Non Conference Schedule Rant

This is becoming a semi-tradition for me; complaining about Big Ten non conference scheduling. One theory is that conference play is so even that you need 3 or 4 creampuffs to ensure a 7 or 8 win season and thus a bowl bid. I guess if you goal is to get a bunch of mediocre teams into a bunch of mediocre bowls, or more likely mediocre teams LOSING to better bowl opponents..then this is a good strategy.

Look our conference isn't the SEC right now in football...every week is NOT a "playoff level game". Each year we have between 2-4 dogs within the conference, 2-3 really good teams and 4 to 7 average teams who might play tough on a given week.

You want to upgrade the conference? You want a better reputation? Do 2 things; schedule better non conference games and win more bowls.

On the first point, examples of this seasons lame schedulers: Minnesota..what else is new they have Syracuse, Ohio U, Duke and Southern Illinois..got tired of losing to Dakota schools I guess. And then the Hoosiers play Western Kentucky, Ball State, Murray State and Central Michigan..well the Chips might be a test for them. Penn State enters the land of LAME this year with COASTAL CAROLINA?, Oregon State, Syracuse and Temple....

Northwesterm, Wisconsin are also lame. Michigan, who normally fairs well in this area is very borderline. They play Utah who was a bowl team, Notre Dame who might be better than last year, Miami of Ohio and Toledo...if this was a more experienced UM team I would say creampuff city!

Buckeyes score points for playing USC on the road. That game on September 13 is the ONLY marquis non conference game of the WHOLE pre Big Ten season. Purdue plays Oregon and Notre Dame..respectable. Michigan State plays at Cal plus Notre Dame. Iowa plays their rival Iowa State plus a surging Pitt.

Here's a formula I would like to see EVERY Big Ten team schedule moving forward. Either you play one perennial powerhouse ((Top 10) team and 3 puffs, or 2 Bowl level teams and 2 puffs. And make a rule no 3-5 conference performance allowed in a Bowl game.

What do you think?