Big Ten Likes Record So Far, But the Proof Is in Bowl Games

When times are tough in the Big Ten Conference, one can usually count on the league’s publicity office to brag about its members’ record-setting attendance figures.

But when times are golden, those spectator counts are back in the bottom of press releases. Instead, the conference will point toward its non-conference mark and how strong Big Ten football has become.

Right now, attendance is at the bottom and the non-league marks are at the top.

Embarrassed by the dismal failure in post-season games one year ago--the Big Ten lost five of six bowl games--the league has rebounded this year.

It has one of its best non-conference records in years. The stellar mark against outside-league foes has come in the first year since the conference abandoned its round-robin scheduling where everyone in the league plays everyone.

The Big Ten points out that it has the best record of any of the major conferences against outside competition. They also point to the “tough” schedules they play compared to the Southeastern, Southwest, Atlantic Coast, Big Eight and Pacific-10 conferences.

“Big Ten football has never been better,” says Minnesota’s Lou Holtz. “This is the strongest the league has ever been.”

The league is probably building up its publicity blitz because some of the ranked teams are likely to fall as the league gets into conference play. Big Ten teams have a habit of beating up on one another and they suffer in the polls, something the Big Ten doesn’t much care for when it talks about the strength of its football program.

However, non-conference records are not totally accurate barometers of a league’s strength. First, division teams may make the non-conference record top-heavy. Just because a team beat Western Michigan, Drake or Southern Illinois doesn’t mean it can beat the best of other conferences.

Before the Big Ten can start bragging about regaining its premier position among the college elite, it must again wait for the bowl season to come around again.

Because the Big Ten does draw well--there are those attendance figures again--bowl teams lick their chops when they have an opportunity to invite a Big Ten team.