This is image week for the Big Ten Conference, including in Dinkytown. Conference teams were 1-6 in bowl games last year so it doesn’t require much improvement to produce a better bowl record during the days ahead.
Darrell Thompson, the Gophers football radio analyst, was asked if the Big Ten’s image is on the line now. “I think it is,” he said. “I think people will look at it harder (this year’s record). …It just kind of comes down to bragging rights for the Big Ten.”
Somewhere between the Vietnam War and Desert Storm, the Big Ten lost its reputation as numero uno among college football conferences. But, come on, 1-6 in bowl games. Is the state of Big Ten football that bad?
No, it’s not and between now and January 5 when the league plays its last bowl game the Big Ten can prove that last year’s big embarrassment was an exception, not a norm. This year’s conference bowl record might be 4-3, maybe 3-4 and (faint praise) at least 2-5.
College football is loaded with parity and the Big Ten can at least argue its teams are the equal of those in the ACC and Big East, and better top to bottom than the Mountain West and WAC. Perhaps comparable to the Pac 10, but behind the Big 12 and SEC.
The Gophers are a popular pick to beat Iowa State in Thursday night’s Insight Bowl, a match up between 6-6 teams. If the Gophers run the ball effectively against what has been a mediocre Iowa State defense, Minnesota should win its first bowl game under coach Tim Brewster and stop a three game bowl losing streak.
The Gophers lost two of their last three games and public opinion went south when Minnesota was unable to beat an average Illinois team at home after a 42-34 win the week before against Michigan State. The Gophers defense, which in its last two games has given up a total of 100 rushing yards, is impressive but must get help from an offense that hasn’t produced a touchdown in the last four quarters.
The Big Ten has a little more swagger this morning after last night’s 20-14 Wisconsin win over Miami in the Champs Sports Bowl. Other conference bowl wins could come in the Rose Bowl on January 1 and the Orange Bowl on January 5. Ohio State’s rushing defense, fifth in the nation giving up 83.42 yards per game, is featured against Oregon’s run game, sixth nationally at 236.08 yards per game. The difference might be a breakout game for Ohio State sophomore quarterback Terrelle Pryor whose press clips have sometimes been more impressive than performances.
Georgia Tech’s triple-option offense (No. 2 nationally at 307.15 yards rushing per game) spits out yardage like the Fed prints money but seldom has the attack faced a defense like Iowa’s. Multiple weeks of preparation for the offense by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz and his “Albert Einstein” (Norm Parker) defensive coordinator could slow down the Tech offense and force the Wreck to pass. Not a good option. Iowa’s worry, though, is whether its players have enough speed to contain Tech.
The Big Ten might pick up a win in the Penn State-Louisiana State Capital One Bowl game on New Year’s Day. This could be a toss up game but senior quarterback Daryl Clark and the Nittany Lions’ athleticism gives them a solid chance against another team that is among the fastest in the country. Northwestern has a leaky pass defense, but has a chance against Auburn in the Outback Bowl on January 1. Odds are slim that pass deficient Michigan State can make a competitive game out of the Alamo Bowl on January 2 against pass happy Texas Tech (Raiders, 44, Gophers, 41, in the 2006 Insight Bowl).