How Michigan State wins Big Ten Championship
November 8, 2008Big Ten Standings today – November 8, 2008
- Michigan State 6-1 (One game left)
- Penn State 5-1 (Two games left)
- Ohio Sate 5-1 (Two games left)
A big ten championship for the Spartans?
For Michigan State to win the Big Ten Championship (outright), they need:
- To Beat Penn State on November 22nd
- Ohio State to lose to Illinois (11/15) or Michigan (11/22)
For Michigan State to win a share of the Big Ten Championship, they need:
- To Beat Penn State on November 22nd
For Michigan State to play in the Rose Bowl, they need:
- To Beat Penn State on November 22nd
- Ohio State to lose to Illinois (11/15) or Michigan (11/22)
(1) Congrats to MSU for their win. Now you control your own destiny if you want to win the Big 10 title. Iowa defeated No.3 Penn State in Iowa City, so the Spartans must go to College Station and beat the Nittanty Lions to gain that elusive title.
But we know once the Spartans start talking and thinking too far ahead, they fall flat on their faces and usually in embarrassing fashion. Hopefully this year they’ll get it done and prove Mark Dantonio is not Mark DaPhoneynio.
(2) Anyone who thinks the Big 10 is an easy conference need to leave the powerful SEC and Big 12 conferences and join our league and you will say that you underestimated the teams and talent of the Big 10.
Iowa’s win today is another example of how hard it is to go undefeated in what is perceived as a weak conference. Penn State learned today whay Ohio State learned in 1998 at home against MSU, what Michigan learned in 1986 against Minnesota and what Penn State learned in 1999 against Minnesota-that any Big 10 team can beat a power and blow away their national title hopes.
(3) Michigan fans wanted Les Miles to be their coach. Why? His powerhouse teams already have three losses and that’s Lloyd Carr territory. Unlike Carr, he doesn’t have an undefeated season on his resume. He’s good for two or three losses a season. I question many of his decisions during the game.
(4) Wasn’t Penn State supposed to teach the Big 10 about dominating? Well they have won the 1994 league crown and are 4-10 against Michigan and has a losing record against Iowa and Ohio State.
Still think the Big 10 is easy?
(5) I like the kid Justin Feagin running the way he does. He is smooth. Can he throw the ball and accurate?
(6) The only way Penn State gets any shot at the national title game is for Florida to lose to Vanderbilt and possibly another loss before their season ends. Texas Tech must lose two in a row, Texas needs another loss, USC needs to lose to Cal, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma each need another loss to make Penn State a well deserved one loss team.
Yeah for State! Woot to the hoot!