bowl season when conferences like the Big 10 and SEC are contractually matched up in certain games (Capital One, Outback, etc.).
Glancing over the early portion of this upcoming season's schedule, we do have something close to a conference challenge. The Big 10 and Pac 10 will play against either other in four games early in the year.
Check this out:
Michigan State at California, Aug. 30, 8 p.m.: Intriguing game. Both teams went 7-6 last season. Both teams seemed to be very Jekyll and Hyde last season. Toss up in this opener. I think whichever quarterback comes out strong -- Bobby Hoyer of Michigan State or Nate Longshore/Kevin Riley of Cal -- wins.
Oregon State at Penn State, Sept. 6, 3:30 p.m.: Oregon State will be very young this season with only 10 returning starters. Still, the Beavers are always dangerous. Penn State has been picked anywhere from second to seventh in the Big 10 predictions I've seen. If Daryll Clark can run the spread offense like Michael Robinson did in 2005, the Nittany Lions could be very good. Since it's early in the season and there will be nearly 110,000 in raucous Beaver Stadium, I'll give PSU the slight nod.
Oregon at Purdue, Sept. 13, 3:30 p.m.: I still have images of Oregon and its spread offense -- led by quarterback Dennis Dixon -- running wild in The Big House. Purdue can score with Curtis Painter, but that Ducks offense scares me.
Ohio State at USC, Sept. 13, 8 p.m.: Wow. Christmas in September. This is definitely the game I'm most looking forward to seeing this season. The Buckeyes return just about all of their top players -- quarterback Todd Boeckman, running back Beanie Wells, wide receiver Brian Robiske, linebacker James Laurinaitis, cornerback Malcolm Jenkins. USC has only 13 starters back, but seven are on defense, including linebackers Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga. Still, Mark Sanchez must lead an offense with only four starters back and a very new offensive line. But Vidal Hazleton will soon be a star at wide receiver and there is stud in waiting at tailback (whether it's Joe McKnight, Stafon Johnson, C.J. Gable or Broderick Green). Since I expect USC to be better later in the season and I believe Ohio State wants to make a statement after losing two National Championship games, I'm going with the Buckeyes.
Comments (5)
Mike, I am sure that Adam will tell you that this is where I go nutty...Regardless of the fact that the Buckeyes have played for the last two NCs, the Big 11 is weak...the SEC has been one & the Pac-10 two, for the better part of the last five years. The Big 11 has gone back to more less what the Big Two/Little Six was when it was just basically Oklahoma & Nebraska.
Hi Paul,
Agreed. The Big 10, top to bottom, hasn't been as strong as the SEC over the past five years. But I'll debate you on the Pac 10. Outside of USC, which team has really stepped up over the past few seasons. Oregon? UCLA? Oregon State? Arizona State? California? Last season Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri and Kansas made the Big 12 the second best conference behind the SEC. The point I was trying to make is that it will be fun to see which conference comes out on top in those four Big 10-Pac 10 games because you don't see a lot of conference vs. conference games anymore. Actually, I think the Big 10 can regain some respect around the country by winning at least three of those four games.
MR
Mike,
Outside of Stanford, which has been horrible, most of the last five years those 3-9 teams in the Pac-10 have been much better teams than those same teams in the Big 11. And I am including AZ, which I hate with just about every fiber of my being (outside of the baseball team and former coach Jerry Kindall). If for no other reason than the QBs. had Dennis Dixon not gotten hurt, there is no doubt that it would have been Oregon & LSU in the Championship game last year, but injuries are a part of the game. That being said, as Adam can attest to, being a Pac-10 guy, I am very protective of my league. I do agree with you about the four games, which amazingly enough look very balanced...
USC/OSU & Michigan State/Cal look like toss ups, and each league seems to have an edge in the other games (Oregon & Penn State). Each team is home twice, etc.
I kind of wish though that next year, when I try to go to the ASU @ Georgia game, ASU was not going into the game with a first year starter at QB, even if his last name was to be Elway (though I would be shocked, if he started as a true freshman).
Lots of great debate back and forth between the two of you on the relative merits of *both* conferences.
Let me warn you Mike, you've got another Big 11 "hater" here.
The Big Ten has a great history, but it's hanging on the OSU thread right now. Michigan always held itself out as the program who could balance ethics and athletics, No More. The Big Ten is on the verge of becoming the Big One plus Ten.
Great to see you again this year Paul!
B&G, I am sure that we are both getting the itch...