Big 10-SEC Stereotype is False

 

The SEC is fast, the Big 10 is slow.  The Big 10 can not compete with the teams down South.  The players in the South are better than the players in the Midwest.  No one wants to go play in the Big 10 because the weather is bad.  FALSE, FALSE, and FALSE again!!!!!!

 

Since 1998 in the Outback Bowl, Capital One Bowl, and BCS Bowls the Big 10 and SEC are 13-13 in head to head match ups.  That is right; it is not the SEC up 20-6.  Why has the misconception been created?  In the National Championship game, Ohio State has embarrassed the Big 10 the past two years.  Florida and LSU were flat out better teams. 

 

The Big 10 reputation has been hurt in a game that does not put SEC-Big 10 teams against each other.  The Rose Bowl and USC damage the national perception of the conference.  Since 2004 USC played against a Big 10 team in the Rose Bowl four times.  They won by a combined score of 147-73 and none of those games were as close as the score stated.  USC was supposed to win all of those games.  They were better than Michigan in 2004 and 2007.  Illinois had no business being in the game 2008 and Penn State was an underdog this season.  Any team from any conference would have gotten dominated by USC in these games; unfortunately for the Big 10 with the tie-ins to the Rose Bowl they are the ones that have to deal with the consequences.

 

I am not saying that the Big 10 is better than the SEC.  I do believe that the SEC is the best conference in College Football, but I think the hype surrounding the conference has become too great.  The Big 10 which is supposedly weak every season goes toe to toe with the best conference in football each year and has success.  What makes it more impressive is that the Big 10 has gone 13-13 against the SEC when over 90% of the games are played in SEC territory in Florida.  The South Eastern Conference teams always have the advantage of not having to travel and the majority of the time they have more fans.  The SEC is good, but stop underestimating the football in the Midwest.     

written by Matt