Is the Big 12 overrated?

[panther15z30]

Texas wins in the final seconds against Ohio St. 24-21

Texas Tech lost to Ole Miss 47-34

Oklahoma St. lost to Oregon 42-31

 

The North went 3-0. But there strength of their opponents wasn't that great. Not to mention they were dominated by the South.

Missouri beat Northwestern 30-23

Nebraska beat Clemson 26-21

Kansas beat Minnesota 42-21

 

Does this say anything about Oklahoma?

[Hearsay]

Nobody plays any defense. I think the conference was bloated with hyped quarterbacks. Good ones, mind you, but at the end of the day I still like the SEC and Pac-10, who both have more balance. Mountain West also very strong this year.

[JPP]

The Texas OS game speaks more than I can type. Overrated to the nth degree!

[stick1]

Way more than I thought. Still think there is a lot of great offense there but I was impressed with what OSU did tonight on defense... although I think had they gone no huddle the whole time it wouldn't have been a game. Also thought they wasted McCoy's legs. I don't know if it is because they were intemidated by Larinitus shadowing McCoy or what but not running him hurt their offense. OSU had no answer for the no huddle either.

[Getslow]

The fact that there's so much disparity even among conferences is illustrative of a very serious problem in college football. The distribution of talent nationwide is very poor. Either that or the distribution of useful coaching strategies is very poor. The recent dominance of the SEC and the apparent demise of the Big 10 is troublesome.

 

The fact that I watched a regular season basketball game (Notre Dame v. Georgetown) and then went to my room to read instead of watch the Fiesta Bowl doesn't sit well, even with me. Eh, I'm in a strange mood tonight. It seems that these things will work in cycles and it's hard for me to imagine that the Big 10 won't wake up and smell the SEC/PAC-10 cooking fairly soon. But the Big XII defenses being so lousy... that's another thing altogether. College football is in a weird spot right now, that's all I know for sure.

[AverageJoesGym]

After seeing the Big 12 defenses in action all year the league really reminds me of the WAC in the 80's and 90's. Obviously with much better athletes but with basically the same amount of defense. Any of the big offenses in the league is good enough to take down one of the top teams in the SEC or Pac 10 in a one game deal but they would have a tough road if any of them had to face the SEC/Pac 10 teams week in and week out.

[NHS BIG DADDY]

Big XII and SEC both have 2 bowl losses and a chance at the National Championship. I dont think they are neccessarily overrated.

[Hearsay]

I rarely disagree with Getslow, but I disagree on the disparity issue right now. I think that it is actually parity, not disparity, that has caused the changes in college football. What is going on is that the Mountain West and, depending on the year, WAC and some other conferences can no longer just be considered upstart mid-majors. Boise State is a perennial power, taking down Oklahoma's, et. al. Utah is undefeated twice in four years, and dominating an SEC power. "Regular" BCS-conference schools think twice before scheduling Fresno St., TCU, Nevada and even some MAC schools like Ball St., Marshall, Bowling Green (from time to time). Recruits nationwide are looking at these schools as alternative gateways to what they want to do.

 

The quicker people accept that fact, the easier it will be to measure the conferences.

[Latch]

Big XII and SEC both have 2 bowl losses and a chance at the National Championship. I dont think they are neccessarily overrated.

 

One thing to point out though is that the B12 has beaten up on the B10 and a team that fired their coach midway through the year. The SEC has a loss it shouldn't to a team that is unbeaten. But they also beat one of the supposed big 3 from the B12 and there really was no doubt who the better team that game was.

[Latch]

After seeing the Big 12 defenses in action all year the league really reminds me of the WAC in the 80's and 90's. Obviously with much better athletes but with basically the same amount of defense. Any of the big offenses in the league is good enough to take down one of the top teams in the SEC or Pac 10 in a one game deal but they would have a tough road if any of them had to face the SEC/Pac 10 teams week in and week out.

 

I agree. I think Florida beats Oklahoma handily tonight, but as w/ most sporting events I won't be shocked if OU wins.

 

I'm willing to give OU a "pass" on the Texas game and say that they just played poorly. The problem is if they can only throw it tonight I see them getting drubbed and that won't look good for the "best" conference in football.

[Latch]

The fact that there's so much disparity even among conferences is illustrative of a very serious problem in college football. The distribution of talent nationwide is very poor. Either that or the distribution of useful coaching strategies is very poor. The recent dominance of the SEC and the apparent demise of the Big 10 is troublesome.

 

The fact that I watched a regular season basketball game (Notre Dame v. Georgetown) and then went to my room to read instead of watch the Fiesta Bowl doesn't sit well, even with me. Eh, I'm in a strange mood tonight. It seems that these things will work in cycles and it's hard for me to imagine that the Big 10 won't wake up and smell the SEC/PAC-10 cooking fairly soon. But the Big XII defenses being so lousy... that's another thing altogether. College football is in a weird spot right now, that's all I know for sure.

 

I think Michigan will get the B10 where it needs to be. If they don't fire their coach he will bring the spread offense and quicker athletes to the conference especially on the O line. IMO this will cause a shift in the way the rest of the conference recruits therefore 2 years from now the conference will be overall better.

[SLINK]

I don't think the conference is overrated.

[gamer31]

The one side is loaded the other, not so much. It would like like if the SEC looked like this:

 

EAST

KENTUCKY

VANDERBILT

SOUTH CAROLINA

MISSISSIPPI STATE

OLE MISS

ARKANSAS

 

 

WEST

FLORIDA

TENNESSEE

GEORGIA

LSU

ALABAMA

AUBURN

[NHS BIG DADDY]

One thing to point out though is that the B12 has beaten up on the B10 and a team that fired their coach midway through the year. The SEC has a loss it shouldn't to a team that is unbeaten. But they also beat one of the supposed big 3 from the B12 and there really was no doubt who the better team that game was.

 

Mizzou beat Northwestern but both were ranked pretty close to each other going into that game. Kansas and Minnesota were probably pretty close in talent but Kansas won by 21. Texas beat OSU who was a top 10 team in the nation whether you like it or not. OSU was not slouch. Clemson did fire Bowden mid season but thats when they turned around their season and got a lot better under Dabo so NU's win over them was no slouch either.

 

And as far as the Big 10 and SEC didnt UGA struggle with MSU and didnt Iowa put a beatdown on South Carolina? As you have already pointed out Bama lost to Utah.

 

I think if we are going to say the Big XII is overrated then we can make a case for SEC being overrated as well.

[panther15z30]

Mizzou beat Northwestern but both were ranked pretty close to each other going into that game. Kansas and Minnesota were probably pretty close in talent but Kansas won by 21. Texas beat OSU who was a top 10 team in the nation whether you like it or not. OSU was not slouch. Clemson did fire Bowden mid season but thats when they turned around their season and got a lot better under Dabo so NU's win over them was no slouch either.

 

And as far as the Big 10 and SEC didnt UGA struggle with MSU and didnt Iowa put a beatdown on South Carolina? As you have already pointed out Bama lost to Utah.

 

I think if we are going to say the Big XII is overrated then we can make a case for SEC being overrated as well.

 

Missouri and Northwestern may have been closely ranked but Mizzou was a 14pt favorite.

 

Kansas is much more talented than Minnesota.

 

And as far as the SEC goes.

 

Mississippi beat Texas Tech by 13 pts. Not to mention they are the only team to beat Florida.

 

Georgia did struggle in the first half against Mich St. but still won by 12.

 

LSU dominated Georgia Tech 38-3.

 

Vanderbilt beat BC who was one game away from a BCS game.

 

Kentucky beat ECU who won their conference and had wins against WVU and VA Tech.

 

Alabama although I did think they would have beaten Utah. It doesn't really suprise me they lost. They were overrated all season and could have easily lost a few games in conference.

 

And well South Carolina sucks. Iowa is better.