Is the Big Ten Headed for Bowl Game Disaster Again?

Bowl season used to bring joy to the Big Ten.
Now it brings a bottle of Jack Daniel's to make fans forget the pain and agony of the used-to-be powerhouse conference and its futility in the postseason.
It seems like a long time since Ohio State won the National Championship in 2002. Since then the Buckeyes (2003, 2005) and Penn State (2005) are the only Big Ten Schools to win a BCS Bowl.
Last year Iowa's 31-10 win over South Carolina in the Outback Bowl marked the only Big Ten victory in the postseason.
Outside of that, No. 10 Ohio State lost to No. 3 Texas 24-21 in the Fiesta Bowl. No. 8 Penn State lost to No. 5 USC 38-24 in the Rose Bowl. No. 18 Michigan State lost to No. 15 Georgia 24-12 in the Capital One Bowl.
Kansas defeated Minnesota 42-21 (Insight Bowl), No. 23 Northwestern lost 30-23 to No. 21 Missouri (Alamo Bowl) and Wisconsin lost 42-13 to Florida State (Champs Sports Bowl).
It can't get any worse this year, can it?
Let's take a look at where the Big Ten sits in current CBS Sports bowl projections and how they might fare.

Ohio State

Bowl Game: Clinched spot in the Rose Bowl with win over Iowa last week.
Projected Opponent: Oregon
The Buckeyes in a BCS Bowl hasn't meant a good outcome for the Big Ten lately. Things changed with last year's 24-21 loss to Texas.
Arizona still has a chance to sneak into this game, too.
But if it is Oregon, Ohio State will be the underdog because of the conference and their past BCS struggles. Also, the Pac-10 was 5-0 in bowls last year.
This is a "down" year for Ohio State with no established No. 1 receiver and injuries at running back.
Terrelle Pryor (pictured) has had his struggles, but don't forget, he's only a sophomore, and he's far ahead of where Troy Smith was at this point in his career.
Expect the Buckeyes to be competitive, like their game versus USC, no matter what Pac-10 opponent they face.

Iowa

Projected Bowl: Fiesta Bowl
Projected Opponent: Boise State
Iowa is an interesting team; at one point they reminded me so much of the 2002 title-winning Buckeyes that I thought they could win it all in the same fashion.
Now they look like any other Big Ten team after losses to Northwestern and Ohio State.
It's pretty obvious they need Ricky Stanzi (pictured) to be behind center to win.
With or without him, they are underdogs to the Broncos, who will finish the season undefeated.
Iowa is a team without an identity, and Boise State has one, a good one too.
If the Hawkeyes can't identify themselves before this game, they're in serious trouble, and we could see a Big Ten Beatdown.

Northwestern

Projected Bowl: Champs Sports Bowl
Projected Opponent: North Carolina
Pat Fitzgerald has really turned this team into a bowl contender every season. With C.J. Bacher gone, the Wildcats turned to Mike Kafka (pictured) and have found success. An upset win over Iowa is certainly the Wildcats' season highlight.
Against North Carolina, a mid-level ACC team, it's hard to pick a certain favorite, but I think the Tar Heels have a slight edge in this matchup.
The Wildcats are improved, but they aren't exactly proven winners in a poor conference. There was a time when the No. 4 or No. 5 team in Big Ten was a force to be reckoned with itself.
Those days are as gone as the Damien Anderson days in Evanston.

Minnesota

Projected Bowl: Insight Bowl
Projected Opponent: Texas Tech
I really like Minnesota and what they've done lately. Eric Decker (pictured) is good, and Adam Weber knows how to find him. Plus, they have that option quarterback in MarQueis Gray who has gotten a lot of looks this season.
On offense they're fine but I don't see a defense that will lend itself to stopping the Red Raiders.
That is unless Tech is distracted by their "fat little girlfriends" again.
Texas Tech and Mike Leach's offense is going to be too much, but this could turn into a fun shootout if the Gophers get things rolling.

Penn State

Projected Bowl: Capital One
Projected Opponent: LSU
If there's one thing I learned from watching Ohio State get routed in 2007 at the hands of the Tigers, it's that you can run the ball.
Ohio State turned to Todd Boeckman too much and to Beanie Wells not enough after his huge first quarter run.
LSU will be the favorite against Penn State, but the Nittany Lions have a great shot if Evan Royster (pictured) gets rolling.
The Big Ten can't out-speed the SEC, but they can overpower them.

Wisconsin

Projected Bowl: Outback Bowl
Projected Opponent: Tennessee
Wisconsin came very close to knocking off Ohio State earlier in the season, but the Badger offense and special teams couldn't stop turnovers and big returns.
Tennessee is a much improved team from last year and, like it or not, thank Lane Kiffin for that.
I think the Vols could possibly enter this game as a slight favorite considering their performances against Florida and Alabama.
John Clay (pictured) will key the Badgers, whose passing game has been somewhat suspect so far in 2009.
Brett Bielema needs this win for his career just as bad as the Big Ten needs a win over the SEC. He can't win bowls and he can't beat Ohio State, the team he "hates to lose to."
He needs this.

Michigan State

Projected Bowl: Alamo Bowl
Projected Opponent: Oklahoma
So who thought we'd be discussing a Sooners-Spartans matchup in any way, shape, or form?
An injury-plagued Sooners team with Sam Bradford and Jermaine Gresham gone has struggled, but they will be heavy favorites against Mark Dantonio (pictured) and the Spartans.

Like Northwestern, the Spartans aren't feared as the fourth or fifth Big Ten team.
Their offense doesn't have the firepower to keep up, even with Landry Jones, and the defense doesn't have what it takes to stop Jones and DeMarco Murray.

Bubble Team

May the [Tate] Forcier be with Michigan.
The Wolverines need to upset No. 10 Ohio State this weekend at home to make their record 6-6 and become bowl eligible.
With a win, Michigan will head to the Little Ceasar's Pizza Bowl and likely face the Mid-American Conference champion.
Any other year a MAC team versus Michigan is a certain blowout.
Four teams (Central Michigan, Temple, Ohio, and Northern Illinois) are still in the running for the MAC title.
NIU and Ohio play this weekend, and the loser is out. If NIU wins, they face CMU for a chance to go to the MAC title game. If Ohio wins, they play Temple for the same chance.
Michigan can take a MAC East team (the weak side of the MAC), but the Chippewas and Dan LeFevour already beat Michigan State this season and hung with Pac-10 contender Arizona. They won't be an easy win for the Wolverines.
The Huskies of NIU beat Purdue and lost to Wisconsin, but not after a late comeback to pull it close. I think they would have an opportunity to beat Michigan.
Rich Rodriguez needs to make a bowl game, but they won't beat Ohio State. The offense isn't there, the defense isn't there, and the play calling isn't there.
At this rate, Rich-Rod won't be there much longer.

Final Observations

The Big Ten has a distinct chance to go 0-7 in bowl games this season.
Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Penn State have the best shots at winning their bowl games. I think Iowa in a BCS Bowl is a mistake for the committee.
The BCS and the Big Ten need more credibility than two teams from a struggling big time conference to make it in.
If these matches hold up, here are my predictions.
Michigan falls to Ohio State and misses a bowl game for the second straight season.
Rose Bowl: Ohio State over Oregon
Fiesta Bowl: Boise State over Iowa
Champs Sports Bowl: North Carolina over Northwestern
Insight Bowl: Texas Tech over Minnesota
Capitol One Bowl: Penn State over LSU
Outback Bowl: Tennessee over Wisconsin
Alamo Bowl: Oklahoma over Michigan State