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Michigan State (7-1, 10-2) and Wisconsin (6-2, 10-2) play in the first Big Ten championship game. For the winner, this will be great: a trip to the Rose Bowl (a place Big Ten fans hold sacred) on New Year's Day.
For the loser....well: not so much. That 10-2 record becomes 10-3 and pretty well knocks them out of one of the BCS at large bowl slots.
MSU and UW are not alone at 10-2; Michigan (6-2, 10-2) has the same over all record. And Michigan will not lose in Indy this Saturday because they are not playing in the championship, having lost their division (including a loss to MSU).
But Michigan gets to stay at 10-2 by not qualifying for Saturday's game. And it's 10-2 record will be better than either UW or MSU at 10-3. And it is Michigan (a school that admittedly travels very, very well and is a dream to have at a bowl game) will get the nod over either the Spartans or Badgers, depending on who loses.
Since I'm a B10 and know nothing about this type of issue....if it has come up in other conferences with a championship game. But to me, I find this patently unfair:
the loss in a championship game working against you when it comes to placement in a bowl game.
Welcome, Big 10, to the world that is Conference Championship games. Other conferences have had to work with this for several years now, while the Big 10 has gotten the benefit of the doubt by getting two teams into the BCS.
For the teams in the Conference CG - take care of business and there's nothing to worry about, you get an extra win over what should be a highly ranked team from the other division. If you lose, well, it's your own teams fault for not taking care of business.
Michigan State (7-1, 10-2) and Wisconsin (6-2, 10-2) play in the first Big Ten championship game. For the winner, this will be great: a trip to the Rose Bowl (a place Big Ten fans hold sacred) on New Year's Day.
For the loser....well: not so much. That 10-2 record becomes 10-3 and pretty well knocks them out of one of the BCS at large bowl slots.
MSU and UW are not alone at 10-2; Michigan (6-2, 10-2) has the same over all record. And Michigan will not lose in Indy this Saturday because they are not playing in the championship, having lost their division (including a loss to MSU).
But Michigan gets to stay at 10-2 by not qualifying for Saturday's game. And it's 10-2 record will be better than either UW or MSU at 10-3. And it is Michigan (a school that admittedly travels very, very well and is a dream to have at a bowl game) will get the nod over either the Spartans or Badgers, depending on who loses.
Since I'm a B10 and know nothing about this type of issue....if it has come up in other conferences with a championship game. But to me, I find this patently unfair:
the loss in a championship game working against you when it comes to placement in a bowl game.
Do you agree or disagree with this?
It isn't fair
A couple years ago Missouri faced OU in the conf championship game... OU won and went on to the NC game. Kansas (who Missouri beat) went to the Orange Bowl. And Missouri was stuck in the cotton bowl.
Michigan State (7-1, 10-2) and Wisconsin (6-2, 10-2) play in the first Big Ten championship game. For the winner, this will be great: a trip to the Rose Bowl (a place Big Ten fans hold sacred) on New Year's Day.
For the loser....well: not so much. That 10-2 record becomes 10-3 and pretty well knocks them out of one of the BCS at large bowl slots.
MSU and UW are not alone at 10-2; Michigan (6-2, 10-2) has the same over all record. And Michigan will not lose in Indy this Saturday because they are not playing in the championship, having lost their division (including a loss to MSU).
But Michigan gets to stay at 10-2 by not qualifying for Saturday's game. And it's 10-2 record will be better than either UW or MSU at 10-3. And it is Michigan (a school that admittedly travels very, very well and is a dream to have at a bowl game) will get the nod over either the Spartans or Badgers, depending on who loses.
Since I'm a B10 and know nothing about this type of issue....if it has come up in other conferences with a championship game. But to me, I find this patently unfair:
the loss in a championship game working against you when it comes to placement in a bowl game.
Do you agree or disagree with this?
In this situation, it doesn't matter. If you are the Fiesta Bowl and your choices are a 10-2 Michigan team and a 10-2 Michigan State team; Michigan will get the nod every time. Such is life.
Welcome, Big 10, to the world that is Conference Championship games. Other conferences have had to work with this for several years now, while the Big 10 has gotten the benefit of the doubt by getting two teams into the BCS.
Exactly... The SEC has been dealing with this for years. The loser of the SEC Championship is usually not always in a BCS bowl game. Arkansas got in last year, not South Carolina.
Arkansas had a better record, although not by much. I suppose it is a little unfair, but in most cases it's due to having a worse record than someone else.
Exactly... The SEC has been dealing with this for years. The loser of the SEC Championship is usually not always in a BCS bowl game. Arkansas got in last year, not South Carolina.
The loser usually ends up going to the Capital One Bowl.
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