Posted on 12/07/2016 10:23:57 AM PST by C19fan
If history is written by the victors, then the story of the 2012 Big Ten championship game should be written by nobody. It was not much of a game, it should not have decided a championship, and it made the proud Big Ten look like it was selling fake Rolexes in a dark alley.
The game was supposed to pit the champions of the self-importantly-named Legends and Leaders divisions. But the Leaders' leader, undefeated Ohio State, was ineligible because of NCAA violations. So was second-place Penn State. That left third-place Wisconsinwhich went 44 in the leagueto face Legends champion Nebraska.
(Excerpt) Read more at si.com ...
By virtue of not winning a conference championship OSU should have been the fourth seed. But this was always about $$$ so they want Bama and OSU in the final. But I’m a PSU homer so what do I know.
That’s what you get when there are 57 States, Genders and Islamic Countries.
Also, it seems unfair that the other teams had to put their playoff chances on the line in the Conference Championship games, while Ohio State actually got a break by not having to play in the theirs’. They had nothing to gain by being in the Big Ten Championship Game, but they would have had everything to lose.
QED.
From the article, Rutgers brings nothing to the gridiron except easy wins for the opponents but thanks to forcing millions of households in the NY Metro to pay for the Big 10 = 14 network it is worth millions to the schools.
Remember that Rutgers is credited with playing the very first college football game. And we won! Haven’t won many since then but there’s always that. Now as a Rutgers alum I see that my team’s greatest accomplishment since that first game is giving better TV market access to Ohio State. I get a bit misty with pride when I meditate on that!
That's the mistake of many, that's why they're losers..
Just give the SEC championship to A&M, that’s the only way they will get it.
I believe 11 of those dwarves are going to bowl games, plus Bama. Not a bad showing.
It was the correct call — and I’m a PSU grad. Early losses against Pitt & Michigan (neither was close) pretty much sealed it. Like Basketball your non-conference wins — if they are ‘Quality’ — will loom large. Ohio State had them.
Bobby Knight said (years ago) that Penn State should have protested the conference non-name-change.
Do you remember when Bama was killing Notre Dame in the championship game...and the QB and center almost got in a fist fight over a miscommunication?
Why would they care - the game was practically over, and the center was a senior. They cared because Saban led them to the point where they care about every play, no matter the circumstance. That’s what makes Saban a special coach...and IMHO why he was only average in the pros. Once players go pro, get agents, etc...that sort of stuff is a lot harder to do.
Hey, the letterheads and business cards were already printed. :-)
They changed from Big 8 to Big 12...but when they lost a few teams, Big 10 was already taken.
Or that the West Coast Conference includes teams in Spokane, Ogden Utah, and Fresno.
I’m predicting a Bama/Clemson rematch myself.
LOL, I get equally misty eyed when I’m reminded that Gonzaga hasn’t lost a football game since 1941.
Championship games giveth, and championship games taketh away. In the Big 12, over the years, I have seen at least 3 teams have their title chances spoiled in the championship game...yet in recent years without it, I think it has hurt their top teams’ title hopes.
I think the Washington v Alabama game will be closer than anyone thinks. Chris Peterson has a record going back to Boise State of pulling off big upsets. Alabama has everything to lose. Washington has nothing to lose.
Given the current structure, yes OSU probably deserved it more. But it definitely exposed the big flaw.
I think they should have the 5 Power Conference Champions automatically in, plus the best At-Large team. Then give the top two seeds a First Round Bye.
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