How many SEC teams would have won the B10 West this season?

[Jack Lambert]

Northwestern
Wisconsin
Purdue
Iowa
Nebraska
Minnesota

I say 10 teams would have been in the running.

On the flip side I don't think any of those teams listed would win either side of the SEC.

[msstate7]

Well to be fair, Georgia and Bama are head and shoulders better than anyone else in the sec too

[Jack Lambert]

Well to be fair, Georgia and Bama are head and shoulders better than anyone else in the sec too

Take out GA and Bama and summit any of those teams in their place. Do they get past the next three in each side?

[msstate7]

Take out GA and Bama and summit any of those teams in their place. Do they get past the next three in each side?

Nah, not in the west. The east is a different story though

[StarkVegasSteve]

Bama
LSU
MSU
A&M
Auburn
UGA
Florida
UK
Mizzou

I think any of those teams would win it. I think even Vandy and UT would've been very competitive

[Hawkeyegoofball]

Northwestern
Wisconsin
Purdue
Iowa
Nebraska
Minnesota

I say 10 teams would have been in the running.

On the flip side I don't think any of those teams listed would win either side of the SEC.

Interesting and fun question. All things being equal...

Teams that WOULDN'T have won the B1G West this year: Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Teams that PROBABLY* could have won the B1G West: Missouri, South Carolina, Auburn (*they were very schizophrenic game-by-game this year, so I wouldn't put them down as a definite)

Teams that DEFINITELY would have won the B1G West: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M

Agree that no team from the B1G west would have won either SEC division. Maybe a couple land in the top 4 or 5, but that's it. It was a weird year in the West.

The B1G, outside of Ohio State (who is built more like an SEC team), Michigan and Penn State to a lesser degree, have teams primarily built for football in October and November in the midwest. The bottom seven SEC teams would struggle in those later months. The top 7 wouldn't - they have excellent defenses that would travel well.

Wind, rain and cold really does shrink a game and can be a huge mental hurdle leading up to and inside the actual game for those who haven't ventured much north of the Mason-Dixon line. Hard to prep for/simulate.

Same thing for northern teams traveling south in those months and dealing with more heat/humidity than their bodies have become accustomed to, and the game pace would be relatively the same in the south as in early fall rather than slowing down (as in the north) - leading to more fatigue for the yankees.

And, in season, teams have only 4 days for prep (recovery, game plan installation, etc), then a travel day. Pros do it all the time - but they're pros.

That doesn't happen in college - unless you're Iowa State and the Kansas teams and have to travel south late in the season and host the more northern teams that time of year. In the first 12 or so seasons of the Big XII Iowa State would rarely if ever host a Texas or Oklahoma team in November. That's was not a fluke. It was a power play. And Iowa State was horrible back then. But, smart coaches and power brokers knew that mid west weather is far greater equalizer than they wanted to deal with.

Peace.

[Jack Lambert]

Interesting and fun question. All things being equal...

Teams that WOULDN'T have won the B1G West this year: Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Teams that PROBABLY* could have won the B1G West: Missouri, South Carolina, Auburn (*they were very schizophrenic game-by-game this year, so I wouldn't put them down as a definite)

Teams that DEFINITELY would have won the B1G West: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M

Agree that no team from the B1G west would have won either SEC division. Maybe a couple land in the top 4 or 5, but that's it. It was a weird year in the West.

The B1G, outside of Ohio State (who is built more like an SEC team), Michigan and Penn State to a lesser degree, have teams primarily built for football in October and November in the midwest. The bottom seven SEC teams would struggle in those later months. The top 7 wouldn't - they have excellent defenses that would travel well.

Wind, rain and cold really does shrink a game and can be a huge mental hurdle leading up to an inside the actual game for those who haven't ventured much north of the Mason-Dixon line. Hard to prep for/simulate.

Same thing for northern teams traveling south in those months and dealing with more heat/humidity than their bodies have become accustomed to, and the game pace would be relatively the same in the south as in early fall rather than slowing down (as in the north) - leading to more fatigue for the yankees.

And, in season, teams have only 4 days for prep (recovery, game plan installation, etc), then a travel day. Pros do it all the time - but they're pros.

That doesn't happen in college - unless you're Iowa State and the Kansas teams and have to travel south late in the season and host the more northern teams that time of year. In the first 12 or so seasons of the Big XII Iowa State would rarely if ever host a Texas or Oklahoma team in November. That's was not a fluke. It was a power play. And Iowa State was horrible back then. But, smart coaches and power brokers knew that mid west weather is far greater equalizer than they wanted to deal with.

Peace.

How did it get so unbalance and has it always been that way? The SEC had been unbalance but it has evened out a little over the past two seasons.

Side note I think Saban has hurt the SEC and the NCAA. SEC football will become more fun once he is gone.

[Hawkeyegoofball]

Northwestern
Wisconsin
Purdue
Iowa
Nebraska
Minnesota

I say 10 teams would have been in the running.

On the flip side I don't think any of those teams listed would win either side of the SEC.

Interesting and fun question. All things being equal...

Teams that WOULDN'T have won the B1G West this year: Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Teams that PROBABLY* could have won the B1G West: Missouri, South Carolina, Auburn (*they were very schizophrenic game-by-game this year, so I wouldn't put them down as a definite)

Teams that DEFINITELY would have won the B1G West: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M

Agree that no team from the B1G west would have won either SEC division. Maybe a couple land in the top 4 or 5, but that's it. It was a weird year in the West.

The B1G, outside of Ohio State (who is built more like an SEC team), Michigan and Penn State to a lesser degree, have teams primarily built for football in October and November in the midwest. The bottom seven SEC teams would struggle in those later months. The top 7 wouldn't - they have excellent defenses that would travel well.

Wind, rain and cold really does shrink a game and can be a huge mental hurdle leading up to an inside the actual game for those who haven't ventured much north of the Mason-Dixon line. Hard to prep for/simulate.

Same thing for northern teams traveling south in those months and dealing with more heat/humidity than their bodies have become accustomed to, and the game pace would be relatively the same in the south as in early fall rather than slowing down (as in the north) - leading to more fatigue for the yankees.

And, in season, teams have only 4 days for prep (recovery, game plan installation, etc), then a travel day. Pros do it all the time - but they're pros.

That doesn't happen in college - unless you're Iowa State and the Kansas teams and have to travel south late in the season and host the more northern teams that time of year. In the first 12 or so seasons of the Big XII Iowa State would rarely if ever host a Texas or Oklahoma team in November? That's was not a fluke. It was a power play. And Iowa State was horrible back then. But, smart coaches and power brokers knew that mid west weather is far greater equalizer than they wanted to deal with.

Peace.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Nah, not in the west. The east is a different story though

Florida and Kentucky are better than NW, so even without UGA or Bama there's no way the B10W would finish in the top 2 of either division

[msstate7]

Florida and Kentucky are better than NW, so even without UGA or Bama there's no way the B10W would finish in the top 2 of either division

I was talking about big10 east and west

[Hawkeyegoofball]

Interesting and fun question. All things being equal...

Teams that WOULDN'T have won the B1G West this year: Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Teams that PROBABLY* could have won the B1G West: Missouri, South Carolina, Auburn (*they were very schizophrenic game-by-game this year, so I wouldn't put them down as a definite)

Teams that DEFINITELY would have won the B1G West: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M

Agree that no team from the B1G west would have won either SEC division. Maybe a couple land in the top 4 or 5, but that's it. It was a weird year in the West.

The B1G, outside of Ohio State (who is built more like an SEC team), Michigan and Penn State to a lesser degree, have teams primarily built for football in October and November in the midwest. The bottom seven SEC teams would struggle in those later months. The top 7 wouldn't - they have excellent defenses that would travel well.

Wind, rain and cold really does shrink a game and can be a huge mental hurdle leading up to an inside the actual game for those who haven't ventured much north of the Mason-Dixon line. Hard to prep for/simulate.

Same thing for northern teams traveling south in those months and dealing with more heat/humidity than their bodies have become accustomed to, and the game pace would be relatively the same in the south as in early fall rather than slowing down (as in the north) - leading to more fatigue for the yankees.

And, in season, teams have only 4 days for prep (recovery, game plan installation, etc), then a travel day. Pros do it all the time - but they're pros.

That doesn't happen in college - unless you're Iowa State and the Kansas teams and have to travel south late in the season and host the more northern teams that time of year. In the first 12 or so seasons of the Big XII Iowa State would rarely if ever host a Texas or Oklahoma team in November? That's was not a fluke. It was a power play. And Iowa State was horrible back then. But, smart coaches and power brokers knew that mid west weather is far greater equalizer than they wanted to deal with.

Peace.


How did it get so unbalance and has it always been that way? The SEC had been unbalance but it has evened out a little over the past two seasons.

Side note I think Saban has hurt the SEC and the NCAA. SEC football will become more fun once he is gone.


Interesting and fun question. All things being equal...

Teams that WOULDN'T have won the B1G West this year: Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Vanderbilt

Teams that PROBABLY* could have won the B1G West: Missouri, South Carolina, Auburn (*they were very schizophrenic game-by-game this year, so I wouldn't put them down as a definite)

Teams that DEFINITELY would have won the B1G West: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, Texas A&M

Agree that no team from the B1G west would have won either SEC division. Maybe a couple land in the top 4 or 5, but that's it. It was a weird year in the West.

The B1G, outside of Ohio State (who is built more like an SEC team), Michigan and Penn State to a lesser degree, have teams primarily built for football in October and November in the midwest. The bottom seven SEC teams would struggle in those later months. The top 7 wouldn't - they have excellent defenses that would travel well.

Wind, rain and cold really does shrink a game and can be a huge mental hurdle leading up to an inside the actual game for those who haven't ventured much north of the Mason-Dixon line. Hard to prep for/simulate.

Same thing for northern teams traveling south in those months and dealing with more heat/humidity than their bodies have become accustomed to, and the game pace would be relatively the same in the south as in early fall rather than slowing down (as in the north) - leading to more fatigue for the yankees.

And, in season, teams have only 4 days for prep (recovery, game plan installation, etc), then a travel day. Pros do it all the time - but they're pros.

That doesn't happen in college - unless you're Iowa State and the Kansas teams and have to travel south late in the season and host the more northern teams that time of year. In the first 12 or so seasons of the Big XII Iowa State would rarely if ever host a Texas or Oklahoma team in November? That's was not a fluke. It was a power play. And Iowa State was horrible back then. But, smart coaches and power brokers knew that mid west weather is far greater equalizer than they wanted to deal with.

Peace.


How did it get so unbalance and has it always been that way? The SEC had been unbalance but it has evened out a little over the past two seasons.

Side note I think Saban has hurt the SEC and the NCAA. SEC football will become more fun once he is gone.

Good question.

First, I can understand the angst and frustration with Saban over these past years with him at Alabama, but I do believe he has provided some very positive things for the conference and its member teams that will bode well in the future once he hangs it up. Waiting games suck. To a lesser degree we feel the same about Urban Meyer - his greatest influence was on changing how the B1G programs recruited...he brought a very aggressive approach to a table surrounded by mostly nice guy coaches (I'm omitting Dantonio from Michigan State as a nice guy).

Before expansion in CFB began, the Big Ten was comprised of 11 team (the long-standing 10 plus the addition of Penn State in the early 90s).

There were no divisions. Just straight up rotational play with tie-breakers deciding the Rose Bowl berth (a HUGE deal for the Big Ten, then and now). And, longstanding rivalries were protected (i.e., Iowa vs. Wisconsin & Minnesota - Michigan vs. Ohio State, Michigan State, etc.) and played each year - never rotated off.

Then, the Big XII was looking like it was imploding. Huge power struggles. There's a lot of good stories/history behind that whole deal (i.e., Nebraska was NOT happy that they had so little power/influence compared to Texas [largest athletics budget in all of the NCAA] - and Colorado got very, very nervous. Etc.). And, the Big Ten had launched their network and there were BIG dollars coming in. Colorado found a home in the west (Pac 10) and Nebraska made it's way to the Big Ten - made sense geographically and financially, and could be a potential opportunity for them to regain some sort of influence at a conference level (football for certain, and MAYBE women's volleyball). :)

Anyway, with Nebraska entering the conference, Jim Delaney (the VERY powerful Big Ten conference commissioner) got his group of yahoos together and decided they wanted to split into divisions and balance out the conference. Conceptually, a very good thing to day. Made sense on the surface.

So Delany and his blue ribbon panel of numb nuts came up with the following two divisions, with no real geographic constraints:

Legends: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern
Leaders: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin

It was really a pretty fair split.

Problems: Rivalries were no longer protected, and conspiracy theories ran a muck that the whole thing was set up to secure/ensure a Michigan vs. Ohio State championship game almost annually. Presidents, ADs, coaches, fans, writers were all furious and mocking the structure. The Big Ten is a very traditional conference in its own right, and it's loyalists were pissed off.

But the games were played as scheduled - as the back room conversations were ramping up in terms of heat and intensity.

That started in 2011.

In 2014, there was an even more threatening conference realignment happening - mostly including the ACC. The B1G, with it's network and penchant for ever more TV dollars, started fishing again. One caveat: any institution that joined had to be an AAU member (Association of American Universities) - the presidents demanded this be a requirement. So with that, Delany and his gaggle of pillow biters went on the hunt. Notre Dame was in play (not seriously - they revel in their independence and autonomous power). North Carolina. Boston College. And others. Delaney also wanted to be certain to grab the TV dollars. So he went east and scooped up Maryland (DC market) and Rutgers (NY market).

With those two additions, and all of the political pressure being placed on Delaney to reinstate protected rivalries, they reorganized based on geography more than competitive balance.

So now...

East: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers
West: Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, Wisconsin

Rivalries are protected. And 13 of the 14 schools have the coveted AAU designation. Nebraska had the designation when they initially joined, but lost it (which I don't know who you have to piss off enough to lose that kind of designation - those stupid bug eaters).

So we are where we are.

Peace

[Quaoarsking]

The Big 10 West champion lost to Akron this year. And it's not like this was the occasional good MAC team - Akron went 4-8 and fired their coach (Terry Bowden).

[Hawkeyegoofball]

The Big 10 West champion lost to Akron this year. And it's not like this was the occasional good MAC team - Akron went 4-8 and fired their coach (Terry Bowden).


The B1G West had a weird year, and NW capitalized. They are a solid team, but not elite caliber.

They also played Notre Dame and Michigan very tough. Squeaked by Rutgers. Put a knot on Wisonsin's head. Got lucky against Nebraska and their clock mismanagement (but had the nuts to drive it 99 yards for the winning TD as the clock was running down). Beat Iowa @ Iowa at night - which is difficult to do. And, finally, ran out of steam and were outclassed vs. Ohio State.

But, I give them credit and won't underestimate their grit and fight. And they had been in some really tough games against really good opponents: Notre Dame (#3), Ohio State (#6), Michigan (#7). I can't think of any other team in the land that played 3 of the top 7 in the CFB Playoff final rankings. Sure, they lost. But they played 'em.

Akron was early season. NW really developed and played well as the season wore on...except, of course, for Ohio State. Which happens.

Kudos to the Wildcats.

[Recreationalgynecologist]

Northwestern was a young team missing several key players early in the season. Once they found their groove and those players returned, it sort of just took off from there.

[RougeDawg]

Sadly, The only SEC West team that wouldn?t have a shot at the Littke10 west would be Arkansas this year. Even shitty OM would have a shot because the Little10 has optional defense. All other 5 sec west teams would be favorite in the Lit10 west.

[IMissJack]

Northwestern
Wisconsin
Purdue
Iowa
Nebraska
Minnesota

I say 10 teams would have been in the running.

On the flip side I don't think any of those teams listed would win either side of the SEC.

What about same question for Pac 12? Auburn beat Washington.

[Hawkeyegoofball]

Sadly, The only SEC West team that wouldn?t have a shot at the Littke10 west would be Arkansas this year. Even shitty OM would have a shot because the Little10 has optional defense. All other 5 sec west teams would be favorite in the Lit10 west.

Interesting.

It's all rainbows and sunshine in SEC land.

Like I said, come up north in late Oct and Nov and play some big boy football in the elements.

Then and only then will we truly see what each other is really made of.

[Mutt the Hoople]

Interesting.

It's all rainbows and sunshine in SEC land.

Like I said, come up north in late Oct and Nov and play some big boy football in the elements.

Then and only then will we truly see what each other is really made of.

Conversely, come down and play in Mississippi the first week of September, at 11:00 A.M. Especially when there's about a 15 minute rain shower followed by blazing sun.

BTW, The Mississippi State University has played in the snow before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40h2f-gzTvE

[Hawkeyegoofball]

Conversely, come down and play in Mississippi the first week of September, at 11:00 A.M. Especially when there's about a 15 minute rain shower followed by blazing sun.

BTW, The Mississippi State University has played in the snow before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40h2f-gzTvE

No problem. Fair is fair.

Set it up.

:)

[TUSK]

Interesting.

It's all rainbows and sunshine in SEC land.

Like I said, come up north in late Oct and Nov and play some big boy football in the elements.

Then and only then will we truly see what each other is really made of.

Yawn...

https://www.msichicago.org/fileadmin/assets/_processed_/3/6/csm_Woolly_Mammoth_5_e840a7c435.jpg

[Mutt the Hoople]

I got kicked off Sixpack permanently for calling HD 6 a Nazi collaborator (well, Ole Miss collaborator, sort of the same thing).

Moved my daughter from Columbus and she now lives here with us. Will still be taking 16 hours, but it'll all be on-line.

This is showing me that the days of brick-and-mortar colleges may soon become obsolete.

[TUSK]

I got kicked off Sixpack permanently for calling HD 6 a Nazi collaborator (well, Ole Miss collaborator, sort of the same thing).

Moved my daughter from Columbus and she now lives here with us. Will still be taking 16 hours, but it'll all be on-line.

This is showing me that the days of brick-and-mortar colleges may soon become obsolete.

PM sent.

[IMissJack]

Interesting.

It's all rainbows and sunshine in SEC land.

Like I said, come up north in late Oct and Nov and play some big boy football in the elements.

Then and only then will we truly see what each other is really made of.

I genuinely respect Iowa but I don't see how playing on a sloppy field where the weather may change the ability of teams to run half their plays proves anything. Most bowls are either in domes or a Southern stadium, so that the playing field does not affect the game, true ability is on display.

What I would love to see encouraged are non-conference games between the large conferences. Something along the lines of what they do in basketball with an organized weekend of Big X vs SEC.

[RocketDawg]

Bama
LSU
MSU
A&M
Auburn
UGA
Florida
UK
Mizzou

I think any of those teams would win it. I think even Vandy and UT would've been very competitive

You didn't mention the Bears. Oversight?

[Goldendawg]

Interesting.

It's all rainbows and sunshine in SEC land.

Like I said, come up north in late Oct and Nov and play some big boy football in the elements.

Then and only then will we truly see what each other is really made of.

Is this why most Big Ten teams look so slow on TV, they think they are running in the snow? Seriously, how is Iowa's team speed?