College Football: 5 Reasons Why the Big Ten Is the Best Conference in Football
For the past several seasons, the SEC has been the unchallenged power in college football when it comes to being the best conference in the country.
But this season, the mighty power of the southeast has given way to the Midwest, the Big Ten Conference, who ironically is just two years removed from a 1-5 showing in the 2008-2009 bowl season.
Considering the immense amount of scrutiny that the conference has taken in the past few seasons, the powers of the Midwest have experienced quite a renaissance on the gridiron.
After being considered a joke conference two seasons ago and compared to the MAC or WAC as far as strength, the Big Ten has taken a quantum leap in terms of strength and the perception of strength.
Here are five reasons why the Big Ten has been the best conference this season.
1. Look Who's Number 1? No, For Real?
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At the start of the season, most prognosticators believed that the Big Ten title would go to either Wisconsin, Iowa or Ohio State.
Heading into Week 9 of the season, all three of those teams are looking up at possibly the biggest surprise team in college football: Michigan State.
Sparty, long known as a choke artist in recent history, is the last undefeated team left in the Big Ten and is No. 5 in the latest BCS rankings.
Even after the heart attack suffered by Mark Dantonio, the Spartans have had a magical run similar to Iowa's in 2009, from the fake FG to beat Notre Dame in Week 3, to a huge comeback win at Northwestern in Week 8.
Michigan State has been very good all season due in part to great offensive balance, ranked in the top 35 in both passing and rushing yards per game.
With their last test being a road game Saturday against an Iowa team that might be motivated after giving their game away against Wisconsin, a win would create smooth sailing for MSU to punch a shocking ticket to the BCS for the first time in school history.
And they get a bonus because they do not see Ohio State this season, who many people predicted would play for the national championship until a loss at Wisconsin took away all control they had for their postseason fates.
2. Defense Is The Name Of The Game
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For a conference that has prided itself on stout, physical defenses, the numbers don't lie this season.
No conference has more teams in the top 25 of points allowed per game than the Big Ten with four: OSU, Iowa, MSU and Penn State.
When looking at the defenses in the Big Ten, it's hard to find a weak defense when it comes to the best teams in the conference.
Wisconsin and Iowa thrive on fantastic defensive lines anchored by big time DEs, Iowa's Adrian Clayborn and Wisconsin's J.J. Watt.
Michigan State might have the best defensive player in the country in LB Greg Jones, who has been the key to Sparty's defensive success.
And Ohio State, despite their enormous amount of injuries to their back seven, may have one of the fastest and most athletic defenses in the country.
To survive in the Big Ten, you need to have a strong defense as these four teams have.
3. Teams Running to Daylight
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The Big Ten, in addition to being a defensive-minded conference, has long since been a conference built on running games.
Such is the case in 2010, with five teams ranked in the top 30 in rushing yards per game, including Michigan at No. 7.
And its not surprising that some of the game's best runners hail from Midwest schools: Michigan's Denard Robinson, OSU's Terrelle Pryor and Wisconsin's John Clay among many others.
Running the football has long since been one of the most important keys to winning games outside of Texas Tech or schools that run similar offenses.
And it's also no secret that Michigan State, Wisconsin and Ohio State have all been successful because of their ability to run the ball and play defense.
Even in the days of the spread attack, old school football mentality can still win teams plenty of games.
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4. Imbalance In The SEC Hurts
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For as unbelievably good the SEC West is with LSU, Alabama, Arkansas and No. 1 Auburn, the SEC East may be as bad this season.
Florida has been a shocking disappointment, and Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky are not very special either.
South Carolina has been good this season, and Georgia is on the rebound since A.J. Green returned from his four-game suspension.
But neither of these teams might be able to win against any of the big four teams in the SEC Championship Game.
While there is no doubt that the SEC West by itself would be the best conference in football, the mediocrity living in the East hurts the image of the conference.
5. The Momentum From The Bowl Season Has Continued
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After drawing enormous criticism after a very sluggish 1-5 bowl season in 2008-2009, the Big Ten fired back in a big way, going 4-3 in 2009-10.
And outside of Penn State who has struggled with true freshman Robert Bolden at QB and Minnesota which has been horrible this season, the other five teams have been strong this year.
The two teams that lost, Northwestern and Michigan State, played their opponents very tough and have responded with strong seasons to this point.
Wisconsin, who few people believed could beat Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl, stunned the Hurricanes and have carried that momentum to a top-10 spot in the BCS.
Ohio State is still sitting in the BCS at-large picture despite having no control over their destiny after a strong showing in the Rose Bowl over Oregon.
And Iowa, despite losing to Wisconsin, can still take control of the Big Ten picture by upsetting Michigan State.
Without question, the Big Ten is stronger this season than it has been in quite a few years.
In fact, the strength at the top of the conference and great performances by a couple other teams have put the Big Ten as the best conference in the country.
And all this has happened before Nebraska comes on over for 2011 and beyond.
This article is featured on The BCS Blitz. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @bielik_tim.
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