I know a lot of coaches and sports writers are itching to put PSU over Alabama in the polls. But logically they can't. With our strength of schedule and their lack there of, the Tide is still number 2 and in control of their own destiny.
Ohio State was Penn States last true opponent. And no doubt it was great game. I would argue that the Tide's win over the Volunteers was even more in impressive. We needed to put to rest any lingering doubts about our ability to control the second half of a football game. The defense opened the third quarter with cornerback Javier Arenas sacking Stephens and forcing Tennessee to punt. This pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game. Did anyone see the Great Pumpkin on the sideline? He truly looked dazed and confused. Trust me I know that look well. As a Tide fan, I watched Mike Shula perfect that look. As a matter of fact Shula should charge Fulmer for using it. And unless I was mistaken, Les Miles rented "the Look" Saturday afternoon.
If we run the tables and win the SEC Championship , and we can do it, the Alabama Crimson Tide will play for the national championship. I believe Satuday night in Neyland Stadium proved we are hungry and know how to fight for what we want. Nobody travels like the Bama faithful, and the SEC trumps the Big 10. The Big 10 has sent a representative to the BCS National Championship game for the last two years. And The Ohio State University was thoroughly spanked each time. Yes, I know this is PSU and not OSU, but they still play virtually the same strength of schedule. Each has little contact with high quality opponents Saturday after Saturday the way any SEC team does. ESPN's Vern Lindquest and Todd Blackmon said it best, "this Alabama defense is a NFL defense. It's not the typical college defensive system." And that my friend always proves problematic for Big 10 teams. The speed of the SEC!!!!
So, yeah we're stayin' number 2 but with each of our next four wins the Tide is definitely risin'.
Daniella Sarahyba
Chelsey Buhler
Best Players 6-5 and Under
Did You See That?
Comments (10) Add A Comment
ooooohhhh . so close to a great blog, but you had to go and throw out that tired old "SEC speed against the Big 10" argument. Not all Big Ten teams struggle against the "speed" of the SEC. PSU is 5-2 in bowl games against SEC foes in the last 20 years, including a few blowout wins against Tennessee & Auburn. PSU also plays 'Bama close in every matchup (tho 'Bama hols an 8-5 advantage, I think). Michigan over Tebow's Florida... Wisconsin over McFadden's Arkansas. Not all teams have struggled as much as OSU in the last two championships. It has NOT "always proved problematic for Big 10 teams".
And, no. PSU should not jump 'Bama at any point if 'Bama wins out.
PSUinHolidaySpirit
Total Comments (11024)
You would think I have the following memorized by now...
I will just use the FN favorite - Big 10 vs SEC
Since 2002, the SEC is 11-11 against the Big 10. This is average, but may not be a true reflection - does it really mean much that Michigan defeated Vandy?
I factored in how the teams finished in their own conference (equating Big 10 3rd and 4th to a division 2nd) to get an apples to apples comparison from 2002 to 2007.
Against tOSU, the SEC is 2-0, picking up 2 titles in the process.
Against the rest of the Big 10, the SEC is:
3-3 when evenly matched - Average.
5-5 when the higher team, struggling to stay above .500
1-3 when the lower team, their only win being a 6 point victory back in 2002 (and the only reason I went all the way back to 2002 - I didn't feel the need to appear biased in the numbers as the results are the about the same regardless of how far i went back).
As a summary,
The SEC has dominated tOSU.
Against the rest of the Big 10, the SEC is average in even match ups, struggles to stay above .500 when they are the higher team, and have found it almost impossible to win as the lower team.
Please don't go into a hissie fit. I didn't make up these numbers. I simply made an apples to apples comparison of the results of the field of play.
if you are this wrong about the records between the conferences, why should anyone put any credence in your other reasoning?
Prove It
Frellin Cold In, AK
Total Comments (6829)
Mich, Iowa, Minn, and PSU are a combined 8-2 against the SEC, 7 of the 8 wins coming in games where they finished even or lower in the Big 10 than their opponent.
Is Mich, Iowa, Minn, ad PSU just too fast for the SEC?
...or are you just dead wrong in your reasons?
Prove It
Frellin Cold In, AK
Total Comments (6829)
And she was doing so well until that mantra. maybe it is like a Southern holy prayer or something. Like "God Bless you" when someone sneezes or "Amen" after saying grace. "SEC Team A beats SEC team B... but the Big 10 sucks. SEC Speed, Amen!"
PSUinHolidaySpirit
Total Comments (11024)
Yea, the prayer does go something like that, but with more emphasis on blessing Mr. Rodreguiz's stay in Ann Arbor. Now, to defend my stance, Here are few numbers to crunch. I like numbers because they are unemotional and difficult to dispute.
A little BSC history for you fine gentlemen.
Big 10 has had 17 appearances in BCS bowls. Very commendable.
Won 8 of those games most notably OSU championship in 2003. Truly excellent.
Lost 9 of those appearances. Oh, the image is beginning to crack a little.
Which gives the Big 10 a .471%
SEC has had 15 appearances in BCS bowls. Equally commendable.
Won 11 of those games most notably Florida's and LSU domination of OSU in the last two championship games.
Lost 4 of those games. Hey we really can't win them all.
Which gives the South Eastern Conference a whopping .733%
Those are the numbers.
If the Big 10 had an actual conference championship, I don't believe it would have made to as bowl games as is has in the past. It really gives them and the ACC (like they matter) an advantage over other teams who are sluggin' it out come December.
And yes,I went to the official site (not the secret one our SEC Webmaster BillyBob maintains with his crazy Uncle Gene David's Apple IIe).
Bama Diva
Odenville , AL
Total Comments (7)
Bravo. As much better effort.
However, limiting the sample size to only BCS bowls isn't really reflective of the entire Big Ten vs SEC performance. Since OSU has experience recent conference success but limited success against the SEC, that noticibly skews the results.
You'll get no argument that the SEC teams have owned OSU... and even our OSU fans are a more than a bit disappointed in the last two NCs.
However, when looking at the conferences as a whole, the differences are non-existant.
Take it from my perspective, after watching PSU win a number of blow outs, win a couple close games, lose a couple close games, and only lose once decisively (with our two best players suspended for the bowl game) in the last 20 years or so, I find it delusional and rediculous when SEC fan says that their teams have too much speed for mine.
Coaching and preparation can counter a difference in speed (if one actually exists), it is a shame that Coach Tressel hasn't prepared effectively of late. So keep that broad-sweeping "speed" brush in the closet next time.
PSUinHolidaySpirit
Total Comments (11024)
Silars beat me to 1/2 - you are attempting to evaluate a conference on the results of 1 or 2 games a year... there is no reason to look at 9% of a conference when the results of 100% can be obtained... unless you realize that you have no leg to stand on if you look at all the games.
The other major fault in your numbers (while they are a good try) is 2 fold:
-They include BCS games against teams outside the major 6 conferences, not relevant to the comparison at hand. You equate LSU over tOSU to UGa over Hawaii - when a team from the top 1/3 of a major conference plays a team from outside the major conferences, they are supposed to win.
-You do not take into account how the teams finished in their conference. You equate a match up between conference champs WVU over OU to be the same as PAC10 champ USC over Big 10 #3 Illinois - when a champ meets a 3rd place team, they are supposed to win.
You could go to the far ends of the internet, pull up every stat you can find, you still won't find a more telling stat than these when the questions is the relative strength off the conferences:
Against tOSU, the SEC is 2-0, picking up 2 titles in the process.
Against the rest of the Big 10, the SEC is:
11-11 overall - Average
3-3 when evenly matched - Average.
5-5 when the higher team, struggling to stay above .500
1-3 when the lower team, their only win being a 6 point victory back in 2002
These aren't made up, these numbers aren't manipulated, these aren't padded with the Hawaiis of the world nor do they celebrate a comference champ beating a 3rd place team.
These are the results of the field of play if you make an apples to apples comparison based on how the teams finished in their respective conferences. these are the most relevant stats you can find when comparing conferences.
Prove It
Frellin Cold In, AK
Total Comments (6829)
How does the ACC get an advantage in their conference title game over the other 12 team conferences? Not following you here.
The best route to declare a conference champion is to play round robin. The further you get from round robin, the less telling the results... but this is a blog, not a comment. You can find a starter list with the drawbacks of the title game over round robin here:
http://www.fannation.com/blogs/post/213575
Prove It
Frellin Cold In, AK
Total Comments (6829)
I'm going to have to partially agree... Adding a Championship game certainly would decrease the number of Big Ten appearances in the BCS. The rationale is that without a Champ game, 2 Big Ten teams have been selected historically. With a Championship game, if the lesser team loses, they would also lose their spot in the BCS... we're tracking so far.
However, what happens to that team?...
a) the Big Ten BCS winning percentage would likely increase since a lesser team would not be playing. For example, Illinois would never have played USC last year. An increase in winning percentage hurts your current argument.
b) Instead of the THIRD place B10 team playing an SEC team in the Capital One bowl, the SECOND place team would play the SEC in the Capital One Bowl. Since the SEC team is now facing a better opponent, the B10 winning percentage against SEC is likely to increase as well.
c) a championship game will reduce the layoff (no question the 52 days off made OSU come out flat last year). A comparable layoff to the SEC champ would also likely increase the B10 winning percentage in the BCS.
So the lack of B10 championship game is the disadvantage competitively, but not monetarily.
PSUinHolidaySpirit
Total Comments (11024)
The Big 10 did announce they were movin the schedule back a week.
Personally, I would have preferred to see the other schedules moved up. Could have put the conference champioship games Thanksgiving week, the rest of the season over the weekend before. Now the regular season no longer ends before Thanksgiving - not exactly in the kids best interest.
Prove It
Frellin Cold In, AK
Total Comments (6829)
Comment
Remember to keep your posts clean. Profanity will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.