The big ten is really hurting right now though. The SEC (as much as we hate to hear it) is far and away better than our conference. Big 12 and Pac 10 are also right there with us as well as runners up. Other than tosu i'm not confident that the conference's strength is going to turn around anytime soon either.
Michigan- everyone talks about their recruiting being great but I for one think they have a lotof of overrated talent (Morris especially). I like the Smith the RB they have this year that we offered and also the saftey Thomas as well but other than that I don't see any game changers at all. They recruit the Oline very well but thats a position where you have to have unison and need all 5 starters to play at once. Not like Dline where you can sub guys in an out and not miss a beat. For them to be great they need difference makers that can change games, and they have ZERO of them.
Indiana/Minnesota/Iowa/PSU/Purdue/NW- I won't even explain the challenges they have infront of them.
Wisconsin- They've shown in Bret's tenure no capability to recruit a QB or difference makers on the defensive side of the ball. If not for the weak non conference schedule they would not be where they were the past few years. They'll always have Oline and RB's but until they recruit and SIGN a good QB (as a freshman) they will never be elite.
Illinois- I think they could make some noise actually once Beckman has a year or two but for the time being they're not much of a challenge.
Nebraska- 8-4 every year seems to be the norm no matter who they have. They'll always be solid though.
MSU- They have the best shot outside of
OSU imo to be diffrence makers. Because they have talented defenders and have shown the ability to develope QB's and normally have a run game to go with it. The question is can they actually sustain this?
OSU- We are on a different level than any big ten team. I feel we are different than most of the big ten. In a big city, with lots to do, with the biggest fan base in college football to go along with a rock star coach. The offense is trendy and fun to watch with lots of up tempo and speed. The defense for the most part is always solid and with the way
OSU is recruiting it's going to be very difficult to stop us. On defense with Pittman/Schutt/Washington/Spence already in the fold not to mention Cam, the kid from jersey, Bosa, and Hill coming soon I just don't see that type of talent being brought in from the other teams.
Jalin Marshall, Zeke, Jacobs on offense I feel is better than anything any of the other teams as far as DIFFERENCE makers. You add those with a young team as it is and I really feel in the next 2-4 years its going to be
OSU/MSU carrying the Big ten banner alone.
Everyone talks about scUM being right there with
OSU and for this year I agree. What happens when Robinson is gone though? Their defense blows, and the only weapon they have is shoelace. Once he's outta there they're in trouble for the next 2-3 years imo.
Atleast we're
OSU and not any of the other big ten teams. We have by far the brightest future by a long shot.