It's not pretty folks. If you're a Michigan, Ohio State or Illinois fan, your behind has got to be raw from getting smacked around by faster, speedier schools. Last year was a wake-up call when Florida whupped Ohio State. This year's beating by LSU should have been a fifteen yard penalty; unsportsmanlike conduct for taunting another team.

Ohio State has been exposed, and it doesn't look like it's going to get better this season. Oh sure, the pollsters have the Bucks already in their preseason top five. Why? Their schedule, except for one game, dictates another glide path to the BCS game.

Youngstown State, Ohio, at USC, Troy, Minnesota, at Wisconsin, Purdue, at Michigan State, Penn State, at Northwestern, at Illinois, Michigan. That's a ten, maybe eleven win season, considering Michigan is without a quarterback that can run Rich-rod's WCO, and Penn State has no quarterback worth even mentioning. So far. Sorry Pat Devlin. Illinois could beat them again, if the planets all align in the universe, but that drubbing they got at USC may cause some serious character assessment.

But, first things first...Youngstown State, again? Yeah, I know, it was a favor for Tressel's old school. Excuses, excuses. This is pathetic scheduling and an embarrassment for Buckeye fans.

Since 1978, only five schools have never scheduled a non-division 1A, now known as FCS, school; Washington, UCLA, USC, Michigan State and yes, Notre Dame. Shouldn't this be an automatic rule when you play with the big boys? Play big boys? Now I hear a lot about the perceived weaknesses of the Pac-10 and Notre Dame, but can you really make that argument when 10 of 11 Big Ten teams play, or have played, lower division schools?

This wouldn't be such a big deal if these teams that do schedule lower division schools thumped them, but Appalachian State put that argument to rest. It is now, officially, a big deal. But Ohio State has now turned the tables on themselves by scheduling these laughable games. If they beat everyone this season, (not counting USC, let's get real here), will anyone give them props and rank them in the top five? They have proven two years in a row that an easy walk-through of regular season football is no longer indicative of how good they are. Their schedule this year is much more difficult, but only due to the addition of USC, and once they get hammered by the Trojans, no one will take them seriously. They committed suicide by schedule.

Michigan started this whole mess losing to the Mountaineers, but beat a very young Florida team in their New Year's Day bowl to make somewhat of a whimper. But that's it. The only team that beat Ohio State, Illinois, got the privilege of playing USC in the Rose Bowl and got soundly thrashed and embarrassed, 49-17.



As of now, the Big Ten isn't being taken very seriously, and that's a shame. Three of its big-hitters, Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State, are reeling from gorgeous-looking conference records or expectations, but ugly overall results when you compare them to the dominating years before 1980. While Wisconsin and Purdue may make some noise this year (as usual), their schedules' SOS or BCS rules will derail them from being a third-wheel in the BCS system.

When is the Big Ten going to realize, that failing to sign faster players (and not just fast for the Big Ten, but bada$$ fast, period) and continuing to beat each up in their own conference, is no longer impressing anyone? When will they start realizing that everyone has their number? The dinosaur is dead, yet the Big Ten continually tries to feed it to make the old-school fans happy. You may say "three yards and a cloud of dust" is history, but when you play the elite schools, it gets awfully dusty out there from the same-old results.

Sure you're running more plays to get the tailbacks and tight ends involved in the passing attack, but when the rest of your team doesn't have the proper personnel to run the WCO efficiently, what's the freaking point? The quarterback is going to be sacked or the tailback is going to get tackled. Quickly. Florida, LSU and USC have already proven that point, time and time again, against the Big Ten.



Bottom line is this; the BIg Ten needs to get some respectability back. Fast. They can do this only one way- beat a quality team. That spells it out succinctly, but harder to implement. The Bucks get the Trojans in LA, no easy task. If they beat the Trojans, then pollsters might give them th benefit of the doubt and keep them in the top 5. If they lose by more than 7, the Bucks can kiss their season goodbye, even if they go undefeated in the Big Ten. They may go to a BCS bowl, but they will not be going to the Big Dance. The fans are tired of it. Other teams are tired of it. Even the sportswriters are tired of building up a game when they know all-too-well that a team which plays one big boy and loses, isn't up for the task. Again.

Buckeye fans, circle the date. September 13th. Just look for ESPN's College Game Day crew. The world will be watching. And good luck. The fate of the Big Ten rests on your shoulders.