Big Ten Bracketology
Despite Nebraska head football coach Bo Pelini's meltdown after an uninspiring practice and the retirement ceremony for Tom Osborne, we turn our attention briefly to this weekend's Big Ten basketball tournament. It provides Nebraska about it's only chance at postseason play. Despite the strength of Big Ten basketball this year, a number of teams need a strong showing in order to make it to the big dance.
Already In
Five schools have a 12-6 or better record in the Big Ten and a sufficiently high RPI such that they would be invited to the NCAA tournament without a single win in the Big Ten tournament. They are: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, and Wisconsin.
Out, Barring a Miracle
Nebraska, Northwestern, and Penn State are all 5-13 or worse in the Big Ten. Their only shot at playing in the NCAA tournament would be to win four straight games and claim the tournament championship. Purdue has an overall record of 15-16, despite a decent 8-10 conference record. Three wins this week would pull them to 11-10 in conference and 18-16 overall, but probably still wouldn't pull their RPI high enough to make them a tournament team. Chances are, they'd have to be tournament champs to see make it to the big dance.
On the Bubble
The three schools that remain all probably need to have some success this weekend to make it to the NCAA's. Iowa has the best conference record of the three at 9-9. However they are 0-6 against ranked teams and just 2-8 on the road. Their RPI is a lowly 72, well outside the territory for an at-large bid. At minimum, they probably need to beat both Northwestern and Michigan State to get an invitiation. That still might not be enough. Minnesota (20-11) has an impressively high RPI ranking of 24. Often, the top forty to fifty top RPI teams get in the tournament. But it will be hard for the selection committee to overlook their 8-10 conference record. Three wins this week would lock it up, but that would mean they'd have to beat Illinois, Indiana, and either Michigan or Wisconsin. What happens with two or fewer Big Ten tourney wins would be dicey. Illinois (21-11) finds themselves in a similar spot at 8-10 with an RPI at 40. The game against Minnesota seems like a must-win. And then two more wins against those tournament teams seem necessary.
So there's plenty on the line for conference teams this week. If the top four or five seeds dominate though, it may keep the Big Ten as a five-bid league.
Fawkes
3/11/2013
I think most Husker fans probably root for the Jays. I don’t understand why they can consistently have good teams but NU can’t.
3/11/2013
I love how the seemingly undeserved hatred of Bo Pelini somehow finds its way into an article about Nebraska Basketball. Kind-a-lame! Look sportswriters, it really doesn’t matter whether you like Bo or not. It only matters that we like him…
Lincoln, NE
3/11/2013
I agree with you “Johnny_Nebraska”...... At least I like him.
Hartford SD
3/13/2013
Who really cares about husker bball. They are horrible, and with Bo that will soon be the future of the football program.
3/14/2013
Yeah, three conference championship game appearances in 4 years. OHHH! The Horror!!!!
Hartford SD
3/15/2013
What is there record in those three games, and last year it was total luck that they made to the big 10 conference game, and it showed. If 70 points isn’t Horrific then what is it. Its not big red football
3/15/2013
In the first game for the conference title we lost the first game by one second. Or one point, for those who remember. The team we lost to went on to play for a National Title. They got creamed by Alabama, but they played.
In the second game for the conference title, we lost by 3 points. We had an injured quarterback and an Offensive Coordinator who was Offensive but not in a good way.
In the third game for the conference title we played flat against a team that arguable should not have even been there. We looked passed them because we already had defeated them earlier in the year.
Though we have changed conferences and had our share of beat downs, you cannot tell me that ANY other school would have done better if they had to face Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan St., Ohio St., Penn St., and Iowa in the same year. For 90% of the college football world such a schedule would have resulted in a 6 loss season, no bowl eligibility, and a fired coach, NOT a conference title game.
Hartford SD
3/15/2013
How many teams in the Big Ten are the real deal (one) Ohio State. If the Huskers were still in the Big 12 who would they struggle against, OU, OU State, Texas, Texas Tech, K State, West Virginia, and maybe even Baylor or TCU. That’s how bad the Black Shirts have been and the up coming season wont be any better. I think the home opener will be an interesting game. Wyoming will come to play.
3/19/2013
Yeah, Admiral, like us staying in the B12 and defeating Kansas St for the 78th time in 95 games would make us a better football team.
Or better yet, us staying in the B12 and beating Oklahoma St. for the 36th time in 43 games would have made us a better football team.
Or defeating Texas Tech for the 8th time in 12 games would make us a better football team.
Or defeating Texas A&M for the 11 time in 15 games would make us a better football team.
Or defeating Iowa St. for the 85th time in 103 games would have made us a better football team.
Come on, dude. Oh, by the way, West Virginia did play Nebraska once. Here is the score:
1994
Nebraska 31
WVU 0
3/19/2013
Or beating Baylor for the 12th time in 13 games!!!!!
3/19/2013
Or beating TCU for the 7th time in 8 games?
8/25/2001 vs. Texas Christian (6-6) W 21 7 @ NE Pigskin Classic
9/25/1976 vs. Texas Christian (0-11) W 64 10
9/27/1975 vs. Texas Christian (1-10) W 56 14
10/28/1967 @ Texas Christian (4-6) W 29 0
9/17/1966 vs. Texas Christian (2-8) W 14 10
9/18/1965 vs. Texas Christian (6-5) W 34 14
9/29/1951 vs. Texas Christian (6-5) L 7 28
Yeah, that’s right. The last time they beat us Harry Truman was President of the United States!
Columbus, Ohio
3/20/2013
AS an outsider, Admiral…. maybe last year we were the only “real deal.” But look to the past and tell me that Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State…and EVEN Northwestern
haven’t had greater gridiron success than the likes of Kansas, Iowa State, etc… Your school, Texas and Oklahoma are the only schools with rich football heritage (i.e. Heisman Trophies, conference titles, Rose Bowl type bowl games, national titles etc.) Oh yes, KSU and TexasA&M they talk about… has been killed by us in bowl games!! By the way…WestVA gets killed by us every time we play them…and what the hell are they doing in the “Big 12” anyway…oh I know….low academics, and no one else wants them…certainly not the Big Ten!!! You have been down slightly…but there are growing pains coming to a new conference….Teas A&M was fortunate to have “Johnny"what’s his face…he is the main reason they had success…in the past they have ALWAYS been also rans.
As a Big Ten nut…..I WANT NEBRASKA TO BE GREAT…. by the way with Nebraska, Iowa and Wisconsin playing every year, those will be great rivalry games! Plus our divisions will be better geographically aligned for fans to travel.
Go Big Ten!!! Screw the SEC!!!
3/22/2013
Kerry"Buckeye”
Darn Tootin!!!!!
Hartford SD
3/23/2013
Its not 1994 anymore Johnny. If you take Nebraska’s team from last year and put them against those fast scoring teams in the big 12 there would’ve been more than just 2 blow outs.
3/23/2013
Admiral,
Unlike most of the teams in the Big 12. Nebraska actually plays defense. You say that there would have been more than two blowouts? Really? Let’s take a look at how some of the B12 teams faired against the B1G teams in bowls.
Minnesota Vs Texas Tech
12/28/2012 vs Texas Tech L 34 - 31
12/29/2006 vs. Texas Tech (8-5) L 41 44 @ Tempe, AZ Insight Bowl
Minnesota Vs. Nebraska
10/22/2011 vs. *Nebraska (9-4) L 14 41
9/22/1990 @ Nebraska (9-3) L 0 56
9/23/1989 vs. Nebraska (10-2) L 0 48
9/15/1984 @ Nebraska (10-2) L 7 38
Iowa vs. Missouri
12/28/2010 vs. Missouri (10-3) W 27 24 @ Tempe, AZ Insight Bowl
Nebraska Vs. Minnesota
10/22/2011 @ *Minnesota (3-9) W 41 14
Nebraska Vs. Iowa
11/25/2011 vs. *Iowa (7-6) W 20 7
Michigan St. Vs. TCU - Bullfalo Wild Wings Bowl Tempe AZ.
Michigan St. 17 TCU 16.
Nebraska Vs. Michigan St.
10/29/2011 vs. *Michigan State (11-3) W 24 3
12/29/2003 vs. Michigan State (8-5) W 17 3 @ San Antonio, TX Alamo Bowl
9/7/1996 vs. Michigan State (6-6) W 55 14
9/9/1995 @ Michigan State (6-5-1) W 50 10
11/20/1920 vs. Michigan State (non-IA) W 35 7
10/24/1914 vs. Michigan State (non-IA) W 24 0
I could go on. However, I think the point I am making would be intuitively obvious to even the most casual of observers!
Fawkes
3/23/2013
Replace TCU with Nebraska and I believe with no title game Nebraska would be outright Big12 champs. I don’t believe there is one team in the Big12 that could stack up to Ohio St or Wisconsin on D. Or the Michigans(both U & St) for that matter. On Big12 Ds the Huskers would have had an average score in the high 50’s. And our Defensive scheme would fare better against the typical Big12 Offence.
Hartford SD
3/24/2013
What? You cant be serious. Did you watch the any of the games last year. Nebraska’s D was terrible. Probably the worst ever. OU and Kstate would’ve crushed them. There would be some high scoring games on both sides of the ball. Nebraska would have many games where they would put up points like 56, but there D would give up the same. Both the Big 10, and 12 are down. The Pac 12 and Sec dominate right now. Hopefully things will change. On the bright side the Big 10 does do well in basketball, both men and women, and in wrestling the Big Ten rules.
Columbus, Ohio
3/25/2013
EVERYONE IN THE BIG TEN NEEDS TO TEXT>>>E MAIL charles barkley AND TELL HIM TO KISS OUR BIG TEN BEHINDS…..I don’t know how much the sec pays him to crack on our conference all the time…but he sucks… Really??? The our B’ball is overrated!!
3/25/2013
Admrial,
I am sorry, but the facts speak for themselves. Had Nebraska stayed in the B12, Nebraska would have been outright conference champions!
Those who hate Pelini do so out of utter jealousy, and that is a bruden upon them. We are in a MUCH more competative conference than the B12 could ever hope to be. Enjoy your contract with ESPN. I wish you all in the B12 good luck, but the fact of the matter is, even when compared against comparable teams in the B1G the B12 is a farm team at best.