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And with ESPN now spearheading the SEC's media exposure (and by extension, recruiting) via the SEC network, we can only expect it to get worse. With all the outcry over the Longwhorn Network a few years ago, I am baffled that no one has raised similar concerns over the world's most powerful sports media outlet stumping for one conference.
Not sure I agree with you on this. ESPN is giving the SEC so much exposure because the SEC is putting a great product on the field, not vice versa. If the SEC were a sorry bunch of mediocre teams, no amount of media blitz could get people to watch.
What's more, the problem with the Longhorn Network was that it was one team, rather than being conference based. The SEC Network encompasses a huge market just within the SEC states and a wider geographic range among college football fans in general.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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ESPN and SEC are in cahoots, they've been working up to that ESPN owned SEC network for years. They haven't pretended impartiality for a long time.
And until the NCAA does away with the over signing issue where a lot of the SEC schools get five signing classes worth of players every four years, no one will be able to compete with them. It is too big of an advantage.
Most of the talent is out West and in the South. Teams like Nebraska to Indiana will find it hard to compete. Ohio State really has it made with the wealth of talent in that state seeing as how it is the most talented state for football in the Midwest by far.
Does the Big Ten even deserve to be considered a "power 5" at this point?
2 teams lost to MAC opponents today.
Penn State beat Akron 21-3.
Michigan State got throttled 46-27 by Oregon.
Wisconsin led Western Illiniois 9-3 at halftime (before pulling away).
Michigan is being dismantled by Notre Dame.
Ohio State is down 2 TD's to Virginia Tech as I write this.
If someone didn't have any historical perspective, I don't think they would guess that this is considered one of the top conferences in college football.
B1G is rich. B1G has cash and resources. That is what helps make you a power 5. The results on the field have been disappointing of late, but to suggest B1G is not power 5 is to suggest you do not understand college athletics. You can't take a sample size of 5-10 years and cast a conference aside. Short sighted internet experts do that. Not people with intellect.
- It is a stretch to say Oregon throttled MSU.
- Wisconsin won by 34 points.
- Penn State was coming off that emotional game in Ireland, anyone who knows anything about college football would have expected Penn State to have a bit of a let down.
- VA Tech is a top 25 team. Why would OSU, who lost their star QB in the preseason, be ashamed of losing? Is losing to a ranked ACC team considered a bad loss?
If the thread were, "is B1G struggling to keep up?" that would be a different conversation. This thread is titled "Is B1G a power 5?" to which the answer is still yes.
The B1G is certainly struggling a bit right now in football... but overall it's a dominating force amongst all levels of sports.
Penn State getting it's full eligibility should help... certainly comes at a good time for the team itself too considering they have a chance to compete for B1G Championship.
Indiana just went on the road and beat an SEC team.
Great win by IU. On the other hand, Pac-12 bottom dweller Utah beats up Michigan at the Big House. Big Ten is sadly down. As a Pac-10 fan I want to see them up.
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