We Got No Respect.

I blame the system, but I'm getting tired of the Big Ten getting no respect.

Too often the BCS takes TWO Big Ten teams to fill its spots (Unless one of us is ranked 1st or 2nd, there should only be one of us going to the Rose Bowl) It's happened the past several years, and it has made the Big Ten look like crap on a national level. There's a severe mis-match of in-division rank between schools going on when the system does this.

Logic would dictate that the best team from one conference should play the best team from another conference, the second best against the second best, and so on. The 2008 season is a wonderful example, as are most other seasons.

In 2008, The Big 12 Champions, Oklahoma were ranked #1 and played The SEC Champions, Florida, who were ranked #2. Perfect thus far.

The #3 Team in the nation, Texas (Big 12 South Co-Champ), whom had already beat the #1 ranked Oklahoma team in Conference play, was then matched up with...wait for it.

The #10 Ohio State Buckeyes (Big Ten 'Co-Champs'). Why were they there? It was a BCS Game...there was no reason that they HAD to pick a Big Ten Team...Replace Ohio State with someone else in the top 10...(Boise State and Texas Tech didn't win their bowl games that year, but they had as much right to the Fiesta Bowl as Ohio State did that year)...then move Ohio State BELOW Penn State to the Capital One Bowl and replace Michigan State, both teams which would likely defeat their respective opponents in their new Bowl Game assignments. Ohio State definitely had a chance against Georgia, and Michigan State would have done well against Missouri. If you keep Iowa in the Outback Bowl (they get to be the exception in this scenario because they actually WON their bowl game) that matches up Northwestern against Kansas, and Minnesota against Florida State. All of those games look and sound much more interesting to watch than their respective outcomes. Wisconsin gets shafted out of a bowl game, but maybe that's what's necessary for a while to make the Big Ten look better.

Penn State was already playing USC in the Rose Bowl (a Big Ten Bowl Game that was actually worth watching, even though Penn State lost).

I think that's all I'm really trying to get at. These games should be fun to watch...fairly matched, etc. Much like backyard football, or a fun pick-up game on a Sunday afternoon, the point is to have fun. It's no fun playing 5 on 5 football when the other team has the two fast guys, and you got stuck with the gimp and the fat kid.

I'm not saying the Big Ten is out of their league. All of those games last year were completely winnable. It's just a system that naturally stacks the odds slightly against the Big Ten, and more often than not, the Big Ten doesn't come out on top.