How Good is the Big Ten?

Seven teams from the Big Ten will be making bowl appearances this year, and that stat becomes only slightly less impressive when you take into account the conference actually has eleven teams.

In the Coaches Poll the Big Ten finished strong: Conference Champ Ohio State and Iowa finished in the top Ten, Penn State finished just outside at #11 and Wisconsin was able to round things out at #24.

This year the Big Ten is gearing up and looking to build off the 1-6 record from the 2008 Bowl schedule. Putting together a winning bowl record for the first time since ESPN.com started keeping electronic records of Bowl seasons would cap a ... another season of Big Ten football.

The conference will especially look to improve results in the BCS games. Since Michigan and Ohio State were robbed of the rematch game for the title game in 2006 the Big Ten has gone 0-6 in the big boy bowls. That year Ohio State lost by 27 to Florida and Michigan lost by 14 to USC.

So lets take a quick preview of what December of 2009 and January of 2010 hold for the Midwest's champions:

Conference Champions Ohio State have alot to prove after going 0-3 in BCS bowl games during the last three seasons. The good news is that the Buckeyes will put on their sundays best helment stickers and praise the Lord that they don't have to play USC in the Rose Bowl. However, playing a red hot Oregon team is a tall order for any program right now and there is no reason to believe a potent spread offense won't continue to pull apart the Ohio State bowl game defense.

Advice for the Buckeyes: If Lagarette Blounte finds his way to the field make sure you keep safe and leave your helments on.

Iowa, the stalwart of 2008 after beating South Carolina, will face ACC champion Georgia Tech, a team that features the triple option and so-so defense in the Orange Bowl. Whether or not the formidable Iowa defense can figure out the Georgia Tech offense is the key, if they can then Iowa has a good chance of remaining the pride of the Big Ten's bowl season.

Advice for the Hawkeyes: If you play defense and there is a Georgia Tech non-lineman still standing, takcle him, there is a good chance he has the football.

Penn State will play #12 LSU in the Capital One Bowl. Good luck.

Advice for Penn State: Enjoy the time you have with Joe Pa, as we have seen with Bobby Bowden you never know when he won't be there anymore.

Wisconsin will for a second straight year play a team speed oriented program from Florida, and will meet Miami, Northwestern will play Auburn and Michigan State will play Texas Tech

Advice for Wisconsin, Northwestern and Michigan State: Don't play like you did last year.