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The 2011 Big 12 is the stongest conference in the history of college football.

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nrussell2011

New Member
Feb 20, 2011
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It is hard to argue that this is not the best conference in history, including the SEC.

1. The conference's 7th or 8th ranked team beat the number 1-3 team in the country, Oklahoma, in Norman. Oklahoma had a 39-game winning streak in Norman, and had lost there only twice in the Bob Stoops-era (2001-Oklahoma State, 2005-TCU).

2. Kansas State is 7-0. Five weeks ago, at the beginning of conference play, ESPN had them ranked 9th out of 10 in their power rankings.

3. The conference had the best non-conference record of any conference since 1996. The only three non-conference losses were to Georgia Tech, who lost their first game last week, Arkansas, who is a Top 10 team, and Arizona State, who is a favorite in the Pac-12 South.

4. Iowa State, despite playing poorly against UNI and UConn, and not playing a full four quarters against Iowa, still won all three. They have lost four in a row to Big 12 competition, and have not been close in many of the games.

It is time the Big 12 gets credit where credit is due. After Texas Tech beat Oklahoma, I am absolutely convinced that the Big 12 has to be the strongest conference in my lifetime, and probably ever given parity with the 85-scholarship rule. I will argue this point until the cows come home.
 
For instance, look at how ISU would likely do against Nebraska and Iowa's schedule. Keep in mind how much Nebraska has been complaining about their schedule. Resist the impulse to automatically dismiss a couple of these games as wrong, because ISU's defense is a top 3 or 4 defense in the Big 12, which would keep them in pretty much every Big Ten game. Additionally, they would not have to match Big Ten teams score-for-score.

Against Nebraska's schedule:
-UT-Chattanooga W (1-0)
-Fresno State W (2-0)
-Washington W (3-0). ISU is used to playing QBs like Keith Price. Washington plays a lot like a Big 12 team, but has a much worse defense than ISU.
-Wyoming W (4-0)
-Wisconsin L (4-1). This would be closer than what people think, since Wisconsin has a Big 12-type QB, and they would be slower all-around than a Big 12 team. Plus, their defense is not as good as originally thought.
-Ohio State W (5-1). ISU wins this, because Ohio State cannot move the ball. ISU can score, just not enough against Big 12 teams to keep up.
-Minnesota W (6-1)
-Michigan State L (6-2). Personally, I think ISU wins this game, because it would be at home. However, I understand that the public perception is that this team is the best in the Big Ten right now. That might be true, but ISU's defense is functionally as good as MSU, they are just on the field more and statistically would not look as strong. I would take our offense against theirs.
-Northwestern W (7-2). Dealing with Persa would not be as difficult as dealing with a Big 12 QB. It would not be a blowout, but Northwestern does not have a field-stretching WR or a RB who can take the focus from Persa.
-Penn State L (7-3). If this game were at home, I would take ISU as proxy for Nebraska's schedule. I would not think that ISU goes in to State College and wins, but everything else tells me that ISU is better. PSU has not looked good -- they are good defensively, but pretty anemic offensively.
-Michigan L (7-4)
-Iowa W (8-4)

So, 8-4 with Nebraska's schedule, and personally I would think we would go at least 9-3, but was conservative in my picks.

Against Iowa's schedule:
Tennessee Tech W (1-0)
Iowa State, so Iowa W (2-0)
Pitt W (3-0)
Louisiana-Monroe W (4-0)
Penn State L (4-1). See above for explanation.
Northwestern W (5-1)
Indiana W (6-1)
Minnesota W (7-1)
Michigan L (7-2)
Michigan State L (7-3)
Purdue W (8-3)
Nebraska L (8-4)

So, it would be very comparable with Iowa's schedule and Nebraska's. I personally think that ISU could beat Michigan at home, but was conservative in picking. I also think that ISU-Nebraska would be extremely equal this year. ISU's defense is better, and Martinez and Jantz/Barnett are pretty comparable.
 
I don't think it's anywhere close to being the best conference in history. The best conference this year, probably. But we're giving up way too many points as a conference to call this year's Big 12 the best ever. Needs more balance.
 
Didn't see the "how we'd do against Iowa and Nebraska's schedule" post. Wow. Really? Did you stay up all night playing those games on PS3? The way we've been playing lately, we'd be lucky to get to 4-5 wins with their schedules.
 
Take it easy guys. He made some good, if exaggerated points. Put down the pitchforks and discuss. That's what the board is for, right?

I have to agree: the Big XII this year is ridiculous. Best ever? I don't know but it certainly has been an exciting year. Almost makes me wish Nebraska was around because that would have only thickened the plot more. A K-State/Nebraska bowl match up would be awesome to see the K-State rushing attack up against the Husker D.

Not sure we'd go 8-4 w/ Nebby's specific schedule but I would say we could probably compete with the bottom half of the B10 much more easily than the bottom half of the Big XII.

Minnesota and Indiana are just awful, Purdue is streaky at best, and we DID beat Iowa.

I gotta figure if we went 3-0 in non-con playing cupcakes and beat those 4 that's 7 wins. Which is more [regular season] wins than ISU has had since I became a fan.
 
WOW. I was giving you the benefit of the doubt until you said we'd beat Ohio State.
 
nrussell2011 said:
It is hard to argue that this is not the best conference in history, including the SEC.

1. The conference's 7th or 8th ranked team beat the number 1-3 team in the country, Oklahoma, in Norman. Oklahoma had a 39-game winning streak in Norman, and had lost there only twice in the Bob Stoops-era (2001-Oklahoma State, 2005-TCU).

2. Kansas State is 7-0. Five weeks ago, at the beginning of conference play, ESPN had them ranked 9th out of 10 in their power rankings.

3. The conference had the best non-conference record of any conference since 1996. The only three non-conference losses were to Georgia Tech, who lost their first game last week, Arkansas, who is a Top 10 team, and Arizona State, who is a favorite in the Pac-12 South.

4. Iowa State, despite playing poorly against UNI and UConn, and not playing a full four quarters against Iowa, still won all three. They have lost four in a row to Big 12 competition, and have not been close in many of the games.

It is time the Big 12 gets credit where credit is due. After Texas Tech beat Oklahoma, I am absolutely convinced that the Big 12 has to be the strongest conference in my lifetime, and probably ever given parity with the 85-scholarship rule. I will argue this point until the cows come home.
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So you use the facts that an average TTU team winning @ OU, and ISU struggling against average teams and getting ripped by decent teams, as evidence that the Big 12 is the best conference in the history of football?

Ummm... strong, yes. Best ever? No. Not even the best this year. That title goes to the SEC. By far. LSU and Bama are excellent teams, and would thrash pretty much any other team out there right now. Followed by UGA, Arkansas, and South Carolina, there is no doubt that the SEC is continuing their dominance.
 
SplitIdentity said:
So you use the facts that an average TTU team winning @ OU, and ISU struggling against average teams and getting ripped by decent teams, as evidence that the Big 12 is the best conference in the history of football?

Ummm... strong, yes. Best ever? No. Not even the best this year. That title goes to the SEC. By far. LSU and Bama are excellent teams, and would thrash pretty much any other team out there right now. Followed by UGA, Arkansas, and South Carolina, there is no doubt that the SEC is continuing their dominance.
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This pretty much states your team is a **** pile. Wish we could be in the weak 10.
 
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nrussell2011 said:
-Wisconsin L (4-1). This would be closer than what people think, since Wisconsin has a Big 12-type QB, and they would be slower all-around than a Big 12 team. Plus, their defense is not as good as originally thought.
-Ohio State W (5-1). ISU wins this, because Ohio State cannot move the ball. ISU can score, just not enough against Big 12 teams to keep up.
-Michigan State L (6-2). Personally, I think ISU wins this game, because it would be at home. However, I understand that the public perception is that this team is the best in the Big Ten right now. That might be true, but ISU's defense is functionally as good as MSU, they are just on the field more and statistically would not look as strong. I would take our offense against theirs.
Click to expand...

You're either purposefully being an idiot or know nothing about college football. Wisconsin and MSU would HAMMER us and we would not beat OSU but I do agree that we could give them a game. OSU defense would eat our offense alive
 
No not even the best that the B12/B8 has been. In 95 (last year of the Big 8), Nebby waxed Florida by 40+ in the NC game, and CU, K-State and KU all finished in top 8 final rankings. That was half of the conference that finished in the top 8 in the country.
 
I don't think its too far off. It doesn't matter if we go 0-11 in Iowa or Nebraskas schedule... Doesn't make the big 12 any worse really this year. Top to bottom, the big 12>SEC this year.

ESPN would agree. Best conference ever? Not so sure about that, but there could be a slight arguement.. provided the big 12 wins the NC and does very well in bowl games.
 
Just so I'm following...you have TT as 7th or 8th in the conference?

And your reasoning is since an unranked, bottom 1/3 or bottom 1/4 of the conference team, upsets a top-ranked conference team in the Big XII....it shows how strong and deep the conference is? That's your argument?

Why am I suspicious that if the same thing happened in the Big Ten, the explanation would be "it just goes to show how overrated the Big Ten is?"

It's an upset. They happen. Nothing more.
 
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