For tOSU Doubters Only

[Dave in Green]

@Buckzip, please do not read this thread as it will only give you heartburn.

I just stumbled across the following story on Fox Sports that mirrors what many tOSU doubters have been saying on ZN.o. Whatever you think of this story, be sure to watch the video of the end of the Wisconsin-Arizona State game:

Starting 11: Ohio St. is way overrated

[LZIp]

Didnt even read what he said about OSU.

Noticed he has UCLA ranked #6 and Washington ranked #7....umm yeah....

[GP1]

Buffalo, Cal, SDSU and FL a and m. It's impossible to tell whether or not osu is good or bad because they never play anyone. They like to fly under the radar and hope to pop up in the national championship game. If the go 13-0 and there are two other undefeated teams like Oregon and Alabama, there is no way osu makes the national championship game. It is the perfect scenario for their fans because they love the victim card.

[Dr Z]

Didnt even read what he said about OSU.

I'll save you time, it says Columbus plays nobody on their schedule. They would be the SEVENTH best team in the SEC. This is not really news. Other than Columbus fans, all college football fans know this. Can you imagine Columbus playing Alabama, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Florida, Ol Miss, etc on their schedule? Hell, Akron in a rebuilding phase, took the best (according to crazy rankings) team on the Columbus schedule to the last second of the game at THEIR house. Rankings are a joke. I've said it a hundred times, NOBODY should be ranked until week 6.

[skip-zip]

I'll save you time, it says Columbus plays nobody on their schedule. They would be the SEVENTH best team in the SEC. This is not really news. Other than Columbus fans, all college football fans know this. Can you imagine Columbus playing Alabama, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Florida, Ol Miss, etc on their schedule? Hell, Akron in a rebuilding phase, took the best (according to crazy rankings) team on the Columbus schedule to the last second of the game at THEIR house. Rankings are a joke. I've said it a hundred times, NOBODY should be ranked until week 6.

Perfectly Said.

[legendofzippy]

Is the the official thread for anyone obsessed with Ohio State?

[UAZipster0305]

The reason OSU is so vulnerable to criticism of their SOS is the overall weakness of the Big Ten. The OOC schedules are similar for Oregon, OSU, Alabma, etc. regardless of conference. However, OSU may only play one Top 25 team all season whereas members of the PAC-10 and SEC could play 4-6 Top 25 teams. The SEC alone could have 4 Top 10 teams.

The disparity has gotten to be so great that I question the Big Ten's right to an automatic BCS birth for its champion. In terms of quality, the Big Ten is comparable to the Big East from about a decade ago when its automatic qualification was first being brought into question.

An undefeated OSU team will have a tough case for justifying an opportunity to play for a National Championship in place of any one loss PAC 10 or SEC teams. I look forward to their non-alum fans whining if/when the time comes.

No offense, Buckzip. Nothing I said here was intended to draw a response from you.

[skip-zip]

I look forward to their non-alum fans whining if/when the time comes.

Oh, it will happen. It's like a yearly event here in Ohio.

[legendofzippy]

The reason OSU is so vulnerable to criticism of their SOS is the overall weakness of the Big Ten. The OOC schedules are similar for Oregon, OSU, Alabma, etc. regardless of conference. However, OSU may only play one Top 25 team all season whereas members of the PAC-10 and SEC could play 4-6 Top 25 teams. The SEC alone could have 4 Top 10 teams.

The disparity has gotten to be so great that I question the Big Ten's right to an automatic BCS birth for its champion. In terms of quality, the Big Ten is comparable to the Big East from about a decade ago when its automatic qualification was first being brought into question.

An undefeated OSU team will have a tough case for justifying an opportunity to play for a National Championship in place of any one loss PAC 10 or SEC teams. I look forward to their non-alum fans whining if/when the time comes.

No offense, Buckzip. Nothing I said here was intended to draw a response from you.

Alabama is currently scheduled to play 3 top 25 teams.

Ragging on the Big Ten doesn't help the MAC a lot, since that's the large conference we play the most often. So if you want to push the narrative that the Big Ten is so awful, then by extension the MAC must be abysmal since they have an excellent record against us.

The SEC has 1 incredible team, then maybe 3 more great teams. There are a few great teams in the PAC-12, Big Ten and ACC. The Big 12 is struggling, but a few pretty good teams. Beyond that it's basically even.

I think it was ESPN that started pushing this conference narrative so much. My advice would be to turn off ESPN.

[skip-zip]

Alabama is currently scheduled to play 3 top 25 teams.

Ragging on the Big Ten doesn't help the MAC a lot, since that's the large conference we play the most often. So if you want to push the narrative that the Big Ten is so awful, then by extension the MAC must be abysmal since they have an excellent record against us.

The SEC has 1 incredible team, then maybe 3 more great teams. There are a few great teams in the PAC-12, Big Ten and ACC. The Big 12 is struggling, but a few pretty good teams. Beyond that it's basically even.

I think it was ESPN that started pushing this conference narrative so much. My advice would be to turn off ESPN.

On your first point, ragging on the Big 10 is simply pointing out the obvious. And a bad Big 10 is helping us big-time. The worse the Big 10 keeps dropping, the more of those players that are considering MAC schools, in the same regions. The gap is closing quickly between these two conferences, and we are the beneficiaries.

On your second point, please give us the list of those "great" teams in the Big 10.

[legendofzippy]

On your first point, ragging on the Big 10 is simply pointing out the obvious. And a bad Big 10 is helping us big-time. The worse the Big 10 keeps dropping, the more of those players that are considering MAC schools, in the same regions. The gap is closing quickly between these two conferences, and we are the beneficiaries.

On your second point, please give us the list of those "great" teams in the Big 10.

Big Ten Rankings

MAC Rankings

Just using 2013 as an example, the highest rated MAC team was still rated behind the last-place Big Ten team. Please explain how the gap is closing.

Again, what does it matter? Shouldn't be just be concerned about Akron picking up a few MAC wins?

[skip-zip]

Again, what does it matter?

Because a weak Big 10 helps the MAC. We're in the same region of the country, and recruit basically the same region of the country. This should be pretty obvious.

[UAZipster0305]

Big Ten Rankings

MAC Rankings

Just using 2013 as an example, the highest rated MAC team was still rated behind the last-place Big Ten team. Please explain how the gap is closing.

Again, what does it matter? Shouldn't be just be concerned about Akron picking up a few MAC wins?

The rankings you cite are subjective and rely on recruit rankings and numbers, which have no direct bearing on on-field performance. Besides, how many times have we seen a Big Ten recruit downgraded when he signs with a MAC school?

If you want a more objective comparison, use the Sagarin rankings:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/sagarin/2013/team/

Sagarin suggests there is significant overlap in quality between the Big Ten and the MAC. I agree.

#15 OSU

#16 Wisconsin

#27 Michigan

#35 Penn State

#36 Northwestern

#40 Nebraska

#45 Michigan State

#55 Indiana

#57 Northern Illinois

#59 Illinois

#61 Iowa

#65 Minnesota

#67 Toledo

#72 Bowling Green

#84 Ball State

#85 Ohio

#93 Purdue

#111 Can't

#116 Buffalo

#139 Western Michigan

#140 Akron

#142 Central Michigan

#161 Miami

#168 Eastern Michigan

#176 UMass

[legendofzippy]

The rankings you cite are subjective and rely on recruit rankings and numbers, which have no direct bearing on on-field performance. Besides, how many times have we seen a Big Ten recruit downgraded when he signs with a MAC school?

If you want a more objective comparison, use the Sagarin rankings:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/sagarin/2013/team/

Sagarin suggests there is significant overlap in quality between the Big Ten and the MAC. I agree.

I'm ok with the Sagarin ratings. And yes, recruiting rankings are subjective, but it does show where the 4 and 5 stars are going.

In recent years Ohio State, Michigan and Notre Dame (including them as a mid-west school) have been landing tons of 4 and 5 stars. Heck, even a heavily sanctioned Penn State has been getting some nice recruits. That just isn't what the MAC is.

Again, who cares? I want to see us win our conference more than once in my lifetime. What's going on in the top 25 has no bearing on that.

[Dave in Green]

I'm pretty neutral about tOSU, in that I don't really have strong feelings for or against them. But I have to say I'm not impressed with what they did in the first half of today's game against little Florida A&M. Running up a 55-0 halftime score with 6 touchdown passes against an unranked FCS team is a little excessive to me. As I write this, it's now 69-0 in the 3rd quarter.

[LZIp]

I'm pretty neutral about tOSU, in that I don't really have strong feelings for or against them. But I have to say I'm not impressed with what they did in the first half of today's game against little Florida A&M. Running up a 55-0 halftime score with 6 touchdown passes against an unranked FCS team is a little excessive to me. As I write this, it's now 69-0 in the 3rd quarter.

Style points matter. See Oregon passing OSU after beating Nicholl's state 66-3, when OSU only beat Buffalo 40-20.

Starters didnt play a down in the 2nd half unless it was needed, and I dont think the ball was thrown once the second half. No problem with what they did.