Bowl Games 2011: Which Conference Got Screwed with Brutal Matchups?

Every year various teams get unfavorable pairings in bowl games. That's just the way this (flawed) system works.

But out of all the conferences, which one got the toughest matchups?

Year-in, year-out that answer is consistently the Big Ten, because it is matched up against the powerful Southeastern Conference more than anyone else.

The 2011 bowl season will be no different, though there are a few exceptions.

Michigan lucked into a BCS bowl bid and a Sugar Bowl meeting with equally lucky Virginia Tech—a two-loss team that couldn't even beat Iowa will take on a two-loss team that got its doors blown off in the ACC Championship Game.

You also won't see Wisconsin (earned its Rose Bowl matchup with Oregon) or Illinois (gets to play 6-7 UCLA). And Purdue won't be here either, having been selected for a Little Caesars Bowl date with Western Michigan.

But the rest of the Big Ten bowlers may have some trouble.

Ohio State

Yeah, Ohio State's Gator Bowl opponent, Florida, is 6-6, just like the Buckeyes.

But, haven't we seen this movie before?

The 2006 season concluded with Big Ten fanboys arguing that Michigan and Ohio State should play in a rematch for the BCS national championship.

Florida got in instead of the Wolverines, and proved to be far superior to the Buckeyes, winning 41-14.

Now, with Urban Meyer set to be OSU's next coach, don't you think Gator players are going to want to take their frustrations out on some Buckeyes?

Iowa

Player for player, Iowa doesn't match up very well with its Insight Bowl opponent Oklahoma.

However, the Sooners collapsed late in the season and may not have their heads on straight when they step onto the field in Tempe, Ariz. on Dec. 30.

One other note is that the Hawkeyes have a win against a team that reached a BCS game (Michigan), while overrated Oklahoma doesn't.

Michigan State

It's easy to feel for Michigan State.

The Spartans lost a heartbreaker to Wisconsin in last Saturday's inaugural Big Ten Championship Game and beat Sugar Bowl-bound Michigan, but MSU got locked out of a BCS game.

Their reward is Southeastern Conference East champion Georgia in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2.

This could be a fantastic game, but if you are the Spartans, are you longing to be elsewhere? If you are, you might get smashed.

Nebraska

Welcome to the Big Ten, Nebraska!

Here is your bowl reward - SEC powerhouse South Carolina.

The Cornhuskers and Gamecocks will square off in the Capital One Bowl. Can Nebraska prove to be the rare Big Ten team that actually can win a game against the SEC?

We'll see on Jan. 2 in Orlando.

Penn State

When Penn State football has been discussed in the second half of the season, rarely has football been the topic.

Now, the Jerry Sandusky questions will begin anew, as the Nittany Lions face a new press corps in Dallas for the TicketCity Bowl.

Penn State also will have to take on record-breaking senior quarterback Case Keenum and a dynamic Houston team that was one win away from playing in a BCS game.