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A League Ahead: Inside the Big Ten's return to the top of college football
SI ^ | December 7, 2016 | Michael Rosenberg

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 Wisconsin—which went 4–4 in the league—to face Legends champion Nebraska.

(Excerpt) Read more at si.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: college; football
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To: dfwgator

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.


21 posted on 12/07/2016 11:01:10 AM PST by 3RIVRS
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To: WayneS

That’s what you get when there are 57 States, Genders and Islamic Countries.


22 posted on 12/07/2016 11:03:19 AM PST by Paladin2 (No spellcheck. It's too much work to undo the auto wrong word substitution on mobile devices.)
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To: 3RIVRS

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.


23 posted on 12/07/2016 11:04:07 AM PST by dfwgator
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To: C19fan
Well the answer is simple. They let Rutgers in.

QED.

24 posted on 12/07/2016 11:11:05 AM PST by pepsi_junkie (ui)
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To: pepsi_junkie

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.


25 posted on 12/07/2016 11:13:05 AM PST by C19fan
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To: C19fan

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!


26 posted on 12/07/2016 11:35:20 AM PST by pepsi_junkie (ui)
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To: OLDCU
"I don’t think a coach can be as successful as Saban and not be special."

That's the mistake of many, that's why they're losers..

27 posted on 12/07/2016 11:50:24 AM PST by blam (Jeff Sessions For President)
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To: C19fan

Just give the SEC championship to A&M, that’s the only way they will get it.


28 posted on 12/07/2016 11:57:45 AM PST by STINK
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To: C19fan

I believe 11 of those dwarves are going to bowl games, plus Bama. Not a bad showing.


29 posted on 12/07/2016 12:06:06 PM PST by lacrew
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To: dfwgator

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.


30 posted on 12/07/2016 12:07:06 PM PST by Tallguy
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To: WayneS

Bobby Knight said (years ago) that Penn State should have protested the conference non-name-change.


31 posted on 12/07/2016 12:09:55 PM PST by Tallguy
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To: skinndogNN

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.


32 posted on 12/07/2016 12:11:17 PM PST by lacrew
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To: WayneS

Hey, the letterheads and business cards were already printed. :-)


33 posted on 12/07/2016 12:11:34 PM PST by Let's Roll ("You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality" -- Ayn Rand)
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To: C19fan

They changed from Big 8 to Big 12...but when they lost a few teams, Big 10 was already taken.


34 posted on 12/07/2016 12:13:02 PM PST by lacrew
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To: dfwgator

Or that the West Coast Conference includes teams in Spokane, Ogden Utah, and Fresno.


35 posted on 12/07/2016 12:13:33 PM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: 3RIVRS

I’m predicting a Bama/Clemson rematch myself.


36 posted on 12/07/2016 12:13:58 PM PST by lacrew
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To: pepsi_junkie

LOL, I get equally misty eyed when I’m reminded that Gonzaga hasn’t lost a football game since 1941.


37 posted on 12/07/2016 12:14:42 PM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Gonzales! Come and Take It!)
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To: dfwgator

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.


38 posted on 12/07/2016 12:15:49 PM PST by lacrew
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To: skinndogNN

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.


39 posted on 12/07/2016 12:16:21 PM PST by LeonardFMason (LanceyHoward would AGREE)
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To: Tallguy

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.


40 posted on 12/07/2016 12:26:52 PM PST by dfwgator
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