Whether other Big Ten fans want to admit it or not, the league’s respect is based primarily on the accomplishments of Ohio State. The only other Big Ten school to even play for a national championship in this century is Nebraska, and the Huskers weren’t even in the Big Ten at that time. And when Ohio State lost two straight BCS title games in 2006 and 2007, the Big Ten was derided as the “Big MAC” by the rest of the college football world. What changed as of late? It was when Urban Meyer went from embarrassing the Big Ten (at Florida) to knocking the SEC off their pedestal after the 2014 season at Ohio State. Sure, other schools (such as Michigan State) have restored some prestige to the Big Ten, but just like Alabama makes the SEC look really, really good, Ohio State is what’s driven the Big Ten’s national image in this century. Going 50-4 the last four years since Urban decided to become a Buckeye has made Ohio State part of the national conversation in football. And while the shine from that 2014 national championship still glows in the trophy room, most of the players from that…
Continue Reading: Ohio State Buckeyes 2016 Football Preview
