Last year, Penn State came close, but a 23-24 loss in Iowa City late in the Big Ten season destroyed any hopes of a Big Ten team competing for the BCS Championship for 2008 season. Ohio State couldn't get it done the previous two seasons in the title game.
So, what is in store for the Big Ten in 2009?
Is the Big Ten worthy of national prominence in 2009? Ohio State has been the Big Ten's most consistent program this decade. They won the BCS crown in 2002. Ohio State holds the longest bowl streak in the Big Ten now at nine.
Michigan missed their first bowl game, since the 1974 season in 2008. They went 33 straight seasons with a bowl game. All of that came to an end, after coach Rich Rodriguez's first season in Ann Arbor in '08.
So, what is in store for the Big Ten in 2009?
Is the Big Ten worthy of national prominence in 2009? Ohio State has been the Big Ten's most consistent program this decade. They won the BCS crown in 2002. Ohio State holds the longest bowl streak in the Big Ten now at nine.
Michigan missed their first bowl game, since the 1974 season in 2008. They went 33 straight seasons with a bowl game. All of that came to an end, after coach Rich Rodriguez's first season in Ann Arbor in '08.
Typically, when it comes to playing in the national title game, two combinations are often very important. One, you better have a quarterback that can at least keep your offense on the field and not force your defense into bad situations. Second, you better have something on the defensive side of the field, especially, if you are a Big Ten team. The 2002 Ohio State team won it all on the foundation of defense.
Entering 2009, it is pretty clear that the Big Ten Conference will be an underdog nationally. Florida and Texas are the two favorites entering 2009. Teams like Oklahoma, USC, Alabama, and Virginia Tech appear to be getting more recognition than any Big Ten schools. Oklahoma State or Ole Miss are sleepers, before any Big Ten team in '09. LSU may sneak into the national picture ahead of Ohio State or Penn State.
Illinois dropped from #2 in the Big Ten in '07 to home for Christmas, after a 5-7 season overall for the Fighting Illini. Coach Ron Zook returns senior quarterback Juice Williams and the top WR in the Big Ten in junior Arrelious Benn. But, can the Fighting Illini bring back a solid running game that fueled the success in '07?
Results from 2007 to 2008:
Teams on the rise: Penn State, Michigan State***, Minnesota, Northwestern*** and Iowa***
Steady: Ohio State
Teams on the decline: Michigan***, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin*** and Purdue***
***The trend either upward or downward has been for consecutive seasons.
What's on tap for 2009?
Seven teams in the Big Ten have won a share of the conference title, since 2000.
- Illinois - The offense appears to be on the upswing, but defense, coaching and special teams could be suspect. The Fighting Illini have only played in two bowl games ('01, '07), since 2000 and haven't won a Big Ten title, since '01.
- Indiana - Improvement in the trenches can't hurt, but the Hoosiers are back in the cellar again, after avoiding it for several seasons. Defense and special teams aren't where they need to be. The Hoosiers have played in only one bowl game ('07), since 2000. Last outright Big Ten title was in 1945 and they shared the title in '67.
- Iowa - On paper, the Hawkeyes appear equal in overall strength from the team on paper entering '08. The Hawkeyes have won a share of two Big Ten titles ('02, '04), since 2000, but they haven't contended for a Big Ten title over the past four years. The Hawkeyes have only missed bowls twice ('00, '07), since 2000.
- Michigan - Is a freshman QB going to lead the Wolverines back into the bowl picture in '09? Michigan has been sliding in the Big Ten, since winning their last Big Ten title in '04, outright in '03 and shared title in '00. The Rodriguez era should be better in '09, but just how much better, after finishing 2-6 in '08? No one is expecting anything dramatic in '09.
- Michigan State - Can the Spartans continue the upward swing and compete for their first Big Ten title, since winning a share in 1990? Coach Mark Dantonio has some holes to fill in '09. The Spartans likely will be a tough out in the Big Ten, but it would be a big surprise to them compete for the Big Ten title in '09.
- Minnesota - The Golden Gophers aren't Big Ten contenders, with their last share of Big Ten title coming in 1967. The Gophers have missed on a bowl trip only twice ('01, '07), since 2000. A new outdoor on-campus stadium for '09 and third year coach Tim Brewster have the Gophers fan base excited for '09.
- Northwestern - Like MSU, the Wildcats will have a hard time moving into Big Ten title contention '09 with the personnel losses from '08, but they could be a tough out for some in '09. The Wildcats have been to four bowls ('00, '03, '05, '08) this decade, which is the highest mark in school history. Coach Pat Fitzgerald has the program going the right direction in his fourth year, but the offense must reload and linebackers were young last year. There last share of the Big Ten title came in '00.
- Ohio State - The Buckeyes are the only Big Ten team to go to a bowl game every season, since 2000. They have played in three BCS title games ('02, '06, '07) and been in a BCS bowl every season, except for '04, since 2002. They have shared or won outright a Big Ten title over the past four years, with five total, since 2000. They are young at QB, with sophomore Terrelle Pryor and lost more talent to the NFL draft than any other college football team per Phil Steele.
- Penn State - The Nittany Lions have only played in five bowl games ('02, '05, '06, '07, '08, since 2000. They are going for their fifth straight and they have shared in two Big Ten titles ('05, '08) over the past four seasons. Penn State returns some very good talent, including senior QB Darryll Clark and talented '07 LB Sean Lee, back from ACL injury. But, they also shipped off a good amount of talent to the NFL. The O-Line has some work, but it will be anchored by returning OG Stefen Wisniewski moving to C.
- Purdue - The Boilermakers have brought Hope to their program, in the name of new coach Danny Hope, who replaces Joe Tiller, who lead the Boilermakers to seven bowls, since 2000, missing in '05 and '08. The Boilermakers have been sliding. Will it continue with work at quarterback, the O-Line, defensively, special teams and with a brand new coaching staff unfolding? The Boilermakers shared in the Big Ten title in '00.
- Wisconsin - The Badgers are a proud program after success and three Rose Bowl wins under former coach and current athletic director Barry Alvarez. After a hot start in '06 under current coach Bret Bielema, now entering his fourth season, the Badgers program has begun to slide. The Badgers are the fourth program, other than IU, MSU and Minnesota, that hasn't shared or captured a Big Ten title from 2000-08. The Badgers last time was ten years ago in '99. While there is talent returning, the Badgers were #3 in talent sent to the NFL, behind OSU and PSU, and ahead of Iowa per Phil Steele.
The Big Ten has placed two teams in the BCS bowl picture every season, since 2002, with the exception of '04, when Ohio State fell to 4-4 in the the Big Ten. Iowa, Michigan, Illinois and Penn State are the four other schools that have joined the Buckeyes. We may not get one into the BCS title game again. But, look for two to three teams contend for 6-2 or better in the Big Ten in '09.
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